Apple Updates MacBook, MacBook Pros

There's no real reason they can't implement MultiTouch on the old MBP's. The old MBP's already feature some form of MultiTouch with the two finger right clicking and scrolling. Anyone care to try to get it working on the old MBP's and MB's? There's an AppleUSBMultiTouch.kext in the Extensions folder... perhaps that can be played with to enable it?

Edit: They've also made the Apple Remote a $19 optional addon. Arrgggh.

Hmm. Is it me, or is the Macbook Pro refresh rather weak this time around?

It's disappointing that the speed bump was so tiny. I was expecting the 17" and the top 15" to get a 2.6ghz chip standard. Plus with the price of memory being as cheap as it is right now, there's no reason why Apple couldn't load them up with 4gb or at least 3gb standard. Considering the extra month of wait, I was expecting DDR3 or something.

I'm glad to see they didn't mess with the keyboard though, and the increased VRAM is nice if you're the gamer sort. I don't see many notebooks that can boast 512mb VRAM.

There's no real reason they can't implement MultiTouch on the old MBP's. The old MBP's already feature some form of MultiTouch with the two finger right clicking and scrolling. Anyone care to try to get it working on the old MBP's and MB's? There's an AppleUSBMultiTouch.kext in the Extensions folder... perhaps that can be played with to enable it?

Sure, you can make a kext do something that the hardware isn't designed to do. [/sarcasm]

On a more serious note, the new MultiTouch trackpads are different hardware to the old ones - a software update can't enable extra features that aren't there in the first place.

Hmm. Is it me, or is the Macbook Pro refresh rather weak this time around?

 

It's disappointing that the speed bump was so tiny. I was expecting the 17" and the top 15" to get a 2.6ghz chip standard. Plus with the price of memory being as cheap as it is right now, there's no reason why Apple couldn't load them up with 4gb or at least 3gb standard. Considering the extra month of wait, I was expecting DDR3 or something.

 

I'm glad to see they didn't mess with the keyboard though.

Personally i'm pretty happy with the MBP update, 6MB L2 Cache on the (top of the range) CPUs, 512MB GDDR3 RAM on the graphics cards, High-Res LED backlit screen, and the MultiTouch trackpads. Just what I needed, and I didn't particularly want a re-design, personally I think they're nice as they are - cant wait to get mine now.

~mac.nub

Well, that was kinda unexpected?! Apple is using 45nm CPUs already.

They are also very moderately priced.

I'm really disappointed that they do not offer a 15" screen with higher resolution - even as an option. So I think again the MBP is a nogo for me...finally for me it is at least as important what fits on the screen (and which connectivity it has) as what is built around...

But I don't want to buy an Acer Travelmate

Well, that was kinda unexpected?! Apple is using 45nm CPUs already.

They are also very moderately priced.

I guess you haven't been watching the Rumours for the last few weeks like me then

~mac.nub

I have the same thought on MBP screens. I won't update exactly because of that, I don't see the point. Multi-touch is just a toy, since I mostly use my Nano mouse anyway.

That 1440x900 on 15" is soooooo yesterday.

Any chance of buying just the multi-touch trackpad from Apple Parts to retrofit into a previous gen macbook pro? I have access to a parts guy that might be able to get it for me if it's available. That'd be a nice upgrade for my 2.33 15". I'd actually like to get a LED backlit screen and retro it as well, but that's a bit too pricey. As it is with the 250GB Western Digital HD I put in, I can get almost 5 hours of battery with wireless on and backlight at reasonable levels. Honestly, I would have expected those new processors and LED screens to be pushing 6 hours by now.

yay no black keyboard

for no LED screen on the 15"

Any chance of buying just the multi-touch trackpad from Apple Parts to retrofit into a previous gen macbook pro? I have access to a parts guy that might be able to get it for me if it's available. That'd be a nice upgrade for my 2.33 15". I'd actually like to get a LED backlit screen and retro it as well, but that's a bit too pricey. As it is with the 250GB Western Digital HD I put in, I can get almost 5 hours of battery with wireless on and backlight at reasonable levels. Honestly, I would have expected those new processors and LED screens to be pushing 6 hours by now.

Quite possibly, depending on if they are the same size or not.

yay no black keyboard

 

for no LED screen on the 15"

Err what? The 15" model has had the LED screen for ages... the 17" model just hasn't had it til now.

~mac.nub

sorry, I meant no "new" LED with higher resolution...

so is it good to say that the multi-touch trackpad will never be able to be put on an old macbook pro?

sorry, I meant no "new" LED with higher resolution...

Ahh okies, that makes sense - they should have made that the standard 17" size, then made the 17" standard the High-Res size, that'd have been good.

Then again one of the reasons i'm getting the MBP 17" is for the nice High-Res screen

~mac.nub

Ya, that is one of thing I like the new XPS M1530, multiple range of resolutions on the LED displays tho.

Alright, I have been waiting for an upgrade in order to see if its worth it. Now that the upgrades are out, I'm not sure what to get. I could get the new 2.4GHz one for $1799 from Apple Ed or I can get a refurb like this 2.2GHz for $1449 or the old 2.4GHz for $1649. Is there gonna be a real increase in speed? They both have the same screen, and the multitouch doesnt mean a thing since I normally use my USB Mouse. What are the real benefits of getting the new over the old? Ugh, decisions...decisions...

weak update IMO, no wonder they didn't hold any sort of event for it. Not a worthless update, just underwhelming for how long it has been. Would have expected to see some better hardware standard at the same price point. And an option for a Blu-Ray burner, SSD HDD, and some other options... I guess the big, "real" refresh will be after the Nehalem chips and the HD war has settled down a bit more, DDR3 is more mainstream, etc.

Hey could someone tell me - what the's difference between a glossy screen and a standard? They are the same price, so what are the pros/cons of each and why would someone prefer one over the other?

Just notice the new keyboards as well. There's an media controller on the F7, F8, and F9 buttons.

still expensive as all hell

I'm pissed. I want an LED screen on my MB....Not so much the 2.4, but I wouldn't mind.

very strange is that in the apple store in belgium, the new macbook pros don't have the video ram upgrade. it's still 128 or 256 mb

I'm pumped! My new 15" MBP should be here by the end of the week!!! I ordered 4GB of ram off of Newegg for 110.00 (saves me about 300.00) along with a 7200 RPM drive which I'll be popping into the new system asap! I plan on using the 250 I'll remove as an external USB drive. Thanks Apple!!!

Now if only the 8800GT card would become available for my 1st gen Mac Pro, all would be right with my happy little Apple addicted world!!!

Couldn't they do a firmware update for the MBP trackpad?

Couldn't they do a firmware update for the MBP trackpad?

NO, from what I've read it requires different hardware.

Ahh, ok.

Anyone notice on the MBP keyboard, the apple button is gone and replaced with the word command?

Couldn't they do a firmware update for the MBP trackpad?

No, how would they get money?