unibody
Latest
Apple's 17-inch unibody MacBook Pro gets unboxed
We had heard that quite a few early birds were receiving shipping notifications, and sure enough, Apple's 17-inch unibody MacBook Pro has left the docks. One proud owner has even taken the time to host up a handful of unboxing shots as proof, and while nothing here is out of the ordinary for those acquainted with Apple's newest 15-incher, the actual machine just looks a touch longer and wider for some reason. Maybe it's just our eyes.[Thanks, Derek and Michael]
17-inch unibody MacBook Pros now shipping?
If the above picture is to be believed, the new unibody 17-inch MacBook Pro is beginning to ship a little earlier than Apple projected when it announced that two-week delay. That's a fun little valentine treat if it's true -- anyone else get a ship confirmation?[Thanks, Michael]
17" unibody MacBook Pro deliveries not as speedy as hoped
If you've been waiting by the mailbox for that slightly oversized package to arrive... the wait just got a bit longer. Our correspondents have been sending in the news this afternoon that the expected ship date on the 17" unibody MacBook Pro has been pushed to February 19 -- the original ship date was supposed to be Tuesday 2/3, so this is a big drag if you had plans for that big screen on Valentine's Day. The complete email below: To Our Valued Apple Customer: Thank you again for your order! Wrapping up the new 17-inch MacBook Pro is taking a few days longer than we projected. As a result, we will be unable to ship your 17-inch MacBook Pro until February 19, 2009. If you don't want to wait, you may cancel your order and receive a prompt refund by calling our toll-free customer service number at 800-676-2775 or by visiting our online order status website at http://www.apple.com/orderstatus. If we do not hear from you before we ship the 17-inch MacBook Pro to you, we will assume that you have agreed to this shipment delay. In that event, a shipment notification with tracking information will be emailed to you as soon as your order is shipped. Again, there is no need to contact us unless you wish to cancel your order. We appreciate your business and apologize for any inconvenience this delay may have caused you. Thank you for shopping at the Apple Online Store! Sincerely, The Apple Online Store Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
TUAW Macworld Video: MacBook Pro 17" hands-on
Yesterday, as soon as the Expo doors opened, I bum-rushed the Apple booth, trying to get access to the new 17" unibody MacBook Pros.The decision to have a non-user replaceable battery is sure to be unpopular with some users -- at least in theory. Aside from the whole international flight issue, what effect does an 8 hour built-in battery have on heat? Having spent a few minutes with the new 17", I can say it is the coolest 17" notebook I have ever felt. The 8 hour battery life is impressive. Obviously, we'll have to wait for the reviews to see how accurate that lifespan actually is, but it certainly sounds impressive. The touted 1000 cycle lifespan of the battery is significantly longer than any other laptop battery on the market. Even excessive recharging would yield 5 years of life (if you do 200 cycles a year). I was most impressed with the screen. It's huge, it's gorgeous, and it has 1920 x 1200 resolution. I use my MacBook with an external monitor, but I could see using the 17" as just a main computer. Which is pretty much the point. Check out the video:
MacBook Pro 17-inch first hands-on (update: video added)
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/MacBook_Pro_17_inch_first_hands_on'; Yep -- it looks just like its little brothers! Feels like 'em too, except the obvious bit of heft added by that 17-inch display. Of course, they don't have that sweet, gigantic battery inside, or that matte display option (until we torch Curpertino, of course... in love). Video after the break!Update: Added another video. It'll be exciting, we promise!%Gallery-40734%
Rumor: Unibody 17 inch MacBook Pro
Both 9to5Mac and AppleInsider are reporting on rumors that a 17-inch, unibody MacBook Pro will debut at this week's Macworld Expo. Most interesting is the rumor about the machine's battery.Specifically, the alleged laptop's battery would be non-removable, very slim (consider the MacBook Air's battery) and able to run "...much longer" than the current model. The announcement of a new 17 inch MacBook Pro wouldn't be a very big surprise, but a non-removable battery would. People like removable batteries for obvious reasons.Mike Rose guessed that we'd see a new 17 inch laptop when we all listed our predictions. We'll all see what happens in just a couple of days.For full Macworld Expo coverage, bookmark the TUAW Macworld Expo 2009 landing page.[Via Engadget]
17-inch unibody MacBook Pro with non-removable battery rumored for Macworld
9to5Mac is reporting that a unibody, 17-inch MacBook Pro will be announced at Macworld, following in the footsteps of the previously released unibody 13 and 15-inchers. The rumor, backed up by some "whisperers" at Macrumors, isn't really an earth-shattering surprise -- though the accompanying revelation that this model is expected to have a slim, extended-life, non-removable battery is rather eye-opening -- and somewhat disappointing, considering the lameness of non-removable batteries. We'll know for sure on Tuesday at the keynote.Update: Apple Insider is now independently confirming the imminent arrival of the unibody 17-incher, and also corroborating the fixed internal battery theory.Read - Apple 17-inch MacBook Pro to go Unibody, sans removable battery (Silver-Zinc replacement?)Read - 17" Unibody MacBook Pro with Non-Removable Extended-Life Battery?Read - Sources: 17-inch MacBook Pro, NVIDIA Mac mini due shortly
Unibody MacBooks get first firmware updates
New unibody MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air users might want to fire up Software Update -- Apple's got some updated firmware for you. As usual, notes on what problems the new code might fix are pretty light, but let's hope they address the plethora of problems plaguing Apple's latest laptops. Give it a shot, and be sure to let us know how it goes in the comments.[Thanks, Chris]
Aluminum MacBooks unstable after 3rd-party RAM upgrade
Lucky enough to have purchased one of those shiny new unibody MacBooks? If you happen to be in the market for a RAM upgrade you may want to hold off for a little while. It seems the latest MacBooks are a little more fickle about the RAM they support than previous models.Users on the Apple Support Discussion forums are reporting problems with third-party RAM upgrades, noting system instability and lock-ups. Even users who have purchased RAM from providers that pride themselves on Mac compatibility such as Crucial and OWC are seeing the same issues. It seems that the only solution is to take out the third-party RAM and use Apple-branded RAM. International users with no access to an Apple store are currently out of luck. Of course, Apple will only officially support their own branded RAM from Samsung; upgrade kits of this sort are apparently working without issue. Unfortunately for many, however, acquiring these modules has become somewhat of an act of futility as Apple's online store says the upgrade kits are unavailable for owners of the 2.0 and 2.4 GHz MacBook. Many are guessing-slash-hoping that the problem is caused by the newness of the DD3 spec. modules in Apple's line of notebooks. Until the situation gets clarified, users are having to swap RAM repeatedly in search of a kit that will work. Hopefully Apple will shed some light on the problem and everyone can go back to getting RAM from third-party sources. Had any luck (good or bad) upgrading RAM in your new MacBook? Let us know in the comments![via jkOnTheRun]
How would you change Apple's unibody MacBook / MacBook Pro?
Now that you've had well over a month to toy with Apple's latest MacBook and MacBook Pro, we're just dying to know what your impressions are. Has the glass trackpad turned you off (or just turned you off to every other trackpad on the planet)? Is the inability to order the MBP with a matte display still grating your nerves? Are you happy with the performance? Is your "S" key randomly popping off at the most inopportune times? You just spent a load of cash on what essentially amounts to a first-generation product -- you've every right to make your voice heard. Do just that in comments below.
Apple iTunes content throwing HDCP flags on new MacBook / MacBook Pro
Man, you just can't win these days. So Apple offers up an energy-efficient, forward-thinking Mini DisplayPort on its latest MacBook / MacBook Pro, and now users that are still rocking displays sans HDCP-compliant HDMI / DVI ports are up fecal's creek without a paddle. Apparently select content in the iTunes Store is laced in HDCP, which isn't all that unexpected in and of itself; the problem comes in when you realize that the new unibody machines don't offer a VGA / VGA-to-component output, meaning that you have to connect it to an HDCP-compliant display if you want to see anything. We know, one word in particular keeps coming to mind to describe this fiasco: awesome.
Apple products announced today: It's easier being green
Apple made a concerted effort today to highlight the reduced impact its new products have on the environment. This effort all started with Steve Jobs' open letter in 2007, A Greener Apple, announcing a long-term plan to "protect the environment and make our business more sustainable." The letter was released partly in response to a Greenpeace campaign, encouraging Apple to reduce the amount of toxic chemicals in its products and improve its recycling programs. Today, the star of the show was Apple's new "unibody," a single, complex chassis for new MacBook and MacBook Pro units fabricated from a single brick of aluminum. In a video posted on its website, Apple noted that as a result of the new fabrication process, fewer parts in the laptop means a reduction in weight, size, and the amount of other material necessary to hold the device together.
