Apple sets date for new MacBooks

Apple will be releasing new look laptops on 14 October the company has announced.

Confirming recent speculation, Apple has issued press invites to an event new week with the tagline, "The spotlight turns to notebooks."

Wall Street analysts and gadget blogs have speculated that Apple could cut the prices of its cheapest notebook computer to below $1,000 (591), or it could refresh the line with laptops in aluminium casings. Currently MacBooks are constructed from plastic, while the MacBook Pro line is made of metal.

Rumours suggest these casings will be made from a single aluminium piece, leading them to be dubbed, The Apple Brick'. Despite this, the new machines are expected to be lighter than current models.

Apple shares were up 2.8 per cent at $92.30 (54.57) in midday trading on the Nasdaq.

The stock, along with other technology shares, has been under pressure on concerns that the financial crisis could hurt consumer demand for electronics, especially in the run-up to the crucial end-year holiday season.

Benny Har-Even is a twenty-year stalwart of technology journalism who is passionate about all areas of the industry, but telecoms and mobile and home entertainment are among his chief interests. He has written for many of the leading tech publications in the UK, such as PC Pro and Wired, and previously held the position of technology editor at ITPro before regularly contributing as a freelancer.

Known affectionately as a ‘geek’ to his friends, his passion has seen him land opportunities to speak about technology on BBC television broadcasts, as well as a number of speaking engagements at industry events.