You’ve likely seen one or more reports that the long-rumored Apple “subnotebook” will be unveiled in January at the Macworld conference. It is worth remembering that all of these reports stem from one AppleInsider article. This “hall of mirrors” effect is common, particularly in the Mac blogosphere. But it’s easy to forget that sometimes one rumor leads to many discussions, further rumors, and speculation built on speculation.

AppleInsider first brought our attention to the subnotebook rumor back in February, originally predicting a mid-2007 launch. AI has consistently stated that the new notebook would have a slim, lightweight 13″ form factor without an optical drive, would utilize solid-state memory for faster boot times, and would have longer battery life than existing Macintosh laptops. I’ve seen more than a few heated discussions on various boards about whether Apple is making the right choice with such a configuration, or whether such a laptop really qualifies as a subnotebook.

In any event, it’s important to remember that until we see Jobs touting the benefits of a new laptop, it’s just vapor. If Apple does roll out a new design in January, nobody will be particularly surprised. But I won’t be making purchasing decisions based on one rumor from one source.

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