Comments on: New iMacs, MacBooks and mini coming very soon [updated] http://espnish.com/2009/10/04/new-imacs-and-macbooks/ Entertainment & Sports Pages Notably intertwined so hereafter Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:57:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Merlin http://espnish.com/2009/10/04/new-imacs-and-macbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-44 Merlin Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:59:04 +0000 http://espnish.com/?p=311#comment-44 Quad-core definitely Quad-core definitely

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]]> By: Merlin http://espnish.com/2009/10/04/new-imacs-and-macbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-43 Merlin Wed, 30 Sep 2009 23:30:55 +0000 http://espnish.com/?p=311#comment-43 As so far as the MacBooks, I was counting 999 as one of the 2 below 1000, so 799 and 999 sounds right. My little birdie also says something about carbon fiber reinforced plastic, also referred to as carbon fiber composites. In 2 ways, this would make sense (1) because apple still has a plastic on their iPhones (for antenna linguistics) and (2) because aluminum (while light) is heavier and more costly than a well engineered (carbon) plastic. Basically, if apple has to deal with plastic, they'll make it ultra-plastic. Also, iPhone gen 1 was a mostly metal back. They couldn't get away from more plastic in 3G and 3Gs. So the move away from it isn't a be all end all, although I wish it was. As so far as the MacBooks, I was counting 999 as one of the 2 below 1000, so 799 and 999 sounds right. My little birdie also says something about carbon fiber reinforced plastic, also referred to as carbon fiber composites.

In 2 ways, this would make sense (1) because apple still has a plastic on their iPhones (for antenna linguistics) and (2) because aluminum (while light) is heavier and more costly than a well engineered (carbon) plastic. Basically, if apple has to deal with plastic, they’ll make it ultra-plastic.

Also, iPhone gen 1 was a mostly metal back. They couldn’t get away from more plastic in 3G and 3Gs. So the move away from it isn’t a be all end all, although I wish it was.

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]]> By: Aaron http://espnish.com/2009/10/04/new-imacs-and-macbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-39 Aaron Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:11:38 +0000 http://espnish.com/?p=311#comment-39 I’m predicting the focus here will be on price, unification, price, cashing in on the “halo effect,” price, minor speed updates, and price. I’m betting on lower price points for the iMac – at least one sub-$1000 price point should be coming. No style changes – they’re going to want to make this look just like the existing systems to keep the idea that it’s a high-end system out there. Minimal changes to the top end, just faster processors and minor tweaks, if anything. Ditto on the MacBook refresh. I’m going with one price point below $1000 (not counting the $999.99 they have today), probably at $699 or $799, with the same basic specs as the 13” has today, but in alumninum. Plastic is history – I’m calling everything going aluminum unibody from here on out, gaining the benefits of the new battery layout, if not reaching that 6-8 hour longevity on the lowest end. It will still have a good battery life, maybe 3-4 hours. This is a gamble, as I think they might have wanted to get this out for the back-to-school season, but continuing economic woes may have forced their hands here. The MacBook Pro part of the refresh will only minimally update the top-tier MBPs with more processing horsepower, maybe a 10-20% increase, and possibly quad-core options on the top-end $2000+ models. The focus is going to be on the low- and mid-end systems, so I wouldn’t be terribly shocked if there was no update at all to the MBPs. -a. I’m predicting the focus here will be on price, unification, price, cashing in on the “halo effect,” price, minor speed updates, and price.

I’m betting on lower price points for the iMac – at least one sub-$1000 price point should be coming. No style changes – they’re going to want to make this look just like the existing systems to keep the idea that it’s a high-end system out there. Minimal changes to the top end, just faster processors and minor tweaks, if anything.

Ditto on the MacBook refresh. I’m going with one price point below $1000 (not counting the $999.99 they have today), probably at $699 or $799, with the same basic specs as the 13” has today, but in alumninum. Plastic is history – I’m calling everything going aluminum unibody from here on out, gaining the benefits of the new battery layout, if not reaching that 6-8 hour longevity on the lowest end. It will still have a good battery life, maybe 3-4 hours. This is a gamble, as I think they might have wanted to get this out for the back-to-school season, but continuing economic woes may have forced their hands here.

The MacBook Pro part of the refresh will only minimally update the top-tier MBPs with more processing horsepower, maybe a 10-20% increase, and possibly quad-core options on the top-end $2000+ models. The focus is going to be on the low- and mid-end systems, so I wouldn’t be terribly shocked if there was no update at all to the MBPs.

-a.

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