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Apple to Introduce 11.6-Inch MacBook Air With 'SSD Card' Integrated Storage Next Week?

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Apr 12, 2001
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160526-smaller_macbook_air_mockup.jpg


Mockup of current (left) and forthcoming (right) MacBook Air
AppleInsider reports that Apple is preparing to release a new MacBook Air at its "Back to the Mac" media event next Wednesday. The report agrees with reports dating back several months claiming that the new MacBook Air will offer an 11.6-inch display, down from the 13.3-inch display found in the current model. The report seems to agree with an earlier claim that such a model is already in manufacturing, suggesting that availability could come soon after next week's introduction.

Interestingly, the report indicates that Apple appears set to forgo traditional hard drive and even conventional solid state drive technology for storage on the new MacBook Air, instead opting to employ what appears to be proprietary "SSD Card" storage that would be embedded directly in the device rather than conforming to standard drive bay sizes used by other drives.
According to this person, the new models will do away with existing options for a conventional hard-disk drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD) in favor something described as an "SSD Card" that lacks a traditional drive enclosure and more closely resembles a stick of RAM, yet is not easily user-replaceable.

If accurate, AppleInsider believes the component may be a proprietary SSD drive alternative designed by Apple to be integrated in Macs in a similar manner to the way flash memory is embedded in iPods, iPhones and iPads. This approach would be less expensive than a standard package intended to fit the shape of conventional HD devices, allowing the company to drive down costs and pass the savings on to the consumer.
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The report notes that offering a flash-only MacBook Air could allow Apple to offer significantly faster boot and wake times, and that the proprietary design for the flash storage could allow Apple to save space inside the slim computer's body and produce the storage at lower cost.

Sources indicate that the new MacBook Air will appear very much as a scaled-down version of the current model, although at least one source claimed that the new version might offer a slightly less curved and more wedge-shaped design.

Article Link: Apple to Introduce 11.6-Inch MacBook Air With 'SSD Card' Integrated Storage Next Week?
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/10/15/apple-to-introduce-11-6-inch-macbook-air-with-ssd-card-integrated-storage-next-week/
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No if they go with an SSS card it will likely be cheaper. I'm calling $799!
 
Also word is new Mac Pro models with USB 3.0 and 1600 Firewire + and at a lower price :D
 
applefanDrew said:
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No if they go with an SSS card it will likely be cheaper. I'm calling $799!
Click to expand...

Much cheaper than the current models, I agree.
 
it's a pity this will be much better than the iPad much important than the iPad but it will not sell as much.

i want it.this will be the best device for work.
 
I have long predicted (and wanted!) the Air to have soldered-on flash storage (like an iPad) in order to make it smaller (and maybe even cheaper).

I suppose sticks/cards that are technically removable but non-standard would achieve the same thing. (And maybe third parties will step up with upgrades someday, too.)

My 1st-gen Air (80 HD) is a great machine which still gets great battery life. I use it all day for Photoshop and Flash work, and what it lacks in speed isn’t enough to make me dream of giving up the one-handed portability! I could never go back to a bulkier machine....

....but I might go for a less bulky one! :) 128 GB storage, please. (I might live with 64, except I won’t give up my current Air’s 80 HD unless I gain space.)
 
This sounds very interesting. I wonder what the pricing will be...

from a technical level it SHOULD be less than a macbook since its not as powerful, but who knows with Apple. If it is $800 which I doubt, it will definitely be something I'd want.

but wait, I thought apple isnt going to make netbooks!
 
Sounds more like what I wanted the Air to be in the first place. But now have moved on from that.

Also my fearless prediction: The 11.6" MBA they the are referring to will still have a 13" diagonal screen. The 11.6" is how WIDE the unit will be, eliminating the boarders on each side of the display and keyboard.
 
Wow this would look great. super razor thin as if it was not thin enough.
physical keyboard,with swivel touch screen when reversed and locked still
very thin would be my dream.
 
Most likely 1024x768. This way, they can have the iPad simulator bundled with 10.7 to run iPad apps at native res with a touchscreen.
 
Hmm not sure about this. You are losing quite a bit of screen estate and still no word on what processor would power it all. The thing i liked about the Air was the screen was the same size as the macbooks.
 
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