<![CDATA[Gizmodo: macbook event 2008]]> http://tags.gizmodo.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/gizmodo.com.png <![CDATA[Gizmodo: macbook event 2008]]> http://gizmodo.com/tag/macbookevent2008 http://gizmodo.com/tag/macbookevent2008 <![CDATA[Giz Bingo Winner Is Now One Pizza Happier]]> Free pizza. Yummy. Along with free beer, life really doesn't get any better than free pizza. Which is precisely what Maximillian Hill, the winner of Gizmodo's MacBook Event Bingo, got last week: A large pizza with italian sausage and extra cheese. Maximillian sent us the bingo at exactly October 14, 10:30 AM east coast time:

BINGO!

You can clearly see 3 balding guys in this photo. Look at the reflection off their heads! - 10:07 am ON Oct 14 2008

No FW 400 on the MBPs! - 10:30 am ON Oct 14 2008

Steve wears pants - 10:00 am ON Oct 14 2008

Made from block of aluminum (MB Air) - 10:17 am ON Oct 14 2008 (or 10:25 am ON Oct 14 2008 for the new one)

NVIDIA in the new MBPs - 10:28 am ON Oct 14 2008

It has been a long time (for logistics problems and some confusion) but he finally got his order, and obviously he was very happy about it.

Dear Gizmodo,

Thanks for having Bingo for the Apple event on October 14th. I think it may have been the only game of Bingo I've ever played that was worth winning. Enclosed are photos of the wonderful pizza you sent me with the Macbook Pro I got directly following that Apple event. My laptop got hungry so I tried to feed it some pizza. Can anyone tell me the best way to clean tomato sauce out of a super drive? Anyway, thanks a bunch.

-Maximillian

If you didn't win, don't worry, because there will be more of Giz bingo pizzas in the future. [Giz Bingo Pizza]

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<![CDATA[Is Steve Jobs Preparing His Farewell?]]>

Steve Jobs is leaving Apple. Not tomorrow, but probably very soon. That's why he started to say good bye today, doing something more important than just presenting new MacBooks, MacBook Pros, and an updated MacBook Air. Today's event was a play in which he clearly told everyone that the company is more than himself. Since the very first minute, when he immediately sat down to let Tim Cook talk, he was saying: "Hey, look, Apple is more than Steve. These are The Guys, the Goodfellas, the A-Team. They share the same vision I have. And they are going to push the company forward when I change my office chair for a hammock and caipirinhas on my private beach in Hawaii".

In the past, Steve Jobs was always the Star of the Show. Like his dear Johnny Cash, this man in black would come out on stage with an orchestra behind him, enthusing his audience with his voice and inflections, make his magic moves and leave everyone hypnotized until he left the building. He wasn't the best singer or the best guitar player, but he had it. Like Johnny, he also shared the limelight with others from time to time, but it was only for a song or two. The concerts were always "Hello, I'm Johnny Cash". The keynotes were always "Hello, I'm Steve Jobs."

It was Steve's Show from beginning to "one more thing," and there was no doubt about it.

Today it was the confirmation that those days may be over forever. It seems like Steve has decided it's time not to appear like Johnny Cash anymore, but time to become Mick Jagger. And with him, he brought Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and Ronnie Wood. Today Steve's band played all the tunes in harmony, showing to the world that there's more to Apple than just the frontman, even while his DNA is deep inside every single aspect of the company's culture.

Instead of kicking off with a market analysis to prepare the ground, this time it was Tim Cook who took the stage wearing Steve's color scheme: Blue jeans and black top. Psychologically, this puts them at the same level, easing the future potential power transition. Seems stupid, but you can bet it wasn't coincidental, even while Cook has zero appeal when compared to the rockstar CEO. Then came "Jony" Ive to talk about the design and aluminum laser making, and it wasn't until minute 18 that Steve took over to present the actual toys. 27 minutes later, for a man that has taken on two-hour presentations without even blinking, the MacBook 2008 video kicked off only to be followed by a short Q&A—with Cook and Phil Schiller as wingmen—after which he had time to crack a quick joke about his own health.

Obviously, that's what lies at the heart of this transition. He joked about his blood pressure, taking a dig at this obsession with watching him decline, with the World's Press looking for the Biggest News Ever in Tech History this side of Steve Ballmer announcing his sex change and a new name (probably Dorita Estevez). But while, like I said before, it's not your business or mine to get into his private life, the man clearly understands that his baby, the company he created with the Woz from scratch, deserves a plan and a bright future.

It's part of him. He created it, he was pushed off it, and then he rescued it back from the pits of hell to the top of the world. Along that path he made plenty of mistakes, but getting together the team that have been directing the company with him during the last few years is not one of those mistakes. It may prove to be his biggest lasting achievement.

I'm sure we still have a lot more shows like this, and that Steve Jobs will always stay at Apple like Bill Gates will always stay at Microsoft, even after his retirement. But the play we saw today was the prologue of the new Apple Without Steve but With Steve Era, Jobs signaling that he's not alone at the helm, and that if he moves on, nobody should panic. Not explicitly, but the message was there in big neon letters for everyone to see.

Or maybe he just had diarrhea, like Jason.

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<![CDATA[MacBook Post-Mortem Rumor Review: Hindsight is 20/20]]> If today's Apple Event, like last time, left a little taste of letdown in the mouths of the fervent, the reason why is now clear: we knew every detail of every announcement before Jobs could even prime the cylinders of the Apple Event Reality Distortion Field generator, yet alone fire it up. Some surfaced in the last 24 hours, and some we reported on months ago. Being the source of skeptical yet enthusiastic Mac rumoring that we are, we obviously help contribute to this effect. So let's have a look at the last few months buildup to today—and how much it all makes sense now.

In his thorough analysis of a leaked manufacturing pic a few weeks back (that turned out to be legit), Jesús spelled out our hard and fast policy for dealing with Apple rumoring: "Whatever the case is, always remember our first rule of rumors: Never believe them. Especially the ones about Apple." In that sense it is a credit to the good work being done here and elsewhere that most of this list of rumors and leaks did in fact turn out to be true.

Last Minute Photos Show MacBook Pro 2008 Curviness (Machome-China Forums): TRUE.
Yep, that's the MacBook Pro. Information about the hard drive being accessible behind the rear panel was also confirmed to be true.

Last Minute MacBook Rumors: Entire Glass Trackpad Is a Button, Pro Has TWO Graphics Cards, and More (Daring Fireball): TRUE.
Jon Gruber took last night's leaked (and real) pic as an opportunity to spill the beans entirely, and he nailed just about everything—dual GPUs on the MacBook Pro, MacBook as a MacBook Pro Mini, and on down the line.

Spyshot Shows What Looks to Be The New MacBook Pro (Tipster JR): TRUE
The aforementioned pic that hit Monday night—this most certainly is a legit shot of the new MBP...

New MacBook Pro 2008 Mock-Up Lights My Credit Card On Fire (Jesús): TRUE
...which then led Jesús to create this note-perfect mockup that may as well have come directly from Apple.

Apple's $899 Product Might Be LED Display Rather Than Ultra-Cheap MacBook (Macrumors): TRUE.
Hopes of a brand-new low-cost notebook looked grim after this one hit and was verified today, but the 24" LED Cinema Display dashed 'em right quick.

Supposed Best Buy Listings for New MacBooks Show No Price Drop (Tipsters): FALSE
This looked like the current Apple notebook pricing lineup for a reason—it was. Missing is the $1599 top-end MacBook and the $999 reduced original MacBook—and the original $1099 low-end MacBook price point is still there. False false false.

New MacBook 2008 Alleged Aluminum Case Photos Hit the Web (MacX): TRUE
Another Chinese site produced photos of the top portion of the aluminum MacBook's case on Monday, which are now confirmed to be real.

Mysterious MacBook Event Teaser Image is 13.3-inch Model, Says Deduction (Apple): TRUE
Look at this—Apple's brazen enough to picture an actual new product—here the new aluminum 13" MacBooks—in the event announcement itself. Times surely have changed.

New Pics Surface of Anonymous Apple Laptop (Apple Pro - Taiwan): TRUE
More legit manufacturing-stage pics of the MacBook's case, with the correct port configuration, keyboard layout and side-loading optical drive.

New MacBook Pro Rumor Control (Chinese Manufacturing Sites/Engadget): TRUE
Jesús put this shot through the Photoshop ringer and found a few suspect details, which in the end were not enough to debunk this thing completely. Turns out his instincts were correct—it's an actual shot of the new MacBook Pro's port panel.

Apple's 'Brick' is a Revolutionary Aluminum Manufacturing Process? (9to5Mac): TRUE
As we pointed out, this one was not a huge stretch, considering the MacBook Air and iMac have used aspects of this manufacturing process already.

Rumored MacBook Pro Spy Shot Has Touchpad Display, Yet Terrible Photochop Flaws (Nowhereelse/Engadget): FALSE
Another one put through the wily Photoshop ringer, this 'chop had the basic idea of the design down, but turned out to be a fake—note the front-loading optical drive, the resemblance to the MacBook Air in the edges and the keyboard, and the numerous horrific perspective botches. Skepticism does pay.

Nvidia Launch Points to Possible October 14 MacBook Intro (Homemedia): TRUE
Got the date nailed, as well as the full transition to Nvidia chips for the whole line.

Rumor: New MacBook and MacBook Pro Will Look Like Air + iMac (Appleinsider): TRUE.
With a little bit of iPhone thrown in for good measure, we would add, but that's definitely the gist.

New MacBook Pro Revealed? (T-Systems): FALSE.
General design scheme is right on, but the front optical drive again reveals this early rendering to be false false false.

Glass Multi-touch Trackpads Only Make Sense With Displays Under 'Em (Computerworld): TRUE/KINDOF
The glass multi-touch trackpad was nailed 100% here, but our wish for a touchscreen instead of a touchpad went sadly unrequited.

Could This Be a New MacBook Pro? (Apple Pro): TRUE
The oldest of the bunch from July 7—this is definitely the new form factor's top clamshell lid, along with the main portion of the bottom. As you can see, the latch hole to release the not-pictured battery and HDD panel is the same as the real thing, as is the roundness of the edges of the case.

Phew. So yes, this has been the story with Apple events for a while—back in September of last year when the last batch of iPods came around, Brian pined for the days when we didn't get shoved so forcefully into the Xmas present hiding place with our eyes wide open. But the sheer volume of information and photos out there this time is almost enough to make us think twice about or Apple rumor policy. Abandoning prevalent skepticism and rigorous analysis is the last thing we would ever do when it comes to Apple rumoring, but at this point, the volume of good leaks seems close to overtaking (if it hasn't already) the volume of good fakes.

I guess we can't believe in Santa Clause our whole lives though, right?

See all of our MacBook Event 2008 coverage right here.

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<![CDATA[Watch Entire MacBook Event Now]]> Apple's just posted the video of the entire MacBook event, so you can watch it from start to finish. It's worth watching just to hear Jonathan Ive render "aluminum" in his delicious accent over and over and over. Oh, and I hear Steve Jobs makes a cameo or two. [Apple]

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<![CDATA[A Brief History of Unibody Construction]]> In light of the news about the updated construction process for the new MacBooks, it is high time you got a brief edumication on the history of unibody construction. It may seem revolutionary, but the method Apple is using derives from the early 20th century monocoque ("single shell") technique of using an object's external skin to support structural loads. It has its roots in the airline industry where a price drop in aluminum in the 1920's made it affordable to meet the demand for stiff, strong, smooth skins that could handle the stress of high altitudes and increasingly powerful aircraft. By the end of WWII, almost all high-performance aircraft were built using monocoque or semi-monocoque technique.

The use of monocoque extended into the realm of automobiles as unibody construction (body is integrated into a single unit with the chassis) starting in 1923 with the Lancia Lambda, but it didn't really take off until Nash Motors released their 600 in 1941. Because the body was constructed as a single unit, Nash produced a vehicle that was not only stronger, but about 500 pounds lighter than a traditional body-on-frame automobile. Today, monocoque or unibody construction is so sophisticated in automobile manufacturing that the windshields often make a significant contribution to the structural strength of the vehicle.

Naturally, the benefits of a stronger, lighter single shell construction have far more applications than just aircraft and automobiles. The technique has also made a significant impact on architecture by allowing designers to eliminate load bearing walls and open up floor plans. Only time will tell if the adoption of the process by Apple will inspire other companies in the computer industry to follow their lead. [Wikipedia]

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<![CDATA[Hands On The New Silver MacBook]]>

It defies Apple convention. MacBook Pros, MacBook Airs and PowerBooks—those systems don the silver finish of aircraft-grade aluminum. iBooks and MacBooks? They can settle for plain old white.

That was, until today when Apple presented their redesigned MacBooks featuring the new "unibody enclosure" manufacturing process. So is a new finish and more rugged build enough to make the budget laptop feel like its premium counterparts? In one word, yes.

The new MacBook feels exactly like the new MacBook Pro, just smaller. Literally, if there was not a "MacBook" label on the front, you could not tell the difference without closely examining the ports. The same buttonless trackpad, the same glossy black frame, the same beveled edges, the same keyboard with back-lit keys, the same conveniently side-mounted battery display and the same optical-drive placement make this look a lot like the fabled 12-inch MacBook Pro we've been waiting for...even though it technically isn't—especially since the firewire port is gone. (The ports left include two USB, mini Display Port, ethernet, mic and headphone jack).

Let's talk about that buttonless glass trackpad for a moment. It's really fantastic. The finish is just right, providing that perfect balance of tactile resistance generally reserved for the MacBook Pro trackpad.

The feeling of physically clicking the trackpad (like a mouse button), while it sounds awkward for sure, is something I unconsciously adjusted to in seconds. The only oddity was when I used a two finger press for right clicking. On my current MacBook Pro, right clicking is a simple two finger tap and I caught myself tapping as opposed to pressing frequently when I right clicked. (If you can't adjust to the clicking pad, you can simply turn the click feature off and default to touch settings alone).

The 4-finger awareness is better than I thought. A simple swipe of four fingers pops up Expose. So could I fool it? Maybe if I only used 3 fingers. Maybe if I slipped in a thumb. Nope. It was too smart for me.

A quick tour of Spore outputted on the new 30-inch Cinema Display showed that while the MacBook's new NVIDIA GeForce 9400M is decent, it doesn't make for a flawless, unbelievable gaming machine. The system achieved passable framerates while running at 1280x800 resolution at mostly medium settings (like shadows and textures). Not horrible, but not great either.

It'll be interesting to hear the final verdict on the new metal MacBook when we have time to sit down and test it fully. But for now, as a premium computer for the average Apple user, I'm digging it.

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<![CDATA[Hands On With MacBook Pro 2008]]>

The MacBook Pro refresh feels exactly what you'd imagine it to feel like from the images in our liveblog. The screen is bright and goes almost right up against the edge of the display portion of the top. The keyboard is similar to the MacBook Air and has the now-standard Apple separation between keys. Trackpad action is super smooth (the friction coefficient is lower than the trackpads that came before), which gives you much slicker feel when gesturing. For those of you that are afraid that your mouse button has been killed in favor of just a "touch" click, don't worry—the entire trackpad is a clicker. You can even assign part of the pad to right click. The whole thing works just about as well as the old button.

Also improved are the pads on the bottom of the body, which are now more like raised mounds than nubs. The hard drive/battery case comes off easily and you can actually get to both these things easily for hard drive replacement. The power button is smaller (nice), the hinge is strong enough to hold up the laptop backwards (also nice), and the vents in the back seem to be slightly smaller and more "blended" into the body. The body is thinner than it was, but it's nothing super dramatic.

Everything about the Pro is solid, and although we didn't forcefully try to bend it in half (too many witnesses), we gently felt how much more solid it is than current models, and it felt good. The rounded cover and edges add a more MacBook Air feel to the line, which is a welcome change to the more razor-sharp edges of previous models.

The glossy screen is what it is, and is bright, fast to light up and a bit too reflective if you position it with the sun behind you (no matte option anymore). Quick verdict is that it's definitely a step up in most ways over your current MacBook Pro.

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<![CDATA[Cranky Windows Guy: Apple Laptops Still Too Damned Expensive May Not Be That Expensive After All]]> As you may be aware, I'm a Windows guy. I'm not diehard about it, however. When the time comes for me to get a new laptop in the next year or so, I'll be open to switching, making me Apple's target market. But there's one big reason that is holding me back from making that switch: price. Apple's laptops are expensive as hell, and the prices aren't justified.

Update: We have edited this post to reflect the real hardware/price comparison between the Dell and the Apple laptops. The bottom line: They are not comparable. Our apologies for the mistakes in the original article. —J.D.

Let's just look at the 13-inch MacBook that was just announced, for example. For $1,300, it comes with a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo, 2GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. Over at Dell, I can grab an Inspiron 13 laptop with a 13.3-inch screen, a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo, 3GB of RAM and a 250GB hard drive. For $750. For those of you keeping score at home, that's a $550 difference, and the specs are better on the cheaper Dell.

Update:

Actually, the specs on the Dell are not better, as reader Giz James Topoleski pointed out. In fact, the MacBook seems like a much better machine than the Dell except for the 1GB of extra RAM and larger hard drive.

• The Dell uses Intel graphics instead of the much better NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, which is currently unavailable in any other computer.
• The Dell uses a 802.11g Mini-Card as oposed to the MacBook's Wireless N card.
• While it has 3GB of Shared Dual Channel DDR2 RAM at 667MHz, the 2GB of RAM in the MacBook is 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM.
• The Dell has an Intel Core 2 Duo T5750 with 667MHz bus and 2MB cache as opposed to the Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB on chip and 1066 MHz bus on the MacBook.
• The Dell has no Bluetooth by default.
• There's no HD video output on the Dell and no option for one.
• There's no gigabit Eithernet.

So as you can see, the price difference is quite reasonable, and that's without counting on things like the multi-touch no-button glass trackpad or the iLife multimedia suite, both things not included in the Dell. It's like comparing last year's car model with this year's.

-

And it's not like Apple is offering anything great for my $550. You have a fancy new manufacturing process, awesome. Your trackpads are glass. OK. I'd rather have $550 and a plastic trackpad, thanks. I'm not sold on no physical buttons anyways. (Update: The whole trackpad is a physical button. —J.D.)

Apple has always put a price premium on its products, and people pay it, which is great for them. But for people who aren't already on the Apple bandwagon and for people who aren't having their computers bought for them by rich parents, like the college kids who snap up these laptops every August, there's no incentive to switch.

Maybe Leopard is way better than Vista. I don't know, I haven't extensively used either. But when the time comes to buy a new computer that comes loaded with one or the other, one thing is going to make my decision for me, and it isn't shiny glass things or funny commercials. It's the price. And I don't think I'm alone on that one.

Note: While this last point may be arguable, it's certainly not the case of the MacBook. Even while the MacBook has less storage space and memory than the Dell, it seems competitively priced looking at the technologies including in the package. —J.D.

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<![CDATA[Jobs On Blu-ray: "A Bag of Hurt"]]> On the lack of BD drives in the new Mac notebooks, quoth Jobs:

Blu-ray is a bag of hurt. I don’t mean from the consumer point of view. It’s great to watch movies, but the licensing is so complex. We’re waiting until things settle down, and waiting until Blu-ray takes off before we burden our customers with the cost of licensing.

Takeaway? Huge battery drain, likely replaced by digital downloads in the not-too-distant future, so we'll hold off on the big price jump, thanks. Me? I still love 'em on my PS3, but I'm going to have to start using "bag of hurt" way more often.

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<![CDATA[Next-Generation MacBook Ditches Plastic, Becomes MacBook Pro Mini]]>

Joining the MacBook Pro, Apple's MacBooks, their best-selling mac ever, also received a complete hardware re-tooling today, with rejuvenated hardware packed inside a brand-new aluminum case, thus putting one of the final stakes in the heart of white and black plastic in the computer line (the original plastic MacBook is still available, at a reduced $999 price) and linking the consumer and pro notebooks under the same design vocabulary for the first time.

(More pics by Mark Wilson from our liveblog are here.)

•Built with the "Brick" manufacturing process that casts the entire notebook's frame from a single piece of aluminum (removing cut-out pieces, rather than bolting on additions), the Air-inspired chassis takes the formerly dorm-roomy vibe of the previous iteration and fully wraps it into Apple's more grown-up polished-aluminum-and-black-glass design philosophy that Mr. Ive has been cranking on of late.

•The rumored Nvidia chipset is now in, with a brand new Nvidia 9400M integrated GPU replacing the previous Macbook's Intel integrated graphics. It has 16 parallel graphics cores, pushes 54 Gigaflops and runs up to 5 times faster than Intel Integrated graphics (huge). It's the same card found in the MacBook Pros, but without the secondary Nvidia unit.

•The 13.3" LED-backlit screen features the same corner-to-corner glass cover as the MBP. The LED 30% more power efficient.

•Like the MBP, the MacBook also meets EPEAT Gold certification for energy and manufacturing green-ness, and has 42% smaller packaging size.

•5 hours of stated battery life.

•It's a "half-pound lighter" than the previous MacBooks and 0.95 inches thick, and weight is 4.5 lbs.

•Also brand new is Apple's next generation glass multitouch trackpad, which eschews a traditional button in favor of making the pad itself the only button. New four-finger multitouch gestures (four!) for exposé and app switching, and multi-button clicks are done via software.

•The low-end $1099 model has been dropped (old MBs available now for $999), leaving only the 2.0GHz/160GB/2MB RAM/Superdrive for $1299 and the 2.4 GHz/250GB for $1599—much to the chagrin of those looking for the rumored sub-$1000 NEW notebook. A 128GB SSD is available on the top end, with no price mentioned.

•Shipping TODAY, and available in-store tomorrow. It seems like they're hyping the MacBook hard, with a new commercial showing the fabrication process and the powerful new Nvidia graphics.

•“In many ways I think it’s more beautiful internally than it is externally” - Ive.

Full, incredibly long press release covering both the MacBooks and MacBook Pros:

New MacBook Family Redefines Notebook Design

Industry’s Greenest Notebooks

CUPERTINO, California—October 14, 2008—Apple® today unveiled an all new MacBook® family that redefines notebook design, and at the same time dramatically lowers the entry price for advanced notebook features including all-metal enclosures and pro-performance notebook graphics by $700 to make them far more affordable. The new MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro both have a precision unibody enclosure crafted from a single block of aluminum, resulting in thinner, more durable and incredibly beautiful designs. In addition, every member of the new MacBook family includes state of the art NVIDIA graphics, brilliant instant-on LED-backlit displays and new large glass Multi-Touch™ trackpads that offer almost 40 percent more tracking area and support more Multi-Touch gestures. The entire new MacBook family meets stringent Energy Star 4.0, EPEAT Gold and RoHS environmental standards, and leads the industry in the elimination of toxic chemicals by containing no brominated flame retardants, using only PVC-free internal cables and components, and using energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass.

“Apple has invented a whole new way of building notebooks from a single block of aluminum. And, just as important, they are the industry’s greenest notebooks,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “The new MacBooks offer incredible features our users will love —like their stunning all-metal design, great 3D graphics and LED backlit displays—at prices up to $700 less than before.”

“Traditionally notebooks are made from multiple parts. With the new MacBook, we’ve replaced all of those parts with just one part—the unibody,” said Jonathan Ive, Apple’s senior vice president of Industrial Design. “The MacBook’s unibody enclosure is made from a single block of aluminum, making the new MacBook fundamentally thinner, stronger and more robust with a fit and finish that we’ve never even dreamed of before.”

The new MacBook line features the powerful new NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, a revolutionary new 3D integrated graphics processor that features 16 parallel processing cores and delivers up to five times the 3D graphics performance as previous MacBook and MacBook Air™ designs. Apple has worked together with NVIDIA on this groundbreaking graphics processor and is the first to bring it to market in the new MacBook family.

The new smooth glass Multi-Touch trackpad on the MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro gives users almost 40 percent more tracking area than before, making it even easier to use Multi-Touch gestures like pinch, rotate and swipe. New gestures allow users to activate Exposé® or switch between applications at the touch of a fingertip. The entire trackpad surface is also a button, allowing users to both track and click virtually anywhere on the trackpad. Users can easily enable multiple virtual buttons in software, such as right-clicking.

Every member of the new MacBook family features an LED-backlit display for brilliant instant-on performance that uses up to 30 percent less energy than its predecessor and eliminates the mercury found in industry standard fluorescent tube backlights. The ultra-thin displays provide crisp images and vivid colors which are ideal for viewing photos and movies, and the edge-to-edge cover glass creates a smooth, seamless surface. Every display in the new MacBook line uses completely arsenic-free glass.

The new MacBook delivers the top three features that MacBook customers have told us they want in a new MacBook—an all metal enclosure, high performance 3D graphics and LED-backlit displays—at an entry price that is $700 less than the $1,999 price of the MacBook Pro. At only 0.95-inches thin and weighing just 4.5 pounds, the new 13-inch full featured aluminum MacBook is an incredibly compact and durable notebook starting at just $1,299. Featuring the new NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor, MacBook delivers outstanding 3D game play on a consumer notebook, with up to five times faster graphics performance than the previous generation. The new MacBook is available in two models: the 2.0 GHz MacBook with a 160GB 5400 rpm hard drive, and the 2.4 GHz MacBook with a 250GB 5400 rpm hard drive and a backlit keyboard.

The powerful new 15-inch MacBook Pro at only 0.95-inches thin and weighing just 5.5 pounds offers ultimate performance and extensive expansion features in a remarkably portable design. Starting at $1,999, the MacBook Pro uses the latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors available, running up to 2.8 GHz, and a new graphics architecture that allows users to switch between the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics processor for better battery life and the powerful NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics processor for higher performance. The new MacBook Pro is available in two models: a 2.4 GHz model with a 250GB 5400 rpm hard drive and a 2.53 GHz model with a 320GB 5400 rpm hard drive.

Today Apple also updated MacBook Air and the 17-inch MacBook Pro. MacBook Air, measuring only 0.16-inches at its thinnest point, 0.76-inches at its maximum height and weighing just three pounds, now includes new NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics and a faster architecture to provide robust support for 3D games and enhanced performance. Starting at $1,799, MacBook Air is available with a 120GB 4200 rpm hard drive, a 50 percent increase from the previous generation, or a new 128GB solid state drive. The updated 17-inch MacBook Pro keeps its original aluminum design, and now comes standard with a high resolution 1920 x 1200 LED-backlit display and a larger 320GB hard drive or an optional 128GB solid state drive.

Setting a new standard for environmentally friendly notebooks, every model of the new MacBook family achieves EPEAT Gold status.* Each MacBook unibody enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and comes standard with energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. The new MacBook family meets stringent Energy Star 4.0 requirements, contains no brominated flame retardants and uses internal cables and components that are PVC-free.

The new MacBook, 15-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air include a next generation, industry-standard Mini DisplayPort to connect with the new Apple LED Cinema Display featuring a 24-inch LED-backlit widescreen display with a built-in iSight® video camera, mic and speakers in an elegant, thin aluminum and glass enclosure. Part of the next-generation DisplayPort industry standard, the new Mini DisplayPort delivers a pure digital signal that can drive up to a 30-inch widescreen display. The Mini DisplayPort is ultra-compact at just 10 percent the size of a full DVI connector, perfect for the sleek design of the new MacBook family. Adapters are available for using the MacBook’s Mini DisplayPort with older generation VGA, DVI/HDMI and Dual-Link DVI displays.

Every Mac® in the Apple lineup comes with iLife® ‘08, Apple’s award-winning suite of digital lifestyle applications, featuring iPhoto®, the easiest, fastest way to organize and share digital photos, and a completely reinvented iMovie®, both seamlessly integrated with the MobileMe™ Gallery for online photo and video sharing.** Every Mac also includes Leopard®, the world’s most advanced operating system which features Time Machine™,*** an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac; a redesigned Finder™ that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs; Quick Look, the best way to instantly see files without opening an application; Spaces®, an intuitive feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them; and major enhancements to Mail and iChat®.****

Pricing & Availability

The new MacBook, 15-inch MacBook Pro and 17-inch MacBook Pro are now shipping and the new MacBook Air will be available in early November through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. An updated 13-inch white MacBook featuring 2.1 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors, a 120GB 5400 rpm hard drive and a slot-load 8X SuperDrive® is now available for $999 (US).

The 2.0 GHz, 13-inch aluminum MacBook, for a suggested retail price of $1,299 (US), includes:

* 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1280 x 800 glossy display;

* 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;

* 1066 MHz front-side bus;

* 2GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB;

* NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

* 160GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

* a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

* Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

* built-in AirPort Extreme® 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

* Gigabit Ethernet port;

* built-in iSight video camera;

* two USB 2.0 ports;

* one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;

* glass Multi-Touch trackpad; and

* 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

The 2.4 GHz aluminum MacBook, for a suggested retail price of $1,599 (US), includes:

* 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1280 x 800 glossy display;

* 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;

* 1066 MHz front-side bus;

* 2GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB;

* NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

* 250GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

* a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

* Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

* Gigabit Ethernet port;

* built-in iSight video camera;

* two USB 2.0 ports;

* one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;

* glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard; and

* 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Build-to-order options for the MacBook include the ability to upgrade to 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, a 250GB 5400 rpm, 320GB 5400 rpm hard drive, a 128GB solid state drive, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple USB Modem, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare® Protection Plan.

The 2.4 GHz, 15-inch aluminum MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US), includes:

* 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;

* 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;

* 1066 MHz front-side bus;

* 2GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB;

* NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

* NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics with 256MB GDDR3 video memory;

* 250GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

* a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

* Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

* Gigabit Ethernet port;

* built-in iSight video camera;

* two USB 2.0 ports;

* one FireWire® 800 port;

* ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;

* one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;

* glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard; and

* 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

The 2.53 GHz aluminum MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,499 (US), includes:

* 15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;

* 2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 6MB shared L2 cache;

* 1066 MHz front-side bus;

* 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM;

* NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

* NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics with 512MB GDDR3 video memory;

* 320GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

* a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

* Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

* Gigabit Ethernet port;

* built-in iSight video camera;

* two USB 2.0 ports;

* one FireWire 800 port;

* ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;

* one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;

* glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard; and

* 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Build-to-order options for the MacBook Pro include a 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, the ability to upgrade to 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 250GB 7200 rpm, 320GB 5400 rpm or a 320GB 7200 rpm hard drive, a 128GB solid state drive, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple USB Modem, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare Protection Plan.

The 1.6 GHz MacBook Air, for a suggested retail price of $1,799 (US), includes:

* 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit high resolution 1280 x 800 glossy display;

* 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 6MB shared L2 cache;

* 1066 MHz front-side bus;

* 2GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM;

* NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

* 120GB serial ATA hard drive running at 4200 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

* Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

* built-in iSight video camera;

* one USB 2.0 port;

* one headphone port;

* Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard; and

* 45 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

The 1.86 GHz MacBook Air, for a suggested retail price of $2,499 (US), includes:

* 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1280 x 800 glossy display;

* 1.86 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 6MB shared L2 cache;

* 1066 MHz front-side bus;

* 2GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM;

* NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;

* 128GB solid state drive;

* Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);

* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

* built-in iSight video camera;

* one USB 2.0 port;

* one headphone port;

* Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard; and

* 45 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Build-to-order options and accessories for the MacBook Air include the MacBook Air SuperDrive, Apple USB Ethernet Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple USB Modem, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter, Apple Remote and the AppleCare Protection Plan.

The 2.5GHz 17-inch MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,799 (US), includes:

* 17-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1920 x 1200 glossy display;

* 2.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 6MB shared L2 cache;

* 800 MHz front-side bus;

* 4GB 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM;

* NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with 512MB with GDDR3 video memory;

* 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;

* a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;

* DVI output port for video output (VGA adapter included);

* built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;

* Gigabit Ethernet port;

* built-in iSight video camera;

* three USB 2.0 ports;

* one FireWire 800 port and one FireWire 400 port;

* ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;

* one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;

* Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard; and

* 85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.

Build-to-order options for the 17-inch MacBook Pro include a 2.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, a 320GB 7200 rpm hard drive, a 128GB solid state drive, anti-glare display, Apple USB Modem, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare Protection Plan.

*EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the optional criteria are recognized as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

**The MobileMe service is available to persons aged 13 or older. Annual membership fee and internet access required. Terms and conditions apply.

***Time Machine requires an additional hard drive (sold separately).

****Video chatting requires a broadband Internet connection; fees may apply.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

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<![CDATA[Apple's New 24-Inch LED Cinema Display With iSight is $899]]>

As it turns out, the last minute rumor was correct about Apple adding a 24-inch Cinema Display to their stable of 20, 23 and 30 inch versions. The twist here is that the new version adds an LED backlight and built-in iSight with mic, 1920x1200 resolution, built-in stereo speakers, and 3 port usb hub. Plus the cable has a Mag Safe connector, USB, and mini Display Port that runs off the monitor. Available in November for $899.

Apple Unveils 24-inch LED Cinema Display for New MacBook Family

CUPERTINO, California—October 14, 2008—Apple® today unveiled the LED Cinema Display featuring a stunning 24-inch LED-backlit widescreen display with built-in iSight® video camera, mic and speakers in an elegant, thin aluminum and glass enclosure. Designed for the new MacBook® family, the LED Cinema Display includes an integrated MagSafe® charger, three USB 2.0 ports and the new Mini DisplayPort, making it easy for MacBook users to quickly connect and power their notebooks as well as use their favorite peripherals.

“The new LED Cinema Display is the most advanced display that Apple has ever made,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “It is a perfect fit for our sleek new line of aluminum MacBooks with its 24-inch LED-backlit screen, aluminum and glass enclosure, integrated camera, mic and speakers, MagSafe charger, three USB ports and Mini DisplayPort.”

The 24-inch glossy, widescreen display with 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution uses LED-backlit technology to provide instant full-screen brightness and great power efficiency. Suspended by an aluminum stand with an adjustable hinge that makes tilting the display almost effortless, the new display includes a built-in iSight video camera, mic and speakers, making it ideal for video conferencing with iChat®,* listening to music or watching movies. The new display also includes three self-powered USB 2.0 ports so users can simply leave their printer, camera, iPhone™ 3G or iPod® dock connected when they take their MacBook with them. The sleek, thin display also includes a built-in universal MagSafe charger so users can conveniently leave their notebook’s MagSafe power adapter in their travel bag.

The new LED Cinema Display is the greenest Apple display ever, made with mercury-free LED technology, arsenic-free glass and highly recyclable materials. The LED Cinema Display meets stringent Energy Star 4.0 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status.** The new display contains no brominated flame retardants, all internal cables and components are PVC-free and its foam packaging has been reduced by 44 percent.

Part of the next-generation DisplayPort industry standard, the new Mini DisplayPort delivers a pure digital signal that can drive up to a 30-inch widescreen display. The Mini DisplayPort is ultra-compact at just 10 percent the size of a full DVI connector, perfect for the sleek design of the new MacBook family. Adapters are available for using the MacBook’s Mini DisplayPort with older generation VGA, DVI/HDMI and Dual-Link DVI displays.

Pricing & Availability
The new LED Cinema Display will be available in November through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $899 (US). The LED Cinema Display requires a MacBook, MacBook Air™ or MacBook Pro with the new Mini DisplayPort.

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<![CDATA[New MacBooks Get Glass Trackpads 4-finger Multitouch, No Buttons, and No LCD]]>

One of the biggest new features in the new MacBooks that Apple just unveiled is the glass trackpad, one that ditches the button in favor of turning the entire trackpad into a button. It also works with a bunch of new gestures, using up to four fingers to make doing things like switching between applications and flipping through a photo slideshow easier. It's pretty cool, but definitely not as cool as the concepts we've seen with a screen underneath, making the whole trackpad-is-the-buttons much more logical. Where's the screen, Apple?

Anyhow, this new trackpad has 39% more of a surface area than the old ones. As for the new gestures, some of them will include things like a two finger gesture to pinch and rotate for zooming and panning, a three finger gesture for swiping between photos or a four finger gesture for expose and app switching. Of course, all of this could have been done with the old plastic trackpads, making me wonder what, exactly, is the benefit of a glass trackpad with no screen underneath. I personally prefer the feel of my plastic trackpad to the screen of my iPhone for dragging my finger around on, as there's less resistance and fingerprint-gunkery on plastic.

From the press release:

The new smooth glass Multi-Touch trackpad on the MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro gives users almost 40 percent more tracking area than before, making it even easier to use Multi-Touch gestures like pinch, rotate and swipe. New gestures allow users to activate Exposé® or switch between applications at the touch of a fingertip. The entire trackpad surface is also a button, allowing users to both track and click virtually anywhere on the trackpad. Users can easily enable multiple virtual buttons in software, such as right-clicking.

[Live.Gizmodo.com]

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<![CDATA[MacBook Pro 2008 Is Apple's Most Boomtastic Notebook Ever]]> The new MacBook Pro 2008 is, at last, the worthy successor to the mythical PowerBook Titanium. From its new design—with an iMac-style glass screen, smooth Air-style surfaces, and no-button trackpad—to its guts—with new processors and both an Nvidia GeForce 9400M and 9600M GT—it's a pretty impressive machine. Full specs and details after the jump.

The MacBook Pro 2008 comes with

• The latest Intel Core 2 Duo processors running at 2.4GHz and 2.53GHz.
• Nvidia GeForce 9400m, a chipset that includes a graphics processors. 70 percent of it is the processor, with 16 parallel chips in one and 54 gigaflops.
• Nvidia GeForce 9600m GT graphics:
- 32 parallel graphics cores
- 120 gigaflops
- 512 MBytes.
• New multi-touch glass trackpad that acts as single button, providing a click feedback when you push it.
• The trackpad is 39% larger than previous models.
• It admits four-finger gestures, so you can call exposé now by using the four fingers, as well as to activate app switching.
• LED displays, which makes the screen a lot thinner.
• All connections are one side.
• Black MacBook Air style keyboard.
• Mini DisplayPort connector.

The specs and prices

• Standard Model: $1999
- 15.4-inch screen
- 2.4GHz processor
- 2GB DDR3-RAM
- Geforce 9400M and 9600M GT
- 250 Gig HDD
- Super-Drive

• Better Model: $2499
- 15.4-inch screen
- 2.53GHz
- 4 GB RAM
- 512 MB on 9600GT
- 320 GIG HDD

Like with the MacBook Air, you can get a 128GB solid state drive as an option. Both are shipping today and you can get a Best Model with a 2.8 GHz processor.

Jobs also had a laundry list for the hippies and the treehuggers at Greenpeace. The new MacBook Pro is:

• Arsenic free
• BFR free
• Mecurry free
• PVC free
• Recyclable
• Ships in a a 37% smaller packaging.

Apple official press release on the MacBook Pro

The 2.4 GHz, 15-inch aluminum MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $1,999 (US), includes:

15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;
2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache;
1066 MHz front-side bus;
2GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB;
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics with 256MB GDDR3 video memory;
250GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
Gigabit Ethernet port;
built-in iSight video camera;
two USB 2.0 ports;
one FireWire® 800 port;
ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;
one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;
glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard; and
85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
The 2.53 GHz aluminum MacBook Pro, for a suggested retail price of $2,499 (US), includes:

15.4-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1440 x 900 glossy display;
2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 6MB shared L2 cache;
1066 MHz front-side bus;
4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM;
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT discrete graphics with 512MB GDDR3 video memory;
320GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor;
a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW) optical drive;
Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
Gigabit Ethernet port;
built-in iSight video camera;
two USB 2.0 ports;
one FireWire 800 port;
ExpressCard/34 expansion card slot;
one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both optical digital and analog;
glass Multi-Touch trackpad and illuminated keyboard; and
85 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter.
Build-to-order options for the MacBook Pro include a 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, the ability to upgrade to 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 250GB 7200 rpm, 320GB 5400 rpm or a 320GB 7200 rpm hard drive, a 128GB solid state drive, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple USB Modem, Apple Remote, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare Protection Plan.

[Apple event liveblog]

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<![CDATA[How the MacBooks Are Carved Out of Solid Aluminum]]>

Apple has confirmed their new way to make laptops in the new MacBook 2008 line-up. Previously, manufacturers—including Apple—would add layers to form a body, welding each of them to give the laptop rigidity. Now, they have changed the whole game: instead of adding pieces, they will eliminate matter from solid pieces of aluminum using lasers and other machinery to create the new MacBook bodies.

The whole thing starts with a solid block of aluminum. This goes through an extrusion machine, in which the block is flattened on a thick, continuous metal sheet, like giant aluminum tagliatelle, which then get cut into the blocks that make the base of the MacBooks.

These blocks go through 13 different milling operations, using all kinds of machinery including lasers, until the part is completely finished and ready to be sent to the assembly line.

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<![CDATA[New MacBook 2008 Event Bingo: Play and Win Free Pizza]]> The new MacBook 2008 line-up. Oh yes. At last, after all this endless waiting, we are just a few hours away from the Apple MacBook 2008 event in which His Steveness will show the new wonderbooks to the world. We have already told you what to expect and showed you how the MacBook Pro looks like, but until tomorrow nobody really knows for sure. That's why we have created this bingo game, so you can play with us as you follow our MacBook 2008 liveblog event and have a chance to win free pizza. You only have to print this and follow the instructions:

• Print out the bingo card.

• Follow our MacBook 2008 liveblog event and take note of the timestamp as the event in the bingo card happens.

• You can shout bingo if you fill out one line or, alternatively, one of the 2 x 2 brick groups.

• When you get a bingo, quickly send us an email including the events and their timestamps to tips@gizmodo.com.

The first person who sends us a bingo wins the prize, which—in case you are a girl—it will be a dinner for two with me at Good Enough to Eat or—if you are a boy—a dinner for two with Jason at his lair. OK, I just made that up. But you will get our respect and love. Tons of it.

And one free pizza (if there's pizza internet ordering where you are located, that is). Nothing like an edible prize to warm up my heart and my stomach. In fact, we should make this a tradition for each event: The Giz's Liveblog Pizza Bingo. I like how it sounds.

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<![CDATA[Last Minute Photos Show MacBook Pro 2008 Curviness]]> With just three hours to go, the explosion of leaked shots and last-minute rumors continues. However, if you didn't had enough with those and our crystal-clear MacBook Pro 15-inch mock-up , here are even more real crystal-clear images that show the top and bottom of the MacBook Pro 2008.

According to the shots and the original chinese post, the new MacBook Pro 2008 has been designed to facilitate the replacement of the battery and hard disk, thanks to an easily-removable bottom lid. AppleInsider also claims that you will be able to get a higher resolution display as a build-to-order option.[MacHome via AppleInsider]

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<![CDATA[Last Minute MacBook Rumors: Entire Glass Trackpad Is a Button, Pro Has TWO Graphics Cards, and More]]> John Gruber, who foretold the Oct. 14 event many moons ago, has just dropped what appears to be the motherload of what'll be announced. Besides confirming the spy shot, he confirms what I thought when I saw there wasn't a separate mouse button—the entire trackpad (which is glass, as was rumored) is a button, kind of like the BlackBerry Storm's screen. You just push it down, it clicks.

Two bits on the Pro side: There isn't a new 17-inch model. Whether it'll show up later (like the original 17-inch MacBook Pro) or will fade into history is unknown, but the current one will hang around for a bit. The biggie, though, is that the Pro has TWO graphics cards—a GeForce 9400M and a 9600M GT. It'll use the 9400M when it needs to conserve battery juice, and kick on the 9600M when it needs raw power. CPU is going to be about the same. Oh, and it's go glossy or go home, there is no matte option.

For the new MacBooks, they'll look just like 13-inch Pros, but they'll cost ya on that level too: The cheapest aluminum MacBook will be $1299, come with a 2GHz processor, 2GB RAM and 160GB HDD. Yeah, that CPU is a bit slower than the old one, but supposedly the GeForce 9400M inside will make up for it. The white MacBook will stick around, and drop to $999 for the base model.

And for the Airs, more storage, 120GB HDD and 128GB SSD. Woohoo. Of course, we'll find out soon, as we bring to you live. [Daring Fireball]

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<![CDATA[Microsoft Responds to New MacBooks, Just Says "Apple Tax" Eight Times]]> In an email of talking points circulated by Microsoft spokespeople, the company addresses the various rumors about today's new MacBooks, preemptively claiming that they will be overpriced, underspec'd and locked down. They offer charts comparing the feature lists of similarly priced Windows and Mac notebooks and make numerous accusations of an "Apple Tax." The email is interesting: nothing they say is incorrect, but none of it is new. Most importantly, all of it misses the point completely.

Most Apple buyers are fully aware that they could purchase a cheaper computers from another manufacturer — after all, Apple's hardware specifications aren't exactly closely guarded secrets. Telling them this again and again won't win any converts, but it will, in a way, "rally the base" of fervent Apple critics online and elsewhere. If you also take into consideration that fact that Microsoft isn't promoting a specific new competitor to the new MacBook or even saying many positive things about any of their products, it is pretty clear what this is: an old-fashioned attack ad.

Unfortunately for Microsoft, it's doubtful that it will change anything. With or without these ads, new MacBooks will inspire a hoard of people — most of whom would have never purchased one anyway — to write about how overpriced the hardware is. Shouting "COMMODITIZED PCS ARE CHEAPER" over and over again and throwing around phrases like "Apple Tax" isn't a marketing strategy — it's political entrenchment. For computers. Partial text of the email below.

The economy is impacting consumer choices, but Macs, due to their high upfront, won’t sell in a more conservative market. On Sept. 29th, Morgan Stanley noted: “PC unit growth is decelerating and the remaining source of growth is increasingly the sub-$1,000 market where Apple does not play.” Even if Apple were to drop pricing, the Apple Tax still prices Macs well outside of the sub-$1000 range.

You can get a PC laptop with a bigger hard drive, more RAM, a media-card reader, more USB ports, and a bigger screen, for much less than a Mac. See the comparison chart below for just a few examples of what you can get today…we’ll send out an updated comparison chart after Apple’s announcement tomorrow.
You can upgrade just about any Windows desktop PC, but the only significantly upgradeable Mac is the Mac Pro listed at $2799.00.

Repurchasing software to make your Mac do all the things your PC does will cost you hundreds of dollars. Buying a Mac means scrapping your software and buying new applications (for up to $1,100) that run on Mac, just to do what you can still easily do on a new PC with the applications you already have. We’ve listed a set of common applications below.

HDMI, Blu-Ray, eSATA, MediaCard Readers, built-in 3G, Fingerprint readers, TV Tuners, all have been shipping as built-in features on PCs for years, but none are available on a Mac. Not only does this mean you get to use the latest and greatest now, but since it’s so easy to upgrade PCs, it also means that your computer is more future-ready…you can get today’s technology now, and tomorrow’s technology the minute its available.

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<![CDATA[New MacBook Pro 2008 Mock-Up Lights My Credit Card On Fire]]>

Here's a crystal clear image of the new MacBook Pro 2008. At least, if you trust yesterday's alleged spy shot. I created it using that image as a guide for those of you too impatient to wait until tomorrow's Apple event, like myself.

Just like it happened with the iPod nano mockups, let's hope this one is also right on the money. Why? Because 1) I love the design and 2) I'm in the market to buy a replacement for my aging PowerBook 17. I can't wait to get this 15-inch beauty.

Is this thing real? Are the all those rumors going to be true? What about the last minute rumors?

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<![CDATA[Spyshot Shows What Looks to Be The New MacBook Pro]]> As is always the case, this undercover iPhone pic of what appears to be the new MacBook Pro is too blurry to rule for sure one way or the other. But as far as spyshots go, this one's looking pretty solid. And just like with the presumed-fake-and-then-verified-true iPod nano leaked pics from last time (coincidentally also sent in by our friend JR here), it matches what's been popping up in even more dubious pics over the last few weeks—a more rounded, piano-black bezel, MacBook Air-like keyboard and a large (although not glass) trackpad (and as many of you commenters have also asked, where is the trackpad button?). We'll know for sure tomorrow at 10AM PST—stay tuned until then. [Thanks, JR!]

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