[zubro]

Since the last updqte is from 1st June last year
MacNN | Apple debuts faster LED-based MacBook Pros
I was wondering if Apple would come out with a new MBP line and design (better acces to things like MB)

Any thoughts about this or knowledge to share with me?

[Simon]

Yes. Anytime now. Expect Penryn at 2.6 and 2.5 GHz, a slightly faster GPU, bigger HDDs, and maybe an SSD option (although not very likely).

Many people think it would be time for a case design change. Maybe it is. But there have been exactly zero rumors to support that. It may happen, it may not.

[zubro]

OK.
What do you think about a new hardware design à la MacBook, with easy access to the HD and RAM?

[Zeeb]

I'm hoping the next MBP update includes a case redesign similar to the macbook air(except with a removable battery, an optical drive, and all included ports) It wouldn't be as small as the macbook air but that's ok, I want all the features of a pro model laptop. The current case design is great, but its been around a long time.

[fisherKing]

having given up on waiting for a 12" mbp (dammit!), i hope at least apple will continue to offer a matte screen on the next gen mbps...

march anyone? sooner?? ...

[damiensmunki]

Am I the only person on the planet who wants a blu-ray drive in a notebook line? I don't want to buy a notebook without a BD drive, as I can't really upgrade later. I've been holding out, hoping it'll be included in the refresh, but when Apple didn't announce BD support at MacWorld, I kind of lost hope. What do you guys think?

[Simon]

Originally Posted by zubro 

OK.
What do you think about a new hardware design à la MacBook, with easy access to the HD and RAM?

I agree about the HDD and I' be surprised to see Apple not adopt something more like the MB on the new MBP case.

When it comes to RAM I disagree though. The MBP makes replacing RAM very easy. No force is required and you see what you are doing. On the MB you need to use a lot of force and it's difficult to actually 'feel' when the DIMMs are properly seated. I've never had issues, but there were reports of a number of people who managed to damage their DIMMs, MB MLBs, or both when swapping RAM. I don't think that vouches well for the mechanism.

I agree it's nice to be able to swap both DIMMs independently rather than having to remove the upper to get to the lower like on the MBP, but if the alternative comes at the price of a bleeding thumb and/or damaged hardware, I'd prefer it stays the way it is on the MBP.

[Simon]

Originally Posted by damiensmunki 

Am I the only person on the planet who wants a blu-ray drive in a notebook line? I don't want to buy a notebook without a BD drive, as I can't really upgrade later. I've been holding out, hoping it'll be included in the refresh, but when Apple didn't announce BD support at MacWorld, I kind of lost hope. What do you guys think?

I'll put it this way: Yes, I do believe eventually BR will take over and we'll have BR drives and burners just like we have DVD burners now. But the question is, when is the right time for the transition?

Right now the movie industry is only just on the verge of going BR across the board. Drives are still expensive and bulky. IIRC there are only 12.5 mm BR notebook drives, no 9.5 mm models yet. If putting a BR drive into a 15" MBP right now means the case has to become thicker, I'm certainly not in favor. OTOH Apple could offer the BR drive as a BTO option on the 17" MBP and iMac since those Macs already use 12.5 mm drives.

[Stizo99]

MBP updates to occur within the next several weeks? Quite possibly...

AppleInsider | Next-gen Apple MacBook Pros to gain multi-touch trackpad

[zubro]

Yep Stizo, just saw that
and it looks like BD has won
Economy, Poor Sales Drove Warner's HD DVD Choice - News and Analysis by PC Magazine
That makes the coming MBP very likely to get a BD drive!