For weeks, rumors have been circulating that a new Apple product code-named “Brick” was nearing completion. Some said it was a redesigned Mac Mini, others thought it would be a sub-notebook, some thought an Apple TV. It appears now that it’s part of what will be a completely new way to manufacture notebooks, according to 9 to 5 Mac.
The report is pretty vague, but it sounds as if Apple is taking complete control of its MacBook production lines. Right now, the manufacturing is handled in China or Taiwan by companies like Foxconn. It’s not clear if Apple would open a plant here in the United States or simply be in charge of one overseas, but the new process is said to carve a MacBook out of a brick of aluminum (hence the “brick”) using some sort of revolutionary laser and jets-of-water system.
It may sound a bit odd for a manufacturing process to get hyped up, but 9 to 5 Mac’s source told them enough for the Apple blog to declare, “It is totally revolutionary, a game changer. One of the biggest Apple innovations in a decade.”
Color us intrigued. But who knows, the report could be totally off. Still, Apple is expected to release some redesigned MacBooks sometime this month, and possibly as soon as October 14. They are probably even shipping silently all around us as we speak.
[photo: flickr/audreyjm529]
11:09 am
Home Biss said:
MacBook Brick: Made of a block of high quality aluminum?…
By the way, many tech geeks and suckers of Apple products believe that Apple’s so called revolutionary MacBook-making process will lower down the prices of future MacBooks and other products from Apple.
Do you believe them? Do you really think so?…
2:38 pm
Is this the new MacBook Pro built by laser beams and water jets? » VentureBeat said:
[...] brings the supposed leaked shot of the new MacBook Pro casing. This is the one thought to be built from a solid brick of aluminum using lasers and jets of water. Gadget blog Engadget got the picture earlier today, but it is said to originate from this Chinese [...]
8:23 pm
Apple’s “brick” manufacturing process to yield a $800 MacBook? » VentureBeat said:
[...] also not clear if these new cheaper notebooks would be built using the rumored laser and water jet manufacturing process that has come to be known under the code-name … The name seems to come from the idea that this process cuts the frame of the laptops out of a [...]
10:41 am
New Apple MacBooks at October 14 event — good luck on airfare east coasters » VentureBeat said:
[...] The invite shows what appears to be a dark metallic notebook shrouded in shadow. Dare I say, it’s made from aluminum? There has been a lot of speculation that the real revolution in these new notebook is the process by which they are made. Apple may be taking total charge of production of the MacBooks (rather than outsourcing it to companies in China and Taiwan) and building them using a new process involving lasers and water jets that carve a case out of a brick of aluminum. [...]
10:28 am
New MacBooks are coming! New MacBooks are coming! We’ll be there » VentureBeat said:
[...] new “brick” manufacturing process. These MacBooks were likely built using a new manufacturing process which Apple is said to be in charge of. It’s not clear how much detail Apple will go into [...]
11:22 am
Apple revamps the MacBook line: Sleeker, sexier, slightly more expensive » VentureBeat said:
[...] Pro has a 15 inch one. Both are built using Apple’s new manufacturing process, which has been known by the code name “brick” the past several weeks. Basically, Apple take a slab of aluminum and carves from it the frame of [...]