"Only Apple could take a phenomenon as ancient and rudimentary as magnetism and make it seem so profound."

"The Cupertino, Calif.-based Mac maker has slowly and subtly been adding magnetic innovations to its computer systems over the last six months and now looks ripe to add yet another.

If reports are accurate -- and they are believed to be -- Apple's forthcoming line of Intel-based iBook consumer notebooks will use magnetic technology in yet another fashion."

"In addition to adopting the MacBook Pro's MagSafe power connector, the notebooks will also shed their traditional latch technology in favor of a purely magnetic latch system, people familiar with some of the Intel iBook's design elements have told AppleInsider. Instead of using a magnet to capture a small metal latch when the notebook is close, the new iBooks will use a stronger magnetic system that will adhere the notebook's display component to its base without the need for a movable latch, these people say.

The Intel-based iBook, which may make its debut under a new product name such as MacBook, is rumored to be the most heavily redesigned Macintosh to come out of Apple's industrial design labs in the last two years.

The notebooks reportedly resemble a shrunken MacBook Pro, based around a 13-inch high-resolution display, but clad in iBook white. Like Apple's iMac Core Duo and MacBook Pro, the new iBooks are also expected to pack a built-in iSight video camera, Apple Remote, and Front Row media software.

Although processor specifications for the upcoming iBook line remain largely unconfirmed, logic would point to the notebooks adopting a 1.67GHz Intel 1.67GHz Core processor, either Solo or Duo."