Apple advertising the Macbook (iBook)?

[MacRumors]

Melablog.it notices that Apple appears to be advertising under the keyword "MacBook" in Google.it's search results.

The top result returns a link to the Italy Apple Store, which is not necessarily interesting in itself, but it describes the Macbook as starting at 999€.

No MacBook Pro starts that low, and the current iBook starts at 1049€ in the Italy Apple Store.

(Of note, the Google ad has now been changed.)

 

[Macnoviz]

Was there macbook or macbook pro? in the second case, I guess it's a typo
Otherwise, I hope we can expect the iBook within a few weeks

 

[Rocketman]

It seems the process of preparing for a web centric product release is so complicated that even a company as sophisticated as Apple cannot keep track of every little detail prior to the official release.

Someone should write some software or something

Rocketman

 

[plinden]

Was there macbook or macbook pro? in the second case, I guess it's a typo
Otherwise, I hope we can expect the iBook within a few weeks

Except that a price of 999Euros would imply a nonpro system. The MacBook Pro starts at 2159Euros at the Italian store, so it's not due to missing or transposed digits. 1259Euros would make me think it's a typo.

 

[tom_s]

If it is real then we probably will see the Macbooks at the April 1st event.
The slightly lower price would be very welcome, too (I always thought the intel chips were at least 100 $ more, that would lower Apples Margin a lot).

 

[plinden]

If it is real then we probably will see the Macbooks at the April 1st event.
The slightly lower price would be very welcome, too (I always thought the intel chips were at least 100 $ more, that would lower Apples Margin a lot).

Integrated graphics would keep the price lower ...

 

[ScottB]

That's quite cheap, and like plinden says, it's less likely to be a typo if it's nothing like the macbook pro price.

1259Euros would make me think it's a typo.

I reckon this is a real leak, I don't see anything that says otherwise. (Edit: Unless the web site itself has just fed me a photoshopped image)

Integrated graphics would keep the price lower ...

With a price this low, I hope it's not a Pentium M.
The google translated (poor) article is here: http://translate.google.com/transla...st/1620/su-google-tracce-di-un-macbook-a-999e

 

[lonepilgrim]

Just in case anyone hasn't looked, the current 12" iBook is selling on the Apple Italy store for €1049.

Edit: Sorry - the translated page makes that quite clear. Didn't see that.

 

[Ja Di ksw]

Yet another slip up. Most items seem to be "announced" before they actually are, anymore. Here's to hoping Apple releases something unexpectedly that most of us like (of course there will always be someone to complain about something, like I am doing in this post )

 

[Kingsly]

Can anyone translate Italian? I tried but it ended up like google's translation.
Oh well, Im only half way through my lessons...
I would really like to read their commentary. If this is real I will be happy.

 

[jared_kipe]

Sweet, good find. Its amazing what people will find in random places.

 

[jared_kipe]

That's quite cheap, and like plinden says, it's less likely to be a typo if it's nothing like the macbook pro price.

I reckon this is a real leak, I don't see anything that says otherwise. (Edit: Unless the web site itself has just fed me a photoshopped image)

With a price this low, I hope it's not a Pentium M.
The google translated (poor) article is here: http://translate.google.com/transla...st/1620/su-google-tracce-di-un-macbook-a-999e

Probably a Core Solo, Pentium M doesn't have SSE3 which is a requirement for OSx86. (there are ways around it, but I doubt Apple would do it.

 

[rockthecasbah]

Interesting, it looks like we may see MacBooks soon after all...

 

[~Shard~]

Interesting, yet not surprising. We all know it's only a matter of time before the new iBooks are released - it should be any week now. Interesting about the price though, I wonder if that will indeed be accurate, and if so, what kind of specs that machine will have. I'm guessing the new iBooks will mirror the new Mac mini confgurations pretty closely (i.e. Solo/Duo, IIG ).

 

[Shaker]

Integrated graphics would keep the price lower ...

I would rather pay an extra $100 for a dedicated graphics card. I hope they don't mangle the much anticipated MacBooks with an integrated card.

 

[Kingsly]

I would rather pay an extra $100 for a dedicated graphics card. I hope they don't mangle the much anticipated MacBooks with an integrated card.

The mini's are performing surprisingly well on integrated cards.
I was pleasantly surprised when I tested one @ the Apple store.

 

[ChrisA]

Apple neds to work on the low to reduce entry level price

Why can't an Intel based iBook replacement start at (say) US$800? If other companies can sell notebook computers in tis price range then why not Apple? A 13" wide screen has about the same surface area as a 12" 3:4 format screen and should cost the same to make.

All they need is the lowest spec'd machine that can run iLife

Why do those old G3 based iBooks retain so much value. Buy all rights they should be seling used for under $100 but it turns out that for many, that is all they need.
Use a 40GB 5400rpm drive, 512MB RAM and integrated graphics and a low enough pric and they will sell.

 

[Linksgolfer84]

I would rather pay an extra $100 for a dedicated graphics card. I hope they don't mangle the much anticipated MacBooks with an integrated card.

In order to avoid extreme dissapointment, I suggest that you (and all of us) open ourselves up to the real possibility of the MacBooks shipping with integrated graphics.

 

[Shaker]

The mini's are performing surprisingly well on integrated cards.
I was pleasantly surprised when I tested one @ the Apple store.

Do you know if the new Intel Mini's RAM is user upgradeable or do you have to buy it from Apple like with the G4 Mini?

In order to avoid extreme dissapointment, I suggest that you (and all of us) open ourselves up to the real possibility of the MacBooks shipping with integrated graphics.

Alas, I know. but I can hope...

Why can't an Intel based iBook replacement start at (say) US$800?

Because Apple has not yet adopted the Japanese way of "flood the market with underpriced good to gain marketshare" mentality.

By all rights you're right it should be possible for Apple to do it.

 

[p0intblank]

Even though it was already changed, we all know the iBook is going to be called the MacBook. It's obvious to us Mac heads.

 

[combatcolin]

Dosn't make it a good name though eh?

 

[justflie]

The mini's are performing surprisingly well on integrated cards.
I was pleasantly surprised when I tested one @ the Apple store.

agreed! A friend just purchased a 1.5 ghz solo and, even with integrated graphics/512mb of RAM, puts my 1.42ghz g4 mini to shame! very impressive, and that was only with the solo too!

 

[iDirk]

Can anyone translate Italian? I tried but it ended up like google's translation.
Oh well, Im only half way through my lessons...
I would really like to read their commentary. If this is real I will be happy.

I'm Italian.
In the commentary someone is talking about an old photo which is widely considered to be a fake: http://xoomer.virgilio.it/alexsz
And someone confirms that some hours ago it was possible to get macbook price at 999 € simply tipying macboog in google search form (as it is said in the article).
And I have personally read in other forums about it: it's not a fake, it's sure.
Many people have been able to see that page, before it was changed by google... too bad i wasn't home this afternoon!

 

[amac4me]

Apple is messing up these days as much Amazon.com did in the past

 

[arn]

Many people have been able to see that page, before it was changed by google... too bad i wasn't home this afternoon!

I saw the same page on google.it. The screenshot on the blog is accurate. It was like that earlier today.

arn