A MacBook thinner and lighter than Air?
Not long ago the world marveled at the MacBook Air, but the latest rumors say they are about to have more to marvel over. Although one wonders about the ultimate parameters of thin and light, the latest street talk is that a thinner, lighter MacBook is on the way. Just to be sure we understand what that means in real-world terms, the MacBook Air is 0.76 inches at its thickest point (0.16 at its thinnest) and weighs 3 pounds. How much farther can the wizards of Cupertino go?
This latest Apple notebook rumor comes courtesy of Ezra Gottheil of Technology Business Research, and was reported by Computerworld. Gottheil predicted, but stopped well short of announcing, that Apple would debut a thinner, lighter MacBook at MacWorld. He says the new MacBook will be a “netbook†style machine to cash in on the netbook craze and will carry a low price tag in order to be attractive in today’s tougher economic times.
This rumor is not exactly new, but it is taking on a clearer shape. Apple watchers, including Gottheil, have been nibbling around the edges of a less expensive Mac notebook for a couple of months. This earlier scuttlebutt has contained individual parts of what has now become a whole rumor: a thinner, lighter, cheaper MacBook in netbook form, due to be unveiled at MacWorld in January 2009.
Gottheil said, “They [Apple] like to have a big surprise at MacWorld. They don’t need to have one, but they like to. … It looks like netbooks are real, and getting a certain amount of traction. And this recession looks serious.” He said his information is not from any Apple insiders, but is “just by triangulation.†Taken together, Gottheil’s words have a certain ring of truth.
It could not hurt for Apple to have an entry-level notebook, as long as quality standards can be maintained. Nor would it be a bad idea for Apple to have a horse in the netbook race, although the netbook concept has been losing a bit of luster since its major proponent (Intel) has been seen as backing away from the idea. Nonetheless, an Apple netbook, when combined the the AppStore concept that has worked so well for the iPhone and iPod Touch, might be enough of a hit to revive the netbook concept, and polish the Mac apple in the process.
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December 17th, 2008
Still hard to see the benefit to Apple a netbook brings unless they want to sell less Macbooks. It would probably bring lower margins, not really what you want unless lower stock prices are a goal.
December 17th, 2008
Very well-written. I hope to purchase a new MacBook in the new year although I think the MacBook Pro may be more in line with my needs. Thanks for the info!