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Rumor has it that we'll be seeing an update of most Macintosh models
within the month. This is especially important as Intel has just
released the mobile version of the i7 CPU, which means top-end iMacs
and MacBook Pros could have quad-core CPUs.
The Windows world has already embraced i7, and it's overdue to
appear in new Macs. I would be surprised if Apple didn't offer
quad-core CPUs as options on at least the 24" iMac and the larger (15"
and 17") MacBook Pro models. And if it wanted to create a premium Mac
mini, a lot of us would be chomping at the bit for a quad-core i7 mini
with Nvidia graphics and a fast hard drive.
This would also be the perfect time to introduce USB 3.0, moving
Apple ahead of the competition in that area.
The Polycarbonate MacBook
The MacBook White
is overdue for a design update. The design was introduced in May 2006, and users have
been reporting problems with the case cracking ever since. Moving to a
unibody enclosure was one way of solving the problem, but it also made
the Unibody MacBook
quite a bit more expensive than the polycarbonate model, which has
essentially the same circuitry inside.
There's also the prospect of an Apple Tablet, widely projected to
sell for US$799, cutting into sales of Apple's entry-level notebook.
And finally, there's the widespread popularity of netbooks, those
compact, underpowered things that everyone has an opinion about.
This would be the perfect time to introduce a brand new entry-level
MacBook, one that addresses a slightly different market than the
13" MacBook
Pro.
First off, it should be smaller, exactly what both the netbook crowd
and those who love their 12" PowerBooks are looking for. Not too much
smaller, mind you, but perhaps with an 11" or 12" widescreen display.
How does 768 x 1366 grab you? That's one resolution often found on
11.6" netbooks - fewer vertical pixels but more horizontal ones than
the 13" MacBook Pro and the current MacBook - and a lot more than you
get on low-end, low-cost netbooks.
Apple should be able to retain the same chiclet keyboard it's been
using since mid-2006 in an 11.6" MacBook, and you can pretty much count
on it having a built-in battery - like all of Apple's other notebooks -
although perhaps with only 6 hour capacity instead of 7 to 8.
The best way to reduce the cost, size, and weight of a new MacBook
is to eliminate the optical drive, making it an option (as Apple has
already done with the MacBook
Air). After all, netbooks don't have built-in optical drives
either. The only important addition compared to the current MacBook
White would be an SD Card slot, which is a must have feature these
days.
Acer makes an 11.6" netbook with an 11.2" x 7.8" footprint that
weighs under 3 lb. Without an optical drive, Apple could probably make
the MacBook 0.8" to 0.85" thin and still have plenty of room for a high
capacity battery. It would weigh a bit more than the Acer, perhaps 4.5
lb.
Give it 2 GB of RAM with room for at least 4 GB. Use a low-end 120
GB or 160 GB 2.5" SATA hard drive. Offer an external SuperDrive with
its own battery.
Best of all, it would be a real Macintosh, not a half-crippled,
Atom-powered, one-core cheapie with a stripped or outdated version of
Windows. Use the same CPU and Nvidia GeForce 9400M found in the current
MacBook, make sure RAM and hard drive upgrades remain as easy as they
are on the current MacBook, and price it at US$799, and it will
redefine the entry-level point for Mac notebook users - and prospective
ones.
One More Thing
This would be the perfect time for Apple to move past MagSafe and
make wireless charging a reality across its notebook line. The MagSafe
power supply would still ship with the MacBooks, but Apple could offer
an accessory charging pad as an option. Just imagine how many people
would love being able to set down their MacBook at home or work and not
worry about forgetting an AC adapter or running out of power!
For the MacBook Air, this could eliminate the last wire, and it
would also pave the way for iPods and iPhones with wireless charging in
2010.
Dan Knight has been using Macs since 1986,
sold Macs for several years, supported them for many more years, and
has been publishing Low End Mac since April 1997. If you find Dan's articles helpful, please consider making a donation to his tip jar.
Links for the Day
Mac of the Day: DayStar Genesis, introduced 1995.10.30. The first 'Mac' with multiple processors, technology Daystar licensed to Apple.
