If MacScoop's "reliable sources" are right, they can get smaller and thinner still. Although it seems that Cupertino's scaling the MacBooks up and larger, there seem to be plans for Apple to develop and release a smaller, thinner, form-factored MacBook sometime in early 2007.

Part of the reason why the MacBook has upscaled in screen size as well as processor power is because of its potential use as a multimedia platform - the wide screen certainly made sense for on-the-go video editing. But we think that going back to the 12-inch - and getting it slimmer - should appeal to another class of consumer, who want the power of a MacBook but can't lug around the entry-level 13-inchers. This would also hearken back to the 12-inch PowerBook, and perhaps even serve the same purposes as a regular office laptop.

Albeit with beefed-up specs, as this smaller, sexier beast should still keep its larger siblings' dual core heart (bless their dual-core heart) and optical drive. Beyond that, no other specs could be revealed by MacScoop or their reliable sources. Well, they're expecting a US$ 1,700-US$ 1,800 price range for the sexy beast so that's something to be revealed (and something that could change, too).