How the 11.6 should look like

[Ijustfarted]

That looks lovely i agree but how would they do it technically.

They need to have enough support for the screen and they must have determined they need that gap to maintain rigidity on the lid of the uni-body.

They only other way is to brace the lid with a front bezel like the mbp but of course that adds weight.

I think if apple could do it they would have by now with their revisions.

The comment about the the 13" being defunct with this re-design is crazy. The 13" would become 14" and that would seriously satisfy people who really want a 15" mba.

12" and 14" are the future.


7" tablet
10" tablet
12" ultra portable
14" ultra portable
15.6" mbp
17" mbp desktop replacement.

agreed. That is the future, wish others would just understand that.

 

[Scottsdale]

Don't get me started... what I want most is an MBA without a bezel. Hell, I could be happy about the Intel IGP if I had ZERO BEZEL with it. That is one feature that really bothers me currently, as I feel like my 13.3" MBA should be a 15" MBA and the 11.6" should be a 13" model. It is waste and it really affects the overall appearance negatively and adds us carrying more than we need to in regards to the footprint.

I have to believe Apple does this in all Mac notebooks to allow more space for battery and such. Can you imagine selling 13.3" MBAs the footprint of 11.6" MBAs? It would require more to drive the larger display in the same space for battery. it probably comes down to that mostly and maybe some cooling as we wouldn't want ULV CPUs in 13.3" MBAs - although that could happen anyways to give it even more battery life. All of the rumors mention ULV and not LV like the current 13" MBA has.

I do hope the 2012 MBP updates include elimination of the bezels, optical drives, and Intel IGPs. A 13" MBP at 1" thick, with a black liquid metal case, IPS 1440x900 display, and a real GPU would make me migrate back to the MBPs. I feel the current MBP is a waste for several reasons, as it's a waste of space for an antiquated/outdate optical drive, it has too low of a resolution on the display, and the "Pro" moniker with Intel's HD 3000 is a joke! Use that space to add battery and a real GPU! Fix those problems and eliminate wasted space for the bezel and I am all in for the switch.

In addition, I think it will be two more years, minimum, before Apple refreshes the design of the MBA. The timeframes Apple follows are usually three years or so... sometimes a little more sometimes a little less. We have had the same MBP since October 2008. Therefore, I think there's more hope for things like elimination of the bezel with the next MBP. I hope I am wrong and the 2011 MBAs include elimination of the bezels in favor of larger displays in the same size MBAs.

 

[altecXP]

agreed. That is the future, wish others would just understand that.

You know, unless you have poor eye sight. my parents (50's almost 60's) LOVE the 15in 1366x768 laptops, they are the easiest for them to read with out having to fool with things like display settings or anything else.

Personally I find a 1600x900 or so 14.5in display to be perfect (love it on the ENVY14), and every 15in should be 1080 or better. The reality is that people need to be able to WORK on laptops and limiting them to 12-14in laptops is boing to kill either their eyes, their productivity, or both.

If anything I feel the future should be:
Phone
Tablet
12.6in
- MAYBE a 13in in here but it would have to find a decent market, perhaps the people that was 12in HW with higher res display? or 14in CPU with not so much size/gpu?
14.1/14.5in (can house 15in power in a near 13in size)
16/17in (can house 17in power in possible a 16in shell if optical drive is removed, the Dell XPS16 sold VERY well while in production)


Either way, after using a fully loaded 14.5in ENVY14 with the Radiance 1600x900 display I found it to be the PERFECT size/power ratio for me. If they had not lost the Radiance display I would have purchased one. Though using one has forever sold me on that form factor as being a GREAT option for a person that wants 15.4in power in smaller size.

 

[MTD's Mac]

Don't forget that the bezel also houses the antenna array. Unless you don't want powerful WiFi, better to keep the bezel, which also frames the screen and gives your eye a place to rest. It's one of those little things Apple does so well. Now if only it were black...

 

[darngooddesign]

Don't forget that the bezel also houses the antenna array. Unless you don't want powerful WiFi, better to keep the bezel, which also frames the screen and gives your eye a place to rest. It's one of those little things Apple does so well. Now if only it were black...

I thought the antenna was in the hinge which is why there is a black plastic cover.

 

[Hankster]

There's a reason for the space between the edge and the screen. It's not that Apple is refusing to give its consumers more screen space, it's because they need it for something else.

 

[clyde2801]

Having got a good price on an almost ultimate 11" MBA (mistakenly thought my MB was about to die), gotta say that I love it.

Love the screen, and I'm in the over 40 bifocal crowd. Sharp, clear and bright. I don't think there's not a sweet spot on it.

Don't think there's going to be anything but a spec bump on the '11's, or there would be a announcement and event.

 

[firewood]

Thicker edges on the lid, or more fragile. Heavier. Less battery life. Price would have to be much higher to pay for those extra square inches of a less common panel size. Not interested until display panel manufacturing costs go down.

 

[darngooddesign]

Thicker edges on the lid, or more fragile. Heavier. Less battery life. Price would have to be much higher to pay for those extra square inches of a less common panel size. Not interested until display panel manufacturing costs go down.

The last laptop Apple made with a tiny bezel, Titanium Powerbook, had a relatively thick lid with square edges.