Live from Apple's Notebook Launch
News Analysis. The buzz and the rumors end here, in Cupertino, Calif., as Apple announces new notebooks. |
[Editor's Note: This was a live document, starting about 1 p.m. EDT for about 60 minutes.]
Apple CEO Steve Jobs is on stage. "We've got some fun stuff to share with you."
Before discussing notebooks, Steve invites Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook to offer perspective on the "state of the Mac." He asserts that "the Macintosh is far superior [to] anything else on the market. ... Leopard is far ahead of Vista."
Tim speaks about reasons why the Mac succeeded, starting off with hardware and software—particularly Mac OS X. His reasons:
- Better hardware
- Better software
- Compatibility
- Windows Vista
- Marketing
- Retail stores
He jokes about Boot Camp allowing Windows to run on an iMac: "When I look at this, it sends shivers up my spine."
Tim really slams Microsoft's flagship operating system: "Vista hasn't lived up to everything that Microsoft hoped it would." He says Vista "opened doors" for the Mac.
"The Mac-PC has really struck a chord with so many switchers," he says about marketing.
"The Mac has outgrown the market for 14 of the last 15 quarters," Tim says. Mac U.S. retail market share: 17.6 percent. Revenue share: 31.3 percent. Education notebook share: 39 percent unit share.
Jony Ive, senior vice president of product design, takes the stage to discuss Mac notebook design. For the MacBook Pro, Apple assembles together several pieces to form the structure. With MacBook Air, Apple started a new process, which it is extending to other models. The process starts with 2.5 pounds of aluminum and ends with a super-strong enclosure weighing less than a half pound.
The new "unibody" process reduces the number of parts by half in new notebooks. "This a tour de force of engineering," Steve says.
Click here to see images of the new MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air.
Steve starts talking about graphics chips. Nvidia came to Apple about a combo graphics chip/chip set for desktops. "This is fantastic. We'd like to use it in a notebook," he says. "They have dubbed [it] the Nvidia GeForce 9400M, which is about 82 percent performance of the chip now in the MacBook Pro."
About the 9400M: 70 percent of the area is the GPU and 30 percent the chip set; 16 parallel graphics core; 54 gigaflops.
The new notebooks feature a multitouch glass trackpad. "The entire trackpad is the button now," Steve says. "You can get multibutton via software."
Another new feature: the Mini DisplayPort, which replaces the DVI port.
There is a new MacBook Pro, which measures only 0.95 inches. There are two models, for $1,999 and $2,499. The $1,999 model has a 15.4-inch LED display, a 2.4GHz IntelCore 2 Duo processor, 2GB of memory, a 250GB hard drive and dual Nvidia chips.
"This MacBook Pros are shipping today," Steve says. "They should start hitting the stores tomorrow."
MacBook Air upgrades are coming in November. The $1,799 model comes with a 13.3-inch display, a 1.6GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of memory, a 120GB hard drive and the new 9400M graphics chip. There will be a $2,499 model, too.
Apple also will ship a new 24-inch Cinema Display in November.
That leaves MacBook, which is now available with an aluminum enclosure and 9400M graphics. About the existing models, "It is the best-selling Mac ever," Steve says. "We're going to reduce the entry price to $999."
The price cut applies to the older MacBook. The newer models are priced $1,299 and $1,599. This is my "I told you so" moment. Rather than major price cuts, Apple chose to increase features. Steve claims that the features of the $1,299 aluminum MacBook are the same as the older (as of tomorrow) $1,999 MacBook Pro. That's a "35 percent lower-entry price" Steve asserts.
The $1,299 MacBook comes with a 13.3-inch LED display, 2GHz processor, 2GB of memory, 9400M graphics and a 160GB hard drive. The $1,599 model has a 2.4GHz processor, 250GB hard drive and backlit keyboard. All the new aluminum models have glass displays.
Apple also modestly refreshed the 17-inch MacBook Pro, but didn't reveal details during the launch event.
[Editor's Note: Tim Cook identification updated and corrected.]
[Please send your tips or rumors to watchtips at live.com.]
Comments (4)
The new MacBooks look like Marvin the Martian. Whats interesting is that $800 notebook never panned out. Apple still can't compete with the Windows/Notebooks.
Posted by Andre Da Costa | October 14, 2008 3:18 PM
And Andre Da Costa will never get a MacBook from Apple for review purposes or for anything else.
Posted by Apple | October 14, 2008 6:19 PM
Steve, I meant it in a light hearted way. Send me one with 4 GBs of RAM. :)
Posted by Andre Da Costa | October 14, 2008 8:41 PM
Here, Andre, let me help you out:
The new MacBooks look like Marvin the Martian. Whats interesting is that $800 notebook never panned out. Apple still can't compete with the Windows/Notebooks.
Steve, next time you send us a C&D, we'll probably have a snide but legally sound reason for not listening to you.
Posted by Bryant Zadegan | October 14, 2008 8:46 PM