Chinese blog claims photos of Apple's next-gen 13-inch MacBooks

[AppleInsider]

A Chinese-language blog responsible for leaking photographs of a genuine next-generation Apple 15-inch MacBook Pro casing has posted a similar set of photos purported to be that of the company's upcoming aluminum 13-inch MacBooks.

The four photos (below) published by Apple.pro show a hollow 13-inch aluminum notebook display casing with the word "MacBook" imprinted on the bezel.

Last month, the same blog published a single photo showing the empty shell of what was said to be Apple's next-gen MacBook Pro enclosure. People familiar with the upcoming notebooks later confirmed to AppleInsider that the enclosure in the photo was indeed authentic.

Both sets of photos show notebook casings that closely conform to AppleInsider's descriptions of Apple's upcoming MacBook and MacBook Pro refreshes that were first published back in April.

In that report, it was noted that the MacBooks would undergo the most significant metamorphosis, shedding their plastic enclosures for ones constructed from more eco-friendly materials such as aircraft-grade aluminum and stainless steel.



Meanwhile, the new MacBook Pro was later revealed to include a long and narrow battery cover spanning the entire length of the notebook and comprising approximately 25 percent of the bottom casing, bleeding out and over one edge.

A small, rectangular latch positioned just below the battery area on the bottom of the new notebook will release the battery cover, providing access not only to the MacBook Pro's lithium-ion battery but also its hard disk drive, those familiar with the upcoming design have said.

The verdict is still out on whether the latest round of photos are indeed that of Apple's upcoming 13-inch MacBook. It should be noted that Apple.pro appears to have obtained the photos from this reseller website, which lists the mysterious new casing in its parts database.

Unlike the earlier MacBook Pro photo, the new photos also appear soft or a digitally altered. The "MacBook" type on the bezel appears as if it may be off-center. In general, the casing itself bears many similarities to that of the MacBook Air. Therefore, readers should take the blog's latest claims with some caution.

Photos of a disassembled MacBook Air display casing taken from iFixIt's disassembly guide have been posted below for comparison.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by AppleInsider

In that report, it was noted that the MacBooks would undergo the most significant metamorphosis, shedding their plastic enclosures for ones constructed from more eco-friendly materials such as aircraft-grade aluminum and stainless steel.

Got to love the word treatment here. This is a computer you're talking about right? It sounds so grandiose.

I would have said the new MacBooks are going to be aluminum myself, pretty simple change really.

[solipsism]

Other sites have posters saying it's just a photoshopped MBA case. While these images could very well be photoshopped the curvature is that of the current MB and I'd wager that these photos are legit.

[xc3ll]

I'm sorry, but I have to gloat.

I posted these before AI did (check the Apple Notebook Lines To See.... thread)!

As I said in that thread though, these pics don't seem to be the real deal. The Apple logo in the top right picture is off center and sideways (unless that's the bottom and there's supposed to be a latch there -- but even then, the latch would have to be on the side and current macbooks don't have the Apple logo on the bottom (as far as I can remember)) The tops might be real, but these look like they were shot in a studio or something, whereas all their other exclusive pics were shot with terrible cameras in terrible lighting conditions.

[Ireland]

Originally Posted by xc3ll

I'm sorry, but I have to gloat.

I posted these before AI did (check the Apple Notebook Lines To See.... thread)!

As I said in that thread though, these pics don't seem to be the real deal. The Apple logo in the top right picture is off center and sideways (unless that's the bottom and there's supposed to be a latch there -- but even then, the latch would have to be on the side and current macbooks don't have the Apple logo on the bottom (as far as I can remember)) The tops might be real, but these look like they were shot in a studio or something, whereas all their other exclusive pics were shot with terrible cameras in terrible lighting conditions.

Don't worry, you won't get the credit you probably should.

[aaple]

Originally Posted by solipsism

Other sites have posters saying it's just a photoshopped MBA case. While these images could very well be photoshopped the curvature is that of the current MB and I'd wager that these photos are legit.

What do you mean, the curvature is that of the current MB? The tapered picture looks exactly like the top of the MBA. The picture of the empty screen casing looks like the right dimensions for the MB, but the word "MacBook" is off center, and *curiously*, it is off center right where it would be if the word "Air" came after it.... look at a picture of MBA screen and you'll see what I mean. They just took the picture at an angle to hide this fact.

I vote fake. The new MBs could end up looking a lot like this, but I don't think this is it...

[hobBIT]

Of course the next MacBook could have exactly the same lid as the MacBook Air. That would even be economical from a part production point of view. But is it likely?

If you look at the inner frame:
Top left and top right corners have the same wide, round corners the MBA.
Bottom left and bottom right corners have the same tiny, sharp corners as the MBA.
The current MacBook has a centered mono-hinge, while the MBA has two small hinges - just like the frame in the picture.

And then there's the slightly off center 'MacBook' wording, which would be dead center if it would read 'Mac Book Air'...


Seems very likely to be simply a MacBook Air replacement part that was either photoshopped or had sandpaper applied to remove 'Air' from the name.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by aaple

What do you mean, the curvature is that of the current MB? The tapered picture looks exactly like the top of the MBA. The picture of the empty screen casing looks like the right dimensions for the MB, but the word "MacBook" is off center, and *curiously*, it is off center right where it would be if the word "Air" came after it.... look at a picture of MBA screen and you'll see what I mean. They just took the picture at an angle to hide this fact.

I vote fake. The new MBs could end up looking a lot like this, but I don't think this is it...

I agree with you about the off center MacBook test, but the curve of the top matches the MB better than the MBA which is very tapered at the corners, not rounded.

[calguy]

This is one preview that I am not even going to click on. I clicked directly on the comments section. I would rather be surprised when Apple does unveil the new MacBooks and MB Pros. It's all part of the excitement of continuing with Apple's policy of secrecy and my greater enjoyment of seeing the REAL thing that I know is the real thing. Speculation on the validity of such photos is just some place I am not interested in going even if the "I can't wait" feeling of others is strong enough to check it out. I can wait until September.

[aiolos]

Looks fake to me. I don't buy it.

[Samnuva]

A shot of a comonent on a blank white screen seems a little fishy. These don't look like real spy photos. I'll say I'm suspicious, at the least.

[nacnud]

Originally Posted by hobBIT

And then there's the slightly off center 'MacBook' wording, which would be dead center if it would read 'Mac Book Air'...

If you take a line from the hole for the web cam through the cut out for the apple logo the lettering is actually centred. It looks off centre due to foreshortening in the picture.

[Xian Zhu Xuande]

Originally Posted by nacnud

If you take a line from the hole for the web cam through the cut out for the apple logo the lettering is actually centred. It looks off centre due to foreshortening in the picture.

It doesn't look off center... it is off center.
You can use the corners to align the dimensions properly.

[evo9]

Ok, let's say these shots aren't fake for a second.

I'm looking at this and thinking where's the keyboard? then it hit me, the keyboard is there, it's made of the same material as the display. Meaning, the 'keyboard' is really another screen with dual touch.

I'm voting these aren't fake and that this is the big surprise concerning the new Mac Book design. That would be pretty radical and badass if Apple went with a full multi-touch keyboard input that could be programatically reconfigured.

[Blütnerd]

I don't think the Apple logo is off-center. It looks to me like the left half is covered by the same styrofoam sheet that the shell is lying on. But yeah, this looks to be a MacBook Air shell with some photoshopping.

[Blütnerd]

Originally Posted by evo9

Ok, let's say these shots aren't fake for a second.

I'm looking at this and thinking where's the keyboard? then it hit me, the keyboard is there, it's made of the same material as the display. Meaning, the 'keyboard' is really another screen with dual touch.

I'm voting these aren't fake and that this is the big surprise concerning the new Mac Book design. That would be pretty radical and badass if Apple went with a full multi-touch keyboard input that could be programatically reconfigured.

That's a bit of a stretch seeing how the only thing pictured is the shell the screen comes in. The bottom half where the keyboard would be isn't shown.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by xc3ll

I'm sorry, but I have to gloat.

I posted these before AI did (check the Apple Notebook Lines To See.... thread)!

As I said in that thread though, these pics don't seem to be the real deal. The Apple logo in the top right picture is off center and sideways (unless that's the bottom and there's supposed to be a latch there --

The far "edge" that you are seeing looks to me like a sheet of packing foam covering the left end of the cover.

Originally Posted by Xian Zhu Xuande

It doesn't look off center... it is off center.
You can use the corners to align the dimensions properly.

It looks as if it's shot with a fairly wide angle lens, which can throw off that sort of check. Like when you photo someone close-up with a wide-angle, their nose gets huge compared to their face. But the picture does looks a bit off too, even for that. The far corner seems to bow out in an odd way that I can't quite explain away with a curl of the material. The inner edge of the bezel near the far corner doesn't seem to run parallel to the outer edge. There seems to be a bit of an irregularity on the upper right corner, it should be a smooth transition to a curve on that corner, but there's a bit of a sharp point there.

[evo9]

Originally Posted by Blütnerd

That's a bit of a stretch seeing how the only thing pictured is the shell the screen comes in. The bottom half where the keyboard would be isn't shown.

Agreed. But it's fun/interesting to think about.

[PhuzzyToes]

Originally Posted by xc3ll

I'm sorry, but I have to gloat.

I posted these before AI did (check the Apple Notebook Lines To See.... thread)!

As I said in that thread though, these pics don't seem to be the real deal. The Apple logo in the top right picture is off center and sideways (unless that's the bottom and there's supposed to be a latch there -- but even then, the latch would have to be on the side and current macbooks don't have the Apple logo on the bottom (as far as I can remember)) The tops might be real, but these look like they were shot in a studio or something, whereas all their other exclusive pics were shot with terrible cameras in terrible lighting conditions.

I noticed the same anomaly about the logo being on the bottom. Unless .. it has to be on the bottom, like for a tablet. I'm dreaming, man.

I suppose we'll know for sure only after September 16 or so.

[reallynotnick]

Yeah, it looks kinda fake but I would love a 13in aluminum Macbook(Pro), just put a real GPU in it and snow leopard for next years back to school and I am all over this!

[Eriamjh]

It's just the pieces of the MBA rearranged.

[nacnud]

Originally Posted by Xian Zhu Xuande

It doesn't look off center... it is off center.
You can use the corners to align the dimensions properly.

A quick play with paint and perspective and you can see why I think it is centred. Draw a line following each edge until they meet at the vanishing point and the draw a third line back down through the webcam and it crosses the MacBook logo at the B.

I would post a pic but I can't see how

[BeyondYourFrontDoor]

Why the obsession with aluminum? As far as environmentally friendly, it doesn't matter what you MAKE it from if it ends up in the trash heap. Computers should have an environmental deposit, just like pop cans. Maybe $50 or so. Then, no matter what, you can always send it back to Apple (or the recycling warehouse) and get $50, and know that it is actually being recycled.

Has anyone recycled a computer? I've re-used, given away, etc... but I know in the end they eventually end up in a box in the basement, or in the dump.

As neat as aluminum is, I just can't see it making $ense to pay someone to dismantle an iMac, iBook or whatever, for the 10 cents of aluminum they are made of.

I like aluminum for its looks and durability. Environmental? Maybe if they made a bamboo shell that would be very 'green'.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by nacnud

A quick play with paint and perspective and you can see why I think it is centred. Draw a line following each edge until they meet at the vanishing point and the draw a third line back down through the webcam and it crosses the MacBook logo at the B.

I would post a pic but I can't see how

This forum doesn't have image hosting turned on, but does allow image linking.

You need to post it to a web host (your own web space) or an image host (flckr, photobucket, picasa web), and then link to it.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by BeyondYourFrontDoor

Why the obsession with aluminum? As far as environmentally friendly, it doesn't matter what you MAKE it from if it ends up in the trash heap.

In a way, yes, but if it take less energy and resources to make, then it would be a good thing. But I don't know if it's true of aluminum compared to the plastics Apple uses.

Apple's polycarbonate-clad cases were said to be extremely durable. It seems early impossible to dent or shatter that plastic. But it seems that Apple may have moved away from polycarbonate.

[nacnud]

Al is green because it is easy to recycle, the idea is you wouldn't throw it in landfill. Producing it requires a lot of energy. I've taken computers to the dump to be recycled before.

[hillstones]

Wow. Aluminum. That's so 2003. The black PowerBook G3 looked cool. The black MacBook looks cool. If they drop the black MacBook for an outdated aluminum enclosure, that would be a mistake. If the new MacBook looks exactly like the MacBook Pro's Aluminum enclosure, that won't be a new design since it has been in use since 2003. It will be another boring silver laptop.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by hillstones

Wow. Aluminum. That's so 2003. The black PowerBook G3 looked cool. The black MacBook looks cool. If they drop the black MacBook for an outdated aluminum enclosure, that would be a mistake. If the new MacBook looks exactly like the MacBook Pro's Aluminum enclosure, that won't be a new design since it has been in use since 2003. It will be another boring silver laptop.

You compare a material to a colour as if they are the same thing while also implying that a 2003 is more outdated than 1997, when the black G3 PB was first released. Is that argument supposed to make sense or are you being facetious?

An aluminium MB won't look exactly like the MBP because it will smaller and have less ports. If aesthetics is the most important thing to you and you don't like silver then you should not buy a MB or you should get it anodized (assuming they go that route), but chances are they would offer colours like with the iPod Nanos if they do go aluminium for the new MB case designs as Apple would want their higher-end machines to stand apart and it would probably be a good marketing to have a variety of colours for the most popular notebook model type sold in the US.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by hillstones

Wow. Aluminum. That's so 2003. The black PowerBook G3 looked cool. The black MacBook looks cool. If they drop the black MacBook for an outdated aluminum enclosure, that would be a mistake. If the new MacBook looks exactly like the MacBook Pro's Aluminum enclosure, that won't be a new design since it has been in use since 2003. It will be another boring silver laptop.

Yes, because what you're asking for is another boring black laptop. Nice hypocrisy you have going there.

[Lemmy Caution]

Originally Posted by BeyondYourFrontDoor

Has anyone recycled a computer? I've re-used, given away, etc... but I know in the end they eventually end up in a box in the basement, or in the dump.

I've recycled every computer I've ever owned. Sometimes the city where I live has an electronics recycling day, sometimes I've found companies who do this and there's always a Best Buy who will recycle computers and cellphones, just drop it off.

Can't really figure out why you wouldn't. Giving them to someone to use would be the first choice, but it doesn't have to end up in a landfill, necessarily.

[sc_markt]

So if Apple does come out with a new MBP case similar to the mac book air, does that mean we'll no longer have a DVD/CD drive? I hope not...

[wildag]

deleted for my stupidity... but seriously, AI needs to put a label on their "comparison" pictures. (or at least a picture title).

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by wildag

So here's proof they are fake...

The very first picture of the screen says "MacBook Air" .... right under the wire.

http://images.appleinsider.com/macbook-080804-2.jpg

That is because AI is showing you the breakdown of the MBA for comparison to the other images above.

[wildag]

Originally Posted by solipsism

That is because AI is showing you the breakdown of the MBA for comparison to the other images above.

... good point. Didn't read that scentence above.... whooops!

[mitchleeh]

Originally Posted by BeyondYourFrontDoor

Why the obsession with aluminum? As far as environmentally friendly, it doesn't matter what you MAKE it from if it ends up in the trash heap. Computers should have an environmental deposit, just like pop cans. Maybe $50 or so. Then, no matter what, you can always send it back to Apple (or the recycling warehouse) and get $50, and know that it is actually being recycled.

Has anyone recycled a computer? I've re-used, given away, etc... but I know in the end they eventually end up in a box in the basement, or in the dump.

As neat as aluminum is, I just can't see it making $ense to pay someone to dismantle an iMac, iBook or whatever, for the 10 cents of aluminum they are made of.

I like aluminum for its looks and durability. Environmental? Maybe if they made a bamboo shell that would be very 'green'.

Apple is going in that direction.

http://www.apple.com/environment/rec...ram/index.html

Check it out.

[xc3ll]

I've seen quite a bit of discussion over whether or not the Apple Logo is centered in that one pic or not. Since no one else has done the work, I did. Here's what I came up with (sorry its shitty, I had to use GIMP, I'm a PSer).




As you can see, simple Geometry shows us that according to the edge shown in the photo, the Apple is not centered. Now, also using some simple Geometry, I extracted where the edge would really have to be(black line), since some people believe that the styrofoam sheet is covering the true edge.

To see whether or not the size of the Apple product is within range of the current macbook, I measured the size of Apple and compared it to the width of the shell. I came up with a ratio of 0.085 (divide the size of the apple by size of the outside shell). I did the same with a picture of the Macbook from Apple's website(the one of the black and white apple next to eachother (go to apple.com/macbook/ )). I did the same math, and I got 0.092. A difference of ~10%. Considering the fair amount of guesswork and nasty GIMP work, I would say that this is well within standard deviance. So, it could really be that the stryafoam is covering the true edge

The only other problem, however, is that this would have to be the top shell, since the current macbook does not have a apple logo on the bottom. If this is the top shell though, it does not fit the other pictures, which do not reveal sloping edges found on this picture.

Therefore, the only question left is, which part of the shell is this, and if it is indeed the top, can anyone resolve the discrepency between the pictures?

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by xc3ll

As you can see, simple Geometry shows us that according to the edge shown in the photo, the Apple is not centered.

That Apple intersects with that same spot on my Macs.

[xc3ll]

Originally Posted by solipsism

That Apple intersects with that same spot on my Macs.

Well that's if you believe that some of the image is covered. I found that if this is true, then the Apple logo's size and placement are correct.

That doesn;t resolve the discrepancy in the photos I discussed in my previous post:

....this would have to be the top shell, since the current macbook does not have a apple logo on the bottom. If this is the top shell though, it does not fit the other pictures, which do not reveal sloping edges found on this picture.

Just found this:

Looks like this was a MBA with the air PSed out.

[darrenscerri]

Originally Posted by xc3ll

Well that's if you believe that some of the image is covered. I found that if this is true, then the Apple logo's size and placement are correct.

That doesn;t resolve the discrepancy in the photos I discussed in my previous post:



Just found this:

Looks like this was a MBA with the air PSed out.

That's poor drawing. Check these:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3021/...31bc6d40_o.png
http://att.macrumors.com/attachment....5&d=1217893598
http://att.macrumors.com/attachment....7&d=1217888854
http://att.macrumors.com/attachment....2&d=1217882237

[floccus]

Originally Posted by xc3ll

That doesn;t resolve the discrepancy in the photos I discussed in my previous post:

There is no discrepancy if you realize that we're only looking at the top shell and there are no pics of the bottom. The reason you can't determine if there is any tapering on the "inside" images is that you can see that the outer bezel extends down beyond the hinges. With how the pics have been taken, you're looking too top/down to notice any curve of the bezel on the "outside" of the shell.

And frankly, it would be smarter for Apple to use a design similar to that of the MBA for the next MB because it lowers both design and manufacturing costs. I would expect some degree of color to be introduced to distinguish the MB from the rest of the product line, but completely different designs is simply less practical given the pressures already being placed on Apple's share price.