New Macbook Pros soon. Maybe.

[Candlelight]

http://www.macrumors.com/2011/01/26/macbook-pro-supplies-tightening-ahead-of-potential-refresh/

MacRumors has heard from several sources that supplies of Apple's existing MacBook Pro models, particularly the 15" and 17" sizes, are beginning to run low in Apple stores and at third-party retailers, suggesting that the company may be drawing down stock in advance of an update to the product line.

The 17" MacBook Pro generally appears to be in the shortest supply at the moment, with Amazon quoting a shipment window of 1-2 months for the base Core i5 model and several popular resellers connected through Amazon's systems also showing low stocks of the 17" models.

Apple's MacBook Pro has been expected to receive an update in the relatively near future, as the line is due for an revision any time now and sources have indicated that the MacBook Pros would indeed be updated some time in the first half of this year. A new version of the MacBook Pro will almost certainly incorporate Intel's Sandy Bridge microarchitecture and could see the company adopt some aspects of the its successfully revamped MacBook Air in order to improve performance and reduce size and weight.

Can't wait. My non-unibody 15" model is getting very long in the tooth.

 

[Marc]

be nice if Apple could reduce the price along with the size and weight.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ You want one with reduced size and weight? Try the MacBook Air. It has the further advantage of not having an optical drive, a device which is basically useless now anyway.

 

[Timby]

It has the further advantage of not having an optical drive, a device which is basically useless now anyway.

Useless for some people, maybe. I still get CDs and DVDs of photos from clients all the time, and I do like to watch DVDs on my laptop. Not everything is a digital download.

 

[Marc]

^ You want one with reduced size and weight? Try the MacBook Air. It has the further advantage of not having an optical drive, a device which is basically useless now anyway.

No I want people to read what I wrote and the message that I quoted so they actually comprehend in context.

 

[Amaris]

It has the further advantage of not having an optical drive, a device which is basically useless now anyway.

Useless for some people, maybe. I still get CDs and DVDs of photos from clients all the time, and I do like to watch DVDs on my laptop. Not everything is a digital download.

Agreed. I like such devices, but I often need an optical drive, and that's not just because discs are still ubiquitous.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ They'll be a lot LESS ubiquitous now that we have the App Store...

 

[Amaris]

^ They'll be a lot LESS ubiquitous now that we have the App Store...

Discs will still be around for a long time.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Discs will still be around for a long time.

Yup.

CDs are still the best way for backing up important files. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

And I've been considering about making the Mac plunge a lot lately. Maybe the new models mean I can get one of the current ones at a discount.

One of the current 15 inchers would suit me fine for years.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

CDs are still the best way for backing up important files. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Try Dropbox.

As for the MacBook Pro: When was the last time Apple updated that line? Or indeed any Mac line?

 

[spinnerlys]

CDs are still the best way for backing up important files. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

Try Dropbox.

As for the MacBook Pro: When was the last time Apple updated that line? Or indeed any Mac line?

2010:
April for MacBook Pro, July and August for iMac and Mac Pro, June for Mac mini, May for MacBook and October for MacBook Air.

They usually take their time, which sometimes can be up to ten months or even more.

Just don't look at any of the prediction threads over there, they re-spawn daily.

Anyway, we don't know for sure, but February might be a good time for an update using the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture.

Btw, how much smaller should the get? The Ethernet port is still the biggest port there and it determines the overall thickness quite a bit. The fans for CPU and GPU do that too. Then there is also the HDD and ODD, which are already very small.
I find the current MBPs quite small already, my 17" MBP from 2009 is already smaller than the 12" G4 iBook from 2004 without the lid.

 

[Switch]

Apple refreshing a product line? Shocking.

 

[Candlelight]

^ They'll be a lot LESS ubiquitous now that we have the App Store...

Sorry but here's where I think Apple missed the boat. Right now I'm moving into authoring Blu-Ray discs, and while it's fine for my external drive, I'd really prefer an internal Blu-Ray burner. USB 3.0 would be handy too (I know they're waiting for Sandy Beaches or whatever it's called ).

Also, in NZ (I have no idea how America works) you pay for internet usage with GBs. If I want a proper DVD (8.5GB) it'll pretty much chew up my entire allowance for a month.

 

[Candlelight]

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20101215PD223.html

^ This article says we could get as many as four new models, with yet another chassis design...

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I don't think Apple will ever include Blu-Ray drives. The licensing is just (as Jobs called it) "a bag of hurt". As are the HDCP issues.

BR burners are available as external drives, aren't they?

 

[Kataaran]

^ They'll be a lot LESS ubiquitous now that we have the App Store...

Urgh! I really hate the appstore idea, mostly because it's Apple and they would just love to dictate what software you can install on your computer. A walled garden approach would do it. I tollerate it on my iPhone but an appstore on my laptop can FOAD.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Try Dropbox.

There are many reasons why CDs are superior to those types of backups.

 

[Guartho]

^ They'll be a lot LESS ubiquitous now that we have the App Store...

Urgh! I really hate the appstore idea, mostly because it's Apple and they would just love to dictate what software you can install on your computer. A walled garden approach would do it. I tollerate it on my iPhone but an appstore on my laptop can FOAD.

I don't think the appStore will ever become the only legitimate way to install software on your computer.

 

[Kataaran]

^ I wouldn't be surprised if it became the only way to install software on macs though. As I mac user I don't want to have to switch. Apple are all about making things easy to use (which is no bad thing) but they can get carried away and start believing their own reasoning, eg Flash, not allowing apps in the iPhone appstore that compete with their own (Google voice).

Then there's their frustrating stance on web video format, I won't go there however as I fear my head might explode :P

 

[Candlelight]

I wouldn't be surprised if it became the only way to install software on macs though.

That's under the assumption everyone has a concurrent internet connection.