CNBC jumps on Mac ultraportable bandwagon
We're a little more than a month away from the Macworld Expo, and the expectations are starting to get a little clearer for arguably Apple's biggest show of the year.
CNBC reported Thursday that Apple plans at Macworld to introduce a 12-inch Mac laptop with flash memory in place of a hard drive. Apple followers have long anticipated such a product, and several other reports have come out this year predicting a similar type of announcement was nigh.
Apple could add 12-inch notebook alongside these 13.3-inch MacBooks in January.
(Credit: Apple)The ultraportable Mac is said to be 50 percent thinner and lighter than a current MacBook Pro, the largest notebook in Apple's lineup. And CNBC is also saying it expects the price to be about $1,500, the same price as the 13.3-inch black MacBook that's currently available on Apple's site.
I'm a little skeptical of the price, especially since the notebook would reportedly use flash memory instead of a hard drive. My colleague Michael Kanellos noted last month that Dell charges a $950 premium for a 64GB flash memory drive in place of a 160GB hard drive on one of its XPS notebooks. Perhaps Apple is using a smaller drive, or the notebook will use a less expensive processor and smaller amounts of memory to offset the cost, but flash memory drives aren't expected to be practical for a few years.
Still, it's not hard to imagine Apple coming out with that style of notebook, especially since Intel is expected to have new notebook chips out around the same time, perhaps unveiling them during CEO Paul Otellini's keynote address at CES on January 7. Ultraportable notebooks--which generally weigh in around 3 pounds or less--aren't a very big segment of the notebook market but tend to be showcases for design flair, and Apple's been known to show an interest in that sort of thing here and there.
CNBC also reported that Apple could have more to say about a 3G version of the iPhone early next year, and that demand for the iPod Touch has caused Apple to up its production estimates.
Tom Krazit writes about the ever-expanding world of Internet search, including Google, Yahoo, online advertising, and portals, as well as the evolution of mobile computing. He has written about traditional PC companies, chip manufacturers, and mobile computers, spending the last three years covering Apple. E-mail Tom. 
Has Steve Jobs been smoking something funny again? How can he expect to sell a $1500 laptop in a market that can only afford a $100 or $180 laptop?
the $100-$200 range...and I imagine that Apple's flash-based
notebook will probably outperform the OLPC XO.
What are you smoking this laptop is meant to be for the upper class not the lower class. Flash based drive will give HUGE battery gains, and WAY faster performance. It would not be a big step to say a ultra portable laptop, with a 12 inch Back lit LED screen, and a flash hard drive would have instant (not 4 minutes like vista) boot time, and 6-8 HOURS battery life (not 2 hours like a cheap dell). This 12 inch laptop would be competeing for all the people who want a laptop but dont want to put thier back out carring it around all day.
Apple targets gullible kids because it's "cool", and gullible adults because that mac kid is always getting the upper hand on the old PC guy, so obviously macs are better.
/P
P.S. This is the proper way to respond to SATIRE.
is the US, North America and Europe. But you'll be surprised at the number of people across Asia who would be able to afford it, and who would find it the ideal aspirational product to flaunt
in their circle.
OTOH, it may use a combination of, say, 8GB of flash storage for its boot disk (for the OS and the built-in apps, with perhaps a bit of room left over for commonly-used 3rd-party apps) and an iPod-sized disk drive (up to 80GB) for data storage. Such a combo wouldn't need to invoke the power drain of the spinning HDD full time (saves power), and yet could withstand quite a bit of abuse.
It would make sense for someone who travels a whole hell of a lot, and it would still be hefty enough to do pretty much what a traveler needs it to.
/P
G4, which was a perfect form factor for the traveling executive.
Who really uses a 17" laptop on a transpacific flight? Hopefully it
will be configurable to suit various needs and pricing. $1500 will
probably be a Flash/HDD hybrid. $2500 for all flash and
transreflective screen. Wireless docking station for optical, backup
drives and high power graphics card- sweet! It will be exciting to
see what they really come up with after all this waiting.
- JOBSTRADAMUS
- by originalanalog December 7, 2007 9:25 AM PST
- One more thing....here's how you make an 'ultra-portable' that is 1/2 the width of the MacBook - you make it a tablet. Boom. It makes total sense to make a 13inch, 3G capable multi-touch Mac to give them a product in that sub $1000 range. Check out more here: http://myiphonediary.blogspot.com
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- You're on the right track
- by Bridging the GAP December 7, 2007 9:58 AM PST
- Apple already has a 160GB drive in the iPod classic for $349...I believe it is a flash drive. This drive will be in the new iTablet...and it will look like a large iTouch...and you can bet it will be at$999....
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