Today's Rumor Mill: MacBooks shipping now? Analyst claims yes

[rgG]

http://www.macworld.co.uk/mac/news/index.cfm?RSS&NewsID=22819

Apple has reportedly begun distributing new model MacBooks across its channels, at least, that's what Citigroup's Richard Gardner claimed in a research note this morning.

As reported by Barrons, the analyst says "field checks" have confirmed that shipments of new MacBooks have begun - even though these weren't widely expected to appear until next month.

Confirming the pre-release prognostication he says the most distinctive features of the new MacBooks are "very thin aluminum casing, an LED-backlit display and an
aggressive entry-level price point."

[macphanatic]

I hope he's right on the aggressive entry-level price point.

[WHiiP]

:agree:

[Bill in NC]

"Shipping" = loaded onto container ships for the month-long trip to your local Apple store.

[Gutenberg]

I am happy to see them switch to aluminum. The outer case of my 15-month-old MacBook has an inch-long crack beginning at the leaf of the Apple, and there is a strip that broke off the plastic of the arm rest. I have not dropped this MacBook, nor slammed the lid, nor anything that should have caused damage like this.

[TLB]

The strip on the palm pad is a manufacturing defect. We took our MacBook in for an unrelated issue. The mentioned the damage and once they determined it wasn't related to water damage, the Apple Store replaced the case parts in the store. YMMV

[rgG]

there is a strip that broke off the plastic of the arm rest.

I believe others have gotten this repaired as a known defect by taking it in to the Apple Store. You might give it a shot.

[Wailer]

I'm still hanging onto my 12" g4 ibook until apple makes something smaller other than an ipod touch or iphone.

If they don't come out with something soon and my ibook gets more and more long in the tooth, I'm going to get an MSI wind or eeepc. :|

[MacArtist]

With MacBooks being so popular with students, wait until you see how dented up the aluminum ones become. Plastic is much more forgiving.