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15.4-inch MacBooks to begin shipping in 2Q, say sources

Apple is planning to introduce 15.4-inch MacBooks in the second quarter of 2007, according to industry sources in Taiwan. The new model will fill the gap between the company's 13.3-inch MacBooks and the 15.4- and 17-inch MacBook Pros that form its current notebook line up, and is expected to boost shipments of Apple's Intel-powered MacBooks, the sources add.

MacBook shipments are expected to reach 700,000 units in the first quarter of 2007, after enjoying substantial gains in the second half of 2006, say the PC makers. However, shipment growth for the whole of 2007 is likely to be even greater than that of the first-quarter following the introduction of the 15.4-inch model in the second quarter, the sources noted.

Currently, 13.3-inch MacBooks are manufactured by Asustek Computer, while the new 15.4-inch model will be made by Quanta Computer, which also manufactures the 15.4- and 17-inch MacBook Pros for Apple. Foxconn is said to have been in the running for the lucrative 15.4-inch manufacturing contract but was eventually unsuccessful, the sources report.

Prices for the 15.4-inch MacBook models are likely to be more competitive than their 13.3-inch counterparts, due largely to the relatively lower cost of 15.4-inch LCD panels, and will therefore help push further sales of MacBooks, indicated the sources. The 13.3-inch MacBooks are currently available at US$1,099-US$1,499..

The 15.4- and 17-inch MacBook Pros are currently available at a range between US$1,999 and US$2,799, and account for a relatively lower ratio to Apple's total notebook shipments, the source indicated.

Apple's notebook shipments for 2006-1Q 2007 (in 1,000 units)
Period	Shipments	Y/Y change
1Q 06	498	8.3%
2Q 06	787	59.6%
3Q 06	962	51.5%
4Q 06	1,000	70.0%
1Q 07(f)	700	40.6%

Source: IDC Taiwan and sources at Taiwan PC makers, compiled by DigiTimes, February 2007

Apple 13.3-inch MacBooks are to be joined by 15.4-inch models in 2Q07 according to sources
Photo: Company

Gmail was invitation-only when it launched in April 2004, when Google had hoped to spread the word about Gmail through a viral-marketing strategy where users would invite each other to participate. And now, in opening up Gmail, Google has again decided to go viral by using YouTube to spread the Gmail love.

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Google has changed the policy for its Gmail, the company's e-mail service, opening signups to everyone rather than having accounts determined by user invitation.

In the past, those who wanted a Gmail account would have to be invited by someone who already had Gmail. When it created that plan, Google did say that it would eventually drop the invite-only restriction.

Also part of Gmail is a chat function, and the e-mail service is available in over 40 interface languages. The company's cofounder, Sergey Brin, has noted in news reports that Gmail has become a cornerstone for Google, and making it more widely available is important for the company.

Viral Attack

In making Gmail invitation-only when it launched in April 2004, Google had hoped to spread the word about the service through viral marketing and build buzz about Gmail before opening it to the general public. In making Gmail more widely accessible, it has again decided to go viral by using YouTube to spread the word.

The company has created several videos that are now on the YouTube site, featuring Google engineers and puppet shows with characters created out of office supplies. The benefits of Gmail -- such as "Gmail blocks spam before it even gets to your inbox" -- are written in marker on large sheets of paper, giving the presentations a homespun feel.

User comments to the "Gmail Theater" series praise the quirky videos for their "geeky goodness" and creativity.

In another twist of lightheartedness, the company has stuck to its holiday theme for announcements. Gmail was unveiled on April Fool's Day, sparking speculation that it was a joke, and the company chose Valentine's Day for the public rollout, so all users could "share the love."

Most Improved

Since its initial launch, Gmail has been tweaked in several ways, primarily to make the service less susceptible to spam and able to integrate with instant messaging more effectively.

Google took some heat during Gmail's early days for creating contextual advertising in which ads were served up on the basis of what was contained in user messages. Although the company insisted that the process was automated, and that employees were not reading e-mail to tie messages to ad content, Google refined the feature anyway to make it less intrusive.

IDC analyst Sue Feldman pointed out that, although Gmail has considerably fewer users than rival services, Google is not exactly hurting for business.

"They're making lots of money, and people tend to lose sight of that," she noted. "As you get larger and into more areas, like e-mail, there's always a chance of getting scattered. But that doesn't seem to be happening to Google; they're doing extraordinarily well."