Hey, have you heard the one about the $799 MacBook Air? Oh, yeah, it’s all over the Web, so you know it must be true.
A $799 MacBook Air?! Who wouldn’t be all over tha-
Taiwanese supply chain news source Digitimes…
BZZZT.
Really, people? The only thing you should be credulously reporting from Digitimes is if it printed “Apple is a company that makes computers and other consumer electronics.” And even then you should probably get that verified from a second source.
Sites like Electronista and Cult of Mac at least labeled this as a “rumor,” but is this even worth reporting at all?
That’s not a rhetorical question. The answer is “no.”
The funny thing is, Digitimes itself doesn’t even report it as something Apple’s “doing.”
Apple is reportedly considering responding to the upcoming second-generation ultrabooks by launching a US$799 MacBook Air in the third quarter of 2012, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.
Considering? Well, sure, Apple’s considering it. The company considers a lot of things. iPhones with physical keyboards, iPad minis, Willy Wonka outfits. That doesn’t mean any of those are going to see the light of day—and certainly not because of a laughably imaginary threat from Intel’s “make something just like the MacBook Air” project (aka Ultrabook).
Not to disagree with Digitimes’s “sources from the upstream supply chain,” but the only thing that’s going to get Apple to go from “considering” to “doing” is if sales of the MacBook Air start to fall. So, if you’re saving for a MacBook Air, better save up $999 for the foreseeable future.
Although, there are great deals on refurbished models. What would the Macalope have to do to get you into a MacBook Air today?
Undercoating? Hmm. He’s going to have to talk to his manager about that.
[Editors’ Note: In addition to being a mythical beast, the Macalope is not an employee of Macworld. As a result, the Macalope is always free to criticize any media organization. Even ours.]