Rumor alert: New MacBooks only weeks away

(Credit: CNET)

While we've been hearing about a possible fall update to the iMac line, including Blu-ray options, for a couple of weeks now, the online rumor mill has now consigned itself to expecting new MacBook laptops as well. And not just any laptops, but the mythical, long-awaited, low-cost MacBooks that true believers hope will usher in a new age of Apple-based computing for those who find laptops over $1,000 to be out of reach.

AppleInsider says: "The new models, which appear as if they could make their debut alongside a family of more versatile iMacs in the coming weeks, are expected to arrive as the most affordable notebook offerings in the Mac maker's history." The site adds, "One person familiar with preproduction units indicated to AppleInsider several weeks ago that models awaiting certification were seen in white polycarbonate shells, consistent with the sole $999 model currently available."

Other references around the Web make similar claims, saying a less-expensive version of the polycarbonate MacBook would pave the way for a low-cost touchscreen Apple tablet early next year--but each of these reports ultimately leads back to the original rumor posted by AppleInsider.

We've heard nothing from Apple about an upcoming press event to reveal new models, but that's not unusual for the consistently secretive company. We have, however, been under the impression for some time that Apple prefers to stay out of the low-margin sub-$1,000 part of the laptop market, leaving the high-volume, but less profitable, cheap Core 2 Duo laptops and Atom-powered Netbooks to others. CNET Network blogger Brooke Crothers however, takes a stab at speculating what could be in a lower-cost MacBook here.

Should Apple get into the lower end of the laptop market? What MacBook features could you do without for a lower entry price? Sound off in the comments section below.

[douggdangger]

First!

Proof that Microsoft's Ad showing that Macs are just too darn expensive is working.

In a depression like we are in right now, I don't think many people are willing to pay an extra $500 for a hardware comparable to a PC just because it has a sticker of a fruit on it.

Cheaper PC notebooks and Netbooks are eating Apple alive. LOL!


Apple fangirls should be thrilled that Microsoft is making Apple drop their prices. Thanks to competition, both side of the aisle benefit from better and cheaper products.

Go Microsoft!

[SuperYogurt]

Are you 12?

[The-Gdog]

Keep in mind Apple is a high end hardware company so Yea they cost more but it is for a reason. For example a unibody aluminum macbook pro is higher quality than a $500 plastic dell laptop. Not saying that cheap laptops are bad, its just a different approach to building a computer. I prefer Mac for many reasons, but they are a waste of money for some uses.

[tjt7a]

How are they working, and how is Microsoft making Apple drop their prices? If anything, the economy is pushing Apple to reduce its profit margins and sell a cheaper product.

Apple computers are very comparably priced when compared to DELL/HP/Toshiba machines with similar specs. Unlike these competitors, Apple seems to produce a higher quality product, with a debatably nicer OS.

Last year, 37% of the new incoming students at my University were using OS X; I can safely say that it will be much higher this year.

Tom

[iparadisebeach]

Well considering this is still a rumor it's far from proof. I do not feel that this will come to light. I see it being more brand damaging for Apple to have a sub $1,000 MacBook, a purely media device yes but notebook no. And Microsoft's revenues drop 17% when these ads hit circulation. Pricing sends a message that consumers hear loud and clear. The CDs in the discount bin at FYE are no different than the full-priced ones, but consumers perceive them as less desirable. And in a recession consumers lack one major retail pocket filling trait... Impulse purchasing. It's also interesting to note that in the first ad with the "Lauren" character they describe a MacBook at $2,100 and ends up purchasing a Dell 13inch model that was said to cost $1,500 but when spec'd to the $2,100 MacBook they referenced ends up costly nearly the same price this misrepresentation cause Microsoft to alter the ad correcting the misleading comparison. And I'm excited to see that Mircosoft is building "Windows Store" and a tablet the "courier" so I suppose competition and free markets are playing out exactly as they should. Come to think of it the dollar is dropping in value so $1,000 today could have been $1,700 2 years ago. ;-)

[Nakarou]

depression? not even close

[Yelonde]

"Cheaper PC notebooks and Netbooks are eating Apple alive. LOL!"

But then again, Cheaper PC notebooks and netbooks have half the specs of macbooks, so go figure.

[dimitrislunch]

douggdangger-
it's hard to take you seriously with your infantile comments. Please grow up and get some class before posting.
"I may not agree with what you have to say but will fight to the death for the right to say it." Voltaire
Just do it with style, man.

[trn1983]

@ The-Gdog

If you think Apple is a "high-end hardware company", you're out of your mind. They sell computers with mediocre components at extravagant prices. The only reason ANYONE should ever buy a Mac is if they just love OS X "that much" that they don't mind getting ripped off on hardware. I've run almost every operating under the sun, and I hate to tell you, other than the fact that people don't write many viruses for OS X, it's not that special. It's got pros and cons, and against Windows 7 it's cons far outweigh it's pros.

Apple needs to get back to reality and start selling their computers at a competitive price before I ever buy another. I like OS X, especially when opening PowerPoint files made on a Mac that hasn't disabled image compression. But not enough to get ripped off.

Offer a $600 laptop and I'm on it. Otherwise, it's just another Apple ripoff.

[iamright2000]

On the flip side, windows operating systems will hopefully become cheaper, more stable, virus free.......

[Vepar_S]

Of course Apple would release new MacBooks (rumored) They have a new OSX, Slow Leopard (pun-intented).

While most Apple fans would probably disagree with me or flame me for this. I hope they do not release it with Slow (pun) and offer and upgrade choice like M$. Knowing Apple they SWEAR they know what they are doing and that they can make a right choice for the consumer....In these days, the Apple section in Retailers are very quiet. No I am not talking about the Apple store. I mean a Third Party retailer. Dell /HP/Acer will outsell Apple this holiday season In laptops Area. As for desktops, well I built my machines so I don't care about that one. (reason for my to like Windows and Linux) And no I am not into "hackentosh" or "Bart OSX"

Windows will be a target for virus as long as they own a large share of the market, something Apple points out at all the time but yet they are obviously admitting to the truth that they are still chasing M$.

IF APPLE can sell their products for cheaper price then they will gain some ground. but $800 - $1500 for a:
160gb HD
2Gb Ram
13" display

No, Im good. I am a smart end-user who is not lazy and doesn't do reckless things. I fix my own problems and not blame software, or hardware issues on a company all the time.

[qtnetmexico]

I think a 400-to-600-dollar margin for a Mac netbook would be fine since their operating system runs faster than Windows; but they definitely need to have an 800-dollar laptop if they want to compete against Asus, HP, Acer and the gang.

[Yelonde]

If Apple lowered their prices that much, then the quality of their computers would really suffer. Apple has built their reputation around being high-quality, high-end, and to introduce a very cheap computer would destroy their reputation. Honestly, I think that apple has lowered the price of their base-line macbook enough. The 15-inch and 17-inch should get lower prices, but their macbook should stay put as far as price goes.

[Renegade Knight]

@Yelonde

Quality and price are not the same. People think if they pay more they get more. That's not always true. If Apple wants to grow as a company they need an Apple Netbook. They can price it at the high end of the netbook price range and everone can feel good about it.

[QA_Tester]

@Yelonde

Apple is using same components as Microsoft computers So there is no reason for quality to drop

[santuccie]

@QA_Tester:

'Apple is using same components as Microsoft computers So there is no reason for quality to drop.'
>>>>Not for the same prices!

[douggdangger]

Apple is not "high end" hardware. They get their hardware from sweatshops in China just like many PC manufacturers do.

$1,200 will get you a Macbook pro:
13" display
2.2ghz C2Duo
8X DVDR
2gb ram
160gb hd
...that's it


$1,134 will get you a Dell Studio XPS
13.3" display
4gb ram
2.66 C2Duo
320gb hd
8X DVDR
Vista with Windows 7 upgrade

I'm willing to get better hardware for LESS MONEY than to spend a buttload of money on a case made out of Pepsi cans.

[TheRiversK]

You saved $66! But just like the laptop hunter adds, you only looked at the numbers and not the quality. What also needs to be factored in to this the the type of ram used, the type of screen, the battery quality, exactly which model processor used..... and so on. not to mention OSX compared to Windows. Try again.

[Firehazel]

quality of OS is in the eye of the beholder. but personally, I would buy the XPS over the Mac in this case.

[streamline35]

Saved $66 and got a much faster laptop with twice the ram and HDD space.

As for the OS, as firehazel said, it's in the eye of the beholder. I use win7 RC at home, and xp + osx 10.5 at work, and I would take win7 any day over osx. I just don't find it particularly convenient or fast compared to win7. Even if I were to say, oh, win a contest and end up with free mb or mbp (which I would keep, because they are pretty good hardware), I would install win7, and osx would be a small, rarely used, secondary partition.

[Renegade Knight]

You left off some basics the apple comes with that you have to add to the XPS. I'll lleave it to you to find them. You also ignore customer service. Dell has none. They will happily screw over customers. Apple so far has been great to work with (ipod issue) and better still I havent' needed them at all on their computers.

Ignoring the Dell crap, you can spec out a windows based laptop and do better than a Macbook. Especially the Pro's. It's not hard, but with Dell. You don't even get what you pay for. At least with Apple you can bank on the customer service or like me, enjoy you don't need to use it.

[Renegade Knight]

You left off some basics the apple comes with that you have to add to the XPS. I'll lleave it to you to find them. You also ignore customer service. Dell has none. They will happily screw over customers. Apple so far has been great to work with (ipod issue) and better still I havent' needed them at all on their computers.

Ignoring the Dell crap, you can spec out a windows based laptop and do better than a Macbook. Especially the Pro's. It's not hard, but with Dell. You don't even get what you pay for. At least with Apple you can bank on the customer service or like me, enjoy you don't need to use it.

Like you I like Vista/7 over OSX. They just work better for my uses than OS X. (ignoring forcing Vista to actually run right...that's annoying).

[cdtphilpot]

Umm you left out bluetooth, iLife, iChat, wireless-N, amazing customer support and no crapware to uninstall at boot up.

I love have you MS fans selectively leave out the things that make the Apple experience so much better.

[sugardaddy1020]

hey, you missed the backlite keyboard.... it's the best for photo and video editing.

[motytrah]

Dell does make a high end Uni-body laptop. It costs more than the apple and delivers less. Quality chassis makes or breaks a laptop. Which is why I replace my Mac Book 3-4 years later when I want new features and I replace my SO's Dell 2 years later when it's broken.

As far as windows, it doesn't have Unix running under the hood. That's why when I go to technical presentations these days developers are using Mac's 4:1.

[circustick]

XPS 13 continued...

WLED 1280-by-800 glossy widescreen.
7200 RPM Hard Drive.
Bluetooth.
NVIDIA GeForce 9500M - 256MB
1.3 MP Webcam.
Kitchen sink.
Wireless 1510 802.11n
Backlit keyboard.

Thankfully the mac has iChat and iLife so the choice is obvious.

[chadbed]

I dont know if those who are commenting on it being a premium for a logo. That quite simply is not the case. Have you ever seen as beautiful of a notebook from any other company? The style, elegance, and beauty that these laptops have is astounding. I never understood what it was until I bought a late 2008 mac book pro. I went through multiple other HP laptops both expensive and cheap. And let me tell you. I have had a mac book pro now for over a year, and it is the best laptop I have ever owned. I am still satisfied and when im at a store that sells laptops, I walk right past the laptops and own to whatever else. Things like the multi touch track pad, beautiful screen, and mac os x.

You are not paying for a logo here folks. You are paying for apple's personal touch they put into products. It's something unmatched by any other computer maker, and that is why they can charge a premium and people who know it doesn't phase them. The support, simplicity and elegance, its unmatched. Period.

[douggdangger]

Computers are tools, nothing more and nothing less. We use them to send, receive and process information.

I spend 99.9% of the time looking at the screen and not the "elegant beauty" of a glowing logo of a fruit.

I find a greater need for larger hard drives and ram and a faster processor over a glossy fingerprint magnet glossy finish and a blinding extremely glare reflecting screen.

[Firehazel]

@douggdangger
AMEN.

[streamline35]

Agree with the last two comments. When it comes to computers I want to buy, it's what's on the inside that counts. Aesthetics might be a tie breaker between two laptops of equal value, but are not a major deciding factor.

[Yelonde]

Cars are tools too, but why companies produce luxury vehicles?

You have your own opinion on computers, but some of us want better quality, better looking, better-performing computers.

[mgheff]

I agree with chadbed. Commenters above only focused on the fact that he mentioned the aesthetics. He also mentioned the OS, the screen, and everything that makes a laptop a laptop. I agree, Macs have far better build quality and durability, at least the new ones, the OS is stable and works superb, and the screens on these laptops are far better than most laptops out there. You really are paying for more than just a logo, but quality.

[tjt7a]

This is true; everything really is dependent on the personal views of the consumer.

I'm a developer and Computer Engineer, I chose OS X.

[Renegade Knight]

My "style elegance and beauty" got me a laptop that is ugly doesn't have a proper keyboard, has the USB ports too close together so some of my USB assessories can't be used at the same time and so on.

Apple may look pretty to most but they hit ugly on the head wiht the new brushed aluminum that has no color options and their crappy ergonomics.

I'l ltake a thinkpad as a thing of beauty any way over the apple.

So yes. I paid more for the Logo because it wasn't the beauty that did it for me.

AS for the screens that someone said was better. Side by side with a Dell XPS (and I hate Dell thanks to their crappy quality and customer support nightmare department) the Dell had a clearly brighter more colorful and nicer screen.

Credit where credit is due. I thought the Apple would have the better screen. Nope.

[priorityx]

haha same ol argument from pc heads, my hardware is cheaper and better! its not about hardware chumps. its about the OS. if ur OS sucks like Vista does, no amount of hardware will keep your "are you sure!?" messages from stopping. it just makes them appear faster and more often.

vista (messed up) Microsoft so bad that Ubuntu was making headlines. you know that's bad.

usability sells.
[CNET editor's note: Offensive content deleted.]

[dodobird637]

amen

[Renegade Knight]

Your half right. Vista beats OS X for my uses hands down. What made it crappy wasn't the interface (which is what Beats OS X) it was some of the under the hood crap that MS tried to pull of and failed with. MS made a blunder to say that 7 fixes Vista. What kind of moron company doesn't stand beyind it's products.

That said OS X isn't flawless and when Vista can be a better graphical and useful interface than OS X then Apple must of fallen asleep at the wheel. I'll see if Snow Leopard fixed this or not.

[Mr_fleabite]

It's a little painful to see so many people/ comments espousing such loyalty to corporations. Everyone knows they just want your cash and don?t really care about you, right? Use what?s best for you; this has become OS evangelism.

[douggdangger]

Apple feeling the heat specially in a depression induced by a new Marxist leader that their products are not selling.

A $300 device called a netbook is making Apple run around like a chicken with its head cut off. Ha-ha-ha-ha!!!

Bad economy greatly benefits the PC industry while it dries up the already arid Apple corner.


Apple's PowerPC cpu sucked so they went with a PC cpu from intel.
Many of their users run bootcamp so they can run WINDOWS.
The ipod's market share is credited to the PC. Had ipods been an Apple exclusive, they'd only have 8% of the portable music player market.

Face it Apple fangirls, you need Microsoft and PCs more than they need you. Don't bite the had that feeds you. LOL!

[pickles319]

Apple is just being nice and making it so the majority of users can use their products. You do realize that the original iPod was only Mac compatible? Then they realized that if they made it so everyone could use their product, it would greatly increase their revenue. Its a very simple business plan.

I agree with SuperYogurt. I think you are 12.

[espeed623]

Lol, you Wintard. You bring up SOME truths, however, you bring it up in the manner of a 12 year old, as SuperYogurt said. And by the way--Because people use a Mac does not make them a "girl". We don't call PC users PC fangirls because it's outright disrespect. I respect PC users and their opinions and I'm sure there are PC users who do the same for Mac users. However, I cannot respect your opinion because your opinion brings up false information. Don't hate if you haven't used it.

[polaris20]

Dude, is your head in the sand? Apple is doing pretty well, in case you haven't noticed.

http://www.tuaw.com/2009/07/21/apple-reports-2009-q3-earnings-8-34b-in-revenues-profit-of-1/

Try not to be so ignorant next time.

The Microsoft shills are getting more and more pathetic all the time. You gimps need UAC for posting on the net.

"You are attempting to post retarded, misguided drivel on the internet again. Allow or Cancel?"

Perhaps then you'd think twice about posting such moronic content.

[shellcodes_coder]

agree with you :)
All these Crapple fan girls should get those things into their brain

[douggdangger]

Apple hardware... quality? Ha-ha-ha-ha!!!

It wasn't long ago when nearly every Apple laptops were catching fire due to crappy batteries.
People's laps were burning from their CPUs overheating.
Magnetic power connector breaking from the inside causing it to melt.
Screens having lines run across them.
Apple charges $200 for minor updates on their OS while Windows updates are FREE.

I have a 7 year old Dell laptop with an ORIGINAL XP install that ran great. I recently upgraded it to Vista and runs just as fast. Sorry Apple girls, you're wrong again.

[pickles319]

I really dont think you realize that the "minor" updates to the Apple OS are actually new OS's. Apple wouldn't name a regular system update (Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard).

And what Apple update that costs $200 are you talking about? Can't remember a price point for a FULL version of OS X for over $129. And OS 10.6 goes for $29. And I wouldn't call each update a minor one.

Free Windows updates? Sure, Vista was free and I hear 7 is too so as long as you know someone in China... Or Microsoft SHOULD have given it away. And $225 (Amazon) for XP Home SP2, an EIGHT YEAR OLD OS!!! Who is price gouging who? Ya, there are OEM versions you can get for cheaper, but you don't get support when something goes wrong.

And how is it that I can sell a two year old Apple laptop for 70% of its purchase price on E-Bay, I am curious of the resale numbers on a PC laptop. Not buying the "Crap Hardware" argument since Mac and PC hardware is the SAME!

[espeed623]

To add on to our anonymous user's comment, to even BUY an OEM copy of Windows, you MUST have a system builder's license.

[streamline35]

espeed - wrong. Anyone can buy an oem copy off of newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=40000368&Description=windows%20oem&name=Operating%20Systems

[Yelonde]

Nearly every apple "laptops" were catching fire due to crappy batteries? I don't recall a time when nearly every apple "laptops" was catching fire. What I do remember though is that apple recalled faulty batteries, and replaced the affected computers with new ones.

Under-education. Isn't it a great thing?

[Herbal Ed]

Do you actually believe that calling some one a girl is put down?? What a twit.

[douggdangger]

"Apple is just being nice and making it so the majority of users can use their products."

Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!

You mean that decission had nothing to do with MONEY? It's only so they can be NICE? Ha-ha-ha-ha!!!


Like I said, Microsoft and PC manufacturers can survive on their own. Apple is like a leech that needs to feed off of the success of others.

If Microsoft were to make their new OS block iPod compatibility, ipods sales would crumble. You'd see ipods in the clearance bins along with Sony minidiscs. Windows users wouldn't even protest since there are far better MP3 playing devices out there.

Apple fanboys are fools.

[espeed623]

You're a fool because you desire nothing more than a flamewar. You post the same stuff (most of which I believe is pure misinformation) over and over because you desire to see a few angry faces staring at yours.

[dougguraloserlol]

you're a loser hahaha

[shellcodes_coder]

agree with you again :)

[TechSlap]

Seriously? You must be 12... Otherwise you must have the intelligence of a retarded 12 year old. Enjoy finger-painting.

[Waam]

Apple should create a low cost spin-off company. A Sub brand if you must, kind of like a Scion from Toyota since they are so concerned about their image. This way they can save their image, and still cater to their fans and customers.

They could start by moving the Mac mini into this new brand lineup and add in a cheap net book alternative later.

[ofmyony]

Call it a Macintosh.

[Renegade Knight]

When they bankrupt Psystar (of whtever they are called) they cay buy them and use that brand.

[zakb7]

We all feel the need to justify our purchases, I get that. Macs have been and continue to be the choice of design professionals, photographers, and other creative fields, for good reason. I and all other people who have chosen Mac because we toil in these fields welcome a lower-cost alternative.

It'll still be cheaper to buy an Acer netbook than it is to buy a Mac. It'll be cheaper to buy a Dell laptop, at least initially, than it is to buy a Mac. But Macs do what they do well better than PCs, and vice-versa...I mean, you wouldn't buy a Mac for gaming purposes. Different tools for different folks.

Apple already makes a netbook - it's called the iPhone or iPod touch.

[douggdangger]

"Apple already makes a netbook - it's called the iPhone or iPod touch."



Wow, I never knew that the iphone or ipod allowed you to VPN to networks at work. I never knew the iphone and itouch had a fullsize keyboard that allowed you to type up to 100 words per minute. I never knew the iphone allowed me to run visual studio or a java compiler.



I think netbooks could "cut & paste" from day one. I think netbooks have replaceable batteries.



Netbooks don't force me to get a contract with a filthy company. My netbook allows me to work using the battery for 6 hours. The iphone can barely last 4 hours running the same thing as a netbook.



I can connect my netbook to a projector to do presentation, can the iphone?



I can upgrade the hard drive of my netbook or insert flash memory. Can the iphone?



I can run skype, visual studio, web browse, play music and VPN into the office all at the SAME TIME. Can the iphone?





Apple has a failed netbook, it's called the macbook air. $1,500 is way too much for a computer with a fruit sticker. For $1,500 I can buy a kick arse powerhouse PC laptop AND a netbook.



BTW, Blackberries ******* all over iphones. They can "cut & paste" and do "MMS" ;-)

[zakb7]

Douggie, netbooks are for screwing around on the internet. Notebooks are for doing real work, like presentations and such. What good's a VPN if you can't run InDesign, Photoshop, PowerPoint, etc? People with jobs who actually use a VPN know this.

Calm down. You're obviously anti-Apple for whatever reason. Good for you. Don't like 'em? Don't buy 'em. Means nothing more than that in the real world where most of us live, work, and breathe.

Just remember, it's better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

[Yukinagato]

Im sorry but I have to agree with Doug here. Everyone touting the iTouch and iPhone as netbooks are Apple fanboys. Those two are no where near a netbook. Yes they are handy with some nice apps but they are no where near a netbook when is comes to use. Im not a flamer, its the truth.

[zakb7]

Okay, fine. It's fun to call me a fanboy, even though I have never owned anything Apple other than a G4 Mac laptop that's 5 years old (and runs like a dream still). Not even an iPod. I actually make my money (all of it) in a creative field. And have done so for many years. And my only point from the start is to state the fact that Macs are the tool of choice for those in professional creative fields, just as PCs are the choice for those in many others. Just like some carpenters use a Ryobi compound miter saw, while others use a Black-and-Decker. You think those people burn calories calling each other stupid names?

D-bag Douggie and other PC owners seem threatened by Apple. I don't know why. Then again, I'm all grown up now.

Have fun, everyone, remember to keep you eye on things that are actually important in your lives.

[renegade.black]

@Doug While I do agree that the iPhone isn't a netbook (I have both a netbook and an iPhone) it does support VPN. Granted you might not quite get that 100 wpm, you'd be surprised just how fast you can type on an iPhone. Also, if you're a sysadmin, you can VNC to your servers on the go. Even if you aren't a sysadmin, you can still VNC to a desktop machine to use your visual studio and java compiler. Might I also add, the a friend of mine uses his iPhone as a computer as it's the only thing that he uses, he hasn't used his desktop in about a month since he got it.

[dustinsc]

douggyboy: I wouldn't call a netbook's keyboard "fullsize." Those things are terribly cramped.

[myles taylor]

I hope they bring out new Macbook Pros as well with Blu-ray and the new i7 mobile processor. I need a new Macbook Pro but I don't want to get one just before an upgrade.

[dougguraloserlol]

loser? lol

[tipoo_]

There is a a Dell Studio with a quad-core Core-i7 CPU, 4 GB of DDR3-1066 memory, 512mb Radeon 4570 graphics card, and other overall high-end specs for $999. I own the Core 2 version of the same laptop (should have waited a month, sadness) and the build quality is great, the magnesium alloy frame really prevents any flex in the body, and the thing is just as light as the 15 inch Macbook Pro. Now, you could make an argument about the OS being better on the macbook (really, REALLY subjective) but who would turn down octa threaded goodness for a white fisher-price plastic notebook with far inferior specs? The macbook needs a sizeable price drop, since they obviously wont give it better specs than the Macbook Pro family until they update that one first.

[happygolucky101lol]

Was thinking last night, this could be a line of Apples I would find worthy:

9in Tablet - MacBook touch
11in Notebook - "Base" MacBook
13in Notebook - "Base" AND MacBook Pro (2 Versions, anyone)
15in - MacBook Pro
17in - MacBook Pro

20in iMac, 24in iMac
Mac mini, Mac Pro, Xserve for those who care

24in AND 30in LED Cinema Display with DVI AND Mini-DisplayPort

I'll keep dreaming, I don't know about you.

[Dan7637]

people dont use os x because they are dumb and dont know how to use a computer, its because they prefer os x better stability and intuitive interface over windows (no im not a fanboy in fact im writing this on a win7 pc) i prefer os x over windows but doesnt mean i dont like windows

"fruit sticker"- wow redmond has you guys dellusional

[trn1983]

Oh, and I don't know why the heck the Mac fanboys get all excited about "rumors" of new Macbooks every freaking year. Every year Apple puts out new MacBooks... it only makes sense, hardware is constantly improving! That's like being surprised that after sunrise comes every day.

[mgheff]

way to be optimistic and not down on people

[Renegade Knight]

I keep waiting for the Thinkpad rumors. Nobody cares, so I have to look it up myself. Life's hard.

[cyclonica1980]

You get what you pay for folks. Keep this in mind.

[winexz]

When you buy hand made objects or when talking about really cheap thing. But computer parts are all manufactured in China, Taiwan or Korea. Every computer company sub-contracts to these companies. Now some are better then others but go on Amazon and read reviews of Western Digital hard drives vs Seagate, pretty much the same percentage break down of 5 stars to 1 stars. There is an ascetic difference with Apple and an OS difference but hardware wise it is the same hardware.

[mgheff]

sounds good to me...I am so done with Windows, and with cheaper prices, more people can get them. Nothing to complain about there.

[pfzx]

You apple fans crack me up. Apple's PROFIT margins are higher than their competitors, because many FANS are willing to pay for stuff that largely goes unused. 95% of computer users need no more than what a Netbook can do - ok maybe 85% as some need a larger screen. But seriously, most computer use is playing music / video, browsing the web and occasionally using Quicken, Word or Excel.

I've been using IBM and Microsoft based systems for 30 years, and have never had a serious hardware failure. I think in all this time I had maybe 2 viruses, one of which my kids caught while browsing the web, and from what I understand, their are new creeps working on attacks specific to MAC, who's 5% user base (their stat not mine) are nearly 100% unprotected.

So if you like paying an extra $500 or more for a "pretty" computer (and the current Mac laptops look as generic as it gets), go right ahead. But seriously, almost none of you "need" a mac.

Apple will always be a marginal computer company unless they build something like the iPhone that competes on price as well as features.

[mgheff]

I do not use my Mac for very advanced stuff, mostly web music, some photos, Microsoft office, etc. I believe Macs are just better, though. It is just my opinion, no one needs to get all crazy about it. I prefer the layout, the fact that they last for such a long time, yes the aesthetics, and very importantly, I don't have to worry about all the viruses and problems I had with my PC. I know that Macs are still vulnerable, but there is no denying that so much less so than a Windows PC it is amazing. If people are willing to pay for the products and are happier with them than a PC, than that is all that matters.

[DMBoricua]

Keep the wonderful news coming!! I'm so psyched for this new Macbook coming in a few weeks!! I'm starting school on january and I'm planning on getting a Macbook for taking graphic design classes and I'll be SURE to wait for the new Macbooks :)