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Veltliner · Jul 24, 2011, 02:29 PM

The MacBook, Apples least appealing computer, has been killed off.

The "low end" has been taken over by the 11" MBA.

I'm wondering how long the 13" MBP will be alive. The 13" MBA is not that far off in processing power - and much more attractive.

turtle777 · Jul 24, 2011, 02:41 PM

Shit. My mom was holding out for a MB for more than 6 months.
MBA is not the solution, since she absolutely needs a disc drive, and lugging around an external drive is just not something she'd wanna do. The 13" MBP is the next solution. She's gonna order it now, before Apple gets stupid about this.

-t

Doc HM · Jul 24, 2011, 02:49 PM

Couldn't see THAT coming. I think Apple's thought process has been that the replacement for the MB was either the iPad or if you need a computer then the Air. The price in the UK for the Air and the MB was the same, which was a pretty clear signal from Apple.

In addition, no way was the MB going to get Thunderbolt as that would cannibalise sales of the 13in MBP and the Air. The MB lacked FireWire for a reason.

Without Thunderbolt the MB had no real reason for existing.

On the plus side it may well turn out to be a pretty smooth move by Apple. When the MB existed it as often the first experience of a Mac and of OS X. While not a dog by any means the poor MB was never going to set the world on fire speedwise so these new users got an OK, a so-so experience with Mac OS. What is going to be the average persons introduction to MAc OSX now? The Air, which has an SSD and really really flies. IN the current MBless world new owners are really, really going to love the OS X experience.

turtle777 · Jul 24, 2011, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by Doc HM

Without Thunderbolt the MB had no real reason for existing.

What ?

The MB was the perfect parent / grandparent / student laptop. None of them need Thunderbolt, a backlit keyboard, and other bells and whistles.

-t

Brien · Jul 24, 2011, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Shit. My mom was holding out for a MB for more than 6 months.
MBA is not the solution, since she absolutely needs a disc drive, and lugging around an external drive is just not something she'd wanna do. The 13" MBP is the next solution. She's gonna order it now, before Apple gets stupid about this.

-t

I think anyone expecting Apple to offer internal optical drives in the MacBook Pro - or iMac, for that matter - much longer is in for a rude awakening.

I am not at all surprised the white MB is gone.

turtle777 · Jul 24, 2011, 03:07 PM

Well, I know. But like I said in other threads, there still are people that buy music on CDs, burn CDs to listen on their stereo, and rip CDs to put on their iPods.

-t

lordjmorris · Jul 24, 2011, 03:08 PM

well i have a 15 powerbook and i love it , no need for extreme power , mind you - ive never understood why they just "kill off" there computers. there becoming a luxury item lol

ajprice · Jul 24, 2011, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

MBA is not the solution, since she absolutely needs a disc drive, and lugging around an external drive is just not something she'd wanna do.

Apple MacBook Air SuperDrive - Apple Store (U.S.)

Dimensions

Size: 5.47 x 5.47 x 0.67 inches; 139 x 139 x 17 mm
Weight: 0.74 pounds; 335 grams

Hardly lugging around size. The drive and a 13" MBA is still lighter than a 13" MBP, and plugging in a USB cable when the drive is needed isn't the end of the world.

turtle777 · Jul 24, 2011, 03:35 PM

It's still an extra piece.
Plus, the 13" MBA is more expensive. Doesn't make sense. My mom does't need ultra-thin and lightweight.

-t

lpkmckenna · Jul 24, 2011, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

The MB was the perfect parent / grandparent / student laptop. None of them need Thunderbolt, a backlit keyboard, and other bells and whistles.

Exactly. My parents need a new laptop, but they don't need an ultra-portable, which is a terrible substitute with a tiny screen, tiny hard drive, and without an optical drive.

But Apple had plans to cancel the white MacBook long ago. They only kept it around because of the recession. They need to cut prices on the 13" Pro to stay relevant in the budget segment.

Spheric Harlot · Jul 24, 2011, 03:53 PM

The 13" MacBook is still available to the education market.

This was obvious from the day the MacBook Air's entry price dropped to $999.

Conjecture:
The next MacBook Pro will look more like the Airs, but possibly with a port or two more, and a much better display. The lines will merge around the 13" model, with the 15"era being more like quad-core Airs.

AKcrab · Jul 24, 2011, 03:56 PM

The $200 extra for a 13" MacBook Pro is money well spent. We've seen Macbook sales taper off dramatically except for...... Schools!

Brien · Jul 24, 2011, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot

The 13" MacBook is still available to the education market.

This was obvious from the day the MacBook Air's entry price dropped to $999.

Conjecture:
The next MacBook Pro will look more like the Airs, but possibly with a port or two more, and a much better display. The lines will merge around the 13" model, with the 15"era being more like quad-core Airs.

Merge as in no more 13" Pro? I wouldn't be surprised.

I think the next redesign will probably bring a thinner MBP with, I'd assume, all that extra space going to a larger battery, better CPU/GPU, and possible a second HDD, although Apple will likely go the route of the iMac and offer a SSD+HDD combo.

I'd also expect the iMac to lose the drive on the next go-around, if for no other reason than to fall in line with the rest of the optical-less hardware. I don't think the Mac Pro is in danger of losing its SuperDrive.

Waragainstsleep · Jul 24, 2011, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

What ?

The MB was the perfect parent / grandparent / student laptop. None of them need Thunderbolt, a backlit keyboard, and other bells and whistles.

-t

Everyone needs a backlit keyboard.

I can see the Mac Pro disappearing with the MacBook the way Apple is going lately.

chipchen · Jul 24, 2011, 08:09 PM

The white MacBook is still available in education channels, I think I read. I don't see it in the education store online yet, but maybe soon? If not (maybe it's only available as institutional buys)... it's definitely still for sale out there... probably even with prices lowered. Call your Apple resellers... and/or Apple stores soon before they get shipped back.

OR, refurb store on the Apple site... That's another place to look for decently priced systems... you could get a return MacBook Pro for the cost of what a white one would have been.

TomR · Aug 6, 2011, 08:02 PM

I LOVE my 2006 Macbook! Still works great. My ibook still works great too as does my PPC G4 Mini, which I am typing this on.

amazing · Aug 7, 2011, 01:21 PM

There's no security slot on the Air. That's gonna NOT be good for the education market, right?

So, Apple's gonna keep the MB around for ED only...

Andrej · Aug 8, 2011, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by TomR

I LOVE my 2006 Macbook! Still works great. My ibook still works great too as does my PPC G4 Mini, which I am typing this on.

I wish the person who was interested in buying my 2008 Macbook understood your point of view. She wouldn't buy it (even with a brand new keypad) because of her concerns that the Macbook would be "outdated in a few years."

Rather than bad mouth like a bad seller, I was like "Well, it will support 10.7 when it comes out and this will last years before you would ever need anything faster, you can upgrade to 4 GB of RAM, I have 2.25 GB in there already..."

But internally I was facepalming sooooooooo hard.... 2006 and newer should last you a VERY LONG time. So, 2008...c'mon.

I gave my folks my aluminum G4 Powerbook, 1.5 GHz, definitely before 2006 they still find it plenty fast, although the battery on that thing is only 2 hours at best.

When the industry can stack two cores and get past 4.5 GHz, then I'll worry about computers "becoming obsolete."