While unveiling its new 12-inch MacBook with Retina Display today, Apple noted that you see its notebooks just about everywhere. And one of the things that makes it unmistakable is that glowing logo, something that's been a staple since the PowerBook days. Your screen's backlight shoots through the back, illuminating the logo, and killing two birds with one stone: you're already using that power, and Apple gets to advertise to anyone who spots your machine.
There's still free advertising
But just like getting rid of all your major (and most basic) ports and reverting to a lower quality front-facing camera, Apple's newly-redesigned MacBook breaks with old traditions in the name of progress. For one, you can get it in a color besides silver. But it's also adopted a much simpler chrome Apple logo on the back like we've seen on iPhones, iPods, and iPads for years. It's shiny, but does not glow, meaning that you won't be able to easily identify (or be blinded by) one of Apple's computers in a dark room.
Is this a bad thing? For quickly spotting it from across the room maybe. Yet, Apple's new notebook will still be easily identifiable by its colors. Silver and gray laptops are a dime a dozen. But now we have gold too. And if the iPhone has been any indication, someone will probably find a way to let you mod that light back in there.