New MacBook and MacBook Pro Rumors
For those of you contemplating a new laptop purchase for next school year, the latest rumors indicate a new MacBook Pro to be announced in June and a new MacBook sometime in the third quarter of this year. Keep in mind that rumors are just that. Even the same rumor from two different sources is only slightly more reliable than the answers given by a Magic 8-Ball.
The new MacBook Pro will supposedly come with a spiffy new LED backlight display that is brighter and more power-efficient than existing displays, according to a rumor at Think Secret. The same rumor puts the Mac Book refresh at sometime in the third quarter, which would be unfortunate timing for students who start in August.
AppleInsider notes that Intel’s eagerly-awaited Santa Rosa chipset is now available, and that “Apple’s first notebook design to incorporate Santa Rosa features should arrive in the form of an update to its 15-inch Mac Book Pro during the second quarter of the year, which should pack a faster 800MHz frontside bus and second generation Core 2 Duo mobile processors ranging up to 2.4GHz with 4MB of L2 cache.”
Steve Jobs has already committed to a wholesale transition to LED displays, and since laptops have been leading Apple’s marketshare growth, it makes sense that the new display technology would be ushered into laptops first.
Erika York wrote,
You know, I’ve spent the majority of my admittedly young life (I’m in my early 30’s) being devoted to having the latest and the greatest. There just comes a point where you have to make a decision and go with what you want. I purchased my very first mac just a few weeks ago. I decided on the 13″ black macbook and I haven’t looked back. I know the new version of OS X is coming out in October, but I wanted an operating sysytem that had been tested and was reliable. I did not want to deal with bugs and glitches that are inevitable in any new version of an OS. Now that might be the Windows systems talking but… never having owned a mac before, I went with my gut.
As for new macbooks, sure, I could dit here and say, oh crap - I just coughed up $1500 and now they’re going to come out with something new? But what good would it do? I’ve been converted to the mac - Seen the light, crossed over to the other side. However you want to put it, a mac - no matter what type you decide on - is going to be a gorgeous, easy to use, reliable, incredible machine. Wait or don’t wait, it’s up to you. But I am VERY happy I didn’t.
Link | May 12th, 2007 at 12:55 am
Erik Schmidt wrote,
Erika,
I agree. It is tempting to wait until the “perfect” time to buy, but there never really is such a time. Buyer’s Remorse will always be a fact of life, but one of the great things about buying a Mac is that you’ll get an excellent machine, and it will likely have a nice long productive life.
I write these words on my trusty 15″ PowerBook, while my wife is using the 12″ PowerBook I bought 3 1/2 years ago.
That said, it is nice when timing works in your favor, and the time you want to buy is the time a new Mac is being rolled out.
So what was it that finally made you switch?
Link | May 12th, 2007 at 4:33 am
Brant wrote,
I agree as well…
Upon completion of my undergrad two weekends ago, I went out with my wife and purchased the 15″ MBP (yes, I am a “switcher”).
I too had cotemplated on waiting, esp. b/c of all of the Santa Rosa, LED Display, Leopard, TouchScreen, etc. rumors. But then I realized something: As great of a machine as the MBP truly is, it too had its (very) small share of hiccups (battery firmware problems, ext. color fades, and so on). Now that I have purchased mine the supposed “end” of it’s current cycle, one thing is certain: I have a tried, evaluated, trusted, and updated version of the machines that were sold 7 months ago…. and I abolutely love it.
-Brant
Link | May 18th, 2007 at 12:51 am
Erik Schmidt wrote,
Brant,
That is one great thing about getting the second or third rev. The 12″ PowerBook I bought was the last rev of that machine, and I think it’s one of the best Macs ever made. I doubt you’ll go wrong with the MBP you bought. But we do need to keep Apple honest, so be sure to let us all know if you encounter any problems with it.
Link | May 18th, 2007 at 1:15 am
Erika York wrote,
I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to respond until now. What made me switch? Basically, one to many blue screens of “death” and fatal error messages in the windows OS - and the fact that I would be able to run windows on a mac using boot camp; IF I had too. I haven’t done it yet and I want to try and avoid it until I have no choice (ie..exam software). I’m trying to learn how to get around on the mac.
I’m looking forward to the new Office 2008 for mac coming out late rthis year (I hope). I’m addicted to office 2007 on windows and I have to admit, it’s been difficult living withour office on my macbook. (I don’t want to buy Office 2004 when I know it’s being updated. Plus I just DONT have the extra money right now)
Link | May 25th, 2007 at 7:11 pm