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DigiTimes, a dubious source for rumors and speculation, says Apple has ordered manufacturing to start on a 11.6 inch Macbook. Could the order set the stage for an Apple Netbook? What's the real deal? Read on for the very quick speculation... The DigiTimes article details...
Dave Courbanou
September 27, 2010
2 Min Read
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DigiTimes, a dubious source for rumors and speculation, says Apple has ordered manufacturing to start on a 11.6 inch Macbook. Could the order set the stage for an Apple Netbook? What’s the real deal? Read on for the very quick speculation…The DigiTimes article details…
Meanwhile, Quanta has reportedly landed orders for 11.6-inch MacBooks from Apple. Shipments of 11.6-inch MacBooks are expected to top 400,000-500,000 units in 2010.
These sorts of ‘reports’ are a dime a dozen. But here’s what I think…
Why Apple Won’t
The MacBook Air now sits at 13 inches, it’s seen mainly as a lightweight alternative to the MacBook. Apple chooses the 13 inch screen because it provides a decent resolution in the amount of space given and provides a fully functional and useful keyboard. The smallest laptop Apple ever made was the 12-inch PowerBook, and to fit the keyboard in it the keys almost poked over the width of the machine. Apple doesn’t like to make user-interface compromises, and Mac OS X Snow Leopard has too much going on to work in a resolution smaller than 1280×800.
Why Apple Will
Apple always wants to shrink things, and 11.6 inches is only slightly larger than the very usable 10 inch iPad screen. Plus, Apple is smart enough to devise a way to shrink a 1280×800 resolution into a small screen, along with modifying the keyboard in acceptable way. The MacBook Air hasn’t been upgraded since June of 2009, and I’m sure Apple is looking for a way to make this device more than a “super-thin MacBook.”
What do you think? Does Apple need another laptop offering, or is it all bunk?
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