MacBook rumors: Santa Rosa, 3G, ultraportable

As we gear up for WWDC and the iPhone launch in June and the impending release of OS X Leopard in October, the Mac rumormill is starting to get into full swing. Obviously some new Macs will be upon us by the end of the year and current speculation is centering on the company's line of portables. The first matter of business is the Centrino Pro (Santa Rosa) upgrade--everyone else is doing it so why not Apple? Though MacBooks were initially rumored to get the upgrade as soon as this week, current speculation (courtesy of Apple Insider) revolves around the MacBook Pros, which will allegedly get both Santa Rosa and LED-backlit screens while the MacBook update with be "a yawner". This would certainly help Apple better distinguish the high-end Pro models from the low-end, though it could have the negative effect of diminishing the MacBook's perceived value.

Next up is that rumor that just refuses to die, the ultraportable MacBook Pro. The rumored device continues to mutate: from a flash-based, underside optical drive-sporting 12" machine to a 13-incher with no optical drive, and LED-backlit display and only a nominal amount of NAND flash for boosting application performance. The machine will apparently be thinner, smaller and lighter than existing MacBooks and should see the light of day by late 2007 or early 2008.

Finally, there's word that Apple might be preparing to integrate 3G wireless modules inside of its portables. Rumor has it that the company has ordered PCI Express mini-card adapters in order to integrate a WWAN module inside the display lid of a laptop. While there's no word yet on exactly which 3G technology the company favors, one can make an educated guess based on the company's new partner AT&T, which supports HSDPA.

For more on the MacBook/Pro rumors:
- see this Apple Insider article

For more on the 3G rumors:
- see this article