New Macbook Pro Mockup
I am a huge fan of the current MBP / powerbook design and can scarcely think of how Apple couuld possibly improve upon it. I just don't see how. I have seen many mockups, but they all seem to ve a step backward from the current design. Mine is no different, but I think it carries a more symmetrical theme than some others. I am not as talented a designer as many others (ie: I actually stole the keyboard fromt eh MBA because I did not have the time to make one), but I think I know what looks aesthetically pleasing and what is "almost there."
I ahve been thinking how Apple is incorporating the whole sliver and black color scheme into most products nowadays and the MBP will most likely not escape this trend, so I have come up with an idea for the new MBP design as well as a more far fetched dual screen design based on the first one. In both designs, the entire casing except for most of the inside would be aluminum. the inside is either glass or matte black anodized aluminum.
The links are below. Let me kow what you think. Would Apple do something like this? Should they go in an entirely different direction?
Normal, with Multitouch Trackpad
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/f...condko/mbp.jpg
Multitouch dual screens
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/f...ndko/mbpmt.jpg
I also have made a couple pseudo - 3D versions (just the 2D one above distorted) that really show the lack of photoshop experience, but get the idea across nonetheless. They are below:
I ahve been thinking how Apple is incorporating the whole sliver and black color scheme into most products nowadays and the MBP will most likely not escape this trend, so I have come up with an idea for the new MBP design as well as a more far fetched dual screen design based on the first one. In both designs, the entire casing except for most of the inside would be aluminum. the inside is either glass or matte black anodized aluminum.
The links are below. Let me kow what you think. Would Apple do something like this? Should they go in an entirely different direction?
Normal, with Multitouch Trackpad
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/f...condko/mbp.jpg
Multitouch dual screens
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/f...ndko/mbpmt.jpg
I also have made a couple pseudo - 3D versions (just the 2D one above distorted) that really show the lack of photoshop experience, but get the idea across nonetheless. They are below:
Comments
I'll buy that in an instant!!
Love the design! Can you make another mock-up with the standard, on-the-desk look, as in not fully openened lid? And also, a little thicker (just for the 8800GTX graphics card) hehe
That would be an awesome Macbook Pro, great job mate!
People always get carried away with their mock-ups of product rev's, this is the norm. No they'll keep things simple and do just a formal upgrade, to give it a taste of Air about it. I wouldn't expect anything more, and most wouldn't like any more too.
People always get carried away with their mock-ups of product rev's, this is the norm. No they'll keep things simple and do just a formal upgrade, to give it a taste of Air about it. I wouldn't expect anything more, and most wouldn't like any more too.
First of all, outstanding mockup. Some phenomenal talent there.
While that is the direction I would expect Apple to go, I would hope they do not. Basically, it just looks a step backward, like the MBA does. they look like the current MBP, but more one-piece, and with a black keyboard tacked on. The black keyboard actually dates the mockup and the MBA, whereas the body color keyboard on the current MBP still looks ahead of its time, even though it is so old. the black keyboard only makes it look like the old Ti Books, which were nice for their time, but were certainly trumped by the newer models.
the bezel on this mockup is also far too thick. That is also one of the few aesthetically displeasing things about the MBA. Making a big MBA would be a step in the wrong direction, IMHO. I am typing on a two year old Powerbook that has seen more than its share of use and the keyboard still functions and looks like new as does the rest of the notebook.
there was another mockup making the rounds that looked like any other macbook, but clad in aluminum and wearing the imac - style black bezel insert. In my mockup, I kept the bezel (even including the black insert) to the same thinness as current designs. The black bezel would look atrocious apart from the keyboard AND face of the lower part also being black. It keeps the symmetry and allows the theme to flow. If there truly is any logic to the whole "a black bezel keeps distraction away from teh screen" philosophy, then it makes sense that it would be carried over to the lower portion of the notebook as well.
Just some thoughts. I would hate to see Apple throw away their lead in aesthetics and integrated design simply for the sake of change. It is a given they will make their notebooks "even thinner", but simply giving it a fat bezel and black keyboard are two steps in a definite wrong direction, oh yeah and the extreme roundedness thing needs to stop...SOON -- even though the mockup is light years beyond my capabilities.
First of all, outstanding mockup. Some phenomenal talent there.
While that is the direction I would expect Apple to go, I would hope they do not. Basically, it just looks a step backward, like the MBA does. they look like the current MBP, but more one-piece, and with a black keyboard tacked on. The black keyboard actually dates the mockup and the MBA, whereas the body color keyboard on the current MBP still looks ahead of its time, even though it is so old. the black keyboard only makes it look like the old Ti Books, which were nice for their time, but were certainly trumped by the newer models.
the bezel on this mockup is also far too thick. That is also one of the few aesthetically displeasing things about the MBA. Making a big MBA would be a step in the wrong direction, IMHO. I am typing on a two year old Powerbook that has seen more than its share of use and the keyboard still functions and looks like new as does the rest of the notebook.
there was another mockup making the rounds that looked like any other macbook, but clad in aluminum and wearing the imac - style black bezel insert. In my mockup, I kept the bezel (even including the black insert) to the same thinness as current designs. The black bezel would look atrocious apart from the keyboard AND face of the lower part also being black. It keeps the symmetry and allows the theme to flow. If there truly is any logic to the whole "a black bezel keeps distraction away from teh screen" philosophy, then it makes sense that it would be carried over to the lower portion of the notebook as well.
Just some thoughts. I would hate to see Apple throw away their lead in aesthetics and integrated design simply for the sake of change. It is a given they will make their notebooks "even thinner", but simply giving it a fat bezel and black keyboard are two steps in a definite wrong direction, oh yeah and the extreme roundedness thing needs to stop...SOON -- even though the mockup is light years beyond my capabilities.
I agree completely about the keyboard. I do not like the look of the black keys for the same reason...it looks like a step backward to me. The Ti Books looked good in their day, but then Dell's cheap looking knock off with the silver body/black keyboard just made the whole thing look ugly. I much prefer the current MBP keyboard and hope they won't change it just for the sake of changing it. Other than making it "even thinner" the design is so perfect that I really don't think there's a need for much change.
While I agree that the Spicu mockup has a few proportion issues, it's also very sleek. I would love to buy a new machine like that, if it had a body-colored keyboard and a smaller bezel. And, of course, an Nvidia GeForce 8800M GTS 512MB VRAM standard on the low-end 15" model...
If they are going to do that then the $1500 mac book black better have some kind of a real video card and maybe a 15" screen.
The SPICU rendering is closest to what next MBP will be like, but still doesn't even begin to do it justice. The new version includes some neat design features. Serious effort has been applied to it. It is now days away.
And you're just speculating on that, aren't you?
The SPICU rendering is closest to what next MBP will be like, but still doesn't even begin to do it justice. The new version includes some neat design features. Serious effort has been applied to it. It is now days away.
Have you seen it?
Anyway, it is not days away, since Montevina chips will be late. The first wave will only arrive June 22.
On the good news side, there will be a Q9100 part (lower TDP, 35W?, 2.26GHz?) mobile quad in Q4, ready either for XMas as a BTO option or for MWSF 2009 as part of a product refresh (MBP/iMac).
Digitimes
Reghardware
I am a huge fan of the current MBP / powerbook design and can scarcely think of how Apple couuld possibly improve upon it. I just don't see how. I have seen many mockups, but they all seem to ve a step backward from the current design. Mine is no different, but I think it carries a more symmetrical theme than some others. I am not as talented a designer as many others (ie: I actually stole the keyboard fromt eh MBA because I did not have the time to make one), but I think I know what looks aesthetically pleasing and what is "almost there."
I ahve been thinking how Apple is incorporating the whole sliver and black color scheme into most products nowadays and the MBP will most likely not escape this trend, so I have come up with an idea for the new MBP design as well as a more far fetched dual screen design based on the first one. In both designs, the entire casing except for most of the inside would be aluminum. the inside is either glass or matte black anodized aluminum.
The links are below. Let me kow what you think. Would Apple do something like this? Should they go in an entirely different direction?
Normal, with Multitouch Trackpad
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/f...condko/mbp.jpg
Multitouch dual screens
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/f...ndko/mbpmt.jpg
I also have made a couple pseudo - 3D versions (just the 2D one above distorted) that really show the lack of photoshop experience, but get the idea across nonetheless. They are below:
Very nice. I love looking at mock ups! While I think this type of thing would look really cool, if they made the inside out of that shiny black like on the iPhone....talk about fingerprints!
Have you seen it?
Anyway, it is not days away, since Montevina chips will be late. The first wave will only arrive June 22.
On the good news side, there will be a Q9100 part (lower TDP, 35W?, 2.26GHz?) mobile quad in Q4, ready either for XMas as a BTO option or for MWSF 2009 as part of a product refresh (MBP/iMac).
Digitimes
Reghardware
I haven't seen the new MBP, but I have heard a bit about it from folks who have. I rather suspect a couple of its features will be criticized intensely before coming mainstream elements of all new laptop designs.
Montevina isn't late; it was always scheduled for a mid-June release date. The performance from this chip set rocks. Wait and see.
I expect new MBPs to be announced 9th June with an on-sale date of 30th June. WWDC isn't just going to be about the IPhone. I keep hearing a rumour that next iteration of OSX will also be announced - Lion. But I do not know for sure.
I haven't seen the new MBP, but I have heard a bit about it from folks who have. I rather suspect a couple of its features will be criticized intensely before coming mainstream elements of all new laptop designs.
Which ones? I mean the features...
Montevina isn't late; it was always scheduled for a mid-June release date. The performance from this chip set rocks. Wait and see.
Montevina has been announced by Intel's CEO for a late-May release initially, then pushed to Computex Taipei 2008, which runs from June 3-7, and now the release date is set to June 22.
So, IT IS late. I know very well the specs of the Montevina platform, thank you very much. I've been stating for a long time that the 1st wave of penryn chips was just a stop-gap. Faster clocks and FSB will do good to the MBP, and better GMA will also add to the MB/Mac mini (if it survives).
I expect new MBPs to be announced 9th June with an on-sale date of 30th June. WWDC isn't just going to be about the IPhone. I keep hearing a rumour that next iteration of OSX will also be announced - Lion. But I do not know for sure.
I'm not saying that they won't be announced at the WWDC, but they certainly won't be available at that time (the "days away" of your previous post). This year WWDC may well be all about the touch OS of the iPhone/iPod touch/???. I think it is too soon to talk about the next iteration of OSX, except revealing publicly it's code name and maybe a tentative release date (mid 2010).
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As far as the mock-ups, they both look nice, good job, but, to the author, keep in mind that there are already notebooks with quad-core cpus in the high-end, some even use Xeons, so Apple won't be the first to offer a quad-core notebook . And there is no 2.8GHz mobile quad in Intel's pipeline right now. the top-of-the-line QX9300 will run at 2.53GHz and will only be available late Q3 (september).
The performance from this chip set rocks. Wait and see.
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Question 1: How the heck do you have all this insider info? How can I get it?
Question 2: Just what do you mean when you say the performance of Montevina rocks? Do you mean speed? I thought this was just going to be minor performance bump.
Thought: As for controversial features, the one that pops to my mind is implementation of the macbook air keyboard with the chicklet keys. People seem to have a love/hate relationship with that thing, so I imagine the inclusion of that in an updated MBP would incite both glee and rage. Then there is the whole blu-ray thing, which I could see only being controversial if it came standard in all MBPs and consequently raised the price. I really don't think that will happen though (now watch me be wrong, lol)
Also, the OLPC being cheap and for use with cheaper economies doesn't makes sense either. Plus the repairs for the families will not be pretty. They will basically have purchase a screen instead of a cheap keyboard.
It looks like it is borrowing some Apple design from the extremely rounded edges, which make it look kid freindly, and the aluminum is very smart. the dual screens simply make sense if they need a second display, they can incorporate that into the trackpad, which already makes the most sense for multitouch input.
-EDIT: on second thought, just found a mockup that shows that implementation and it just looks tacky:
And some others that look nifty, but just won't work - also inspired by the iPhone (which OLPC is trying so hard to copy:
Another take on the dual Screen design (but jsut looks a littl bit ugly):
an iMac style theme not carried over all the way. Looks basically like an iMac with a keyboard plugged in:
I think the iPhone and iMac sort of provided the new design direction of Apple products. i don't think it is always implemented the best, but my take on the laptop is that they should just make a thinner, more powerful more integrate version of the current design. That would be awesome. They can make the case more one-piece and thinner. That is about all they can do to improve it. It's a stunner right now and blows away all other designs at the moment. My take on the new version is that if they are going to give it the iMac treatment, they should do so with a full implementation of the theme and go all the way. Basically, unfolded, it will look like a notebook version of the very handsome iPhone design.
My IPhone is the inspiration behind this design and it just seems to make sense if Apple is trying to unify its design theme. Then again, the new iPhone may look totally different, so who knows?
Question 1: How the heck do you have all this insider info? How can I get it?
Question 2: Just what do you mean when you say the performance of Montevina rocks? Do you mean speed? I thought this was just going to be minor performance bump.
Thought: As for controversial features, the one that pops to my mind is implementation of the macbook air keyboard with the chicklet keys. People seem to have a love/hate relationship with that thing, so I imagine the inclusion of that in an updated MBP would incite both glee and rage. Then there is the whole blu-ray thing, which I could see only being controversial if it came standard in all MBPs and consequently raised the price. I really don't think that will happen though (now watch me be wrong, lol)
Tech Girl,
The Investment Community is extremely well plugged-in to what's going on. I happen to follow the Tech Sector very closely. Apple is very good at talking to analysts and analysts are very good at talking to people who buy stocks through their brokerage houses. The industry is smaller than you think. Of course, Apple never spills the beans, but with a tidbbit here and a tidbit there, it is easy to fill in the blanks. What I offer is a little more than informed speculation as opposed to wishful thinking. Take it or leave it.
I told people that a brand new MacBook Pro was coming in this year, although I thought it was coming in January not July.
If you follow chip development, you'll know all about Centrino 2/ Montevina. There are dedicated forums that follow processor development and the universal consensus is that Montevina will be a quantum leap in mobile computing because all six notebook processors will incorporate a 1066 MHz front-side bus and should run from 2.26 GHz to 3.06 GHz which is a big step-up compared to what's on the market right now: 800MHz FSB processors running at 2.6 GHz. Centrino 2 will also offer DDR3 memory support, and the option for a WiMAX long-range wireless chipset in addition to the X4500. In particular, Centrino 2 will improve video playback. Versus existing Centrino platforms, we should expect a doubling in performance. In my mind, that is significant.
The two features that will cause upset are the type and number of ports and the keyboard. I also understand that the hinge holding the screen has been changed.
Wait and see.
mjteix,
You're right, Centrino 2 was slated for a May release. I noted that intel had said Q2, which June technically is. Everyone realised it would be delayed after Penryn was late. By comparison, Centrino 2 is well on track.
My belief is that the new MBP is going to turbocharge Apple sales this year. What I also 'know' is that there is some unexpected surprise in store. I think this may be a three model MacBook Pro Range or a single new line-up of 13, 15 and 17 inch MacBooks. I've said elsewhere, it may be that the distinction between MBs and MBPs becomes redundant. No one anywhere outside Apple knows the truth of this. Don't take this as gospel, but for sure, a great new MBP or equivalent is now days away.
Versus existing Centrino platforms, we should expect a doubling in performance. In my mind, that is significant.
The two features that will cause upset are the type and number of ports and the keyboard. I also understand that the hinge holding the screen has been changed.
Hey Tail,
I think you're confusing the performance of the integrated graphics and the overall performance of the system. According to Intel, the X4500HD GMA will be around twice as fast as the current X3100 GMA. That doesn't mean that Centrino 2 systems will be twice as fast as Santa Rosa systems, overall.
Also, the Centrino 2 GMA will come in 3 flavors/power, we still don't know what Apple will use in the MacBook/Mac mini (which are the only Macs that use integrated graphics). For the MacBook Pro and the iMac, the performance of the GMA is irrelevant since those computer use dedicated graphics cards (ATI/nVidea).
If Apple uses the GM47 chipset in the MacBook, then the graphics performance will double (according to Intel).
If Apple uses the GM45 chipset in the MacBook, then the graphics performance will be enhanced by a 1.5 factor or so (according to Intel).
Of course, Centrino 2 will give more overall performance vs Santa Rosa: faster FSB, faster clocks, faster RAM (yet depending on what Apple chooses, it could be the same RAM as the current iMac: DDR2-800 and not DDR3), and better power savings too.
For the "features", yes, Apple could use the MacBook Air keyboard that has received mixed reviews, especially on the illuminated fonction, some will like it, some won't. Type and number of ports: the trend seems to be "less is enough". I don't always agree with that, especially on "Pro" computers, but, hey what can you do? Until fanboys stop to agree to every move Apple makes, that's what you gonna get.