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Voch · May 11, 2006, 03:20 PM

I still think Apple is assuming that folks who want an Intel portable are still gunning for an MBP. <conspiracy>I also think that even if they put a GMA950 (but with a Core Duo) in the iBook replacement they're going to have a tough time up-selling the MBP and that's why they're taking their time with the iBook replacement.</conspiracy> Apple WANTS you to buy an MBP because they'll make more money off of it than an iBook-price-level machine.

Again...I'd have one if it wasn't a lap burner...

danengel · May 11, 2006, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by Voch

Again...I'd have one if it wasn't a lap burner...

And if it didn't whine, and wasn't so heavy...

Voch · 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by danengel

And if it didn't whine, and wasn't so heavy...

Oh yeah...the whine. That may be managable with software tricks but would be damn annoying.

As for "heavy", I'm used to my TiBook so that's not too bad to deal with. But I would like a lighter MacBook as long as I do't have to give up any (horizontal) pixels...the rumored 1280x720 or 1280x800 display would make me very happy as my bread-and-butter for work, Eclipse IDE, is pixel hungry.

Voch

Obi Wan's Ghost · May 11, 2006, 04:34 PM

I don't know the sales figures but whenever I see a Mac laptop in public most of the time its a PowerBook anyway.

jamil5454 · May 11, 2006, 05:14 PM

Originally Posted by Obi Wan's Ghost

I don't know the sales figures but whenever I see a Mac laptop in public most of the time its a PowerBook anyway.

That's weird... I usually see iBooks in public, and Apple sells substantially more iBooks than PowerBooks.

Voch · May 11, 2006, 07:01 PM

Other than the 17" MacBook Pro, has any rumor site gotten release dates and/or specifications right on any of the current Intel Macs (mini, iMac, 15" MBP)? IIRC the MacBook Pro was a complete surprise as most folks assumed that the consumer models were going Intel first because of the lack of professional applications.

I'm taking the recent ThinkSecret report with a grain of salt, as I guess most Mac fans are. That doesn't mean I won't be the first one to order such a machine when it finally materializes.

Voch

cal-ov-whe · May 11, 2006, 08:21 PM

Originally Posted by jamil5454

That's weird... I usually see iBooks in public, and Apple sells substantially more iBooks than PowerBooks.

I have an iBook, and I feel like I'm the only one who does. I don't EVER see ibooks anywhere - not even people getting repairs at the Apple Store.

danengel · May 11, 2006, 11:38 PM

Seems Apple is waiting with the MacBook for the new Manhattan store. What a great opening, right with a new product.

Gamoe · May 12, 2006, 01:50 AM

Originally Posted by Jazzjackrabbit86

I have an iBook, and I feel like I'm the only one who does. I don't EVER see ibooks anywhere - not even people getting repairs at the Apple Store.

I assure you that there are others who do.

I see them in college and once in a while elsewhere as well. I have one, too. And though my iBook is my trusty auxiliary Mac, I've met people who use one as their main machine as well.

TheoCryst · May 12, 2006, 04:47 AM

Ya, my iBook is my main machine for the time being. I'm hoping to upgrade to a 13" MBP soon, though.

Also, I have noticed that, at least on my college campus, most people with a Mac have some sort of PowerBook, and I've begun to notice a few MBPs around too.

danengel · May 12, 2006, 08:43 AM

OMG, the Manhattan store opens not until Friday, May 19. Another week... I doubt though they will release the MacBook then, weekend is not so smart.

Eug Wanker · 09:05 AM

I doubt the NY store grand opening has anything to do with it. Anyways, if they do release the MacBook/Pro 13-incher on Tuesday, May 16, that's perfect for the NY store grand opening. People can kill two birds with one stone - see the new store and the new hardware on Friday, and get a free T-shirt in the process.

BTW, there are three Tuesdays (and Wednesdays) left in May. Let's pray to the Apple gawdz that it's this coming one. I have heavy laptop withdrawl, and it hasn't waned much in the few weeks I've been laptopless. If anything, it's getting worse.

(I was originally planning to sell my iBook right around now, but someone I knew really needed an inexpensive used iBook earlier, so I sold mine to that person at the end of April with the faint hope that Apple might have a May 2 MB/P release.)

danengel · May 12, 2006, 12:09 PM

This would make next Tuesday even more likely.

I hope the stock rumor is true. If we have to wait for so long, being able to buy one instantly is a nice compensation. Though, I'll wait a few weeks for the first reviews. The MacBook Pro issues are a little disturbing.

Voch · May 12, 2006, 01:21 PM

AppleInsider is reporting a press event next Thursday at the Manhattan store.

"Details to follow."

Eug Wanker · May 12, 2006, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by Voch

AppleInsider is reporting a press event next Thursday at the Manhattan store.

"Details to follow."

I guess they split the difference. Tuesday? Nah. Friday? Nah. Thursday it is!

However, I hope it's not just about the store opening and we don't get the MacBook until later. Not only would it annoy us immensely, it would also annoy the press. They've been saying Apple has been having far too many press events, and they're getting sick of them.

danengel · May 12, 2006, 01:45 PM

Can a company have too many press events? The press is always glad to have something to report. On a press event you can also shoot a picture of Steve, which is more useful to fill newspaper space with than a simple website announcement.

Eug Wanker · May 12, 2006, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by danengel

Can a company have too many press events? The press is always glad to have something to report. On a press event you can also shoot a picture of Steve, which is more useful to fill newspaper space with than a simple website announcement.

One of the last press events Apple had was criticized by the press because it was short on content.

danengel · May 12, 2006, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker

One of the last press events Apple had was criticized by the press because it was short on content.

They better had something to show off this time: A "MacBook Cheap" and a "MacBook UltraLight".

Voch · May 12, 2006, 03:58 PM

Lookin' for a 13.3" 1280x800 or 1280x720 LCD, Core Duo processor, DVI output, and gigabit ethernet for $1499 or less. I'll see the use of the GMA950 as a heat-reducing measure and let it go.

This has been a recording.

danengel · May 12, 2006, 06:03 PM

If it supports extended desktop, I'll forgive it an integrated GPU. Let's hope they add this feature as they did with the iMac.

Extyx · May 12, 2006, 06:11 PM

Considering what I do (light game development with heavy renders of many scenes), and
the budget I have at this point -- I cannot forgive an integrated GPU. I pray that Apple
hands us an X1300 at the mid or top end model. an Ati X1300 iBook with a 13" screen
would be perfect for me. 12" would be okay, I guess.

But I might be different than you, so yeah.

David

masugu · May 12, 2006, 07:46 PM

Back to fit and finish issues...

I think I would prefer the iBook (MB) because I am willing to bet that while thicker, if plastic again....there would be no warping issues, lid not closing properly etc. like the more fragile MBP - agree????

Voch · May 12, 2006, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by masugu

I think I would prefer the iBook (MB) because I am willing to bet that while thicker, if plastic again....there would be no warping issues, lid not closing properly etc. like the more fragile MBP - agree????

I'm hoping the extra thickness over the MacBook Pro, if any, will allow for more *cooling*

. But I think there are hit-and-miss warping issues with the current G4 iBooks, though, so it'll still be the same for whatever the iBook replacement ends up with. Unless there's some revolitionary magnetic latch system...

mduell · May 12, 2006, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by Obi Wan's Ghost

I don't know the sales figures but whenever I see a Mac laptop in public most of the time its a PowerBook anyway.

For the last two quarters where they reported the iBook and PowerBook as seperate items (Q1 and Q2 2005), the iBooks outsold the PowerBooks by 44% (but the PowerBooks brough in 25% higher revenues).

SLiMeX · May 13, 2006, 09:18 AM

I don't want to look through all these pages, but is there any guesstimates on price?

I am really hoping the base models are right where the 14" 1.42gHz G4 is right now, $1,299.99... and then go up from there depending on how much you want to supe it up.

Eug Wanker · May 13, 2006, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by SLiMeX

I don't want to look through all these pages, but is there any guesstimates on price?

I am really hoping the base models are right where the 14" 1.42gHz G4 is right now, $1,299.99... and then go up from there depending on how much you want to supe it up.

I have no insider information, but since you asked, this is what I guesstimated on page 8:

Core Solo 1.5
13" 1280x800 widescreen
40 GB 4200 rpm hard drive
512 MB RAM
Radeon X300 32 MB DVI with 128 MB Hypermemory support
Airport Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Combo DVD-RW burner/DVD reader
Firewire 400
USB 2.0 x 2
iSight
No modem
Scrolling trackpad
100 Mbps Ethernet
Less than 5 lbs

I suspect something like this could be released at US$1099-$1199 (CAD$1249-$1349) with Core Solo 1.5.

However, I'd probably want this US$1499 (CAD$1699) Core Duo model:

Core Duo 1.66
13" 1280x800 widescreen
60 GB 4200 rpm hard drive
1024 MB RAM
Radeon X300 32 MB DVI with 128 MB Hypermemory support
Airport Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
4X dual-layer DVD burner
Firewire 400
USB 2.0 x 2
iSight
No modem
Scrolling trackpad
100 Mbps Ethernet
Less than 5 lbs

As you can see, I'm not convinced Apple is going to be able to keep that $999 price point with my desired specs for the lower end, especially with the declining value of the US buck. However, they could have a third model at $999 I suppose, with integrated graphics, VGA-out, and no iSight, meant primarily for education markets ($949 education pricing). It could be even cheaper with a CD-ROM drive, for institutional purchasers.

megasad · May 13, 2006, 11:15 AM

I realise that specification speculations have been posted ad nauseum, but I figured I'd have a go, along with what I reckon the UK pricing will be. I'm only bothering with the upper end MacBook as that's what I'm interested in buying:

1.66GHz Intel Core Duo processor
512MB 667 DDR2 SDRAM - 2x256MB
80GB Serial ATA drive (5400rpm)
Intel GMA950 with 64MB shared memory
13-inch TFT display (1280x800, ~116ppi)
8x SuperDrive (DVD±RW/CD-RW)
AirPort Extreme
Bluetooth 2.0
Gigabit Ethernet
Two USB 2.0 ports
FireWire 400 port
Combined optical digital audio input/audio line in
Combined optical digital audio output/headphone out
Mini-DVI port
Mini-DVI to DVI adaptor
Built-in iSight
Apple Remote
Power Adapter
Battery

.............Normal....Education
MacBook......899.99.......844.83
2GB RAM......210.01.......197.40
100GB HD......30.00........28.20
...........========.....========
...........£1140.00.....£1070.43

If Apple release that, I reckon I'll get one, instead of the iMac (20", 2GHz, 2GB RAM, 500GB HD, 256MB VRAM, £1644) I was planning on buying in September. I've got an external 500GB drive which I was going to use solely for backup, but I can use the excess space for unimportant things, trim the fat a little. All I'll need is a laptop stand or maybe an external monitor and I shall be set. Hoo-hah.

masugu · May 13, 2006, 12:31 PM

Man, I hope they put the 2.0 Ghz inside!

harrisjamieh · May 13, 2006, 02:06 PM

I rekon if we do get DVI, they will either just include a mini-DVI to vga adaptor, or a mini-DVI to VGA, with one of those adaptors that comes with the mini to convert DVI to VGA, as I think a lot of iBook/consumer level laptop owners would have use for VGA rather than DVI. esp education markets, at my school, we have about 70 LCD projectors, and they all use VGA

TheoCryst · May 13, 2006, 02:23 PM

Originally Posted by harrisjamieh

I rekon if we do get DVI, they will either just include a mini-DVI to vga adaptor, or a mini-DVI to VGA, with one of those adaptors that comes with the mini to convert DVI to VGA, as I think a lot of iBook/consumer level laptop owners would have use for VGA rather than DVI. esp education markets, at my school, we have about 70 LCD projectors, and they all use VGA

Agreed. VGA, while inferior to DVI, is still prominent, especially in the consumer and education markets. I'm almost positive that the MB will include some sort of VGA ouput, though I'm not sure if there will be anything DVI-related in the mix as well.

Voch · May 13, 2006, 03:33 PM

I'd like DVI to drive my gorgeous work display but if the LCD is has a nice resolution like 1280x800 and is sharp and bright I won't care about the video-out capabilities. I'm still skeptical somewhat about the 13.3" 1280x(something) display rumors (I just have a feeling) but hope it's all true and acknowledge that 1024x768 has to go.

And if the MacBook does get a widescreen LCD I assume that negates this "mirroring only" stuff that the iBook G4 does simply because of the resolution. And can the GMA950, the lowest-possible video that the MacBook will get, drive two simultaneous displays (the internal one at 1280x800 and the other at, say, 1600x1200...the native res of my work display)?

Voch

danengel · 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by Voch

And if the MacBook does get a widescreen LCD I assume that negates this "mirroring only" stuff that the iBook G4 does simply because of the resolution.

This would be too cool an argument. If the MacBook supports extended desktop, I'll order it without even waiting for a review.

Man, macosrumors.com is again talking about separate iBook, MacBook MacBook Thin, and MacBook Gamer. Too good to be true. I'd take the Gamer :-)

Eug Wanker · May 14, 2006, 01:13 AM

Now, the question is... If the new MacBook/Pro does come out on Tuesday/Thursday, how much longer until we get our orders?

I'm hoping that it will be less than 2 weeks, and that stock configs will ship immediately. But of course I'm eternally optimistic...

Originally Posted by danengel

This would be too cool an argument. If the MacBook supports extended desktop, I'll order it without even waiting for a review.

Just to be pessimistic this time... The iMac G5 didn't support extended desktop either, and it had a 1440x900 or 1680x1050 screen, hardly your standard screen sizes.

That said, the iMac did finally get extended desktop, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it in the entire Apple laptop line. Apple's implementation of extended desktop is fairly easy to understand, so I don't see a reason to allow only mirroring on lower end machines. In the very least they could have a user selectable pref that could force mirroring for those who don't want to fiddle with external screen settings.

Man, macosrumors.com is again talking about separate iBook, MacBook MacBook Thin, and MacBook Gamer. Too good to be true. I'd take the Gamer :-)

Please note that anyone who mentions MOSR will be flogged.

danengel · May 14, 2006, 04:19 AM

Please note that anyone who mentions MOSR will be flogged

Have they been inaccurate in the past?

Gamoe · May 14, 2006, 05:05 AM

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker

Please note that anyone who mentions MOSR will be flogged.

Originally Posted by danengel

Have they been inaccurate in the past?

LOL!!

They must be the most inaccurate well-known rumor site. They put up stuff that just never materializes. Rarely do they get anything right, and when they do I tend to think its more to do with luck than anything. Don't take anything they say very seriously.

I used to read it more often, but in the recent years less-- AppleInsider and ThinkSecret are actually pretty good sources. That said, I still read them from time to time-- but only as entertainment (like those silly obviously fake "newspapers").

mgl · May 14, 2006, 08:58 AM

Standard config iBooks are still shipping in 24 hours, BTO in 1-3 days. I wonder if this really will be the week?

Big Mac · May 14, 2006, 09:10 AM

I prefer to think this "MacBook" is never coming. The iBook and G5 lines shall live forever!

harrisjamieh · May 14, 2006, 09:24 AM

I don't see why you would want to keep the current iBooks when Intel offers far, far, FAR superior performance. The iBooks are so outdated, they were outdated when the current revs came out in Summer 05, so, a year on, they are even worse! Bring on the MacBook!!

megasad · May 14, 2006, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by megasad

.............Normal....Education
MacBook......899.99.......844.83
2GB RAM......210.01.......197.40
100GB HD......30.00........28.20
...........========.....========
...........£1140.00.....£1070.43

I was looking at the Apple Store and I realised that although it only costs £30 to go from an 80GB hard drive to a 100GB one on the Mac mini, it costs £69.99 to do the same with the MacBook Pro. I suppose that because the Mac mini is a desktop, they have the lower price to reflect the normal cost to upgrade a desktop machine that would normally use 3.5" drives. All of which means it'll probably cost another £40 to get the extra space on the MacBook.

Oh well.

I still hope they have the two user accessible RAM slots; if they use the GMA950, they have to, right? Otherwise, the graphics would be even worse that the Mac mini... So, either two user accessible RAM slots, RAM installed in matching pairs, or a dedicated graphics card from ATI or Nvidia. Hoo-hah.

harrisjamieh · May 14, 2006, 09:42 AM

I can't imagine they wont have 2 accessible RAM slots. If the macbook is to be designed on the same idea as the iMac, Mac Mini & MacBook (all of which are pretty similar in design, then it will have 2 RAM slots.

Kerrigan · May 14, 2006, 01:34 PM

It's getting closer.

http://www.spymac.com/galleries/show...p?picid=470580

What do you guys think? Real or fake?

Eug Wanker · May 14, 2006, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by Kerrigan

What do you guys think? Real or fake?

Fake.

P.S. The Reg has a convoluted conspiracy theory about why there will be new iPods and MacBooks on Tuesday, but...

"The logic's solid - alas there's no corroboratory evidence."

harrisjamieh · May 14, 2006, 01:59 PM

The 'MacBooks' in the collage of pictures under the light blue square do not look like widescreen models. also, the apps in the dock of those machines do not include Photo Booth, which would be displayed in such a shot as any shot of any Apple product shows the standard config in the dock, which includes photo booth

Also, Apple do not tend to put 'Starting at" before their prices, as can be seen at apple.com/uk where the MBP 17" is said to cost 'Just £1999', not 'from' or 'starting at'

slugslugslug · May 14, 2006, 03:19 PM

Arggh. Due to a few miscalculations on my part, I probably won't be able to buy the thing on Day 0 if it comes out on Tuesday. Unless my university's computer store lets me split the purchase across a credit card and my bursar account (seems fairly likely) and actually has the new machines in stock that day (seems very unlikely). Of course, that's also assuming I want one of the stock models and don't want to CTO with a bigger HD or something.

But if I don't do the Ultimate Impulse Purchase of buying the day it comes out, I'll probably do what I did with my 1GHz TiBook and my G5 iMac: wait around a bit, check out reviews and stuff, and still just buy the damn thing a month later.

On another note:

Originally Posted by harrisjamieh

Also, Apple do not tend to put 'Starting at" before their prices, as can be seen at apple.com/uk where the MBP 17" is said to cost 'Just £1999', not 'from' or 'starting at'

They do say "from $999", etc. at http://store.apple.com , so that was probably in the Photoshopper's mind when he contrived that "leak"

harrisjamieh · May 14, 2006, 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by slugslugslug

On another note:

They do say "from $999", etc. at http://store.apple.com , so that was probably in the Photoshopper's mind when he contrived that "leak"

Ah yes, so it does

Frans · May 14, 2006, 05:39 PM

Very fake, I would be surprised not to see any new formfactor with the MB. It should feel more like the iPod...

turtle777 · May 14, 2006, 05:45 PM

Originally Posted by Eug Wanker

"The logic's solid - alas there's no corroboratory evidence."

Just because Bono wants red. It's amazing how thin the evidence of those rumor sites gets. They seem to be in desperate need of a story...

-t

Gamoe · May 15, 2006, 02:08 AM

Originally Posted by Kerrigan

What do you guys think? Real or fake?

One the one hand, I like the $1,000 (Oh please don't patronize me with $1 differences, ugh!!) price, on the other hand, I hope it is fake, just because I'm hoping to see a significantly different form factor design, regardless of color. Really, are we doomed to be stuck with that particular design forever?!-- I think they're trying to beat the Apple //e's decade record!

turnedge762 · May 15, 2006, 01:13 PM

Whoever made that MacBook page really wasn't thinking. Apple, for obvious reasons, never has the same product in the big advertisement and in one of the four smaller advertisements below it.

slugslugslug · May 15, 2006, 09:40 PM

Sweet Jeebus, I hope these come out this week, even if I decide to hold off on buying. I just want to know what they'll be like already.

Um, even here I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I had a dream about the new MacBooks: I had somehow managed to buy one in white (from whom I don't remember) a few days before the announcement and some reseller found out and Apple was pitching a fit and was trying to figure out how to prevent the info leaking. I told them I'd promise not to tell anyone if I could swap mine for a black model. Oh yeah, and in the dream it was a MacBook Pro, even though it was an iBook-style finish.

And no, I don't remember the specs or pricing