Related Sections: Apple PCs
Apple wants to cut prices, add features to Air to combat netbooks
If there's one thing Apple's hurting for, it's a real contender in the netbook arena. Netbooks have taken over the laptop market much in the same way the iPhone blew up the cellular world. Still, if you're thinking cheap and looking at Macs, the Mini's $600 won't matter if you want a notebook, and a $1,000 MacBook is easily overlooked when a lot of manufacturers offer netbooks at half the price.
With all that in mind, the word on the street is that Apple is looking to slash the price of the Macbook Air, making it a feature-rich, high-end netbook contender carrying a price tag of somewhere between $1,300 to $1,500. The new features would include integrated 3G support, as well as SSDs across all models of the Air. There's also a possibility that we could see GPS built-in as Apple is working on including geolocation in the Snow Leopard edition of OS X, though just how much of that makes it into the Air will have to be seen.
Our take? Apple's got to get away from the idea of a "high-end netbook." It's a strong, growing market, and the Air made a name for itself early on. The spare Air probably won't be able to recapture that initial momentum unless Apple finds a way to cut that sticker price in half.
Silicon Rumors, via Electronista
By NetbooksReviews at 9:41 PM ON 05/27/09
This is a great post! I just wrote one yesterday comparing another 'high end netbook' (NEC Versa Pro Ultralite) to the MacBook Air. Both are priced at $1,800 and the Ultralite is half the weight (yes, 1.5 pounds only!)
The Air is a great device, but there's no way Apple's going to penetrate the netbook market with something that expensive.
(p.s. here's the post: http://www.netbook10.com/nec-versa-pro-ultralite-%e2%80%93-light-weight-heavy-price-tag/ )
By rakesh at 2:00 AM ON 05/28/09
Such a great laptop and i want to say that is lovely product
By CJW at 1:06 PM ON 05/28/09
The iPhone is all the netbook I need.
By Rene at 8:01 PM ON 05/28/09
None of the sources you listed have any reliable history when it comes to mac rumors. BULLSHIT PRICEING JUST TO DISAPPOINT WHEN THEY ARE ANNOUNCED.
By smith134 at 3:11 AM ON 05/29/09
Really a good product. Apart from Micro-DVI to DVI / VGA / Video adapters it has integrated 3G support. I think it's price not too high with it's lots of feature.
By William at 2:00 PM ON 07/22/09
The Netbook is peeling off Apple's skin! They are not amused.
Netbooks occupy the sweetspot between cumbersome notebooks and compact MID's (i-touch and Blackberry) that require you to have finger the size of a newborn baby in order to operate them productively. Let's face it, surfing the net or watching a feature length film on a screen under 4 inches is a sick joke. If that same MID happens to also double as your phone at least it has some functionality!
on your cellphone!
Text DVICE to 72434
editor@dvice.com
William :
The Netbook is peeling off Apple's skin! They are not amused. Netbooks occupy the sweetspot between cumbersome ...More »