Apple Inc, on Tuesday, unveiled a lightweight laptop about three-quarters of an inch thick. The company also said that it would rent movies over the Web. Apple Inc Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs made the announcements at the annual Macworld convention in San Francisco, moving the iPod maker into a very competitive market.

Mr Jobs said the new aluminum-skinned Macbook Air notebook was the thinnest computer available, at a maximum of 0.76 inches and tapering to just 0.16 inches.

Priced from about $1,800, the Macbook Air bridges the gap between Apple's entry-level and high-end laptops, and analysts voiced concern that it could steal customers away from its more expensive products.

Mr Jobs added that the new aluminum-skinned Macbook Air notebook was the thinnest computer available, at a maximum of 0.76 inches and tapering to just 0.16 inches.

Priced from about $1,800, the Macbook Air bridges the gap between Apple's entry-level and high-end laptops, and analysts voiced concern that it could steal customers away from its more expensive products.

Jobs said the new aluminum-skinned Macbook Air notebook was the thinnest computer available, at a maximum of 0.76 inches and tapering to just 0.16 inches.

TV shows

Apple has struggled to find a big audience for Apple TV, a product designed to be a Mac accessory for watching Internet video on a computer or television and unveiled alongside the iPhone a year ago.

“It’s not what people wanted. We learned what people wanted was ... movies, movies movies,” Mr Jobs said.
A new version of Apple TV will be able to connect to the Internet directly and download TV shows, movies and music through iTunes.

Viewers will be able to choose movies directly from their TVs. One could start watching within seconds if he had Internet connection. Mr Jobs also announced deals with major movie studios and several smaller ones to offer movies for rental .