Sure, all will be revealed tomorrow, but rather than twiddle their thumbs, the Apple curious are scouring the internet for further evidence of the MacBook Air. A certain tipster named "byrd" searched for "macbookair" on Dogpile and found a Google ad listing up top, which redirects to the MacBook page of the Apple Store. Meanwhile MacDailyNews reader "mango" tracked down the macbookair.org domain name and found that it is indeed listed under Apple -- the Whois domain name lookup won't show any info on the .com or .net versions. Obviously these are pretty minor details that don't say a lot in themselves, but the more of these that pile in, the more we're inclined to believe in a magical ultraportable from Apple tomorrow that will fulfill all our wishes -- we're suckers like that.
[Thanks, byrd]
Read - MacDailyNews domain name lookup
Read - Dogpile search results
posted Jan 14th 2008 at 3:03PM
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
broli @ Jan 14th 2008 3:08PM
You think this will be sold for 100$?
jeti @ Jan 14th 2008 3:30PM
With a four year subscription for EDGE services.
rlynd3 @ Jan 14th 2008 6:43PM
Others have seen it too, just bringing it to the front. Would have saved me time.
By the way, www.macbookair.com redirects to:
http://www.apple.com/?Will+We+see+a+MacBookAir+on+Tuesday?
hijk @ Jan 15th 2008 2:33AM
All those macbookair.* address were registered by the MacRumors Crew:
http://www.macrumors.com/2008/01/14/macbookair-com-clarification/
Apple doesn't register every product as a url.
Enjoy the keynote!
mrhammerstein @ Jan 14th 2008 3:10PM
thanks for the update of nothing. glad you wrote a post about it.
Constable Odo @ Jan 14th 2008 3:30PM
Who cares if it's an article about nothing. Seinfeld existed for years doing shows about nothing. All that matters for the time being is keeping up the hype. If they want to cover Steve Jobs changing into his turtleneck or taking a dump, then that's okay, too. Anything to keep up the Apple buzz.
Everything will be revealed tomorrow when history is made. All power to the MacBook Slim or MacBook Air or whatever they're calling it.
SteveMB @ Jan 14th 2008 3:44PM
"history is made"
You're kidding me right?
Neeko @ Jan 14th 2008 3:10PM
OK so why is a ultrAportable MAC such a big deal. Besides the Iam a MAC fanboy and love/buy everything MAC.
Weve got a ton of these already out and working fine. Unless APPLE adds some new never before seen tech to this laptop...YAAAAAAAAAAAWN
Derry Quinn @ Jan 14th 2008 3:15PM
Why NEEKO do you spell Mac in Capitals? Is it because you are slating them off before trying them, NEEKO?
iPriest @ Jan 14th 2008 3:23PM
You really think Apple will release another ton-of-these laptop?
There were tons of phones already available before the iPhone. Still Apple raised the bar of what a real phone should look like and how it should work. Expect a lightweight laptop that again will show the industry how such a device should be made!
Neeko @ Jan 14th 2008 3:34PM
I wasnt saying it nots a interesting idea. what iam questioning is the high importance everyone is giving this. But hey i dont buy Macs so what do i know.
@Derry Quinn does it really matter what i put in CAPS? And for the record i work at a Brand marketing company that uses MACS exclusively.
rip @ Jan 14th 2008 3:41PM
Well, yes, there is a difference between Mac and MAC.
Mac implies a Macintosh computer from Apple.
MAC implies MAC address, a networking term.
Besides that, a Mac from Apple isn't an acronym, so why would you think it should be all capitalized?
Zak @ Jan 14th 2008 4:38PM
It matters because MAC is an acronym. It stands for Media Access Control. Mac is not an acronym, it's short for Macintosh, which is a proper name, which is a noun. That's why it's spelled Mac and not MAC.
Denver_80203 @ Jan 14th 2008 5:36PM
I call it MAC because it pisses you fanboys off. Kinda like the M$ bullshit.
Actually I don't but when I see NEEKO being a dweeb like that I want to.
Denver_80203 @ Jan 14th 2008 5:38PM
guh... Derry was the dweeb,
Neeko the innocent by stander,
myself the red faced typo moron.
Tony Bowman @ Jan 14th 2008 3:11PM
http://www.pocket-lint.co.uk/news/news.phtml/12251/13275/Steve-jobs-keynote-speech-leaked.phtml
supposedly the Stevenote was leaked on Wikipedia. take it with a grain of salt, but everything seems right in line with the plausible rumors.
decypher44 @ Jan 14th 2008 4:15PM
Might be fake, but if it is, then some people have WAY too much time on their hands.
OctaneZ @ Jan 14th 2008 4:23PM
The Mac Pro line got refreshed last week, so I have to say this is a no go.
"Product Refreshes
- Refreshing Mac Pro and Mac mini today
- Mac Pro now with Penryn!"
cronick @ Jan 14th 2008 3:11PM
A little BYRDie told you???? LOL
John @ Jan 14th 2008 3:12PM
Or just suckers. In general.
Kris @ Jan 14th 2008 3:13PM
The first item is easily explainable as the ad engine can extract common words from a search term.
Jeff @ Jan 14th 2008 3:14PM
I doubt those images... the wallpaper is from Tiger - Apple would be using Leopard in promotional images.
trampas @ Jan 14th 2008 4:59PM
Go check out apple.com. Front page..."there's something in the air"
Jeff @ Jan 14th 2008 4:00PM
which could just as easily refer to new Wi-Fi iPods.
You heard it here first!
surfwax95 @ Jan 15th 2008 6:57PM
My downstairs neighbor has been listening to techno for nine hours straight.
I just had to get that off my chest.
jx @ Jan 14th 2008 3:17PM
um, if you search "macbooknano" you get a link to the official apple store or "macbookred" or pretty much anything else with macbook in the title.
Colin Kelly @ Jan 14th 2008 6:49PM
A search for "macbookcar" yeilds the same results. Is the iCar being announced tomorrow too?
michael @ Jan 14th 2008 4:05PM
Yeah I don't see why searching for "macbookair" is big news when it returns the macbook site.
"macbookcrap" also lists the Apple site as the top result (from a Google Ad)
Although at least it asks me if I meant "macbook crap"
Denver_80203 @ Jan 14th 2008 5:41PM
iBreathe?
iFart?
iDon'tCare!
Todd @ Jan 14th 2008 3:20PM
"...who ever smelt it, dealt it!"
TK @ Jan 14th 2008 6:15PM
...whoever made the rhyme, committed the crime...
;)
xbit @ Jan 14th 2008 3:22PM
Who cairs?
borncliche @ Jan 14th 2008 4:28PM
nicely done....;-]
George @ Jan 14th 2008 3:27PM
Found this one too:
http://www.mac-air.com/
adamissimo @ Jan 14th 2008 3:35PM
What an awful name. I think they should call it the Apple AirBook.
deadlock32 @ Jan 14th 2008 3:39PM
unless its a mac book PRO air, I wont care... so kiss my derriere... while i site on my chair... brushing my hair... at the county fa-- [trails on]
SteveMB @ Jan 14th 2008 3:43PM
Wow, that is a stupid name for a laptop!
wootman @ Jan 14th 2008 3:44PM
i am OFFICIALLY calling a smaller macbook with 3g!
Matt @ Jan 14th 2008 3:51PM
Why would Apple release a mac with 3G? It doesn't appeal to their consumer customer base. Most people who use EVDO or otherwise try to use cellular technology to access the internet are businessmen and women who all use their Dell or Lenovo/IBM laptops that are supplied to them by their company.
wootman @ Jan 14th 2008 10:17PM
because i want it to be true.
T_T
Heffer @ Jan 14th 2008 3:47PM
C'mon everyone, quit kidding yourselves.
"Something is up in the Air" is a reference to the new iPod Invisa that will be announced tomorrow.
MattJ @ Jan 14th 2008 3:48PM
It seems unlikely that Apple would actually add a new product line. I think it's far more likely they're going to replace the entire macbook line with the "air" model. My bet is that they are just going to force the current macbook model into a smaller aluminum footprint such that it's extremely thin.
If you look at the keyboard designs they've released and the direction the iMac has gone over the past several years, Apple designers obviously think "thin is in" and are probably still committed to their aluminum + glass designs. The MacBook (and Mac Mini, which probably not a priority) is behind when it comes to this design standard.
They'll release new MacBooks, less than an inch thin, aluminum based and hopefully that will be bundled with a better designed remote, perhaps (but unlikely) some type of blu ray option, accessories that match the color options (ie a black magsafe cable for black macbooks).
I'm curious as to whether they intend to discontinue the mac mini any time soon or intend to place any focus on the Apple TV.
Patrick Ragsdale @ Jan 15th 2008 11:12AM
macbookair.org is not listed under Apple. It was registed on the 11th by someone in London: markmonitorglobal.com. Do a whois and you'll see this.
pragsdale @ Jan 14th 2008 4:09PM
macbookair.org is not listed under Apple. It was registed on the 11th by someone in London: markmonitorglobal.com. Do a whois and you'll see this.
w @ Jan 14th 2008 3:49PM
lulz... a tablet mac? NOOO WAY!!! who knew?
thabenksta @ Jan 14th 2008 3:57PM
Don't mean to be a party pooper, but macbookair.org was registered after the rumors started to fly. Plus why would apple secure that domain, when they don't even own macbook.com.
As for the ads, there's also a best buy ad for macbook that is displayed. That tells me that it sees the word macbook in macbookair, not that apple is already buying adspace for macbook air.
Overall I don't think that Apple would have such a big release when they can keep riding the success of the iPhone. I'll be happy with an incremental macbook pro upgrade, and some details on the iPhone firmware
Luke @ Jan 14th 2008 4:09PM
http://www.macbookairblog.com/post/23698665
DrXym @ Jan 14th 2008 4:08PM
Apple used to produce quality kit. These days it seems they're more style over substance and quite expensive too. I wonder what flaws the new model will have. Its predecessors managed overheating, expanding batteries, melting power jacks and yellowing cases.
stinoR @ Jan 14th 2008 4:21PM
Air is not a bad name, i'm only hoping for some aluminium in the air :p
John Bell @ Jan 14th 2008 4:14PM
Hmm. The Dogpile results don't mean a thing; if you type in Macbook, it returns a Mac Store result as #1. For instance, try "macbookcrap" or "macbookyay".
As for the Whois results, I'm skeptical. The SanFran address is registered to MarkMonitor, a domain registrar, the others protected by a no-ID guard address, so why would Apple bother with .biz, .us, etc.?
All this is not to say there's no MacBook Air - who knows? But this is hardly "evidence". C'mon, Engadget - I expect better cynicism from you.