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Apple Sub Notebook Hints: External Optical Drive, MultiTouch Trackpad?

CWallace said:
Such a device will likely appeal to corporate users. And many corporate sites use highly-secure networks (we use Cisco FAST EAP) which may or may not be supported in OS X. So you'd need a physical connection via RJ-45.

And a 12-13" display is not the easiest thing to read day-in and day-out, so the ability to use a larger external display would be desirable.
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Can you access this corporate site over an iPhone? I can't imagine anyone using a sub-notebook has this as their everyday computer.

You're mixing this product with a regular laptop. Think something like the iPhone with more interfacing.
 
derrickearl said:
Can you access this corporate site over an iPhone?
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No I cannot because the iPhone doesn't support FAST/EAP either.


I can't imagine anyone using a sub-notebook has this as their everyday computer.
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You'd be surprised. Corporate executives place style over substance since they have lots of people who do the "real" work on "real" computers.


You're mixing this product with a regular laptop. Think something like the iPhone with more interfacing.
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Honestly, I am not. What you are describing is something like a Windows UMPC. I am thinking of something more like the Sony Vaio TZ Series or the HP 2510p.
 
Brianstorm91 said:
Rectangular and touch-screen doesn't really constitute close to me, I'm afraid.
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At the time it was closer than anyone else was guessing. Look at my iMac concept, it's as close as one gets to predicting what an Apple product will look like years ahead of time. Please see the date on the apple collection website.

http://www.go2mac.com/images/iMac2001/4.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:IMac_transparency.png

http://www.theapplecollection.com/design/macdesign/Tessera.html
 
Thanks...I do hope this has good customization options, because if they will cram two GB's RAM, a decent hard drive, a decent processor, and an external screen port (for a nice 23 incher), I'd replace my current laptop, which currently is my only computer. As the article to which you linked says this is a sub MBP, hopefully it will have all those features (or better). Flash memory sounds like a great battery saver as well!
 
Agreed... I like my 17" MBP, but the screen is far from perfect for graphics work, and 17" is overkill when doing non-graphics work out and about. I'm really liking the idea of a cheaper, faster, more durable subnotebook paired with a nice desktop LCD.

My latest guess on what this thing will have (with help from everyone else who posted here)

  • 12" or 13" LED backlit display
  • 2.1Ghz Penryn CPU
  • 32GB or 64GB SSD
  • 2GB RAM
  • Multi-touch trackpad
  • .5" thin
  • 7+hr battery life
  • No optical drive
  • Mini-DVI out

Of course, if the thing does turn out to be a tablet (unlikely, methinks) then all bets are off! But I am guessing this will be more of a 12" Powerbook replacement.
 
Judging by the rest of Apple's computers, the standard notebook will have just one GB RAM with an upgrade available. I do graphics as well, how do you think 2.1 would perform using Photoshop and Illustrator?
 
Isn't a 64 Gb drive disappointing?

Despite the potential pluses of an SSD drive, I'd be bummed to have a limit of 10s of gigs in internal storage.
 
I do see that the base Macbook comes with 1GB memory, but I'm inclined to think Apple will be bumping that to 2GB fairly soon, and that this new portable will have 2GB standard. Of course, even if it does have 1GB standard it will outperform the 1GB Macbook because paging virtual memory to an SSD will be much faster.

The SSD factor will make Photoshop and everything else feel much more responsive regardless of the CPU. I have an old Centrino 1.4Ghz machine with XP that runs Photoshop CS3 fine, so a 2.1Ghz Penryn would not keep you waiting at all. Especially if CS4 incorporates SSE4 extensions.
 
Maybe the base will have some sort of hard drive capabilities. But to me, 64GB is worth the advantages of flash memory (which I believe they are using). External HD's are really cheap nowadays, as well.
 
jsgreen said:
Isn't a 64 Gb drive disappointing?

Despite the potential pluses of an SSD drive, I'd be bummed to have a limit of 10s of gigs in internal storage.
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Sure, I can see one being disappointed if that is your ONLY storage. But for most people it isn't. There's network attached storage, external USB HDDs, USB Flash, your iPod, optical discs, and whatever you can plug into the (hopefully included) ExpressCard/34 slot.

Plus, SSD prices are going to plummet anyway. In 6 months a 256GB SSD will probably cost about the same as today's 64GB. Upgradability will be key.
 
There's only one point that really does it for me: Can I take it out of the charger in the morning, and not have to recharge it before I come home in the evening, and still have the basic functionality of the MB (run apps, surf the web etc.)? If so, I'll pretty much pay anything Apple wants.

Anything else pretty much doesn't do it for me. A super, souped up, scaled-up iPhone that does everything but leaves you running for a wall-outlet every 2.5 hours will not cut it.
 
This is what I want apple to do, or surpass in apple style. With builtin GPS please, for us road warriors.

Link
 

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stubeeef said:
This is what I want apple to do, or surpass in apple style. With builtin GPS please, for us road warriors.

Link
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I just want a Sony TZ variant. It gives us all that we want and adds the optical drive as well.
- SSD and conventional drives
- WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G broadband, soon to be WiMax
- 11.1" screen
- fingerprint reader
- web cam, 2 USB ports, VGA port, ethernet port
- AND an optical drive.... DVD DL and all.
- 7 hours battery life
- under 2 lbs under certain configurations

What we are asking for in a slim notebook isn't new, Apple just hasn't done it yet, so there is no reason to leave anything out.
 
tz's are too big for my wants, i want a 5-9inch screen, tablet, wifi (N please),BT,webcam,fingerprint,builtin GPS, HDMI, FW800,2USB 2.0, SDHC/CF slot, TABLET. Juice it up with everything on the Fuji above and some extra connectivity and I'm in at $2k no problem.
 
rezonat0r said:
My latest guess on what this thing will have (with help from everyone else who posted here)

  • 12" or 13" LED backlit display
  • 2.1Ghz Penryn CPU
  • 32GB or 64GB SSD
  • 2GB RAM
  • Multi-touch trackpad
  • .5" thin
  • 7+hr battery life
  • No optical drive
  • Mini-DVI out
Click to expand...

That sounds about right. ;)

Of course, if the thing does turn out to be a tablet (unlikely, methinks) then all bets are off! But I am guessing this will be more of a 12" Powerbook replacement.
Click to expand...

Mmmmm.. Methinks this is partly the case. But it will be packing power too! Definitely a Pro aimed computer. So excited to see this!
 
A docking station doesn't seem very Apple to me. The simplicity of most Apple products exists because of their standalone setup. That simplicity is lost with the loss of an optical drive, and whatever other sacrifices they might have made with the Sub Notebook. I'd sacrifice a little more money and a bit of extra weight for a built in optical drive any day. Other companies have done it, why can't Apple just make a thinner one? Toshiba made one much less than a half an inch...so, unless there is some great advantage to having a docking station (one without a screen or anything), what's the point?
 
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