Apple May Be Re-Entering the Sub-Notebook Market

An anonymous reader writes "AppleInsider is reporting that Apple has plans to reenter the sub-notebook market this year. The project, the article states, should be unveiled around the time of WWDC (summer). Drawing parallels to the legendary PowerBook 2400, the sub-notebook will offer some of the best elements of old and new. With a small footprint, light weight, and manageable screen it will fill a niche not currently occupied by any Apple hardware. At the same time, it will offer some new technologies that the current crop of computers do not: 'The new MacBook model is expected to introduce some features not yet available with Apple's existing notebook offerings, such as onboard NAND flash. Plans reportedly call for the notebook to be the first of the company's MacBook offerings to utilize the solid-state memory in order to improve power efficiency and facilitate near instantaneous boot times. This feature, however, had not been frozen upon last check.' Apple hopes this micro-notebook will capture interest both here in the states and in Japan, where the appeal of small consumer electronics may offset the current weak computer market."

Comments

I repeat

[Jethro]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

Just make a 13.3" MacBookPro already! I don't want a MacBook and I don't want a 15.whatever laptop.

I love my 12" Powerbook but it's getting to the point where it's just too underpowered, and I don't have an upgrade path that I'm happy with.

Re:Scaling OS X down

[necro81]

The next release of OS X will have resolution independence. It's been just beneath the surface for a few releases now. Resolution independence allows text, icons, and everything else to be scaled to look "right" on high-resolution, small scale screens, or on normal resolution, ultra-large screens.

Some links about this.

Strechable Laptointrops

[Doc Ruby]

I'd love to see Apple sell a notebook that's only 12"x8"x1" that flips open to reveal a fullsize keyboard and a wide screen at 1200x800 for immediate use. Then rotates the screen on its bottom right corner, then stretching out a "rollable" display across to a 16" or 24" wide by 12" high screen at 16-2400x1200.

Re:Nowhere to go.

[rwyoder]

They HAD a very small and wonderful little laptop - I'm using one right now - a 12" G4 iBook.

So did I, and I recently sold it for 40% of what I paid for it (3.5 yrs ago), and bought a 13.3" MacBook. Remember that the MacBook has a 16:10 screen vs the 4:3 screen of the iBook. That is why the MacBook is *thinner* and *shorter* front-to-back. The only dimension that is a little larger is the width. And I now have: faster 64-bit CPU, 3x RAM, GigE, Toslink audio in/out, 802.11a/b/g/n, built-in iSight, Bluetooth, higher-resolution internal LCD, external video resolution greater than internal (including 1920x1200 & 1920x1080), external video that does not need to mirror internal screen, DVD-burner. There is *nothing* I miss from the old iBook