Apple's MacBook sports user-replaceable hard disks

2

Comments

  • Reply 21 of 42
    buckeyebuckeye Posts: 358member
    The replaceable hard drive seals the deal. I'll be picking one up as soon as they are not sold out everywhere. (3 apple stores in LA today were sold out of the black model by around 1PM. Only one even had it as a floor display)



    Not only am I going to pick one up, but it means that I don't have to special order from the online store for once. I can just pick up the model I want and swap out the hard drive and ram later. I wouldn't have purchased the Ram from apple anyway, and 80 gigs will do just fine for a while while I wait for larger capacities in the near futue at most likely a lower cost a year from now.
  • Reply 22 of 42
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    To people that are against the price of the black macbook (the ones that want black for all configs, or black to not cost anymore):



    The black one cost more because apple obviously doesn't make as many as the white one, so it cost a little more to make. They don't make as many for 3 reasons:

    1. It is the highest of 3 configs so why would as many black cases be built as white cases?

    2. They don't want to make equal colours of everything to find half sitting in a warehouse. That's what happened with the gold ipod mini, it was a waste of money, time and space.

    3. It becomes a status symbol. An Infiniti G35 body is not a body option for a Nissan Sentra.




    I can live with that because it's better than having a warehouse full of unsold white or black machines because everyone opts for only model. That's what had happened to the white nanos at first until the craze for the black one calmed down, for something as big and as expensive as a notebook it makes no sense for a smaller volume company like apple.
  • Reply 23 of 42
    mike12309mike12309 Posts: 135member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Robin Hood

    Don't you see that by pricing the black model higher, Apple is making it even more attractive? I actually liked white, but now that I see I have to pay more for black, I am already starting to want it. Clever marketing.



    im guessing you also buy things that have "EXTREME" on the packaging in 18 point red font.



    I wanted the black too, and thought about upgrading... until i saw the 1500 price tag rather than the 1100 i was expecting.



    I think high demand will be very short lived here... if its generated at all-- that price is simply absurd. As far as being "Clever Marketting", id leave out the clever part-- as its marketting geared towards people who just must have the coolest looking thing at any cost (rich people, idiots), and so their target demographic is anything but clever.



    to those of you whod add geeks to the above "rich people and idiots" comment-- id say no... geeks sometimes buy the newest, latest and greatest (and ultimately coolest and most expensive) gadgets, but not for solely cosmetic reasons, thats just dumb.
  • Reply 24 of 42
    mike12309mike12309 Posts: 135member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ecking

    The black one cost more because apple obviously doesn't make as many as the white one, so it cost a little more to make.




    12

    yes it certainly will... i forsee noone buying them because that price is retarded-- thus causing them to raise the price further by your estimation.



    Hey question, how were they able to sell ipods in black and white for the same price despite only making 1 black for every 3 white (originally)?



    your response (im guessing?): theres more paint and manufacturing involved with the macbooks.



    yes to more paint. no to more manufacturing because the lines are already set to make the computers, using a different colored ink and different colored plastic doesnt cost any more. maybe pennies if anything. $200 = greed.



    Also, dont you think Apples people would be smart enough to figure out that high sales of black ipods might be translatable into high sales of black ibooks?



    Its a gimmick to get the money from all those that just have to have a black one... ill wait till the $1100 one, or wont get one.12
  • Reply 25 of 42
    Quote:

    Originally posted by archer75

    So now you can easily replace your hard drive on a macbook





    Just like every other notebook on the planet.




    Not true! You could replace the PPC iBook HD, I did - but it was such a chore and frankly dangerous to put enough people off it. Some PC laptops have easy replaceable HDS's some don't although admittedly most are easier than PPC iBook. Apple should be applauded for re-enginering the design to allow this type of upgradability.. and encouraged in future.
  • Reply 26 of 42
    bergermeisterbergermeister Posts: 6,784member
    Apple has a link to this article on AI on their site, so possibly lots of people will view it! Just kidding!



    In all seriousness:



    There is a minor error in the third paragraph: "The again" should read "Then again".
  • Reply 27 of 42
    eckingecking Posts: 1,588member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by mike12309

    12

    yes it certainly will... i forsee noone buying them because that price is retarded-- thus causing them to raise the price further by your estimation.



    Hey question, how were they able to sell ipods in black and white for the same price despite only making 1 black for every 3 white (originally)?



    your response (im guessing?): theres more paint and manufacturing involved with the macbooks.



    yes to more paint. no to more manufacturing because the lines are already set to make the computers, using a different colored ink and different colored plastic doesnt cost any more. maybe pennies if anything. $200 = greed.



    Also, dont you think Apples people would be smart enough to figure out that high sales of black ipods might be translatable into high sales of black ibooks?



    Its a gimmick to get the money from all those that just have to have a black one... ill wait till the $1100 one, or wont get one.12




    You want my response? Here:



    APPLE SELLS F**KING MILLIONS OF IPODS EACH QUARTER IN RETROSPECT TO THE NUMBER OF COMPUTERS THEY SELL. THOSE IPODS COST HUNDREDS UPON HUNDREDS LESS TO MAKE, SELL, AND BUY MEANING WAY MORE PEOPLE WILL PURCHASE THEM.



    So take your rude ass remarks else where your being dumb.



    Did I say apple doesn't sell the black at a premium? THEY DO, THAT IS NO LIE



    All I did is justify their reasons for it, because it is done from a business perspective.



    Nice company you'd run:

    "Hey let's NOT charge more for our products and offer the black option at each config and waste expensive warehouse space for all the models we won't sell just like we did with the snowflake imac, INSTEAD of making less, charging more and essentially calling them special edition. THAT IS THE KEY TO GOOD BUSINESS AND MAKING MONEY!"



    Open your damn eyes in LA the black ones were sold out by 1pm, people are going crazy for it and because they make less they'll never have to worry about overstock.



    But hey you must know better than a multi-billion dollar comapny so I'll just shutup now. Insult to another poster's intelligence by poster incorrectly using the word "your" to mean "you're" cheerfully removed - JL



    ps: Your not going to get a macbook because the 1099 isn't in black, who the f**k does that? I guess if they just never introduced a black one you just wouldn't get a computer right?
  • Reply 28 of 42
    gamoguygamoguy Posts: 24member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by OfficerDigby

    Not true! You could replace the PPC iBook HD, I did - but it was such a chore and frankly dangerous to put enough people off it. Some PC laptops have easy replaceable HDS's some don't although admittedly most are easier than PPC iBook. Apple should be applauded for re-enginering the design to allow this type of upgradability.. and encouraged in future.



    Amen! I did a replacement, too. And let's just say that I'm not eager to do it again soon. Also, it voids your warranty. I doubt such a simple replacement on the MacBook, which involves no disassembly does. This is a true blessing and a good step forward.
  • Reply 29 of 42
    sunilramansunilraman Posts: 8,133member
    Originally posted by GamoGuy

    Amen! I did a replacement, too. And let's just say that I'm not eager to do it again soon. Also, it voids your warranty. I doubt such a simple replacement on the MacBook, which involves no disassembly does. This is a true blessing and a good step forward.






    Meee too Took a 933mhz iBook G4 and modded in a 5400rpm 60gb western digital drive. Ended up with a few extra screws and pretty much violated the warranty. But it was worth it. iBook G4 933mhz 5400rpm drive 640mb ram = Very usable.
  • Reply 30 of 42
    minderbinderminderbinder Posts: 1,703member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by mike12309

    As far as being "Clever Marketting", id leave out the clever part-- as its marketting geared towards people who just must have the coolest looking thing at any cost (rich people, idiots), and so their target demographic is anything but clever.



    If the buyers are dumb, that doesn't mean the marketing isn't clever. If they can make extra money over something cosmetic, good for them. It's a smart decision for the company, they take a chance at making some extra profit, with little or no risk.



    Quote:

    Originally posted by mike12309

    [B]12

    yes it certainly will... i forsee noone buying them because that price is retarded-- thus causing them to raise the price further by your estimation.



    You seem to be proven wrong already. From the pictures posted online as well as the reports from people who've bought already, in this group there seem to be more black than white. I'm sure they won't sell as many black as white, but that's just fine for apple, and completely different than "noone" buying them.



    Just for the record, I think the extra cost of black has NOTHING to do with cost of manufacture. It's purely a case of charging what people are willing to pay.
  • Reply 31 of 42
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,953member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by minderbinder

    Just for the record, I think the extra cost of black has NOTHING to do with cost of manufacture. It's purely a case of charging what people are willing to pay.



    I wonder if it is a market test for possibly making it a standard no-cost option. It may well be like the iPod, where they offered a black U2 unit for a little extra, and on the next generation black is a no-cost choice.
  • Reply 32 of 42
    jamesgjamesg Posts: 63member
    The inability to replace the keyboard is going to be a major concern. The iBook is used extensively in schools by kids 6-18. One of the things we have to deal with constantly is broken or lost keys and other problems.
  • Reply 33 of 42
    iposteriposter Posts: 1,560member
    Easily accessible RAM and HDD = nice!



    But, placing them all in close proximity with the battery would = higher concentration of heat, correct?



    Just using my old HP laptop as an example, the RAM cover and the battery (when charging) are the two hottest spots on the bottom of the computer.



  • Reply 34 of 42
    buckeyebuckeye Posts: 358member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by iPoster

    Easily accessible RAM and HDD = nice!



    But, placing them all in close proximity with the battery would = higher concentration of heat, correct?



    Just using my old HP laptop as an example, the RAM cover and the battery (when charging) are the two hottest spots on the bottom of the computer.







    Typing on a black one right now. It does get very warm. Especially on the left side under the battery. If you type on your lap a lot you may want to take this in to consideration.
  • Reply 35 of 42
    sunilramansunilraman Posts: 8,133member
    With all the performance-per-watt hoopla, ironically the new MacBook and MacBook Pro suffers from even worse heat issues than the G4s
  • Reply 36 of 42
    iposteriposter Posts: 1,560member
    I'm not really in the market for a laptop right now, though from the sound if it I will wait for Rev. B at least if I do get a MacBook or MBP....
  • Reply 37 of 42
    audiopollutionaudiopollution Posts: 3,226member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by sunilraman

    With all the performance-per-watt hoopla, ironically the new MacBook and MacBook Pro suffers from even worse heat issues than the G4s



    I'm curious why everyone's complaining about the heat. Do the Toshiba Core Duo laptops run cooler than Macbooks? How about the Sony laptops? HP? Lenovo?



    Apple must be selling the special 'really hot' Core Duo chips.



  • Reply 38 of 42
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,953member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by audiopollution

    I'm curious why everyone's complaining about the heat. Do the Toshiba Core Duo laptops run cooler than Macbooks? How about the Sony laptops? HP? Lenovo?



    Apple must be selling the special 'really hot' Core Duo chips.





    Who knows, is anyone measuring the surface temperature of the case of each of those products? If the cases of all those products arel that hot, then I wouldn't want any Core Duo mobile device, at least not any of those including the "T" series chips.



    It may be that Apple is the worst given the gobs of heat sink goop preventing the heat from getting to the heat pipe.
  • Reply 39 of 42
    sandausandau Posts: 1,230member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by audiopollution

    I'm curious why everyone's complaining about the heat.



    cause its friggin hot as hades. One reviewer I saw online said his macbook is unusable after 30 minutes and crashes because of the heat. Mine doesn't yet, but I haven't run it around the block much yet.



    this is, by far, the hottest notebook i've had since a Dell C640 (P4-M), which could blister your balls. This one will simply hot roast them.
  • Reply 40 of 42
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by sunilraman

    With all the performance-per-watt hoopla, ironically the new MacBook and MacBook Pro suffers from even worse heat issues than the G4s



    What else would you expect? I find amusing to see people hoping for a Mac portable with Pentium-M-based processor running really cool. The P-M processor is not cool at all when working full throttle. Remember this processor is roughly the 32bit-equivalent of the G5 in terms of processing power. You have now two of them in a laptop... Be thankful that you can at all use such a computer and without serious heat problems, to put things into perspective.



    Anyone looking for a really low power (and accordingly lower performance) Mac portable, should consider older G4 models.
Sign In or Register to comment.