For one, "Air" already means and evokes "lighter, no mechanical junk, no dvd, thinner".
So, if the make the MBP line have those qualities, it only makes sense to call them Air. So, the people know what this change is all about.
Second, "Air" is a highly successful brand in itself, the most selling Apple laptop. Why keep the "Pro" name, when they have a newer one that has huge following?
Air will be used as a differentiator with the old Pro lines. That was MBP 15 Pro, MBP 17 Pro, not we have MBA 15, and MBA 17.
That is a logical fallacy unless you think the last major revision of the MBP that made them unibody (which followed the original MBA's milled unibody chassis), thinner and lighter also meant they should have been called MBAs back in 2008.
As for the ODD that has simply overstayed its welcome though many still think they need it because of something I dubbed Teckholm Syndrome despite most being able to count how many times they've used this 140mmx140mmx12.5mm, power hungry and prone to break component in the last 2 years on one hand.
The future of the MBP will be Pro because they have 35/45W CPUs, not 17W CPUs. They will have an option for dGPUs, not just the iGPU. They will have user-removable RAM, not RAM soldered onto the mobo. They will more ports do to their larger size. They will have more storage capacity, but hopefully still design for fast boot/wake with an SD card plus 2.5" HDD/SSD or a hybrid 2.5" drive Apple patented. On top of that they should be the first candidates for the HiDPI displays although this tech will clearly be able to trickle down to the MBAs.
11" 13" 15" MacBook Air with ULV processors and probably 5-7-9 hours of battery life
and then
15" 17" MacBook Pro without optical drive but keep the rest (HDD) and double the battery size for a comfortable 10 hour life. Or since you're already top of line, drop the HDD, slim the case a bit (but don't lose too many ports and cooling power and put in a huge SSD. It's already pricey, real pros won't flicnh for 200$ more if they have their 512GB SSD. Anyways most pros have apps on MBP and data on FW800 or eSATA (ExpressCard) / TB drives.
As the market share grows, it is inevitable that the offer will also grow. Macs are no longer a niche product. They are leading the pack and what was once PC-only field is seriously compromised. Having more offer so that someone wanting the screen estate of a 15incher but not the weight of a full blown MBP makes sense and so does the other way around (15" MBP) too.
After all my 13" MBA has the same graphics power and double the CPU power as the late 2007 17" MBP I just sold. I am more than happy!
The 13" MacBook Pro is by far the most popular choice and the MacBook Pros lead their OS-X sales.
I know a lot of Pros scoff at the 13" but predicting Apple would drop it is like predicting they will drop one of their most polar and best selling products ever.
My $0.02 on the size debate: I went from a 17" MBP to the 13" (with cinema display) and that setup makes much more sense in most scenarios (not all, but most). The 17" is not a big seller compared to the 13/15, and Apple is in no hurry with them. Wouldn't at all be surprised to see it discontinued altogether. I am a developer and there is not much difference between hunching over a 13" or hunching over a 17". Get a real display for serious work and pair it with the smallest and most powerful machine you can get.
Also I would imagine all dates Intel has mentioned are for general OEM availability... Apple could well have a special agreement with them to get chips early (as they have in the past). Maybe that's why the new MacBook rumours have also been pushed back - they're suffering the same delay, but will still get the chips before other OEMs. After all Apple has to be Intel's best ULV chip client...
To get a head-start with the competition, DUH, isn't it obvious?
Especially if your gigantic sales have you in a special status with Intel, and you have done exactly the same thing in the past.
Sorry, not obvious to me.
So Apple is going to get a head-start on the competition without the Ivy Bridge chips? Or are you assuming that somehow Apple will get them in quantity before the rest of the laptop manufacturers? I wouldn't count on that. Especially after Intel dumped so much money and effort into creating that new UltraBook standard. They want PCs to catch up to the MacBook Air. I can't see them giving any advantages to Apple.
The clarification seems to state that the mobile chipsets still won't be available until June. Desktop chipsets will be available in May. Neither will be available in April. I don't expect new MacBooks in April.
My $0.02 on the size debate: I went from a 17" MBP to the 13" (with cinema display) and that setup makes much more sense in most scenarios (not all, but most). The 17" is not a big seller compared to the 13/15, and Apple is in no hurry with them. Wouldn't at all be surprised to see it discontinued altogether. I am a developer and there is not much difference between hunching over a 13" or hunching over a 17". Get a real display for serious work and pair it with the smallest and most powerful machine you can get.
I work with over 100 developers and that's exactly what we do at work. You need to be mobile in case you have to check something on the fly.
The clarification seems to state that the mobile chipsets still won't be available until June. Desktop chipsets will be available in May. Neither will be available in April. I don't expect new MacBooks in April.
At least once in the past, Apple had chipsets and CPUs before the rest of the market. It is not impossible for that to happen again.
General availability - June
Apple availability - April
I'm not saying that it WILL happen, but there is some precedent for it.
I must be getting old. Thought my knowledge of americanisms was pretty good. Evidently not. Only ever heard "at the earliest" which ever side of the pond I've been on. Whatever it is lets hope its quick -my blackbook is struggling but refusing to die despite toddlers trying to destroy it.
By this reasoning they would use "MacBook Air" & "MacBook Air Pro," unless they actually merge the lines into one.
I'm not convinced. If they use the "Air" moniker on *all* their laptops it becomes redundant. It would be like putting "laptop" after each name even though they are all laptops. Anything could happen though and it's all speculation at this point.
other rumours have suggested dropping the Mac name from OSX, and with rounding to the nearest integer, it could be called the ... wait for it..
New 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros with a thinner and lighter design are expected to launch in April "at the soonest," with an initial shipment of just under a million units.
Sources in Apple's upstream supply chain indicated to DigiTimes that Apple will launch upgraded MacBook Pros as early as April, with about 900,000 units expected to be shipped . A redesigned version of the 17-inch MacBook Pro is apparently not expected at launch, as it was not mentioned in Wednesday's report.
That's consistent with what AppleInsider detailed earlier this month, revealing that Apple will launch a larger 17-inch model later than the 15-inch model the company is said to be prioritizing. Apple employed the same approach when it redesigned its MacBook Pro lineup in 2008, as the lower-volume 17-inch model became available a few months later.
Apple's upgraded MacBook Pro lineup along with new MacBook Airs and the forthcoming OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion Mac operating system upgrade are expected in the industry to pose a "significant threat" to notebooks designed to Intel's thin-and-light Ultrabook specification.
"Since Intel is delaying the mass supply of its Ivy Bridge CPUs from April to June, notebook vendors are concerned about... the postponed launch schedules of their ultrabooks, as it may give Apple advantages in terms of time-to-market," the report said.
Earlier this week, an Intel executive indicated that the company's next-generation Ivy Bridge chips are expected to debut eight to 10 weeks later than previously planned. That would push the launch of those chips from April until June.
But it's possible that Apple could still launch new notebooks powered by Ivy Bridge as early as April, if Intel were to give the Mac maker early access to its first run of processors. In the past, Apple has been given early availability of Intel's latest technology before other PC makers.
As Apple gears up to revamp its MacBook Pro lineup and borrow design cues from its successful MacBook Air, PC makers are still hoping to capitalize on the Ultrabook specification being pushed by Intel. Ultrabooks are intended to be less than 21 millimeters thick, weigh no more than 3.1 pounds, use flash-based solid-state drives, and offer 5 to 8 hours of battery life.
But initial Ultrabooks from Windows-based PC makers struggled to compete with Apple on price, as the entry-level 11.6-inch MacBook Air carries a $999 cost. And they also felt the squeeze from Apple on components, as PC makers struggled to obtain unibody metal notebook chassis for their products.
I am firmly in the "please don't downsize the macbook pro" camp. Since I purchased my iPad 2, I know longer take it on vacations and never out to starbucks. With iCloud, it allows me to do everything I have to do. What I need at home is a large hard drive and power. As iPads get better and better, there is less need for macbook air computers , because when mobile we will just take our Ipads. I still want a lap though as it takes up less space and there are times I need to move it to another location. I do not want to sacrifice power and storage or lightness. If I can have both fantastic!
And I get sick of those Ultrabook commercials saying the design of the computer was inspired by Intel. BS. Just say it was inspired by the success of the MacBook Air. When the MBA first came out, people laughed because of the price and the niche market. Then the price got better. Then they redesigned and added the 11" model. Then the MBA started selling like hot cakes. The only thing that was sort-of similar in the early days of the MBA that I know of was the VAIO. But nothing saw really big sales until the redesign of the MBA. All I'm saying is give props where props are due. /rant
here, here. thanks to apple others are being forced to make laptops thinner and sleeker. lazy f***wad companies. while i will berate Apple as run by nazis it pisses me off that the other companies just make sh*t till they are forced to copy apple. then they make thinner,lighter sh*t.
Comments
The point is obvious, how came you don't see it?
For one, "Air" already means and evokes "lighter, no mechanical junk, no dvd, thinner".
So, if the make the MBP line have those qualities, it only makes sense to call them Air. So, the people know what this change is all about.
Second, "Air" is a highly successful brand in itself, the most selling Apple laptop. Why keep the "Pro" name, when they have a newer one that has huge following?
Air will be used as a differentiator with the old Pro lines. That was MBP 15 Pro, MBP 17 Pro, not we have MBA 15, and MBA 17.
That is a logical fallacy unless you think the last major revision of the MBP that made them unibody (which followed the original MBA's milled unibody chassis), thinner and lighter also meant they should have been called MBAs back in 2008.
As for the ODD that has simply overstayed its welcome though many still think they need it because of something I dubbed Teckholm Syndrome despite most being able to count how many times they've used this 140mmx140mmx12.5mm, power hungry and prone to break component in the last 2 years on one hand.
The future of the MBP will be Pro because they have 35/45W CPUs, not 17W CPUs. They will have an option for dGPUs, not just the iGPU. They will have user-removable RAM, not RAM soldered onto the mobo. They will more ports do to their larger size. They will have more storage capacity, but hopefully still design for fast boot/wake with an SD card plus 2.5" HDD/SSD or a hybrid 2.5" drive Apple patented. On top of that they should be the first candidates for the HiDPI displays although this tech will clearly be able to trickle down to the MBAs.
11" 13" 15" MacBook Air with ULV processors and probably 5-7-9 hours of battery life
and then
15" 17" MacBook Pro without optical drive but keep the rest (HDD) and double the battery size for a comfortable 10 hour life. Or since you're already top of line, drop the HDD, slim the case a bit (but don't lose too many ports and cooling power and put in a huge SSD. It's already pricey, real pros won't flicnh for 200$ more if they have their 512GB SSD. Anyways most pros have apps on MBP and data on FW800 or eSATA (ExpressCard) / TB drives.
As the market share grows, it is inevitable that the offer will also grow. Macs are no longer a niche product. They are leading the pack and what was once PC-only field is seriously compromised. Having more offer so that someone wanting the screen estate of a 15incher but not the weight of a full blown MBP makes sense and so does the other way around (15" MBP) too.
After all my 13" MBA has the same graphics power and double the CPU power as the late 2007 17" MBP I just sold. I am more than happy!
Uh, what? Drop the 17"? Drop the 13.
...
The 13" MacBook Pro is by far the most popular choice and the MacBook Pros lead their OS-X sales.
I know a lot of Pros scoff at the 13" but predicting Apple would drop it is like predicting they will drop one of their most polar and best selling products ever.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-57...ge-chip-delay/
My $0.02 on the size debate: I went from a 17" MBP to the 13" (with cinema display) and that setup makes much more sense in most scenarios (not all, but most). The 17" is not a big seller compared to the 13/15, and Apple is in no hurry with them. Wouldn't at all be surprised to see it discontinued altogether. I am a developer and there is not much difference between hunching over a 13" or hunching over a 17". Get a real display for serious work and pair it with the smallest and most powerful machine you can get.
I guess AI missed Intel's clarification on the supposed 8 week delay:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-57...ge-chip-delay/
Also I would imagine all dates Intel has mentioned are for general OEM availability... Apple could well have a special agreement with them to get chips early (as they have in the past). Maybe that's why the new MacBook rumours have also been pushed back - they're suffering the same delay, but will still get the chips before other OEMs. After all Apple has to be Intel's best ULV chip client...
To get a head-start with the competition, DUH, isn't it obvious?
Especially if your gigantic sales have you in a special status with Intel, and you have done exactly the same thing in the past.
Sorry, not obvious to me.
So Apple is going to get a head-start on the competition without the Ivy Bridge chips? Or are you assuming that somehow Apple will get them in quantity before the rest of the laptop manufacturers? I wouldn't count on that. Especially after Intel dumped so much money and effort into creating that new UltraBook standard. They want PCs to catch up to the MacBook Air. I can't see them giving any advantages to Apple.
I guess AI missed Intel's clarification on the supposed 8 week delay:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-57...ge-chip-delay/
The clarification seems to state that the mobile chipsets still won't be available until June. Desktop chipsets will be available in May. Neither will be available in April. I don't expect new MacBooks in April.
I guess AI missed Intel's clarification on the supposed 8 week delay:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13924_3-57...ge-chip-delay/
My $0.02 on the size debate: I went from a 17" MBP to the 13" (with cinema display) and that setup makes much more sense in most scenarios (not all, but most). The 17" is not a big seller compared to the 13/15, and Apple is in no hurry with them. Wouldn't at all be surprised to see it discontinued altogether. I am a developer and there is not much difference between hunching over a 13" or hunching over a 17". Get a real display for serious work and pair it with the smallest and most powerful machine you can get.
I work with over 100 developers and that's exactly what we do at work. You need to be mobile in case you have to check something on the fly.
The clarification seems to state that the mobile chipsets still won't be available until June. Desktop chipsets will be available in May. Neither will be available in April. I don't expect new MacBooks in April.
At least once in the past, Apple had chipsets and CPUs before the rest of the market. It is not impossible for that to happen again.
General availability - June
Apple availability - April
I'm not saying that it WILL happen, but there is some precedent for it.
Is 'soonest' even a word in the English language? It sounds like something my 5 year old would say.
Of course it is. It's just completely wrong within the context of the title sentence.
By this reasoning they would use "MacBook Air" & "MacBook Air Pro," unless they actually merge the lines into one.
I'm not convinced. If they use the "Air" moniker on *all* their laptops it becomes redundant. It would be like putting "laptop" after each name even though they are all laptops. Anything could happen though and it's all speculation at this point.
other rumours have suggested dropping the Mac name from OSX, and with rounding to the nearest integer, it could be called the ... wait for it..
OS Air X 11 (for the 11 inch-er running 10.8)
Is 'soonest' even a word in the English language? It sounds like something my 5 year old would say.
Sure. It's a superlative of soon. Being uncommon or sounding weird doesn't affect its correctitude.
Sure. It's a superlative of soon. Being uncommon or sounding weird doesn't affect its correctitude.
That word is so meta, even the definition is meta.
New 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros with a thinner and lighter design are expected to launch in April "at the soonest," with an initial shipment of just under a million units.
Sources in Apple's upstream supply chain indicated to DigiTimes that Apple will launch upgraded MacBook Pros as early as April, with about 900,000 units expected to be shipped . A redesigned version of the 17-inch MacBook Pro is apparently not expected at launch, as it was not mentioned in Wednesday's report.
That's consistent with what AppleInsider detailed earlier this month, revealing that Apple will launch a larger 17-inch model later than the 15-inch model the company is said to be prioritizing. Apple employed the same approach when it redesigned its MacBook Pro lineup in 2008, as the lower-volume 17-inch model became available a few months later.
Apple's upgraded MacBook Pro lineup along with new MacBook Airs and the forthcoming OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion Mac operating system upgrade are expected in the industry to pose a "significant threat" to notebooks designed to Intel's thin-and-light Ultrabook specification.
"Since Intel is delaying the mass supply of its Ivy Bridge CPUs from April to June, notebook vendors are concerned about... the postponed launch schedules of their ultrabooks, as it may give Apple advantages in terms of time-to-market," the report said.
Earlier this week, an Intel executive indicated that the company's next-generation Ivy Bridge chips are expected to debut eight to 10 weeks later than previously planned. That would push the launch of those chips from April until June.
But it's possible that Apple could still launch new notebooks powered by Ivy Bridge as early as April, if Intel were to give the Mac maker early access to its first run of processors. In the past, Apple has been given early availability of Intel's latest technology before other PC makers.
As Apple gears up to revamp its MacBook Pro lineup and borrow design cues from its successful MacBook Air, PC makers are still hoping to capitalize on the Ultrabook specification being pushed by Intel. Ultrabooks are intended to be less than 21 millimeters thick, weigh no more than 3.1 pounds, use flash-based solid-state drives, and offer 5 to 8 hours of battery life.
But initial Ultrabooks from Windows-based PC makers struggled to compete with Apple on price, as the entry-level 11.6-inch MacBook Air carries a $999 cost. And they also felt the squeeze from Apple on components, as PC makers struggled to obtain unibody metal notebook chassis for their products.
[ View article on AppleInsider ]
I am firmly in the "please don't downsize the macbook pro" camp. Since I purchased my iPad 2, I know longer take it on vacations and never out to starbucks. With iCloud, it allows me to do everything I have to do. What I need at home is a large hard drive and power. As iPads get better and better, there is less need for macbook air computers , because when mobile we will just take our Ipads. I still want a lap though as it takes up less space and there are times I need to move it to another location. I do not want to sacrifice power and storage or lightness. If I can have both fantastic!
Sure. It's a superlative of soon. Being uncommon or sounding weird doesn't affect its correctitude.
Ok. Just to clarify; next time i'm stateside will I be "down with the kids" if I say "at the soonest". Or will I just sound like a cock?
Ok. Just to clarify; next time i'm stateside will I be "down with the kids" if I say "at the soonest". Or will I just sound like a cock?
Probably about the same as saying "down with the kids."
Call it whatever they want.
11" and 13" integrated graphics
15" and 17" discreet graphics
All SSD
No optical drives
And I get sick of those Ultrabook commercials saying the design of the computer was inspired by Intel. BS. Just say it was inspired by the success of the MacBook Air. When the MBA first came out, people laughed because of the price and the niche market. Then the price got better. Then they redesigned and added the 11" model. Then the MBA started selling like hot cakes. The only thing that was sort-of similar in the early days of the MBA that I know of was the VAIO. But nothing saw really big sales until the redesign of the MBA. All I'm saying is give props where props are due. /rant
here, here. thanks to apple others are being forced to make laptops thinner and sleeker. lazy f***wad companies. while i will berate Apple as run by nazis it pisses me off that the other companies just make sh*t till they are forced to copy apple. then they make thinner,lighter sh*t.