New MacBook Case Leak Rumors

Someone noted that there are more macbook case leaks which look to all but confirm a new MacBook and possibly a MacBook Pro expected to be announced for later this week. There seem to be fewer ports, and no leaks of a 17" aircraft carrier laptop.

Comments

whoopdifriggindo

[Plantain]

whoopdifriggindo.

Re:whoopdifriggindo

[Anonymous Coward]

I wonder why this is "offtopic"? I know this is what I was thinking when I read the article. Do we need a /vertisement each time a vendor releases a new product? No innovation here.

Re:whoopdifriggindo

[Jugalator]

I've been waiting for several months for an updated product line from Apple, so it's at least news to me. OS X has an even larger market share than Linux on the desktop, and we damn sure read about every little Ubuntu release here... I don't really see the problem. Apple is getting bigger too, not smaller.

Re:whoopdifriggindo

[KeX3]

Difference is that apple has not released anything, nor have they confirmed that they are releasing anything, it's all just speculation - ergo not newsworthy at all. In other news: Scientists say that the sun will rise again tomorrow. Stay tuned for more information, and pre-rise photos of famous landmarks.

Re:whoopdifriggindo

[Jugalator]

So rumors are suddenly not welcome on Slashdot? Wow, that's a first!

Re:whoopdifriggindo

[cryptoluddite]

whoopdifriggindo is a tag, not a post.
whoopdifriggindoisatagnotapost is a tag.

That's why it's offtopic.

Re:whoopdifriggindo

[node 3]

This is a website primarily for free software and GNU/Linux news though.

Citation needed.

That's one part of what slashdot is for, and it seems likely that that's primarily why *you* are here, but that's not a universal. Besides, even if it *is* the primary reason for slashdot (it's not, but let's just pretend), then if there is a primary purpose, there would reasonably be articles with secondary purposes, like this one.

Some additional purposes of slashdot are:

1. Gaming
2. Sony bashing (this has waned significantly)
3. Fawning over Apple (what this article is about)
4. Security scaremongering
5. Predicting the death of various technologies
6. Tech politics
etc.

I know in recent years that has weakened slightly, but I think the release of a bunch of software that everyone is encouraged to download, share, study, modify, run and distribute is somewhat different to 'proprietary software company release new model of their $2000 operating system dongle' in terms of its usefulness to society.

I agree. At least with OS X, society can actually use the system.

I submit that more people listen to music, share photos and videos, video chat, etc, because of Apple's hardware and software and than because of Linux. Maybe some day (a day which perpetually seems to be perpetually just ahead, like a horizon that can never be reached) Linux will catch up or surpass Apple's products, but until then, Apple is quite important to society.

On the other hand, more web sites function because of Linux than because of Apple's servers (although in this case, OS X is more able to replace Linux as a web server than Linux is able to replace OS X as a desktop OS).

In other words, each has its place here on slashdot.

Re:whoopdifriggindo

[mattack2]

...or they could just turn off the "Apple" section and it wouldn't show up on their front page at all.

Wait for Tuesday....

[PlatyPaul]

Seriously, we knew more laptops were coming, but it's just one day away to get the actual announcement.

Re:Wait for Tuesday....

[morgan_greywolf]

Seriously, we knew more laptops were coming [cnet.com], but it's just one day away to get the actual announcement.

Yeah, but the Mac fans are all on the edge of their seats! Gotta know in advance of the announcement! Of course, true Mac fans will all be watching the actual announcement live on podcast tomorrow because The Great and Mighty Steve may actually say something important!

The true Mac fan will, of course, be meditating on all The Great Steve has to say....ooooohhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmm......must achieve enlightenment.....oooooohhhhhhhmmmmmmmmm......

Re:Wait for Tuesday....

[The Great Pretender]

I like the recessed keyboard. It'll act like a drain and funnel spilled liquids into the computer rather than letting them leak on my desk.

Re:Wait for Tuesday....

[poetmatt]

Is that when they have the annual chair throwing competition?

Boring.

[LWATCDR]

Okay this is just dull. A new case? There really better be more to it.
Things I would love to see.
A new Mac Cube. A slightly larger mac mini with a PCIe slot for a video board ,a 7200 RPM drive, maybe room for an extra drive, and two to four dimm sockets.
Price $499. It would kill HP and Dell in one fell swoop.
A mac Netbook.
Back in the day the Steves tried to make computers for everyone. Now the Steve makes them for the "elite". Kind of sad in a way.
Yes I do like their good design work and great OS but they are making money hand over foot so why not go for a knock out?
The Apple Volksputer.

Re:Boring.

[Sockatume]

The "new case" really is the interesting part if various rumours are to be believed. Word has it that Apple's fabricating the shells from aluminium using a proprietary laser/hydro cutter setup, and has slashed costs as a result. They may even be constructing the shells and assembling the machines in-house now, something they dabbled with in the past. A leaked price list for the new range of notebooks includes a $800 machine that may well be the new entry-level Macbook.

Rumors that the case leaks?

[feepness]

Well, there goes my plan for cooling with mineral oil!

Actually, this is slightly interesting

[thered2001]

It looks like they fixed a problem I have with the current MacBook Pro: hairs near my wrists get stuck in the tiny crack between the top surface and the gray plastic edge. The new design seems to have abandoned this (albeit, very minor) irritant. Not sure this needed /. front page position, though.

Re:Actually, this is slightly interesting

[thered2001]

LOL! I don't know if this is intended to be informative or insulting...but I'm slightly less a 'bear' now thanks to my MacBook Pro.

Sorry,

[Shivetya]

Nothing is going to kill Dell/HP except for themselves. The simple fact is most people buying PCs don't care about Mac because it does not have Windows on it. I know some live in a fantasy world but it is true, people don't care. If it works and they are used to it they will keep it.

As for those specs, Apple is doing a good job of moving further away from end user friendly hardware with each and every release. Steve isn't making computers for the "elite", he is making computers that make Apple money and making Apple money means that if you want an upgrade you buy a new computer.

Re:Sorry,

[LWATCDR]

I don't think you get it. People don't want Windows anymore. They want their software. I see more and more people buying Apples then running Windows on bootcamp, Fusion, and Parallels. The average home user just need a browser, email, iTunes, Quickin, and TruboTax. Maybe a few casual games.
The average home user can already move to the Mac with little to no problem.
The big thing is cost. If apple would come out with a Mac Mini that only cost $499 and was expandable You would see even more people buy them. The game market for the Mac would massively increase as would video card options.
People only buy Windows machines for two reasons. They are cheap or they have to run some program under windows.
Apple is already increasing their market share and more and more developers are porting to the Mac. Soon it will be only the the cost that keeps people on Windows.
Heck I am a Linux guy at heart but If Apple produced a $499 expandable Mac I would buy it.

Re:Sorry,

[Count Fenring]

Yeah... except that people do care. Maybe people aren't switching en masse out of hand, but Mac's percentage of the market has been rising, and (anecdotal evidence, yada yada) I know several people who've made the switch already, and several others who are just waiting for the end of their current computer's useful lifetime. Not that Mac is going to suddenly overwhelm the PC market, but it's not infeasible to compete with and/or overthrow monopolies, just hard. Plus, the likelihood of Dell/HP killing themselves isn't really small enough to discount.

Also, people don't actually buy computers for Windows. In fact, if Vista showed anything, it's that people buy computers FOR THE COMPUTER. If the OS makes it look more likely that the computer will be buggy, well, that will inhibit growth.

A lot of Mac's decisions do irk me, but I also feel that I have to point out that they're close to being as upgradeable as the PC in each product subcategory. Their laptop isn't particularly locked down by laptop standards, although it does lack a fscking manual eject on the CD-ROM*. The iMac is at least as upgradable as Gateway's or Sony's "Computer + monitor," and isn't a piece of crap, to boot. The Mini... well, the Mini is locked down, but it's also half the size of the Shuttle mini cases. The Mac Pro... I've not looked at it, but it seems upgradeable enough.

* Off topic, but holy crap I hate that there's no way to physically force the Mac laptops to give back your CD if it can't recognize that it has it.

Re:Sorry,

[not already in use]

I work for a software developer

Well, those are some impressive credentials. What are you, secretary? Assistant (to the) regional manager?

So I do know windows inside and out.

Oh, so what does this imply? That you know the .NET stack? In-depth knowledge of the Win32 API?

Can you at least make an argument without using baseless claims and accusations? Anecdotal evidence, hard evidence, anything?

Re:Sorry,

[loconet]

I recently went back to school after some years of working in the industry. To say that people don't care if the computer does not have Windows on it is a conjuncture that might have had some validity in 2001. Now a days people are not afraid to leave Windows. I look around at most of my classes and 8/10 kids with laptops are actually using Apple! These are the same kids who in a couple of years will be graduating and going into the industry. I predict a major shift away from Windows. It has already started. Microsoft is slowly becoming less relevant.

Re:Sorry,

[LWATCDR]

"Apple themselves have put up a barrier to that. In order to actually develop programs for Macs, you have to pay them quite a bit of money just to get the basic dev tools, and even more in order to make higher end programs."
Huhh?
Okay do you know how much MSDN+Visual Studio costs?
The professional version is $1,199 per year!
It goes up from there.
For the ADC it starts at $499. But you can get ADC online version which includes XCode for... Free.
Apple is if anything is cheaper than Windows for the official developers packages.
Free "gcc" development tools are available for both.

Re:Sorry,

[bonch]

UNIX runs the Internet, so I suspect OS X has the more scrutinized foundation. Simply blaming popularity for Windows' myriad of problems over the years compared to OS X ignores that Win32 began as a single-user subsystem and that Microsoft ignored the Internet until 1998.

Another counterargument is that Apache has higher market share than IIS, yet IIS has had more security flaws over the years. By your reasoning, Apache should be the one with more flaws.

Re:Sorry,

[not already in use]

UNIX runs the Internet, so I suspect OS X has the more scrutinized foundation.

Yeah, I've heard this fallacy before. Are you going to tell me that the Unix that "runs" the internet in anyway resembles the Unix that runs OS X? OS X is a hybrid kernel to begin with, so that's strike one. Strike two, it's Unix with an entire desktop stack on top of it, which is where the majority of your exploits are introduced.

Simply blaming popularity for Windows' myriad of problems over the years compared to OS X ignores that Win32 began as a single-user subsystem and that Microsoft ignored the Internet until 1998.

Microsoft had a terrible track record on security. So, using that reasoning, can I use pre-OS X (or, pre-OS X 10.2 for that matter) examples to justify my point? In fairness, I look at MS track record post XP SP2.

Another counterargument is that Apache has higher market share than IIS, yet IIS has had more security flaws over the years. By your reasoning, Apache should be the one with more flaws.

Desktop software and Server software are entirely different beasts, and you're comparing them apples-to-apples. For one, a server is usually administered by a professional, which is certainly not the case with Desktops. Secondly, the number of desktop computers running Windows far outnumbers the amount of servers running any operating system. And lastly: http://uptime.netcraft.com/up/today/top.avg.html IIS is number two overall, behind freeBSD. Must not be that insecure.

Re:Sorry,

[jvkjvk]

It's not all just "free money" or otherwise companies would jump at the chance. If CodeWeavers was saying they were just gifting other companies with cash (no strings attached) not many would turn them down.

Very likely these other companies have concluded that while there may be more money in this route the risks and extra expenditures aren't worth it. Before you say there aren't any risks or expenditures maybe you should ask yourself the question again - "If it's just free money why doesn't every company jump on this if offered?" You state that it's win-win while blithely ignoring the companies (including the gp) that don't want to do it. Well, perhaps it's not quite so win-win as you think, then?

While I may be hard pressed to come up with a downside some people at some very prominent companies must have come up with enough of a downside to outweigh the "free money" aspect you tout - or they would be in business with CodeWeavers. There must be at least a perceived downside or we wouldn't be talking about this. Perhaps different companies have even found different things they have issues with, which would mean there could be more than one "downside".

Re:Sorry,

[mattack2]

* Off topic, but holy crap I hate that there's no way to physically force the Mac laptops to give back your CD if it can't recognize that it has it.

If you mean that it literally never mounted or anything, I think holding down the mouse button at boot will do it. This dates from long ago (probably the original Mac) where the same technique worked for ejecting floppies.

Re:Sorry,

[GrahamCox]

Apple themselves have put up a barrier to that. In order to actually develop programs for Macs, you have to pay them quite a bit of money just to get the basic dev tools, and even more in order to make higher end programs.

ROFL! Do you ever actually, you know, check facts or anything before posting, or just spout stuff you assume to be true or heard off the bloke down the pub?

Apple ship the entire development suite with every single installation disk of OS X free of charge. That means every Mac buyer has the dev tools, which include the IDE, Xcode, Interface Builder, a version of the GCC compiler, Instruments (dtrace) and many other more minor tools. These are not demo versions or crippled versions, they are all the full blown 100% working professional versions. It also includes comprehensive built-in developer documentation for all of the APIs and technologies. You can code in C, Objective-C, C++, Pascal, Python, Ruby... whatever really, it's all built-in. (Objective-C being the most useful "native" language however). Free updates for the dev tools are downloadable from the web. (Apple Developer Site)

If you want to sign up as an Apple developer, they have three levels of subscription. The lowest level is free - just sign up on the web. The middle and top level subcriptions cost money. For that you get access to developer technical support and pre-release copies of upcoming OS releases. However there are mailing lists that you can make use of even if you have no subscription at all and they are very helpful and staffed by Apple engineers voluntarily as well as other knowledgable developers.

The barrier to entry as a Mac (or iPhone too) developer is nothing at all - install the tools and dive right in. In your case the barrier to entry would appear to be your own ignorance.

nice case. (from what we can see)

[apodyopsis]

Love em, or hate em because of their proprietary leanings and nefarious practices - you have to admit that Apple makes *gorgeous* hardware.

Well, maybe I'll settle for some of the best looking hardware around.

If I could, then I would and extra 50 quid (that's great British pounds btw) for a bare PC in a nice milled metal aluminum case...

When everything is knocked up in China on a cost basis, you lose something in the way of aesthetics..

What they need...

[Vandil X]

...a Mac laptop with decent NVidia graphics card capable of playing most popular PC games and MMOs like WoW, EQ2, etc when booted into Windows via Bootcamp... and priced in the $800-$1400 range.

The things would sell like hotcakes.

The currently Macbook Pros underwhelm with their graphics cards at the prices they're listed at.

okay I like apple but

[ILongForDarkness]

Why less ports? My MacBook Pro has less ports than a mid line ThinkPad I had at my last job. I had 3 USB ports I seem to recall, my MacBook Pro only has two. I have one used for an external harddrive/keyboard (they are multiplexed through my monitor) and the other one for my cordless mouse. Great so when I need to use a thumb drive or something I got to choose between my full sized keyboard or my mouse :-)

The sad thing is presumably these extra components have gotten cheaper as USB is old tech as is Firewire. While connectivity realestate is at a premium for a laptop I'd think you'd want to have at least comparable to your competitions mid range offering.

Re:okay I like apple but

[Fahrvergnuugen]

You should be using BlueTooth for your cordless mouse and firewire for your external drive ;)

Re:okay I like apple but

[SimonGhent]

Why less ports?

Because more people use wireless - the new Apple cordless mouse and keyboard are Bluetooth.

If you have to use a USB mouse + keyboard + hard disk + pen drive you're obviously at home so just buy a USB hub. Extra bonus - only one thing to plug in each time.

Yawn.

[Stormwatch]

Apple used to do unique laptops. Now their stuff looks just like everyone else's (perhaps just a bit more refined). If they still offered the"clamshell" iBook, updated to the same specs as the current MacBook and same prices, I'd be more inclined to take the cutesy colorful one.

Re:Yawn.

[entrex]

You sir are possibly the only person in the world who misses the clamshell iBook.

Good riddance.

Re:Yawn.

[not-my-real-name]

The thing that I really liked about the clamshell iBook is the handle. You close it and there's a handy handle to carry it with. Granted, someone described it as looking like a "drag queen's purse", but it was a tough handle. Most notebooks you just grab and hope for the best.

Steve can't just keep doing that as EFiX and Pstar

[Joe The Dragon]

Steve can't just keep doing that as EFiX and Psystar will pass apple up and if Psystar where to win a fee key points in court then apple will have to respond and come out with a real desktop mid-tower.

Also the mini is over year old with the same price how does that make people want to buy a new computer?

nvidia on board video / chipsets is a good step in putting better video in mac systems as $1200 or less systems have better video then the $1500 mac book black and the $2000 mac book pro has weak video next other $1500+ laptops.

Apple should make the mac book and mac book pro in to one line. $2000 to get a 15" screen and $2800 for 17" is way to high. Also they should have a 13" - 14" system with good video for people who want to have a mid to high mid-range low-high end video card but not a big screen.

Too thin for practical structural integrity.

[plasmacutter]

Having owned a macbook with a much thicker plastic case, and looking at this one, I can't help but comment on how the form factor to case thickness ratio is very similar.

The macbook continues to warp very easily to this day, causing the fan housing to do the same, and the blades of the fan to scrape the housing.

Apple is starting to value form OVER function rather than form AND function. I'm going to be waiting a good long time until apple starts introducing stiffening trusses. I'm pretty sure aluminum won't be as forgiving of that kind of structural distortion.

"starting to"?

[argent]

Apple is starting to value form OVER function

"starting to"?

Macrumors.com

[93 Escort Wagon]

I thought I should mention MacRumors, a long-established site for Mac-related rumors and news, since it looks like Taco wasn't aware there are already sites that do this sort of thing.

Re:Apple posts rock for two reasons

[Count Fenring]

Pompous attitude of its user base... ethical concerns over its atmosphere of secrecy and dodgey take on copyright and patent issues... I could go on.

I'm not a Mac hater, but neither are they the shining gods of saving us all.

P.S. It's M$. You know, because the dollar sign looks like an 'S'.

Re:Apple posts rock for two reasons

[not already in use]

It's amazing how many people hate apple for no good reason

Hate Apple for no good reason? Apple is the new Microsoft. Apple updater on Windows is malware, installing poorly written USB drivers without your consent to push their DRM agenda while, reducing system stability. iTunes is a huge steaming pile of bloated shit. They NDA they're freaking App Store denial letters, for Christ's sake (along with anyone using the iPhone SDK for that matter). They try to lock you into their overpriced platform. This is the same company trying to DRM a fucking SHOE, so you can't use your Nike+ sensor in a non-Nike+ shoe. Worst of all, the Apple "people" who seem to turn a blind eye to anything Apple does.

Case leaks?

[Jafafa Hots]

Man, I thought for a moment this was a story about another dangerous flaw being suppressed and denied by Apple. Case leaks. Some mysterious goo or battery acid comes pouring out of your macbook.

OMFG!!

[chord.wav]

OMFG!! Did ...Did you see THAT!?? I can't believe it! Ohh noooo! He couldn't! Damn, Steve nailed it again! Ohh nooo, it is..it is sooo G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S! The first *aluminium* MacBook...Brilliant! And did you see the keyholes?? OMG it has soooomany! Damn I want one! And the bigger trackpad?...Astonishing! I better ran off to camp in the waiting line and keep posting from there...

Airplanes and cars did this transition too

[ChrisA90278]

What's new here is not just another revision of an exxisting product. Apple has turned the physical structure of the notebook inside out. Older notebooks have an internal metal frame of some kind. Parts were screwed to the frame and then the case acted as a cover. What Apple has done is mde the cae out of very rigid aluminum. The parts are now screwed to the inside of the case and there is no internal frame. The case itself is the frame.

Cars and airplanes went through this kind of transition too. In the early days of cars and planes each had an internal frame but now the skin itself is the frame.

What we should expect is a stronger and lighter computer. Maybe better cooling too and easier to re-cycle later after it is no longer useful as a computer.

Its not only the new case !!!

[learningtree]

The article title and summary could have been worded better.

In addition to the new case (which by any means can be considered a minor change), there is speculation that the new Macs will be using nVidia MCP79 chipsets.

Along with the comparatively better graphics performance, this will also add SLI support to the Macbooks.

Re:So buy a Mac...

[not already in use]

None of the problems you see with Apple SW on Windows are present on Macs.

So if I buy Apple's overpriced MP3 player or phone I need to buy Apple's overpriced computer for it to work properly?

Exactly.

Information Leaks vs. Dripping Battery Fluid

[billstewart]

It's not the best of headlines - my interpretation of "case leaks" was "it's dripping battery fluid" or "RF leaking enough to interfere with nearby devices", etc. That would have been worth a Slashdot article.

But if the leak is just not-yet-announced marketing information, then it needs to be pretty interesting.

The Apple Product Cycle

[denzacar]

In my humble opinion, there should be a law that would make linking of The Apple Product Cycle with every single mac/slashvertisement mandatory.