Catch up on stories from the past week (and beyond) at the Slashdot story archive

 


Forgot your password?
Close
typodupeerror
×

MacBook Updates Rumored To Include Glass Trackpad 273

Posted by ScuttleMonkey from the unfounded-speculation dept.
CWmike writes to tell us that Seth Weintraub has been hearing some interesting rumors surrounding the next iteration of Apple's MacBook line. "I have been hearing some interesting things about Apple's upcoming line of portable computers. The talk amongst insiders on the new MacBooks is kind of scattered but here's a summation of what I've heard: The new models are thinner than current MacBook and MacBook Pros and slightly more rounded, taking design cues from the MacBook Air; the trackpad is glass, multi-touch and uses gestures. The screen isn't multi-touch; the body is manufactured out of one piece of aluminum. Eco-friendly, yet sturdy. Manufacturing process is completely different; the release date will be in the last weeks of September."
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.

MacBook Updates Rumored To Include Glass Trackpad More

MacBook Updates Rumored To Include Glass Trackpad

Comments Filter:

  • An iPhone screen for a trackpad? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by smitty97 ( 995791 ) on Monday July 28, 2008 @03:16PM (#24373301)
    I hope under the glass trackpad there's a little display just like the iPhone's.

  • Re:I don't get it... (Score:1, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 28, 2008 @03:18PM (#24373331)
    But "OOK! It's shiny!!"

  • Glass trackpad? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by rtechie ( 244489 ) * on Monday July 28, 2008 @03:25PM (#24373421)

    What are the advantages of a glass trackpad? Wouldn't your finger stick to it?

  • yeah aluminum... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by mzs ( 595629 ) on Monday July 28, 2008 @03:41PM (#24373687)

    so the wifi range can be shorter O_o

  • Re:Tough one... (Score:2, Interesting)

    by retchdog ( 1319261 ) on Monday July 28, 2008 @03:55PM (#24373919) Journal

    These are Apple products anyway. Out of the past 100 distinct Apple notebooks I've seen (trust me, I am not exaggerating here) in the past year, maybe five of them were not brand new MacBooks or MBPs. Admittedly, the G4s are extra-old-and-busted (biggest waste of my money ever...), but it seems that people buy new Apple computers with their spring shopping anyway.

    And they can finally get full benefit from their inflated RAM and HD prices. Ballsy move, if true, but it will probably work out.

  • Re:Glass trackpad? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by adisakp ( 705706 ) on Monday July 28, 2008 @04:01PM (#24374039) Journal
    What are the advantages of a glass trackpad?

    Bling factor! It looks and feels more "expensive" not to mention the glass is harder so it won't scratch with use. Most trackpads kinda feel like a cheap vinyl / plastic sheet and get "wear" marks in the pad from finger friction after a couple months use..

    Wouldn't your finger stick to it?

    I'd think that getting fingerprints all over a shiny glossy surface that you are meant to touch all the time would be a bigger issue.

  • I realize thin is in... (Score:5, Interesting)

    by spagthorpe ( 111133 ) on Monday July 28, 2008 @04:45PM (#24374743)

    But I really would like to see something that I could use a day or two on a charge. If they can make it paper thin and still run a few hours, then surely, they could make something twice as thick that would go for a day?

  • How about just using the iPhone docked there (Score:3, Interesting)

    by cpu_fusion ( 705735 ) on Monday July 28, 2008 @05:41PM (#24375573)

    Dock the iPhone where the trackpad would be, to lower manufacturing costs. Could use the iPhone's screen so that the trackpad would be more than just input, it would be a second display.

    Maybe.

  • Glass = not ideal material for laptops (Score:3, Interesting)

    by AmiMoJo ( 196126 ) on Monday July 28, 2008 @05:56PM (#24375875) Homepage Journal

    Surely glass is a really bad idea for laptops? It's heavier than plastic, and less durable in terms of scratch resistance and shattering. Worse still it has more friction than some plastics, so not ideal for moving your finger over.

  • Re:Tough one... (Score:2, Interesting)

    by timmarhy ( 659436 ) on Monday July 28, 2008 @06:45PM (#24376663)
    err no. refineries typically have to generate their own power by coal or gas. bauxcite is typically leached using sodium hydroxide which is highly acidic and requires a disposal area for the tailings.

    i haven't worked in a refinery yet that i'd call "clean". people just need to stop falling for the stupid guilt trips about plastic

  • Re:Tough one...Not Really (Score:5, Interesting)

    by JohnNevets ( 924868 ) on Monday July 28, 2008 @10:31PM (#24379357)
    So if I'm understanding this right if a $0.05 part goes out and it would not be covered under warranty the customer would be charged the fee for the whole system of parts (probably several hundred dollars) while Apple gets to refurbish and resell the system of parts after they replace the cheap part (plus in house labor rates). Yea I can see how this would be win/win for apple. The only way to make this fair would be to reimburse the original purchaser for the parts that would be reused during the refurb, sort of like a core charge when you bring back your old starter motor. I would also guess that someone somewhere also is making the call that if the time and material to refurbish a system if going to be more then what they can resell the refurbish for, it will still be tossed in a landfill.

  • Re:I don't get it... (Score:1, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 29, 2008 @12:32AM (#24380487)

    That wikipedia link is a waste of time. In the "Three hours of fascinated clicking later..." sense.

    Oh sure, you'll all probably mod ME off topic...

Slashdot Top Deals

Math is like love -- a simple idea but it can get complicated. -- R. Drabek

Close