[bigpics]

In reply to:

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The MacBook is the official replacement for the 12" PowerBook, and that's straight from Apple. So the appearance of a 12' MBP seems very unlikely.

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I would agree as long as you add the time horizon of "in the next 6-12 months."
After which period, if Mac sales are on fire (as one might expect) and new chips, chipsets, batteries are available, it'll be "Katie, bar the door" on new form factors, designs, niche-marketed machines, etc. E.g., 12" notebooks but probably in the ultra-light range to combine both the size and weight aspects of portability (I certainly love my iBook, except for its pokiness, which wouldn't be a problem with a 12" core duo).
Alternately, a new 13.3 incher with both weight and bulk chopped away, not much bigger than the screen; a super-graphical gaming-oriented laptop machine (15 or 17"); the long-rumored iPhone; something somewhere between a Newton and an ultra-portable; and something "insanely great" the "rest of us" don't even know we want yet...
Never say never....
/forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Jason Snell]

There's an implicit time horizon in everything I say. /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif Developments from late 2007 are up for grabs. But I would argue that you probably won't see a 12-inch MacBook Pro ever, because by the time such a beast could exist, it would probably be quite different from what you're thinking about. It'll be a subnotebook or something else that's not just a MBP in a tiny enclosure.
I have a hard time seeing Apple go back to a 1024 x 768 laptop display ever, though.

[Philip Michaels]

As promised, here's the complete transcript of the chat.

[montgomery_burns]

In reply to:

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The 30-inch Cinema HD requires its host computer to have a dual-link DVI interface to operate, which the Mac mini does not have

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Dual link DVI is required in order to run the display at the maximum resolution, but does that mean if you connect a computer with only single link DVI, you won't get a picture at all? Or will it just run at a lower resolution? Has anyone actually tried this?
The 30 inch Cinema Display is capable of running at resolutions below the native 2560x1600, and the Macbook is supposed to support up to 1920x1200 on an external display. Can you confirm what the highest available resolution is when the Macbook is connected to a 30 inch Cinema Display? Or better yet, how about when the Intel Mac Mini is connected to that display

[66C20]

Given the explicit time horizons that exist, as far as the MacBook is concerned, should I just take the plunge and buy one now, or should I wait for the next revision to come out. I am not in any particularly big hurry and but given what I have been reading about the new core 2 duo's that are supposed to ship sometime in August, I feel like the best thing to do would be to wait. Obviously, I will need to eventually stop waiting and make a purchase, I am just wondering in now is the time.

[Peter Cohen]

Regardless of how long you wait or when you get your Mac, be prepared to feel buyer's guilt within a matter of weeks or months. It's inevitable in this business that a better, more powerful system is right around the corner. So buy when you need it, and just accept that before too long, your system is going to be outdated with an even better system.

[Nobody]

Pretty well said Peter,
When I bought my eMac 1.25GHz, at the Apple store I was at the conclusion that they were not even going to have one in stock to order; they thought it was all but discontinued at the time. But they did have my eMac, and I picked it up from the Apple store. Then it wasn't two full months later and they unveiled the then new eMac with a .17 faster MHz processor, twice the VRAM, OS 10.4,w/ twice the HD space! Yes, I was a little past the guilt to P.O.'d.
I have since regained my temper. And had I known how Apple draws the curtain for us at that time probably would have waited a little longer.
I was just so excited to get my first new Mac!
/forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif BTW, I even called Apple to complain, and a very nice staff member helped assure me that I will be very pleased with my eMac.
I still am for the most part. Thanks Apple! I really am happy!
cheers,
mike /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif