I have RSS feeds of every mac related site n I've been checking everyday since August to see when the all-time classic white MacBook will get a makeover...
...nothing, nowhere.
Apple is pretty good about keeping things under wraps. But let us know if you hear anything.
The more I think of it, the more likely I think it seems with a touch based device. If indeed this notebook would have the same specs as a MacBook just thinner, less storage, less ports and no optical drive then it just wouldn't make sense. All specs would be equal or lower than a MacBook except for portability. It wouldn't be enough cool to justify a pro price tag or the device's place in the lineup. I think it must have a unique selling point, and I'm more and more leaning towards touch. I can imagine touch navigation being the last delayed "big secret" of Leopard.
Can't argue with that, imagine the iPod touch coming to market minus the touch capability, it pretty much defines the product. If Apple is going to charge more for less features than the MacBook... a lighter footprint is going to be hard pressed to foot the bill alone.
That's fine... it just shouldn't be marketed as "Pro" if that's the case.
And if this thing is truly 13", they couldn't give it the "MacBook" name because it wouldn't be distinguished enough from the regular MacBooks. Therefore they're stuck with either "Pro" or some other suffix.
It's my opinion that "Pro" would be a misnomer...
-Clive
I think there should be a different naming rubric for these if it truly is Flash drive only (I hope for a hybrid) and lack of optical drive - like MacNotebook .... though MacBook Mini might suffice.
Umm, I doubt that--when looking at who buys Apple products--anyone installs from servers. If this were true, why did Leopard sell so many physical copies? Why does any software sell off the shelves?
I've actually worked very hard for these pennies backtomac n that's why I'm so eager.
If we could stay on the subject as well, I'd really appreciate it so...
...any updates on the fortune of the MacBook, please?
This thread is about a sub-notebook, not the Macbook. If you want us to stay on subject, then don't talk about the Macbook - which just got an update - so don't expect a new one soon.
There will be a lot of complaining and gnashing of teeth if the memory is permanently soldered to the motherboard. But we shall see. It definitely won't be 128. 64 is more realistic and seems like a good place to start. 32 just wouldn't be worth it.
No one will complain because this is an ultraportable device that will synch the information that it needs to have on board. This won't need a gpu to do biomolecular engineering and it won't need a DVD player to watch movies and it won't need a hardrive to hold every document, file and app that you own. It will probably have its own synching window and via .Mac will be able to download anything at a moments notice. All of your information and passwords and bookmarks and everything on .Mac will be with you where ever you can get WiFi and maybe via the way the Amazon eBook does things.
We should stop trying to impress each other with our pseudo-knowledge of motherboard design and battery life expectancies as if we know, and start thinking about a new product line between full featured laptops and thin clients. It is time to redefine the subnotebook form factor just like Apple did with mp3 players and cellphones.
No one will complain because this is an ultraportable device that will synch the information that it needs to have on board.
No one complains when Apple does something radically different from the norm???
What about when NAND prices fall and it becomes possible to add a larger drive. Technology isn't perfect flash chips can break and require replacement. Adding new chips for whatever reason becomes impossible to difficult if its soldered.
If it is late 2008 then it better be at least 32GB with GPS and a 5 megapixel flash camera.
I'd say that doesn't sound likely on any of those. You're not going to get better pictures without making the device thicker. N95 is among the better cameras in a phone, and it's really a cheap point & shoot camera grafted into a phone, and it's considerably thicker than iPhone, IIRC, almost twice as thick.
More megapixels out of a pinhole-style camera will not get you a worthwhile improvement, and would probably be worse in any thing but high noon outdoors.
Umm, I doubt that--when looking at who buys Apple products--anyone installs from servers. If this were true, why did Leopard sell so many physical copies? Why does any software sell off the shelves?
personally, I'm dying with anticipation of what Apple has in store.
I hope for a dedicated GPU, but it's not looking good at this point (the geForce 8300m gs isn't the best in the world...)
12" would be nice, along with an option of 64 or 128GB SSD. which I give major kudos to apple for including.
I read somewhere (engadget?) that this MGP will be using the newer Santa Rosa chipset? or am I making that up.. who knows. In light of that, I think they could keep its "Pro" status by at least including the afore mentioned GPU and the option of the better CPU.
I'm new to the "MacWorld" (still holding out on buying my first) but love the atmosphere, and can't wait to see what they have for us in the future(like I said earlier) -- especially if it means a ultra-slim/portable beast like we've been hearing about.
I hope for a dedicated GPU, but it's not looking good at this point (the geForce 8300m gs isn't the best in the world...)
Why? I'd rather have it be smaller and use less juice. I think the people to whom this rumored machine was designed are like me and just want something that's as nimble as possible and can do basic work tasks: email, web, pdf, document viewing / editing. It will be computer #2 for everyone who buys one. If you don't want a two computer setup, that's what the MacBooks and MacBook Pros are for.
Why? I'd rather have it be smaller and use less juice...
Yeah, absolutely.
There are still a couple of questions, since it's so slim. What ports will be on board? I hope this machine is suitable for musicians. Many traveling musicians rely heavily on external sound cards connecting with FireWire. If this machine is so thin perhaps Apple either dropped FireWire all together, or went with the 4 pin connector FireWire port (that doesn't provide power supply) instead of the 6 pin FW. I'd rather use the 4 pin FW than no FW. The lack of FireWire would be a deal breaker for me. My sound card and all my good hard drives are on FW.
intel's newest integrated graphics aren't that bad.. and anyone who is expecting a machine with no DVD to play games is high anyway.
This sounds like a big jump in terms of design and a huge move for apple in the Asian market, where people crave small over big. Shit, if they come out with this, my wife is going to make me buy her one b/c he MBP is too "heavy". I'm just shocked its only 1500. My guess is that fully configured it will be 2k.
On another note, what do people think the max ram will be? 2, 4 or 8 gigs? If they could get 2 4 gb sticks into it, then they should be able to get around a lot of the shortcomings of SSD drives by some smart caching.
on SSD - 32 or 64 gigs is very small if you have any interest in boot camp. You generally give the boot camp partition 32 gigs just to be useful. That doesn't leave much. Maybe do a 16 gig SSD drive for the OS, and ram and then pop in a normal 1.8 inch HD for storage?
GYARRRGH!!!! Why does it HAVE to be 13.3 inches? 11.1 inches is the obvious choice for a sub-note. It would slot so nicely in the Macbook/MacbookPro lineup: 11 / 13 / 15 / 17 inches! The fact that it might only cost $1500 suggests that it will be crippled... after all, Apple isn't going to offer a "pro" level notebook for less than $2000. Come on Apple, give me a good reason to replace my trusty old iBook 14!
11"? Wow, okay, I guess im not a sub-notebook kind of guy. I dont understand why people want such a small screen to do stuffs. Surfing the web means more scrolling, you get a small screen to watch DVD's and you are spending quite a lot for a notebook that can only do office documents, oh yeah and dont let me start on gaming.
Sorry if I offended anyone with this post. Im just stating my opinion.
We should stop trying to impress each other with our pseudo-knowledge of motherboard design and battery life expectancies as if we know, and start thinking about a new product line between full featured laptops and thin clients. It is time to redefine the subnotebook form factor just like Apple did with mp3 players and cellphones.
There are some innovations regarding the touchpad. Hint: look at a patent filed 8/9/2007. That is all for now.
I think the poster craves a MBP in a 13" or smaller package for casual use 'N digital life applications, and won't invest savings until a desirable BTO configuration is achieved at a suitable price point.
If that's true mind fast hasn't been reading this thread at all.
11"? Wow, okay, I guess im not a sub-notebook kind of guy. I dont understand why people want such a small screen to do stuffs. Surfing the web means more scrolling, you get a small screen to watch DVD's and you are spending quite a lot for a notebook that can only do office documents, oh yeah and dont let me start on gaming.
Sorry if I offended anyone with this post. Im just stating my opinion.
11" with a long battery is nice because then your laptop can become an after thought. Right now my 15" mbp feels huge and everytime I take it with me I gotta think about it and consider it, it's not a small item I can just chuck in a bag, I need to bring a full on backpack or notebook bag or something.
I finally saw the eeepc the other day and it's size killed me, it was amazing. One thing that sucked was the waste of screen bezel because of speakers, they probably could have fit a 10" in there instead of 7".
But if the apple unit was diagonally an inch longer than the eeepc and the screen took up the whole space that'd be perfect. When I take it places I could just hold it like a book, just pop it in a sleeve and go.
Roadwarriors would need something bigger and beefier but that already exists for them, I've come to realize that most people don't do much other than surf, email, take notes, or watch videos when out with their notebooks, I do a ton of editing but when I'm mobile even I find I don't need all that power.
Comments
Is there anyone out there actually reading what this is about i/o trying to comment on what I've written?
Most of us had no idea what you said. I see you're from Ireland. Was the first post in Gaelic?
I have RSS feeds of every mac related site n I've been checking everyday since August to see when the all-time classic white MacBook will get a makeover...
...nothing, nowhere.
Apple is pretty good about keeping things under wraps. But let us know if you hear anything.
If it is late 2008 then it better be at least 32GB with GPS and a 5 megapixel flash camera.
I doubt the 32GB storage.
GPS only if it isn't a battery hog.
I don't think of a camera phone anything more than a crappy camera phone. Flash would be nice though.
The more I think of it, the more likely I think it seems with a touch based device. If indeed this notebook would have the same specs as a MacBook just thinner, less storage, less ports and no optical drive then it just wouldn't make sense. All specs would be equal or lower than a MacBook except for portability. It wouldn't be enough cool to justify a pro price tag or the device's place in the lineup. I think it must have a unique selling point, and I'm more and more leaning towards touch. I can imagine touch navigation being the last delayed "big secret" of Leopard.
Can't argue with that, imagine the iPod touch coming to market minus the touch capability, it pretty much defines the product. If Apple is going to charge more for less features than the MacBook... a lighter footprint is going to be hard pressed to foot the bill alone.
That's fine... it just shouldn't be marketed as "Pro" if that's the case.
And if this thing is truly 13", they couldn't give it the "MacBook" name because it wouldn't be distinguished enough from the regular MacBooks. Therefore they're stuck with either "Pro" or some other suffix.
It's my opinion that "Pro" would be a misnomer...
-Clive
I think there should be a different naming rubric for these if it truly is Flash drive only (I hope for a hybrid) and lack of optical drive - like MacNotebook .... though MacBook Mini might suffice.
Umm, I doubt that--when looking at who buys Apple products--anyone installs from servers. If this were true, why did Leopard sell so many physical copies? Why does any software sell off the shelves?
Sony TZ series: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/...tegoryId=16154
11" with DVD burner, Hybrid 64GB Solid State Drive, and 200GB Hard Drive.
This thing even has a damn Macbook keyboard and a modem. Wow.
Yeah for $3000+.
I've actually worked very hard for these pennies backtomac n that's why I'm so eager.
If we could stay on the subject as well, I'd really appreciate it so...
...any updates on the fortune of the MacBook, please?
This thread is about a sub-notebook, not the Macbook. If you want us to stay on subject, then don't talk about the Macbook - which just got an update - so don't expect a new one soon.
There will be a lot of complaining and gnashing of teeth if the memory is permanently soldered to the motherboard. But we shall see. It definitely won't be 128. 64 is more realistic and seems like a good place to start. 32 just wouldn't be worth it.
No one will complain because this is an ultraportable device that will synch the information that it needs to have on board. This won't need a gpu to do biomolecular engineering and it won't need a DVD player to watch movies and it won't need a hardrive to hold every document, file and app that you own. It will probably have its own synching window and via .Mac will be able to download anything at a moments notice. All of your information and passwords and bookmarks and everything on .Mac will be with you where ever you can get WiFi and maybe via the way the Amazon eBook does things.
We should stop trying to impress each other with our pseudo-knowledge of motherboard design and battery life expectancies as if we know, and start thinking about a new product line between full featured laptops and thin clients. It is time to redefine the subnotebook form factor just like Apple did with mp3 players and cellphones.
No one will complain because this is an ultraportable device that will synch the information that it needs to have on board.
No one complains when Apple does something radically different from the norm???
What about when NAND prices fall and it becomes possible to add a larger drive. Technology isn't perfect flash chips can break and require replacement. Adding new chips for whatever reason becomes impossible to difficult if its soldered.
If it is late 2008 then it better be at least 32GB with GPS and a 5 megapixel flash camera.
I'd say that doesn't sound likely on any of those. You're not going to get better pictures without making the device thicker. N95 is among the better cameras in a phone, and it's really a cheap point & shoot camera grafted into a phone, and it's considerably thicker than iPhone, IIRC, almost twice as thick.
More megapixels out of a pinhole-style camera will not get you a worthwhile improvement, and would probably be worse in any thing but high noon outdoors.
Umm, I doubt that--when looking at who buys Apple products--anyone installs from servers. If this were true, why did Leopard sell so many physical copies? Why does any software sell off the shelves?
Sony TZ series: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/...tegoryId=16154
11" with DVD burner, Hybrid 64GB Solid State Drive, and 200GB Hard Drive.
This thing even has a damn Macbook keyboard and a modem. Wow.
---- This is actually an EXTERNAL drive... so not quite. and dido the guy that says WOW to the price
woops... didn't see that this has already pointed out- my bad lol
I hope for a dedicated GPU, but it's not looking good at this point (the geForce 8300m gs isn't the best in the world...)
12" would be nice, along with an option of 64 or 128GB SSD. which I give major kudos to apple for including.
I read somewhere (engadget?) that this MGP will be using the newer Santa Rosa chipset? or am I making that up.. who knows. In light of that, I think they could keep its "Pro" status by at least including the afore mentioned GPU and the option of the better CPU.
I'm new to the "MacWorld" (still holding out on buying my first) but love the atmosphere, and can't wait to see what they have for us in the future(like I said earlier) -- especially if it means a ultra-slim/portable beast like we've been hearing about.
I hope for a dedicated GPU, but it's not looking good at this point (the geForce 8300m gs isn't the best in the world...)
Why? I'd rather have it be smaller and use less juice. I think the people to whom this rumored machine was designed are like me and just want something that's as nimble as possible and can do basic work tasks: email, web, pdf, document viewing / editing. It will be computer #2 for everyone who buys one. If you don't want a two computer setup, that's what the MacBooks and MacBook Pros are for.
Why? I'd rather have it be smaller and use less juice...
Yeah, absolutely.
There are still a couple of questions, since it's so slim. What ports will be on board? I hope this machine is suitable for musicians. Many traveling musicians rely heavily on external sound cards connecting with FireWire. If this machine is so thin perhaps Apple either dropped FireWire all together, or went with the 4 pin connector FireWire port (that doesn't provide power supply) instead of the 6 pin FW. I'd rather use the 4 pin FW than no FW. The lack of FireWire would be a deal breaker for me. My sound card and all my good hard drives are on FW.
This sounds like a big jump in terms of design and a huge move for apple in the Asian market, where people crave small over big. Shit, if they come out with this, my wife is going to make me buy her one b/c he MBP is too "heavy". I'm just shocked its only 1500. My guess is that fully configured it will be 2k.
On another note, what do people think the max ram will be? 2, 4 or 8 gigs? If they could get 2 4 gb sticks into it, then they should be able to get around a lot of the shortcomings of SSD drives by some smart caching.
on SSD - 32 or 64 gigs is very small if you have any interest in boot camp. You generally give the boot camp partition 32 gigs just to be useful. That doesn't leave much. Maybe do a 16 gig SSD drive for the OS, and ram and then pop in a normal 1.8 inch HD for storage?
PS: 3G iPhone will rock!
Sorry if I offended anyone with this post. Im just stating my opinion.
We should stop trying to impress each other with our pseudo-knowledge of motherboard design and battery life expectancies as if we know, and start thinking about a new product line between full featured laptops and thin clients. It is time to redefine the subnotebook form factor just like Apple did with mp3 players and cellphones.
There are some innovations regarding the touchpad. Hint: look at a patent filed 8/9/2007. That is all for now.
I think the poster craves a MBP in a 13" or smaller package for casual use 'N digital life applications, and won't invest savings until a desirable BTO configuration is achieved at a suitable price point.
If that's true mind fast hasn't been reading this thread at all.
11"? Wow, okay, I guess im not a sub-notebook kind of guy. I dont understand why people want such a small screen to do stuffs. Surfing the web means more scrolling, you get a small screen to watch DVD's and you are spending quite a lot for a notebook that can only do office documents, oh yeah and dont let me start on gaming.
Sorry if I offended anyone with this post. Im just stating my opinion.
11" with a long battery is nice because then your laptop can become an after thought. Right now my 15" mbp feels huge and everytime I take it with me I gotta think about it and consider it, it's not a small item I can just chuck in a bag, I need to bring a full on backpack or notebook bag or something.
I finally saw the eeepc the other day and it's size killed me, it was amazing. One thing that sucked was the waste of screen bezel because of speakers, they probably could have fit a 10" in there instead of 7".
But if the apple unit was diagonally an inch longer than the eeepc and the screen took up the whole space that'd be perfect. When I take it places I could just hold it like a book, just pop it in a sleeve and go.
Roadwarriors would need something bigger and beefier but that already exists for them, I've come to realize that most people don't do much other than surf, email, take notes, or watch videos when out with their notebooks, I do a ton of editing but when I'm mobile even I find I don't need all that power.
11" would be awesome.