i'm just not sure people are ready for not having optical drives - surely the majority of people still do buy their itunes music content via CD and rip it in??

i'm just online via skype with a mate of mine in the UK, who i convinced to buy a MacBook - if this new rumoured model had been released replacing the macbook, I know she wouldn't have gone mac.

i don't think people are ready. give it a year..

alternatively, they could dumb-down the features on the macbook pro, bringing the price down so that an ultra-portable macbook would be at the right price point to allow those who want a full-featured to pay the bit extra for a MBP w/o'drive.. though the high-end portable users will hate that.

one last point - wouldn't taking a full-featured macbook out of the lineup be a killer for their edu sales, particularly in the ES college market?? surely students are still requiring optical drives and large capacity hdd's for a while yet.

when flash drives become affordable at the 120-160gb size, that's when it's time to bring it out. i may eat pie at mwsf though..

what if theres some kind of software in the os where you can manage whats on your portable similar to itunes. I could see it working if they did something like that, using the portable in tandem with your main desktop.

That's assuming people have a portable AND a home desktop - (most) students do not, and I know many average home users don't either. I don't..

If they set it up like that, assuming that people will have a home system or network to sync it with to access optical drives and larger home hard drives, then it would be taking Apple's arrogance to a whole new level.

I'm pretty sure it will be a Macbook Pro Mini. It will fit in the product line exactly where the Powerbook 12" did when it was around. It will be a touch more expensive then the blackbook but less than the Macbook Pros obviously.. As for optical drive, they will undoubtedly offer a external drive, but it has to go at some point just like the floppy drive did back in the day.

It won't cannibalise the macbook sales just like the 12" powerbook didn't hurt the ibook. If the rumoured price is correct (less than $1500 US) than this prediction could be right.. It's not for students of average home users, it is for power users and road warriors who value size and battery life as the two most important factors.

Heard it all before when Apple killed 3.5" floppy drives.

Like most, I don't use the optical drives much at all. All we need is for a couple of nice looking 3rd party optical drives to exist, or for Apple to include one in the box. Don't see it as an issue. I'm all for a portable with no optical at all.

I still stand by my prediction, Apple will bring out something special.... There are already ultraportables on the market, and when has Apple been one for just copying the trend and not innovating...this is Steve we are talking about! Expect something special, possibly with multitouch I think.

My prediction;

-Mac Pro update with the new Penryn processors
-iTunes store update, with rentals
-MacBook update...they will go Al and get LED screens as per rumors
-New product...smaller (10-12") portable with no optical drive and some kind of multitouch technology
-Date on the iPhone update?

We should start a proper predictions thread, with the big day just over a month away now!

On the note of Mac OSX being able to run Windows apps..wouldn't this create security issues. Just as Parallels can still fall victim to all the exploitations of the Windows world...if OSX could open .exes....

How Does One Live Without Internet at Home??


I don't! I actually burst into tears a few weeks ago 30 seconds after the cord on the power adapter gave off blue sparkles and my iBook went to sleep mode with no warning (it's battery has not worked for years, and it was my only computer).

Thankfully Xyber came to my rescue with second-hand power adapter for an old old iBook.

yes, it is the same issue guess. though i'm more concerned that their only low-end laptop will have no optical drive, i'm not sure the potential switchers and the average macbook-type users are ready for that yet..

someone just suggested (Razer) that it would be a 3rd portable in the lineup, as in:

MBP
MB
super-duper skinny no-optical drive flash-based road-warrior beast


if that's an option, then I'd back them in doing that. then they could phase out the MB in time as flash-drives became bigger and no optical drives became the norm. they could then just bring out an external drive for thos still attached to their discs.

yes, that's what it will be called. the super-duper skinny no-optical drive flash-based road-warrior beast. mark my words. i think it's catchy.

The SDSNODFBRWB Pro - it'll work

I am writing something about VMware Fusion 1.1 and hope to have it finished in a week or so. It's being put together purely for MacTalk. It might also assist a few people who have not considered VMware Fusion or Parallels as something they could use, so I give a few examples (and also some of my own).

chur bro.. sorry, i did leave the Pro off the end.

so when are you podcasting over the xmas/new years period?? i'm in melbourne from the 25th (yes, flying on xmas day, what a muppet!), through 'til the 2nd.. i can come play during that time if possible..

i'm sure there will be a 'What did you geeks get for xmas?' thread you can tear to pieces!!!

Good question, we haven't thought about that. I figure we will record on the 14th, and the 21st, then take a break and record again on the 4th of Jan.

booooo! anyway, i'll try plan to have a beer with you and the FTC during that week if you're around, plus any other mexicans still in town at the time..

If I'm around - I'll probably be in Adelaide

A portable computer which fits above an iphone and operates in a similar manner to how you would sync an ipod would be a big winner. If you needed a fully pledged laptop you would simply get a macbook. Its a different concept but no different to what an ipod was when it came out. Even better would be if it had some multi touch functionality bring it on.