If we're to believe a report out today from Citigroup analyst Richard Gardner, Steve Jobs may be taking his "one more thing" to its logical -- and lengthy -- conclusion. According to Gardner (via Barron's) "field checks" on Apple's movements have "confirmed shipments" of "new MacBooks." Gardner goes on to detail stand-out features of the new laptops, saying the currently-en-route devices boast a "very thin
aluminum casing, an LED backlit display and an aggressive entry-level price point." Sure, this crazy talk does happen to fall somewhat in line with recent tips we've received suggesting that a new MacBook
Pro will be headed onto store shelves come September 23rd, but that doesn't change the fact that all of this information is being reported by lone sources (Citigroup affiliation notwithstanding) with absolutely no evidence to back up their claims. We won't argue that it would be great to see a much-needed update to MacBooks and / or Pros in the very near future, but we don't recommend placing any bets... not until we see some more of those juicy
Apple leaks.
[Via
Electronista]
posted Sep 15th 2008 3:59PM
yes! IR Soo Expensive is back!
U.S. economy is in the hole worse than depression. No one can afford gadgets anymore...
I got this pic in a macbook box I got for free, along with a bunch of rocks making it seem like there was a laptop...
Ha... read some history for once, or maybe a Great Depression biography sometime. Even if the economy completely collapsed we'd still probably be better off than many in the Great Depression.
hey, wait a minute......
You can actually see how people ignore the truth.
Small wonder.Macgadget.
that picture made me smile and think about better times.
where have you been, phanbouy? : (
Phaunboy has a phaun? Gasp.
I bet this Photo is photoshopped !
@bartoron
yes he knows about clothes and science and also uses a thesaurus. he knows about religion too. he hates bloatware! he is the best.
Phanbouy hasn't posted in five days... I'm worried about him.... My only guess is that he is in-fact 9 years old and had to go back to elementary school for the fall.
http://www.engadget.com/profile/1772842/
I killed him and buried his body under apple headquarters.
@ Almighty-
Common, it's obvious its been Paintified, not Photoshopped.
@ bob
COUGH STALKER COUGH
Or he got banned. Did you not read his last comment?
That picture is great! So true! If the price drops on the MacBooks, I might actually consider buying one.
I'd be all about it. The linked site says maybe $999 which would not be all that amazing; low-end macbooks are a decent deal at $1099, and Apple's sold their low-end notebooks for $999 in the past. Something lower like $899 would be more impressive.
I definitely want to pick up a low-end Apple laptop for casual use (personal laptop for business travel, vacation, and surfing from the couch). At $1k+, though, I can't justify it when I could just use my work Thinkpad.
OTOH, if the new Macbooks aren't all that impressive I could probably pick up a lightly-used previous gen one for $700ish.
well the words entry level pricepoint and the word macbook
are NEVER seen in a sentence togther sooo
FAKEEE :P
Whats the point of captcha and email verification if any idiot can register and post a link in EVERY of his posts without any consequence ?
That was for Oliver V
Considering today on Wall Street, soon that might be the only computer anyone will be able to afford.
huh?
Why I shouldn't be doing this for you, do you mean...
"Because of the 500 point drop on the stock market today, the only computer we'll be able to afford is the one that drawn one that goes with this article."??
Although I'm probably crazy, I'm really hoping this would be my dream of Apple coming out with a MacBook based on the Intel Atom chipset that's small, thin, metal casing and priced around $500-$650.
You described the Macbook Nano. Although I can't imagine paying $650 for a slow laptop. Atom is cool and all... but I'd like a processor that can actually do something. Could an Atom powered Macbook even run iMovie or play a DVD?
@Michael
Can the MacBook Air play DVD? I didn't think so... What could they possibly rip off the Air to make it smaller?
I'm a Mac fan, but I cannot figure out why someone would want a MacBook Air. I would take a regular MacBook over the Air any day. I do love my MacBook Pro though.
P.S. Yes... I know they have an external SuperDrive, but that doesn't count. Who is going to whip out their laptop and external drive on an airplane, or on a road trip?
i think youve failed to learn that the point of the macbook air without drive is to encourage the future of entertainment and the fact that it will all be digital... example: you are going on a trip tomorrow so you go to itunes and download some movies before the flight. no need for any cd drives.
People also laughed when they got rid of the floppy but that was eventually phased out.
Small, thin, inexpensive, APPLE!!?!?
You ARE crazy. :)
@Ryan..
Yes, and very very well.. Here is a macbook nano, which is atom based.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3CNIO4ZLYE
@Ryan - Michael said Macbook Nano, not Air.
Plus, the Air was designed to be thin, not "small." There is a definite difference in those two words. A Macbook with say, an 11 or 12" screen, DVD drive, and optical disk, enclosed in an aluminum case could very well be small, if they were to package it right.
@ Ryan
I was referring to the Atom's processor power... could it handle editing video with iMovie, or playing video?
If a $650 Atom powered Mac laptop could only be used for browsing the web... why get it at all?
@Michael: Are you joking? Please tell me you're joking. My 6-year old laptop (with an 867 MHz processor) easily decodes DVDs entirely in software. It doesn't even come close to using the whole CPU.
Let's not forget that the atom processor is still more powerful than the computers that professionals were using for "serious movie editing" mere years ago. The hardware is the same as it always was, but the marketing changes our perceptions of it.
@Michael
"Who is going to whip out their laptop and external drive on an airplane, or on a road trip?"
Who is going to whip out a DVD? Just load a few movies, ripped using handbrake, before you leave and your set. Not to mention the fact that battery life will be better when watching a movie.
Yeah, Bob, I mean, lets all get rid of those silly analog CD/DVDs.
@ a few people
The OP said he wanted a Macbook with an Atom. I was just asking if it would be as powerful as a Macbook with the current processors.
A cheaper Macbook Lite with an Atom would be fine... as long as they keep regular the Macbook with a Core2Duo. The only laptops I see using Atom processors are netbooks... which is a far cry from a full Macbook.
Atom is great for small, low cost laptops, but will we ever see Atoms in full sized notebooks?
Finally! This better be real. Day before my birthday too :).
We have the same birthday!
If this is true, why wouldn't have SJ announced this last week? It seems like it would have given a little more meat to the yawn-fest of last weeks media event.
I'm just sayin...
Apple has had iPod announcements every Sep/Oct since 2001. They have never announced anything other than iPod stuff. Apple doesn't mix iPod announcements with Mac stuff.
I think October 14th is more likely than next Tuesday...
He didn't anounce this last week because he was DEAD! Geez, don't you read the papers? If he were really alive, do you think iTunes8 would've crashed Windows? Waitaminute...
Stop posting links to your website. Seriously.
Are you talking about backlinking?
Uhh.. Welcome to the internet. Every blog does this.
Yup, the price is what has and always will keep me from a mac. That is a very expensive experiment when I can get my computer experimentation fetish fix for free with linux.
Che Guavara?
You sure are hip and edgy.
Sure you're not a Mac user?
Damn those new macs sure are sexy and looks like they are packing blue ray from the image. On top of that they finally have truth in advertising, IRSoo Expensive!
ZOMG! MPB BRD FTW!! *takes a breath* In all seriousness, an HD format of some sort would be a reasonable addition to the MBP option list, yes? As for the lower price point: I'll believe it when I see it. El-Jobso has never been mistaken for El-Cheapo.
I just wish Apple would make a real netbook (not something like the Air)
+- 9" screen, light, some good processor and all that other stuff a netbook should have
Out of interest, what's with the HUGE anti- Apple sentiments on this website? on almost every thread with them on, saying you like them/the product means you are instantly a fan-boy and should die :S
back on track, it would be great if they lowered the price, i don't really mind about other specs :P
you must be new here.
The problem here is that there are really OTT apple fans that worship Steve Jobs cock and like to bash anything that remotely goes against apple, and those who are sane like to point out how wrong they are. This constant battle has left these two parties on the edge! Now anything related to apple/microsoft gets said reaction before any crazy fanboy statements are made :) Lots of apple hate, plenty of fanboys :)
And those who say the Macbook is expensive, id go as far as to say that price is pretty competitive considering the features/size in the package :)
@Aaronage
Nope, not even close. Case and point:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8884479&type=product&id=1211454761669
I question the pro-Microsoft sentiments on this website. How are they any less evil than Apple?
Look at what they did to me!
crap AC you took the words from my mouth
"Member Since Sep 15th, 2008"
Yep, he's a young one.
Apple killed my father and raped my mother.
I have lots of colleagues that have macbooks and never did they complain about its price tag, maybe after a while they get used to apple sucking their blood.
Actually, the ones who're smarter than others tend to make sure they don't spend any more money on it! ;-)
Mac OS X 10.5.5 is out, so where is the support for the new products? I doubt they will be released in September, October 14 seems reasonable.
Engadget,
Don't you think you've taken the fading of low ranked comments a little too far here..........
I would've bought a Mac a long time ago if they weren't so expensive.
Brand new Mac Mini is $570 through Amazon. The old "they're so expensive" argument doesn't hold water these days.
Not expensive, but just a bit better specs.
That is, about 3 years ago. (iBook & Powerbook)
Today they are pretty well price except for the graphics in the Macbook.
What a bunch of anti-mac pc whiners here lately. You get what you pay for and you either want to pay for it or you don't. So go whine about something you care about since it's obviously not about macs.
"i like" your "use" of "quotes" in that "second sentence". :P
lets hope that new macbooks are coming!
"Aggressive entry level pricepoint"
Sorry but I'll believe it when I see it. I'm not knocking Apple but they're supposed to be known for quality and all so I doubt they'll price it aggressively. But still one can dream.
The price is what's keeping me from even touching a Mac so if we do get some
descent prices then I'll probably give it a test drive one. Though I doubt I'll keep it around, considering Macs track record as far as gaming is concerned.
It'll probably be priced at $999. Apple has done it before with the last-gen 12" iBook.
yesss!!
i dont care about what the machine does or if it was just the same as my current macbook (which is my favourite mac that i own)
i've had the crap plastic replaced 3 times now due to a design flaw, and all i could hope for was an aluminium version that would prevent yet another trip to stinking glasgow to have it repaired.
i'll be selling this at an instant at a discounted price to a friend who can worry about the next repair and i'll be first inline for a metal one.
i hope this rumor is true, as i was a little dissapointed at the last mac event, with these not being mentioned.
and was even considering the ridiculous idea of going for a macbook air!!!
lightness doesn't bother me as i would still need the same size of a bag... throw a netbook mac at me and thats a different story...
bring it on...
Anyone else have no clue what that picture means?
Is there any chance this isn't fake?
It might be a fake, but it's hard to tell because the reflections are shadows are so perfect.
Engadget n00b ;)
yes. yes you are.
I do love Apple. I have not enough money for all this Apple staff. I'll put an Apple sticker on my Commodore 64.
OK.. cool... Someone... tell me more about a new Mac Pro update or something... i... actually want to buy one, and i dont want to buy one if its going to be updated in 2 months. I can wait. TELL ME EVERYTHING YOU KNOW!!!!!!
Mac Pros will most likely get an update at MacWorld Expo which is on January 5-9.
http://www.macworldexpo.com/
How can they advertise one product, and ship another. Even if Apple perceives the newer model as "better", they'd be breaking bait-and-switch laws by doing so. I don't see this one happening.
...what? What the hell are you talking about? Did you even read the article?
By "shipping" I took that to mean that anyone that had placed an order for one online would receive the new model.
The article is about Apple shipping new models to Apple stores. They're not saying that people who've bought the current Macbook will get the new model instead.
If the newer model is updated, would it even be an issue?
"I ORDERED THE OLDER MORE OUT OF DATE MODEL AND I DEMAND THAT I RECEIVE ONE!"
Noooo..... I'm waiting for the Lenovo X200T tablet to be announced on the 23rd....
Yes!!! New Macbooks!!
EDIT: New MacBooks already shipping, hitting stores September 23rd? Local fire departments on alert.
Seriously..the picture is so awesome.
I'm really curious about the aggressive pricing... I love Macs, and would love a new laptop, but unless it's something insanely awesome, for a decent price I won't be interested.
Doesn't it seem likely that with all the rumors pointing to a single aluminum enclosure design, we're going to see the converging of the MacBook and MacBook Pro? I'm imagining something like this:
13" MacBook with a lower end processor integrated video in several colors; 2x USB, mini-DVI, superdrive
13" MacBook Pro with stand alone video card and higher end processor in silver or black; option for a SSD, include single firewire port and DVI port, option for blu-ray
15" and 17" MacBook Pro, at relatively the same price point and feature level as current models, in silver or black, no SSD option, but more ports (3x USB, 2x Firewire, DVI) option for blue ray
Aluminum Macbooks!! FTW
how about a new mac mini.
I concur.
My parents need a new computer and my father (the one that would mostly use it) fell in love with the OS X interface. He doesn't need anything spectacular so the Mac Mini is perfect, except for that its 2 years old.
If Apple doesn't update it soon I might just build an OSx86 Shuttle for him.
awesome! I've been waiting on a new laptop purchase for this very reason, a new updated and more powerful MacBook Pro. I hope it knocks my socks off.
Apple should switch from industrial to avant garde and make the new macbooks look exactly like that picture, angled metal and all. It would be the ultimate fanboy test.
Yeah, 10.5.5 just dropped, haven't pawed through it yet to see if there are ID strings for anything new. The listed fixes mostly center on MacBook Air, Time Machine, and some network stuff.
If it looks like that picture, then I'm in! I have enough rectilinear notebooks. (And one sorta lenticular one.)
I can't believe you guys cited Electronista. Thats okay, but if you cite GearFuse...I will quit the Internets.
Come on Apple, support Blu-Ray
DO WANT
This would have sounded crazy if I heard it here first, but I didnt. I was actually in my campus Apple store, and I overheard the guys saying that their new Macbooks WERE ALREADY ON THE WAY, just like Engadget is reporting. The Apple store guys were just as confused as we all are, so I suppose only time will tell.
You know, the tapered areas of an Air really don't add much volume at all to the MBA's internals. I bet an 11" MBA would be easy for Apple to make. Besides, without the extreme tapering, they'd be able to fit ports and stuff rather than tell people, "You don't need ports anymore". They can make up for the slight decrease in internal volume by making a smaller keyboard appropriate for the machine.
Fixed. Done. Signed. Stamped.
what I am afraid of is that there will be just the matte display option to choose from by the new macbook pros:/ just as it was the case by alu iMacs.