Friday, 11 January 2008

MacBook Air - sub-notebook with no cables



As usual, Apple has thrown us a bone to chew on for the weekend before MacWorld. Banners raised around San Francisco's Moscone Center are reported to feature the tease "2008 There's something in the air". For what it's worth, here's my guess at what this might mean.

The design of the banner features a lighter cut of Apple's corporate font (Myriad). The font is very thin indeed, and this, together with the reference to air, suggests a very thin product - further evidence of a sub-notebook. But I can't help thinking that the use of "air" is multi-layered - implying more than just a "lighter than air" design. MacNN.com reported that Apple had filed a patent for an iMac-style dock for a notebook - one which could communicate with the notebook wirelessly. Imagine if it charged the MacBook wirelessly as well, using inductive coupling like an electric toothbrush. Cables and sockets could be eliminated altogether.

Not only would that enable Apple to make the world's thinnest notebook, but it would define a whole new class of gadget.

UPDATE: Just discovered another Apple patent relating to inductive charging, reported by Hrmph.com which seems to make this idea all the more possible.

Posted by Graham Bower at 23:37

Labels: ,

20 comments:

  1. You might just be right on this one.
    ReplyDelete
  2. That would be a pretty interesting product launch. Since I use a Bluetooth mouth, the only thing I ever plug in is the power cord. Add Bluetooth headphones, and you're all set.

    We'll find out soon enough!
    ReplyDelete
  3. this is perhaps the best-written and most creative rumor report i've ever read. your attention for design, right down to an interpretation of the new font, really stands out. that or, you're an apple plant, like 9to5mac implies. well done.
    ReplyDelete
  4. I shall buy this item the very moment its out
    ReplyDelete
  5. Chris, you have a bluetooth mouth?

    Do you have USB ears and a FireWire nose, also?
    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for the feedback.

    I'm not an Apple plant! I live in London in the UK - very far from Cupertino, and my only connection to Apple is that I spend too money much on their products :)

    The images on this page are all speculative mockups based upon rumors I've read on other sites.
    ReplyDelete
  7. wow.. great post..
    if this one is right, apple will really make me broke to crawl for 'that' thing.

    PS. Hope you don't mind that I linked your post in my blog.
    ReplyDelete
  8. This totally makes sense as Apple likes to incase their batteries into there products so you can't swap them out when they are empty or dead. This design would force you to buy a new Air Mac once the battery would no longer hold its charge. Or you would have to crack the case and nuke the warranty. Also how would you charge it when traveling? Interesting none the less.
    ReplyDelete
  9. That's some serious rumor! Whoever reads that in Apple will be absolutely raging you got it right! N let me just say I've been holding myself back from getting a macbook since this summer waiting for the January MacWorld, if that's the case, I'd sell a kidney to get the MacBook Air
    (We might as well start calling it that coz that's gonna be the name anyway! Simple Short Catchy n absolutely related to the product's features!!!)
    ReplyDelete
  10. A small typographic detail: there's no "point" "." after "The new MacBook Air".

    Check on Aplle.com, you will see "point" after every title in banners.
    ReplyDelete
  11. any speculations on the price range? do we think this will have lower hard-drive room and memory in exchange for the size?
    ReplyDelete
  12. the patent sort of looks like an archos dock! I'm really excited about this!!!!!
    ReplyDelete
  13. Maybe it'd be called an AirMac - shorter and encapsulates all of the possibilities
    ReplyDelete
  14. s_gundam... I think if this rumour is true then the product will be using inductive charging. inductive charging is the transfer of energy from one electronic device to another by means of electromagnetic fields.
    I hear Apple patented (is that a word? LOL) about a year ago.

    PS: I think the make sucks Macbook Air... Air can be associated with some many things- lightweight, wireless... etc. But then again, that could be the point
    ReplyDelete
  15. s_gundam... I think if this rumour is true then the product will be using inductive charging. inductive charging is the transfer of energy from one electronic device to another by means of electromagnetic fields.
    I hear Apple patented (is that a word? LOL) about a year ago.

    PS: I think the make sucks Macbook Air... Air can be associated with some many things. light, wireless... etc. But then again, that could be the point
    ReplyDelete
  16. There'll be tooo much electromagnetic radiation...
    ReplyDelete
  17. I believe the second poster with the open Macbook is fake. The copy is aligned left instead of centered like the other posters and there is no reflection like on the "real" one. Seems like the notebook was just cut in 2...where is it connected?
    ReplyDelete
  18. I am ready to switch (back) and this may be the device to do so ... I hope they offer up new stand-alone displays as well.
    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi Geoker. Both images are mockups - based on current speculation, for fun :)
    ReplyDelete
  20. Excellent reasoning. Frankly, I had been thinking that the name "macBook Air" was pretty lame just because the device was thin, even if it was REALLY thin. But without any CABLES, even a power cord, and therefore no (ugly) out;ets on the machine - erll, that's a whole new ballgame.
    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)