Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > New MB and MBP cases revealed (and Oct 14 speculation)

New MB and MBP cases revealed (and Oct 14 speculation) (Page 2)
Thread Tools
olePigeon
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Dec 1999
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2008, 12:21 PM
 
I would have figured that if they used plastic it'd be for the palm rest given that aluminum oxidizes and corrodes from salt acids in sweat. You get the black pock marks on the palm rest area of aluminum PowerBooks & MacBook Pros.
"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
     
DKeithA
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Pittsboro, NC
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2008, 12:39 PM
 
I've owned a original Titanium 500MHz, two Aluminum Powerbooks, and two Aluminum MacBook Pros. I have never had a hint of oxidation or discoloration on any of these machines.
     
olePigeon
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Dec 1999
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2008, 01:10 PM
 
Originally Posted by DKeithA View Post
I've owned a original Titanium 500MHz, two Aluminum Powerbooks, and two Aluminum MacBook Pros. I have never had a hint of oxidation or discoloration on any of these machines.
It varies user to user. I've never had the problem, but my brother's laptop does.
"…I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than
you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods,
you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F. Roberts
     
Big Mac
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2008, 01:18 PM
 
I have seen heavy discoloration of TiBooks, but I don't think I have seen any discolored AluBooks.

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
     
CharlesS
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Dec 2000
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2008, 01:29 PM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
And if everybody just got an EC/34 the audio people could get FW for as long as they want.

Ticking sound coming from a .pkg package? Don't let the .bom go off! Inspect it first with Pacifist. Macworld - five mice!
     
Atheist
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Back in the Good Ole US of A
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2008, 01:39 PM
 
Originally Posted by Big Mac View Post
I have seen heavy discoloration of TiBooks, but I don't think I have seen any discolored AluBooks.
I guess it depends on the person. My 17" Powerbook had definite pitting on the palm rests. I must be toxic.
     
Doofy
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Vacation.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2008, 01:49 PM
 
Originally Posted by Atheist View Post
I guess it depends on the person. My 17" Powerbook had definite pitting on the palm rests. I must be toxic.
Yep, it's person dependent. Like guitar strings - some people with really acidic skin can destroy a set in a couple of days, mine last 6 months easy. It's called "rusty fingers".
Been inclined to wander... off the beaten track.
That's where there's thunder... and the wind shouts back.
     
Dakar V
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: The New Posts Button
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2008, 01:55 PM
 
Originally Posted by Doofy View Post
It's called "rusty fingers".
That should get the women to come a callin'
     
daharrin
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Sep 2000
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2008, 07:07 PM
 
So, what does "spotlight" mean in the title for the event? These event titles usually mean something. (e.g. "there's something in the air")

If there's a thin enough BluRay drive, then that would be my guess. It would be great timing for Xmas, as households loaded up on LCD panels last Xmas, and we're starting to get better (or better selling) movies available in BluRay format. e.g. Iron Man, Indy.

I'm not sure. I thought that at the last Apple shareholder's meeting, they'd announced that future products would have some sort of game-changing mega step forward, but we haven't really seen that yet. Maybe the addition of a BluRay drive is it?
     
dimmer
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2006
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2008, 08:10 PM
 
While it'd be a shame to see Firewire go (which Apple hasn't asked for a cent to license for almost a decade) the problem is that FW development has stalled very, very badly and I'd hate to see Apple run a end-of-life solution into the ground. Removing FW from the MacBook makes some sense (as I doubt many MacBook owners use it for much of anything), keeping it in some small fashion on the MacBook Pro helps to differentiate that option.

I agree that an express card slot on all but the cheapest / lightest solutions would be a good workaround: and it would encourage the developers of hardware in this space to see a larger potential market, and hence produce more and better products. Express card could allow for external blu-ray drives, WiMAX, firewire -- pretty much anything you might need.

@daharrin: I think it's just using "spotlight" to make very explicit that this is a notebook event: there's no hidden meaning other than "Don't expect new iPods, iMacs or Mac Pro's." Given that it's a rather small scale meeting / get-together that makes sense, to me.

Or maybe you can turn up the lumens on the Apple logo on the top of the hardware and use that as a flash/spot light! Heh!
( Last edited by dimmer; Oct 10, 2008 at 08:11 PM. Reason: Typo)
     
Brien
Professional Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Southern California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2008, 09:00 PM
 
Originally Posted by analogika View Post
See, it's not "some" audio equipment.

It's the entire pro market (apart from dedicated NuBus/PCI/PCI-X/PCI-Extreme solutions that are FAR less modular and much more quickly obsoleted).

And it's not like there are alternatives - USB is NOT an option, and there is nothing available for eSATA (and won't be until there's a bus-powered connector standard).

I'm not entirely sure whether Apple actually gives a serious **** about the pro audio market anymore, though. Even though they sure like to wear that feather in their cap.
I think Apple is half-assing FW support, and has been for some time. Just because it wasn't widely adopted as a consumer format doesn't mean it's a failure, and changing ports from FW400 to 800 was a dumb move, too.

Ever since Apple became a status symbol/'cool', it seems they're intent to rest on their laurels. Time to get back into the computer business, guys.
     
shifuimam
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: The deep backwoods of the PNW
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2008, 09:58 PM
 
Originally Posted by Brien View Post
...and changing ports from FW400 to 800 was a dumb move, too.
Agreed. One of the biggest appeals of USB is that everything is backwards compatible. I have no idea if USB 3.0 is going to use the same form factor, but it wouldn't surprise me.

That being said, I don't think FireWire is going to go anywhere for the time being. IIRC, FireWire still has a faster sustained throughput than USB 2.0, which is why DV camcorders still use FW for video transfer.

Now that they've axed FW on their various products (iPhone, iPod, etc.), it wouldn't be all that shocking that they'll be taking it off their hardware as well.
Sell or send me your vintage Mac things if you don't want them.
     
Eug
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Caught in a web of deceit.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 10, 2008, 10:13 PM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
Agreed. One of the biggest appeals of USB is that everything is backwards compatible.
Actually, I find it really annoying cuz 1.1 cables are all over the place, but they aren't usually labelled as such and they look exactly the same as 2.0 cables. Unfortunately, many 1.1 cables cause problems with 2.0 transfers. So, now I make a point of throwing out all the 1.1 cables I come across, just so they don't get mixed up with the 2.0 cables.

I have no idea if USB 3.0 is going to use the same form factor, but it wouldn't surprise me.
USB 3.0 is different but you can plug a 2.0 cable into a 3.0 jack. And the good news is that it's extremely easy to recognize a 3.0 cable.

Anyways, the comparison really should be Firewire 400 vs. USB 2 and Firewire 800 vs USB 3. With Firewire, there is nothing slow enough to be comparable to USB 1.1.
     
shifuimam
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: The deep backwoods of the PNW
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 12:10 AM
 
Originally Posted by Eug View Post
Actually, I find it really annoying cuz 1.1 cables are all over the place, but they aren't usually labelled as such and they look exactly the same as 2.0 cables. Unfortunately, many 1.1 cables cause problems with 2.0 transfers. So, now I make a point of throwing out all the 1.1 cables I come across, just so they don't get mixed up with the 2.0 cables.
I've never heard of or experienced problems using "USB 1.1 cables" with USB 2.0 ports. I've had problems with very cheap cables that just don't work at all or are very flaky, but I haven't heard of anything definitive that using a cable that isn't technically rated for USB 2.0 is actually going to make a difference.

In fact, according to the USB Implementers Forum, any USB cable manufactured to USB spec will work with USB 2.0 at full speed.
Sell or send me your vintage Mac things if you don't want them.
     
dimmer
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2006
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 02:01 AM
 
And the good news is that it's extremely easy to recognize a 3.0 cable.

Great news! The only way to tell a 1.2 cable from a 2.0 one was the label inside the bubblepack (which may be becuase that -was- the only difference...)
     
yoyoman
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Cali
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 02:24 AM
 
I want the i7 quad core and 512 megs of video ram or duel slI and maybe a GPU? FW 3rd revision. 3g? Better camera built in. Higher res and maybe a 19 inch laptop.

Originally Posted by freudling View Post
Ok, we get it, no firewire on MacBooks is bad.

As for these updates, if these are really the pics, and putting it together in my mind, it is certainly more attractive than the current iterations of MacBooks and Pros, but I am not impressed.

Same old alumitub design. Boxy. Industrial looking. Will they offer it in black? How about black with a bronze keyboard? Like the Pismo?

They had better:

-Improve the sound quality of the speakers dramatically
-Quad core processors on Pro
-2 GB Ram standard
-Tapered edges on case
-LED backlighting across the line
-256 MB video RAM standard on Pro
-Double the previous MB Pro's crap battery life
     
Jasoco
Mac Elite
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Home in front of my computer
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 04:22 AM
 
Originally Posted by daharrin View Post
So, what does "spotlight" mean in the title for the event? These event titles usually mean something. (e.g. "there's something in the air")
Don't get your panties all in a bunch, the spotlight simply means that "This event is about the MacBooks. Not the iPods. Not the iPhone. Not the iMacs and Mac Pros. The laptops. Yes, you've all waited patiently and now it's here."
     
analogika
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: 888500128
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 05:54 AM
 
Originally Posted by dimmer View Post
While it'd be a shame to see Firewire go (which Apple hasn't asked for a cent to license for almost a decade) the problem is that FW development has stalled very, very badly and I'd hate to see Apple run a end-of-life solution into the ground. Removing FW from the MacBook makes some sense (as I doubt many MacBook owners use it for much of anything), keeping it in some small fashion on the MacBook Pro helps to differentiate that option.
If they're going FW1600/3200, they're actually keeping it in a BIG way.

Originally Posted by dimmer View Post
I agree that an express card slot on all but the cheapest / lightest solutions would be a good workaround
But the only machines with an ExpressCard slot STILL HAVE FIREWIRE.

And they're a minimum 15 inches, which nobody wants on tour if they can help it. And they're $2000+ vs. $1100, which rules them out for most of the people I'm talking to.
     
analogika
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: 888500128
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 05:57 AM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
Agreed. One of the biggest appeals of USB is that everything is backwards compatible.
Um, so is Firewire.

In fact, it's a lot nicer in that you *know* that any 6-pin (FW400) or 8-pin (FW400/800/1600/3200) connector is going to power your device.

With USB, you can never know if bus power will be enough until you try that device with that particular computer/hub.
     
darkmatter
Forum Regular
Join Date: Mar 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 07:23 AM
 
Having a FW400 port in hole new notebook would be like including in it a 3.5" Floppy Disk Drive 8.5 years ago,
FW400 has become an expensive Legacy interface.

FW400 is dead. Long live to FW800!

My only hoppe is that the new notebooks include a easy way to change the harddisk. Longer battery life
would be great but I think Apple will stay with the current standards
     
P
Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 09:09 AM
 
Originally Posted by shifuimam View Post
I've never heard of or experienced problems using "USB 1.1 cables" with USB 2.0 ports. I've had problems with very cheap cables that just don't work at all or are very flaky, but I haven't heard of anything definitive that using a cable that isn't technically rated for USB 2.0 is actually going to make a difference.

In fact, according to the USB Implementers Forum, any USB cable manufactured to USB spec will work with USB 2.0 at full speed.
That's nice. Too bad it doesn't work that way. Actually, they're talking about certified cables - I don't think that you could certify the cables under USB 1.1 - you just soldered on the right connector and that was it.

USB 2.0 Hi-speed cables must be shielded. Many cables from the USB 1.1 era are not shielded, because it was not an absolute requirement. They will still work, if there is no EM interference around, but they will fail much more often.
     
Cold Warrior
Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Polwaristan
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 09:24 AM
 
I've updated the thread title to include October 14th speculation or discussion.
     
seanc
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cambridge, UK
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 10:24 AM
 
Originally Posted by analogika View Post
In fact, it's a lot nicer in that you *know* that any 6-pin (FW400) or 8-pin (FW400/800/1600/3200) connector is going to power your device.
I used to think that, not so on my old Dell Latitude D400.
     
Eug
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Caught in a web of deceit.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 10:33 AM
 
Yes, Firewire has advantages. Yes, USB has advantages.

I just hope the new laptops have both, so one gets the best of both worlds. Only 3 more days until we know for sure.

BTW, where was it mentioned that this year would bring cool new devices/enclosures/machines? I believe it was at a financial conference call, but I can't find a reference to it.
     
mduell
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 01:25 PM
 
I'll take eSATA Target Disk Mode over FireWire any day.
     
mduell
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Houston, TX
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 01:54 PM
 
Originally Posted by analogika View Post
In fact, it's a lot nicer in that you *know* that any 6-pin (FW400) or 8-pin (FW400/800/1600/3200) connector is going to power your device.

With USB, you can never know if bus power will be enough until you try that device with that particular computer/hub.
It's the other way around.

With Firewire you might get 45W per port. Or you may get 15W per port. Or 15W shared among all ports. Or 7W shared. Or less. It's a crap shoot. All at an unpredictable voltage; up to 30V, but can be as low as 9V (in Apple's mobile implementations).

With USB, you always get five 100mA/5V units of power from every powered port (first one's free for dumb devices, ask for additional if you need them).
( Last edited by mduell; Oct 11, 2008 at 02:00 PM. )
     
Jasoco
Mac Elite
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Home in front of my computer
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 03:09 PM
 
I haven't used FireWire since my only FW HD's died. Well, one was an old LaCie from 2002. The other was a USB Porsche drive that I took the dead one out and replaced it with the HD from my FireWire Porsche just so I could have all USB. I really have no use for it and wouldn't miss it. Keeps things simple. Especially since I have a laptop and the less connected I am the better.
     
CharlesS
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Dec 2000
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 03:30 PM
 
Originally Posted by analogika View Post
In fact, it's a lot nicer in that you *know* that any 6-pin (FW400) or 8-pin (FW400/800/1600/3200) connector is going to power your device.
The connector for FW800 and up is 9-pin, not 8-pin.

Ticking sound coming from a .pkg package? Don't let the .bom go off! Inspect it first with Pacifist. Macworld - five mice!
     
Kenneth
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Bellevue, WA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 08:18 PM
 
Speaking of the up coming announcement, I saw kids walked out the Apple Store with MacBook Pro and MacBook in hand this afternoon.
     
Jasoco
Mac Elite
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Home in front of my computer
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 09:04 PM
 
New still in box ones? As in ones they just bought?

Did you chase them down and say "Make sure you bring it back and return it next week because they're going to be completely out of date on Tuesday!"?
     
dimmer
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2006
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 11, 2008, 10:39 PM
 
Originally Posted by analogika View Post
If they're going FW1600/3200, they're actually keeping it in a BIG way.

But the only machines with an ExpressCard slot STILL HAVE FIREWIRE.

And they're a minimum 15 inches, which nobody wants on tour if they can help it. And they're $2000+ vs. $1100, which rules them out for most of the people I'm talking to.
I was discussing the new models really: if ExpressCard is to take off, it needs to be in many more systems. It doesn't need a 15 inch machine to support it.

There's no sign of Apple moving to FireWire1600, never mind 3200. If anything, indications are that FireWire is pretty much done for Apple.

Note that I have nothing against FireWire: it's an excellent serial interface technology that has many advantages over the <cough> others </cough> it just seems to have stalled in the marketplace.

I'll predict that the MacBook Mini, MacBook will not have FireWire at all (or at most a legacy FW 400 port), the MacBook Pro (on the 15 inch and higher) will have FireWire 800 ports. Of course, I'm just yanking that out of my ass...
     
Kenneth
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Bellevue, WA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 12:10 AM
 
Originally Posted by Jasoco View Post
New still in box ones? As in ones they just bought?

Did you chase them down and say "Make sure you bring it back and return it next week because they're going to be completely out of date on Tuesday!"?
Yes, they were sealed. Clearly, they had no clue about the rumors-land in the Mac community.
     
Simon  (op)
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: in front of my Mac
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 04:22 AM
 
It looks like the new MB(P)s will not have Intel Cantiga chipsets at all. It appears they will come not only with dedicated NVIDIA GPUs, but also with an NVIDIA chipset. The MCP79 platform will offer the same 1066 MHz FSB, DDR3, and PCIe-2.0 support as Cantiga, but will integrate Cantiga's two bridge chips (Northbridge and Southbridge) into just one reducing chipset footprint. In addition the chipset will offer Hybrid SLI (allowing both integrated and dedicated graphics side by side with dynamic switching between the two depending on load/battery) and flash caching ("DriveCache").

MB will get MCP79MX with 9300M or 9400M
MBP will come with MCP79MX and 9600M
MBA could get low-power chipset MCP79U and retain integrated graphics

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles..._macbooks.html
     
Simon  (op)
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: in front of my Mac
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 04:37 AM
 
Also, the switch to MCP79 does indeed support the rumor that FW could be dropped. Out of the box MCP79 should support 20 PCIe-2.0 lanes, USB, Gigabit, SATA, and HD audio. But no FireWire. Of course it could be added through PCIe, but that would come at the cost of additional components (space, cost).
     
Big Mac
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 04:46 AM
 
Originally Posted by Brien View Post
changing ports from FW400 to 800 was a dumb move, too.
The port was changed due to a real world design concern that cropped up. It seems that people were jamming FW400 cables into ports upside down, thereby frying the ports. That should not be possible to do, so that's why the design was changed.

Removing Firewire from a product line that previously had it like the MacBook is DUMB DUMB DUMB. For one, it completely screws everyone with digital camcorders. I think iMovie still is unable to use USB for camcorder input, but even if it were a lot of people would buy these machines and then wonder where the Firewire port went. Firewire is and well remain technically superior, and Apple now has the market share to continue pushing the standard. Please don't piss me off yet again, Apple.

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
     
analogika
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: 888500128
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 05:51 AM
 
Originally Posted by dimmer View Post
I was discussing the new models really: if ExpressCard is to take off, it needs to be in many more systems. It doesn't need a 15 inch machine to support it.

There's no sign of Apple moving to FireWire1600, never mind 3200. If anything, indications are that FireWire is pretty much done for Apple.

Note that I have nothing against FireWire: it's an excellent serial interface technology that has many advantages over the <cough> others </cough> it just seems to have stalled in the CONSUMER marketplace.
fixed.

As I've said before above, there are whole industries where Firewire is THE standard connector, and will be for some time.

These are core markets for Apple.

Originally Posted by dimmer View Post
I'll predict that the MacBook Mini, MacBook will not have FireWire at all (or at most a legacy FW 400 port), the MacBook Pro (on the 15 inch and higher) will have FireWire 800 ports. Of course, I'm just yanking that out of my ass...
http://www.macx.cn/a/a4000I695495.htm

Small alu MacBook - no Firewire.
**** **** **** **** ****.


What's that port that's taped off in the 15" MacBook Pro topcase? Looks like an additional USB port, but that doesn't make sense.
     
analogika
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: 888500128
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 05:58 AM
 
Originally Posted by Big Mac View Post
I think iMovie still is unable to use USB for camcorder input, but even if it were a lot of people would buy these machines and then wonder where the Firewire port went.
iMovie 08 can work with USB cameras.

The majority of consumers really have absolutely no need for Firewire these days (most of them ask what the port is for and only a handful have a dawning recognition when I mention i.Link or DV cams to them; most consumer cams today seem to have USB).

However, the real problem is alienating those "pro" customers who simply NEED A SMALL MACHINE.

I had a 15" PowerBook, and I *hated* it. The display was gorgeous, but it was a de facto home machine - I almost never brought it along, completely defeating its purpose.

The 13" MacBook is with me nearly at all times.
     
Eug
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Caught in a web of deceit.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 08:40 AM
 
On many video cameras, the USB is strictly for stills not video. Oh and iMovie '08 is a steaming turd. I wonder what proportion of users use it over iMovie '06. I mean even Apple agrees '08 is a steaming turd, and offers '06 as a downloadable replacement for anyone who asks.

I'd be ok with the loss of FireWire if it's a small form factor machine that is low priced. If it's as big as the current MacBook though that would be a real downer. It'd be nice to see a machine in addition to the MacBook but few are actually counting on that, esp. with the existence of the Air (even though it is outrageously priced).
( Last edited by Eug; Oct 12, 2008 at 08:56 AM. )
     
analogika
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: 888500128
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 09:11 AM
 
Originally Posted by Eug View Post
On many video cameras, the USB is strictly for stills not video. Oh and iMovie '08 is a steaming turd. I wonder what proportion of users use it over iMovie '06. I mean even Apple agrees '08 is a steaming turd, and offers '06 as a downloadable replacement for anyone who asks.
I love iMovie 08. It's way, way, WAY faster to quickly throw something together.

It's also way, way, WAY faster for new users to understand. I also really like the media pool vs. project structure they've introduced.

The *only* things that are really missing IMO are plug-ins and a time-line view option, and it'd be nice if they made the GarageBand tie-in a little more obvious to anybody who wishes to do more than slap a song under a clip.

I assume those things are coming, though, and that Apple offers iMovie HD as a stopgap solution while the new iMovie is still at v1.
     
Simon  (op)
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: in front of my Mac
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 09:26 AM
 
I'll just post these here for all to see. Source

MacBook Pro








MacBook



     
P
Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 09:53 AM
 
Originally Posted by analogika View Post
What's that port that's taped off in the 15" MacBook Pro topcase? Looks like an additional USB port, but that doesn't make sense.
I hope it's a SIM card slot, thereby implying that the new MBPs will have integrated 3G modems. I don't think so, but it would fit with the size.

Could also be an SD card reader, but I don't see why Apple would add one now, years after everyone else.
     
Simon  (op)
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: in front of my Mac
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 09:57 AM
 
I don't know either what that taped off port on the MBP is. I doubt it's a USB port though. Why include 3 USB ports and a crippled DVI instead of two (like now) plus a real DVI port? Is that round hole next to the taped off port the IR port?

On the MB I can clearly see that the symbol to the right of the Ethernet port is not the same USB symbol as to its right. My guess is that's actually a FW logo. And again toward the front there's a circular port which might be the IR.

13" MB left side from back to front: MagSafe, Ethernet, FW400, USB, Micro-DVI, mic, headphones, lock slot, IR?
13" MB right side from back to front: Paperclip hole for manual eject, optical
15" MBP left side from back to front: MagSafe, Ethernet, FW800, USB, USB, Micro-DVI, mic, headphones, EC/34, IR, ???
15" MBP right side from back to front: optical, lock slot
     
Eug
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Caught in a web of deceit.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 09:59 AM
 
Originally Posted by analogika View Post
I love iMovie 08. It's way, way, WAY faster to quickly throw something together.

It's also way, way, WAY faster for new users to understand.
Interesting you say that. I know two ex-PC users who called me after they bought Macs specifically to complain about iMovie '08. They found it extremely irritating and crippled so I just told them to install '06. They haven't called me since about it. Unfortunately they still call me about everything else Mac.

I assume those things are coming, though, and that Apple offers iMovie HD as a stopgap solution while the new iMovie is still at v1.
Yep. Apple knows the current version is severely crippled. Their decision to offer a 2 year old version as a replacement is unprecendented.

Mind you for many consumers this argument will be entirely moot if Apple drops FireWire. Ironically it doesn't affect me as much as others as I have many Macs.
     
Simon  (op)
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: in front of my Mac
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 10:07 AM
 
The MB will have FW400.



The upper symbol is the FW logo. The lower is USB.

Now let the bitching about the single USB port begin.


Edit: I'm afraid regardless of the icons the ports look identical.
( Last edited by Simon; Oct 12, 2008 at 04:21 PM. )
     
GuyWithACamera
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Nov 2004
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 10:11 AM
 
Optical drive on the side? Not sure how I feel about that as I'd have to keep misc debris to a minimum while sitting at a desk. I do kind of like the black keys though. I can't tell but it doesn't look like there is FW afterall? At least it looks like there's an express card slot.
I have no lid upon my head. But if I did, you
could look iniside and see what's on my
mind.
     
P
Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 10:19 AM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
MB will get MCP79MX with 9300M or 9400M
Of course this is all rumors, but according to most rumors the integrated graphics of the MCP79 series will be about 9300 GS. They will stay as integrated graphics, but the shader will be comparable to the 9300 series. The interesting part is if they get a dedicated memory bus or not.
     
Big Mac
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 10:32 AM
 
The port icons don't look exactly alike, but I can't tell if that's because the second one is Firewire.

"The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground." TJ
     
analogika
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: 888500128
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 10:37 AM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
The MB will have FW400.



The upper symbol is the FW logo.
No, it's not, no matter how much your wishful thinking might try to will it that way. It's just slightly blurred (all ports and their logos get slightly more blurred towards the top of the image - focus/lens distortion).

(Also, the ports are of identical size - FW is noticeably thicker than USB.)
     
slugslugslug
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Durham, NC
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 10:45 AM
 
Originally Posted by Simon View Post
The MB will have FW400.



The upper symbol is the FW logo. The lower is USB.
I don't know about that. At that level of detail, those could be two USB logos or a USB and a FireWire.

On the other hand, they're both rectangular holes. I just checked out the cutouts on my MacBook case, and the FW port's isn't a rectangle, it's got the "bevels" on one side, just like the actual connector does. Maybe they've changed this in later MacBooks (mine's a November '07 model) or maybe they're about to. But I think (as much as I'd prefer it not to be so) that they're dropping FireWire on the 13". Guess we'll see in 2 days.

Now let the bitching about the single USB port begin.
Yeah, at least there'll be something to bitch about in either case!
     
analogika
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: 888500128
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 12, 2008, 10:45 AM
 
Originally Posted by Eug View Post
Interesting you say that. I know two ex-PC users who called me after they bought Macs specifically to complain about iMovie '08. They found it extremely irritating and crippled so I just told them to install '06. They haven't called me since about it. Unfortunately they still call me about everything else Mac.
This alone, humorously as it's intended, should tell you everything.

If you know and appreciate iTunes, you know and appreciate iPhoto. iMovie's structure follows from that.

And really, I'm talking about newbies, not Windows switchers. Major difference - the former can be set in front of an intuitive system and grasp its rules. The latter must first UNlearn all the bullshit they've trained themselves so hard to accept as painful normality.
     
 
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:46 PM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,