Macworld: All Eyes on Jobs

So far, Macworld-related Internet chatter has centered on the possibility of a slim laptop, a movie rental service and updates to Apple TV. That could be enough to get Apple fans going.

"Apple rarely disappoints in terms of announcing something special at Macworld," says Chervitz.

Analysts believe Apple needs to go after the small laptop market. "They need to have a truly competitive laptop device that is small, thin device at an attractive price," says Jack Gold, president and principal analyst of J. Gold Associates, a technology advisory and consulting firm.

Hold the Applause for Apple's Movie Rentals

"They have done pretty well last year, getting visibility around iPhone and increasing their market share against the PC. They need to do now more around mobility."

Trip Chowdhury, an analyst with independent research firm Global Equities Research, expects Apple will unveil a lightweight laptop, also known as the subnotebook, that could compete with products from the Sony(SNE Quote - Cramer on SNE - Stock Picks) Vaio range.

Other analysts expect the company to introduce a notebook with a screen between 8 inches to 12 inches without an optical drive (CD/DVD player), a standard feature of the current Macbook line of laptops.

The notebook could feature flash storage to improve battery life and reliability while reducing weight, says Shaw Wu, an analyst with independent American Technology Research, in research note.

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