Dow Jones corroborates Apple Netbook, adds juicy details

Cleve Nettles
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March 10, 2009
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Adding fuel to the Apple Touch Netbook fire, Dow Jones reporter, Wei Yi Lim is reporting that Apple indeed is building a touch netbook.  The screen size is about 10 inches.  OK, mockup artists...what else do you need?!  From Dow Jones:

Apple Inc. (AAPL) is planning to launch a netbook computer with a touch screen monitor as early as the second half of this year, two people close to the situation told Dow Jones Newswires Tuesday.

The mini laptop computers will likely have monitor screens that are between 9.7-inches and 10-inches, one person, who declined to be named, said.

 Dow Jones is also putting the timeframe at Q3/late summer.

 

Comments (20)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 7:22am

Dow Jones is a well respected organization that traffics in truth, not fiction.

They would be doing an incredible disservice to their paying customers if they were merely gathering rumors off of rumor web sites and repackaging them as a news story.

With a policy based on strong journalistic principles, it would be unthinkable if DJ was off the mark.

So, therefore, I conclude that this story is true.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 7:28am

I would love this form factor and with a touchscreen....glorious!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 7:48am

yabuthowmuch$?

talkingfuture (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 8:03am

I still think this will be more tablet and less netbook. Hopefully we'll find out later this year.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 8:06am

A 10" iPod Touch/iPhone would be great.
Extending the iPhone software to support higher resolution would be a dream.

Please: a decent docking station.

Optional: front cam & bluetooth keyboard support.

I don't need a hardware keyboard ...

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 8:27am

This is why I am -not- buying a kindle.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 8:32am

Sorry.. but it is easy for DJ to be duped.

There is NO source, from the article everyone declines to comment. So whats new apart from a reputable news source quoting a rumour? They add no value.

DJ does not corroborate the Apple Netbook. They only corroborate the fact that no one is commenting on the rumour.

BTW Personally i hope its true...

EBFoxbat | March 10, 2009 - 8:33am

 I hope I can afford it. I'd like to see $349, $449, and $599 price points. I'd like to see some kind of non-touch screen keyboard as an option. I can't picture myself typing on a tablet unless it folds open like laptop.

How would an ARM-based device effect current Apple development? iPhone applications assume a fixed resolution. I doubt this will have the same resolution.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 9:02am

It is supposed to be a NetBook, not a full-blown computer OR an iPhone - by definition, it will have a very small screen, slower CPU, and limited memory, for the sake of getting more time out of it's necessarily small battery.

But it will be much more portable than a typical laptop, and it will have WiFi to use services like Google Apps and .Mac. Although it might have 3G as an option, the bandwidth and price tag offered by wireless vendors isn't offered by any American carrier to make it a great experience. But it should be adequate for light-weight use.

I wouldn't be surprised if Apple didn't wait until true high-speed 4G networks are pervasive throughout the States. Right now, all we hear are vague promises from the carriers, nothing delivered. That's why Dow Jones portrays the NetBook market as a small niche market - the usability isn't there. The only reason for Apple to enter it is to get some practical experience there without taking a financial bath.

CaptPostMod (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 8:35am

Dual-screen, like the Nintendo DS, with an accelarometer. Flip it and it's a fantastic eReader. Fold it and it's a tablet. Turn it to normal laptop position and the bottom screen becomes a touchable keyboard with the top screen showing the GUI...

Matt (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 9:24am

I bet this is actually going to be the next iteration of the macbook air, it'll be superthin with no optical drive but with all the typical apple hardware: iSight camera, backlit keyboard, wifi, bluetooth, etc, but with few ports.

10 inch model of a MBA and a 13 inch model -- seems plausible.

Peruchito (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 10:19am

along with the macbook air price tag. i am pretty confident that when this thing hits. it will be over $2000.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 10:36am

I hope it's basically a atom based 10" MacBook without optical drive.

A netbook without keyboard and no option to run Word+Excel (or their OpenOffice equivalents) is no viable solution for me, and would force me to go hackintosh instead (in addition to the MBP I currently have but want to carry around everywhere).

I really can't understand what people would use a tablet for other than surfing the web and watching movies. Even typing a long email on a virtual keyboard is a major pain.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 10:37am

CORRECTION: "...in addition to the MBP I currently have but DONT want to carry around everywhere..."

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 12:54pm

Typing a long email on a cramped netbook keyboard is also a pain.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 1:03pm

The 12" PowerBook keyboard was great, so I assume it should be possible to put a decent keyboard on a 10" netbook.

Even if they key size is reduced to 80-90% it will be better than a virtual screen: when typing on a virtual screen you're forced to stare at your fingers due to the lack of haptic feedback. And while not everyone is able to type a long text without looking at the keyboard for a single moment, many people can do so. And those people will always be faster using a 'real' keyboard.

alex (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 1:04pm

- i believe that if such a thing exists it will be ARM not Atom.
- it can't have more than 1 usb port cos then it'll be more practical than the MBA expansion-wise :))
- it wouldn't need a keyboard cos we have a BT wireless keyboard already from Apple, which they'd luuv to charge us for
- i really see no use for this except it being ULTRAcool :)
- i mean come on, what's wrong with a 3-4-5 pound notebook with a real screen and KB, have all u guys lost all stamina or sth?
- don't even DREAM it'll be "netbook-priced".
- just a thought: maybe the white MB will be gone and they'll make this their entry level, $899 (999?) machine (far-fetched, i know)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 3:28pm

Regarding the size: many women I know prefer not to carry a second bag for their notebook - they want to keep their netbook in their hand bag. And some of these women recently purchased a netbook for exactly this reason.

And as a male I'd also like to have a small netbook, for the days where I travel a lot or go to the gym after work - I just don't feel good knowing that my US$ 2.5k MBP is in an unattended locker that can be opened by a 10-year-old within 20 seconds. Better only have a US$ 600,- thing in that locker.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | March 10, 2009 - 9:34pm

Hmmmm,

This so called Apple netbook in the "photo"/drawing doesn't seem to have a hinge.

kevin (not verified) | March 11, 2009 - 5:34am

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