In what was only a matter of time, reliable sources indicate that Apple's next-gen MacBook line has been spotted and photographed by those who are familiar with Apple's hardware upgrade plans. According to the source, “the limited information provided by these people thus far has proven to be extremely accurate.”

AppleInsider reports that both the new 13-inch MacBooks, as well as the 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros, sport aluminum outfits and almost identical silhouettes. The new 13-inch MacBooks appear to be matching their higher-priced (and higher specced) counterparts, the site notes.

According to those who've been lucky enough to get an early glimpse of some of Apple's new hardware offerings, “the new designs were described as a cross between the 13-inch MacBook Air introduced this January and the aluminum iMacs that made their debut during the summer of 2007.” In April, AppleInsider suggested they would include a tapering around the edges and instances of black material, in what would seem an effort on Apple's behalf to contrast the excessive (so to speak) use of aluminum on its new laptops.

As far as ports go, the sources claim Apple has shaken off some I/O, modifying the remaining ports in an effort to reduce the overall footprint of its next-gen notebooks. AppleInsider makes a note of its own regarding the new ports, saying that a “hybrid 9-pin FireWire 800/3200 port looks identical to a FireWire 800 port, though there is no information either way on whether the new 3200 technology will be supported.”

Lastly, Apple's new-gen laptops seem to be lacking the traditional and bulky 28-pin DVI-I (Dual Link) port, where the Pro is concerned. To replace it, Apple has made efforts to build in what looks like a mini-DVI port, something owners of 13-inch MacBooks and the new iMacs are used to seeing on their systems.