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Apple unveils new Macbook family

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Originally posted by: mchammer187
Originally posted by: ViRGE
I for the life of me don't understand what Apple has against user-replaceable batteries. The 17" was bad enough, but now they're neutering the rest of the line too?

And where the sam hell did the ExpressCard slot go on the 15" model? It's like Apple never, ever wants you upgrading these things. It should be considered a miracle you can even replace the RAM.:|

The price drop is nice though.
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How many laptop batteries do you typically go through

I am still on my original and have a 2007 MBP and my capacity is fine
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Well, in a 5 year life cycle I have gone though 2 on dell notebooks. It is based on battery usage. If you are plugged in all the time then it doesn't matter. I discharge my battery in full once a day. That means I wear them out very fast. They claim the new batteries can do 1000 cycles. If that is true then yes, you will need a battery after year 3 if you use it like I do.
 
Does the new SD slot include SDHC support?
The 2.53GHz 13" looks like the sweet spot for me, but I think I'm going to hold off on the upgrade for at least one more year. Would love to see at least 2.66 or 2.8GHz offered on the 13" and that's when I'll move up from my current 2.2 Blackbook.
 
They reclassified the 13" unibody as a Pro. They added an SD card slot and firewire port. Got a faster CPU and a lower intro price.
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thats basically what im saying, they just "reclassified" it as a pro. faster cpu is always going to happen on each new line so I wouldnt count that, and yes, they lowered the price, but its not a major hardware change/feature. They really just added an sd card slot and firewire and now its part of the pro model line. I liked how the older naming convention really stood out and there were major differences between the 13 macbook and 15/17" pro lines.

 
Originally posted by: nervegrind3r
They reclassified the 13" unibody as a Pro. They added an SD card slot and firewire port. Got a faster CPU and a lower intro price.
Click to expand...

thats basically what im saying, they just "reclassified" it as a pro. faster cpu is always going to happen on each new line so I wouldnt count that, and yes, they lowered the price, but its not a major hardware change/feature. They really just added an sd card slot and firewire and now its part of the pro model line. I liked how the older naming convention really stood out and there were major differences between the 13 macbook and 15/17" pro lines.
Click to expand...

They also added a longer-lasting battery and made the backlit keyboard standard...I actually think it makes more sense the way the line is structured now. They can eventually phase out the white macbook and replace it with a macbook tablet.
 
Originally posted by: nervegrind3r
They reclassified the 13" unibody as a Pro. They added an SD card slot and firewire port. Got a faster CPU and a lower intro price.
Click to expand...

thats basically what im saying, they just "reclassified" it as a pro. faster cpu is always going to happen on each new line so I wouldnt count that, and yes, they lowered the price, but its not a major hardware change/feature. They really just added an sd card slot and firewire and now its part of the pro model line. I liked how the older naming convention really stood out and there were major differences between the 13 macbook and 15/17" pro lines.
Click to expand...
It's a repeat of the PowerBook/MacBook situation. If it's metal it's a MacBook Pro, if it's plastic it's a MacBook.
 
Originally posted by: TheWart
They also added a longer-lasting battery and made the backlit keyboard standard...I actually think it makes more sense the way the line is structured now. They can eventually phase out the white macbook and replace it with a macbook tablet.
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I like it too...all Pros, all the same features, just pick your screen size. And the Air for, you know, Paris Hilton 😉
 
I just gotta say, despite the 5-year battery life and 7-hour battery usage, LOL @ not having a removable battery in ANY of their "Pro" laptops. Hahahaha...
 
Originally posted by: nervegrind3r
I love they they made the very nice and very recently updated 13 inch macbooks completely obsolete by doing away with the line completey --- just like that no more macbook line, only pros. WOW

btw, can someone explain to be what makes the new 13" macbooks pros a "PRO" as opposed to the recent aluminum 13" macbook that was refreshed not so long ago? To me the pro was for a bigger screen, higher screen resolution, etc. Now what it is besides a name?
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It's just (better) marketing. For a while, they've said this is the MacBook "family".

Now they get to say the MacBook Pro starts at $1199. I think it's a good counter to the Windows is "cheaper" ads. 😉

My opinion is that it's good enough to be called a 13" MacBook Pro if it truly has the better screen with wider viewing angle. Anyone know definitively?

 
Originally posted by: manly
Originally posted by: nervegrind3r
I love they they made the very nice and very recently updated 13 inch macbooks completely obsolete by doing away with the line completey --- just like that no more macbook line, only pros. WOW

btw, can someone explain to be what makes the new 13" macbooks pros a "PRO" as opposed to the recent aluminum 13" macbook that was refreshed not so long ago? To me the pro was for a bigger screen, higher screen resolution, etc. Now what it is besides a name?
Click to expand...
It's just (better) marketing. For a while, they've said this is the MacBook "family".

Now they get to say the MacBook Pro starts at $1199. I think it's a good counter to the Windows is "cheaper" ads. 😉

My opinion is that it's good enough to be called a 13" MacBook Pro if it truly has the better screen with wider viewing angle. Anyone know definitively?
Click to expand...

Would be interesting to know...I am sure Ars/Giz/Engadget will tell us in the next day or so, heh
 
I was reading through macrumors and I love how some of the members think the "new" Macbook Pro is a completely different machine when it isn't. All Apple did was to attach some "Pro" lettering and changed out one of the expansion slots... Its like those folks who buy a base level car and attach the badging from a higher end model to it...
 
Originally posted by: sindows
I was reading through macrumors and I love how some of the members think the "new" Macbook Pro is a completely different machine when it isn't. All Apple did was to attach some "Pro" lettering and changed out one of the expansion slots... Its like those folks who buy a base level car and attach the badging from a higher end model to it...
Click to expand...
And they threw in a faster processor. And they changed the LCD. And they threw in an integrated battery. And they probably changed the mobo to accommodate that battery. Oh, and they lowered the price by a good deal.😉

The only thing they didn't change is the form factor and the chipset. It may not be a massive upgrade, but it's not small either.
 
Originally posted by: Kaido
I just gotta say, despite the 5-year battery life and 7-hour battery usage, LOL @ not having a removable battery in ANY of their "Pro" laptops. Hahahaha...
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I hate not being able to swap out a battery. More often than not I find myself in need of a spare.
 
Damn. I just got my new MacBook Pro a week ago. And now they updated the lineup. I'm a bit pissed with my timing.

I don't care about the other things, but the new 8GB memory is kinda tempting, altough I don't know when my 4GB will be a limiting factor. Anyone know, what did they change in order to get 8GB working? Did they make some changes in hardware or was the software the limiting factor?

Edit: Did they change the screens for better ones on 15" MacBook Pro's aswell?
 
Originally posted by: ViRGE
Originally posted by: sindows
I was reading through macrumors and I love how some of the members think the "new" Macbook Pro is a completely different machine when it isn't. All Apple did was to attach some "Pro" lettering and changed out one of the expansion slots... Its like those folks who buy a base level car and attach the badging from a higher end model to it...
Click to expand...
And they threw in a faster processor. And they changed the LCD. And they threw in an integrated battery. And they probably changed the mobo to accommodate that battery. Oh, and they lowered the price by a good deal.😉

The only thing they didn't change is the form factor and the chipset. It may not be a massive upgrade, but it's not small either.
Click to expand...

Virge, ignore this crap. People just get mad because now the entry price is lower for their coveted "Pro" line. That's really, truly the only reason anyone cares that they've made a 13" Pro. The status symbol is now more easily attained.

Folks, if a MBP is your status symbol of choice, you never held any status.
 
I just ordered a 2.53GHz 13" MBP from MacConnection ($1,399 AR with no tax makes it a couple of hundred less than buying at the Apple store).

One thing that just occurred to me about Apple making the 13" machine a MBP - it allows them to charge the higher MBP price for AppleCare. I did not buy AppleCare yet (I'll probably get it on eBay), but if one intends to get it, it eats into the savings with the new machine.
 
Originally posted by: mauri
Damn. I just got my new MacBook Pro a week ago. And now they updated the lineup. I'm a bit pissed with my timing.

I don't care about the other things, but the new 8GB memory is kinda tempting, altough I don't know when my 4GB will be a limiting factor. Anyone know, what did they change in order to get 8GB working? Did they make some changes in hardware or was the software the limiting factor?

Edit: Did they change the screens for better ones on 15" MacBook Pro's aswell?
Click to expand...

I believe it is a better screen on the 15" as well. If you're within 14 days, you should be able to return the MacBook Pro and just get the new one.
 
No express slot = no easy, fast, and cost effective way to lay off video from P2/SxS cards. What is so pro about these updates? They are mostly good for the average consumer but these cannot be labeled "pro" with a straight face. No express slot, no removable battery, no esata, no blu ray, no hdmi, 1 firewire 800 port (no firewire 400), sub-par gpu. Also a big FU to specialty companies like Aja, Matrox, Caldigit, etc. The SD reader is a joke. A token meaningless addon to pad the list of new features. Couldn't even put in a 5-in-1 reader. Most pro audio/camera products use CF cards. These so called pro laptops lack even basic features that are standard in most if not all sub $1000 non-apple laptops. Like I said before the changes are great for typical consumers whose biggest cpu taxing comes from safari and word. For people who use their laptops for production work this isn't cutting it.
 
Originally posted by: sjwaste
Originally posted by: ViRGE
Originally posted by: sindows
I was reading through macrumors and I love how some of the members think the "new" Macbook Pro is a completely different machine when it isn't. All Apple did was to attach some "Pro" lettering and changed out one of the expansion slots... Its like those folks who buy a base level car and attach the badging from a higher end model to it...
Click to expand...
And they threw in a faster processor. And they changed the LCD. And they threw in an integrated battery. And they probably changed the mobo to accommodate that battery. Oh, and they lowered the price by a good deal.😉

The only thing they didn't change is the form factor and the chipset. It may not be a massive upgrade, but it's not small either.
Click to expand...

Virge, ignore this crap. People just get mad because now the entry price is lower for their coveted "Pro" line. That's really, truly the only reason anyone cares that they've made a 13" Pro. The status symbol is now more easily attained.

Folks, if a MBP is your status symbol of choice, you never held any status.
Click to expand...
Way to generalize or jump to conclusions?

Originally posted by: Don Vito Corleone
I just ordered a 2.53GHz 13" MBP from MacConnection ($1,399 AR with no tax makes it a couple of hundred less than buying at the Apple store).

One thing that just occurred to me about Apple making the 13" machine a MBP - it allows them to charge the higher MBP price for AppleCare. I did not buy AppleCare yet (I'll probably get it on eBay), but if one intends to get it, it eats into the savings with the new machine.
Click to expand...
Although it's now the 13-inch MacBook Pro, its AppleCare Protection Plan is still $249.
 
Originally posted by: manly

Although it's now the 13-inch MacBook Pro, its AppleCare Protection Plan is still $249.
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Ah - thanks for the correction! The MacConnection site showed it as $349. I will still probably just buy it for half price on eBay, but I'm glad I can buy the cheaper AppleCare.
 
Originally posted by: Kmax82
Originally posted by: mauri
Damn. I just got my new MacBook Pro a week ago. And now they updated the lineup. I'm a bit pissed with my timing.

I don't care about the other things, but the new 8GB memory is kinda tempting, altough I don't know when my 4GB will be a limiting factor. Anyone know, what did they change in order to get 8GB working? Did they make some changes in hardware or was the software the limiting factor?

Edit: Did they change the screens for better ones on 15" MacBook Pro's aswell?
Click to expand...

I believe it is a better screen on the 15" as well. If you're within 14 days, you should be able to return the MacBook Pro and just get the new one.
Click to expand...

Is there any information out there yet about how did they upgrade the display? Have they upgraded it to a better panel (something better than TN) or is it some other change?
 
Originally posted by: manly
I don't mind this trade-off but FYI:

AppleInsider: New 13" MacBook Pro drops digital audio input for FireWire and SD
Click to expand...

Yup, makes sense to me. Lots of people complained about the loss of firewire, and SD cards are the card of choice for digital cameras atm. Considering the mac has always been advertised as a media creating/editing wonder, it really makes sense to scrap a very little (if ever, honestly) used port for some that'll be used by nearly everyone who cares to do image editing, and a very sizable population with firewire video cameras.
 
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