Briefly: MacBook Pro, Quanta lands video iPod contract

MacBook Pro lead times improve (again)

Wait times for Apple's new Mac mini Core Solo and Core Duo desktops still stood at 4-6 days on Wednesday, but availability of the company's MacBook Pro notebooks saw another positive surge of availability, as wait times decreased to 3-5 business days from 7-10 business days.

Based on information from industry sources, it appears that Apple may withholding components from the Intel-based Mac mini (and hence full production of that line) in favor of using those components to churn out as many MacBook Pros as possible during its March quarter, which ends in less than two weeks.

The MacBook Pro is arguably one of Apple's most profitable products, far more so than the Mac mini. By ramping production of the high-end notebooks in the last two weeks of the quarter, Apple could do wonders to bolster its revenue figures, which so far appear to be trailing previous quarters by a significant margin.

Quanta to manufacture new iPods?

Meanwhile, Quanta Computer has won a contract from Apple to manufacture new "video iPod devices," according to the Economic Daily News.

The publication, which did not cite sources, said the world's leading contract maker of notebook computers has won certification for its output and will begin delivery of the devices next month.

Inventec Appliances Corp. is Apple's current video iPod manufacturer.