Apple MacBook Lines Adds Duo 2 Core

By Doug Olenick -- TWICE, 11/8/2006

Cupertino, Calif. – Apple’s ever expanding partnership with Intel led to today’s release of three MacBooks powered by Intel Core 2 Duo processors.

The Intel-equipped MacBooks are about 25 percent faster then their predecessors, Apple said, and with a 13-inch displays fall in between an ultra-portable and traditional size notebooks. Apple now has about 10 percent share of the notebook market, said Philip Schiller, senior VP of worldwide product marketing and it expects the new Intel-powered MacBooks to perform very well this holiday season.

Steve Baker, The NPD Group's industry analysis VP, said the Intel chips are only one of the reasons for Apple’s increased sales.

“Clearly it’s helped, but it’s a bit of a stretch to say its because of using Intel and not PowerPC,” he said, “Intel allows Apple to make more appropriate laptops, but there is also a new platform, better pricing and more distribution.”

Features shared between the three models include, Apple’s Front Row multimedia software, Airport Extreme, built in video cameras and Bluetooth 2.0 and Gigabit Ethernet and a mini-DVI input for connecting to an external HD display.

MagSafe Power adapters are also standard. MagSafe technology uses magnetism instead of traditional prongs to connect the notebook to the electric outlet. This will allow the cord to disconnect when stretched too far to help prevent the notebook from being knocked off a desk if someone trips over the cord.

Available immediately are the 1.83 white MacBook, $1.099; 2GHz white MacBook, $1,299; and the 2GHz black MacBook, $1,499.

The first model sports 512MB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM expandable to 2GB, 60GB hard drive, DVD-ROM/CD-RW drive, the step-up model bumps up memory to 1GB, an 80GB hard drive, a 6x SuperDrive with double layer support, and the top-end unit again boosts the hard drive to 120GB.