Glossy Screen, Black Keyboard, Glass Trackpad Rumored for New MacBooks

As speculation builds up, new details have emerged related to Apple's (possibly) upcoming MacBook lineup. Glossy screens, black keyboards and other features akin to those of the MacBook Air accompany the latest mockups of the new device.

While the device pictured to the left is just a MacBook Air that was tampered with, many believe Apple's latest changes with its notebook line are consistent with the features of “the world's thinnest notebook.” Citing ZDNet's Jason D. O'Grady, 9to5mac sums up a few specs highlights.

For starters, the new MacBook Pro is not going to have the tapered edges of the MacBook Air, rumors say. It will, however, keep the current basic shape. MacBook Pro will also be thinner and narrower than the current model, according to O'Grady. Well, we wouldn't expect anything larger in size than the current MacBook Pro from a next-generation laptop.

Glossy screens, new black keyboard keys as used in MacBook Air, and a glass trackpad for MultiTouch use would also be included with the new Pro design, as well as a split trackpad. Ports would include the standard 2.0 USB and FireWire 800.

“I hear that the new MacBook Pro will forgo the drastically tapered edges from the popular MacBook Air design (as seen in the purported ‘leak’ above) and instead stick with a more traditional, pro-like, boxy design,” O'Grady writes on his blog. “Sources tell me that the new MBP will be thinner and as much as a half-inch narrower than the current model with less bezel around the screen.”

While no one can confirm or deny these allegations just yet, they are not consistent with what we've heard so far. New 13-inch MacBooks, as well as the 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros would sport aluminum outfits and almost identical shape and size, according to previous rumors.

The new designs are described “as a cross between the 13-inch MacBook Air introduced this January and the aluminum iMacs that made their debut during the summer of 2007.” In April, it was suggested Apple would include a tapering around the edges and instances of black material, to obtain a powerful contrast, much like with the new iMac line. Some of the I/O ports on the new MacBooks have also (allegedly) been modified, while others have been completely abandoned, the same sources were saying not long ago.