Filed under: Macworld, Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Rumors, Airport
MacBook Air wafts around the rumorscape

So is this the name of Apple's new subnotebook? Of course, we won't know for sure until Steve says it on stage, but while it's not, on the surface, Apple's best naming choice, it could work, in an "Airport" and "Air Tunes" kind of way. It could be worse-- the thing could be called the MacPod. Or the PodBook. Or the PodMac. Or the Lisa.
Update: macbookair.com isn't owned by Apple, but by some merry prankster. Let the speculation continue!


![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)


Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
akatsuki said 4:29PM on 1-14-2008
I can only hope it is all counterintel and they go with Macbook Nano... A much better name that already uses existing conventions.
Reply
required said 4:31PM on 1-14-2008
pronounced Air, Error, or Hair area?
Reply
Jon said 4:33PM on 1-14-2008
I don't get how a computer could be that small and still have a full-sized keyboard. I have a MacBook and you can't make the keyboard much smaller. I used to have a 12" PowerBook and the keyboard went straight to the edge.
That picture implies that the unit is touchscreen because there is no trackpad. I can predict your arm getting tired after 10 mins of browsing the internet.
With regards to the domain names, it is in Apple's interests to register names that they may or may not use later on, otherwise someone will take it and offer it to them for an extortionate amount should they need to use it. It doesn't mean anything in itself. Searching for "macbookair" doesn't do much either, because it a) has the word "macbook" in it so ads keyworded "macbook" are likely to come up (don't know how much difference the lack of a space makes) and b) it is a popular keyword right now because everyone is searching for it!
Reply
jimbo said 4:42PM on 1-14-2008
"That picture implies that the unit is touchscreen because there is no trackpad. I can predict your arm getting tired after 10 mins of browsing the internet."
unless those arent individual keys but instead the entire keyboard is one big, flat trackpad. a simple finger motion or keystroke changes between trackpad (mouse) and keypad (keyboard) modes.
Reply
Thomas said 6:24PM on 1-14-2008
My iMac is called Lisa.
Reply
Ondroo said 4:51PM on 1-14-2008
Well you could say this fits in with the macworld banners - "Somethings in the air"...
Reply
Remko said 5:03PM on 1-14-2008
Forget about MacBook Air. Listen to this song (Something in the Air) http://youtube.com/watch?v=2pGht71KFkY
Just think MacBook Revolution!
Reply
Remko said 5:11PM on 1-14-2008
... or Woz is coming back to Apple
OWRC said 5:09PM on 1-14-2008
I can see an AirPod with the addition of Wifi to to the iPod range but not so sure about a MacBookAir.
Reply
Shockdude said 5:10PM on 1-14-2008
I hope it dosent look like that... the bottom half looks like the old chunky white ipod...and the frame around the screen looks thick, old school.
Reply
Brent said 5:51PM on 1-14-2008
I don't know... did the post say www.macbookair.com didn't forward to Apple.com? Right now, it sends you to http://www.apple.com/?Will+We+see+a+MacBookAir+on+Tuesday? Do you see that? duh duh duh...
Reply
glad said 6:32PM on 1-14-2008
If Apple can make the price-point around the same level as the eeepc, then I'll buy one if not I'll stick with my eeepc and macmini.
Reply
Rille said 5:16PM on 1-14-2008
currently macbookair.com points to http://www.apple.com/?Will+We+see+a+MacBookAir+on+Tuesday?
seems to me like a joke..
Reply
Craig said 5:20PM on 1-14-2008
So does anyone know why/who/? for http://www.macbookair.com
Like why does it redirect to http://www.apple.com/http://www.apple.com/?Will+We+see+a+MacBookAir+on+Tuesday?
Reply
Seth van der Meer said 5:21PM on 1-14-2008
Just did a lookup on some European domains, like macbookair.nl and macbookair.de. They all point towards markmonitor.com who have been registering domains for Apple before. It doesn't prove anything, but still. BTW I like the double iPod clamshell design ;-) Was this one of the iPhone mockups?
Reply
Dewey said 5:48PM on 1-14-2008
All of those other names you listed are still better than Macbook Air. Even if thats the name, I doubt it will grow on me. Being a fan of Nike and what not, it just doesn't make sense. Hopefully it won't come true. I'll just have to wait till tomorrow.
Reply
Austen S. said 5:47PM on 1-14-2008
haha, someone at apple has a sense of humor. :-)
Reply
Martyn said 5:37PM on 1-14-2008
I think it'll be a tablet Mac with a virtual keyboard a la http://www.virtual-laser-keyboard.com/ so you'll type into thin air rather than a physical input device, but I hope I'm wrong otherwise they may think I know more than I do and the Men In Black will come and take me away and put me in a secure area in Cupertino never to be seen again. I swear it was only a guess!
Reply
Robert said 5:41PM on 1-14-2008
The picture is from an old "What would Jobs do" contest on Engadget I think.
http://www.mac-air.com/
Reply
cooper said 5:46PM on 1-14-2008
You know that the www.macbookair.com is now going to the apple site?
Reply