possibly?

"Apple didn't respond to a request for comment."

What the hell were they expecting? For Apple to say "Yes! That's our baby right there!"

Idiots......

nice but no way.... there wouldnt be room for a fan or any type of cooling. No room for a superdrive. I don't see the magsafe either.

I'm calling BS

at least more likley then the others we have seen so far.

idk this mockup looks pretty cool, but with out ethernet ports I'm not too thrilled. Plus I'm pretty sure Apple would put up signs, "somethings in the air", just to promote the lack of ethernet ports. It would be awkward to buy a Macbook like this one, I mean you'd be best off getting the current gen if the next gen lacks various ports.

dont think so, apple is all about symetry, that fat backside will never be in an apple product.

Yeah that must be it - it's so revolutionary, it's running Tiger!

I can't fathom a laptop with no ethernet port. That just seems weird...even if wireless is pretty prevalent now, there's gotta be a few important locations left (old college libraries or something) where only wired connections are available.

Looking at where most the weight is, how is that thing not gonna fall backwards off your lap? And I also don't forsee Apple creating a white MacBook again...isn't aluminum their thing right now?

dell m1330 anyone?

@lolec:
good point! I noticed the fat back end not looking good.

Although at a counterpoint, iBOOK Clamshell. Not very symetrical.

notice how the keyboard is not recessed into the base. this means they would press into the screen every time it closes...doesnt look right

It's not just a matter of availability. Wired ethernet is still the throughput king, even over 802.11n.

Wireless only? This thing better have a _real_ dock (not some USB fake one) is all I can say. Even if it did, I'd be a little worried.

I'm envisioning some sort of proprietary adapterethernet scheme, like they did with DVI. They sure as hell better not be thinking _USB_ ethernet adapters are an acceptable substitute. *shudder*

that looks hot.

If you ask your average college kid macbook owner if they have ever even SEEN an ethernet cable, they'll probably say no.

My god.

@Padriac: true...i would say that i use wifi 98% of the time any other time im pulling internet off my mogul. i NEVER use ethernet, its just kind of there

I have never had to plug an ethernet into my macbook pro.

misfuckinstake if theres no ethernet. at most hotels, ethernet's free, wireless is 10 bux a day

I can't remember the last time I plugged any cable other than the power cord into my MacBook Pro. It doesn't seem unreasonable to jettison all those useless connectors.
However, running Tiger and that resolution on that small computer -- that's not believable.

Would consider buying one. However, if it doesn't have an ethernet port, wouldn't even consider it. In my line of work (network testing and troubleshooting), ethernet is king.

Can't fold it with this hinge ...Doesn't look right to me.

There is no doubt that many folks will not need Ethernet. But for some of us, you'll have to pry our Gigabit Ethernet connection out of our cold dead hands! :)

you don't wanna know how many died to keep this info "unofficial"

@cappucino:

it folds w/the hinge on the outside silly

I could see Apple going without ethernet port, since the calaspable idea seems prone to failure. The big missing point to all of this is the dock. I could see an apple display, a charger, hard drive, optical drive and router all in one. Apple is able to take some risks now. The only thing i am curious on is how would u charge this on the fly since it wont have a magsafe cord.

I doubt this is it. They would have to distribute the weight better.
If it was real then they have to make usb ethernet dongles (heh...dongle)

If the screen size is more than 11in I think removing the good stuff seams pointless. Hell if the EEE can keep an optical drive why should the *air* lose it (oh and thats kinda stupid removing the ethernet jack)

As an ethernet and Gigabit junkie, I have to day that ethernet is not needed anymore on laptops - I would have no problem buying this without ethernet - I plug my current laptop into a hub at my desk when using it, that hub connects a keyboard, mouse and a USB ethernet cable - that's one less cable to connect.

Ethernet is used to infrequently for most people using laptops that it will be disappearing soon. As long as we can add a USB dongle, we are all fine.

On consoles and desktops, that's another story....

@gamecrazychris: eee does not have an optical drive.

That paper thin lappie will break in 5 minutes with "real world" use. People don't throw around laptops, but you would have to be extremely careful with a device like this.

@politik: "Yeah that must be it - it's so revolutionary, it's running Tiger!"

Yeah, and what are the odds that leaked product images, images that were leaked to Wired's Gadget Lab would actually contain a desktop photo with Gadget Lab's logo! Uncanny!!

Or possibly, read the linked article and see that this is a mockup:

"Sadly, we don't have details on pricing, specs or availability. Expect reality to disagree with our photoshops."

hmmm..i made a comment about it being similar to the dell m1330, looks like someone deleted it...strange.

I can believe mac users not using a ethernet cable, who uses a mac for 'real' work anyways?

This better be wireless B/G/N

I think the big red flag that has only been brought up once is that this rendering shows the thing running TIGER! Let's just wait till tomorrow to see what has really been going on out there.

I doubt it would have problem in real world use. The Iphone has not had an issue so far.

@politik: That is hilarious, huh? You'd think the mock would have Leopard. Even funnier would be Vista.

@everyone: Any of you with 17" MacBook Pros...ever notice the hinge joint isn't very tight? I think it isn't as tight as a previous G4 Powerbook. Any tips on adjusting it?

Ah, just read that about the mockups and whatnot...

You forget that there is great potential for the next lines of portables to adopt solid state memory, which would all but eliminate the need for a cooling fan. This is a nice mockup. I RARELY see a mockup that I'm attracted to and I'm attracted to this one.

@teqsun.com: ...it's a rendering...

They say it in the article. So your call is correct.

If you stock the laptop with only wireless prepare to lose a very large chunk of public university students. To this day I've never been to a public university that provides wireless in the dorms. MSU, UM, UAA, UAF and several others don't provide it.

...nah. not feeling it.

i'd much rather have, say, a black aluminum (or titanium) macbook or MBP....the black aluminum laptop, for me, is more fashionable than the impossibly-thin laptop, and something tells me that hinge would be pretty fuckin' flimsy.

but this picture is vaporware. or i hope apple would never come out with this.

I cant believe people expect such a thin computer then complain about it not having a ethernet port... ports and such are some of the major reasons why the MBP isnt thinner then it is... Frickin shits really starting to piss me off... Forget about this thing... There is no market for it yet... And seriously my MBP is as light as a laptop should be, its not like your wearing it on ur fucking ear... Who gives a shit how much it weights? Why sacrifice a disk drive when some of apples core audience (photographers and graphic artists) use disk drives to burn DVD's and CDs to give projects to clients, and clients give them disk upon disk to view as well... Its just so idiotic to think that they would make this thing...

We will all see tomorrow... I need a cigarette...

@mferrari: dongle makes me laugh too

DONGLE

Yeah I definitely have NEVER plugged an ethernet cable into my laptop and with my iPod Touch I'm beginning to realize there's almost no need for one whatsoever. You can find free wireless virtually anywhere, which is why I hope Skype releases software for the mobile OS X because I would easily ditch my cell for a Skype Pro plan to use on my iPod.

Maybe Ethernet through USB? Maybe hiddden firewire?

@redelephantlabel: processor makes as much heat as the HDD, or maybe even more. ask my dad, his laptop is running a 3GHz prescott and a tiny little laptop hard drive.....he's at the point where he never carries it from place to place, because the vent for the processor fan is like a miniature hand dryer.

I don't think I'd be a huge fan of no ethernet port, but I'm sure apple would convince me

What about one of those battery things? This would have a 3 second battery life.