The Mac Newb Tube

After the splash created by the new Macbook Air, news out of Cupertino seems mighty slow these days. There are things in the pipe line, but current offerings are a little lacking. Let’s do a round up of headlines:

• Macbook Air reviews in, and critics love the little guy.
•  1.1.3 iPod touch/iPhone update already *gasp* jailbroke’d.
• Steve Jobs paid $1 yet again for CEO duties. Loses millions in AAPL stock tumble (now @ 130). To investors, “Hang in there.”
• Unlocked iPhones costing Apple $300 million loss/month. AT&T had 2 million iPhoners in 2007.
• $1.58 billion in quarterly profit.

More news to come when Apple release the highly anticipated Apple TV update. We will be having a shoot out with the Xbox 360 vs. Apple TV and their respective High Definition content.

The internet exploded in awe for a few moments when Steve Jobs unveiled Apple’s newest labor of love; the Macbook Air. Details about the new “world’s thinnest notebook” are in yesterday MNT post. And yet, almost immediately the scrutiny for the little Mac was overwhelming, considerably on Digg. Criticism ranged from technical specs to design. Here are some:

• Price vs. tech specs: Most of the components are in current Macs, so why the high price? Design fee?
• HD only 80GB, why not the same 160GB iPod drive option?
• Large bezel around 13.3″ screen.
• Three output ports!?
• Disappointing 1.6 and 1.8 Ghz speeds.

The Mac Newb Tube did a round of debate over the new product and we see the Macbook Air as the beginning of things to come. The shortcomings of the little Mac leads us to believe that Cupertino has a lot in store for us in the next 50 weeks. Here are some of our conclusions, from the Macbook Air’s shortcomings:

• Larger bezel just begs for a 15″ screen.
• 160GB iPod type drive is perfectly apt in there.
• 4GB Standard.
• 2.0 and 2.2Ghz option.
• Customizable black, aluminum, or white keys.

These little notions lead us to this idea:

The pricing is normal Apple fare and the now known “early adopters tax” will drop when *gasp* Apple will introduce a second model with these upgrades, probably at the current price point of the MBA. This will lead to a drop for the current model, maybe even $1299 and $1499 for the new model. There has been an influx of Macbook refurbs on Apple.com, so it seems plausible that the white and black Macbooks are going the way of the white iMacs, which in turn, will allow Apple to introduce a new silver and black, entry level Macbook.

The entire Mac line has gone through the “Prosumer” aluminum and black revision, it only seems obvious that the Macbook will follow suit, leaving a two to three Macbook Air line up above it.

With all the noise of every Apple-centric media outlet rising to a frenzy, we wanted to see what TheMNT reader thought was coming in a week. Here are some of our cheekier predictions:

• iTunes movie rentals (duh) and update for iTunes Store on the Apple TV.
• 16GB and 20GB iPhones (non GPS, sorry). Headphone jack revision. Customizable UI (finally).
• The numerously rumored Macbook Nano. No optical drive and touch gesture trackpad.
• Official iPhone SDK release, one month ahead of schedule.
• 10.5.2 fixing some of the serious issues with Leopard.
• Halo 4 Mac exclusive in 2009.

OK, ok. So what do you guys think is coming? We wanna hear from you. Also, thanks to those that have been RSSing us, and leaving comments. Next week is gonna be big, and we’ll be there.

[UPDATE!] The online Apple refurb store just had an influx of Macbook stock. Looks like Steve is definitely unloading the current, smallest Mac for something to come!