Briefly: More sightings of mysterious metallic grey MacBooks

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  • Reply 61 of 116
    Why does multi-touch have to replace the keyboard and mouse? Sure, for specialized hardware like a phone or iPod it makes sense, but for a computer? It would likely be a supplemental input that allows for new types of interaction. Even if Apple releases a full-size tablet, you'd still be able to use a keyboard or mouse with it over USB or Bluetooth.



    Just think: When the mouse came out, it didn't completely replace the keyboard. For many things, sure, it was better suited and it became the standard way of interacting. But for some things, like text entry, the keyboard was still the best option, which is why it's still around. Adding multi-touch to a computer doesn't necessarily mean that hardware keyboards and mice have to go away.
  • Reply 62 of 116
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TrevorD View Post


    Why does multi-touch have to replace the keyboard and mouse? Sure, for specialized hardware like a phone or iPod it makes sense, but for a computer? It would likely be a supplemental input that allows for new types of interaction. Even if Apple releases a full-size tablet, you'd still be able to use a keyboard or mouse with it over USB or Bluetooth.



    We know that.
  • Reply 63 of 116
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by merdhead View Post


    This makes sense. Doing a (very) thin laptop in plastic is not very practical, it's just not rigid enough. Aluminium is stronger and dissipates heat better, a serious problem in this size.



    Both the MacBook and MacBook Pro get their rigidity from a Magnesium skeleton. The outer casing has very little to do with the rigidity of the structure. The aluminium casing on the Pro models is so thin as to have very little structural qualities and suffers from poor impact resistance. Just the material alone is no indication of the ridigity of the finished product.



    Perhaps they should go back to titanium or on to carbon fibre. I'm not sure what the latter would do for their green credentials though.
  • Reply 64 of 116
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    We know that.



    The way some people on these boards talk, though, they obviously don't. There are always people saying that it will "never work" on a computer because it can't replace the mouse and keyboard. My comment was directed at them, not at those who already get it.
  • Reply 65 of 116
    The multi-touch(MT) keyboard is mainly a success and allows Apple to proceed further. A keyboard as proper keys is not suitable for most 'mobile' usage since they can only be used from a stationary position, the iPhone has shown that MT makes much more sense.



    People have been supposing it will be a Macbook Pro because of the CPU but as we have seen the Macbook is now closer to the Macbook Pro than to last seasons Macbook.



    Apple seldom do things by halves and I think they could remove the keyboard as well as CD and HD. I think being thin will actually help the cooling since there is no HD spinning and no keyboard to insulate. The entire shell can become the heat sink. The use of LED screens further reduces the heat.



    With the original Mac the UI was always to allow the user to access the contents. The iPod is the same, content access is king. I believe that is why Apple went to phones and Apple now see that the thing hindering the usefulness of a mobile Mac is the weight and the method of content access.
  • Reply 66 of 116
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by aegisdesign View Post


    Both the MacBook and MacBook Pro get their rigidity from a Magnesium skeleton. The outer casing has very little to do with the rigidity of the structure. The aluminium casing on the Pro models is so thin as to have very little structural qualities and suffers from poor impact resistance. Just the material alone is no indication of the ridigity of the finished product.



    Perhaps they should go back to titanium or on to carbon fibre. I'm not sure what the latter would do for their green credentials though.



    The casing still has to be rigid, independent of the frame. The case still carries a lot of stress because its the interface between the frame and the user's hands (I know, because mine is cracked in several places). If you look at the MacBook it has quite thick plastic (see the back near the vent). If the machine was a lot lighter you could thin that down a bit, but if you're going for the thinnest possible, plastic just isn't going to cut it.



    Titanium is very good, and works work well, but it's expensive. Carbon fibre even better and more expensive.
  • Reply 67 of 116
    Someone posted this on the macrumors forum. This is taken from the magazine "Complex." Note the color of the Macbook - definitely looks aluminum.







    discuss
  • Reply 68 of 116
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by valanchan View Post


    The multi-touch(MT) keyboard is mainly a success and allows Apple to proceed further. A keyboard as proper keys is not suitable for most 'mobile' usage since they can only be used from a stationary position, the iPhone has shown that MT makes much more sense.



    People have been supposing it will be a Macbook Pro because of the CPU but as we have seen the Macbook is now closer to the Macbook Pro than to last seasons Macbook.



    Apple seldom do things by halves and I think they could remove the keyboard as well as CD and HD. I think being thin will actually help the cooling since there is no HD spinning and no keyboard to insulate. The entire shell can become the heat sink. The use of LED screens further reduces the heat.



    With the original Mac the UI was always to allow the user to access the contents. The iPod is the same, content access is king. I believe that is why Apple went to phones and Apple now see that the thing hindering the usefulness of a mobile Mac is the weight and the method of content access.





    The hottest thing in a laptop is the CPU. A thin design makes it harder to cool because you have to have a smaller fan. The chance of Apple releasing a laptop without a keyboard is zero. You want to put things into a computer, not just get them out. A keyboard is the fastest way to do that and will be for a long time.
  • Reply 69 of 116
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TrevorD View Post


    The way some people on these boards talk, though, they obviously don't. There are always people saying that it will "never work" on a computer because it can't replace the mouse and keyboard. My comment was directed at them, not at those who already get it.



    Oh thanks! I think
  • Reply 70 of 116
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JAM8086 View Post


    Someone posted this on the macrumors forum. This is taken from the magazine "Complex." Note the color of the Macbook - definitely looks aluminum.







    discuss



    All it means is there's lazy people working for that magazine, not that the new MacBook wont be aluminum. I think it will, as I have been hoping for a while, with its existing white keyboard though.
  • Reply 71 of 116
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JAM8086 View Post


    Someone posted this on the macrumors forum. This is taken from the magazine "Complex." Note the color of the Macbook - definitely looks aluminum.





    discuss



    That Macbook is pretty clearly the current black plastic model. The Macbook Pro is aluminum, of course.
  • Reply 72 of 116
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JAM8086 View Post


    Someone posted this on the macrumors forum. This is taken from the magazine "Complex." Note the color of the Macbook - definitely looks aluminum.



    discuss



    There's not much to discuss. That's a MacBook Pro and Black MacBook.



    How would a printed magazine get their hands on a new model before Apple had even announed it?
  • Reply 73 of 116
    Well, it didn't look like it was the same color as the background, which is obviously black, which made me think it was more grayish/aluminumish. Sorry.
  • Reply 74 of 116
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by merdhead View Post


    The chance of Apple releasing a laptop without a keyboard is zero. You want to put things into a computer, not just get them out. A keyboard is the fastest way to do that and will be for a long time.



    I think the chance is pretty high, a touch screen keyboard wont be as disturbing as people seem to make out. Most people would become accustomed to it pretty quick. I personally look forward to it.

    Maybe if apple used the subtle audible rattle of keys to aid transition.

    And a last mechanical keyboard that was 'super super thin' with very small 'action' would help ease the old timers onboard also.
  • Reply 75 of 116
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by monstrosity View Post


    I think the chance is pretty high, a touch screen keyboard wont be as disturbing as people seem to make out. Most people would become accustomed to it pretty quick. I personally look forward to it.

    Maybe if apple used the subtle audible rattle of keys to aid transition.

    And a last mechanical keyboard that was 'super super thin' with very small 'action' would help ease the old timers onboard also.



    If we're talking about a laptop, if you have no keyboard you have no trackpad.I can edit with pixel accuracy with a mouse. With my finger I can't see anything under the 50 square pixels its covering. Having an decent sized on-screen keyboard would seriously reduce the screen space and still would not be as accurate as a mechanical keyboard.



    Now Apple makes touchscreen tablet devices with a virtual keyboard running OS X and it can make bigger versions of that with more functionality. But the technology is not going to scale to what we now use as a Mac. It would not be practical. It's a stupid idea, no matter how old you are.
  • Reply 76 of 116
    marcusmarcus Posts: 227member
    It's also funny that they can give the Mabook a better 'value' rating when compared to the XPS, which is a very similar price )if not a little cheaper), but has better hardware specs in every department as standard (except maybe cpu speed)...
  • Reply 77 of 116
    Quote:

    The hottest thing in a laptop is the CPU. A thin design makes it harder to cool because you have to have a smaller fan.



    No doubt there will be a fan but it doesn't need to be as large since the environment inside the case is less hostile.



    Quote:

    The chance of Apple releasing a laptop without a keyboard is zero. You want to put things into a computer, not just get them out. A keyboard is the fastest way to do that and will be for a long time.



    similar things were said about the iPhone. I was not discussing which one is faster, I was talking about which is the more convenient. Most people here know that for lengthy data input a keyboard and mouse could easily be used and would mostly be preferable. Some of the recent patent by Apple suggest such a possibility (not definate, but a possibility).
  • Reply 78 of 116
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by merdhead View Post


    If we're talking about a laptop, if you have no keyboard you have no trackpad.I can edit with pixel accuracy with a mouse. With my finger I can't see anything under the 50 square pixels its covering. Having an decent sized on-screen keyboard would seriously reduce the screen space and still would not be as accurate as a mechanical keyboard.



    Now Apple makes touchscreen tablet devices with a virtual keyboard running OS X and it can make bigger versions of that with more functionality. But the technology is not going to scale to what we now use as a Mac. It would not be practical. It's a stupid idea, no matter how old you are.



    sorry i didn't explain myself properly, I'm talking hypothetically about two screens.



    your normal one

    and your touch screen 'keyboard'

    so screen space and accuracy would be as normal
  • Reply 79 of 116
    glossgloss Posts: 506member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marcus View Post


    It's also funny that they can give the Mabook a better 'value' rating when compared to the XPS, which is a very similar price )if not a little cheaper), but has better hardware specs in every department as standard (except maybe cpu speed)...



    Actually, to match the $1299 Macbook's specs, the XPS costs $1399. I just worked it out. =)



    This is with a 2.2ghz C2D, 1GB of RAM, 802.11N, Bluetooth, and Vista Ultimate (since there are no 'stripped' versions of Leopard). We're not even talking about the huge difference in the quality of included software.
  • Reply 80 of 116
    I think you guys are missing boat if you think this is all about one very thin notebook. I think there will be several MacBook announcements a month from today at Macworld. I think there will be the aluminized MacBook completing Apple's transition away from polycarbonate plastic. I think there will be the MacBook Pro updates with design modifications, specifically revolving around the keyboard and the trackpad. And finally, I think the "one more thing" will be the MacBook thin. That's my gut sense of what's going to happen. Apple has used many Macworlds to announce new notebooks — the Titanium PowerBook G4, the 12- and 17-inch aluminum PowerBook, and the MacBook Pro were all announced in January at Macworld. Things are looking good in this regard.
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