Apple's got a new 13-inch laptop prepped for Leopard launch?

Nothing like a wild and unsubstantiated Apple rumor to keep us entertained in the run up to Apple's Leopard launch on the 26th. The latest comes courtesy of TheStreet.com's Scott Moritz, who says Apple will have a new 13-inch ultraportable laptop ready to coincide with Leopard's launch party, and the laptop will be aluminum like the MacBook Pros. Unfortunately, not only do we have zero idea where he got this information, it's also unclear from his statement if this will be a refresh to the existing MacBook line, an additional tier of "Pro" ultraportable Apple laptop, or maybe that "Slim" unit we've been hearing about. We've got our fingers crossed for the latter options, but the MacBook could certainly use a bit of TLC, so either way it wouldn't be a total loss.

[Thanks, Byrd]

Update: Many people in comments have pointed out quite accurately that this guy really has crap for a track record. He's been particularly off on iPhone numbers in the past, and some even claim he's screwing with Apple stock on purpose. While that's a pretty wild accusation to be slinging around, we'd certainly caution you from placing any hope in this guy's predictions -- ours has certainly been shaken.

[kris @ Oct 17th 2007 2:13PM]

I just bought a goddamn macbook on sept. 1st - if it's an update to the line I will stab someone in the eyes.

[AppleProdDev @ Oct 17th 2007 2:25PM]

Hi, Kris, I'm from Apple Product Development, and we appreciate your concerns. Therefore, we have decided to cease producing new products until you are ready to upgrade. So please, let us know when that happens. We'll wait for you.

[BigPana @ Oct 17th 2007 2:55PM]

Dude, no offense, but why did you buy one? You knew Leopard was going to be released in october and there have been rumors about this for sometime. Though I guess it still is...

[Brassen @ Oct 17th 2007 3:45PM]

Bummer...

[kris @ Oct 17th 2007 3:54PM]

It was an emergency replacement for a broken powerbook.

[Mr Lizard @ Oct 17th 2007 6:00PM]

Powerbook off eBay = a lot cheaper?

Just a thought....

[pr @ Oct 18th 2007 1:00AM]

Theres been a rumors out for a while 'bout an ultra portable macbook. You must have just tuned in. My friends screen cracked on her 12" powerbook...she also did the same thing. I told her id buy the one she just bought if the ultra portable arrives. Theres always ebay. What happen to your powerbook?

[wizzle @ Oct 18th 2007 1:25AM]

give him a break, dudes. everyone knows that you can't wait for the next upgrade, or you'll be waiting forever - but it still sucks hardcore when a badass update happens weeks after you make a multi-$k purchase.

[GoreTEX @ Oct 17th 2007 2:14PM]

Meh, it probably wont beat my VAIO TZ190 that ive been using for 2 months. And aluminum? lol, get with the times Apple, carbon fibre is the only way to go.

[Aaron @ Oct 17th 2007 2:31PM]

What do you mean by "beat it"? Hardware wise....who knows. OS...you lose.

[Fast' and the Furious PCer @ Oct 17th 2007 2:41PM]

douchebag troll...

you should spend your time on a VAIO TZ190 fan site, instead of commenting on every Apple post with a "mine is better" mentality.

[Aaron @ Oct 17th 2007 2:46PM]

What's funny is...he thinks it is better just because of its casing?!?!?! At least that's the only thing he ALWAYS brings up. Too funny.

[insignificant @ Oct 17th 2007 2:52PM]

Apparently, the VAIO TZ190 hasn't made much of an impact on the electronics & computing world. I can't find very many reviews on it at all. The one customer review I did find rated it like 6.5 or something average. Surely a laptop that is so much more impressive than a Macbook that doesn't even exist yet would have more info posted by gushing, happy customers about it? Or is it just another Windows based laptop, like the hundreds of others before it? Hmmmmm?

And while carbon fiber is durable & light, it breaks down over time & as a material is mainly functional for areas where it can be quicly replaced, and not as a permanent solution. Not only that, but if you are insinuating the carbon fiber is the next big thing aesthetically, you are about 8 years late with that statement there, Vin Disel.

Keep your chin up, someday you'll get your Mac.

[Constable Odo @ Oct 17th 2007 3:27PM]

Yeh, but mine is bigger than yours. Much longer. Way much thicker. It's called the Bigger Slim.

[GoreTEX @ Oct 17th 2007 3:45PM]

lol ... given that half the posters on here are Apple Fanbots.. im not surprised i got voted down while everyone else in the thread got voted up

[Sean @ Oct 17th 2007 5:50PM]

Get with the times indeed - aluminum is recyclable and what the environmental activist interests have been pressuring Apple to use. Is carbon fibre green? It can be recycled but it's more expensive the produce and reclaim than aluminum.

I'd say Apple made the decision that it was less expensive to produce and more environmentally responsible to use aluminum rather than shave a few ounces off weight.

[Jonny @ Oct 17th 2007 4:23PM]

hahahahahha I looked at this guys postings since one of the above posters commented that he's always talking about his Viao TZ. He does in fact have many posts mentioning is LEET Viao. Get a life LOSER!!! NO ONE cares about your STOOOPID Sony! Freaking hilarious!

[Davis Collins @ Oct 17th 2007 4:32PM]

@GoreTEX

You are a total douche bag. I got curious and read some of your posts on BlogSmith and I'd say about 80% of them are about how much you hate the Mac, Wii, and Xbox 360. Why don't you take your negativity some were else. Maybe you should have gotten the hint when basically all of your posts get voted down. Why waste time expressing how much you hate something? How about go comment positive things on things you like, and leave the things you don't like alone.

P.S. Over 1.5 thousand comments? Good lord!

[insignificant @ Oct 17th 2007 5:13PM]

"lol ... given that half the posters on here are Apple Fanbots.. im not surprised i got voted down while everyone else in the thread got voted up"

Or it could be the fact that they posted thought out, coherent responses, and yours was just flame bait?

Let me guess, you live in texas & think gore (as in mutilation, not the politician) is cool, right? Hence your clever name?

You must be a pretty lonely guy...
But hey, who needs friends when you've got a VAIO TZ190!

[Aaron @ Oct 17th 2007 5:06PM]

@GoreTex
Please give us your reasons as to why your little "carbon fibre" POS is better than a Macbook. I saw you had the sack to comment again, but have not backed up your comments. Maybe you had been running your antivirus for an hour or so and didn't have the horsepower to come do that AND jump on the interwebs. Just a hunch.

[HUMILIATION @ Oct 17th 2007 5:23PM]

Its an an all out goretex beat down!

You've got NO game, son!

[Irfan @ Oct 17th 2007 5:24PM]

carbon fibre? please, if its not adamantium its old news. get with the times.

[all you need to know @ Oct 17th 2007 6:15PM]

GORETEX IS A SONY FANBOI, THROUGH & THROUGH.

[iRobot @ Oct 17th 2007 8:53PM]

@ Irfan

Best Post Ever!

[webon @ Oct 17th 2007 9:19PM]

It seems to me that fanbois got you out numbered man.
Let me say this, people that waste their time in the internets posting on tech related blog threads are ALL L00SERS and GEEKS, how do I know?? 1st It takes one to know one, 2nd Ive seen the pics of the reader meetings (I couldn't get myself to go to the last one) and 3d geez people, its only technology not religion (maybe for some is huh?). But my point is were all just the same, and we all need some space in here, its sad to see some losers become bullies and other losers become even more losers. Is there any way to stop fanbois and antifanbois??

[Kal-El @ Oct 18th 2007 12:09AM]

Sorry to shoot down all the Apple fanboys here, but the TZ190 DOES have the specs to pwn any Apple notebook ever made.

[John B @ Oct 18th 2007 9:09AM]

@all you need to know/m1s3r/Damien/HUMILIATION/profile #8820:

And you're an Apple fanboy through and through whose profile is littered with nothing but insults and demeaning statements towards those who don't agree with you. You obviously need to become more familiar with that adage about people throwing stones in glass houses.

[Nipponese @ Oct 18th 2007 10:33AM]

Kal El, except that even the slowest MacBook has a faster core 2 duo than the TZ 190. I don't see any pwnage here.

[clak @ Oct 17th 2007 2:17PM]

I can't believe you guys would report something Scott Moritz would say. This same guy also reported that Apple wanted to sell 1 Million phone in the first week of its release, according to "unnamed sources." It's no secret that Moritz makes his money by what's called "shorting" stock. That is, people like Scott Moritz make more money when the stock actually goes down, so they regularly produce news that is absolutely outrageous so that the stock tanks when reality doesn't live up to the hype.

[Mac Dub @ Oct 17th 2007 3:06PM]

He's the king of misinformation! Scotty boy can suck a fat one.

[Superboy @ Oct 17th 2007 4:17PM]

i love that guy on Smallville

[Ireland @ Oct 17th 2007 2:25PM]

If it materializes I think it's a dead cert to be new 13" MacBooks. Why? White plastic is on it's way out.

[Rick @ Oct 17th 2007 2:32PM]

Stever Jobs is notoriously secretive. If this is true, someone will get fired or lose a contract. Knowing history, this story is BS.

[Mark @ Oct 17th 2007 2:26PM]

This guy is a liar, an asshole, and a thief who attempts to manipulate Apple stock.

This latest video is nothing more than a compilation of info from AppleInsider, 9to5, and ThinkSecret all rolled into one big wild guess. He does not even cite a source and the whole thing is dubbed "Rumor of the week." But if he is going to do this, he may want to get his story straight. Less than a month ago, he claimed it was a 10-12 inch notebook.

Now that AppleInsider recently restated that this would be a 13 inch notebook, now this asshole changes his story on some video.

Engadget should be ashamed of itself for publishing this guys lies.

M

[peter @ Oct 17th 2007 2:28PM]

I would love if there were a macbook with dedicated graphics. I'm probably going to be buying a new one in six months or so, and the Macbook Pro is too big to lug around between classes easily, but I want my gaming at the same time, either on Windows or on Mac. A smaller Macbook Pro would rock.

[ComputerLove @ Oct 17th 2007 2:33PM]

would-be caption contest material: "Yep, 13 solid inches of Scotty"

[chewy @ Oct 17th 2007 6:22PM]

If this is true, this will be my 1st Apple computer ever.

[webon @ Oct 17th 2007 9:27PM]

I would recommend checking the vaio TZ first

[kevindineen @ Oct 17th 2007 2:39PM]

Agreed, this guy should be in Jail for unethical ways he attempts to manipulate stock prices to better suit him. He's pulling this one out of his Ass, & it makes no difference to him whether or not it happens... if it doesnt' great, tons of dissapointed people & stock price goes down.

This rumor has been around for how long? & now that Moritz says it it adds ZERO credibility to it.

Seriously engadget... why even post this? Terrible.

[DT @ Oct 17th 2007 2:48PM]

If he's shorting AAPL, then that look on his face is pure panic...the run up over the past 3 months has been remarkable.

[clak @ Oct 17th 2007 2:58PM]

No, you forget, the Apple stock plummetted 4 percent when the news about those 146,000 activations didn't meet the demand that Scott Moritz and a few other analyst taking his lead established several months ago. Scott Moritz and his cronies at The Street cleaned up after that.

4 percent is a lot of money if you have hundreds of thousands invested in Apple.

[Fundi @ Oct 17th 2007 2:57PM]

I hope so much that they bring out a slim version of the macbook.

[artman1033 @ Oct 17th 2007 3:09PM]

This guy cannot be trusted on aapl. Remember the small boutique shop this clown reported on in August? "production cuts coming on iphone" HE WAS WRONG

[Hawkman @ Oct 17th 2007 3:10PM]

These guys admit to deliberately publishing lies in order to manipulate stock prices. Please spread the word, and don't repeat their crap. :-)

[nickroz @ Oct 17th 2007 3:24PM]

I don't know where they got this duo, but these are the two most useless people on TSCM. Most of the other reporters are good, except for that jack*ss that does the '10 dumbest things' bit. Brittany Umar is pretty cute, FYI for all you nerds.

If he was short AAPL why would he try to pump it with a 13" MBP rumor? I could understand a claim of him buying Nov puts AFTER this rumor, but I'm too stuck on the fact that he just doesn't know what he's talking about.

[RTN_APPL @ Oct 17th 2007 3:28PM]

I love it! Soulless stock manipulators... reminds me of the good old days of commidity trading in turn of the century Chicago... ahhh, America, God bless you!

[chris fredette @ Oct 18th 2007 2:30PM]

seriously why is no one talking about that chick. She seemed to know nothing about computers but she was very cute and I think that's more important.

[mushy @ Oct 17th 2007 4:13PM]

I just have a quick question. Is it just me or does Leopard seem like a Service Pack that you have to pay for. Don't get me wrong I have nothing against apple but the price. And yes I use Windows, but today I was looking through the "300 new things" and yes a lot do seem pretty cool, but I would be pissed to have to pay for it.

On a side note, if they ever do put a real graphics card in the MB I would probably be in line to get one myself.

[acidreflux @ Oct 17th 2007 6:44PM]

"Unfortunately, not only do we have zero idea where he got this information..."

but we'll print it anyways

[lt @ Oct 17th 2007 6:45PM]

Just to annoy some fan boys up there ;-)

I agree with the statement of GoreTEX above on the vaio TZ, though not with the way he stated it and backed it up.

Why?
1) Incredibly light (