Macworld rumors du jour: external optical drives, multi-touch trackpad

While anything is obviously possible, it sure seems like the safe bet is that Apple will unveil some form of ultraportable laptop at MacWorld in a couple of weeks, and it now looks like the rumor mill is starting to pick up again with even more purported details. This latest round comes to us from the folks at Mac Rumors, who say they've heard "reliable confirmation" about a couple of the new features, including an external optical drive on the aforementioned ultraportable. What's more, they say that Apple will also be introducing "more than one notebook revision," including at least one that will incorporate a multi-touch trackpad. Again, a reasonable bet, but we'll just have to wait until the man himself takes the stage on the 15th to finally put this rumor to rest and gear up for the next.

[nxtiak @ Jan 1st 2008 11:18AM]

External optical drive? That's pretty stupid, cumbersome, and annoying.

[mabedan @ Jan 1st 2008 11:39AM]

i think it seems pretty logic... (if the external drive is included in the price)
i use my macbook's optical drive like less than once a month, almost all the softwares are downloadable off the web. so you can have always the external drive in your bag to use it occasionally.

[Homeboy @ Jan 1st 2008 11:43AM]

The only time I use the CD-drive on my laptop is when I want to install a new software, hardware or do my quarterly backup. If I would want a laptop to be light and portable as possible I could easily live without an internal optical drive, and the same goes for the people in the market for an ultra portable laptop.

It won't be a typical laptop for the home user who want a card reader, tv-tuner, built in web cam, powerful GPU, 15.4 inch screen and the whole 9.

[ssuk @ Jan 1st 2008 12:28PM]

I agree with the two above. I have a Windows laptop, and even then I don't use it much. Maybe the odd time to rip some CDs, which I don't buy many of any more, and purchase online, play a game or watch a DVD. But even those last two are a rarity. And even then I'd do them at home. So yeah, I see no problem in it, in-fact I think it's ideal, cuts down on individual unit cost, you can use a variety of USB optical media drives from CD drives to HD DVD or BluRay drives not just the Apple variety which could cost a bomb. Overall, this is a good move.

[Jared @ Jan 1st 2008 1:47PM]

I've read about the external drive rumor, starting several weeks ago, and I was incredulous too. But it just hit me now: What if the external optical drive is made to match the footprint of the current, or a revamped, Apple TV? The AppleTV USB port would then be activated for use by a software update and the optical drive could serve as an extension to the AppleTV but also double as a portable drive for the Macbook. It might not serve everyone's needs, but Apple could create one product that would serve in a couple of different situations.

[nerdtalker @ Jan 1st 2008 2:18PM]

As much as it sounds cumbersome, it actually is a great idea. Take a look at all of the UMPCs that have come out in the past year, do they have optical drives? No.

I use an optical drive-less UMPC every day, and doing without CDs as an installation medium really isn't a problem. Plus, as much as I hate to admit it, one of OS X's best features is it's disk mounting (.dmg) functionality. I have no doubt that apple will incorporate some similar functionality with this product.

Who knows, if this ultraportable is a great product, I might swallow my pride and get one...

[nerdtalker @ Jan 1st 2008 2:20PM]

As much as it sounds cumbersome, it actually is a great idea. Take a look at all of the UMPCs that have come out in the past year, do they have optical drives? No.

I use an optical drive-less UMPC every day, and doing without CDs as an installation medium really isn't a problem. Plus, as much as I hate to admit it, one of OS X's best features is it's disk mounting (.dmg) functionality. I have no doubt that apple will incorporate some similar functionality with this product.

Who knows, if this ultraportable is a great product, I might swallow my pride and get one...

[Meltz @ Jan 1st 2008 2:28PM]

it sounds good to me. This way, if your drive craps out, they will be able to replace it for you regardless of the condition of your case. I definitely just got screwed a drive by Apple because there's a little dent in my case. It's apparently against their policy to open it up unless i pay up the crack for it. Stupid jerks

[Nick @ Jan 2nd 2008 2:26PM]

its just another add-on that they can charge you $50 for that you'll miss once you dont have it; kinda like those A/C power adapters for iPods. The adapters used to come standard now its $39.99 add-on..and the iPod unit prices didnt come down.

[Chris Macdonald @ Jan 1st 2008 11:18AM]

Second comment on the second post ;)

[imacmatt09 @ Jan 1st 2008 11:21AM]

Aren't the trackpads already multi touch? Last time I checked I used 2 fingers to scroll and right click on my macbook.

[Alex @ Jan 1st 2008 11:26AM]

I'm thinking it would support Iphone-like gestures (zooming in and stuff)

[mattclarkie @ Jan 1st 2008 11:42AM]

That can be done with software, rather than a new pad. I had a trackpad on a laptop a few years ago that could track 3 fingers at once. Couple that with the software in the i-phone and you have multi-touch.

The only reason it hasn't been done before is there is really no point to it.

[Leonard Nimrod @ Jan 1st 2008 11:59AM]

yes, they are, but Apple might decide to use multi-touch as a marketing term as a way to describe advanced multi-touch capabilities and refer to the current two finger operation as dual-touch.

[ck @ Jan 1st 2008 10:57PM]

I'm calling a tablet PC form factor with a multi-touch display.

[Alex @ Jan 1st 2008 11:25AM]

yea.. multiple pieces and external optical drives does not sound like Apple at ALL..

[Chris Reddy @ Jan 1st 2008 11:27AM]

Actually, for Apple to come out with a sub-$700 laptop would be great - strip out the extras,(DVD) make them available externally, and make a solid, lightweight, affordable laptop - ideal for students or travelers that are sick of carrying around 5-6 pounds of laptop for basic communication use. You won't do any 3D rendering on it, but then again, if you do that, you can afford a MacBook Pro. I can see a MACeeePC....

[mabedan @ Jan 1st 2008 11:30AM]

what do you mean exactly by "multi-touch trackpad"?
macbooks already include trackpads which can accept two finger gestures... so what more?

[ck @ Jan 1st 2008 10:59PM]

I have a two-finger gesture for you...

;)

[thethirdmoose @ Jan 1st 2008 11:49AM]

I want to see the macbook mini - $500-$600, 12" screen, C2D processor, and a return to dedicated GPUs.

[Douglas Brace @ Jan 1st 2008 12:01PM]

A dedicated GPU on a Macbook mini?!? The regular Macbook has an integrated Intel GPU. What makes you think that the Macbook mini would be dedicated?

[thethirdmoose @ Jan 1st 2008 1:18PM]

hope?

[Sadr @ Jan 1st 2008 11:50AM]

Hey guys
I was talking with a friend of mine who does testing for apple and he told me the things apple's gonna unveil this macworld, i feel a bit guilty telling you this but the most jaw dropping thing he told me is a psp competitor from apple. It's gonna be a multitouch mac with three buttons, one for power and two joysticks which can be used for gaming and using the mouse. It's gonna be a bit smaller than a 13" mac and like iphone filled with gesture controls. The interesting thing is they apparently ran nfs prostreet on it with great quality. The bad thing is its due for end of 2009 so its a long way off.

[David Clark @ Jan 1st 2008 11:58AM]

Mmm.. least believable performance ever.

[blaktornado @ Jan 1st 2008 12:23PM]

Hmmm I didn't think Apple did hardware testing outside of Cupertino...

And considering that not even the Staff at APPLE STORES can talk about future Apple products (I genuinely talk a guy who works at the Regent Street Apple Store and he can't tell me anything) I doubt a beta tester can tell you what Apple is planning... plus, having Hardware Beta testers means you get leaks and not once have I seen an actual Apple hardware leak that wasn't from inside Apple itself (Alum Keyboard)

[tamoghno @ Jan 1st 2008 12:30PM]

three word about you / your friend : Lier , lier lier .

13" psp competitor ? everything is told !

[Sadr @ Jan 1st 2008 12:31PM]

Interesting comments guys but its all right you dont believe me, this means my mate won't get in trouble for it but keepin mind what I told when this years mac world roles around. By the way something else which is obviouse is that they're gonna announce a 3g iphone and it's gonna be tested in Uk which im really happy about.

[bl0nde @ Jan 1st 2008 12:37PM]

So many words. So much fail.

[Panathas17 @ Jan 1st 2008 12:59PM]

Look Sadr, i wouldn't be surprised to see a PSP competitor from Apple but im sure that they wouldn't let anyone let the secret out from Cupertino... and if it was for 2009, why would they be testing anyway? But maybe an update to the iPod Touch to give it gaming is more of reality and less of fantasy. Well, Think people, Apple is capable of anything... iCar anyone??? rofl

[Sadr @ Jan 1st 2008 1:10PM]

Hey guys
I think I caused some confusion. It's not an actual psp competitor, thats just my personal opinion but It's made for gaming and also by saying it's smaller than a 13" mac I meant a lot smaller. It's like a blown up iphone. and guys please don't be so brutal, i'm just trying to share the info i know.

[SoloSalsa @ Jan 1st 2008 1:16PM]

Engadget already previewed the iCar.
http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/29/what-would-the-icar-be-like/

[Blaktornado @ Jan 1st 2008 1:42PM]

You make me want to cry :(

[Alex Padilla @ Jan 1st 2008 7:37PM]

@ all of Sadr's comments

Your inside source might be using Engadget for his information. A device larger than the iphone but smaller than 13" would be the supposed Newton next-gen that Apple was/is/might be supposedly launching using multi-touch.

NOT a PSP competitor. Apple hates gaming.

[Sadr @ Jan 1st 2008 7:54PM]

hey thanks 4 ur comment but he isn't because he;s actually used it and they have had a demo of the product.

[Doug Kaplan @ Jan 1st 2008 12:01PM]

Since when is a 13.3" widescreen considered ultra-portable? Apple already had a 13.3" laptop in the past. My Dell Inspiron 700m is a 12.1" and when it came out it wasn't even considered ultra-portable. If Apple can make anything 12.1" or less, I would buy it in a heartbeat but 13.3" isn't ultra-portable to me.

[ssuk @ Jan 1st 2008 12:34PM]

Because since then technology has moved on, components have become smaller, lighter, screen technology has moved on and enabled much bigger LCD screens on laptops.

[Doug Kaplan @ Jan 1st 2008 12:42PM]

@ssuk

But if components have become smaller and lighter, how come screens haven't done the same? I notice more 17" laptops than 12.1" laptops. It seems laptops now stop at 13.3" inches and below that you will have UMPC's but nothing in between. Sony and Dell have had 12.1" laptops and lower and now it seems only Fujitsu enjoys going towards 10" in a fully featured laptop.

[Meridimus @ Jan 1st 2008 1:00PM]

I never considered my Samsung Q45 ultra portable, although it's under 2KG and 12" screen is pretty small. I just considered it smaller than a 15.4" and twice as expensive.

[rawhead @ Jan 1st 2008 9:45PM]

Well first off, the 12.1 in that you have is probably a 4:3 screen, whereas Apple is only going to release 16:9 screen from now on, so 13.3 isn't that much more screen real estate than the number might suggest. I'm typing this on a 13.3 in MacBook, and you're right, this ain't no ultra-portable.

However, I'm looking at this screen, and if they could have an enclosure that has minimal excess in the margins of the screen and around the keyboard/touchpad.... that is, if you can imagine a portable that is exactly the size of the 13.3in screen and not much wider, and you made it half the thickness and half the wight of the Macbook... then, I think you get something that does qualify as an ultra-portable.


At least, I'd be Buying it Now the moment it goes up on Apple Store ;-)

[perfectionist @ Jan 1st 2008 3:41PM]

Basically what people are asking for something in between an iPod touch and a Macbook. The odd UMPC/Foleo/sub-notebook area with little success. *cough*eeepc*cough*

Here are the options for Apple:
- Make the Macbooks slimmer with aluminum enclosure (Macbook). Then, continue with a different 2-model lineup. No opt. drive with external SuperDrive or SuperDrive built-in. $1299. However, the size won't have the widest appeal.
- Make a true ultraportable (MacBook Lite). 10-12" screen @ 1024x640 or 1280x800. External SuperDrive. Aluminum enclosure for everything. Price won't have the widest appeal and could vary depending on its configuration. $999/$1499+.
- Make a slate computer (MacBook touch/true iTouch).

Regardless, MWSF better have Mac Pro and MBP updates to Penryn! Mac mini with X3100 integrated graphics already!

[Jaquin @ Jan 21st 2008 11:05PM]

Perhaps its not the screen size that makes it an ultraportable.
I would think a weight of 3.5 to 4.0 lbs would qualify.

[John @ Jan 1st 2008 12:01PM]

maybe the touch pad will have an lcd screen under it a la the iPod.

[SoloSalsa @ Jan 1st 2008 1:10PM]

You know, that actually sounds believable. It would be sort of like Sideshow, right? Or maybe Apple's take on the Optimus mini.

[tamoghno @ Jan 1st 2008 12:33PM]

i need iTablet. & must be

[bl0nde @ Jan 1st 2008 12:39PM]

This is the return of the eeeMac. *badoom-tish*

[Adam S @ Jan 1st 2008 12:57PM]

MANY business people just need a laptop for Word, Excel, and email/internet. A subnotebook with external optical DVD would fit the bill nicely for someone interested in something primary for travel.

[Paul Harrison @ Jan 1st 2008 1:00PM]

The touchpads that are used in current laptops aren't truly multitouch - they interpret two fingers as a large blob. The iPhone uses the exact same technology, actually. Apple's just designed the UI to take advantage of expanding/contracting blobs.

[Mr. Picklesworth @ Jan 1st 2008 3:35PM]

Also, in fairness to non-Apple trackpads, the Synaptics stuff in Ubuntu (and other Linux distros) successfully simulates multi-finger interaction as well. Two fingers is a middle click, three is a right click.

[mike @ Jan 1st 2008 1:32PM]

I bet it is an Asus Eee running Max OS, with a higher resolution screen, a claim that Apple invented it, a snazzy box design, and a $1500 price tag.

-m

[mike @ Jan 1st 2008 1:33PM]

...well... that was supposed to be Mac OS, of course.