11.6-Inch 'MacBook' Headed to Manufacturing?

[alust2013]

8-9hr battery, ULV i3 (They don't have that big a stock of C2Ds to introduce a new product with them right before they stop making them), 1280x800 screen, same connectivity as MBA, Intel HD graphics (which could easily handle that resolution), and of course the semi-matte screen.

 

[linux2mac]

This would be sweet!

 

[Gregintosh]

I think my combination of 27" iMac (where I do all my REAL work) and iPad (it surfs, checks email, and CAN create/edit documents if necessary even if its a bit of a pain) really negate the need for a proper Mac OS X computer on the go, but I wouldn't mind getting once I start doing some extended traveling next year (a couple months at a time away from my iMac).

 

[ten-oak-druid]

I'm happy with the performance of my 2009 macbook. But I would recommend putting the extra $100 or so to get the pro model for the simple reason that it is very difficult to keep the white plastic clean.

 

[sterlingindigo]

Finally

I've been waiting for this one. Credit card is on standby yellow alert.

 

[yvonnejim]

Form Factor / Price Point

Why is everyone saying price point instead of price, and form factor instead of size? Really the same thing. Just a pet peeve.

 

[kainjow]

You should realise that ARM doesn't mean iOS. Apple would have no problem at all to recompile MacOS X for ARM and ship an ARM based MacOS X with full MacOS X on it. The apps that I create run on PowerPC, Intel x86 and Intel x86-64; adding ARM to it would be no problem at all (and ARM is more compatible with Intel than with PowerPC anyway). And with ARM the ten hours with a small (light weight) battery wouldn't be a problem either. ARM would also help Apple keep the price down and stop it from cannibalising Intel MacBook sales.

Ugh, I really hope they don't though, for the sake of us devs. Testing a 4-way universal binary would be a major pain (not like it's not a pain already).

Anyways, this looks pretty neat. I know a lot of people who would have interest in it.

 

[Mjmar]

Alright, there goes the whole apple philosophy about mini laptops...

 

[BornAgainMac]

Why is everyone saying price point instead of price, and form factor instead of size? Really the same thing. Just a pet peeve.

Microsoft started talking like that and it caught on. Listen to any keynote and they talk about channels, form factors, price points, market share, innovation, platform, at the end of the day, and market strategy.

Probably someone could make an App that would combine all these phrases and add product names to create unique presentations and speeches for schools and businesses. Speech wizard.

 

[paul4339]

anything would be good and also please bring the price down a bit

I'd consider it...I have a MBP, but a powerful(thats key) 11.6'' laptop would be something I'd consider.

But none of this C2D stuff

it's always a balance between power/battery-portability-price.

if it's an 11.6" MacBook, it can just be a smaller MacBook Core2 dual. remove a feature too, like the CD/DVD, to knock off $100 down to $899. This is basically optimizing the price.

if you want more power, nice battery and 11.6", then you are paying more to Intel for their more expensive CPUs, not to mention the option of better video. You will pay the MBA/MBP prices... ($1500++)


I think I'd prefer just plain less expensive Macbook (no CD/DVD is ok) at around $899 (or less) entry.

P.

 

[iSee]

...
It is unclear, however, whether the story is referring to the actual MacBook product, as the site had previously claimed that Apple was preparing to launch an 11.6-inch MacBook Air. Apple's MacBook is not necessarily considered due for an update, having just received a spec bump in May. A MacBook Air refresh, however, is long overdue, having last seen a change in June 2009.
...

Why all the symantic hand-wringing? Does it matter exactly what they call it? The idea of some kind of extra small and light Apple 'book sounds great.

 

[animatedude]

you think it would be out by as early as OCT?

 

[Jayomat]

8-9hr battery, ULV i3 (They don't have that big a stock of C2Ds to introduce a new product with them right before they stop making them), 1280x800 screen, same connectivity as MBA, Intel HD graphics (which could easily handle that resolution), and of course the semi-matte screen.

dream on

 

[mutantteenager]

Get the price right, don't underpower it, don't skimp on ports or an optical drive, and I'll buy it.

 

[skeep5]

dude this ain't for real. 11.5 inch screen would make me wanna huck it out the window after 3 minutes of scrolling up and down and side to side

 

[tigress666]

Unless this has a full keyboard, intel processors, multitouch glass trackpad, and costs less than $1000, it will fail just as much as the current MBA. Good luck getting all that done at 11.6". There was nothing wrong with 13.3".

The current MBA is a nice machine, but the price is all wrong. By pricing it above both 13" MB and MBP, Apple gives very little reason to pay for the MBA. Yes, it is lighter, but a lot of things had to be sacrificed to achieve that form factor. And that is simply not reflected in the price. I shouldn't have to pay more for fewer ports, cheaper processors, less RAM, slower hard drives, limited upgradeability, and no DVD drive.

I gotta agree.

I mean I love the idea of a macbook that slim, but with as many compromises as it has to be that slim *and* being more expensive, I just couldn't justify it at all over my MBP 13" I just bought. It's honestly a no brainer at the price and specs it has now. Especially when you consider these days the MBP 13" really isn't that much thicker.

Even if at the cheaper price tag with all the compromises the MBP might still win (especially these days as my MBP really isn't that much bigger. Back when I had my 2007 Macbook the Air was significantly smaller. But not really anymore. I'll take the extra thickness to get the much better specs at this point).

 

[macshark]

There comes the 11.6" iPad!

 

[lokiju]

Something like this with specs like the current gen 13" MBP would be pretty nice.

I'd probably consider getting one if the price was right.

It would be pretty awesome if it could fold over into a tablet form and have a touch screen.

It could be more of a "enterprise" ipad or something like that.

Full featured OS X but touch screen.

 

[tpg]

So long as the aspect ratio is 16:10, then it sounds cool. None of this 16:9 rubbish on our laptops please

 

[Marx55]

MacBook mini petition. Sign here:

http://macbookair10.net

 

[BeachChair]

Get the price right, don't underpower it, don't skimp on ports or an optical drive, and I'll buy it.

Someone is in for a disappointment.

Please do skimp the optical drive

 

[gnasher729]

Ugh, I really hope they don't though, for the sake of us devs. Testing a 4-way universal binary would be a major pain (not like it's not a pain already).

ARM is actually not a big problem. As long as you didn't go crazy and used assembler, and you didn't use long double, then from the C point of view ARM is very much the same as an x86 processor. Definitely much fewer problems than PowerPC vs. Intel. Just check if you had different code anywhere for Intel and PowerPC and assumed that if it isn't Intel, then it is PowerPC (because that would now be wrong).

It's probably five years since I last used a proper ARM computer (Linux-based desktop).

I hope resolution is at a minimum of 1280 by 800 native. 1152 by 720 is just getting to small for a 11-12".

I would say prices will start at $799

Yes, 1280 x 800 should be the minimum. MacOS X would be much less fun on a smaller screen. Of course, at some point people over 40 will have problems using it, but I think this might be aimed at younger people anyway. Like younger teens who are less happy with 4 1/2 pound weight than I am.

 

[azentropy]

It is what I wanted the MBA to be in the first place. Yes the 13" is thin and light, but the footprint was still just as big as the MacBook or 13" MBP.

For me though I've moved on and went with a 13" MBP and supplement it with an iPad which together was about the price of the higher end Air.

 

[Zband]

glad I purchased my rev. C. I was worried that Apple was going to go the 11.6" route.

 

[BanjoBanker]

My trusty 12" PB recently decided it had had enough and will no longer power up. That is a major bummer for me as it had always been my travel machine. I have held off buying a MBA but an 11.7' MBA or MBP would get me in the Apple store at a dead run! My old Brenthaven messenger bag would work just fine for this size as it was a 12" specific bag. I can hardly wait! Please Apple, produce this new little puppy.