Ceci n'est pas un MacBook Pro

That it's a mockup—and that it is nonetheless doing the blog rounds—shouldn't be cause for grumbles. It's the internet saying "Hey, Steve! This is what we want." A good thing!

Leaked Ad of MacBook Pro Actually a Mockup
[Cult of Mac]

[#1 posted by styrofoam , August 25, 2008 8:47 AM]

Seriously, updating the latch catch and photoshopping an airbook top onto it is all it take to drive the mac world into a tizzy?

It's boasting the a small weight reduction, and a hair thinner than the current one. And the corners are bit more rounded than the current models. No other real performance or behavior gains? (Hey- let's add a dock connection for power users! Maybe nobody's realized what a kludge the Bookendz are yet!)

No sense in actually putting some innovations into a new release...

[#2 posted by Halloween Jack , August 25, 2008 11:21 AM]

It's the internet saying "Hey, Steve! This is what we want."

Steve shoots back, "Right. Just like all those fake p-shops of the iPhone that you made were sooooooooo much better than the real thing. Did you see the iPod coming? Or the iMac? Or that I'd come back and save Apple from its inevitable beige doom? Well, all right then. Hang tight and wait for my elves to deliver the next masterpiece."

Internet looks at its feet, mumbles.

[#3 posted by Rob Beschizza , August 25, 2008 1:45 PM]

Good point, Jack!

[#4 posted by zuzu , August 25, 2008 4:38 PM]

Did you see the iPod coming?

Yes, in 1997. It was called the Saehan MPman, later licensed stateside by Diamond as the Rio.

Or the iMac? Or that I'd come back and save Apple from its inevitable beige doom?

That was genuinely surprising. We were buying the SGI O2 at the time.

I would have no interest in Apple if it wasn't for OSX (i.e. UNIX made pretty and easy) and the PowerBook, in that order.

No sense in actually putting some innovations into a new release...

Montevina is kind of a given, ya know. The real question is if this will really finally break through the 4GB memory ceiling in the MacBook Pro.

Also, anodized colored aluminum shells and white LED backlit screens for the MacBook would be nice.

I've also written about other innovations I would like to see Apple include in their September launch event.

[#5 posted by scaught , August 25, 2008 7:27 PM]

Apple has kinda listened in the past. These examples have run rampant on every mac board at one point or another. Once upon a time, imacs had nothing bigger than a 15" screen. The overpriced cube created cries for a cheaper "headless imac". People were disgusted with motorola and their horrid chipsets. I mean. They were probably going to make those changes anyway, but it certainly appears they were responsive.

[#6 posted by styrofoam , August 26, 2008 9:40 AM]

Including a new processor from a third party vendor doesn't really classify as "earthshaking innovation from Apple", though.

The processor in the Air was definitely interesting, and they had a period of exclusivity with it. This is one of the few instances I can think of where Intel provided something unique for a PC vendor. But Apple did lose something tangible from the Moto/PPC shakeup- the differentiating factor. Now that you can truly compare processors and chipsets across processors, it starts to become obvious that what you're paying for (hardware wise) is good industrial design and a well put together machine.

And a one button mouse.

[#7 posted by Maxwell Edison , August 26, 2008 1:47 PM]

[quote]it starts to become obvious that what you're paying for (hardware wise) is good industrial design and a well put together machine.[/quote]

And the problem with that is?

[quote]And a one button mouse.[/quote]

Apples come with the Mighty Mouse these days. 4 buttons. Why do people keep saying "1-button mouse"?

[#8 posted by jbang , August 27, 2008 8:25 PM]

7: Not to mention OMG 200% apple tax.

It is no longer the 1990's people. Hoorah?

And for this mockup? DVI-out? Still?
Steve, no, DO NOT WANT.

[#9 posted by jbang , August 27, 2008 8:27 PM]

#6 And the software. Not just the OS, but the iLife suite which is pretty damned powerful for what it is.