Special Event predictions… Alu MacBook to have Backlit Keyboard?

Tom — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:16:14 +0000

If it’s true and Apple do introduce an all new Aluminum MacBook, it will consolidate their notebooks into one product range of all Aluminum models. These will only be split by product specs, but then what happens with their backlit keyboards? Does that mean the new MacBooks will now sport the highly desirable Apple feature? With the introduction of the MacBook Air, Apple brought the feature to a model other than their Pro line for the very first time. If the MacBook uses the same type of keyboard as the Air, will they bring the backlit keyboard over? I certainly hope so. I can see the MacBook also inheriting the Multi-Touch Trackpad introduced by the Air.

Backlit Keyboard coming to all MacBooks?

So what about the rumors of a cheaper, more affordable Apple notebook? That would certainly go down well in the current economic crisis. Will they lower the price of the existing MacBook design and sell it for $400? Or have they got an ASUS eeePc killer that nobody has seen yet? I’d love to see the latter myself, but there has been no evidence of it’s existence.

Do Apple have an eeePC killer?

Onto the MacBook Air and I think the main upgrade will be the 120GB slim hard drive that Apple are using in the new iPod Classic. We may also see a processor boost, with the 1.8GHz model becoming the base revision, minus the 64GB SSD. Will we see the rumored NVIDIA mGPU also appearing on the Air? Or will they stick to the Intel GMA due to heat restrictions? Only time will tell.

MacBook Air internals to receive a boost?

Then the MacBook Pro, there’s nothing drastic they can really do to the Pro, other than using the new Air styling and a speed bump. It already has the Air’s gesture based trackpad, and the spec isn’t too shabby. Maybe Apple have something up their sleeves though? Could we see the touch dock? I highly doubt it. One thing they need to add though is a magnetic latch.

MacBook Pro needs a makeover

Finally, is there a chance Apple will release a totally new product? What about the long rumored ‘Tablet’ Mac? Does it exist, and will we see it? There have been no signs of it’s existence, no manufacturing hints, no mockups, nothing. I think something this big would be the type of product introduced at MacWorld in January.

So to summarise my predictions..

MacBook – All new Alumuminum case design, NVIDIA mGPU, Multi-Touch Trackpad, Backlit Keyboard.
MacBook Air – 120GB slimline Hard drive (up from 80GB), mild Processor boost, NVIDIA mGPU (maybe clocked down compared to MacBook). Cheaper SSD model.
MacBook Pro – Styling brought into line with range, black keyboard etc. Speed bump including better NVIDIA dedicated GPU’s. Much bigger Multi-Touch Trackpad and finally a Magnetic lid latch.

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Special Event predictions… Alu MacBook to have Backlit Keyboard?