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Is Apple's New MacBook Pros The Future Of Mobile Computing?

popularmechanics.com — Apple announced its new line of notebooks today, and while most of the coverage out there centers on the new "unibody" manufacturing process that Apple is using to produce MacBooks and MacBook Pros, it wasn't the only news that broke today. In fact, Apple's novel use of multiple graphics cards in its Macbook Pros is today's most interesting news.

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  • demonic, on 10/14/2008, -10/+23doubtful
    • hardeep1singh, on 10/15/2008, -7/+6Apple is very good at dropping the ball, they lost to Microsoft when things were right for them, they lost to Nokia when things were right for them, wait for a while, you'd see them falling right on their face once again.
      • nycmac247, on 10/15/2008, -2/+1you don't get it

        think SGI not microsoft?
    • Spuy767, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1The future of Mobile computing might be a stretch, but you can bet that the trackpad design will likely be aped.
    • Urkel, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1I sure hope not. Even though I'm buying one, I can see where this leans more on hype than features.

      Look at comparable $1300 range PC notebooks and you'll see them with things like 4GB/320GB standard, Garmin GPS, Integrated 3G, Blu-Ray, Nvidia 9700M GT, SD card reader, Firewire, Express Card etc. Pretty neat and USEFUL features.

      But look at the $1300 Macbook and the things getting the most attention are things that don't necessarily make the machine do anything special (aluminum chassis, glass screen, glass trackpad). Sure the Nvidia 9400M (with shared memory) is nice but why offer a video-editing capable GPU and then remove the FireWire port that we use to bring the movies into the computer?!?!
  • eugenesucks, on 10/15/2008, -12/+108No
    • induren, on 10/15/2008, -11/+3My best friend is named Eugene! You hurt my feelings...
    • JonesJohnson, on 10/15/2008, -17/+2***** you! One of my friends died while saying "No"!

      No?

      Okay, fine =/
    • TehDoctor, on 10/15/2008, -4/+5Are you sure, eugene? Because I think they is.

      In all seriousness, glass screen? Have you seen the glare on the iMacs? And besides that, there's nothing terrifically innovative about them. When Apple stuffs dual cell processors and 16G of RAM in them, they'll be "revolutionary"
    • MattBD, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1Netbooks are the real future of mobile computing, and their prices are recession-friendly. Vendors are even starting to bundle them with 3G connectivity.
      I expect netbooks to be the major winners over the next year or so.
  • subtle, on 10/15/2008, -3/+27I looked the future in the eye and it glared back at me.
  • skinfitz, on 10/15/2008, -11/+31No. Next question.
  • Dumbfood, on 10/15/2008, -3/+54Are not Is
    • monorailmedic, on 10/15/2008, -0/+9Thank you. It's like nails across a chalkboard.
    • SteaminTmann, on 10/15/2008, -0/+5Is our children learning?
  • tama00, on 10/15/2008, -10/+11Unless its packing in 10 Graphics cards it still doesnt justify the price and this comes from a macbook white owner.
    • hardeep1singh, on 10/15/2008, -6/+310 Graphic cards? Why? Where would you find games for mac that can utilize a graphics card?

    • Spuy767, on 10/15/2008, -2/+4Holy ***** ***** why is this argument not dead!? For a comparable machine, Apples cost little or no more than a machine from dell. If you copmpare them to DIY or Bargain Basement PC's they are more expensive. Such is the cost of not playing down market.
    • macplenty, on 10/15/2008, -0/+8Why does it matter that you're white?
  • bewnshine, on 10/15/2008, -15/+110░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░
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  • benotago, on 10/15/2008, -12/+8Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
    ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
    ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
    ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooope
  • induren, on 10/15/2008, -11/+16Not with those prices. Apple promised us via interviews that essentially we'd pee our pants, and that they'd do something revolutionary. Fine, they did something revolutionary. Multiple graphics cards. Ok, great. We didn't pee our pants because buying a mac still means spending gigantic amounts of money over competitors that offer an OS that is compatible with majority market share. Apple underwhelmed despite it's acknowledged visionary products.
    • lancedice, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2Hasn't multiple graphics cards (SLI) been around in laptops for a while? Like the higher end Falcon Northwest or even Dell XPS?

      I saw nothing revolutionary. Everyone thinks the keyboard is the greatest with everything spaced out, but that's just a rip off of Sony.

      Just a note...the Macbook Air (first Apple laptop with that keyboard) came out in 2008. The first Vaio with that style of keyboard came out in 2005.
  • BellaVitaGirl, on 10/15/2008, -3/+30Buried for the horrible grammar mistake in the title that appeared on the front page of Digg.
    If you don't know what's wrong with it, I don't know what to tell you.
    • skoles, on 10/15/2008, -0/+4Maybe they don't speak English good like we do.
      • BellaVitaGirl, on 10/15/2008, -0/+10"Rarely is the question asked, 'Is our children learning?'"
        Maybe we need to ponder that question again.
        *facepalm*
      • MtheoryX, on 10/15/2008, -4/+1It's "well," not "good."
      • skoles, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1Obviously, you're not a golfer.
    • induren, on 10/15/2008, -3/+14Ya, mine English good because I go school in Alaska. Palin give big money to schooling.
      • 007isbond1, on 10/15/2008, -2/+2apple + palin jokes dont mix..
        actually thinkning about it now... apple doesnt mix with anything!

        rofl.. see the incompatability joke there?
      • raydeen, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1They're both laughable. Works for me.
    • serif69, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1What are wrong with it?
    • BellaVitaGirl, on 10/15/2008, -1/+1Much as I love lolcats, I think that people should be banned from reading them until after they've passed high school English.
      Actually, scratch that, that may be too soon given the state of some school districts...
  • nilsalb, on 10/15/2008, -3/+4Nopi-Dopi
  • reformation, on 10/15/2008, -3/+8Nice grammar.
  • mr5150, on 10/15/2008, -2/+6Don't know if it's the future of computing but it sure is pretty and i bet a ***** of other chinese manufacturers are ready to clone it right now and give it a name like 'applez' and have a logo of a white apple with 2 bites taken out of it.
  • atrapine, on 10/15/2008, -7/+3I hope not! And if it is im going back to a typewriter lol.
  • GarryBarker, on 10/15/2008, -14/+5Watch the other manufacturers steal from Apple by putting multiple graphics cards.
    • induren, on 10/15/2008, -4/+2And then do it cheaper. And then keep Apple's market share nice and low.
    • knobidy, on 10/15/2008, -0/+9Because no one has ever done that before Apple.
    • ButlerMonkey, on 10/15/2008, -1/+11You mean like the ASUS N10 netbook which allows you to switch between Intel 945 graphics or to GeForce 9300M?

      Stupid Asus stealing Apple's clever ideas and even worse doing it 2 weeks before Apple even announces their new product line.
      • MacParrot, on 10/15/2008, -0/+3What? You mean Apple designed their new laptops, got the specs out to whoever makes them this week, had them made and shipped in only two weeks since they obviously copied ASUS?

        Damn them! DAMN THEM ALL TO HELL!
    • dimizzz, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2i have seen several laptops with multiple graphics cards, including a netbook.

      But the question is, can't graphics card manufacturers build a chip that has two states, one with low power consumption and one with high performance? Having two chips seems redundant.
    • digitalpencil, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1alienware have had sli laptops for ages
  • mikephimikephi, on 10/15/2008, -7/+5So everywhere you look people are talking about convergence and singularity as representing the future of tech and this one fool decides to swim upstream. There isn't a snowballs chance that this 'feature' will catch on. GPU manufacturers will just have to figure out how to throttle the throughput of their chipsets on the fly. No user intervention should be required. And notebook manufacturers who don't have the luxury of being able to charge an 'apple tax' markup on their products are looking to decrease components, not add redundant ones.
  • PolarBearFire, on 10/15/2008, -2/+37Stupid stupid article.
    Scalable power? The author made it seem that it's a relatively new concept that Apple got on the wagon with. In reality all intel chips have been able to turn parts of itself off and on for years. Even the power hungry desktop ones, that's why chips draw more or less power due to usage. Again, stupid article that shows the level of technical knowhow of the author. He totally Palined it.
    • induren, on 10/15/2008, -1/+11Good lord is Palin that much of a hated figure now. To "Palin" something is a verb indicating what exactly?

      Oh I am not being critical, I just wanna know so that I can use it properly later.
    • enchanterku, on 10/15/2008, -0/+4I'd have to guess saying the right words but showing no understanding of the concept. But i might be wrong.
    • ziyaad, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2Dugg for Palined it
  • randall311, on 10/15/2008, -0/+13I don't see what the big deal is about multiple graphics cards. Other companies are putting in discrete and integrated graphic cards already, which is essentially the same thing. One for battery life, and one for processing power. Just look at the Dell business line laptops that are out now. Plus almost any other manufacturer who is using the new Centrino 2 specs.
    • roodammy44, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2I was about to say the same thing.
      I've seen switches on sony laptops for years that activate a decent graphics card on the fly.
      Absolutely nothing innovative there.
  • sickb13, on 10/15/2008, -0/+9HAHAHAHAHAHA, are you kidding me?

    thanks for the laugh early in the AM - that helped me get my day started.
  • Admodieus, on 10/15/2008, -4/+18If you can do without the second video card and instead want a better processor (2.53 Ghz versus 2.4 Ghz), a larger hard drive (320GB instead of 250 GB), and double the RAM (4GB instead of 2GB), you can go pick up a Dell Studio 15.4" for $800 less than the $1999.99 Macbook Pro.

    OS X is a fine OS, but it's not worth an $800 premium to me.
    • hardeep1singh, on 10/15/2008, -13/+6OS X looks more like a linux rip off to me.
    • Goblin, on 10/15/2008, -10/+8It is to me. I have spent more time fixing screwy Windows faults than would pay the premium. In OSX I get stuff done because of the OS, in Windows I get stuff done despite it.
      • Admodieus, on 10/15/2008, -5/+4Next time you want a copy of OS X, I'll overnight you one for $700. You'll save a hundred bucks! Everybody wins!
      • loneraven, on 10/15/2008, -6/+8PEBKAC

        Windows is not loaded with bugs and faults like you suggest it is. Once you take a few minutes adjusting everything, then it's golden. There's nothing broken that needs time fixing.

        The fact that you suggest that you need sooooo much time fixing Windows, suggests that you're a ***** idiiot and you do need your hand held by OSX.

        Look, I like OSX as well, but to bash Windows because you're ***** retarded...well that aint right.
      • raydeen, on 10/15/2008, -2/+5Then you're doing it wrong. PICNIC. Problem In Chair. Not In Computer. You're a Level 9 error.
      • loneraven, on 10/15/2008, -2/+6PEBKAC: Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair

        Means, the same thing....
      • Goblin, on 10/15/2008, -3/+5Yeah, my first class honours in applied computing and over fifteen years using Windows makes me an idiot who doesn't know how to use it. My current favourite is when Windows decides that one of my SATA drives isn't there and needs a reboot to see it. Ubunutu on the same computer doesn't have the problem, it's an issue with Windows.
        Or how about when it takes 30 seconds to show the contents of an explorer window? Stupid user wanted to look at the files?
        The underlying bloat of Windows makes it a pain in the ass to use, the user is secondary to the OS. On OSX the user experience in the primary concern and they get it right.
      • Dagolith, on 10/15/2008, -2/+1Funny, Goblin. I never have those issues. Sounds like you really are just an idiots. If you had that much experience, you would realize how stupid you sound.

        You probably download those 700k porn 'Movies" on limewire.

        Not to mention, what bloat are you talking about? Are you talking about the bloat caused by all the pre-loaded programs that comes with a typical purchase? I mean with fifteen years of experience, you would know better by now. My PC is five years, it still runs like a champ. Difference is I know how to maintain it.
      • loneraven, on 10/15/2008, -2/+1See goblin... your post confirms it... you're a stupid computer user.

        15 years of windows and taking some computer classes doesn't classify you as an expert. The fact that you have had some hardware issues, is unfortunate, but likely it's an isolated incident. Also, what most people don't realize, is that they'll benefit from a fresh install of Windows every 6 months or so, just to start at a clean slate.
      • Goblin, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1OK, cleary you are being incendiary now.

        "Also, what most people don't realize, is that they'll benefit from a fresh install of Windows every 6 months or so, just to start at a clean slate."

        You don't see that that is exactly the sort of issue I'm talking about? Having to take (conservatively) 4 hours, even if it's only every six months, to REINSTALL THE OS is frankly a disgrace in a modern computing environment. Those 4 hours are much better put towards my job, not maintaining an OS that gets slowed down by normal use. Those 4 hours represent my time being wasted and, at the equivalent of over $50/hr, time I have better things to be doing.

        I've been building my PCs for those 15 years and Vista is one of the worst offenders from MS for getting in the way of the user in an attempt to make everything "pretty". When it works, it's fine, but the number of things that are fundamentally badly designed mean I can no longer use it as a main machine. The "bloat" to which I am referring is the amount of processing Windows now goes through to render the standard UI. In addition, the UI changes in Vista now make it harder to get to programs quickly. If the system search was as quick as the latest iteration of Spotlight this would be less of an issue, but even a two second pause while it trawls through looking for things is unacceptable. It then assumes anything under the Program Files folder is a program, so you get anything else that's been installed by the program included in the "programs" section. A quick search for "Ultraedit" gives me five entries under "Programs" in the search result in the start menu, the fifth one down being the actual program, the others being readme, help files and the like.
        Now let's assume you just want to open a program from the Start Menu. We'll forego the fact that MS have listed EVERYTHING they include with "Windows" prefixed to it so you can't find it by any sort of alphabetical order (nice move there) and assume that the program has been installed in its own folder. To open the program you are minimum of four clicks away, not to mention you have to scroll the menu if you have more than 20 programs (with Windows already having 21 items there by default. The sensible option would of course allow you to increase the size of the start pane, but you can't do that either.

        Essentially, Vista is using exactly the same methods of navigation and explorer since Windows 95 and it no longer works. They need to have some balls, throw away all the legacy code and write Windows from scratch. They could probably do a good job of it as well, they have some really smart people, but constantly building on top of the old code base is doing them exactly zero favours. They are so terrified that people will refuse to use a new OS if it isn't fundamentally the same as what they are used to. This is a legitimate concern, the install base of non-tech users is huge and it means retraining them all to work within the new paradigm, but if it means the OS gets out of peoples way and lets them get on with the actual work they need to do, that investment will be more than worth it, leading to more productive, less stressed employees. People get used to change, but someone at MS has to have the balls to say "we're going to start from scratch and make a user-focused OS that lets people get stuff done".
      • jwdav, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2But if you only use the Office suite and a web browser, the Start menu and Windows UI holds up pretty nicely.
      • loneraven, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1Reinstalling Windows every six months or so akin to doing spring cleaning, cleaning out the garage, raking the leaves, etc. It's standard maintenance. It's not that difficult and doesn't take that much time to do, provided you backup well and are prepared.

        Sure, you can go longer without reinstalling, but don't whine when your computer is cluttered. Once again, the Problem Exists Behind the Keyboard and Chair. Just because you install a ***** load of programs that clutter windows up doesnt make it a bad OS.

        Don't get me wrong, I'm fairly dissatisfied with Vista... but it's by no means bad. In a perfect world, Linux would have perfect backward compatibility with Windows programs, and then I could install Ubuntu or whatever else and be done with it. But it's not. In the end, Windows gives me the best compatibility with software that I use.

        I haven't had any issues with the start bar search. In fact, I can usually type the first two letters of a program and it pulls it up. It learns after a while and doesn't put programs at the top of the list that you hardly ever use. Also, it may help if you decide to turn off "Search User Files," that way you get better search results.

        And as far as your final paragraph Goblin... I completely agree 100%. I don't think Windows should pull an Apple and shun just about everyone, but they definitely need to make a push to move in a new direction. In fact, I'm not even sure why a 32-bit version of Windows exists. Nearly every new computer and processor today is 64-bit, so why are we crippling them? Sure, there's quite a few processors that are 32-bit that are more than capable of running Vista, but Microsoft should've made a stand and made it 64-bit only. Perhaps for Windows 7. And, I'd love to see some of the legacy stuff go away... get rid of the registry, refine the UI, etc.
    • 007isbond1, on 10/15/2008, -6/+1too many specs in one coment.. i read GHz then exploded
    • MetalHaze, on 10/15/2008, -7/+9Yeah but there are other premiums that are part of that 800 bucks that you are failing to mention:

      1. Style. The MacBooks are sexy, no denying that.

      2. Weight. MacBooks weigh less than any Dell you are buying and in the world of mobile computing, something like weight is important.

      3. MacBooks have a HUGE scrolling area with the new trackpad and I love that you can click anywhere on the pad. Not to mention it supports gestures.

      4. Mag Safe power connector and sudden drop sensor to maintain a high level of durability.

      5. Backlit keyboard.

      6. Ultra thin LED glossy display. Even though it's glossy, it's still more durable and allows the screen to be thinner than a matte screen.

      7. Built-In iSight camera

      8. Waaaay more environmentally friendly than your Dell

      9. Unibody enclosure for more durability and lower percentage to fail because of the use of less parts.

      I mean I am sure there is more I am missing, but I will stop there. I would say those features and few others are worth the "800 dollar premium"
      • MetalHaze, on 10/15/2008, -8/+3Oh and a few more:

        10. Integrated Bluetooth. You have to pay extra for Bluetooth on the Dell Studio

        • You also have to pay 25 bucks extra to get a different color case on the Dell. GAY!
        • You have to pay 25 extra to get a Wireless N card like the Apple laptop has.
        • Dell doesn't have a dual graphics card.
      • Admodieus, on 10/15/2008, -1/+2I already stated the lack of dual graphics card - I'd rather have more memory and a slightly better processor. Besides, do you really need SLI to play Spore, or years-old EA games? Studio's have backlit keyboards, built in cameras, and as you said bluetooth as add-on features. If you want these, it'll cost you around $20-$25. So tack on another $100, and you still have a $700 premium for OS X.

        As for style, the new Dell Studio line is just as pleasing to my eyes - maybe more so than the new MBP bezel. I will give you the MagSafe point, but I've never been one to put my laptop in a position where the sudden drop sensor would be needed. And I couldn't care less about the environmentally friendly manufacturing process.
      • loneraven, on 10/15/2008, -2/+61. My dell notebook looks nice... and it actually has rounded edges so I can rest my hands on my laptop without being uncomfortable.
        2. Macbooks don't weigh any less. In fact, the Dell XPS 1330 weighs less than your standard Macbook. You can't compare 15in laptops to 13in laptops
        3. Meh, who ***** cares, I use a wireless mouse 95% of the time if I'm on a flat surface. The trackpad is one of the least important things to me.
        4. Sure, the apple has the magnetic power connector... which is novel and all, and totally useless unless you're a total klutz.
        5. My dell has a backlit keyboard a well... woopdee ***** doo.
        6. Yes, it's a nice display, but I'll take a screen that I can actually see with moderate light around. I don't want to be in a Dungeon 24/7 to avoid glare on my screen.
        7. Just about every computer comes with a built in 2mp webcam... not sure what the ***** inovation here is.
        8. More environmentally friendly? Please, do explain.
        9. Yea, we'll see about that, I can see it causing more headaches than solutions.

        I'm not sure how you think these are "premiums" because in fact, most laptops have these features on their standard models, for much cheaper. Dell's computers computers have all similar specs with a much lower price, so I'm not sure where the premium comes in.
      • loneraven, on 10/15/2008, -3/+3"
        10. Integrated Bluetooth. You have to pay extra for Bluetooth on the Dell Studio

        • You also have to pay 25 bucks extra to get a different color case on the Dell. GAY!
        • You have to pay 25 extra to get a Wireless N card like the Apple laptop has.
        • Dell doesn't have a dual graphics card."

        Yes, but the starting price on a Dell Studio is much lower. Also, if I ***** pleased, I can easily purchase the Bluetooth mini card in the future and install it my self by removing a few screws on the bottom. Easy as hell. And also *gasp* I can install a WWAN card if I so well please. So please get off your ***** soapbox, Apple isn't as godly as you make it to be.

        Also, the dual video cards have been done before in a laptop. It's nothing that special, and in fact it's been done better before. This is simply the first time the "mainstream" public has heard about it. But there's nothing mainstream about a $2000 laptop, so I don't see what the big deal is.

        And you're to ***** talk about Dell charging $25 for a different color? How about the fact that Apple doesn't even know color (White and Black) and they charge a $200 premium for their black laptop. Hmm
      • hardeep1singh, on 10/15/2008, -2/+2Seems like a list compiled by a girl.
    • almalax19, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1What you are explaining there is a new macbook with a bigger screen. Show me how a bigger screen is worth the extra $100 that the Dell is over the 1299 macbook. You cant do it. And its an even better deal with Education pricing which is key because many many macbook sales were to students.
  • nxtwrld, on 10/15/2008, -3/+4NO. It still does not have a gun barrel instead of the webcam to enforce DRM.
  • HUKI365, on 10/15/2008, -2/+8It may be, but just like its keyboard style it's 'stolen' from Sony.

    Only the Sony can switch graphics solutions on the fly with an external switch.
    • joshualamgroup, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1and without having to log out too! (yes, even on Vista)
  • BBarash, on 10/15/2008, -4/+4Bad grammar - "Is Apple's New MacBook Pros The Future Of Mobile Computing?"

    You've talked about MacBook Pros in the plural so the title should begin with 'Are' instead of 'Is'.
    • raydeen, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2It was written by a lolmac.
      • hardeep1singh, on 10/15/2008, -2/+1no, it was written by a mactard.
    • uninspireded, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2Me fail English? That's unpossible!
    • RajAtWork, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1you talks nonesense
    • erossmu, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1I could be wrong but the article refers to the design of the macbook pro, not the physical laptop itself. So a title such as "Is Apple's Macbook Pro the Future of Mobile Gaming?" is more appropriate.
      • BBarash, on 10/16/2008, -0/+2Exactly, you've made the agreement by removing the 's' after Pro.

        The title could either be:
        "Is Apple's Macbook Pro the Future of Mobile Gaming?"
        "Are Apple's Macbook Pros the Future of Mobile Gaming?"
  • BellaVitaGirl, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1If anything I think that the production process will spread, not the actual computers or components themselves. The unibody "brick" idea is pretty cool and definitely useful.
  • spezi, on 10/15/2008, -0/+8"And another form of scalable power can already be found the iPhone 3G, which allows users to switch the power-hungry 3G access on and off at will. The new Android-powered T-Mobile G1 features a similar option. "

    Already? I thought that was a standard feature of multi-standard GSM/UMTS phones since years. At least my Sony Ericsson can do that, too. They make it sound like it's a new feature in the latest hype phones (as good as they may or may not be...).
  • em00guy, on 10/15/2008, -1/+2Lenovo just did this on there new T series laptops. And if I recall, it doesn't require a log out like the apple version.
  • relinquish, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2Is we is or is we ain't?
  • gradivus, on 10/15/2008, -2/+9Does masturbating to 10 Apple headlines a day make Apple any better?

    No.
    • MacParrot, on 10/15/2008, -1/+3No, but it makes me thankful I use Windows at work because otherwise I really would get nothing done.
      • gradivus, on 10/15/2008, -2/+1Im glad I use windows becuase I sometimes like to play games and it makes my computers at least half the price of a mac.
      • MacParrot, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2WHOOOSH!
  • Ramble, on 10/15/2008, -0/+5No.
    People have been putting more than one graphics card into laptops for years. I considered buying one a while ago.
  • fuzzy889, on 10/15/2008, -13/+7I bury everything that has to do with Apple.
  • FireStalker69, on 10/15/2008, -1/+25short answer: no
    long answer: noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
  • aragami, on 10/15/2008, -3/+8Yay for having essentially 2 graphics cards in an advanced SLI configuration and having virtually no games to play that are compatible with your OS
    • brainflakes, on 10/15/2008, -3/+4Well, you caaaaaan run windows on it, if you reeeeeaaaaaaalllllly want to
      • hardeep1singh, on 10/15/2008, -0/+3Why pay Apple when you want to run Windows?
    • joshualamgroup, on 10/15/2008, -1/+2EA Games. Done.
      • aragami, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1Spore and rehashes of john madden every year?


        and dont EA release games on pretty much every single platform they can think of?
      • joshualamgroup, on 10/21/2008, -0/+1Not Linux
  • uthallan, on 10/15/2008, -2/+1GRAMMAMAMAMRARARARSSS
  • brstilson, on 10/15/2008, -2/+7Dual graphics cards are useless in a Macbook Pro. It's not like you're going to be playing any games on it, or editing movies thanks to them removing the 1394A port. The only thing that's somewhat more graphically intensive than checking your email is photo editing.
    • hardeep1singh, on 10/15/2008, -0/+5its like sitting with the 'protection' on when you know you don't have a girlfriend.
      • almalax19, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1You can run vista on the Macbook Pro and use those cards just as well as a PC notebook can. If you care THAT much about games that is.
      • hardeep1singh, on 10/16/2008, -0/+1Why should I pay Apple to run Vista????
    • dhmlco, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2MacBook PROs still have a FW port. And newer camcorders are bypassing FW anyway for AVCHD and high-speed USB.
  • rongtianma, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1So basically the new MBP has a Turbo button.
  • scottnow, on 10/15/2008, -0/+3There is nothing at all revolutionary in the new Macbooks. Rather just useless/annoying features that try to set it apart but really end up being more of pain or yet another way to use a computer requiring the end user to adapt: buttonless mouse, 2 adapters, glossy screen, non-standard video port. So, NO!
    • dhmlco, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1Non-standard video port? DisplayPort and mini-DisplayPorts ARE standards, and the future of video output.

      'Course, you probably made the same type of comment years when they added that newfangled DVI port and dropped VGA.
  • Slacker1031, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2Not at all sir...
  • InorganicMatter, on 10/15/2008, -2/+1Hard to say yet. If Snow Leopard's OpenCL takes off, multiple graphics processors could very well be the wave of the future.
    • FredFredrickson, on 10/15/2008, -0/+3Have you ever heard of SLI? The technology has been around for at least 15 years. This isn't some brand new idea.
  • HastyNameChoice, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1Well, I'm quite fond of macs; but i don't think that this is anything that could be called prophetic or particularly insightful. Of course more efficient technologies for mobile devices are going to be an aspect of future tech developoments... but the future of computing is in the cloud. The future of computing is virtual worlds and complete immersion, a blurring of reality lines and an erosion of perceptual boundaries. The future of computing is a hell of a lot more exciting than squeezing 20% more power out of a battery...
  • irishjays, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2My future:
    The "old" macbook pro that doesn't look like a 2007 HP, and that has matte screen, firewire 400 and 800, DVA and expansion port, minus the new graphics card is now offered after rebate from amazon for $1444.
  • drikle, on 10/15/2008, -1/+3Doesn't the dell XPS series has dual graphics processors for some time now ?
  • arma, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1Yes, it's not.
  • Mookeh, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2Is our children learning?
  • jkuzniar71, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1Since when is scalable power news? Bad article. The solid aluminum body is where MacBook shows some innovation.
  • jnorris441, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2I dunno, is they?
  • bigteebo, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2Nothing revolutionary here. Just as how the latest model car out there isn't the future of automobiles. What a loaded article.
  • phoomp, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2"Novel use of multiple graphics cards"? Sony already has laptops with multiple graphics cards, and they don't require the user to logout to switch cards (unlike MacOS with these new MacBook Pros)
    • thesledman, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1People keep writing that. From what I recall that's just an assumption because the keyboard doesn't have visible toggle like the sony. Has this been confirmed by anyone that has actually used the laptop?
      • phoomp, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1Yes. Take a look at this Apple support document for the MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008) covering how to set graphics performance.
        http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3207
      • thesledman, on 10/15/2008, -0/+1I would only hope that things changed from the time that document was put together and now. If that's not the case then how embarrassing for Apple, seriously, they can do a lot better then that. I'm happy that the tech is starting to show up in computers though, hopefully Dell will offer something like that when its time for me to upgrade my portable.
  • Tyrghast, on 10/15/2008, -0/+4At Apple's prices, many consumers would have to weigh eating for a few months vs a laptop that's incompatible with most software and way overpriced but it will make me hip, cool, and popular.
    • dddavid, on 10/15/2008, -0/+0Are you sure it would be enough? (Sorry, couldn't help it. :-)
    • thesledman, on 10/15/2008, -1/+2Incompatible with most software? Welcome to 2008, you really need to take a look at Macs again. Things have changed a lot since the 80's
  • n8dude, on 10/15/2008, -0/+2Nope.
  • casual7y, on 10/15/2008, -1/+3because you know, sony totally hasn't been doing it with their SZ/Z series laptops for months now. But you now since its apple, everyone's raving about how they invented the removable battery/HD, hybrid graphics, etc. with the new macbooks.
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