Apple Likely To Debut Intel-based Laptops Tuesday

The long-awaited Intel-based Macs, said the Think Secret site Monday, will be based on the just-introduced Core Duo processor and the Centrino Duo platform. Think Secret frequently cites inside sources, and although its prognostication track record is far from perfect, it has been sued by Apple in the past for leaking details.

In December, Think Secret claimed that the upcoming Apple Intel notebooks would feature models with a 13.3-inch widescreen LCD and a 12.1-inch screen. Apple's iBook and Powerbook lines currently boast 12-, 14-, and 17-inch screens, and are powered by IBM's PowerPC processor line.

Other sources also bet that Apple on Tuesday will push up the introduction of its Intel-powered systems from an earlier June deadline.

"Apple's laptop line desperately needs to be refreshed," Tim Bajarin, an analyst at Creative Strategies, told Reuters Monday. "In that context, I wouldn't be surprised to see a strong updated line of laptops."

Jobs will take the stage at 9 a.m. PST Tuesday to deliver the opening keynote for MacWorld Expo.