“What’s more, people familiar with the buy side of operations for big box retailers like Best Buy and Amazon.com say that Apple has indicted to them that it will not replenish supply of the notebooks until Oct. 12 through Oct. 16 at the earliest,” Hughes and Jade report. “Such expansive delays on low volume products like the MacBook Air are common only when Mac maker is preparing to overhaul the product line, these people say.”
Hughes and Jade report, “All these signs seem to support persistent rumors out of the Far East that Apple is gearing up to overhaul the MacBook Air line with a newly designed 11.6-inch display this fall… It’s reported that Apple plans to ship around a half-million units before the end of the 2010 calendar year. The current MacBook Air sports a larger 13.3-inch display.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We hear nothing! We see nothing! We know nothing! (But, when you see what Apple’s done, a little birdie tells us that you’re going to swoon.)
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
@thethirdshoe,
I’m afraid you’ve got me pegged.
Isn’t the whole point of the MBA that it has a full size keyboard & screen?
Somehow a “Mac Netbook” doesn’t make sense with the iPad as part of Apple’s product line.
Isn’t the whole point of the MBA that it has a full size keyboard & screen?
Somehow a “Mac Netbook” doesn’t make sense with the iPad as part of Apple’s product line.
Maybe they stopped carrying them because nobody wants them? After all they were a gimmick. They were even more overpriced and underspeced than the usual apple offerings.
Maybe they stopped carrying them because nobody wants them? After all they were a gimmick. They were even more overpriced and underspeced than the usual apple offerings.
@Ray
There are a number of us that need a lightweight and full featured machine that runs more programs than the iPad. I love my MBA. It’s not as fast as a MBP, but it does the job and is super light when traveling. Is it a huge market? Probably not, but I don’t think the new version is going to be some slow-ass netbook piece of crap. I can only imagine and I think those of us that can use something like it will be pleasantly surprised. The iPad can probably do 80% of what most people need, but it’s that 20% that will make the MBA desirable.
@Ray
There are a number of us that need a lightweight and full featured machine that runs more programs than the iPad. I love my MBA. It’s not as fast as a MBP, but it does the job and is super light when traveling. Is it a huge market? Probably not, but I don’t think the new version is going to be some slow-ass netbook piece of crap. I can only imagine and I think those of us that can use something like it will be pleasantly surprised. The iPad can probably do 80% of what most people need, but it’s that 20% that will make the MBA desirable.
One other thing. I don’t think that an 11.6″ display is going to be a big deal and make it a netbook. One of my favorite laptops prior to getting the MBA was my old 12″ Powerbook. That was a nice machine.
One other thing. I don’t think that an 11.6″ display is going to be a big deal and make it a netbook. One of my favorite laptops prior to getting the MBA was my old 12″ Powerbook. That was a nice machine.
At 11.6 inches, it should be 1280×800 resolution. That would give it a pixel density of 130 PPI (pixels per inch), which is about the same as the PPI number for the 17-inch MacBook Pro display (at 1920×1200 resolution).
THAT resolution (1280×800) is the SAME as on the current 13.3 inch display used by MacBook Air, white MacBook, and MacBook Pro, but at about 113 PPI.
Once you get below 800 pixels for vertical resolution, Mac OS X begins to have some usability issues because GUI elements such as the Menu Bar, Dock, and title bars of windows start to take up too much of the vertical space, leaving less space for actual content.
A 11.6-inch 1280×800 screen just allows the MacBook Air to be physically smaller. It does not make it any less usable compared to the current model, because the screen has the same number of pixels. And I think that would be a pretty amazing addition to the MacBook lineup. The current MacBook Air is kind of useless at this point.
At 11.6 inches, it should be 1280×800 resolution. That would give it a pixel density of 130 PPI (pixels per inch), which is about the same as the PPI number for the 17-inch MacBook Pro display (at 1920×1200 resolution).
THAT resolution (1280×800) is the SAME as on the current 13.3 inch display used by MacBook Air, white MacBook, and MacBook Pro, but at about 113 PPI.
Once you get below 800 pixels for vertical resolution, Mac OS X begins to have some usability issues because GUI elements such as the Menu Bar, Dock, and title bars of windows start to take up too much of the vertical space, leaving less space for actual content.
A 11.6-inch 1280×800 screen just allows the MacBook Air to be physically smaller. It does not make it any less usable compared to the current model, because the screen has the same number of pixels. And I think that would be a pretty amazing addition to the MacBook lineup. The current MacBook Air is kind of useless at this point.
Frankly I don’t think there’s a need for the MacBook Air any longer. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s no revision and Apple just kills the line. Any current and potential Air customers can choose between an iPad or a MacBook. With the iPad, the MacBook Air no longer serves a purpose, and this 11.6″ model would make product differentiation even worse than it was before.
Frankly I don’t think there’s a need for the MacBook Air any longer. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s no revision and Apple just kills the line. Any current and potential Air customers can choose between an iPad or a MacBook. With the iPad, the MacBook Air no longer serves a purpose, and this 11.6″ model would make product differentiation even worse than it was before.
They may very well update the MBA. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it retired. It’s only got *one* (demo) slot in our Apple store. There are like 20 slots for iPads. There are probably 6-8 for regular MB’s. It just doesn’t seem like a hit.
They may very well update the MBA. However, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it retired. It’s only got *one* (demo) slot in our Apple store. There are like 20 slots for iPads. There are probably 6-8 for regular MB’s. It just doesn’t seem like a hit.
If they price a new MBA below the current MacBook then sign me up for a buy. Even though I already own a MBP and will buy an iPad as soon as they are available in my country (Denmark) then I could still find perfect use for a 11.6″ MBA.
If they price a new MBA below the current MacBook then sign me up for a buy. Even though I already own a MBP and will buy an iPad as soon as they are available in my country (Denmark) then I could still find perfect use for a 11.6″ MBA.
Bring on the MacOS tablet!! 😀
Bring on the MacOS tablet!! 😀
My guess is Apple move to a whole new ultraportable notebook familiy without optical drive but with built-in 4G modem for full wireless connectivity. So you only need small but fast SSD drives, because all your data is accessible via Apples new server farm. And the 11.6 MBA would not replace the 13.3 model, it would be additional offer. The new form factor will feature the 800 x 1280 resolution of the old MBA the new 13,3 inch will sport a 900 x 1440 resolution currently used in the 15 inch MBP.
The critical feature for ultraportable devices is battery life, so Apple will stay with the CPU performance of the actual MacbookAir, but extend battery life to 8 to 10 hours.
You cant do all your stuff with an ipad, so an ultraportable fully fledged notebook with long battery life and omnipresent internet connectivity will be the perfect round up.
My guess is Apple move to a whole new ultraportable notebook familiy without optical drive but with built-in 4G modem for full wireless connectivity. So you only need small but fast SSD drives, because all your data is accessible via Apples new server farm. And the 11.6 MBA would not replace the 13.3 model, it would be additional offer. The new form factor will feature the 800 x 1280 resolution of the old MBA the new 13,3 inch will sport a 900 x 1440 resolution currently used in the 15 inch MBP.
The critical feature for ultraportable devices is battery life, so Apple will stay with the CPU performance of the actual MacbookAir, but extend battery life to 8 to 10 hours.
You cant do all your stuff with an ipad, so an ultraportable fully fledged notebook with long battery life and omnipresent internet connectivity will be the perfect round up.
@Ray:
Use your imagination! The iPad is great, but a full-featured laptop it isn’t.
@Ray:
Use your imagination! The iPad is great, but a full-featured laptop it isn’t.
@Brulek
The MBA was a technology pathfinder for several of the design aspects of the MacBook Pro and iPad. It serves its intended purpose, much like the Panasonic Toughbook. There is nothing wrong with a niche product, especially when it serves as a stepping stone for advances in your more popular products.
@Brulek
The MBA was a technology pathfinder for several of the design aspects of the MacBook Pro and iPad. It serves its intended purpose, much like the Panasonic Toughbook. There is nothing wrong with a niche product, especially when it serves as a stepping stone for advances in your more popular products.