people, there is a difference between what you want and what you get. its just like the elections. people wanted obama, and what he says he can give. we know he's not going to do that--but still he won the vote.
He has a point. We are all hoping that apple will do something for us. But the actual product might turn out to be dissapointing.
Or rather, as is Apple's habit, they might come out with a whiz bang helluva great product....but with some drawbacks that nag the hell out of the customer. 10 steps forward, 3.5 steps back....as usual.
i think they will. Now netbooks are everywhere it's pretty hard to a mac laptop over a pc netbooks - not a fair comparison obviously but my folks might go from £450 to £700 for a macbook - but if a £250 will do the job... to much price discrepancy. So apple need to be there.
Rather than looking how to make a cheap macbook, look at adding a bigger screen to an iPod touch, maybe an isight too - bigger battery - keyboard if you must! - pretty easy to see how adding £100 to a touch to make a pretty compelling device.
I'd go for 3x the screen area, like 3 upright touch screens - really thin bezel. no cell connection for rev 1 to keep price down - tethers to iPhone. Same charging and synching as iPhone connector. Allow development of apps like iPhone. Great!
and you know where Apple is going.
Sure it sucks being tied to AT&T but on the other hand you will get your Netbook with 3G or your iPhone as tethering to your MBP or MB. It's your choice one item (cheaper, easily affordable by people who don't usually need a computer). The idea is that the base of people that can be reached is expanded simply.
Who of us still has time to read a printed newspaper - I mean a real one not the junk called newspaper. Instead if you have a Netbook with your favourite RSS feeds informing you what's going on in the world (e.g. BBC news in case you are in US and are fed up with Fox or others) besides US.
Or checking your email every now and then, that's the way to go. Even the remotes area might be able to pick up at least a EDGE signal if not 3G in the future e.g. somewhere in the middle of Nevada. That is progress, access to information is becoming a de facto standard and almost a human right. Imagine sitting somewhere in the Sahara dessert (that's in africa - in case Palin is reading this) being able to communicate via your solar powered Netbook. iPhone's and other mobile phones are already used for this purpose in such remote areas in africa.
I see potential and the future for such a device, despite the step pricetag of an iPhone quite a few are in "under-developed countries". If they would be sponsored through WHO the 100$ Laptop would excel.
*I think I had too much espresso already*
*people with visions need to see a doctor*
You might be on to something. The iPod was all about music initially because it was a passive thing. I think "information" can become a somewhat passive, ubiquitous thing as well. A netbook can fill that role.
Snow Leopard seems a logical OS for a netbook. Since the focus is on performance, stability, and slimming it down it makes a lot of sense. They've had a lot of learning with the iPhone/Touch OS. I'm sure Apple is considering it, but they are rarely the first. Rather they wait until the market is about to explode then wow everyone with a superior product.
I don't think the netbook market is ready to explode just yet. The initial offerings, while ok, weren't anything spectacular. HP I think has made the best, with a nice keyboard, good looks, fantastic screen for such a small machine. Once the general quality increases more consumers will see the benefit and that's when Apple will come to market.
I imagine it will be something creative that we weren't expecting and that isn't the typical netbook.
If Apple does release something like this, it would be phenomenal. However, my only big gripe about Apple (as many people I know have) is the price of their products. Lately, they have jacked everything way up, which seems counter-intuitive to the economy if you ask me.
My biggest concern about this would be the availability of a compatible stylus (or the use of one altogther). The iPhone really works well with the touchscreen, but I think the tablet form factor logically needs an alternative to touchscreen. After all, the word "tablet" usually brings up drawing or writing in most people's minds.
The only reason people having been describing this mystery apple product as a "tablet" or a "netbook" is because they have no idea how to describe what apple is coming up with.
Rest assured it won't be a "tablet" or a "netbook". But what it will be is something similar yet transcending both. Oh, and no stylus.
I think it might make more sense for Apple to make two models of the Air.
One would be a lower spec, smaller screen version, maybe 10". To get the size, I wonder if they'd be better starting with the iPhone's OSX as a starting point, with just the extra battery to support the 10" screen.
I don't see a tablet of any size because once it's bigger than hand-size, holding it up is a pain - as I have discovered with my Lenovo tablet which I use exclusively in standard laptop mode now.
Netbooks and Tablets are two very different things. Jobs has said that the Netbook market is still young (even if it is rapidly growing). This kind of product needs to be cheap, something Apple isn't great at, especially when they want a product that makes us go wow. I don't think there will be an Apple Netbook till Apple has worked hard on one, which could take a year or two.
A Mac Tablet, would be amazing, and would tap straight into the Student Market. I would hope it would be announced at MacWorld '09, but that is debatable. An issue is where it would fit into the Mac line up. Apple has an extremely powerful line-up based on a 2x3 grid, something Jobs has talked about. Apple may want to avoid creating another column and call this product an Accessory. But... do we really want an accessory? Plus, how expensive would this product be? Going by the MacBook Air, pretty pricey I expect.
Apple likes to play it safe. Better to not have an amazing product, than to have a ridiculously over priced piece of rubbish, ruining a perfect product range.
It's quite obvious that they will release a netbook or multi-touch tablet next year... They have to utilize their multi-touch technology they have in their iPhone, and to fill the void of a sub-$1000 notebook once they have their next hardware update... (white macbook will be discontinue by then)... So, a 8"-9" multi-touch tablet that cost somewhere between 899-999 is a very reasonable move by Apple... Now.. imagine a multi-touch tablet that you can plug-in to a 24" LCD, like the patent they have early this year.... ;)
Maybe I'm reading too much into things but I believe Apple shows us a Netbook at MacWorld SF...if not then by WWDC. One reason I suspect one at all is the fact that Apple is going through the trouble to reduce the size of OSX for this next release. Also Apple has left a price gap between the iphone and MacBook regarding their mobile products. Lastly there is no doubt that this is a hot new market. I just went to Target the other day and found ASUS netbooks there. This is ASUS we're talking about. Only computer geeks are aware of ASUS yet the market is hot enough to warrant Target carrying their product.
Now with that said this is the classic Apple we've seen during this decade where they watch a market develop and then jump in with a better solution that is highly attractive. So what should we expect? Likely a device that costs a little more than the rest but with an edge over the others. I'm guessing we'll see that at&t tethering plan for the iphone so that way such a netbook can then have 3g access.
Now why MacWorld SF? What else is there? It's too early for a new iphone unless it's just boring memory upgrades. We just saw new Macbooks. We might see new iMacs but that's not much of a shocker at this point. Of course I'm just talking about showing it which then will put a freeze on consumers buying from other companies as they'll wait for Apple's device. It would then come out sometime around June so it's here before school.
The only thing we have to deal with is WHEN Steve decides that the time is right.
I believe that they were ging to release it with the MacBooks but Steve pulled at the last minute. I remember the bloggers writing about things seemed confused and crazy with all the Apple employees at the wait for the event.
There was tat 800 price point in the the predictions/leaks that did not get a product.
I think 800 is too much and the economy too undecided for something this big to come out for Holiday 08.
We will have to see if Jan 09 is a look see and June 09 is to touch ( bad I know)!
Oh and the Apple Store site was down for a much much longer time that I have ever seen in 10 years.
I think it was about 5 to 6 hours.....that is rebuild me thinks.
Personally, I think Apple will work on miniaturizing the notebook (maybe down to about 11-12 inches. This will be the smallest device they put Mac OSX onto. This product will have to wait for Snow Leopard, so it WON'T be ready this winter.
They are also working on growing the iphone form factor, which, of course, will run the iPhone OSX. I see that expanding up to a max of 10.2 inches. I think all the iPhone OSX products will be tablets, just like today. Undoubtedly, I would expect you to pair these devices with a bluetooth keyboard, but if a device is made to run with a touch screen, it'll be iPhone OSX. Therefore, this device WILL be ready this winter.
I have a Dell Mini 9 that I've installed Leopard on. Works great and I was really excited to finally have a OS X based netbook.
Recently, I went on a 4-day trip, and took the Dell Mini with me as my main laptop. It was kind of a test, to see if I could get by with only that, because I have a longer 2-week trip coming up next month.
Honestly, it was a bit disappointing - it is very difficult to get any serious work done on a small netbook with a 9" screen. Very frustrating to work on. I actually got so annoyed that I went out and bought a new MBP that I had been planning to buy the next week, when I returned from my trip. But I just couldn't take it anymore!
So yeah, the netbooks are defintely cool and easy to travel with... but extremely frustrating to use for more than 30 minutes at a time and for any serious type of work. If Apple decides to come out with one, that's great - but I will most likely not be buying it.
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Um, how do I get to the
Um, how do I get to the comments... oh yeh...
people, there is a difference
people, there is a difference between what you want and what you get. its just like the elections. people wanted obama, and what he says he can give. we know he's not going to do that--but still he won the vote.
Oh, please. Let's not get
Oh, please. Let's not get your political opinions involved in this.
Bitter?
Bitter?
Actually, no, just tired of
Actually, no, just tired of all the politics of the past 2 years.
Oh, wait. Were you responding
Oh, wait. Were you responding to the first comment, or mine (the second comment)?
Lol,
why would he accuse you of being bitter if Obama won?
I think they will release
I think they will release something similar to a netbook, but not until either late 2009 or MWSF 2010.
people, there is a difference.......he has a point
He has a point. We are all hoping that apple will do something for us. But the actual product might turn out to be dissapointing.
Or rather, as is Apple's habit, they might come out with a whiz bang helluva great product....but with some drawbacks that nag the hell out of the customer. 10 steps forward, 3.5 steps back....as usual.
Oh and by the way....
And by the way admins.....
Do you guys know something your not telling or what?!
i think they will. Now
i think they will. Now netbooks are everywhere it's pretty hard to a mac laptop over a pc netbooks - not a fair comparison obviously but my folks might go from £450 to £700 for a macbook - but if a £250 will do the job... to much price discrepancy. So apple need to be there.
Rather than looking how to make a cheap macbook, look at adding a bigger screen to an iPod touch, maybe an isight too - bigger battery - keyboard if you must! - pretty easy to see how adding £100 to a touch to make a pretty compelling device.
I'd go for 3x the screen area, like 3 upright touch screens - really thin bezel. no cell connection for rev 1 to keep price down - tethers to iPhone. Same charging and synching as iPhone connector. Allow development of apps like iPhone. Great!
combine this with De la Vega's announcements
and you know where Apple is going.
Sure it sucks being tied to AT&T but on the other hand you will get your Netbook with 3G or your iPhone as tethering to your MBP or MB. It's your choice one item (cheaper, easily affordable by people who don't usually need a computer). The idea is that the base of people that can be reached is expanded simply.
Who of us still has time to read a printed newspaper - I mean a real one not the junk called newspaper. Instead if you have a Netbook with your favourite RSS feeds informing you what's going on in the world (e.g. BBC news in case you are in US and are fed up with Fox or others) besides US.
Or checking your email every now and then, that's the way to go. Even the remotes area might be able to pick up at least a EDGE signal if not 3G in the future e.g. somewhere in the middle of Nevada. That is progress, access to information is becoming a de facto standard and almost a human right. Imagine sitting somewhere in the Sahara dessert (that's in africa - in case Palin is reading this) being able to communicate via your solar powered Netbook. iPhone's and other mobile phones are already used for this purpose in such remote areas in africa.
I see potential and the future for such a device, despite the step pricetag of an iPhone quite a few are in "under-developed countries". If they would be sponsored through WHO the 100$ Laptop would excel.
*I think I had too much espresso already*
*people with visions need to see a doctor*
You might be on to something.
You might be on to something. The iPod was all about music initially because it was a passive thing. I think "information" can become a somewhat passive, ubiquitous thing as well. A netbook can fill that role.
Snow Leopard seems a logical
Snow Leopard seems a logical OS for a netbook. Since the focus is on performance, stability, and slimming it down it makes a lot of sense. They've had a lot of learning with the iPhone/Touch OS. I'm sure Apple is considering it, but they are rarely the first. Rather they wait until the market is about to explode then wow everyone with a superior product.
I don't think the netbook market is ready to explode just yet. The initial offerings, while ok, weren't anything spectacular. HP I think has made the best, with a nice keyboard, good looks, fantastic screen for such a small machine. Once the general quality increases more consumers will see the benefit and that's when Apple will come to market.
I imagine it will be something creative that we weren't expecting and that isn't the typical netbook.
I think Apple will release a
I think Apple will release a bigger iPod touch first (1st half of 2009) and then a Mac OS X based "netbook" with SL (2nd half of 2009)
Maybe....
If Apple does release something like this, it would be phenomenal. However, my only big gripe about Apple (as many people I know have) is the price of their products. Lately, they have jacked everything way up, which seems counter-intuitive to the economy if you ask me.
My biggest concern about this would be the availability of a compatible stylus (or the use of one altogther). The iPhone really works well with the touchscreen, but I think the tablet form factor logically needs an alternative to touchscreen. After all, the word "tablet" usually brings up drawing or writing in most people's minds.
Sylus? Orly?
The only reason people having been describing this mystery apple product as a "tablet" or a "netbook" is because they have no idea how to describe what apple is coming up with.
Rest assured it won't be a "tablet" or a "netbook". But what it will be is something similar yet transcending both. Oh, and no stylus.
Stylus not Sylus
Crap.
I think it might make more
I think it might make more sense for Apple to make two models of the Air.
One would be a lower spec, smaller screen version, maybe 10". To get the size, I wonder if they'd be better starting with the iPhone's OSX as a starting point, with just the extra battery to support the 10" screen.
I don't see a tablet of any size because once it's bigger than hand-size, holding it up is a pain - as I have discovered with my Lenovo tablet which I use exclusively in standard laptop mode now.
Netbooks and Tablets are two
Netbooks and Tablets are two very different things. Jobs has said that the Netbook market is still young (even if it is rapidly growing). This kind of product needs to be cheap, something Apple isn't great at, especially when they want a product that makes us go wow. I don't think there will be an Apple Netbook till Apple has worked hard on one, which could take a year or two.
A Mac Tablet, would be amazing, and would tap straight into the Student Market. I would hope it would be announced at MacWorld '09, but that is debatable. An issue is where it would fit into the Mac line up. Apple has an extremely powerful line-up based on a 2x3 grid, something Jobs has talked about. Apple may want to avoid creating another column and call this product an Accessory. But... do we really want an accessory? Plus, how expensive would this product be? Going by the MacBook Air, pretty pricey I expect.
Apple likes to play it safe. Better to not have an amazing product, than to have a ridiculously over priced piece of rubbish, ruining a perfect product range.
Of course they will..
It's quite obvious that they will release a netbook or multi-touch tablet next year... They have to utilize their multi-touch technology they have in their iPhone, and to fill the void of a sub-$1000 notebook once they have their next hardware update... (white macbook will be discontinue by then)... So, a 8"-9" multi-touch tablet that cost somewhere between 899-999 is a very reasonable move by Apple... Now.. imagine a multi-touch tablet that you can plug-in to a 24" LCD, like the patent they have early this year.... ;)
Maybe I'm reading too much
Maybe I'm reading too much into things but I believe Apple shows us a Netbook at MacWorld SF...if not then by WWDC. One reason I suspect one at all is the fact that Apple is going through the trouble to reduce the size of OSX for this next release. Also Apple has left a price gap between the iphone and MacBook regarding their mobile products. Lastly there is no doubt that this is a hot new market. I just went to Target the other day and found ASUS netbooks there. This is ASUS we're talking about. Only computer geeks are aware of ASUS yet the market is hot enough to warrant Target carrying their product.
Now with that said this is the classic Apple we've seen during this decade where they watch a market develop and then jump in with a better solution that is highly attractive. So what should we expect? Likely a device that costs a little more than the rest but with an edge over the others. I'm guessing we'll see that at&t tethering plan for the iphone so that way such a netbook can then have 3g access.
Now why MacWorld SF? What else is there? It's too early for a new iphone unless it's just boring memory upgrades. We just saw new Macbooks. We might see new iMacs but that's not much of a shocker at this point. Of course I'm just talking about showing it which then will put a freeze on consumers buying from other companies as they'll wait for Apple's device. It would then come out sometime around June so it's here before school.
Bah! What do I know? :)
Techslacker you are right on,
Techslacker you are right on, so no Bah!
The only thing we have to deal with is WHEN Steve decides that the time is right.
I believe that they were ging to release it with the MacBooks but Steve pulled at the last minute. I remember the bloggers writing about things seemed confused and crazy with all the Apple employees at the wait for the event.
There was tat 800 price point in the the predictions/leaks that did not get a product.
I think 800 is too much and the economy too undecided for something this big to come out for Holiday 08.
We will have to see if Jan 09 is a look see and June 09 is to touch ( bad I know)!
Oh and the Apple Store site
Oh and the Apple Store site was down for a much much longer time that I have ever seen in 10 years.
I think it was about 5 to 6 hours.....that is rebuild me thinks.
Tablet
Personally, I think Apple will work on miniaturizing the notebook (maybe down to about 11-12 inches. This will be the smallest device they put Mac OSX onto. This product will have to wait for Snow Leopard, so it WON'T be ready this winter.
They are also working on growing the iphone form factor, which, of course, will run the iPhone OSX. I see that expanding up to a max of 10.2 inches. I think all the iPhone OSX products will be tablets, just like today. Undoubtedly, I would expect you to pair these devices with a bluetooth keyboard, but if a device is made to run with a touch screen, it'll be iPhone OSX. Therefore, this device WILL be ready this winter.
I hope not, an ARM in a
I hope not, an ARM in a netbook would be ridiculously slow and incompatible with made for Intel x86 Software - yay !
Netbooks not "all that"
I have a Dell Mini 9 that I've installed Leopard on. Works great and I was really excited to finally have a OS X based netbook.
Recently, I went on a 4-day trip, and took the Dell Mini with me as my main laptop. It was kind of a test, to see if I could get by with only that, because I have a longer 2-week trip coming up next month.
Honestly, it was a bit disappointing - it is very difficult to get any serious work done on a small netbook with a 9" screen. Very frustrating to work on. I actually got so annoyed that I went out and bought a new MBP that I had been planning to buy the next week, when I returned from my trip. But I just couldn't take it anymore!
So yeah, the netbooks are defintely cool and easy to travel with... but extremely frustrating to use for more than 30 minutes at a time and for any serious type of work. If Apple decides to come out with one, that's great - but I will most likely not be buying it.