Mac Soda’s Final “Spotlight” Predictions
October 9, 2008
Today Apple sent out an invitation two days late for an event scheduled on October 14th at 10:00 AM PST. Mac Soda posted it’s early predictions for this event a few weeks ago, and I think it was pretty close to what is going to happen. Nevertheless, I felt the need to update them today, so that they can be as close to the truth as possible. So without further ado, I give you, Mac Soda’s final predictions.
Note: Many commenters are saying that we are simply taking information from around the web and posting it. While most of the things here we have posted with our independent knowledge, a few things, such as the MacBook Pro’s graphics card and amount of RAM, is speculation, or is taken from a reputable Apple blog who we can trust. If you have any questions about what is Mac Soda’s, and what is speculation, shoot me an email, or ask me in the comments.
MacBook
The MacBook's enclosure will look something like this...
Enclosure: Despite popular belief, Mac Soda believes that the outside enclosure will not be made of aluminum (UPDATE: 9 to 5 Mac has heard the same thing). Similar to the iMac, we believe that the exterior will be made of black, iPhone-like plastic, but the inside will be made of aluminum. Expect the machine to be slightly thicker than a Firewire port (.5+ inches).
Screen: 14 inch, 16:9, LED display, with an iSight camera with improved quality at the top.
Keyboard: Chicklet keyboard, similar to the one it currently has, but backlit (more like the MacBook Air’s).
Trackpad: Glass! More advanced gestures.
Processor: The processor will be from the Centrino 2 family. Expect 2.1-2.4 GHZ speeds, but improved battery life to go with it.
RAM: Up to 4 GB.
Graphics Card: As reported first by Mac Soda, the MacBook will replace Intel’s integrated graphics card with nVIDIA’s. Read more about it here.
Ports: MagSafe, Ethernet, two USB ports, mini-DVI, audio in/out, Kensington slot.
Optical Drive: Expect an updated Superdrive, with support for Blu-Ray.
Bonus Goodies: Possibly a smaller power adapter.
Price: As we predicted earlier, expect the MacBook to drop fairly significantly in price. We are expecting a 300-400 dollar price cut, pricing the MacBook at 699-799 for the base model.
MacBook Pro
Enclosure: All aluminum, all the way around, like it is today. It will be about the same thickness as the MacBook (.5 inches+).
Screen: 16 inch, 16:9, LED, iSight for the base, and 18 inch, 16:9, LED, iSight for the top model.
Keyboard: Chicklet keyboard, backlit.
Trackpad: Glass. Advanced gestures.
Processor: Centrino 2 family, up to 3 GHZ, Quad Core offered, improved battery life for all models but Quad Core.
RAM: We anticipate that the MBPs will allow for up to 8 GB of RAM.
Graphics Card: In order to please video professionals like myself, Apple will definitely offer a better graphics card than they do now. We have not heard exactly which cards they will offer.
Ports: ExpressCard/34, audio in/out, mini-DVI, two USB, FireWire 800, Ethernet.
Optical Drive: SuperDrive updated to Blu-Ray!
Bonus Goodies: The obnoxious latch the MacBook Pro has now will be replaced, as will the denting power button. The sound quality will be improved greatly, as Steve has been obsessing over sound lately. Potentially a new Firewire standard.
Price: While I wouldn’t be surprised if the price stayed the same, I believe that the MacBook Pro will boast a 1799 starting price.
MacBook Air:
Enclosure: Same as it is now. If it changes, I would be very surprised.
Screen: Same.
Keyboard: Same.
Trackpad: Glass. More advanced Gestures.
Processor: A better, more efficient, 45 nm, faster, processor will be added to the air.
RAM: 4 GB.
Graphics Card: Not much improvement, if any.
Hard Drive: Bigger, and cheaper.
Optical Drive: Nowhere to be seen!
Bonus Goodies: Can’t really think of any…
Price: 1499 (or cheaper).
iLife + iWork
5 days seems like an eternity…
October 9, 2008 at 11:44 pm
I really like the outside black/inside aluminum idea. And yes, five days is greater than or equal to an eternity.
October 10, 2008 at 12:07 am
a 14″ macbook could be great…..
If they make the pro 16″ will be less portable than mow
I do not like the platic enclosure!:-(
Hope you re not right! :-p
October 10, 2008 at 12:10 am
i think you have jsut come u with a compilation of every rumor out there and i dont think very many of them are reasonable. that being said i hope your right on all accounts i would be very happy it jsut seems… unlikely
October 10, 2008 at 12:23 am
This is way too optimistic if you ask me
October 10, 2008 at 12:27 am
dream much?
October 10, 2008 at 12:58 am
Micheal,
Just out of curiosity, is there any reason you believe these specific things, or is it just what you are guessing/hoping? I have not heard much about the glass trackpad recently, and many of the things you stated as matter of fact. I’m just wandering if you could explain to us why these things?
And also…you do sound pretty optimistic. You stated A LOT of changes and as much as I hope/wish you were right about everything, I HIGHLY doubt all this stuff will be included. Apple hasn’t really been one for “shocking” the crowd anymore if you know what I mean…
October 10, 2008 at 1:27 am
The rumor mill hasn’t reported that much of what we’ll see. Most of the stuff I’ve heard from sources, a little is speculation. If I sound unsure about something (i.e. MacBook Pro Graphics Card), it is just speculation.
October 10, 2008 at 2:15 am
[...] also pretty clear that most of the rumored upgrades to the Macbook and Macbook Pro lines are going to be a reality (glass trackpads etc.). What I’m really excited about is the 3GHz quad core and 8GB ram [...]
October 10, 2008 at 3:57 am
“We”?
It’s just you, come on. There’s nothing wrong with saying “I”. I never understand why people speaks like they are a company. “We” this, “we” that. You are just s guy. One person. There’s no “we” here.
October 10, 2008 at 5:05 am
Does anyone have any idea of any site that has/will host all the more “legitimate” looking MacBook Pro mock-up’s that have been circulating the last few months? I would think that some apple fan/blog/rumor site would have done this by now, but for the most part, all these mock up photos are spread around on different sites…
October 10, 2008 at 5:19 am
What about the MacBook being 50% plastic, 50% alu? Is that pure speculation? Or you have sources? I really hoped it would be full alu.
October 10, 2008 at 5:23 am
your “sources” … would those be macrumors.com and 9to5mac.com by chance? this site is a hack. its your own person apple wet dream diary.
October 10, 2008 at 6:01 am
Michael, what reses do you think the screens will be?
October 10, 2008 at 6:23 am
[...] TA AQUI NOSSO REI [...]
October 10, 2008 at 9:32 am
Sorry guys.. i just want to know if the new macbooks will embody Mac OS Snow Leopard or will remain with Leopard.
Thanks!
October 10, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Matteos I highly do not think so….
October 10, 2008 at 2:32 pm
nobody thinks it’s going to have bluray, the leak pictures argue strongly against hdmi, nobody’s even whispering about a $700 pricepoint (either $799 or $899 from most observers for base price).
This is just wet-dreaming, you have no sources that we don’t, and you have zero credibility.
October 10, 2008 at 3:28 pm
All you do is compile the rumors from other sites and try to claim they’re yours…this site is pathetic.
October 10, 2008 at 3:36 pm
how could anyone “steal” rumors?!
October 10, 2008 at 4:31 pm
not to mention quad core. lame fanboy nonsense. Get real. This is so ridiculous, shouldn’t even be wasting my time here.
October 10, 2008 at 5:18 pm
What I’ve posted is based on three factors.
1. What I’ve heard from sources.
2. What I’ve heard from discussions with other bloggers.
3. What I haven’t heard anything about, and have speculated.
What I’ve posted here is what I believe will come. Will I be wrong on some things? Of course. But what I’ve posted is, to my knowledge, the closest to what will actually come.
October 10, 2008 at 5:52 pm
So Micheal, you are 100% sure that the MacBook won’t be full aluminium? Did you hear from a source that the MacBook will stay plastic or it’s just your speculation? I really hoped and beleived that the new MacBook would be aluminium!
October 10, 2008 at 6:56 pm
Yes, that is something I heard from a source. Shortly after I heard, 9 to 5 Mac heard the same thing. You can check it out on their site. While the MacBook will have plastic on the top, most of it will still be aluminum. It will have a two-toned look, similar to the iMac (aluminum on front, black plastic on back).
October 10, 2008 at 7:31 pm
9to5mac only states that the INSIDE of the MacBook will be aluminium, ie the oter shell will still be plastic! Am I losing something?
October 10, 2008 at 7:33 pm
It will be two-toned: the exterior being plastic, the interior being aluminum.
October 10, 2008 at 7:37 pm
By the word ‘exterior’, you mean the shell of the laptop or inside the laptop ie where the hardware lies?
October 10, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Black and Aluminium makes sense for the Macbook in that it will differentiate it from the Pro. I have an iMac with the two tone and its real nice! I’m in for a new Mackbook to replace the G4. Great job Michael.
October 10, 2008 at 8:19 pm
stop insulting him.
if you don’t like this site go away!
October 10, 2008 at 8:30 pm
so lets get this straight … your “source”, which isnt 9to5mac.com … gave you this information BEFORE 9to5mac.com, and then after 9to5mac.com posted the info .. you felt you should do the same.
Uhmm .. Yeeaah .. okay.
October 10, 2008 at 8:38 pm
@ Darren
When the laptop is closed sitting on a desk, what to you see? That will be plastic. The top shell. The rest will be aluminum.
@ blahblahblah
I posted the plastic MacBook rumor before 9 to 5 Mac did. If you read the story, you can see I added the 9 to 5 Mac link once they posted it to help confirm what I had heard.
October 10, 2008 at 9:12 pm
you posted the link to 9to5 because that is your “source” .. outside of your own dreams and wild speculation, you have not brought a single substantiated rumor that didnt exist on macrumors or 9to5mac first … you have no source. you have an internet connection, and an obsession problem like everyone else.
October 10, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Oh ok! Thanks for the info! Do you think it will be glossy or matte? I think glossy is more prone to scratches.
October 10, 2008 at 9:54 pm
Why don’t we just wait until Tuesday to see, guys. Please.
October 10, 2008 at 10:08 pm
Do you not remember the rumor that nVIDIA would be the graphics card in the MacBook? That was me, as was the plastic rumor. Just because 9 to 5 is more well known doesn’t mean they posted it first.
October 10, 2008 at 11:11 pm
Do you stick by nVidia? What with Apple slamming them today on faulty chips. Seems like bad timing to publicly humiliate the supplier of your chipset for new notebooks.
Also are your sources saying blu-ray, or is that speculation? I actually think 16×9, Blu-ray, and HDMI is what would make this announcement something special, the rest is just speed bumps.
October 10, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Amazing people, It’s so sad to see so many of you criticizing this guy for publishing his predictions. Disagreeing is one thing (I am doubtful about blue-ray) but if you think this site has zero credibility, how about you build your own site, fill it with your negative comments, and see if anyone gives a damn what you think?
October 11, 2008 at 12:04 am
[...] Mac Soda’s Final “Spotlight” Predictions Today Apple sent out an invitation two days late for an event scheduled on October 14th at 10:00 AM PST. Mac Soda [...] [...]
October 11, 2008 at 1:58 am
should rename this website applewishlist.com
October 11, 2008 at 5:38 am
MY SOURCES SAY THIS WEBSITE SUCKS
October 11, 2008 at 6:01 am
@ ALL THE NEGATIVE COMMENTATORS:
You will all be amazed, embarrassed and humiliated when on the October 14th, Apple will release their new MacBooks and 90% of Micheal’s rumors/predictions will turn out to be true!
October 11, 2008 at 8:24 am
Do you know That One is a black PC user?! Obama is a computer illiterate!My campaign team has white Mackintosh machines. They make music. And you can watch TV with it,
Don’t give up on me!
Vote white!
We are discriminated because we are white.
Vote for me.
ADMIN UPDATE: Do not post discriminatory, racist, or tastless comments on Mac Soda. I will delete the comments, and block you from posting for good.
October 11, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Ha ha ha… Lets just reach across the aisle with two tone Black and White computers…. Our computational challenges are just too big; too big to be distracted by these rumors of black ‘Made in Arabia’ Macbooks….
October 11, 2008 at 4:13 pm
A 300-400 dollar price cut is highly unlikely.
October 11, 2008 at 7:00 pm
0.5 inch thick? No way! Its never going to be thinner than a MBA.
October 11, 2008 at 7:04 pm
The MBA is .16-.76 inches. It is certaintly possible for the MacBook/Pro to be .5 inches, especially if they are tapered (i.e. .5-.8 inches).
October 11, 2008 at 7:08 pm
@ newbie
My sources are saying Blu-Ray.
October 11, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Hmmm…
I was Expecting SSD drive too in MacBook Pro….
But they are too costly right now..
October 12, 2008 at 2:31 am
Todays MB is 1.08 inches thick, its too fat! I really hope for at least 0.8 inch thicknes. And please, no internal optical drive. I use the drive rarely, if at all.
I am soooo excited, cause soon I’ll have a new MB, MBP, or MBA.
October 12, 2008 at 2:59 am
You sound like a perfect candidate for the MBA. You want a thin computer, with no optical drive. With the update expected at the Tuesday event, if you’re sure you don’t want an optical drive, you should get a MBA.
October 12, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Mike, is the glass trackpad wishful thinking? If not, what is the source? It was mentioned a few months ago along with some PS mock-ups, and then nothing more was said. I thought that rumor died. However, if Tuesday proves it to be true I would be beyond happy as I love the iPhone’s interface.
October 13, 2008 at 7:00 pm
22 Hours left for the event! WOOHOOOOO!
October 13, 2008 at 10:18 pm
[...] Via: Macsoda [...]
October 14, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Yes, there will be a glass track pad!!!
October 24, 2008 at 4:03 pm
[...] MacSoda in einem Artikel veröffentlicht nur versuchen, Vorhersagen über die Veränderungen, die eingeführt werden, um neue Notebook. [...]