October 20th, 2009
Apple unveils new unibody polycarbonate MacBook; 7-hour battery, LED display, multitouch trackpad; $999
Apple on Tuesday updated (techmeme) its most inexpensive laptop computer, the MacBook, with a new polycarbonate unibody design, LED-backlit display, a glass multitouch trackpad and a 7-hour built-in battery.
The new laptop is available now for $999.
The display, trackpad and battery are inherited from Apple’s MacBook Pro line of notebook computers.
While the MacBook Pro computers have a unibody aluminum enclosure, the new standard MacBook features a unibody polycarbonate enclosure that Apple says is more light and durable than the previous enclosure (it weighs 4.7 pounds.)
The LED-backlit is the same as that of the MacBook Pro line, Apple says.
[Image Gallery: Apple's new unibody MacBook]
The new MacBook has a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB RAM, a 250GB hard drive, and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics.
The new MacBook also includes Apple’s built-in notebook battery that lasts up to seven hours on a single charge and up to 1,000 recharges. (Depleted batteries can be serviced and replaced for $129.)
The MacBook’s new threads achieve EPEAT Gold status and meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements.
It’s preinstalled with Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.
For the baseline $999, you get:
- 13.3-inch widescreen LED-backlit 1280 x 800 glossy display
- 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 3MB shared L2 cache
- 1066 MHz front-side bus
- 2GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, expandable to 4GB
- NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics
- 250 GB serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm, with Sudden Motion Sensor
- a slot-load 8X SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
- Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately)
- built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking and Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
- Gigabit Ethernet port
- built-in iSight video camera
- two USB 2.0 ports
- one audio line in/out port, supporting optical digital out and analog in/out
- glass Multi-Touch trackpad
- built-in, 60WHr lithium polymer battery
- 60 Watt MagSafe Power Adapter
Upgrades and accessories include: 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM, or 320GB 5400 rpm, 500GB 5400 rpm hard drive, Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple MagSafe Airline Adapter and the AppleCare Protection Plan.
More Apple announcements today:
- Apple debuts new 21.5″ and 27″ iMac desktops; aluminum and glass; SD card slot
- Apple introduces multitouch Magic Mouse, single or multi-button; $69
- Apple refreshes specs on Mac mini; starts $599; Snow Leopard server model, $999
- Apple’s $19 remote gets aluminum refresh; control iPod, iPhone, Mac
- Apple updates AirPort Extreme, Time Capsule; improves performance
Andrew J. Nusca is an associate editor for ZDNet and SmartPlanet.
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