[rdas7]

While the look might not be significantly different, Apple's industrial design has been evolving slowly but consistently. Remember the little feet on the iBook that kept falling off? Remember how hard it was to open up and replace the hard drive? How about the first Ai PowerBook G4 with the paint chips, and broken hinges?
All of these details have been gradually evolved and solved as the species moves forward. The current MacBook design (white plastic) is the latest step in the evolution of the iBook design that started more than 7 years ago.
Even the new MacBook Pros have managed to squeeze and extra usb port on the left side (can I get an amen?) which shows the synchronicity of internal and external case design.
While the early MacBook Pros suffered from soft hinges that would allow the lid to close slowly over time (if you left it partially open overnight), the newer models have tightened (redesigned?) hinges that prohibit such movement.
I for one am glad they didn't completely revamp the hardware design, or we'd likely be looking at a new series of "bugs" that would need working out. I look at the new MacBook Pros and know that it's a solid, rugged design.
As for those who wanted to see a bit more of the MacBook Air in the Pro design, think about this: would you be willing to sacrifice ports? The size and shape of the base is largely determined by the slew of ports that line it's sides. Would you have been willing to sacrifice battery life? Everything in between the sides is largely determined by the power and motherboard. Finally would you have been willing to sacrifice the optical drive?
If you answered 'yes' to any of the above, you are a likely customer for a MacBook Air and not a MacBook Pro :) On the other hand, if you want all of the things listed above, I think it comes down to basic physics: there's not a whole lot of ways all those components will fit together, and I think that Apple have done a pretty stellar job of minimizing any wasted space (for anyone who opened a 2001 iBook, they'll know exactly what I mean here).

[JimCummings]

The one thing I've been hoping for is the keyboard to be recessed; I'd really enjoy not having to deal with finger oils on the screen. This is a baffling design flaw, coming from the Masters of the Universe.....granted, it works great with the "loosey goosey" latch, but stuff it in a travel bag, and that little space is gonzo.
On another note, anyone want to chime in on why I should wait for the next chips, rumored to be ready to fly in these puppies within a few months? I could live with the PBG4 for a while longer; these are five-year investments for me.

[bmenozzi]

I have to agree about the design of the MacBook and its "sharp edges". For the past 6 years or so, I have been using Thinkpads (T-series) at my workplace. My latest one, a T-60, has a beveled front edge on the "bottom" half. The lid has the corresponding bevel, so that the side appears flat when closed. I can use it for hours without having sore wrists. When I try to use my MacBook at home, I find that my wrists begin to hurt soon after I start typing. I've been looking at the MacBook Pros and the MacBook Airs at my local Apple Store. The edge of the keyboard surface on MacBook Pro seems to be rounded compared to the MacBook, so it might be better. Because the front of the MacBook Air is so slim, it doesn't appear to be a problem at all. Hopefully, Apple will round-over the front edge of the keyboard surface so that it doesn't cut into one's wrists when using it.

The MacBook case is well designed, but it can get even better.

[IEBA1]

Case design?
Apple has simply rested on its laurels.
Same with chip design, since they have so little control over that any more.
Hardware innovation on their computers? like wireless USB, SATA ports, internal WWAN, tablet conversion, biometrics for security? No. No. No. No. and No.
It's clear from the stock price continuing to sink, that Mac users, the computer industry in general, and investors, expect Apple to innovate and drive technology, like the iPhone, like the iPod, like the original iMac, like the PowerBook used to do. Currently there are gaping holes in the Mac lineup and Apple is too distracted by consumer electronics to address them.
See my open letter to Steve Jobs about a Mac Mini Pro:
http://techthoughts....e-mac-mini-pro/
Or how the MacBook Air really fails to take advantage of the smaller size of its components to give users the ultraportable they really wanted:
http://techthoughts....-few-key-areas/
This is why there's a thriving Hacintosh community set to installing and using OS-X on PC's, because Apple's choice in desktop models is so limited:
http://techthoughts....s-os-x-on-a-pc/
Lastly, case manufacturers are making cases for the MacBook that make it look like the last Mac laptop that actually had any style- the G3 Series PowerBook:
http://techthoughts....ries-powerbook/
So, IMHO, Apple's got to shift its attention back to what made it the company it is today- and that's computer innovation.
Anthony Burokas
Industry Pundit
http://techthoughts.org
.

[ClunkClunk]

Macworld said:

>MacBook Pro: The MacBook Pro is the Intel-powered successor to the PowerBook G4. Its current design has been used basically unchanged ? the MagSafe power adapter might be the biggest change ? since the April 2004 introduction of the PowerBook G4 family.

I'd like to clarify this a bit. The PowerBook G4 family was introduced in January of 2001 with the introduction of the PowerBook G4 Titanium. However, I believe the article was referring to the PowerBook G4 Aluminum series, which has an almost identical case design to the MacBook Pro series. The date of April 2004 is still incorrect though, as the PB G4 Aluminum 15" models were introduced in September 2003.

[stephenmcnutt]

I've got a year-old black MacBook, and I love it. I think the case is a thing of beauty--clean lines, nothing unnecessary, balanced. While it's always possible that another, new design might appeal to me as much, I see no reason for a change. Think of examples of timelessly beautiful design: the Jeep Wrangler, the VW Beetle--both old and new, the Porsche 911 (which may have changed a bit too much in the past decade), the Airstream camper, maybe even the Kirby vacuum cleaner. One way to generate sales is to come out with something new. Another way is to stick to a beautiful design with minimal changes for decades, making your product a true classic.

Steve McNutt
stephenmcnutt@mac.com

[spinoza2]

After a period of going through Wintel laptops like cheap socks in the 90s and early 2000s, I switched from a Powerbook to a first gen MB Pro a couple of years ago. Unlike the Wintel laptops I owned--Toshibas, Thinkpads, and a couple of Vaios--this MB Pro still seems new to me, and I can see myself keeping it for another several years. Having a laptop for several years would have been unfathomable to me a few years ago, but since I got the higher end MB Pro (2.2 GHz and a 256MB video card), and have since upgraded to 2GB RAM and a 320GB drive, this machine still performs like current models. Ergonomically this laptop is close to Nirvana, if it isn't actually there, and everything about it--the keyboard, the display, the build quality, etc.--is close to ideal. I don't see how the design could be improved much, everything about just seems like it should be.

[Frost7]

I honestly never liked the look of the G5s/Mac Pros, so I hope at some point they'll have a major redesign to make the computers look cool again. The original G4 was my favorite tower design so far.

[Mac_Karma]

While most of us agree that Apple has done a great job in the case design of it's laptops, there is one aspect of that design that continues to annoy me. I, like most users, am right handed and when I plug in my mouse on the left side USB ports, I continuously ask "What were they thinking?" Rather than have both USB ports on the left, why not instead have one where it is and one somewhere on the right side. There's plenty of room immediately to the right of the trackpad. Am I the only one with this problem? I seriously doubt it.

[hillstones]

Ports on the rear of a laptop result in broken display hinges that affect all laptop makers, including Apple. That is why Apple redesigned the display hinge and moved the ports to the sides.

The MacBook Pro is dated and old. The black PowerBook G3 Series was very popular. The MacBook Pro needs a slick black enclosure.

The Mac Pro/Power Mac G5 is the ugliest thing Apple has ever created. An ugly metal rectangle. Now that the Intel processor runs cooler, they should be able to design a cool looking tower.

I love my white iMac G5 iSight and love the updated aluminum design. Full featured and takes up little desk space. Whisper quiet too.

[foxo]

KernelG said:

And while we're wishing, as a pro audio user, a rack-mount Mac Pro would be the ultimate.

Already here. It's called an XServe. ;-)

[supereric]

I hate to be all aesthetically focused, but I love the case design as it is, but would like different colors. I hate the brushed metal look for the Pros.

[zensunni]

I think Apple's industrial design can be summed up with, 'Keep it fresh. Keep it simple.'
While the MacBook Pro certainly meets the latter and is a nice design, it's time to freshen it up. As you pointed out, it's had the same basic design since the G4!
That said, I just purchased one in August. So I'd be happy for them to wait another year and a half before doing it, so I'd have another excuse... er, reason to upgrade. But joking aside, it really is past time for a change.

[leehericks]

I think you will see the case redesigns with Montevina this year. This just screams incremental update to spur sales this quarter. Plus, they are using different keyboards across the product line. Maybe they have found the new MacBook Air keyboard fit for the redesign.
@aestival - Apple endorsed the ModBook tablet. I don't think it's very pretty, but for now multi-touch is on the trackpad, not the screen.