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MacBook Mini Photos Generate Speculation
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If the image was sourced from Apple (unlikely, given what's on the Dock) then it would be photoshopped on - all Apple PR images are heavily photoshopped. It makes "photoshop hunters" look silly when some Apple PR images get leaked.
Even if it isn't Apple PR, it is likely that the magazine would have cleaned up the desktop image for clarity. Not that this has any bearing on whether it is an April Fools or a real thing.
As a real thing, it isn't too far off what I would expect Apple to do (apart from not expecting Apple to release a subnotebook).
12 inch powerbook
Remember the 12 inch powerbook the keys went right to the edge and that wasn't a widescreen as well, so i doubt that it would be a full size keyboard on a 10inch netbook
That's why this thing is a fake.
And I've seen the layout for a 10.6" netbook on Engadget, and it's nearly big enough for a full-sized keyboard, albeit on the smaller size of the spectrum.
Remember the 12 inch powerbook the keys went right to the edge and that wasn't a widescreen as well, so i doubt that it would be a full size keyboard on a 10inch netbook
jeepers...
I just can't wrap my head or eyes, for that matter, around these photos. The ratio of keyboard to trackpad real estate on the base portion seems to be off. In all the shots, it keeps changing. In one shot, the keyboard takes up seemingly lots more space, and in another, it appears to be less than half of the base.
Now if someone were to snap a photo of someone in a SF coffee shop on one of these things, that would be a different story. LOL.
I just can't wrap my head or eyes, for that matter, around these photos. The ratio of keyboard to trackpad real estate on the base portion seems to be off. In all the shots, it keeps changing. In one shot, the keyboard takes up seemingly lots more space, and in another, it appears to be less than half of the base.
Now if someone were to snap a photo of someone in a SF coffee shop on one of these things, that would be a different story. LOL.
That thing is just plain ugly.
I agree with you on that one. And thats why I think this is fake. Its just too ugly for something that apple would make.
got to be fake, but i'd be all over this like a flannel
I'd definitely buy one as a replacement for my old iBook G3 (which still works perfectly, by the way) during infrequent business trips, especially because it still has a relatively big screen and keyboard compared to most stupidly underpowered netbooks. In fact, it seems like a great machine for more-than-casual portable use, and a true follower of the famed G4 12" PB...GO APPLE!
RE: MacBook mini
PeterQC writes:
"Call me crazy, I believe it"
I believe it, too.
Some folks are claiming this won't happen because it would "compete against the MacBook Air". Nope. This REPLACES the MacBook Air, which has a high entry-price point and hasn't been that great a seller. Why are we seeing MBA's selling as $999 refurbs right now? The MBA seems to be nearing the end of its product cycle.
Some folks are claiming this won't happen because the $899 price point is "too high". Nope. Typical "higher-priced Apple stuff": the Mac tax. In any case, after a month we'll be seeing these selling as $699 refurbs.
Drop the new price to $799, and the upcoming MacBook mini looks _much_ more competitive. You might be able to get them close to that from amazon.com and the big mail-order Mac resellers.
Some folks are saying the keyboard ain't right. Nope. The keyboard is VERY "right" for such a compact size. I've tinkered a bit with the Asus eee and the keyboard, though small, is quite usable. This keyboard looks to be of that nature.
Everything about this looks consistent with Apple design. Look at the flip-down ports for USB, sound out, and the display. Right in line with Apple's design as used on the MBA. Again, this will _replace_ the MBA, at half the price.
If this is a fake (April 1st coming up), it's an _awfully_ good one.
But I think it's real.
I would expect an official announcement around June, certainly no later than July. Apple has to get this into the pipeline early enough to fill the hands of all the students going off to school by September.
I predict that if that is Apple's plan, the MacBook mini will be one of the best-sellers they've had in years.
- John
PeterQC writes:
"Call me crazy, I believe it"
I believe it, too.
Some folks are claiming this won't happen because it would "compete against the MacBook Air". Nope. This REPLACES the MacBook Air, which has a high entry-price point and hasn't been that great a seller. Why are we seeing MBA's selling as $999 refurbs right now? The MBA seems to be nearing the end of its product cycle.
Some folks are claiming this won't happen because the $899 price point is "too high". Nope. Typical "higher-priced Apple stuff": the Mac tax. In any case, after a month we'll be seeing these selling as $699 refurbs.
Drop the new price to $799, and the upcoming MacBook mini looks _much_ more competitive. You might be able to get them close to that from amazon.com and the big mail-order Mac resellers.
Some folks are saying the keyboard ain't right. Nope. The keyboard is VERY "right" for such a compact size. I've tinkered a bit with the Asus eee and the keyboard, though small, is quite usable. This keyboard looks to be of that nature.
Everything about this looks consistent with Apple design. Look at the flip-down ports for USB, sound out, and the display. Right in line with Apple's design as used on the MBA. Again, this will _replace_ the MBA, at half the price.
If this is a fake (April 1st coming up), it's an _awfully_ good one.
But I think it's real.
I would expect an official announcement around June, certainly no later than July. Apple has to get this into the pipeline early enough to fill the hands of all the students going off to school by September.
I predict that if that is Apple's plan, the MacBook mini will be one of the best-sellers they've had in years.
- John
I was sick of reading that on the 9to5 site! Come on people there is a world outside your own with different keyboard layouts! different languages require different keys sometimes more or less so arrangement and shape is changed!
What the hell are you talking about? Its like a smaller first gen MBA, no huge difference. Last I heard, Apple made the first MBA.
LOL - Nice catch...
Still, I personally believe if Apple comes out with a MacBook Mini at around $699-$899 (different configs), it'll replace the White MacBook.
Touch Screen
I'm hopeful that when Apple does bring out a netbook they will use a touch screen and get rid of the trackpad it would be just a keyboard and touch screen, but i think Sony has done something like this already. Maybe they could undercut them and make it cheaper.
I'm hopeful that when Apple does bring out a netbook they will use a touch screen and get rid of the trackpad it would be just a keyboard and touch screen, but i think Sony has done something like this already. Maybe they could undercut them and make it cheaper.
Paul Reed Smith guitars are among the best in the industry. For years they sold for $2000-$5000 and up to $150,000 for custom orders. They are like apple and don't compromise on parts or software, and they never made a truly "affordable" guitar. In 2000, they outsourced a project called "SE" to a guitar maker in Korea, and their new SE line of guitars, while still great instruments, now cost $500-600.
Now tell me, what is stopping Apple from cutting corners, finding cheaper means of making a computer, and putting a laptop on the market for $400?
Why would you miss out on that market? There is a whole mass of people out there that only want to surf the internet and REFUSE to drop $1000+ on a laptop. It doesn't take a lot of thought to make a decision on that one.
Just look at Nintendo. They discarded their attempts at "hardcore" gaming and released a system that the othere 70% of people under 30 would be interested in, along with many grandmas and 3 year olds. They DESTROY Microsoft and Sony in monthly revenue because they made a system that was made for the CASUAL gamer and made it cheap.
Apple needs to pull their wallets out of their butts and get to being intelligent again.
Now tell me, what is stopping Apple from cutting corners, finding cheaper means of making a computer, and putting a laptop on the market for $400?
Why would you miss out on that market? There is a whole mass of people out there that only want to surf the internet and REFUSE to drop $1000+ on a laptop. It doesn't take a lot of thought to make a decision on that one.
Just look at Nintendo. They discarded their attempts at "hardcore" gaming and released a system that the othere 70% of people under 30 would be interested in, along with many grandmas and 3 year olds. They DESTROY Microsoft and Sony in monthly revenue because they made a system that was made for the CASUAL gamer and made it cheap.
Apple needs to pull their wallets out of their butts and get to being intelligent again.
Real or not - I can't believe people are saying it's too ugly!
Its traditional of spy (or rumored) shots to be called ugly and upon release be embraced.
Can you even fit a full-size keyboard on a 10" laptop? :S
At Terrador: Cutting corners isn't always the best option, but it's not as if they mass produce the laptops in the USA. Also, a lot of money is put into the building techniques and research. Even Dell tried making a small, high quality laptop which ended up being near the price of the MacBook Air.
At Terrador: Cutting corners isn't always the best option, but it's not as if they mass produce the laptops in the USA. Also, a lot of money is put into the building techniques and research. Even Dell tried making a small, high quality laptop which ended up being near the price of the MacBook Air.
While I like the cut of your jib, some of us around here have been saying this exact thing for the better part of a decade...
-Clive
nice netbook
BUT!!!! I am going to be picky and say the SSD needs to be 128gb minimum and 3gb of ram would boast a more steady working platform. Some of us use these things for work you know!! Updating my Twitter is work right!!!
BUT!!!! I am going to be picky and say the SSD needs to be 128gb minimum and 3gb of ram would boast a more steady working platform. Some of us use these things for work you know!! Updating my Twitter is work right!!!