Apple is set to hold a press conference next week dubbed “Back to the Mac.” The invitation indicates that the next iteration of Mac OS X—Lion—will be unveiled. But how about Mac hardware? Specifically, the seemingly neglected MacBook Air? Well, some reliable sources are reporting that Apple is, in fact, set to announce a new “smaller and sleeker” MacBook Air. How small? Rumors say we’ll be looking at an 11.6 inch screen.

Ranier Brockerhoff gives an extensive analysis of the guts of the new Macbook, the changes Apple made, and why they made them (or at least, the apparent benefits of the changes they made). His conclusion? It was a choice between the Firewire 400 port and another (unpowered) USB 2.0 port, and Apple figured that more people wanted the latter. In the Macbook Pro, the 800 port was included because not only can it handle legacy peripherals through an adapter, the form factor is planned for use in the next two Firewire iterations.

One of the common complaints (especially from me) was the lack of a Target Disk Mode, making disc migration a pain. Brockerhoff brings up an interesting point: the new Macbook makes it easier for technicians to access and replace the hard drive.

When Apple announced the new MacBook Pro, the first thing I did was order it. Instead of ordering the base configuration, I opted for the higher end MacBook Pro with a 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of Ram and an upgraded 320GB 7200 rpm drive. I’m guessing that drive upgrade is the reason I received my notebook a week late. But no worries, I’m so happy it’s here that it doesn’t matter anymore. There is one last thing I have to do before I can start using my new notebook, and that of course, is the obligatory unboxing.

Videos after the break.

Boingo Wireless, which has Wi-Fi at more than 100,000 hotspots worldwide, has released a Mac ready version of their popular GoBoingo! client software. This software allows users to more easily log into public Wi-Fi hotspots, saving them time. With monthly or pay as you go plans, GoBoingo! can help save the hassle of remembering numerous more »

DisplaySearch, an online market research firm, has reported that Apple’s sales of notebook computers are up 61% from the first quarter of 2007 to the first quarter of 2008. In that time, Apple has shipped over 1.4 million notebooks, compared to almost 900,000 the previous year, which places Apple just behind Asus in terms of more »

I really enjoy the two finger scrolling gesture on the Apple laptop trackpads. It’s smooth, and it works exactly how you would expect, unlike some of those other built in scroll bars. However, this technology is only available from Apple on newer models; so, what about the older ones? Enter iScroll2. This preference pane software more »

Toshiba Corp. launched an ultraportable notebook today, known as the Portégé R500-S5007V, that it claims to be the world’s lightest at only 2.4 pounds, surpassing Apple’s MacBook Air, which weighs approximately 3 pounds, and Lenovo’s Thinkpad X300, which weighs approximately 2.93 pounds. The notebook measures 0.77 inches at its thinnest point, according to Toshiba.

Toshiba also claimed that the new notebook was the first to include a 128GB solid-state drive rather than a hard drive, which will be the only option for now, according to a Toshiba representative. Toshiba said its new laptop can run for eight hours on a single battery charge, as it runs on a lithium-ion battery. Battery life is also preserved by the laptop’s transreflective 12.1-inch screen, which can shut down the LED backlighting by reflecting the sun’s rays to illuminate the screen.

Price and specs after the break.

Looking for a replacement for your desktop computer? According to SFGate.com, you need look no further than the MacBook Pro. Of the four computers listed in their article, the Apple MacBook Pro 2008 scores the highest as a desktop computer replacement, receiving an 8.2 out of 10 Cnet rating. The Acer Aspire 8920-6671 and Gateway more »