I'm stoked that even though the new MacBook Pro touchpad looks the same and is the same size, it's loaded with multitouch! And LED backlights available across the range! But I was curious why the new MacBook (standards) don't have either. So I asked them. Here's the official Apple answer: The multitouch technology is a feature of the MacBook Pro and Air, but not the MacBook. Apple has already committed to transitioning all machines to LED backlights, and will do so when economically and technically feasible. UPDATE: Sources at iFixit have told us that the Broadcom BCM5974 Multitouch controller chip, the hardware component for multitouch in the iPhone and Macbook Air, costs only $2.95, so cost isn't the prohibiting factor when it comes to multitouch in the standard Macbook.
Very zen, but what does it mean?
Seems like the LEDs are too expensive for the sub-$2000 MacBooks. But the difference in the answers above (one gives the reason of cost and one doesn't give much of an answer) kind of implies that the lack of multi in the standard is another way to separate the standard from the pro. That's too bad, because like the pinching and zooming on the Air and iPhone, I think non-professional Mac users could get a kick out of using it too. Maybe next round.