Liquid metal on MacBooks

[Semdk]

I read that this liquid metal is very light weight and still strong at the same time.
But wondered how it looks.. Is it glossy like stainless steel or brushed as the aluminium used on iPad and MacBook Pros? How dark is it?
There has been alot talking about a Carbon Fibre MBA, as it would take some of the weight - could this be it in stead?

 

[thinkdesign]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows CE; IEMobile 8.12; MSIEMobile6.0) Sprint T7380)

If you search for a few articles... the alloy's inventor opined that the Air might get it first. He says various finishes are available, and tints too... and that the finish occurs in the molding, not by any steps afterwards.

The question I have is... how much of a head start did Apple's design staff get on studying this alloy, and beginning to design an Air case for it?

It may be a bit tougher in relation to nicks, than aluminum. Aluminum's such a soft metal... it was not ideal for this application. From what I've read, liquimetal might also be at least a little more strong as something to anchor a hinge to.

If Apple wants the occasion of this alloy's introduction to be part of a larger package of a product that's new-new-new... that could take a while. I'm told there's no contractural/licensing problem with Apple stockpiling core duo chips made in 2010, to stick in Airs made next year. So there's no guarantee of a new Air by 1-1-2011.

Or, the blessed event could be this coming Wed.

 

[ZazenZach]

from what i understand liquidmetal was developed by the Cal Institute of Tech and as such they have a patent for it. if apple were to make a mac out of liquidmetal id assume theyd have to pay a license fee or something of the like, which would kind of make it unlikely for Apple to ever want to do so.

 

[mbisson]

from what i understand liquidmetal was developed by the Cal Institute of Tech and as such they have a patent for it. if apple were to make a mac out of liquidmetal id assume theyd have to pay a license fee or something of the like, which would kind of make it unlikely for Apple to ever want to do so.

Someone hasn't been paying attention in class have they!

To bring you up to speed, Apple paid Liquidmetal Technologies an undisclosed amount of money, at the start of August, in order to obtain a perpetual, worldwide, fully-paid, exclusive license to use liquid metal in consumer electronic products.

What this means is Apple is most definitely going to be using liquidmetal at some point (Although may well have already for the past two years for SIM ejectors) BUT more importantly it means that Sony, Dell, HP, etc cannot use liquidmetal in its consumer electronics.

 

[stoconnell]

from what i understand liquidmetal was developed by the Cal Institute of Tech and as such they have a patent for it. if apple were to make a mac out of liquidmetal id assume theyd have to pay a license fee or something of the like, which would kind of make it unlikely for Apple to ever want to do so.

Relevant post on right here on MacRumors.

 

[THX1139]

from what i understand liquidmetal...

It appears that you don't understand much.

 

[Mr. Savage]

I've been wondering if perhaps Apple had been quietly (secretly) working with this company in the development of a future laptop case and been so impressed with the potential that they just said: "This is good. This is the future. Lets own this."

Seems a very Apple-like move and what I'm getting at is, maybe if they'd already been developing something (MacBook Air case *crosses fingers*), the fruits of their labor maybe closer than people think.

 

[Funkymonk]

Bumping an old thread but do you guys think if the mba is refreshed in 2011, it'll have liquid metal?

 

[jmazzamj]

No, it won't. It will keep this new design for a couple years at least.

I was a bit disappointed when Apple kept aluminium as the main component for the new Air body, I really thought they would have gone Liquid metal with the new design.

We are now approaching the end of a cycle for the MacBook Pro (however it could be not the time yet) but I don't see those with a totally new look...perhaps Apple will wait 1 year or more before they introduce the first Liquid Metal Mac.

I'd happy to be proven wrong and I'd buy a new Liquid Metal MacBook Pro if those were to come out soon.

Bye