“Most people make the mistake of thinking design is what it looks like. People think it’s this veneer — that the designers are handed this box and told, ‘Make it look good!’ That’s not what we think design is. It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” — Steve Jobs
Moments ago, at the Mac Word Expo, Apple launched a uni-body version of its 17-inch MacBook Pro model. Said to be the world’s THINNEST and LIGHTEST 17-inch notebook, this 17-incher packs a whopping 8 hours of battery life! Here is what Apple says about its new battery technology:
The longest-lasting Mac notebook battery ever.
The battery in the new 17-inch MacBook Pro lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge1 and can be recharged up to 1000 times2 — compared with only 200 to 300 times for typical notebooks. To do this, Apple engineers custom-designed lithium-polymer cells to create the largest possible battery, then they went even further: They built the battery right into the computer, eliminating the space-consuming mechanisms and housings that standard removable batteries require. The result is a battery th
at’s 40 percent bigger than the previous generation and offers up to 8 hours of wireless productivity on a single charge — all in a notebook that’s less than an inch thin, weighs just 6.6 pounds,3 and remains the same price as the previous-generation model.
But building a battery that lasts up to 8 hours is only part of the story. Giving it a lifespan of up to 1000 recharges required breakthroughs in battery technology. Apple electro-chemists developed advanced chemistry that maintains the battery’s charging capabilities longer than ever. And while most notebooks wear down their batteries by charging them at a constant rate, the 17-inch MacBook Pro takes a different approach. Using an Apple-developed technology called Adaptive Charging, a microchip on the battery constantly communicates with the computer to determine the optimal way to charge its cells, adjusting the current up and down depending on a variety of conditions. Combined, these advancements offer a dramatic improvement in battery lifespan: more than three times the lifespan of typical notebook batteries — up to five years.
Talk about pure computing bliss! The 1900 X 1200 widescreen comes in both the glossy and matte finish. The 17-inch MBP can be configured up-to a 2.93 Core 2 Duo processor, supporting up-to (drool! drool!) 8 GB of 1066 MhZ DDR3 RAM!!! The rest of the features are pretty much the same as the 15-inch uni-body model, including the multi-touch glass trackpad (heaven!), the new chicklet keyboard (typer’s paradise!) and of course LED back-lit screens. The spruced-up 17-incher will set you back about $2800 USD .. but, trust me, it’s worth every single penny! The model is said to start shipping late January (just in time for my birthday, ehm! ehm!).
After Apple announced, late last year, that Steve Jobs would not be making the keynote address at the San Franciso Mac World Expo ’09, there was much speculation about Steve Job’s health. A flurry of rumors started spreading about Mr. Jobs resigning because of health issues. Steve Jobs is a cancer survivor and many were speculating that perhaps his cancer had relapsed. All this while Steve Jobs was seen lesser and lesser out and about and seemed to be loosing a lot of weight. The news of Steve Jobs’ health was sending shockwaves through the Apple community, with people wondering who would be appointed the next CEO of Apple Computers. More importantly, people were concerned at the vision and direction Apple would take, should Steve Jobs step down as the CEO of Apple.
To dispell all these rumors, Steve Jobs issued a letter stating that he was merely suffering from a hormone imbalance and has been asked to rest for a few months. Doctors expect a quick and speedy recovery, in a matter of two to three months. In his letter, he writes
“The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I’ve already begun treatment. But, just like I didn’t lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctors expect it will take me until late this Spring to regain it. I will continue as Apple’s CEO during my recovery. I have given more than my all to Apple for the past 11 years now. I will be the first one to step up and tell our Board of Directors if I can no longer continue to fulfill my duties as Apple’s CEO. I hope the Apple community will support me in my recovery and know that I will always put what is best for Apple first.”
Apple’s board of directors were quick to issue a note of their own (probably worrying at the thought of Apple’s stock price plummeting):
“It is widely recognized both inside and outside of Apple that Steve Jobs is one of the most talented and effective CEOs in the world.
As we have said before, if there ever comes a day when Steve wants to retire or for other reasons cannot continue to fulfill his duties as Apple’s CEO, you will know it.
Apple is very lucky to have Steve as its leader and CEO, and he deserves our complete and unwavering support during his recuperation. He most certainly has that from Apple and its Board.”
So, with all the politics and rumors aside .. the Apple community is eagerly awaiting the start of Mac World Expo! Apple is rumored to be launching a new version of the mac-mini, along-with a uni-body version of the 17″ MacBook Pro. Phil Shiller is said to preview Mac Snow Leopard, the latest Apple Operating System. iTunes is rumored to have struck a deal with major record labels, to offer DRM-free downloads. And, trusted sources in China have confirmed the release of the iPhone Nano! The show starts TODAY!
Rumors have started to float on the internet about an eminent release of the “iPhone Nano”, a smaller version of the very popular iPhone. While the news can not be confirmed by a completely reliable source .. a Chinese-based company, XSXN, that produces silicone skins has listed a whole series of cases for the new iPhone Nano phones.
XSXN is considered to be a reliable firm, run by a Canadian entrepeneur based in China. The company has been successfully in business for the past 10 years. SXSN also pre-released silicone cases of the iPhone 3G, much before it’s offical Apple release.
iDealsChina also seems to be claiming the report, saying the iPhone Nano is set to debut at the Mac World SanFrancisco in January 2009. Mind you, iDealsChina also leaked reports, earlier this year, about the iPhone Touch coming equipped with GPS .. which was not true. Apple has not yet confirmed wether Steve Jobs would be the making the keynote speech at Mac World SanFranciso, set to kick off January 5th 2009. The Guardian reports Paul Shiller to be making the keynote speech, introducing the much-anticipated Max OS X Snow Leopard operating system. The Mac OS X is currently being seeded to developers and still considered to be in beta trials, and not due to be released till the end of 1st quarter of 2009. The Guardian Article goes on to talk about Grand Central and OpenCL, which are expected to take advantage of the new NVIDIA graphics chips, enhancing performance, saying:
The first technology, Grand Central, is designed to make better use of the Intel processors that sit inside the current range of Macs. The other, OpenCL, could have a more dramatic effect on performance for some programs as it will tap into the power of graphics processors (GPUs) that now goes to waste.
Other aniticipated releases for Mac Word SanFrancisco 2009 inclucde the new iMacs and Mac-Mini series, with the iMac being based on the NVIDIA graphics chips.
Ok, so why a MAC? I can’t even recall the number of times I’ve been asked that question. I’m certainly not one of those Mac “FanBoys” who aggressively markets Apple products .. and consider all PC users to be “oh, so lame!” I’ve been using computers ever since I can remember. I remember being in the 3rd grade and having a Commodore 64! I was dieing to get a “Tandy”, which were sold through Radio Shack. God, I think they’re totally extinct now.
I work in the computing industry. Being a virtual assistant means you have to be online 24/7. (I work from home? .. why? .. ukkh, that’s a whole other post which I’ll get to someday). Anyway, three or so years ago I heard that Apple computers could now run Windows and I made the switch. Of course, I was thinking I’d use the Windows OS and just sort of fiddle around with the Mac OS in my spare time. I think that was very smart marketing from Apple’s point of view. Because even if you get an Apple computer to use Windows or Linux or any operating system, you’re bound to run into the Mac OS .. and when you do .. there’s no looking back!
Another thing is that I hate desktops. There’s just so much clutter, with the wires. Notebooks just set you free. They’r
e portable. They’re just very convenient! As far as me switching to the Mac OS, I suppose it was probably because it was just so easy to learn. The operating system is really what makes the computer so wonderful and a pleasure to use. I would certainly NOT recommend that someone get a Mac, to use Windows. (Ok, I did that .. but I ended up switching .. so maybe not such a bad idea). The operating system is so intuitive, it’s like it knows what I need to do. There are no hardware conflicts, strange errors, shutdowns, viruses, trojans, the blue screen of death, etc. I’ve never gotten a “out of memory” error. It just works! (Plus the operating system’s just so damn pretty!) It’s also fast. I feel it’s much faster than the Windows platform. I could be wrong, but from my experience installing software and things like that are just such a sinch!
My first Mac notebook was a Core Duo 2.0, the MacBook Pro 15″ model. I’ve just parted with it, only because I wanted the new one. Otherwise, my old notebook could’ve served me just as well for the next so many years. It just never breaks down. I also travel extensively. The notebook had been dragged through airports, kicked, dropped, thrown, you name it. And, everytime I switched it on, it just worked! It ran practically 24/7, for three years .. and, honestly, not a single issue. I think the hardware’s better, too. Things seem to “gel” together, better. I’ve had Dell and HP notebooks, with weird fan noises .. over-heating .. superdrive problems .. and so on. With the MBP, never. Seriously, it just works .. and it works really well!
Currently, I have two Mac notebooks. The 15″ and the 13″ models. Because of my work, they run 24/7. And I suppose I’m a bit of a computer geek. I wake up and the first thing I do is check my email, even before lighting a cigarette. So these notebooks have been really heavily used. I’m just really glad I made the switch. The price difference (in terms of specs) is more than worth it.
Apple is quite right .. when they say “IT JUST WORKS!” .. because it really does.
Bilal
After about a week of using the new MacBook Pro, I felt I should share my thoughts with all of you. I upgraded from a Core Duo 2.0 15″ MBP, which served me very well for about three years. Actually, there was no real reason to upgrade .. the CD 2.0 MBP was still going strong (well, except for the dead battery .. but three years, so that’s allowed). I upgraded because I’m a bit of a techie, and I loved the new screen!
I hear a lot of Mac “FanBoys” complaining about the new glossy screens, and how there’s no longer the option for the matte screen. Trust me, you’re not going to notice the difference. In fact, everything is so much more vibrant and beautiful! The new chicklet keyboard is slightly better than the chicklet keyboard that comes with the 13″ models. I loved the keyboard on my old MBP, it had this buttery feel and typing was a pleasure. I am getting used to this new keyboard, and I must say it’s really working on me. I like the fact that the keys are now more responsive, you can hear the keyboard clicks, etc.
The new MBP is thinner, obviously faster (especially when video encoding), and just breathtakingly beautiful! The new ALL black screen looks amazing, whether the screen is off or on! The trackpad is absolutely to-die-for! Because it’s glass, it’s so much more smoother and responsive. I believe this will also mean less wear and tear and no more of those crappy “greasy” spots. Though the older MBP’s trackpad was still going strong, despite 3 years of intensive use. I am a virtual assistant and I work from home, so the notebook’s left on 24/7. I also have a 13″ MB, Core 2 Duo .. from the last range .. with the white plastic case. The plastic models are also quite capable of taking a good beating!
For a more comprehensive review, complete with benchmarks, you might want to read-up Notebook Review’s article on the new MacBook Prol Engaget has posted really nice unboxing pics!
Bilal
