Last June 8 Apple revamped it’s line of portable computers. The most significant change being the renaming of the aluminum MacBook to the MacBook Pro. So now there are 3 sizes for the MacBook Pro, the 13, 15 and 17 inch models. Reminiscent to the previous Powerbook line up. While this move is good, it leaves the MacBook line with only the white polycarbonate level. That’s it. One model, not even a variation of it. Just one.

MacBook image Courtesy of Apple

What does this mean? Why did Apple leave it as such? I think Apple has something up it’s sleeve. My guess is that the we’ll be seeing a new MacBook quite soon. It might be the “netbook” people have been clamoring about. A cheap, light mac that can compete with the netbooks being currently offered.

I don’t believe that Apple will just keep the MacBook at a single model. They’re neglecting a significant market if they did. The MacBook is primarily aimed at consumers and the MacBook Pros to well.. pros.

The Pro line-up is currently full and it’s looking great. The MacBook Air while it serves a niche market still has a wider range than the MacBook line that has a broader market. So I don’t think it will stay as is. Plus the white polycarbonate body is getting old and is in need of a refresh as well.

So let’s see what happens in the coming months.

Apple took the wraps off some high-profile new products at the WorldWide Developer’s Conference in San Jose. Chief among them was the next upgrade in the iPhone, the iPhone 3Gs. The 3Gs is being touted as up to twice as fast as the iPhone 3G,with longer battery life, a 3 megapixel camera with autofocus, video recording, and hands-free voice control. A ton of new capabilities are built into it. The 16 gigabyte iPhone 3Gs retails for $199, with a 32 GB model for $299.

Also today, the iPhone 3G, the last generation 8 GB model, is available for an incredible $99.

Read more

Apple quietly updated it’s entry level MacBook. The white polycarbonate MacBook received a processor upgrade from 2.0 Ghz to 2.13 Ghz. Apart from this it also got an hard drive upgrade. It now packs a 160GB hard drive.

[image courtesy of Apple]

This upgrade puts it up the low end Aluminum MacBook who’s processor is still currently 2.0 Ghz. The update polycarbonate MacBook is now a much better value for money notebook for students with it’s price tag of $999.

Congratulate Milo on the occasion of Windows Vista Weblog finishing 6th in the Best Windows Vista Site competition.

The office has been a bit desolate for a while. So Colleen is taking over Office Tweaks. Join me in welcoming him.

Jason introduces us to the Super Bowl Single Girl. Pardon the dumb question, but why would anyone want to raise $3M and pay it to some television network? Aren’t Mr. Right’s for sale anymore? The big cynical question is: what if she realizes that she isn’t interested in Mr. Right? This comedienne is funny. So I wish her the best.

Claire wants you to take the Linux Graphics Survey 2008. What’s in it to you? Take these tips for Ubuntu users as a gift.

Jason has a tutorial to easily import table data into Excel from, say, a web page. Could use it some day, but I’m more interested in the reverse process.

How would you feel about a URL that is mysterious about what it can contain? I think it can be one of the types of spam. Jayvee thinks that stripping away those preconceptions can also be a refreshing browsing experience. A debate is slowly brewing up at his post. Come join us.

Juan is excited that Barack uses Mac. I’m more excited about this MacBook X-ray. What a geek!

I hope you have all had enough to watch, read, and talk about the US Elections. Though Obama won in a “landslide”, it was only a majority by 8 million votes (6%). Surely many are happy with the result, and many unhappy. Let it be, hope that this is happening for the best, and get back to that damn pc.

Speaking about hope, for those part of a small startup and already feeling the pinch of the enconomic crisis, don’t lose hope. Check out Jason’s good news about Microsoft’s BizSpark helping startups. Who knows, this could be just perfect for your needs. And we all thought M$ is a selfish giant taking away our $s. Well, many still do.

Milo thinks that Windows 7 may be faster, but wonders whether it is because of the applications that are not installed on the laptop. For the beginners, Windows 7 is the Microsoft Windows successor of Vista.

Juan is impressed with the new sleek Aluminum MacBook, raving about its touch and feel, and how the old MacBook looks like a boy in front of the new all-grown man. :-) Pun orignally unintended and here unexpected.

Claire shares a few features to look forward to in Ubuntu 8.10 and a tool for GNU/Linux that reads your email and e-books aloud for you.

Did you ever use Windows 3.x? Do you still think about it? I do get nostalgic once in a while about some Windows 3.x OS on which I had learned Excel and Foxpro. Jayvee gives us the sad news that Windows 3.1 is no more. Gone. Dead. Puff!