Apple surprises everyone with all-new MacBook

Apple surprises everyone with the introduction of the all-new MacBook, not MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. Just MacBook. It is super sleek and thin (at 13.1mm). With Apple’s sheet-type battery, and the shrinkage of other components, the MacBook is very light at 920 grams and  has a battery that can last a “full day”.

MacBook_OP90_Tilt_Gld-PRINT

There are a few notable innovations on this MacBook as Apple has re-designed many things. First, the keyboard has a new butterfly mechanism as opposed to the current scissor mechanism. With this innovation, the full size keyboard becomes highly responsive.

Next is the Force Touch trackpad that has sensors to measure the force on trackpad. It has a new feature called Force Click. By using Force Click, you can execute a click followed by a deeper press, for tasks like pulling up the definition of a word, quickly seeing a map or glancing at a preview of a file.

There are a few more but you can read the Press Release to understand them. I am particularly interested in the single port design of this MacBook.

If Apple is using this MacBook to bridge the “gap” between a full laptop and a tablet (iPad), it might be working. However, I guess many will start to question whether this is a heavy “price” to pay.

Apple has introduced the USB-C port. It is the only port available on this MacBook that can be used for charging, data transfer, USB port, display port and etc. In my opinion, it is really troublesome. I am sure you will see many accessories or even a docking station to complement it. I am seeing a few at the Apple Store. Not cheap.

Click Here to Check out the USB-C adapters

The MacBook will begin shipping Friday, 10th April through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com/sg) and select Apple Authorized Resellers. MacBook comes with different configurations and the basic starts from S$1,788 with the highest specs at S$2,288.

Read the Press Release for more details.

Press Release

Apple Unveils All-New MacBook

The Notebook Reinvented
SAN FRANCISCO – 9 March 9, 2015 – Apple® today unveiled the all-new MacBook®, a new line of notebooks reinvented in every way to deliver the thinnest and lightest Macs ever. Every component of the new MacBook has been meticulously redesigned to create a Mac® that weighs just 920 grams and is 13.1 mm thin. The new MacBook features a stunning 12-inch Retina® display that is the thinnest ever on a Mac, an Apple-designed full-size keyboard which is dramatically thinner and highly responsive, the all-new Force Touch trackpad that brings a new dimension of interactivity to the Mac, an incredibly compact USB-C port for data transfer, video out and charging in a single connector, and a new battery design that maximises every millimetre of space to deliver all-day battery life. And, for the first time, MacBook is available in three gorgeous aluminium finishes—gold, silver and space grey.
“Apple has reinvented the notebook with the new MacBook, and at just 920 grams and 13.1 mm, it’s the thinnest and lightest Mac ever,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Every component of the MacBook reveals a new innovation. From its fanless design, ultra-thin Retina display and full-size keyboard that’s 34 percent thinner, to its all-new Force Touch trackpad, versatile USB-C port and breakthrough terraced battery design, the new MacBook is the future of the notebook.”
Measuring just 13.1 mm at its thickest point, the new MacBook design is an amazing 24 percent thinner than the 11-inch MacBook Air®. With a new precision-milled unibody enclosure featuring integrated Wi-Fi antennas and a top case with polished stainless steel Apple logo, MacBook is available in three elegant finishes—gold, silver and space grey—and is the first MacBook with an all-metal enclosure.
A comfortable keyboard is essential to the Mac experience and the new MacBook is designed around an all-new full-size keyboard. To fit the full-size keyboard into the amazingly thin MacBook meant completely re-engineering how a notebook keyboard works. The new keyboard is 34 percent thinner and uses an Apple-designed butterfly mechanism that is an amazing 40 percent thinner than a traditional keyboard scissor mechanism yet four times more stable, providing greater precision no matter where your finger strikes the key. New stainless steel dome switches located beneath each key deliver a crisp and responsive feel when typing, and every key on the new keyboard is individually backlit with its own single LED to deliver precisely calibrated, uniform brightness behind each keycap.
The perfect match to a full-size keyboard is a 12-inch display, and the new MacBook features a stunning 12-inch Retina display with a 16:10aspect ratio. Measuring just 0.88 mm thin, the Retina display on the new MacBook is the thinnest display ever on a Mac. With a larger aperture for each pixel, the new Retina display is also extremely efficient and uses 30 percent less energy than existing Mac notebook Retina displays, while delivering the same level of brightness. And with a resolution of 2304 x 1440, text, photos and movies come to life with astounding clarity.
MacBook also features the all-new Force Touch trackpad that brings a new dimension of interactivity to the Mac. The new trackpad features built-in force sensors that allow you to click anywhere and haptic feedback that provides a responsive and uniform feel. You can even customise the feel of the trackpad by changing the amount of pressure needed to register each click. The Force Touch trackpad also enables a new gesture called Force Click, a click followed by a deeper press, for tasks like pulling up the definition of a word, quickly seeing a map or glancing at a preview of a file.
Applying miniaturisation techniques used in iPhone® and iPad®, MacBook features the most compact logic board ever in a Mac, measuring an amazing 67 percent smaller than the logic board of the 11-inch MacBook Air. With no moving parts or vents, the new MacBook was designed from the ground up to be the first fanless Mac notebook for silent, efficient performance. MacBook features the new fifth-generation Intel Core M processor that runs at just 5 watts and Intel HD Graphics 5300. The highly efficient processors work in conjunction with optimisations throughout OS X® to make the new MacBook the world’s most energy efficient notebook.*
The new MacBook features a breakthrough terraced battery design that is layered in individual sheets that are precisely contoured to fit the MacBook’s sleek, curved enclosure. As a result, the new MacBook has 35 percent more battery capacity than would be possible with traditional battery cells and delivers all-day battery life with up to 9 hours of wireless web browsing and up to 10 hours of iTunes® movie playback.**
Designed for the wireless world, MacBook is perfect for tasks like streaming content from your MacBook to your HDTV using AirPlay®, exchanging files quickly using AirDrop®, or using wireless headphones. MacBook is equipped with the latest wireless technologies, including built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 for fast wireless connectivity.
The new MacBook also features a next-generation USB-C port that is incredibly small, yet extremely versatile and even more user friendly. A new industry standard, USB-C supports higher wattage charging, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5Gbps) data transfer and DisplayPort 1.2 all in a single connector that’s one-third the size of a traditional USB port.
Every new Mac comes with OS X Yosemite, a powerful new version of OS X, redesigned and refined with a fresh, modern look, powerful new apps and amazing Continuity features that make working across your Mac and iOS devices more fluid than ever.
iMovie®, GarageBand®, iPhoto®, and Pages®, Numbers® and Keynote® come free with every new Mac. iMovie lets you easily create beautiful movies, you can use GarageBand to make new music or learn to play piano or guitar and you can edit and share your best shots with iPhoto. Pages, Numbers and Keynote, make it easy to create, edit and share stunning documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Pages, Numbers and Keynote for iCloud® let you create a document on iPhone or iPad, edit it on your Mac and collaborate with friends, even if they are on a PC. The new Photos for OS X app keeps your growing photo and video collection automatically organised and easy to navigate and will be included in an OS X Yosemite update this spring.
Pricing & Availability
The all-new MacBook will begin shipping Friday, 10 April through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com/sg) and select Apple Authorised Resellers. MacBook comes with a 1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.4 GHz, 8GB of memory, 256GB of flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 5300 starting at suggested retail price SG$1,788 inc. GST; and with a 1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Core M processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.6GHz, 8GB of memory, 512GB of flash storage and Intel HD Graphics 5300 starting from suggested retail price SG$2,288 inc. GST. Additional technical specifications, configure-to-order options and accessories are available online at www.apple.com/sg/macbook.
*Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed in the EPA ENERGY STAR database for Notebook Computers as of 5 March, 2015.
**The Wireless Web protocol testing was conducted by Apple in March 2015 using preproduction MacBook configurations. Battery life and charge cycles vary by use and settings. For more information visit www.apple.com/sg/macbook.
Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

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