“Apple continues to pound away on an ultra-thin portable designed to capture a slice of the growing sub-notebook market and boost sales in Japan,” Kasper Jade reports for AppleInsider.
“In what’s sure to be a warmly received move, people familiar with initiative tell AppleInsider that the Mac maker plans to go easy on our eyesight and is building the model around stunning, ultra-thin, 13-inch LED backlit display,” Jade reports.
Jade reports, “Here’s a summary of what we know and don’t know about the next-gen Apple sub-notebook.”
What we know:
• 13-inch ultra-thin, LED-back lit display
• No optical disc drive
• On-board NAND flash for faster application launching and boot times
• Built-in iSight webcam
• Thinner and lighter than existing MacBook offerings
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n enabled
• MagSafe power adapter
• Target launch late ’07, early ’08
What we don’t know:
• Precise Intel architecture (but appears to be Santa Rosa-based)
• Target price point
• RAM and HDD storage capacity and expandability
• I/O port breakdown
• Operating system software (appears to be Leopard)
• Expected battery life
• Enclosure makeup
Full article, including info on MacBook Pro, MacBook, and iMac updates, here.
I meant “producing”
In order to differentiate this from the 13″ Macbook, it needs to be 10 or 11″, slimmer, but with a mini disc blueray and dual flash ram…one for the OS and apps and the other being removable for basic storage. Mini disc was an incredible technology, and I bet the whole music, laptop, and car industry wish they had adopted it 10 years ago. The hassles of CDs and DVDs are going down the spiral soon.
Funny, sometimes I cannot tell who is joking around here and who is not. LOL
Hey, this is Apple we are talking about here.
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” /> If they decide to make an ultra portable, you can bet that they will have looked into what people use an ultra portable for.
“NO CD, no deal” Yea right, cause you want a Mac Pro function in an iPhone size case!!
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”grin” style=”border:0;” /> For me, I am guessing that it will be designed with travel on the mind. You can take a cd/dvd usb unit if you want to, but the ultraportable will be designed to be very light on power. Hey, I think you ought to be able to buy a fold out solar panal to charge it, for use anywhere. Also, much flash ram inside to reduce power and speed operation from startup.
JMHO.
en
OK everyone. So what should Apple call it?
iBook?
ApplePad?
MacPad?
iPad?
MacBooklet?
MDN: “should” – I’m not even kidding!
To typhoon: Bottom mounting?!
apart from Buttcracker I don’t visualise anyone needing a bottom mounting notebook!!!:-)
Ultra-light portable?
For light days, you’ll want the Apple MiniPad.
OK, so Appleinsider doesn’t actually know anything about it.
I could have guessed that stuff myself…and may be wrong…
@ drmacnut
“OK everyone. So what should Apple call it?”
They should call it the MacBook Nano
I’m fine without optical drive; in fact prefer it without one if it makes it smaller, lighter, longer battery life, etc. You can always use an external one for installing software, but rest of time its just not required.
MDN Word: sense, like I am talking sense (in writing obviously)
I know I wouldn’t mind having a built-in CD/DVD drive, but I would expect an external to be included. Some nifty bonjour service to “borrow” a drive from another computer would be cool, too.
[edit] “I know I wouldn’t mind not having …”
(Note to self: proof-read better, you fool).
Somebody is kidding somebody. No way does a “sub-notebook” have a 13″ screen. No way.
unless its a 6 1/2 that folds out
eMax needs to change crack brands.
I’d be happy if they made the existing MacBooks lighter and thinner.
I have had several Compaq and Sony sub-3 lb subcompacts over the last 5 years. My old Compaq then Sony lacked any optical drive – which was more of a hassle than you would think. Loading software, using any software that requires a disk, such as a game or movie and backing up files was a pain. An external portable optical drive was a huge pain to purchase and carry. My latest Sony T-series is less than 3 lbs, has a DVD-RW internal drive, and EVERYTHING else you could want. I was hoping to replace my Sony with a Apple sub-notebook, but no optical drive is a huge disappointment. Any comments from people who do not think it is a problem are meaningless chatter since it is unlikely they ever really owned a similar laptop.
MacBook Nano is the winner, sold complete with an external SuperDrive for those times when you absolutely need one.
Maybe MacBook mini goes more in line with desktop Mac nomenclature?
Although I do think MacBook Nano sounds pretty cool.
RUMOUR: Somewhere deep in Cupertino’s HQ, ther lies hidden in a drawer from a cupboard locked in a secret room Apple’s mission statement.
In it, there is a line that says “Apple will produce electronic consumer goods based on rumours that gather a life of their own?”
“Apple will also count all the number of items requested and include in the item a spec that has the highest average request”.
“Apple will price the product according to Apple’s pricing policy”.
The RUMOUR concludes that Apple expects its customers to DREAM ON!
Ps. not to jay and all googlers out there, check this out. Watch the video if you can.
http://bbc.news.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6645895.stm
Don’t you just LOVE Google?
@ eMax, TT, TMF, C1 & anyone else interested, check this article out. It is well worth the read!
Sun tries to jump on iphone bandwagon with jphone.
http://www.roughlydrafted.com/RD/RDM.Tech.Q2.07/0ADA49EA-93A2-4960-BAAC-2257C9DBD32F.html
Enjoy!!:-)
“I have had several Compaq and Sony sub-3 lb subcompacts over the last 5 years. My old Compaq then Sony lacked any optical drive – which was more of a hassle than you would think. Loading software, using any software that requires a disk, such as a game or movie and backing up files was a pain. An external portable optical drive was a huge pain to purchase and carry. My latest Sony T-series is less than 3 lbs, has a DVD-RW internal drive, and EVERYTHING else you could want. I was hoping to replace my Sony with a Apple sub-notebook, but no optical drive is a huge disappointment. Any comments from people who do not think it is a problem are meaningless chatter since it is unlikely they ever really owned a similar laptop.”
Here’s some more “meaningless chatter” for ya… Your post is nonsense. I have a company issued Dell Notebook without a CD drive as does hundreds of others in my company. I’ve had it 2 years (due to be replaced this year) and have NEVER missed the drive at all…. The computer was imaged by IT with the OS and required software for my job before I got it… Any updates or new software that I need are simply download over the network.
This is real world business….. Maybe I’m wrong but somehow I doubt the ability to “play games” or “watch a movie” on a company computer is real important to my company. However, since I could be at any of 14 different sites at a days notice, a good small, lightweight, powerful notebook is important…
Sounds to me that the proposed “Macbook Light” (or whatever you want to call it) as described would be perfect for anyone in my situation.
Interesting article, Crabapple. Thanks.
@ eMax: Here is a link you will find interesting, it continues the last thread we were talking about. Have you read my last reply to you?
Is RIM immune to Apple’s iphone?
http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=199501260
My pleasure TMF, I thought you would be having some Z’s about now.
I am currently catching up with articles on that site, while this one is slow.
The real scoop
The new MacBooks are going to have cell phone integration.
Apple figures that after the iPhone debuts that the small screen and limited storage space won’t be enough for most. Then they plan to introduce the new cell phone integrated MacBooks.