[Sgloomi]

What with various people speculating about next-but-one-gen PB's, Intel-based or otherwise, I thought I'd make a flat prediction about the single most important thing. i.e. the case.

Ceramic. Black ceramic, so it looks like it's carved and polished from a lump of onyx.

One of those shatter-proof polyceramics, obviously, if that's a word, so it doesn't break like a plate when you drop it. :-)

I'll get me coat.

[d.fine]

Would be nice. But sounds expensive...

[osxisfun]

I hope not. I am so tired of black laptops.

If its true i hope they can add something to them to make them look special.

...but since they will have dual cores i will be buying one whatver the case.

+the lcds finally look the same as the powerbooks black? i don't buy it unless its an inherent part of the ceramic material.

can i bake mine red?

[jasonsRX7]

They can be tie dyed for all I care, as long as they're not made of aluminum.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by osxisfun

I hope not. I am so tired of black laptops.

As long as they're not white. iBooks get disgusting after long-term use.

[d.fine]

High-gloss black finish By Apple it would be a special black, not that plastic black look.
I remember another thread about this. I think Alu is the best solution for today, and I think they'll stick with it. But you never know...

[iREZ]

apple is not going away from grey...they've mentioned a thousand times how grey is a neutral color that gives the least biased view of colors viewed on the screen. they're gonna keep the powerbooks the same color as the cinema displays, unless they change all their pro line to a completely different color, but i for one think grey is in for the long haul...just a different material.

[wtmcgee]

Grey is perfect for doing any work with color or design. As iRez said, it's a neutral color, and I pray they don't start using Black or white with their pro line.

[hakstooy]

Plus, I would think a ceramic shell would be pretty well heat insulating, meaning all the heat generated by the electronics would only get out through convection. That would mean one heck of a wind-tunnel on your lap.

[nonhuman]

Originally Posted by hakstooy

Plus, I would think a ceramic shell would be pretty well heat insulating, meaning all the heat generated by the electronics would only get out through convection. That would mean one heck of a wind-tunnel on your lap.

Hmm, might not be a bad thing.

[workerbee]

Originally Posted by Sgloomi

the single most important thing. i.e. the case.

Thanks for helping me out here... I was not aware of that!

[iluvmymactoo]

Yuk a black plastic... er ceramic PowerBook. I don't think so. Apple have already had black PowerBooks.

I think they will stay with what the have. It's about style after all.

[grayc]

clear...that would be cool

[Sgloomi]

Originally Posted by iluvmymactoo

Yuk a black plastic... er ceramic PowerBook. I don't think so. Apple have already had black PowerBooks.

Highly-polished, black, admittedly, might be a bit of distraction, at least when looking at a screen, as opposed to people looking at the thing itself and going 'wow'.

How about a matt-finished, slate-grey ceramic, possibly with chrome metal trim. Some of the later-generation polyceramic compounds have at least the same heat-sinking properties as aluminium. And shiny white porcelain for the iBooks.

Then again ... polished mahogany and gold trim. Actual mahogany, from renewable sources, natch ...

[mhuie]

Sorry, I dont want a PB that that matches my countertop. Ceramic, especially non polished looks cheap, especially in a grey color. a matte finish would look terrible.

Plastic or a painted carbon fiber or even silver carbon fiber would be more durable and light.

[striker100]

The next redesigned Powerbook will be made of quartz.

[Sgloomi]

Originally Posted by striker100

The next redesigned Powerbook will be made of quartz.

Or porphyry. Or jade.

I think, in the end, my point was that the next-but-one-gen PB's are gonna have to have that 'OH MY FCUKIN WOW!'-quality, with radical design and unthinkable materials, that the TiBook had when it first rolled out.

[ender2002]

i bet it will be very similar to this aluminum, probably lighter in tone.

[d.fine]

Maybe options of anodized alu, 4 maybe 5 colors... think?

[OB1]

This could be incredibly cool. It wouldn't necessarily need to be polished finish, maybe very fine sandblasted, matt finish?

[pcummins]

Apple may go the route of Carbon Fibre like one of Sony's newer laptops. Very nice when I saw one in USA at the start of the year...

[Phossil]

I would love a carbon fiber powerbook - they could really make it whatever color they wanted, but black is the classic carbon fiber look.

[ph0ust]

while i am not a materials expert or anything, ceramics tend to be pretty heavy and brittle (particularly if the ceramic is thin). it may look cool, but i would pass on the 10-15lbs laptop...... then again, maybe there is some cool new ceramic i am not aware of (not unlikely).

[spiff72]

I can't believe anyone else hasn't suggested it yet, but I think a nice look to see a Bird's Eye Maple or maybe an Ebony wood case!

Or, even better some nice inlay work...

Mmmmm...wood.