I don't know; only the MacBook Pro comes in 2 sizes, 15 and 17 inch screens. The MacBook comes in 1 size, the 13. I know there are many people that would love to see a mini MBA. Apple is usually resistant to using micro keyboards* so the keyboard would limit the size of the laptop. That would mean a 12" screen would be about the limit.
* Now. They used to use tiny keyboard on many of their laptops like the DUo and Newton external keyboard before they wised up.
I'm going by the width of the 12" PowerBook. It went keyboard edge to keyboard edge and that was enough for the 12" screen. To go any smaller, with out making the keys smaller, would require you to shorten the edge keys like tab, caps, shift, etc. and relocate the 'fn' key. Then maybe you get an 11". Unlikely but possible.
More to the point, the Air should have been 12" to begin with.
Apple now offers *3* different models of midsize laptop, White, Aluminum and Air. All with 13" screens. What's the point of all being exactly the same size?
I'm going by the width of the 12" PowerBook. It went keyboard edge to keyboard edge and that was enough for the 12" screen. To go any smaller, with out making the keys smaller, would require you to shorten the edge keys like tab, caps, shift, etc. and relocate the 'fn' key. Then maybe you get an 11". Unlikely but possible.
Have NOT checked myself, but I think the 12" PowerBook was a 4:3 screen?
Might a 10" 16:10 screen still meet the size (width) requirements for a 'full-size' (a la the 12" PowerBook) keyboard??!?
Have NOT checked myself, but I think the 12" PowerBook was a 4:3 screen?
Might a 10" 16:10 screen still meet the size (width) requirements for a 'full-size' (a la the 12" PowerBook) keyboard??!?
Assuming my math is right, you need a 11.3" widescreen for the same width as a 12" 4:3.
But text, web, coding, spreadsheet work etc. all benefit from the extra vertical dimension in 4:3. In a small screen it's all the more important, so in this case I'd prefer tallscreen to the stumpyscreen (aka widescreen). No one does graphical work on a machine this size, so that is a non-issue.
Have NOT checked myself, but I think the 12" PowerBook was a 4:3 screen?
Might a 10" 16:10 screen still meet the size (width) requirements for a 'full-size' (a la the 12" PowerBook) keyboard??!?
the 12" PowerBook was a 4:3 screen
*******
I've done some calculations and if Apple was to release a smaller MB/MBA with the same keyboard as today, the minimum size for a 16:10 display would be 11" (1152*720?).
The keyboard itself is 10.75" -? 11" would be the width of the computer.
If the bezel around the display is about the same size as the current MacBook (0.75"), that leaves 9.5" (11-0.75-0.75) for the width of the display panel, hence little less than 6" for the height of the display panel, that makes a 11.23" diagonal display.
The overall size of the notebook would be 11"x7.5" (6+0.75+0.75 for the bezel). Given that the current keyboard occupies 5.5" (depth), that would leave less than 2" for the trackpad (quite small, smaller than the previous MB trackpad without the button).
I would probably release this as a MacBook mini, not a 11" MBA: without the ODD, with a full width battery, same motherboard as the new MacBook (2.0GHz cpu) and at the place of the ODD: the HDD and an expresscard slot). One model: $999.
That's $300 less than the new low-end MacBook. If this was to be released as a 11" MBA, Apple would probably ask for $1499/1599 for a 1.6GHz model ($200-300 less than the current 13" MBA). Cost savings would not be much. Releasing it as a MacBook mini would place Apple in the sub-$1,000 range again, but with a brand new Mac, not a "reburb/EOL" one.
11" MacBook mini $999
13" MacBook $1299 and up
13" MacBook Air $1799 and up
15" MacBook Pro $1999 and up
17" MacBook Pro $2X99 and up
*************
I would do the same for the iMac: a slightly smaller model (17"?), probably based on the new MB motherboard (2.00/2.26GHz cpu). $999. The twist on this one: a rotating display, portrait mode for secretaries, working on letters/documents, landscape for movies/games/other apps.
But I want a minimum of a 2GHz CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 64GB SSD & a backlit keyboard.
(I would forgo the ExpressCard slot, to allow for the SSD & meet the $999 price point)
And Snow Leopard, iLife, iWork (full version, not a 30 day trial) AND FileMaker Bento pre-installed…
And I want it at the $999 price!
At $999 and with the above minimum specs, Apple wouldn't be able to make enough to keep up with demand…
If they could bundle the above with a 64GB iPhone (that both tethered AND worked as a remote storage for the MacBook mini via WiFi), a (stereo?) BlueTooth headset, a prepaid one-year contract for the AT&T services (unlimited voice, data & tethering) AND a year of MobileMe; price the bundle at $1999, said bundles would move like crazy also…
Oh, the top & bottom panels on the MacBook mini & the back panel on the iPhone all have to be matte black carbon fiber with glowing red Apple logos…!
Ok, there has been a lot of discussions regarding the screen sizes but few have really mentioned the ugly bezel that surrounds the screen. So to "Think Different" one has to ACT Different Apple, here is my suggestion.
1) Go 11 inches full edge to edge (ie NO bezel: read my lips ZERO bezel glue the damn glass to the aluminium back for extra strength like the new MB and MBPs). You can still do 1280 X 800 pixels nicely and would effectively be very close to the current Air screen.
2) Current full sized keyboard is only 10.6 inches across, keep that.
3) Increase the depth a few mm like 4 more to the Air design to get some ventilation and space for battery. You need to target 6 hours for web surfing and writing work. Heck, keep the design similar to the Unibody MBP on the side starting with 10mm thick and dish down a bit 4 mm more below for added space. Would loved to have aluminium flip out rear feet stands built in to angle the tilt and get more air flow at the back.
Would loved to have aluminium flip out rear feet stands built in to angle the tilt and get more air flow at the back.
Feet are too inelegant for Apple. Even flipped in, they're ugly. I'd prefer a handle that can be flipped out to support the back. Somebody used to make such an item for the Titanium Powerbook. It would make carrying it so much more secure. And a handle isn't unprecedented for Apple. The eMate had one.
And it really would be nice to have a Mac you can carry everywhere. Even the Macbook Air is too big and heavy to carry everywhere. And no, the iPhone is not a Mac. It'd be great to have a merger of the two, that not only provides all the iPhone's connectivity, but also can run all software from both platforms. The variety could silence all the Windows fans who say there's not enough software on Macs.
Comments
* Now. They used to use tiny keyboard on many of their laptops like the DUo and Newton external keyboard before they wised up.
Apple now offers *3* different models of midsize laptop, White, Aluminum and Air. All with 13" screens. What's the point of all being exactly the same size?
I'm going by the width of the 12" PowerBook. It went keyboard edge to keyboard edge and that was enough for the 12" screen. To go any smaller, with out making the keys smaller, would require you to shorten the edge keys like tab, caps, shift, etc. and relocate the 'fn' key. Then maybe you get an 11". Unlikely but possible.
Have NOT checked myself, but I think the 12" PowerBook was a 4:3 screen?
Might a 10" 16:10 screen still meet the size (width) requirements for a 'full-size' (a la the 12" PowerBook) keyboard??!?
Have NOT checked myself, but I think the 12" PowerBook was a 4:3 screen?
Might a 10" 16:10 screen still meet the size (width) requirements for a 'full-size' (a la the 12" PowerBook) keyboard??!?
Assuming my math is right, you need a 11.3" widescreen for the same width as a 12" 4:3.
But text, web, coding, spreadsheet work etc. all benefit from the extra vertical dimension in 4:3. In a small screen it's all the more important, so in this case I'd prefer tallscreen to the stumpyscreen (aka widescreen). No one does graphical work on a machine this size, so that is a non-issue.
Have NOT checked myself, but I think the 12" PowerBook was a 4:3 screen?
Might a 10" 16:10 screen still meet the size (width) requirements for a 'full-size' (a la the 12" PowerBook) keyboard??!?
the 12" PowerBook was a 4:3 screen
*******
I've done some calculations and if Apple was to release a smaller MB/MBA with the same keyboard as today, the minimum size for a 16:10 display would be 11" (1152*720?).
The keyboard itself is 10.75" -? 11" would be the width of the computer.
If the bezel around the display is about the same size as the current MacBook (0.75"), that leaves 9.5" (11-0.75-0.75) for the width of the display panel, hence little less than 6" for the height of the display panel, that makes a 11.23" diagonal display.
The overall size of the notebook would be 11"x7.5" (6+0.75+0.75 for the bezel). Given that the current keyboard occupies 5.5" (depth), that would leave less than 2" for the trackpad (quite small, smaller than the previous MB trackpad without the button).
I would probably release this as a MacBook mini, not a 11" MBA: without the ODD, with a full width battery, same motherboard as the new MacBook (2.0GHz cpu) and at the place of the ODD: the HDD and an expresscard slot). One model: $999.
That's $300 less than the new low-end MacBook. If this was to be released as a 11" MBA, Apple would probably ask for $1499/1599 for a 1.6GHz model ($200-300 less than the current 13" MBA). Cost savings would not be much. Releasing it as a MacBook mini would place Apple in the sub-$1,000 range again, but with a brand new Mac, not a "reburb/EOL" one.
11" MacBook mini $999
13" MacBook $1299 and up
13" MacBook Air $1799 and up
15" MacBook Pro $1999 and up
17" MacBook Pro $2X99 and up
*************
I would do the same for the iMac: a slightly smaller model (17"?), probably based on the new MB motherboard (2.00/2.26GHz cpu). $999. The twist on this one: a rotating display, portrait mode for secretaries, working on letters/documents, landscape for movies/games/other apps.
11" MacBook mini $999
I would buy one…
But I want a minimum of a 2GHz CPU, 2GB of RAM, a 64GB SSD & a backlit keyboard.
(I would forgo the ExpressCard slot, to allow for the SSD & meet the $999 price point)
And Snow Leopard, iLife, iWork (full version, not a 30 day trial) AND FileMaker Bento pre-installed…
And I want it at the $999 price!
At $999 and with the above minimum specs, Apple wouldn't be able to make enough to keep up with demand…
If they could bundle the above with a 64GB iPhone (that both tethered AND worked as a remote storage for the MacBook mini via WiFi), a (stereo?) BlueTooth headset, a prepaid one-year contract for the AT&T services (unlimited voice, data & tethering) AND a year of MobileMe; price the bundle at $1999, said bundles would move like crazy also…
Oh, the top & bottom panels on the MacBook mini & the back panel on the iPhone all have to be matte black carbon fiber with glowing red Apple logos…!
Don't get me started on the WoW bundle…!
1) Go 11 inches full edge to edge (ie NO bezel: read my lips ZERO bezel glue the damn glass to the aluminium back for extra strength like the new MB and MBPs). You can still do 1280 X 800 pixels nicely and would effectively be very close to the current Air screen.
2) Current full sized keyboard is only 10.6 inches across, keep that.
3) Increase the depth a few mm like 4 more to the Air design to get some ventilation and space for battery. You need to target 6 hours for web surfing and writing work. Heck, keep the design similar to the Unibody MBP on the side starting with 10mm thick and dish down a bit 4 mm more below for added space. Would loved to have aluminium flip out rear feet stands built in to angle the tilt and get more air flow at the back.
Call in MiniAIR. Done, now go built it.
Would loved to have aluminium flip out rear feet stands built in to angle the tilt and get more air flow at the back.
Feet are too inelegant for Apple. Even flipped in, they're ugly. I'd prefer a handle that can be flipped out to support the back. Somebody used to make such an item for the Titanium Powerbook. It would make carrying it so much more secure. And a handle isn't unprecedented for Apple. The eMate had one.
And it really would be nice to have a Mac you can carry everywhere. Even the Macbook Air is too big and heavy to carry everywhere. And no, the iPhone is not a Mac. It'd be great to have a merger of the two, that not only provides all the iPhone's connectivity, but also can run all software from both platforms. The variety could silence all the Windows fans who say there's not enough software on Macs.