75% chance Ultralight MacBook will debut at Macworld

AK47 · Nov 21, 2007

But surely power of a macbook pro goes hand in hand with high resolution screens as with the 15 and 17 inch? Whats the point in all that power if you have such a small screen? I just don't understand the point of an all powerful paper thin notebook computer. Sure, if it was tiny, cheap and more of a note taker type machine with similar specs to a macbook I would understand.

Thundermoon1994 · Nov 21, 2007

I would understand making an ultra-portable that is "professional looking". That way business traveling types could look and feel professional and confident without having to lug around a "big" computer. However, like AK47 said, I don't understand the need for the MacBook Pro's power without a proper screen to enjoy it.

Of course, there are many things I don't understand;D . I hope that, if this does happen, they still make full-size MacBook Pros with big, vibrant screens, a bunch of ports, and a slot-loading optical drive to play Blu-Ray discs. But, I'm sure they don't care what I think. *shrugs* Oh well.

Starky · Nov 21, 2007

One thing that the first report talks about is SSD drive technology making the notebook possible. This is a fair point, they are smaller and require less protection, but they are also still much more expensive.

Right now I believe it's somewhere around $1000 for a 64GB drive. Going by the Alienware website - it could be more.

One thing about apple computers is that they are above the competition but still have a fairly reasonable price. Surely this would push things out of balance?

Anyway I'm not too worried, I think I can still easily get a couple more years out of my Macbook - one year down and it's still flying like it was in day one!

Brown Study · Nov 24, 2007

Starky said:
One thing that the first report talks about is SSD drive technology making the notebook possible. This is a fair point, they are smaller and require less protection, but they are also still much more expensive.

Here's an article by Charles Moore on why flash drives may be more sizzle than steak.

. . . Robin Harris did not address the issue of heat generation, but a measly 3 watt reduction in power consumption is not likely to silence those caterwauling cooling fans, which is the factor that most interests me on the context of flash memory.

Consequently, the prospect of Mac notebooks with flash drives is less enticing than it was,before I read Robin Harris's article. . . .

Gish · Dec 1, 2007

Apple already made one, it's called the 12" PowerBook. This is my favorite laptop of all time, even withought ever having owned one. So much so that I just bought one on eBay to do school work with.

caloge · Dec 1, 2007

Gish said:
Apple already made one, it's called the 12" PowerBook. This is my favorite laptop of all time, even withought ever having owned one. So much so that I just bought one on eBay to do school work with.

how old are you, 7? why dont you wait to get the laptop before you label the greatest notebook ever.
and by the way, the 12" powerbook is not ultra portable, its a chunky system, which you will figure out once you actually see it in person

Oistrakh · Dec 3, 2007

Apple should make its own UMPC (except it would be called UM Mac)

jo5ephedward5 · Dec 12, 2007

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Christopera · Dec 12, 2007

Comparing the very petite 12" powerbook to the current UP machines is like parking a bulldozer in a parking garage. While the 12" is a nice size system it certainly doesn't compare. The UP's are so small they literally have to shink the keyboard widths. Image being able to reach across the entre platform with just one hand. I tried out a Asus model the other day and really didn't care for it. For my needs it was just too small. I can however see the wave of women that will be busting them out of their purses at every free WiFi spot.

knightlie · Dec 13, 2007

Apples upsurge in buying LED 13" screens may of course just be for a MacBook refresh. To use the complex likelihood computations these analysts seem to enjoy pulling out of the air, I think there's a 43% chance of that being the case.

Oh, and backing up to DVDs is a bad idea, recordable discs are not reliable long-term.

the8thark · Dec 13, 2007

How much of the market would actually want one of these ultralight macbooks? Is really good business sense to sell them? Sure I know of a few people who'd die for one. But most of the people I chat to say the current macintosh lineup is just fine.

kaidomac · Dec 13, 2007

Mockup:

http://maartenbrinkerink.net/blog/?content=detail&id=174

kaidomac · Dec 13, 2007

knightlie said:
Apples upsurge in buying LED 13" screens may of course just be for a MacBook refresh. To use the complex likelihood computations these analysts seem to enjoy pulling out of the air, I think there's a 43% chance of that being the case.

Oh, and backing up to DVDs is a bad idea, recordable discs are not reliable long-term.

I think that a MacBook LED upgrade is the most likely scenario. I would loved to be surprised with an ultraportable MacBook Pro, but I think the revision to the current 13" is more likely. Jobs said all displays would be LED by the end of 2008, which means that the 13" MacBooks will have to go LED (plus the Cinema Displays!). Even so, the LED upgrade would greatly enhance the appeal of the 13" to me. My wife has a C2D 13" and I don't like the screen at all after using a 15" LED MBP. A 13" with LED, now that they have Santa Rosa in the MacBooks, would be very compelling.

knightlie · Dec 14, 2007

kaidomac said:
I think that a MacBook LED upgrade is the most likely scenario. I would loved to be surprised with an ultraportable MacBook Pro, but I think the revision to the current 13" is more likely. Jobs said all displays would be LED by the end of 2008, which means that the 13" MacBooks will have to go LED (plus the Cinema Displays!). Even so, the LED upgrade would greatly enhance the appeal of the 13" to me. My wife has a C2D 13" and I don't like the screen at all after using a 15" LED MBP. A 13" with LED, now that they have Santa Rosa in the MacBooks, would be very compelling.

Judging by the rumours of aluminium-clad MacBooks floating around the Apple campus, it's almost certainly going to be a MacBook refresh.

Besides, a 13" tablet is too big to be useful - Tablet PCs proved this some years ago. Any MacBook Touch is probably going to be smaller.

HeavyT · Dec 17, 2007

next macbook

Has anyone thought that maybe the next laptop might incorporate their recent patents that they got when they made the iphone?

sashinho · Dec 22, 2007

i saw a picture it has no keyboard it is mix between macbook and iphone, macbook nano so the 1st mac umpc it runs lepoard. i think it has an optical drive. hope it wont be pricy

charliecrosslan · Jan 6, 2008

If a "MacBook Nano" is introduced, it would be sort of in the middle of the Macbook(consumer level) and the macbook pro (professional level), therefore they will probably introduce a new coluour/ material.

RumJungle · Jan 6, 2008

(sorry for the double post, xp machine from work :Shouting:

) LOL

RumJungle · Jan 6, 2008

charliecrosslan said:
If a "MacBook Nano" is introduced, it would be sort of in the middle of the Macbook(consumer level) and the macbook pro (professional level), therefore they will probably introduce a new coluour/ material.

Goodbye white plastic