Apple's New Notebooks: What To Expect

Wired offers some ideas on what to expect from Apple's new notebooks:

Both the MacBook and the MacBook Pro will be aluminum. The aluminum MacBook has been rumored since forever, and if we take the leaked shots as real, Apple is finally going all-metal in its Mac lineup.

We can also be pretty certain that the MacBook Pro will gain the chiclet-style keyboard of the Air and the stock MacBook, most likely in backlit black. Ditto the magnetic latch which holds the MacBook Pro closed -- that little button is so 2001. The other advantage the current MacBook has over the MBP is the easy-to-swap hard drive. Along with the RAM, the HDD is a simple five-minute slot-in replacement. Expect to see this in the Pro...

...Touch Screen: So far, so evolutionary. What about surprises? The big expectation is a touch screen. We say no. Touch screens are just too hard to use in a notebook, unless Apple has also invented some kind of iSling to support your arm. We'd like to be wrong on this, but we doubt it.

Apple is rumored to be rolling out a laptop that will cost under a thousand dollars. CNBC calls this going "nuclear." Here's why:

Why nuclear? Because it stands to have an explosive impact on the PC market. A device not too expensive that it alienates an ever more skittish consumer; not too cheap, ala sub-$500, that it soils the aspirational brand that Apple has become; but a high-end, slick device with the Apple bloodline priced just right that a big chunk of the market goes for it whether its mildly uncomfortable doing so or not. The Goldilocks price point.

I've spoken to several people inside and outside Apple about what to expect, and while no one is ready to go on the record about any of this, they're all telling me the same thing: Apple is ready to play in sub-$1k. That's a big deal and about time.

Comments

[ultra5701]

Macbooks not Notebooks

[MagisterLudi]

"I've spoken to several people inside and outside Apple about what to expect, they're all telling me the same thing: Apple is ready to play in sub-$1k.
The people you've spoken to were wrong. $999; no modem; no iworks, 1 GIG RAM will not play in the sub-1K market. It won't even get you invited to the party.

[WasteNJ]

Apple tried the cheap route before, with the Mac mini, a horrible excuse for a computer that didn't include a keyboard, monitor or mouse. It got hot enough to cook eggs on top. Macs will stay overpriced because Apple insists on controlling every aspect of the machine from hardware to software.

A small company called Psystar is in court with Apple right now for building PC's that can run Apple's Operating System. Could be the anti-trust case that makes Macs cheap, if they have to compete with clones, like all IBM-based PC's. Competition is good and will only improve the product.

[MagisterLudi]

1GIg RAM; 120 Gig hard drive without a modem or iworks for astonishing ( or NOT) price of $999.99.... Stop the presses, let the world rejoice.....or not.

[BruceH]

If you're a business user, I don't see how you can buy a Mac and not have XP available to you for certian programs.

[mcjacksonnelson]

the new intel macs can run XP.

[WasteNJ]

Not an easy config to do for the average person.

[Perry Clease]

Define "Business user"

[FZliveson]

Ran a multi-million dollar export company completely on Mac-OS in the '80's and '90's with no difficulty. We used Helix as a database and there were a multitude of word-processing and spreadsheet applications so that we had NO PROBLEM operationally. Plus we NEVER had
gross system failures, forced upgrades by the manufacturer or grossly inconvenient methods of installing new software. But, you may be right. I have never heard of "certian programs," so maybe XP is necessary to run those. What do certian programs do?

[truth101]

This kind of review reminds me of American Bandstand ...that is...pure hype....go out now kiddies and buy the latest and greatest trophy laptop....from Apple with the gee wiz showrooms...
.....................BUT hey gee wiz the entire educational and business world is moving towards more and more and more elearning, and the world's leading software for this by Adobe called Captivate does not
run on APPLE......but nevermind afterall what counts is the apple logo
.......................ALSO .....NEVERMIND 3Dmax does not run on Apple...
who needs to master the worlds leading 3d software.....not APPLE USERS.....
.................................................................WHY WOULD ANY CORPORATION OR SCHOOL BUY INTO TROPHY LAPTOPS?

[starboymikey]

Yes, it was intentionally designed that way so that Apple can control the user experience.
__________________________________________________________________

Sounds just like Fox News.

[distantmuse]

how telling is it that even the new "I'm a PC" campaign is a derivative of the "I'm a MAC" creative concept. Windows is just a bad imitation of the MAC OS but it seems to be lost on the PC lemmings.

[SeenItBefore]

I've been a fan since I got a free weekend with a Macintosh 512 in '84. It sat proudly next to a Texas Instrument Pegasus 8088 and an HP portable. Sadly, there was little software and most real work for my company happened on the two PC's because of thin software. As time passed, I grew to love the icon driven OS and used the PC's less and less. I switched to MAC exclusively in 1995, but had to go dual platform for business reasons. I still feel W98 was the most stable, with XP pro a close second. At the moment we run 5 PC's (Pentium III to Dual core) and two IMAC's. I would be like a pig in poop if I could run MAC exclusively, but it's not a reality as yet.

FYI, all of my 13 computers, save one, dating back to 1979, are still operational. Dependability has never been an issue for me. Speed is another story.

[segagman]

sorry my post is a little back ward if you read it read from 3ed post down first then on up.

[segagman]

part3

as described
Ubuntu is a community developed operating system that is perfect for laptops, desktops and servers. Whether you use it at home, at school or at work Ubuntu contains all the applications you'll ever need, from word processing and email applications, to web server software and programming tools.

Ubuntu is and always will be free of charge. You do not pay any licensing fees. You can download, use and share Ubuntu with your friends, family, school or business for absolutely nothing.
at http://www.ubuntu.com/
so wile mac user and MS user pay outrages $ for there computersi have bought 3 computer for the same price with no viruses.
Dell offer linux preinstalled as dose IBM and more are flowing suit HP,asus ect
because they know user dont like to be locked in. Knowledge is free.

ps every one tells me my ASUS eeePC is really kool...and hip.........and smart.
next up on my chic toys a kindle

[segagman]

part2

Now take MS windows go to walmart by vista...(.because jerry sinfelid dont wont to argue with xp)....because windows works with every thing. BUT due to MS having 90% of the computer operating system market share it is ripe for attack,on the scale of 20,xxxx viruses in the wild vs Apple's 200 viruses in the wild. Not to mention in MS Mohave experiment comericales they failed to interview any one with have a brain and left out the comments on know bugs. Vista is by design to A.require you to by expensive hardware so it will work...because the operating system demands so many resorses for it to B. try to look pretty like a mac and C. pretend to have the sercity of Linux.
example i just purchased a eeePC laptop (netbook aka really small laptop) it has Xandros Linux preinstalled and that little lappy cost me a quater of the price of a macbook and i customized it because i can legally un like apple or MS.
Nobody owns linux and everybody dose.
every 1 can download Ubuntu for free burn the cd(with nero or iso recorder ect.) and try it out with out installing it by booting to the cd drive.
it works for everyday tasks, office,art(ubuntu stuido) ect ect ect
And the best part is
it is ALL free openoffice video editing(shreck3 yep linux) games (wow runs using wine)

[segagman]

Ok here is my 2 cents on this subject. That has substance!!!!
1st I take it as a comment when people call me a nerd...i love computers it has ben my hobby for some time now. That said I WOULD NEVER BY A MAC...but i have 2...they were gave to me,and i promptly installed Ubuntu.
Mac's are chic,hip,trendy and overpriced.... for that very reason.
osx's darwin and bsd is based on unix uinx is not free and macs are super cumbersome to personalize. Unlike Linux (more on that after the jump)
Macs operating system and hardware are inseparable (leaglly) and that is unacceptable in my world and many others.
Apple would do better if they sold OSX like Micro$oft (MS) dose and sold the smooth integration with its apple peripherals i.e. iphone,pod,tv,server...yet they don't cause well mac's make people fill cool and hip all the wile most think there stuck up.
i must say one thing that is good a bout macs is usability turn it on it works and looks good doing it.

[caferide]

Macs are "super cumbersome to personalize"?! What planet are you living on? Macs are the EASIEST computers in the world to personalize!

Macs operating system & hardware are inseparable? Yes, it was intentionally designed that way so that Apple can control the user experience. That's why they work so seamlessly. For example, when you plug in a camera, you don't have to go search for drivers, etc. It just works from the start.

And perhaps you're not old enough to remember, but Apple DID once try to sell JUST the OS. They were called Mac clones. For the most part, the user experience was lacking so they ended that "experiment".

As an Apple Mac user who's been using ONLY Macs since 1985 I wouldn't use any other computer. Period. They haven't always been "cool" and "hip" as you describe them, but they have always worked, and worked well!

[tnflyboy]

"i must say one thing that is good a bout macs is usability turn it on it works and looks good doing it."
This is probably the biggest reason why people buy macs. It JUST works. Out of the box you can edit pictures, listen to music, edit movies, create dvds, make webpages, etc etc etc. I often hear people saying how much better ubuntu is and how horrible everything else is, but when it comes down to it, the typical, non-computer snob user doesn't want to download ubuntu, burn it to a disc, install it as their operating system, and then have to download all of the linux freeware. It's much easier to just go get a computer that already has what they need on it and use that.

And caferide is totally right about Apple's HW and SW situation. It's designed to work together. Since OSX doesn't have to work on any machine made by any manufacturer, it's easier to marry to the systems and more able to utilize the HW resources SMOOTHLY. For example, my iPhone can now be used, thanks to a program by Apple, to remotely control iTunes on my computer. No fuss, just open up the remote program when i'm on my home network and it's ready to go.

[alanps]

I would never go back to PC - no idea what the other poster is saying regarding Mac's being underpowered - mine are lightning fast and make a mockery of my colleagues PC's.

[MagisterLudi]

As a composer I use both systems, as most studios use Mac (Power Tools and Digital Performer the main reason). Bu t I would not go back to Mac for my personal use. Macs are underpowered and overpriced. It is a simple as that. Yes, I know people trudge out their massaged specs. to prove the contrary. But any company that considers a $1000 laptop a messianic break thru' in computing is not for me. Since this is a political blog: O__bama is very much like a Mac: snazzy aesthetics, but not much under the hood, underpowered and over-hyped. McCain is more like a 386, Windows ME system.

[ccpostman]

Your right, McCain is like a PC...He is crashing and can't be rebooted!

"I would not go back to a Mac" It sounds like you never had one.

Just another jealous Mac basher!

[Mainer36]

Agreed. + Windows ME? Seriously? About the most irrelevent OS ever...just likeMagisters candidate.

[MagisterLudi]

I use Macs almost every day when I am working in the studio or doing post-production. I Just don't want to pay top dollar for my basic computing needs at home. I at home I mostly use three programs Sibelius, Word and Firefox. My $500 Dell works just fine. I don't see how this is bashing.

[jynx]

As a composer, you might like to know that the sequencer you say you've been using is called Pro Tools, not 'Power Tools.' And it's available for Windows so we can safely assume that's not one of the main reasons why most studios use macs.

I use macs at home for audio and video work (after many years using PC's) and I can tell you that in the long run macs are cheaper, faster, more reliable and more of a pleasure to work with. If all you want to do at home is email and surf the internet with your $500 box then more power to you. But if you want to give advice about what's faster and cheaper (especially for audio or video work) then you seriously need to do some research.

[NeoConDeath]

Bought a Mac mini few years ago and just started using it last month. So far so good, expect for the Sansa MP3 issue. Quality merchandise with style.