Actually the licensing issues only prevent Nvidia from making chipsets to support newer i5 and i7 Intel microprocessors. The current line of products can continue to sell. According to latest news, Nvidia has stopped all development to support for future Intel processors until the dispute is resolved. Which means Apple may have a problem supporting newer processors unless it jumps back to Intel which they had pissed. OR it can do the impossible by adopting AMD/ATI which is highly unlikely. Guess the current line of products are going to stay where they are a little longer?

SOURCE

Yes, thats true. Don't buy anymore Minis or iMacs as they are overdue for a new announcement. We just don't know when but its near. MBP will see a refresh somewhere in Q1-2 like when we saw Macbook Pro refresh Q2 this year.

I think it is reasonable to expect a resolution between Nvidia and Intel by the end of Q4. Nvidia will not pull out of the GPU market for Macs since it can still offer its dedicated GPUs. The integrated ones may continue to stagnate at the current 9400 chipset. I don't remember Intel working on any new integrated graphics other than the current 4500MHD. Maybe a Larrabee? Hmm.. its premature to speculate now.

On a second thought, I think Apple do product refresh every 6-8 months now just like Sony is doing for its VAIO. I remember the first Macbook Unibody was announced somewhere in Q3 of 2008. Then June 2009 we have the Macbook Pro (where the 13" was upgraded). That is around slightly less than a year. So I guess we should expect another one sometime next year for sure.

The current retail price is RM4499. The student education K-12 qualified program takes RM400 off that retail price. You can only enjoy this price if you order online (and subject to some kind of verification).

I wanted to enroll into that program too since I'm with the university institution doing post graduate but I was put off since we had to order online and miss all the experience of getting one off the retail stores. Hahaha... we'll see how it goes.

I think the current Mac OSX's driver stack and compositing layer makes it difficult at this moment. I believe the reason you need to log out and log in again is because the OS needs to 'disengage' all the drivers (while maintaining the user session) and then 're-engage' the drivers. The only way to do this is logout/login procedure. It can't do it on the fly. Its either this or the current Nvidia drivers are not capable of it, at least on Mac OSX.

Windows however has a particular support framework for this which results in on the fly instantaneous swap of hardware. You will see a flashing screen during the change but it doesn't require you to log off. As far as the MBP is concerned, the hardware is definitely capable. After all its the same PC hardware to some extend.

Ya, I understand. Actually credit card installments are handy. But you waste your credit capability throughout the period of borrowing. And that means credit that can be used for other more important things. If its cash, just one time, feel the pain and then the next day life goes on. Thats about it. Hehehehe...

You know at one point I tried to do that, settle everything one shot and they didn't allow me to do that. I forgot which bank though and have you ever heard of early settlement interests? Thats a stupid joke and mocking one. In the end I have to fill up some forms and wait for approval, how silly.

Hey, do enjoy your upcoming purchase. I know I'm gonna be enjoying one soon hehehe...

Yeah very true, prefer to pay things one time off and forget about it. Either that or postpone the purchase until times are comfortable.

I also have to add that it doesn't require a lot of maintenance to keep it in a good condition. I like the idea of installing an application as easy as 'copying it over'. Uninstalling is as easy as 'thrashing it'. Unlike on Windows where I would have to worry looking for certain folders that may harbor some leftover files and registries.. I think MacOSX does have a certain area keeping important information but its very manageable. So the notion of user friendly really applies here. Less focus onto maintaining it and more time into experiencing it.

The reason I have interests into Mac now is really due to the release of Macbook Pro/unibody style. Every single 'latest update/trends' can be bought at RM4499 like the flushed screen, 60% increase color gamut, unibody construction, thinness, magsafe feature, multitouch pad, hardware specifications, etc. Thats how Apple bought me over. Of course, I have not make my purchase yet. But I already have a decision

Yes and no. Yes in the sense that very little games are published over Mac due a smaller audience compared to the Windows platform. So a lot of developments and work are done over there because larger audience and market share are great encouragements.

No in the sense that games that are published for Mac really works very well. I will not say how good or worse they will be because they're both running on different ways of handling hardware like graphics, etc. Can't really compare unless you're talking FPS and other unit measurements. Still there will be correlation differences.

But one thing I can tell you is that with Snow Leopard, there are 2 things that will get developers excited: OpenCL and Grand Central Despatch. Hint: The power of harness GPU power in an OS and really the matter of making use all the cores on the CPU available.

Although GPGPU has been available over at Windows, there's no real finalized framework on the underlying side that will make it become a standard. Some people may disagree with me but one thing I'm sure, GPGPU over Windows is very technical to run. All I care is to have the OS decide for me whether the GPU or CPU can handle a particular task better.

By the way, if you like gaming on a laptop Macbook should not be on your list. You should go for Windows laptops that has an ATI HD4670 or something else.

True, WoW favorite are not GPU intensive for the latest crops of integrated GPUs. But gamers tend to speak games like Crysis and the likes. Definitely not a good choice hehehehe... Still the Nvidia 9400M can handle some nice games, probably not the latest ones. Thats if you can find one on Mac. Speaking of titles, I believe we have quite a few nice ones over at Mac.

Well just face it, we can't have one powerful machine on a thin platform. Not with today's technology. It'll probably melt right through the casing That explains the large thick casing and elaborate cooling sinks. Anyway extreme gaming isn't supposed to be done on a laptop. They should be done on desktop or a console.

Yeah the cooling mechanism is a bit weak on the MacBook Pro. There are several reasons to this:

1. The heatsink is too small and is shared by the CPU and the GPU/Chipset (Macbook Pro 13)
2. Fan is too small and there is not visible intake vents from the bottom or top. Air has to come from other places and the rear.
3. The exhaust vents are at the back, hidden and partially blocked by the LCD hinge.

So the unibody is meant to take most of the heat and disperse it elsewhere through air convection. Which explains why the palm rest is hot. If you feel the area near the LCD and power button, its even hotter. If you're near an air-conditioning vent, adjust it to blow straight to the keyboard area.

Update: Found something new. There is an intake vent from the top which is partially hidden by the keyboard. Take a look at this picture HERE.

This post has been edited by davidmak: Oct 20 2009, 12:56 PM

Yes, it is not but you get the idea. Air has to be sucked in from the ports and the keyboard. I don't know why of all the places, but may be it reduces noise. So it kinda explains why the bottom has no vents at all. If you look at IFIXIT's tear down, the turbine fan draws air from the bottom and top. So air must come from the top since the bottom is already covered.

It'll explain why the current laptop coolers will not help much. You will need direct air flow to the keyboard. Maybe we can direct the cool air from the air conditioning system straight to the laptop?

Zalman NC1000 cooler is the best, really. The exhaust area is so wide it'll cover any laptops with a vent from the bottom. It doesn't really work for the MBP because there isn't one unfortunately. And we can't put a fan on the keyboard area can we? hehehe...

Well you're kinda right because it looks like the same thing but only thinner and sleeker. Not revolutionary. But I'm disappointed that there's no 24" entry level. The good news is that the entry levels which used to start at 20" are now upgraded to 21.5" 16:9 ratios 1080p screen with very good specifications for a start. One up the price, you get dedicated graphics, bigger capacity HDD, etc. So its cheaper for the specifications you're getting. But there's no Core i5/7 unless we go high-end (which spells pricey). Apple seriously need to consider waiting for the latest generation ATI cards like the HD5770 cause 4670 is a little too late now. Well maybe its cheaper that way... since 4670 has gone OEM now.

Regarding the MacBook White, I think we see it coming already. We knew its gonna be plastic and it should have all the standard unibody design language. What amaze me is that they put in the exact same specifications of the entry level 13 into it complete with a multi-touch pad! Thats enticing! Damn... choosing between MBP 13 and the new white is hard now.

Yeah it has been all over the internet for some months now. People has been criticizing it for making a copy (or a KIRF) and abandoning the 'VoodooPC' styling. HP's high-end niche has always been Rahul Sood's masterpieces. But the PC community deserves to have the MBP/Air of their own. Just at what cost? Apple has been doing the MBP 13 pretty cheap now. Wonder how much an Envy 13 would cost?

Well you don't get the aluminum/magnesium composite construction like in the Pro line which means less rigidity. Of course the plastic unibody is an upgrade from the previous plastic casing. Plus it doesn't get the 'fruity' screen like in the Pro line. This screen is dimmer. It gives me a feeling that the entry level MBP 13 may have been priced too aggressively. RM4499 for the entry level is just 'distracting' hehehehehe! The plastic one is nice, if you don't need the firewire, sd slot and other luxuries.

Hahaha ya... sounds more Pro. But when I see that the new plastic MacBook also have the same built-in long time battery, this can't be it. It makes me feel that the Pro is more of a gimmick. So now... the Pro only provides the following luxuries:

1. Aluminum/magnesium composite unibody construction
2. Frameless glass screen
3. Wide gamut LCD screen
4. Extra ports

Apple seriously need to upgrade the MacBook Pro 13 entry level soon. Wait... does it signals something?

The new one will be around mid of next year?

Seeing what happened with the line of iMacs, I guess the best they can do is offer Core i5 on the top end. Intel Core i7 could be reserved for Mac Pros. So if we apply this trend on the next refresh of MacBook Pros, I guess the entry levels and mid levels would get a speed bump but still using the current generation Core 2 Duo. The highest end namely the MacBook Pro 17 may get a Core i5.

I just don't see the Core i5/i7 line of processors fit for general audience yet with its current price levels. And isn't it weird that Apple now has a next generation processor (Core i5) based on the Nvidia chipset? I thought Nvidia is hitting a roadblock with the licensing dispute? Or maybe its not using an Nvidia chipset?

I'm really anxious to see what new chipset Apple will be using for its MacBook Pros. Still stuck with Nvidia 9400M or something new? Will it still support next generation Intel processors with the current licensing dispute?

Supposedly no more Nvidia chipset at least for now. Nvidia has issued a temporary stop on chipset development for future Intel processors until the licensing dispute is resolved.

I suspect it is an Intel chipset. Anyway only Intel has chipset for its i5/i7 processors, no one else has an idea on its QPI bus technology. So it has to be an Intel chipset. There reasons why i5 is not available for mid-end products maybe due to price of the i5 and the contract between Apple and Nvidia to use its chipsets and integrated GPU. For high-end products, Apple usually slap in a dedicated graphics card, so they are not restricted to a chipset with integrated GPU. So they are free to venture elsewhere.

I think Intel chipsets are anytime better than 3rd party designs. After all they know their processor architecture and platform inside out. Its only their integrated GPU that sucks big time. They know that they are at a disadvantage because of all those API standards. After all, Intel is not in the business of making graphics card. That is why they decided to re-invent the wheel with the introduction of x86 programming for graphics namely Larrabee project. They are big and influential and they can afford to do this.

Nvidia and ATI has to follow what Microsoft says on the Direct X Or at least influence Microsoft. Intel holds most of the x86 patents which a lot of applications already run on. So Intel decided to stick it into Microsoft from down below. Another way to move into the scene.

I think I feel that several times. At first notice, I think its the surface of the aluminum being anodized. And when you slide your fingers over them, it will jump since its not really smooth. Don't think its electric current. Imagine such an event! It would be disastrous. If you have opened up the MBP before, you'll see that all the crucial compartments are layered with insulation materials for heat and conductivity (those black stickers stickers). The aluminum unibody construction not only acts as a heat conductor but also as a large ground plane and ESD protection. The power circuitry are completely isolated from everywhere and only interfaces with the magsafe.

If you really feel a charge, best is to switch power point and location. Or tryout a new extension cable.

Yeah no matter how reliable or robust the hardware or the OS is, if a problem is not coded correctly or encounter a memory fault... things will get stuck sometimes. No biggie. The question should be how does the OS handles such events. A good OS should keep the rest operational while isolating the 'crashed' program giving the option for the user to quickly save important files or just restart the program.

Still we can't run away from a kernel panic in an event the driver kicks the bucket hehehehe...