Apple punts batterylicious MacBook Pros
Chops prices, adds SD card slots
WWDC Apple has slashed MacBook prices and introduced new versions of its 13in and 15in portables, both with beefed-up battery technology to boost plug-less playtime from five to seven hours.
Revealed Monday at the company's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), the two new aluminum unibody machines use the same lithium polymer battery technology introduced with the company's 17in MacBook Pro earlier this year. According to Apple, you can recharge these batteries 1000 times without replacing.
The 13in model starts at $1199/£899, the 15in at $1699/£1299. Like the existing 17in model, both of these new machines are known as MacBook Pros - as opposed to plain old MacBooks. Apple still offers a plastic-encased 13in machine under the MacBook name.
Meanwhile, Apple has also cut prices across the line. The 17in MacBook Pro now starts at $2499/£1849, a $300 drop - despite a faster 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and a larger 500GB hard drive. The MacBook Air sells for $1499/£1149 with a 1.86GHz Intel Core 2 Duo system, a 120GB hard drive, and Nvidia GeForce 9400M graphics and for $1799/£1349 with a 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, a 128GB solid state drive and GeForce 9400M graphics.
Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller called it "the most affordable [MacBook] lineup" the company has ever offered.
Each MacBook Pro includes an LED-backlit display, a multi-touch trackpad, an illuminated keyboard, an SD/ExpressCard slot and a FireWire 800 port. All are available starting today. ®
COMMENTS
1000 charge cycles?
That's about 3 years, surely? And they call that a /good/ thing?
RE: Want 12" back
I never gave it away in the first place ;) just put in a new battery.
Want 12" back
I liked my old 12" G4 for a lot of reasons. It fit easily on rack shelves for use in installation work. Might have a look at the 13" though ---
@ The Mighty Quin
"Faulty Calculator?
By The Mighty Quin Posted Tuesday 9th June 2009 11:02 GMT
Seems Apple are having problems with their calculations, when did $1199 = £899? At todays exchange rate it should be coming out at around £750."
Around about the same time you failed to notice that Britons get charged with VAT on electronic products, perhaps?
@ The Mighty Quin
"Seems Apple are having problems with their calculations, when did $1199 = £899? At todays exchange rate it should be coming out at around £750."
Actually when you add on 15% VAT it comes out at £850. £50 is quite a small "non American country" tax for Apple to be charging. Not that I am happy about it. Try and find a friend in academia to get the educational discount via them.
