Thin Apple notebooks may come clad in black aluminum

[AppleInsider]

A new line of Apple notebooks believed to be nearing release have been spotted in both black and traditional aluminum enclosures, according to a new report.

The systems are said to be thinner than the company's existing MacBook and MacBook Pro offerings, while also sporting a more compact footprint that includes a thinner display bezel.

Outside of this information, details appear to be scarce. It's not entirely clear whether the notebooks are part of an upcoming revision to Apple's consumer-oriented MacBook line or are simply one-and-the same with the much rumored "ultra-portable" design first detailed back in February.

The latter systems are expected to include L.E.D-backlit 13-inch LCD panels, on-board NAND flash (for faster application launching and boot times), and lack a traditional optical disc drive.

It's believed that Apple had originally intended to launch the slimmer notebook line alongside its next-generation Leopard operating system back in June, but subsequently pushed the release out to "late 2007 or early 2008" when Leopard's expected release date slipped to October.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[Fishyesque]

I soooo beat appleinsider to this. I'm sure everyone's dying for this (whatever it ends up to be) to come out.

[DionRodrigues]

The shells look very nice, I would like to see a black MBP in the future, it would look SO much better than my aluminum C2D MBP, and would be so much easier to keep clean (or at least stay clean).

[Bergermeister]

Originally Posted by Fishyesque

I soooo beat appleinsider to this.

You are not the first to have done so; they will likely merge the two threads once the see what yours is about... The title was little unclear.


There is no need for a CD-Rom nor a great HD... The thin 80GB HD that is now in the iPod Classic would do nicely combined with a dedicated flash drive element of about 16 or 32 GB.

[Fishyesque]

That's true. I was in a hurry to just post the link. But I guess it doesn't matter who finds it, I just love new information.

[melgross]

Well then, I guess I should post this one here:

http://www.thestreet.com/s/apple-mac.../10380765.html

[Fishyesque]

Thanks for the link. Good find.

[Tomohr]

this is definitely something that I wanted to see... I just hope they drop these sometime close to after the release of leopard

[Ti Fighter]

good! cuz the ef'fing matte paint flakes/rubs off the macbooks

[rogerborn]

Thin makes no sense unless it is a truly driveless laptop.
No hard drive - solid state only.
No Superdrive. Who uses these drives anymore on a laptop?
If true, expect the price to be closer to 2K.
A nine or even eleven inch screen would be awesome.
But, if Steve Jobes doesn't use it, it never gets produced.

Regards,
Roger Born
"These are my principles. If you don't like them, I have others."

[ScartArt]

Originally Posted by Bergermeister

There is no need for a CD-Rom nor a great HD... The thin 80GB HD that is now in the iPod Classic would do nicely combined with a dedicated flash drive element of about 16 or 32 GB.

You really don't want a 1.8" drive. They are so slow and not designed to be constantly used.

[Tomohr]

Originally Posted by Ti Fighter

good! cuz the ef'fing matte paint flakes/rubs off the macbooks

that's pretty tacky. I've been reading a lot about this new computer, all speculations of course, but awhile back apple threw out a patent for a rather large trackpad that would be able to tell the difference between incidental and real touch. It looked like something that would span the entire computer, so who knows what they are thinking. With all the invovation (that they are capable of shoving out) who knows what they are going to do.

[EruIthildur]

Originally Posted by DionRodrigues

The shells look very nice, I would like to see a black MBP in the future, it would look SO much better than my aluminum C2D MBP, and would be so much easier to keep clean (or at least stay clean).

I want a black MBP as well. In fact, it might speed my upgrade process.

[Bergermeister]

Originally Posted by ScartArt

You really don't want a 1.8" drive. They are so slow and not designed to be constantly used.

Very true... I should have said: a small drive like the one...

Anyway: SMALL becuz there will be FLASH FLASH FLASH

[KennyWRX]

Leaving the optical drive out would mean an ultraportable... but isn't a 13.3 incher too big for an ultraportable? If it is a 13.3 incher I would say these are the new MBs, and so... would need to have an optical drive.

Something just doesn't add up.

[shanmugam]

when is Leopard coming out? end Oct??

i highly doubt it is going to be around leopard release date. But if it is MacBook Mini 10" then YES!

i think MacBook will be updated only MWSF 08? if not what else left for MWSF? (also from intel the new architecture comes around WWDC, penryn just a die shrink, nothing really left for MWSF)

steve come to stage Good morning and good bye!

[MacTel]

Originally Posted by DionRodrigues

The shells look very nice, I would like to see a black MBP in the future, it would look SO much better than my aluminum C2D MBP, and would be so much easier to keep clean (or at least stay clean).

When are they going to have a Product (RED) MBP. White and black are getting a bit tired.

[jamezog]

Originally Posted by KennyWRX

Leaving the optical drive out would mean an ultraportable... but isn't a 13.3 incher too big for an ultraportable? If it is a 13.3 incher I would say these are the new MBs, and so... would need to have an optical drive.

Something just doesn't add up.

I was thinking the same thing...

[eAi]

And here I was about to buy a MacBook Pro... Shall I wait?

[backtomac]

I hope it's true. MBs in annodized aluminum would look very nice IMO. Throw in colors a la iPod nano and I think that would make for a compelling product.

[shanmugam]

Originally Posted by backtomac

I hope it's true. MBs in annodized aluminum would look very nice IMO. Throw in colors a la iPod nano and I think that would make for a compelling product.

i want the Green one!

[coolmac]

Whatever these laptops are or replacing the Apple MacBook surely needs an update to it's casing. I just came home from an Apple Store and all of the MacBook's on display looked like crap. The Black MacBook's trackpads were terribly worn and the case was full of what looked like oil stains. The white MacBooks were all discolored (yellow) and dirty.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by backtomac

I hope it's true. MBs in annodized aluminum would look very nice IMO. Throw in colors a la iPod nano and I think that would make for a compelling product.

With Apple on a recycle kick, I think the new MacBooks will be anodized aluminum that match the Nanos. Santa Rosa for sure, and maybe LED displays...but I have no info on the current cost and production availability.

[Constable Odo]

I hope the black finish is not easily scratchable. People will be bitching like crazy like they were with the iPod Nanos. Users don't know how to take of their devices and then blame the manufacturer. I'd like to try one of these new slim MacBooks, but I don't know how useful it would be to me if it's processor is slower than my MacBook Pro's Core 2 Duo 2.33.

I'll probably pass since I'm waiting to see what the new Mac Pros are going to offer in the way of performance.

[BWhaler]

I've been a 17" guy since 2003, but I wonder if the ultra portables will swing me the other way.

Every now and then I have the thought of going to the other extreme and go for portability, but I never seem to make the jump.

I can see making a move to the ultra portable now that I use a 30" display and external keyboard and mouse when in the office.

I guess I would need/want:

1. Unbelievable portability and lower weight
2. Super long battery life.
3. Dense, bright screen. With less real estate, the screens can't be the typical Apple spotty backlighting
4. GPU and CPU which can power media rich presentations...especially on external displays
5. Decent storage capabilities.
6. Memory up to 4 gigs
7. Full size keyboard
8. No heat issues. (Again, Apple will need to step it up on the quality front to make this happen.)

But I do get excited by the possibility.

[crees!]

Originally Posted by rogerborn

No Superdrive. Who uses these drives anymore on a laptop?

Many people. Especially when they buy a program and go to install it, or need to pop in a disc to restore their system. I can make several cases where a disc drive is needed. Care to elaborate why you wouldn't need one and how to get around the issue of when you would need one? Buying an external disc drive is not an option and quite frankly stupid.

[tacojohn]

[macNewbTube]

On that page we think the front will look a little like this, and please mind the VERY crude mock up

http://macnewbtube.wordpress.com/200...12macbook-pro/

[shanmugam]

looks cool, what is the thickness of the thinnest slot-load dvd drive?

[lfmorrison]

Originally Posted by crees!

Many people. Especially when they buy a program and go to install it, or need to pop in a disc to restore their system. I can make several cases where a disc drive is needed. Care to elaborate why you wouldn't need one and how to get around the issue of when you would need one? Buying an external disc drive is not an option and quite frankly stupid.

Eating apples on Wednesdays during the vernal equinox is not an option and quite frankly stupid.

Seriously, I've never had to restore my operating system while I'm on-the-go. Same for installing new software.

Sell us an ultraportable that comes with an external optical drive. I'll leave the optical drive at home and use it when I need to restore my system or in the rare circumstance that I need to install new software which wasn't acquired and downloaded online. The rest of the time, I don't want the extra weight thank-you-very-much.

[jbh0001]

If is got Penryn + Santa Rosa, I'll be interested., otherwise I'll wait That means that it won't ship until at least November 12, 2007 when Penryn is "officially" released.

[soulhunter]

Oh dear... I remember trying to install stuff using external optical drives on some laptops... what a sorehead I got. If you need to install the operating system... then the problem is 100 times worse, cos at first, the hardware is not detected, then you have to crack it open to find out how to install it... I am sure you will need another Mac to install an operating system on this one... Let's hope they will think about this!!!

[crees!]

Originally Posted by lfmorrison

Eating apples on Wednesdays during the vernal equinox is not an option and quite frankly stupid.

Seriously, I've never had to restore my operating system while I'm on-the-go. Same for installing new software.

Sell us an ultraportable that comes with an external optical drive. I'll leave the optical drive at home and use it when I need to restore my system or in the rare circumstance that I need to install new software which wasn't acquired and downloaded online. The rest of the time, I don't want the extra weight thank-you-very-much.

Apple, with the iMac, stresses about desktop clutter. Why would they have an "accessory" as such which would add to that clutter? Makes no sense. So you're on the go and someone gives you a CD to listen too. You tell them you have to wait till you get home because you left your drive at home. Really. Whatever Apple does I see not having an optical drive plain stupid and I wouldn't purchase a machine without one.

[Fishyesque]

CD's are so oldschool. They'll just hand you an earbud connected to their brand new ipod touch.

edit: and if it's not music, they'll have it on a flash drive.

[backtomac]

Originally Posted by BWhaler

8. No heat issues. (Again, Apple will need to step it up on the quality front to make this happen.)

This article at ars suggests that the mobile penryns will run at 25w. That should make for a cool running machine.

[Gustav]

Originally Posted by soulhunter

Oh dear... I remember trying to install stuff using external optical drives on some laptops... what a sorehead I got. If you need to install the operating system... then the problem is 100 times worse, cos at first, the hardware is not detected, then you have to crack it open to find out how to install it...

Uhm... that would be a PC laptop - back when even desktop PCs couldn't boot from their CD drive. I don't think Apple would allow that to happen. Today's Macs can boot from external hard disks - a CD drive would be no different.

I am sure you will need another Mac to install an operating system on this one...

That would be a ridiculous requirement. I am sure that you will definitely NOT need another Mac to install an OS.

[backtomac]

Originally Posted by tacojohn

Shouldn't that say 40 gb SSD?

[Bageljoey]

Originally Posted by crees!

Apple, with the iMac, stresses about desktop clutter. Why would they have an "accessory" as such which would add to that clutter? Makes no sense. So you're on the go and someone gives you a CD to listen too. You tell them you have to wait till you get home because you left your drive at home. Really. Whatever Apple does I see not having an optical drive plain stupid and I wouldn't purchase a machine without one.

No, I'll go with lfmorrison here. If it is to be an ultra portable, you can't have the weight/space of the optical drive fouling it up. The posited included external drive would not be clutter on the desktop, because it would be for occasional use only.

***This is not a replacement for all your computers--this is for way portability.***

If you are going to want to be listening to CDs or if watching DVDs is an option you want to have open, then get you a MB or a MBP.

If they try to make the ultraportable all things for all people, then it will just end up as a smaller laptop and will not satisfy the intended market--the ultraportable people. And there will still be people who call it crippled for not having X, Y or Z.

I personally would be more interested in a return to the small pro laptop (with ODD) but that is not an ultraportable solution.

[Fishyesque]

Originally Posted by backtomac

Shouldn't that say 40 gb SSD?

nah, man. 40 gb HDD at 2100 rpm.
it's the new rage.

[lfmorrison]

Originally Posted by crees!

Whatever Apple does I see not having an optical drive plain stupid and I wouldn't purchase a machine without one.

That's fine. You wouldn't have to buy it.

I think an iPod that's too small to hold my whole music collection is just stupid, and I wouldn't purchase an iPod like that.

Apple caters to this preference.

But Apple clearly also recognizes that there's plenty of people out there who value different attributes in their iPod, and they cater to those people too.