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Apple Questioned Again About a Mac Netbook

APPLENEWBIE said:
Good thinking. By that logic, because people want to buy them:

Krell has to start selling $100 surround sound systems.

BMW has to start selling stripped Tata copies.

Harley Davidson has to start selling 50cc scooters.

Grado has to start selling knock-offs of $8 gummy ear buds.

Ruths Chris has to start selling $1.00 hamburgers (you want fries with that?)

Man! They are ALL GONNA GET RICH on that strategy!

Also, what part of the netbook market is "delicious?" The low profit margin (if any profit at all) part?
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:D Unfortunately your business/common sense is totally lost here.

I remember back in the early 80's when IZOD (the then owners of the Lacoste "alligator" brand) started selling to KMart. The same $50 shirt at Bloomingdales was $25 at KMart. Naturally that turned off a lot of high end customers so they ditched the brand. The brand flagged as it became diluted and morphed from a "premium" brand to a "discount" one. IZOD was forced to sell the brand and "alligator" shirts only recently have made a come back because a new generation doesn't remember when they were sold in KMart.
 
nikaru said:
Ok let me explain it like this

Macbook air - big, expensive, light, beautiful - not very good performance
Netbook - small, cheep, lighter!, ugly (can be fixed by Apple) - not very good performance, at all (but at least is a computer)

Women, and active people requirements (like students) - small, cheep, light, beautiful, decent performance.
Tell me which fits best.
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Lol, at first I thought you meant your requirements for women and nebtbooks were the same. The decent "performance" got me thinking and made me read the sentence more carefully. :p
 
Feng Shui said:
Personally, I don't think apple will make a "netbook" because they want to build a good reputation by delivering products for professionals.
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This is true. However you can create a single unit that would appeal to both professionals and consumers. A 'netbook' by the term is a notebook/device designed for internet access. It is NOT a full range computer. the goal of the device is limited - email, web surfing, video chatting perhaps, document viewing perhaps (with limited editing maybe). toss in some music/video playing if you want a hook.

A professional who has to travel often might find such a device useful for keeping up with office communication, receiving updated documents from the home office for that big presentation etc. A consumer that really has little interest beyond email and syncing her ipod might also find such a device all she needs.

As I said before, take the Air and forget about making it a full computer, put it on the iphone OS and allow for use of apps similar to the iphone and touch use and toss in some better hardware in terms of built in 3g and better battery plus a price drop down to more like $1000 and you've got it in my book. I even like that it's a book cause then you don't have as much of the risk of damage to the screen
 
My prediction (for what it's worth... and that ain't much):

9" to 10" touch screen.
Built-in stand.
Unibody construction - looks like a big iPod Touch.
Runs OS X lite (cross between full OS X and the iPhone version of OS X.)
No keyboard - uses touch screen
Wireless. No cell phone radio.
Bluetooth
2 usb ports.
No memory card reader (don't we all have a drawer full of those things?)
Able to use usb or bluetooth keyboard/mouse
Network capabilities.
Can run "Back to my Mac."
Printing capabilities
Able to run iWork and iLife apps.
Able to run many iPhone apps (how to deal with higher screen resolution? beats me.)
Has infrared and can be used (separate app) as a multifunction remote for entertainment systems.
64 GB solid state drive
"Adequate" ram
Non-removable battery.
Included USB dock.
Built-in stereo speakers.
Built-in webcam/mike.
Audio (headphone) out.
No optical drive (Optional MB air drive compatible.)

$800

Please Santa?
 
MrCrowbar said:
Lol, at first I thought you meant your requirements for women and nebtbooks were the same. The decent "performance" got me thinking and made me read the sentence more carefully. :p
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:D

charlituna said:
A 'netbook' by the term is a notebook/device designed for internet access. It is NOT a full range computer. the goal of the device is limited - email, web surfing, video chatting perhaps, document viewing perhaps (with limited editing maybe). toss in some music/video playing if you want a hook.
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I don't think these tasks would be too much for an iPhone OS device. I was even thinking of an iPhone OS version of iLife on the netbook/mini-tablet.

APPLENEWBIE said:
Able to run many iPhone apps (how to deal with higher screen resolution? beats me.)
Click to expand...
I'm thinking of 3 ways.
  1. Simple stretching of the GUI elements. So an app would look exactly the same (or similar depending on the aspect ratio) but just larger.
  2. Extending the GUI elements. This works just like GUI elements in Mac OS X when a window is resized.
  3. Using a split-screen or multiple windows view to show multiple applications at the same time, plus way 1 and/or 2. With a split-screen, the user is able to select how many screens to divide the display into (like 1, 2, 4), and with multiple windows, the user can drag and resize a window.
 
maestro55 said:
Several people I know have recently gone out and purchased Acer netbooks. My roommate bought one, even though I rarely see him on it, he still insists on using his 17 inch MacBook Pro. My boss's wife bought one thinking that it would be great for when she traveled, but she was so used to the speed of her 17 inch MacBook Pro and now I rarely see her using the Acer.
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A buddy of mine was intrigued at getting a netbook and asked my recommendation. We discussed his needs and he really like the EEE PCs.

I cautioned him about the lack of storage in the models that he was looking at. His current laptop was an older, large and very heavy PC one. He wanted something that he could easily carry that would allow him to surf the web, do e-mail and type Word documents.

I mentioned the pros and cons of the particular model. I stressed the keyboard issue and more importantly the limit on storage space. When I saw him about a week ago, I asked him how his netbook is working. He just received it the prior week. His first comment was, "All my files are on the other computer." He second comment was, "The keyboard is a bit small."

So the two main issues that I warned him about ended up being real issues to him. I will be curious to see if these two initial issues remain after he has had a chance to use his netbook for a while.

Personally, after testing many (I think just about all of them at least offered here in Japan) netbooks, I am thinking that the MBA would provide a much better solution. I usually carry letter sized documents so carrying an MBA would be easy with the bags that I have. Even a fairly small backpack or one strap cross shoulder pack would be plenty big to carry the MBA.

Supposedly Apple is purchasing 10.4 inch screens. What could they be used for? A netbook is one possibility. Another might be a larger touch type device. Either way, it won't be cheap and it will probably be good. :)
 
BMWFan said:
Imagine if all companies were like Apple and selling products with high margins. The world would be a completely different place with only rich people being able to afford a computer. A computer would be a status symbol.
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That would be a problem? Have you seen Myspace and other social sites? They are full of trailer trash.
 
scorcherdestroy said:
I keep seeing rumors and hype building about netbooks. But, as a Mac user, I don't see the point. I can understand people want a computer for checking emails, doing some text editing and listen to some music/watch videos through iTunes.....but in a small package.
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And as flash memory becomes cheaper, the iPhone will become a portable computer and not just a smartphone. Already great for email, and when there is flash for web surfing that will be a plus, still need a finder for storing files and a basic text editor. Already has the iPod for video and music. Already in a small package.

Someone just tweeted this photo - not sure if anyone has seen this yet.

Im calling a fake, but a good one at that

http://twitpic.com/3tvm3
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I looked at one of the first comments on the site, and someone said "looks like an iPhone/iPod touch keyboard" that would really be a nice idea. Anyone remember the Newton keyboards? Small enough to carry in a small bag. Maybe the picture is a fake, which is likely, but I think the concept would be nice. Certainly if it was that stylish.
 
sushi said:
Personally, after testing many (I think just about all of them at least offered here in Japan) netbooks, I am thinking that the MBA would provide a much better solution. I usually carry letter sized documents so carrying an MBA would be easy with the bags that I have. Even a fairly small backpack or one strap cross shoulder pack would be plenty big to carry the MBA.
Click to expand...

The main problem I have with my MB Air is that when I'm on the road, I have to keep looking in the case to make sure the damn thing is in there. Can't usually tell by weight or thickness of my computer case...
 
charlituna said:
A 'netbook' by the term is a notebook/device designed for internet access. It is NOT a full range computer. the goal of the device is limited - email, web surfing, video chatting perhaps, document viewing perhaps (with limited editing maybe).
Click to expand...

Something that many are missing here: to someone like me, a 17" MB just isn't enough for doing real work on. I need a higher end desktop with 2 large monitors for my development work.

Since a high end laptop isn't worth much to me, I got a netbook for on the road. It not only handles all the normal stuff I do on the road, it can also handle emergency patch development jobs. A MB wouldn't do any better, is bigger/heavier, and costs a *lot* more.
 
APPLENEWBIE said:
My prediction (for what it's worth... and that ain't much):

9" to 10" touch screen.
Built-in stand.
Unibody construction - looks like a big iPod Touch.
Runs OS X lite (cross between full OS X and the iPhone version of OS X.)
No keyboard - uses touch screen
Wireless. No cell phone radio.
Bluetooth
2 usb ports.
No memory card reader (don't we all have a drawer full of those things?)
Able to use usb or bluetooth keyboard/mouse
Network capabilities.
Can run "Back to my Mac."
Printing capabilities
Able to run iWork and iLife apps.
Able to run many iPhone apps (how to deal with higher screen resolution? beats me.)
Has infrared and can be used (separate app) as a multifunction remote for entertainment systems.
64 GB solid state drive
"Adequate" ram
Non-removable battery.
Included USB dock.
Built-in stereo speakers.
Built-in webcam/mike.
Audio (headphone) out.
No optical drive (Optional MB air drive compatible.)

$800

Please Santa?
Click to expand...

AHHH! I Would so buy that. Even though I can't really think of what i would use it for, it would be slick. And maybe Apple is in development of a "lite" osx, since they did state they are going to start focusing much more on software!! Apple is a software company Steve. Give us something to make pc netbook users drool over!
 
heres the photo i was talking about

6432843-f395cfb224d8419fb2b8cd2b730.jpg
 
1) What processor would it use? Apples already have issues with heat dispersion

2) Apple already struggled to make the MBP as small as it is
 
BMWFan said:
Why not? In some other reality, the hardware makers could have just decided to make their own OS just like Apple does with OS X. Since each OS was different there would be no direct way to compare them. Computer makers could arbitrarily price their machines.
Click to expand...

"In some other reality..."? Well, that's always a good basis for a discussion, no pesky limiting factors to contend with.

You mean there is another reality where no other computer maker would notice a huge gap in a market being served? If prices are too high (by somebody's definition), two things will happen: 1) the price lowers to stimulate sales, 2) someone else fills the "gap" because of the opportunity available. That's what's known as the free market. Works pretty damned good, although not perfectly.

That's why we don't just have BMWs and Mercedes.:)
 
Why? Netbooks are cool but are crap. An iPhone costs $599 without AT&T fliping a portion of the bill. That means a netbook with touchscreen features would cost over $1,000 in order for them to make the same profit margin. Plus, try running iMovie on a netbook like Mac. Good Luck. Apple is making the right decision in not making a netbook.

Number 1 - to run their software, it whould need a lot more power than an intal Atom processor. It would need a Core 2 Duo at least. Apple wants to keep their software running smoothly on all their hardware. Sell a $399 standard netbook from apple running the current Mac OS X would not be a good end user experience, they know this.

Number 2 - If they made one with the correct hardware, it would way to expensive.

Or they could release a NetBook OS (or modified iPhone OS that includes the app store) with the system that will run correctly on a Intel Atom. I would predict that this would not include the full iLife suite either. The touch screen would take up most of the cost. I would predict that it would be have to be in the price range of $599 to $899 or it won't sell. Even that is pushing it.

The reason why netbooks are raising the sale numbers is becuase they are cheap, not because of qualitity. People see the price tag. New Laptop Computer for $399. PC manufactures care more about, we sold 3 mil units rather than we sold 2 mil units. Apple wants the user to enjoy the software at its full potentional instead of saying, oh, this works, but this feature doesn't work that well. Think about it; people use Macs for video and photo editing, if photoshop or imovie runs super slow then why get a mac at all?
 
My prediction (I can only hope):

- Twice the size of an iPod Touch 9-10 x 5-6 with touchscreen
- Essentially a big iPod touch
- Runs the iTouch/iPhone OS
- Built in WiFi, optional 3G
- 3G with your national carrier (possible contract discount), special plan for users with both iPhone and iBook Touch
- Optional keyboard attachment, attaches with magsafe tech, closes clamshell like any other netbook, protects your screen, detachable so you can use the device as a tablet or a netbook
- More powerful than the iPod touch, comes with browser flash
- New iBook bookstore on itunes
- New aps specifically for the iBook Touch
- 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB SSD

Starting at $499
 
Stormz said:
I'm not actually bothered about whether there's an Apple netbook or an Apple tablet (and tbh I've yet to grasp the practical usefulness of the latter)

(and then the UK price... :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: ) AMEN:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Although Apple built the iPhone OS and associated apps with the mindset of a limited screen. It`s the sheer simplicity with which someone who`s not au fait with computers that can pick it up and check email, browse the web. Whilst not getting stuck with the mouse (some people do), incoherent dialog boxes that leave the user feeling stupid and covering the whole screen so the complexity of managing windows when they overlap, disappear off the edge and get hidden.

I speak of my mother and the many millions of people that are technically illiterate. They can txt on a mobile and use a cash machine, but stick them in front of a computer and they are lost in options and technical jargon, no matter who built it.

Whilst i see a mobile OSX tablet as very attractive for the meeting attending, lecture following, travelling, presenter types. I also see a possible step forward for Ma who would be given an iPod touch in an instant if they weren`t so dinky small.

M. :D
 
Wow! I love the editing of the article there Mac Rumours.

What he actually said was:

When I'm looking at what's sold in the Netbook market, I see cramped keyboards, junky hardware, very small screens, bad software. Not a consumer experience that we would put the Mac brand on. As it exists today, we're not interested in it nor would it be something customers would be interested in the long term. We are looking at the space. For those who want a small computer that does browsing/email, they might want an iPhone or iPod Touch. If we find a way to deliver an innovative product that really makes a contribution, we'll do that.

As taken from the engadget report here:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/22/apple-reports-best-ever-march-quarter-with-a-1-21b-profit-call/

So yes, the dumb ass idiot said netbooks were cramped with small keyboards and screens then he tells you to buy an iPod Touch or iPhone instead?!?!?!?!?!?! :rolleyes::rolleyes:
Hypocrisy at it's best IMO. I think he's talking out of his ass anyway and they WILL launch a netbook of some sort. just my opinion though of course ;)
 
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