DigiTimes: Compal to produce 17" PowerBook


DigiTimes reports -- quoting unnamed sources -- that Compal Electronics has landed the order to contract manufacture Apple's new 17-inch PowerBooks that his Steveness introduced during his MWSF keynote on Tuesday. Compal already manufactures Apple's 15.4-inch TiBooks.

This portable, which is expected to ship next month for $3,299 (MAP), is the "world's first 17-inch notebook," and features a 1GHz G4 processor, built-in Bluetooth and an 802.11g-compatible Airport.

Sources estimate that Compal will produce 200,000 to 300,000 units this year under the deal.

DigiTimes also reports that ECS (Elitegroup Computer Systems) is rumored to be the supplier of Apple's new 12.1-inch PowerBook. ECS subsidiary Alpha-Top, which the Taiwanese IT conglomerate purchased earlier this year, manufactures iBooks for Apple.

Editor's note: It's been rumored for months that Apple and Compal have been cooperating on a new product. However, the usual rumorological sources here in Taiwan could offer no guidance on just what it was they were working on. Now we know...