The world’s slimmest laptop and also one of the most expensive and desirable just got a little bit cheaper. Apple has reduced the prices of the MacBook Air by £300. When it first came out in January this year the Macbook Air had a price of £2028 it now costs £1719 with the 64GB SSD and 1.8Ghz Core Duo Processor. The 80GD hard disc model remains with its original price.

This price reduction comes from two changes on the MacBook Air options, the SSD and the 1,8GHz processor. Before adding the SSD option used to cost £500 now it is just £300 and adding a 1,8GHZ processor used to cost an extra £150  this now costs and £100. This cut is due to the fall in the price of SSD drives as manufacturers ramp up production.

With the price cut on the MacBook Air with SSD and a 1,8GHz processor this is no longer Apple’s most expensive laptop.

The leader of the pack now is the 17" MacBook Pro with a price of £1799 for the base configuration.

Following a successful audit by an independent certification body the Gemini Group has now been awarded the FSC and PEFC Certification.

For a clearer understanding of the FSC & PEFC principles please read on……

About FSC….

It is widely accepted that forest resources and associated lands should be managed to meet the social, economic, ecological, cultural and spiritual needs of present and future generations. Furthermore, growing public awareness of forest destruction and degradation has led consumers to demand that their purchases of wood and other forest products will not contribute to this destruction but rather help to secure forest resources for the future. In response to these demands, certification and self-certification programs of wood products have proliferated in the marketplace.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international body which accredits certification organizations in order to guarantee the authenticity of their claims. In all cases the process of certification will be initiated voluntarily by forest owners and managers who request the services of a certification organization.

The goal of FSC is to promote environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests, by establishing a worldwide standard of recognized and respected Principles of Forest Stewardship.

About PEFC….

The PEFC Council (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organisation, founded in 1999 which promotes sustainably managed forests through independent third party certification. The PEFC provides an assurance mechanism to purchasers of wood and paper products that they are promoting the sustainable management of forests.

PEFC is a global umbrella organisation for the assessment of and mutual recognition of national forest certification schemes developed in a multi-stakeholder process. These national schemes build upon the inter-governmental processes for the promotion of sustainable forest management, a series of on-going mechanisms supported by 149 governments in the world covering 85% of the world’s forest area.

PEFC has in its membership 32 independent national forest certification systems of which 25 to date have been through a rigorous assessment process involving public consultation and the use of independent consultants to provide the assessments on which mutual recognition decisions are taken by the membership. These 25 schemes account for over 190 million hectares of certified forests producing millions of tonnes of certified timber to the market place making PEFC the world’s largest certification scheme.

The other national member’s schemes are at various stages of development and are working towards mutual recognition under the PEFC processes. http://www.pefc.org/

Find out what’s been going on in the Gemini Group!

View the Summer 2008 edition of Printlines. click here to download a pdf of Printlines

Apple insider is reporting that O2 will open it’s stores early on the July 11th iPhone 3G release date to sell the 3G Version of the Apple Iphone.

O2 is also said by the new sources to begin stocking up on iPhone 3G units the week before the launch rather than the just-in-time deliveries that were made in some areas with launches of the original Apple cellphone. Demo units may be in use shortly afterwards, according to the sources.

For some, though, the most important news may come a year later. Separate O2 staff are suggesting that the wireless carrier’s usual policy of offering an unlock code for PAYg phones after 12 months will remain true for iPhone 3G.