This rumor, if true, may be a sign that Apple wants to compete with netbooks or that in this economy, they don’t think that consumers will continue to pay a premium for the Apple name in the longterm. Either way, Apple may push the cost of the MacBook Air down while extending its feature set. Unnamed sources for SiliconRumors claim that an entry-level model will push the price down to between $1,300 and $1,500, or at least $300 less than the current model. Whether this would be a smaller model or just a price cut isn’t clear.

The same tips say that Apple will add at least an option for built-in 3G for wide-area wireless and may make solid-state drives standard on all models instead of a high-end option. GPS to locate the Mac is an option but “less likely.”

A recent report shows that the parts and packaging of the iPod Shuffle 3G cost only $21.77. That’s twenty-eight percent of the unit’s retail price. So with those numbers, you might be wondering where the clones are. According to Business Week, Samsung supplies not only the unit’s ARM-based processor ($5.98), but the storage ($6) on at least a few of the units as well. The lithium ion battery costs $1.20.

Maybe for some reason the pirates just can’t work that small yet. Who knows. Maybe they just don’t care about the Shuffle and have other gadgets to worry about.

Video: Laptop Hunters $1000 – Lauren Gets an HP Pavilion
The ongoing war between Microsoft & Apple continues. In this new ad, Microsoft exploits Apple’s Achilles heel, being outrageously overpriced. It’s a brilliant ad that hits them right where it hurts. Because it’s true.

The ad shows a customer looking for a laptop for under a $1000. She searches both the Apple store and a conventional electronics store and finally settles on an HP laptop for under $700. Unlike their previous ads, this one works because it actually speaks to the consumer, and what matters to them. Getting a decent computer for a fair price.

This device sounds too good to be true. It’s called the Blade and it screws onto the end of your tailpipe. Through extensive testing, it supposedly shows from 16-34% savings on gas! That’s an average of about 3.8 MPG’s. As an example, a US driver goes an average of about 30 miles per day or 10,800 miles per year. At the national average of 22 MPG that means about 490 gallons of gas. At $4, that’s roughly $2,000.

Apparently, when you add the BLADE to your tailpipe, you would only use about 418 gallons or about $1,675. Your savings would be roughly $325! Since I suck at math, I’m forced to take their word for it. The device costs $200, so you could make your money back in several months and still be saving after that. It saves gas, money and the environment. What more do you want?