Apple, Inc's (NASDAQ: AAPL) lineup of Macbooks hasn't been updated in quite a while. A refresh in the line has been speculated about for a long while, and now Apple has invited the media to an October 14th event in San Francisco, as our sister blog The Unofficial Apple Weblog points out.

Rumors online have flown about aluminum laptops coming out from Apple that look similar on the outside to the Macbook Air, the popular small form factor laptop. The Air, while expensive, proved to be a more popular form factor than critics expected during its launch. The second internet rumor is that the laptops will have an $800 price tag, a smart move for Apple as the financial crisis keeps people nervous. Offering a laptop with a price tag under the $1,000 magic point can't hurt.

It may not be the best environment for a new line of laptops, but bringing the price down is a solid first step for Apple in keeping its momentum going. And with its stock down to yearly lows due to the worries about consumer spending and economy, it'll be interested to see if this keeps Apple notebook sales going as strong as they have been.

[Disclaimer: I own Apple stock]