Here we go! LIVE from MACWORLD...here are the announcements (1 Viewer)

[Michael_K_Sr]

Where's the confirmation on the Mini update? If it's the so-called 1TB Mini, that has only been confirmed as an external solution for an existing Mini.

 

[Craig S]

Here's the SeeFile press release everyone was talking about. Refers several times to "new Apple Mac Mini hardware".

 

[Ted Todorov]

Strings were also found in Mac OS X referring to new Mini & iMac models. The updates are clearly coming (and Apple Cinema Displays too), the only question is when.

 

[Carlo_M]

Wow, I was getting my tax return all lined up to buy both a new iPhone (32GB or more, please) and a new Mini, but now I guess it just goes into savings!

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Here is the complete Keynote broadcast from earlier today

 

[DaveF]

I wonder what the battery trade-off is with the smaller screen and slower processors of the 15" MBPs? That is, how long until the sealed battery is standard on the MBP line, and what will the claimed battery life be?

As for duration, actual to claimed is typically 75%, for a 6-hr battery. That's still impressive for a 17" model.

But if they've actually achieved a full 8 hours use in "normal" tasks, that's huge. A full work day per charge. One charge per day. 1000 charges = ~3 years before replacement.

I'm looking forward to getting the new iLife and iWork packages. That should wait until my wife upgrades her machine, though, to save a few $$ overall.

Now, if they have battery problems like the previous gen MBPs did, this sealed battery is going to be very bad business. For me, a battery replacement meant shipping me a new battery; I never lost my computer. With these new machines, a replacement battery will be like my logic board replacement, where I'm out of comission for a week.

 

[DaveF]

If you're still interested in "live" coverage, MacWorld's commentary is much better that of the junior-high kids blogging for Engadget.

 

[Will_B]

The price of a book on Amazon.com creeps up if it starts to sell many copies. I wonder if a 69 cent song on iTunes will suddenly turn into a 99 cent song if it sells well.

 

[DaveF]

Also announced (but oddly not covered) The MacBook Wheel.

 

[KeithAP]

Apple has issued a press release denying reports that Phil Schiller's keynote address was part of a UC Berkeley sleep study

Instant Rimshot

I was just speaking with a friend that is a professional photographer and her opinion was the same as mine...if Apple is saying 7-8 hours actual time is probably more like 5-7. If so, that is simply too short of run time to use on many photo/video shoots.

Having a battery that is not user replaceable makes a lot more sense for a consumer notebook than a professional one.

-Keith

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Keith,

I have never seen actual real-world tests on laptop batteries that
have matched manufacturer claims.

So, I am with you. I'm positive the new Macbook battery will fall
short of claims.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Whose making these battery decisions at Apple, Can we have them sacked, just kidding of course but first the non replaceable battery on the phone and now on a laptop, just not bright decisions.

 

[ErichH]

Ahh, a little nappy poo on a Tuesday

 

[DaveF]

iWeb '09 supports FTP and multiple sites! Woo hoo!

Even assuming the 8 hour battery claim is overly-optimistic, this is still about double the typical claim of 4-5 hours. So it should be nearly double, real-world, current battery life.

As for user-replaceably batteries: do any of you actually carry multiple batteries? Various pundits I've read argue that no one really uses multiple batteries (there's more smoke than fire to the antagonism behind this).

Having had a laptop for 18 months now, I realize that I have no need for a swappable battery, especially if there's a reasonable-cost replacement option. I'll gladly trade a swappable 3-hr battery for a six-hour, fixed-battery. This would have been very useful over the last two weeks vacation.

But time will tell. If this is a bad move, sales will suffer and, like the matte screen, replaceable batteries will return.

 

[Ted Todorov]

If the real world battery life on the new MBP is 5-7 hours, then it is double the real world battery life of current MBPs. So even if your professional friend has two batteries, she isn't doing any better than she would with the current model.

Just as with the iPhone, where you have external portable batteries (Richard Solo, etc.), you will have third parties produce those for people who will run for 5-7+ hours without once being near an AC outlet. Mind you even airplanes these days are starting to have power for laptops (and Apple sells the magsafe adapters for them).

And keep in mind: with future releases battery life will only get better.

Really to me the only valid argument against a fixed battery on the MBP is that it removes one easy tool (pulling out the battery) for rebooting a hosed machine. The rest is mostly complaints from people who are used to the old way and refuse to believe that they can lead a happy, productive life without carrying around two batteries.

Look, I am a professional -- a computer programmer, and I use my MBP for that purpose (as well as my ancient PowerBook G4 with its at this point 30 minutes of battery life). But the only time I wish for a longer battery life is when watching video on a long plane ride -- a problem that will solve itself as more airlines modernize. I do have a spare battery for the PowerBook, which I got when the original started losing life, but never once carried both batteries with me -- I never thought it was worth the extra weight. I am sure that Apple has done studies, and found out that 95%+ of MBP users (especially 17"!) never swap batteries. Having a fixed battery benefits those 95% -- thinner stronger machine, bigger longer lasting battery, etc. For the remaining few, there will be various 3rd party devices that solve their problem.

 

[Ted Todorov]

You do know it is Steve Jobs, right? Even if he wasn't the moving force behind it (which I strongly suspect he was), he sure approved it.

And yes, I support the iPod/iPhone sealed batteries -- it allows them to be thinner and stronger. I have never had a spare battery for any phone I had before the iPhone. I am glad that when I drop the iPhone, the battery doesn't go flying off across the room or sidewalk.

Yes I want longer battery life -- but I want longer battery life from a single fixed battery.

 

[DaveF]

Don't worry, they're getting the message loud and clear, what with those iPhone sales and of course the past several years of iPod sales. It's clear how consumer feel about fixed, non-replaceable batteries...

 

[Ted Todorov]

Not to mention MacbBook Air sales, which I'm sure they consulted before deciding on the MBP 17". Mind you I'm very happy my MBP 15" has a removable battery, but mostly for psychological reasons.

 

[DaveF]

17" battery replacement for $179.

Considering a normal MBP battery is $129, and the new battery is twice the capacity, it's not an unreasonable price. What will matter more is the turn-around time. If it can be done in an Apple Store great. If it takes a week to ship it out, do it, and ship it back, not so great.

 

[Ray Chuang]

I'm not surprised there were no announcements of new iMacs and Mac Pros at Macworld.

In my humble opinion, there are two good reasons for this:

1) Apple has settled into a April release month for their new desktop machines.

2) Apple has not yet gotten assurances of a steady supply of Intel's new i7 quad-core CPU. They should get a steady supply by April 2009.