April 7th, 2008
New MacBook enclosures? It's about time
Am I the only one that doesn’t like the look of the white MacBook enclosure? It’s not as bad looking as the original clamshell iBook (you know the one) but it’s entirely unprofessional looking IMHO. Apple knows that a white notebook is ugly and released a similarly configured model in black only to charge a hefty premium for it (remember the “black tax?”).
The black MacBook is tolerable (I own one) but the white one looks like a kiddie machine. In addition to being ugly, the white MacBook had a habit of discoloring and exhibiting hairline cracks.
The MacBook industrial design is beginning to show its age too. Launched on 16 May 2006 the MacBook been around for two years next month, not an eternity, but it’s getting kinda stale at the same time.
In a post today AppleInsider reports that Apple is close to releasing a new MacBook enclosure “constructed from more eco-friendly materials such as aircraft-grade aluminum and stainless steel” that will more closely match the rest of the lineup (the MacBook Pro and Air). It’s about time!
I just hope that Apple returns to some of the innovation of yore and doesn’t simply make it look like a smaller MacBook Pro. (Don’t get me started on that industrial design either, geez.)
Why do they insist on building notebooks with the WiFi and Bluetooth antennas buried in a metal sarcophagus? Apple has improved wireless reception over the years somewhat by including a polycarbonate “window” around the antennas but there has got to be a better material to build notebooks out of.
Apple should move to a more advanced, lightweight material (carbon fiber, anyone?) for their notebooks. I know that carbon fiber has a reputation for being expensive, but there must be some middle ground between cheap white plastic and aluminum. I wish that Apple would make the MacBook inherit the aluminum and switch to a more advanced material.
Remember when Apple used to have the most advanced notebook materials? I can’t help but think that they’re beginning to lose their edge. According to AI the venerable MBP will also get an update taking “several design cues from the August 2007 aluminum iMacs and all-new MacBook Air” – there goes that idea.
Jason D. O'Grady is the editor of PowerPage.org, which has been publishing daily mobile technology news since December 1995. For disclosures on Jason's industry affiliations, click here or to view Jason's full profile click here.
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| 04/08/08
