Apple seen delivering "ultra-portable" at Macworld
Apple Computer could introduce an "ultra-portable PC" that employs NAND-based flash memory in time for the January Macworld trade show in San Francisco, one Wall Street analyst says.
UBS Investment Research analyst Ben Reitzes said this week his proprietary checks indicate Apple is working on "ultra-portable PCs" and even notebooks equipped with NAND flash memory in order to speed up boot times.
"We believe these new products could start in notebook products with combo-drives (NAND and HDD) or ultra-portables (NAND only), and could be released in time for MacWorld," Reitzes told clients.
Intel, which supplies microprocessors to Apple, has made no secret of its plans to build NAND flash -- a type of solid-state memory commonly found in consumer electronics like digital audio players -- into its own PC logicboard designs.
At its developers conference this past March, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based chipmaker said it would deliver NAND flash features in its forthcoming notebook platform, dubbed Santa Rosa, due in early 2007.
"We need to have devices that boot up very rapidly," Sean Maloney, the head of Intel's mobility group, told developers at the conference. "The same way you come off a plane and get a cell phone signal immediately."
Reitzes also said his surveys and visits to Apple retail locations show a "very positive" reaction to the company's current line of notebook computers: the MacBook and MacBook Pro.
The analyst expects sales of the portables to help drive overall Mac unit growth of 5 percent year-over-year, or 12 percent sequentially, to 1.24 million during Apple's third quarter.
"Checks show the education segment should also lend support to estimates, given June is the time school districts exhaust annual budgets," Reitzes wrote. "With the education segment accounting for approximately 25 percent of US Mac unit sales, we believe both June and July (when new budgets come into play) could see solid growth, especially for MacBooks and iMacs."
The analyst maintains a Buy rating on shares of Apple with a price target of $95.
UBS Investment Research analyst Ben Reitzes said this week his proprietary checks indicate Apple is working on "ultra-portable PCs" and even notebooks equipped with NAND flash memory in order to speed up boot times.
"We believe these new products could start in notebook products with combo-drives (NAND and HDD) or ultra-portables (NAND only), and could be released in time for MacWorld," Reitzes told clients.
Intel, which supplies microprocessors to Apple, has made no secret of its plans to build NAND flash -- a type of solid-state memory commonly found in consumer electronics like digital audio players -- into its own PC logicboard designs.
At its developers conference this past March, the Santa Clara, Calif.-based chipmaker said it would deliver NAND flash features in its forthcoming notebook platform, dubbed Santa Rosa, due in early 2007.
"We need to have devices that boot up very rapidly," Sean Maloney, the head of Intel's mobility group, told developers at the conference. "The same way you come off a plane and get a cell phone signal immediately."
Reitzes also said his surveys and visits to Apple retail locations show a "very positive" reaction to the company's current line of notebook computers: the MacBook and MacBook Pro.
The analyst expects sales of the portables to help drive overall Mac unit growth of 5 percent year-over-year, or 12 percent sequentially, to 1.24 million during Apple's third quarter.
"Checks show the education segment should also lend support to estimates, given June is the time school districts exhaust annual budgets," Reitzes wrote. "With the education segment accounting for approximately 25 percent of US Mac unit sales, we believe both June and July (when new budgets come into play) could see solid growth, especially for MacBooks and iMacs."
The analyst maintains a Buy rating on shares of Apple with a price target of $95.
Comments
When can I place my order!?
If Apple could streamline this type of notebook, the world would be a better place!
The current best solid state storage I've heard of is something like 32GB in a notebook drive-type form factor, I think it's over a thousand dollars, maybe well over two thousand. I never did find a price for just the drive. Some Asian semiconductor + computer company (I think Samsung or Toshiba) intruduced that drive in a new model ultralight for $3700 total. I want a cool running notebook, but not that badly, any ULV based notebook will serve me well, the power savings and heat reduction is in using a more suitable chip, not in shaving half a watt on the storage.
Originally posted by OriginalMacRat
MacBook Nano????
Score. What a beautiful product it will be. This would seem to finish out the line for Apple. Everything from ultra portable to the Mac Pro (when it comes out). Then no one will have a reason to buy a PC.
If Apple intro's these machines in August, then they must have already found a way to support it in the OS. So, if that's true, either 10.4.7 will contain the code, or we will see another update at the convention.
Now, can I preorder this bad boy or what?
Originally posted by aplnub
Bring on 11" or smaller. I am kinda digging 10" myself now but I'll take what I can get!
Now, can I preorder this bad boy or what?
Not until Sunil starts his countdown.
NewtBook
Mac Slvr
Mac Wii
Originally posted by nagromme
Please give me 11" or smaller, still squeezing in dual cores and a real GPU. With the option to connect to a larger display and keyboard when needed, I'd have it all.
On the version 1 NAND portable? What purpose would dedicated gpu serve on something like that? The HD would probably be pretty tiny.
Originally posted by Homestar06
Score. What a beautiful product it will be. This would seem to finish out the line for Apple. Everything from ultra portable to the Mac Pro (when it comes out). Then no one will have a reason to buy a PC.
You mean no reason other than the most common reason people currently don't buy Macs... they're more expensive.
Originally posted by melgross
If Apple intro's these machines in August, then they must have already found a way to support it in the OS. So, if that's true, either 10.4.7 will contain the code, or we will see another update at the convention.
Macworld is in January.
Merom proc
GMA X3000 graphics
12.1 LCD screen
2 So-DIMM slots (1GB standard)
40GB Perpendicular 1.8" drive
No optical drive
FW, GigE ethernet, Draft N, BT 2.0
Dock options
3.5- 4lbs
$1699 sell like Hotcakes!
Originally posted by xanthohappy
You mean no reason other than the most common reason people currently don't buy Macs... they're more expensive.
True...but their beauty alone is worth the extra buck
Originally posted by xanthohappy
You mean no reason other than the most common reason people currently don't buy Macs... they're more expensive.
Exactly. Last week, Power Quotient International (PCI) introduced a 64 GB SATA flash drive at the low, low price of $2,000. For Wal-Mart shoppers, there are 32 GB drives available for only $1000. In addition to the bargain basement prices, you get the neck-snapping data rate of 32 MB/sec. Sign me up yesterday!
Originally posted by Homestar06
True...but their beauty alone is worth the extra buck
You're not paying for the beauty, that's a bonus!