Apple plans mystery "product transition" before September's end - Page 19

Perhaps Apple could avoid that by launching the new MacBooks a month or so later than the new Pros. Most students probably bought the cheaper MacBooks while the Pro line is also marketed towards professional photographers, music mixers, and business execs. New iPods, on the other hand, are more likely to launch along with the redesigned Pros as they were essentially free with the back-to-school deal.

I believe the spy shots that show new MacBook Pros getting tapered edges like the Air and a long removable battery that, when removed, gives access to the hard drive bay, like the MacBook. Then of course they'll replace the current flush keyboard with the Air's indented keyboard of black, backlit, more clicky keys and the Pro's mechanical screen latch (which still irritates me to this day) will be replaced with magnets, like the Air and MacBook.

As for the MacBook, I don't buy the unfounded notion of moving to an aluminum case. Yes, Apple has been transitioning to aluminum for a while now, but they also use these different materials to differentiate their premium and high-end computers (MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac Pro), from their budget/consumer-oriented computers (Mac mini, MacBook).

The Mac mini and MacBook's use of plastic polycarbonate keeps costs low and weight low, in addition to making their higher-end, all aluminum Macs more desirable. So, in continuing their move towards tapered edges and avoiding buyer confusion that could lead to product cannibalization, they'll launch a tapered-edged, polycarbonate MacBook in the same black and white color options, with a LED backlit display, perhaps an oversized Multi-Touch trackpad (which is likely to come to the Pros as well), and of course, the usual under-the-hood CPU, GPU and storage enhancements. If they could get the price down to $1000, that'd be even better.

The biggest problem affecting Apple's notebook design is that polycarbonate and aircraft-grade aluminum are EXPENSIVE and not particularly absorbent. I can't find EITHER of these materials in any of my local stores, and when I try to clean up a coffee spill with my MacBook it all goes horribly wrong.

I am probably not alone in this, and that's why I think Apple will finally make the move to have their notebooks made out of sponges, which are MUCH LIGHTER, CHEAPER, and wicked absorbent.

See mock-up here.

The new material will help the unit to dissipate HEAT, reduce the overall WEIGHT of the laptop, and when you move it across a puddle of Diet Coke it er wait oh dear...

EXALT!

I like. THIS is what I've been waiting for.

Beautiful mockup.

Here you go:

Phone Pro:
The full power of Leopard in your pocket.

http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/gal...mage_med/15417
http://www.ilounge.com/gallery/iphon...iphonePro2.jpg

We need thousands for our University. And we need them NOW!

That's a big *ss phone

FULL Mac OS X, Firewire and Ethernet ports and we will purchase thousands for our University.

Rationale here (the ultimate and CHEAP Mac, iPhone and iPod touch development platform):

Inside the iPad: Why a $100 Apple Laptop Is Probably Inevitable
http://connectme.typepad.com/news/20...-the-ipad.html

APPLE WILL GROW MARKET SHARE BY MILLIONS ON ALL MAC, IPHONE AND IPOD TOUCH.

The iPad is the iPhone Pro:
The full power of Leopard in your pocket.
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/gal...mage_med/15417
http://www.ilounge.com/gallery/iphon...iphonePro2.jpg

FULL Mac OS X, Firewire and Ethernet ports and we will purchase thousands for our University.

Rationale here (the ultimate and CHEAP Mac, iPhone and iPod touch development platform):

Inside the iPad: Why a $100 Apple Laptop Is Probably Inevitable
http://connectme.typepad.com/news/20...-the-ipad.html

THAT MEANS MARKET SHARE BOOST: CHEAPEST DEVELOPMENT PLATFFORM EVER. For all Mac, iPhone and iPod touch development rerquirements. A full Mac OS X experience on your hand.

Besides, the ultimate presentation remote for full blown Keynote and PowerPoint NATIVE files (full transitions, animations, video, etc).

Doubles as a mirror too.

But there are millions of kids who would love to play games on a nano touch... that they would buy through a wifi connection to the app store. Not by any means a sure thing, but that faked up Nike stuff is proof of concept enough to show a market for it.

Really if you wanted to get into *creative* speculation about something that would leave the competition wanting (not that it isn't currently), what about a new touch/gesture-based input device for Macs and Apple TV? Yes I know the iPhone can be used as a controller, but I'm talking about next wave here. Not likely soon, but eventually it is a certainty. Remember when using two fingers on the macbook pro track pad to scroll was a new cool thing?

New displays and notebooks featuring stereo cameras to accommodate gesture input, anyone?

Or an actual apple hdtv featuring the same?
Or a lame move starring tom cruise?

There is a site where you can bet play money on questions like this. Here is where you can go to register and pick up your $2000 grubstake (of play money): http://www.hubdub.com/s/BVSZ5CC79K

I've posted the question, "What will Apple's 'product transition' be?", along with the following nine choices and their current odds, at this location:
http://www.hubdub.com/m14893/What_wi..._Transition_be

\tA video encode/decode chip in any Mac &/or iPod \t20% \t
\t
\tSome other specialized chip in any Mac &/or iPod \t9%
\t
\tLEDs to provide backlighting in any Mac &/or iPod \t9%
\t
\tBundled third-party software in any Apple product \t5%
\t
\tSomething other than the above in any Mac (only) \t9%
\t
\tSomething other than the above in any iPod (only) \t 9%
\t
\tSomething other than the above in both Mac & iPod 10%
\t
\tSomething other than the above for the iPhone \t 2%
\t
\tSomething else (for Apple TV, a new product, etc.) \t28%


PS: If you search for "Apple" on that site you'll find over a dozen other questions you can "bet" on.

You're probably the most annoying user here. Sorry, NATIVE user.

Captain Jayneway to the Bridge.

The perfect phone for never carrying in your pocket or holding to your head.