I have a hard time believing that they would remove it after like, two decades? But then again, I would say the same thing about the image on the home button for the iPhone, and they removed that for technical innovation, the same scenario here.
I wonder if this device might have cellular connectivity?
With tethering so common these days and Yosemite making it easier than ever to do so, I'm thinking the days of expecting Apple to include cellular chips and antennas in Mac notebooks is long over.
I have a hard time believing that they would remove it after like, two decades? But then again, I would say the same thing about the image on the home button for the iPhone, and they removed that for technical innovation, the same scenario here.
What's the technical reason here? All I can think of is the aforementioned "too thin" reason and even that I'm not sold.
It's not just iconic, it's also a practical indicator of whether the machine is on/off/asleep etc.
Plastic being too thin or too heavy isn't really a good explanation either, since they need the plastic on the machine in order to have a radio-window. (If there isn't plastic on the screen, then where is it? Surely they didn't make an all-metal machine with lousy wifi reception?!?)
And if you think of the state of the Union, or all the dark university auditoriums lot up by numerous small glowing Apple logos it's also really good advertising.
Hopefully it'll continue to glow, but the reason it looks metallic, is because they used micro-perforations for that effect, so it only looks metallic egen its NOT glowing. Kinda like the green indicator lights on iMacs/Apple keyboards.
One thing is for sure... Apple has preached the Thunderbolt gospel for years, forcing Mac owners to invest in expensive TB storage instead of cheap and ubiquitous USB 3.0.
There will be quite the backlash (and rightly so, IMHO) if they really release a machine with just 1 USB 3.1 connector.
(And no, it's not a "oh big deal, just get a USB to Thunderbolt adapter" issue... Can you imagine a movie editor who has to unplug his external RAID storage, because he has to plug in a keyboard or charge the laptop?!?)
It would really be screwing their customers and entire ecosystem over if they did that, which is why I don't believe that particular rumor...
One thing is for sure... Apple has preached the Thunderbolt gospel for years, forcing Mac owners to invest in expensive TB storage instead of cheap and ubiquitous USB 3.0.
There will be quite the backlash (and rightly so, IMHO) if they really release a machine with just 1 USB 3.1 connector.
(And no, it's not a "oh big deal, just get a USB to Thunderbolt adapter" issue... Can you imagine a movie editor who has to unplug his external RAID storage, because he has to plug in a keyboard or charge the laptop?!?)
It would really be screwing their customers and entire ecosystem over if they did that, which is why I don't believe that particular rumor...
And let's not forget all the followers who were calling for the death of USB, to see it become the only connector on this new MacBook. Imagine all the backtracking that would ensue as they try to wipe the egg off their faces. Oh wait, maybe Apple should release a laptop like this
The logo is black in the photos just like the iPad. It might be shiny like the following image and just reflecting a black environment:
but it looks like the illuminating logo is going away. It could be perforated metal like the sleep light and will still illuminate but they'd have noticed perforations. I would miss that feature too and it was nice for the decals:
[VIDEO]
If they were slimming down the display part, they might have had to ditch the plastic. Too thin plastic would crack.
I expect there will be a single TB port on there, 2x USB C, a 3.5MM audio jack and an SD reader. Possibly induction charging. Retina display and it could have slimmer side bezels like the iPad to allow for a larger display in a smaller form factor. It can be fanless or just have a solid-state fan. Broadwell-U is available and Core-M is an option:
Somewhere between 4.5W and 7.5W should be possible in a smaller design.
Given that the parts have reached this stage, it could be launching soon. I could see them having a Watch plus Retina Air press event in February/March.
The fastest Core-M (Y-series) underperforms the current line-up & U-series starts at 15W so not sure they'll drop down.
Hmmm... If the current Air is way too big and heavy, and needs to be super thin, have a Retina screen, all day battery life, just one port and a headphone jack (or no ports at all!) AND it would be awesome if it could go down in price and meet a bigger market...
Don't people realize that there already IS such a Mac? An iPad with a Bluetooth keyboard...
Seriously, just make a 13 inch IPad and be done with it. The ironic thing is, that if someone can live with a sub 10watt MacBook Air without any ports, chances are that they're nt doing anything with their computer that requires an Intel CPU and OSX, but could get by just fine with iOS on an A7...
And let's not forget all the followers who were calling for the death of USB, to see it become the only connector on this new MacBook. Imagine all the backtracking that would ensue as they try to wipe the egg off their faces. Oh wait, maybe Apple should release a laptop like this :D
Hmmm... If the current Air is way too big and heavy, and needs to be super thin, have a Retina screen, all day battery life, just one port and a headphone jack (or no ports at all!) AND it would be awesome if it could go down in price and meet a bigger market...
Don't people realize that there already IS such a Mac? An iPad with a Bluetooth keyboard...
Seriously, just make a 13 inch IPad and be done with it. The ironic thing is, that if someone can live with a sub 10watt MacBook Air without any ports, chances are that they're nt doing anything with their computer that requires an Intel CPU and OSX, but could get by just fine with iOS on an A7...
Gotta say I don't see the advantage of a fanless CPU. The CoreM CPUs have turned out rather anaemic, and I'd much prefer a fan that rarely goes off, but has the potential to perform a lot higher when necessary, than a fanless CPU that's always stuck at low MHZ performance.
The only time where the fan in my MacBook Air turns on, is when I start playing 3D games: XCom, call of duty, etc.
I wonder if a MacBook Air with a Core M CPU would be able to play those at all...
they need the plastic on the machine in order to have a radio-window. (If there isn't plastic on the screen, then where is it? Surely they didn't make an all-metal machine with lousy wifi reception?!?)
Can you imagine a movie editor who has to unplug his external RAID storage, because he has to plug in a keyboard or charge the laptop?
That would push them into buying a MBP. An Air with a single USB port would be the Facebook, Office, browsing crowd. Lawyers, doctors, writers, actors, firemen, policemen, pilots, pretty much most people. There's not much reason to miss out TB anyway. The current MBA is 17mm thick. This looks like it's about 7.5-9.5mm thick depending on which iPad Air it is. A TB port is only 4.5mm tall. Most of the bulk will be removed from the lower part of the base. Think of the iPad 1 with its large bulge:
The fastest Core-M (Y-series) underperforms the current line-up & U-series starts at 15W so not sure they'll drop down.
The U-series can be configured lower (7.5W, 9.5W) and Core-M higher. Core-M is fast enough CPU-wise but lacking in the GPU. It doesn't have to be completely passively cooled, a solid-state fan would provide enough cooling for a 7.5W part that would match current 15W Air performance. It makes sense to include cooling, even as a backup in case the environment temperature was too hot:
One thing is for sure... Apple has preached the Thunderbolt gospel for years, forcing Mac owners to invest in expensive TB storage instead of cheap and ubiquitous USB 3.0.
There will be quite the backlash (and rightly so, IMHO) if they really release a machine with just 1 USB 3.1 connector.
Forced? There was only about a year where Apple was shipping Macs with Thunderbolt and not USB3.0, and nothing about Thunderbolt meant users couldn't use USB2.0 ports with either USB 2.0 storage, or USB3.0 storage (at USB2.0 speeds, but with a bit of future proofing).
This is a rumour about one machine. Plenty of other Apple machines have more ports for those people that have other needs.
I think you misunderstand...
The location and placement of the antenna doesn't matter. You still need a radio window, such as the Apple logo on MacBooks and iPads, that the radio signals can pass through.
Have you ever heard of a Farraday cage? It is an all-metal enclosure that prevents radio signals from getting in and out. An all-metal laptop without a radio window is like a Farraday cage, and will give awful wireless performance.
That would push them into buying a MBP. An Air with a single USB port would be the Facebook, Office, browsing crowd. Lawyers, doctors, writers, actors, firemen, policemen, pilots, pretty much most people.
But most people still use USB ports for lots of things. And most of them use more than one at a time often enough that it would be a real irritant, to have to choose between charging your laptop and charging your iPhone... Or using your keyboard or plugging in a USB HD.
Sure, we could throw all our existing USB things out, and try to buy wireless alternatives, or put everything we have on physical disks out and put it all online, but...
It strikes me as a very unelegant and un-Apple like solution, to make a computer that doesn't defer to the users needs and practicalities, but reguires users to defer to its particular design.
Worst pictures of this type, I think I've ever seen. Would have been much better to just show a picture of a current 13" screen, and just call it a 12". I mean, how would you know without some comparative screen side by side? Just show a 12" and say: "It looks just like this; only a little smaller"%u2026 That would have been more useful than these pictures.
It's not just iconic, it's also a practical indicator of whether the machine is on/off/asleep etc.
I can't say I've ever looked at the back of my Mac to see if the display is on or off.
Plastic being too thin or too heavy isn't really a good explanation either,
I don't by that explanation either since the light comes from the display's backlight. The only legitimate reason I can think of is if there are other electronics behind the display, perhaps because we're really looking at a large iPad which would have side-by-side apps in landscape mode as the most common orientation.
since they need the plastic on the machine in order to have a radio-window.
One thing is for sure... Apple has preached the Thunderbolt gospel for years, forcing Mac owners to invest in expensive TB storage instead of cheap and ubiquitous USB 3.0.
And let's not forget all the followers who were calling for the death of USB, to see it become the only connector on this new MacBook. Imagine all the backtracking that would ensue as they try to wipe the egg off their faces. Oh wait, maybe Apple should release a laptop like this :D
Show us who these comments that called for the death of USB.
Comments
The glowing apple is iconic.
I have a hard time believing that they would remove it after like, two decades? But then again, I would say the same thing about the image on the home button for the iPhone, and they removed that for technical innovation, the same scenario here.
I really hope Apple will make this in the many colours they did (do?) the iPods! Would be awesome to have a colourful alternative as an ultraportable!
With tethering so common these days and Yosemite making it easier than ever to do so, I'm thinking the days of expecting Apple to include cellular chips and antennas in Mac notebooks is long over.
What's the technical reason here? All I can think of is the aforementioned "too thin" reason and even that I'm not sold.
I think colors would be a great way to market these rumoured machines.
What's the technical reason here? All I can think of is the aforementioned "too thin" reason and even that I'm not sold.
I should say assumed to be the case, or why remove it?
It just seems so silly to alter something so iconic for the hell of it.
Surprise the world once again with ultra thin AND big!
Plastic being too thin or too heavy isn't really a good explanation either, since they need the plastic on the machine in order to have a radio-window. (If there isn't plastic on the screen, then where is it? Surely they didn't make an all-metal machine with lousy wifi reception?!?)
And if you think of the state of the Union, or all the dark university auditoriums lot up by numerous small glowing Apple logos it's also really good advertising.
Hopefully it'll continue to glow, but the reason it looks metallic, is because they used micro-perforations for that effect, so it only looks metallic egen its NOT glowing. Kinda like the green indicator lights on iMacs/Apple keyboards.
There will be quite the backlash (and rightly so, IMHO) if they really release a machine with just 1 USB 3.1 connector.
(And no, it's not a "oh big deal, just get a USB to Thunderbolt adapter" issue... Can you imagine a movie editor who has to unplug his external RAID storage, because he has to plug in a keyboard or charge the laptop?!?)
It would really be screwing their customers and entire ecosystem over if they did that, which is why I don't believe that particular rumor...
One thing is for sure... Apple has preached the Thunderbolt gospel for years, forcing Mac owners to invest in expensive TB storage instead of cheap and ubiquitous USB 3.0.
There will be quite the backlash (and rightly so, IMHO) if they really release a machine with just 1 USB 3.1 connector.
(And no, it's not a "oh big deal, just get a USB to Thunderbolt adapter" issue... Can you imagine a movie editor who has to unplug his external RAID storage, because he has to plug in a keyboard or charge the laptop?!?)
It would really be screwing their customers and entire ecosystem over if they did that, which is why I don't believe that particular rumor...
And let's not forget all the followers who were calling for the death of USB, to see it become the only connector on this new MacBook. Imagine all the backtracking that would ensue as they try to wipe the egg off their faces. Oh wait, maybe Apple should release a laptop like this
Maybe call it the MacBook Air Pro? /s
I'm ready to order my space grey rMBA right now
The fastest Core-M (Y-series) underperforms the current line-up & U-series starts at 15W so not sure they'll drop down.
That screen casing looks bulky!
Don't people realize that there already IS such a Mac? An iPad with a Bluetooth keyboard...
Seriously, just make a 13 inch IPad and be done with it. The ironic thing is, that if someone can live with a sub 10watt MacBook Air without any ports, chances are that they're nt doing anything with their computer that requires an Intel CPU and OSX, but could get by just fine with iOS on an A7...
Hmmm... If the current Air is way too big and heavy, and needs to be super thin, have a Retina screen, all day battery life, just one port and a headphone jack (or no ports at all!) AND it would be awesome if it could go down in price and meet a bigger market...
Don't people realize that there already IS such a Mac? An iPad with a Bluetooth keyboard...
Seriously, just make a 13 inch IPad and be done with it. The ironic thing is, that if someone can live with a sub 10watt MacBook Air without any ports, chances are that they're nt doing anything with their computer that requires an Intel CPU and OSX, but could get by just fine with iOS on an A7...
Gotta say I don't see the advantage of a fanless CPU. The CoreM CPUs have turned out rather anaemic, and I'd much prefer a fan that rarely goes off, but has the potential to perform a lot higher when necessary, than a fanless CPU that's always stuck at low MHZ performance.
The only time where the fan in my MacBook Air turns on, is when I start playing 3D games: XCom, call of duty, etc.
I wonder if a MacBook Air with a Core M CPU would be able to play those at all...
Wifi goes in the screen hinge:
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+13-Inch+Unibody+Mid+2010+AirPort+Antenna+Replacement/6025
That would push them into buying a MBP. An Air with a single USB port would be the Facebook, Office, browsing crowd. Lawyers, doctors, writers, actors, firemen, policemen, pilots, pretty much most people. There's not much reason to miss out TB anyway. The current MBA is 17mm thick. This looks like it's about 7.5-9.5mm thick depending on which iPad Air it is. A TB port is only 4.5mm tall. Most of the bulk will be removed from the lower part of the base. Think of the iPad 1 with its large bulge:
The U-series can be configured lower (7.5W, 9.5W) and Core-M higher. Core-M is fast enough CPU-wise but lacking in the GPU. It doesn't have to be completely passively cooled, a solid-state fan would provide enough cooling for a 7.5W part that would match current 15W Air performance. It makes sense to include cooling, even as a backup in case the environment temperature was too hot:
http://www.gizmag.com/ge-dual-piezo-cooling-jet/25447/
One thing is for sure... Apple has preached the Thunderbolt gospel for years, forcing Mac owners to invest in expensive TB storage instead of cheap and ubiquitous USB 3.0.
There will be quite the backlash (and rightly so, IMHO) if they really release a machine with just 1 USB 3.1 connector.
Forced? There was only about a year where Apple was shipping Macs with Thunderbolt and not USB3.0, and nothing about Thunderbolt meant users couldn't use USB2.0 ports with either USB 2.0 storage, or USB3.0 storage (at USB2.0 speeds, but with a bit of future proofing).
This is a rumour about one machine. Plenty of other Apple machines have more ports for those people that have other needs.
I'd buy that!
^ Or the MacBook Prayer?
I think you misunderstand...
The location and placement of the antenna doesn't matter. You still need a radio window, such as the Apple logo on MacBooks and iPads, that the radio signals can pass through.
Have you ever heard of a Farraday cage? It is an all-metal enclosure that prevents radio signals from getting in and out. An all-metal laptop without a radio window is like a Farraday cage, and will give awful wireless performance.
But most people still use USB ports for lots of things. And most of them use more than one at a time often enough that it would be a real irritant, to have to choose between charging your laptop and charging your iPhone... Or using your keyboard or plugging in a USB HD.
Sure, we could throw all our existing USB things out, and try to buy wireless alternatives, or put everything we have on physical disks out and put it all online, but...
It strikes me as a very unelegant and un-Apple like solution, to make a computer that doesn't defer to the users needs and practicalities, but reguires users to defer to its particular design.
http://www.gizmag.com/ge-dual-piezo-cooling-jet/25447/[/quote]
Would have been much better to just show a picture of a current 13" screen, and just call it a 12".
I mean, how would you know without some comparative screen side by side? Just show a 12" and say: "It looks just like this; only a little smaller"%u2026
That would have been more useful than these pictures.
I can't say I've ever looked at the back of my Mac to see if the display is on or off.
I don't by that explanation either since the light comes from the display's backlight. The only legitimate reason I can think of is if there are other electronics behind the display, perhaps because we're really looking at a large iPad which would have side-by-side apps in landscape mode as the most common orientation.
Is that the case wjth the Mac notebooks?
That's absurd. No one was forced into anything.
Show us who these comments that called for the death of USB.