Wow, you really do pay for the <2lbs weight.$3K! And I thought my MB was bank.
Yeah, not saying it's cheap....
That actually would be something, if Apple managed to make a real ultraportable that wasn't quite so expensive.
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Apple Sub-Notebook Nearing Release?
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Yeah, not saying it's cheap....
That actually would be something, if Apple managed to make a real ultraportable that wasn't quite so expensive.
I hate to be archaic, but what I really want is a mac version of the sony and ibm tiny laptops i've seen occasionally at work...they're very light (the ibm was literally ~ 2.5lbs), have super battery life, often have built in support for wireless networks (cingular/att 3g for apple?), but are real computers. one guy even did a fair bit of photoshop/quark type design work on flights, and it ran faster than they did on the sawtooth i had at that job.
I want a trackpad and real keyboard...i've never been able to get any real work done on small machines without input devices i can use efficiently. I don't care if it takes up a few inches less space in my bag, as long as it's a real step down in size from the macbook they'll sell plenty of 'em. In europe and asia these 'small real computers' are quite common, especially with their superior wireless broadband networks.
So apple, toss the optical, use the robson, just be sure it runs real OSX, runs any real program (slowly is fine) and can handle an external monitor when it's at home.
I want a trackpad and real keyboard...i've never been able to get any real work done on small machines without input devices i can use efficiently. I don't care if it takes up a few inches less space in my bag, as long as it's a real step down in size from the macbook they'll sell plenty of 'em. In europe and asia these 'small real computers' are quite common, especially with their superior wireless broadband networks.
So apple, toss the optical, use the robson, just be sure it runs real OSX, runs any real program (slowly is fine) and can handle an external monitor when it's at home.
What about:
12" touchscreen (similar to the UI of iPhone)
no optical drive...ditto
eliminate trackpad and keyboard (touchscreen off course)..if we can compose a lengthy email on a touchscreen keyboard than by all means get rid of the conventional keyboard
40 GB of NAND and just do away with the 20th century tech HD
runs OSX, iLife and Office well..this should cover 95% of all users out there
if you have to work with Photoshop etc..get a Mac Pro or MacBook Pro
I think the current MacBook or laptop setup is too cumbersome. I would like to buy a computer/tablet like device where you don't have to think about buying a special carrying case for it or finding a plug at StarBucks. I'll definitely trade in my black MacBook for this, even it will cost more.
Cinch
well i hope this is true. i don't think i would buy one right away, but it's still good for Apple and many people. bring it on 
Bye Bye optical Drive!
This is great news. I'm more than glad to see the optical drive dropped - way to go apple! Docking / external drive makes a lot of sense to me.
This is great news. I'm more than glad to see the optical drive dropped - way to go apple! Docking / external drive makes a lot of sense to me.
What I want:
NO Optical drive
1 FW 400
1 FW 800
2 USB 2.0
1 Mini-DVI
Bluetooth
802.11n
_small_ ("flybook" or Fujitsu tablet PC sized)
Built in optical drive is useless in a machine this size.
It's a no-brainer in the ultra-portable market, especially in today's world where everything mass-storage related can be attached externally via high-speed ports.
NO Optical drive
1 FW 400
1 FW 800
2 USB 2.0
1 Mini-DVI
Bluetooth
802.11n
_small_ ("flybook" or Fujitsu tablet PC sized)
Built in optical drive is useless in a machine this size.
- Saves tons of space for the really usefull features:
- Firewire ports
- USB ports
- DVI ports
- Wireless antennas
- Bigger battery
It's a no-brainer in the ultra-portable market, especially in today's world where everything mass-storage related can be attached externally via high-speed ports.
Flybook + Mac OS X + Apple styling = macbook mini
Thats what i want, Very small and light, touch screen, sim card slot for EDGE, 3G, HSDPA connectivity.
Huh? The IBM/Lenovo/whatever X60 described above is pretty much bog-standard technology nowadays, and all it needs is a bag large enough to take a writing pad. 5 hours or more of battery life with the extended battery takes care of your Starbucks woes, and it comes in a tablet version if that's what floats your boat. No innovation is needed, just for the Apple marketing department to pick a price point & design sketch they like and email it to Flextronics/Foxconn/BenQ or whoever is going to bolt the thing together.
Don't forget to include a parallel port for my 250MB Zip Drive..We can't forget that!
Ultraportable? It sounds like you are trying to tie this thing down to your desk every conceivable way
Cinch
Flybook + Mac OS X + Apple styling = macbook mini
Thats what i want, Very small and light, touch screen, sim card slot for EDGE, 3G, HSDPA connectivity.
I think a Dell or a HP at a cafe looks better than the Flybook. Off course this dosen't say much if anything at all.
This Flybook look so repulsive, lets fly it out the window as quickly as we can
.Cinch
You would probably have to go 12" widescreen to gain the extra space for a full keyboard. The spec above is very similar to the Dell D420. One of those (I'm using it now) made by Apple and hence running OSX, in the style of an MBP wopuld be perfect. If it was about when i needed the Dell then Apple would have got my money. Actually wasn't there an article doing the rounds a couple of months ago about some guy who said he wanted an Apple but ended up having to get the Dell. I sympathise with him.
A basic rundown of what I'd like to see and think is reasonable:
1. 12-inch (or slightly smaller) widescreen.
Many people are clamoring for fullscreen rather than widescreen. I'd prefer widescreen mainly because of media. Also, I enjoy being able to put two documents/windows side by side. I find multiple windows much more workable when placed next to one another rather than above or behind each other. Frankly, the "Mac way" of doing things (no full-screened windows) works better on a widescreen. If it comes with Leopard, the new resolution independence features should come in handy if Apple decides to make a higher-res screen for it. We should be able to scale things to our liking size-wise while still being able to fit quite a bit on the screen if we cant to go by the pixel.
2. No internal optical drive.
I would have been absolutely opposed to this until recently. Recently, with the boom of wireless home networking and usb flash drives, I've found that I very rarely use my optical drive and I never do so outside of the home. As others have said, Apple could definitely release the laptop with an optional external optical drive. A slim external Apple-branded drive would be aesthetically pleasing and functional. This drive should be offered as what I call a "tier-one" upgrade, meaning it should be listed in the BYO menus online on the first customization page along with the various HD sizes, RAM sizes, and so on as to avoid being easily overlooked. Eliminating the internal optical drive allows for a big boost in internal space while reducing size and increasing battery life, even if Apple decided not to put in a larger battery, which brings me to...
3. Long battery life.
Eliminating the optical drive does a few things for battery life. First, it reduces the load on the battery produced by the optical drive. Granted, I'm saying it should be tossed out because of lack of use, but even an idle drive uses a minute amount of power. Really though, this is negligible and I'm only writing it to make this look more appealing. Second, and more significant, is that the weight and space reduction in removing the drive allows for a much higher capacity battery. If Apple were to use a portion of the freed space for expanding the battery, it would allow for considerably longer battery life without sacrificing all of the weight and space gains.
4. Proper use of perimeter for ports.
A small notebook has limited space for ports, so Apple would have to choose carefully. 2 USB ports, gigabit Ethernet, headphone, and power are mandatory. Other than that, things get more complex. It would depend on whether or not Apple released a dock. If Apple released a dock, then I would say those should be the only ports accessible directly on the computer with the addition of a proprietary "dock" port. The dock port would have more usb ports, firewire, audio-in, and DVI. If, however, Apple did not release a dock, then I would add a single firewire port, a mini-dvi port, and an audio-in port. That would make it have the same port setup as the current MacBook, but the computer would have sufficient room because of the absence of an optical drive.
5. Processor, RAM, and HD.
While I would like apple to keep the 2.5" drives for the hard disk for capacity's sake, I would understand if it dropped down to 1.8" to save space. With capacities getting up to a reasonable size, this could be a decent option, especially if Robson caching is enabled to help counter for the low speeds. Both RAM slots should be accessible by users, just like in the MacBook. Frankly, It'd be amazing if Apple replaced the HD entirely with NAND, but I don't think it'll happen this soon. I'd like it though. Random-access speeds are more valuable than bandwidth speed when considering the average user who's not big on the Photoshop or video-editing.
The only thing that could make me not want this computer is if Apple released it using one of the low-voltage single core processors Intel makes. A real Core 2 Duo is absolutely mandatory. A low-speed one is fine, but we need to have the whole laptop lineup on a unified architecture. All Macs available with Leopard should have full support for its 64-bit features, and there should not be another single-core Mac. Once again, throwing out the optical drive makes this easier because the space constraint is not as much an issue. This is even more true if Apple uses a 1.8" hard drive. There should be adequate room for cooling especially if apple follows my next suggestion:
6. Metal case.
The metal case of the MBP can be thinner than the plastic one of the MB while still remaining durable. It also helps with heat dissipation, which always becomes an issue when you make things small.
7. Full-size Keyboard.
This can easily be done. The 12" Powerbook had a full-size keyboard. A 12" widescreen notebook would have even more horizontal space. In fact, the screen sizes dictate the following: A fullscreen, 4:3 ratio, 12" notebook, calculated by screen size, would have to be at least 9.6" wide. A widescreen 16:10 ratio (as used in most widescreen computer displays) notebook would have to be 10.46" wide to contain the screen. Nearly an extra horizontal inch should be more than sufficient for a full-size keyboard.
8. Screen options!
I hear demand for matte screens. I prefer glossy screens. Default to glossy, since there seems to be more demand for that, but make it an obvious option on the BYO screens to switch to matte. Frankly, I don't care if Apple decides to default to matte screens. All I care is that the customers have the option.
As far as other features, like removing the trackpad in favor of multi-touch screen or a pointing stick (ala Thinkpads), are concerned, I think you people are dreaming. It's just not feasible yet. Apple rarely puts tech into its products unless it has proven itself capable elsewhere. The iPhone is using multitouch because Apple has found it reliable in small applications. It would get more complicated when dealing with a much larger surface (notebook screen) and I really don't think it'll happen until after all the iPods have it.
Did I miss anything? I'm talking realistic here. Nothing pie-in-the-sky.
1. 12-inch (or slightly smaller) widescreen.
Many people are clamoring for fullscreen rather than widescreen. I'd prefer widescreen mainly because of media. Also, I enjoy being able to put two documents/windows side by side. I find multiple windows much more workable when placed next to one another rather than above or behind each other. Frankly, the "Mac way" of doing things (no full-screened windows) works better on a widescreen. If it comes with Leopard, the new resolution independence features should come in handy if Apple decides to make a higher-res screen for it. We should be able to scale things to our liking size-wise while still being able to fit quite a bit on the screen if we cant to go by the pixel.
2. No internal optical drive.
I would have been absolutely opposed to this until recently. Recently, with the boom of wireless home networking and usb flash drives, I've found that I very rarely use my optical drive and I never do so outside of the home. As others have said, Apple could definitely release the laptop with an optional external optical drive. A slim external Apple-branded drive would be aesthetically pleasing and functional. This drive should be offered as what I call a "tier-one" upgrade, meaning it should be listed in the BYO menus online on the first customization page along with the various HD sizes, RAM sizes, and so on as to avoid being easily overlooked. Eliminating the internal optical drive allows for a big boost in internal space while reducing size and increasing battery life, even if Apple decided not to put in a larger battery, which brings me to...
3. Long battery life.
Eliminating the optical drive does a few things for battery life. First, it reduces the load on the battery produced by the optical drive. Granted, I'm saying it should be tossed out because of lack of use, but even an idle drive uses a minute amount of power. Really though, this is negligible and I'm only writing it to make this look more appealing. Second, and more significant, is that the weight and space reduction in removing the drive allows for a much higher capacity battery. If Apple were to use a portion of the freed space for expanding the battery, it would allow for considerably longer battery life without sacrificing all of the weight and space gains.
4. Proper use of perimeter for ports.
A small notebook has limited space for ports, so Apple would have to choose carefully. 2 USB ports, gigabit Ethernet, headphone, and power are mandatory. Other than that, things get more complex. It would depend on whether or not Apple released a dock. If Apple released a dock, then I would say those should be the only ports accessible directly on the computer with the addition of a proprietary "dock" port. The dock port would have more usb ports, firewire, audio-in, and DVI. If, however, Apple did not release a dock, then I would add a single firewire port, a mini-dvi port, and an audio-in port. That would make it have the same port setup as the current MacBook, but the computer would have sufficient room because of the absence of an optical drive.
5. Processor, RAM, and HD.
While I would like apple to keep the 2.5" drives for the hard disk for capacity's sake, I would understand if it dropped down to 1.8" to save space. With capacities getting up to a reasonable size, this could be a decent option, especially if Robson caching is enabled to help counter for the low speeds. Both RAM slots should be accessible by users, just like in the MacBook. Frankly, It'd be amazing if Apple replaced the HD entirely with NAND, but I don't think it'll happen this soon. I'd like it though. Random-access speeds are more valuable than bandwidth speed when considering the average user who's not big on the Photoshop or video-editing.
The only thing that could make me not want this computer is if Apple released it using one of the low-voltage single core processors Intel makes. A real Core 2 Duo is absolutely mandatory. A low-speed one is fine, but we need to have the whole laptop lineup on a unified architecture. All Macs available with Leopard should have full support for its 64-bit features, and there should not be another single-core Mac. Once again, throwing out the optical drive makes this easier because the space constraint is not as much an issue. This is even more true if Apple uses a 1.8" hard drive. There should be adequate room for cooling especially if apple follows my next suggestion:
6. Metal case.
The metal case of the MBP can be thinner than the plastic one of the MB while still remaining durable. It also helps with heat dissipation, which always becomes an issue when you make things small.
7. Full-size Keyboard.
This can easily be done. The 12" Powerbook had a full-size keyboard. A 12" widescreen notebook would have even more horizontal space. In fact, the screen sizes dictate the following: A fullscreen, 4:3 ratio, 12" notebook, calculated by screen size, would have to be at least 9.6" wide. A widescreen 16:10 ratio (as used in most widescreen computer displays) notebook would have to be 10.46" wide to contain the screen. Nearly an extra horizontal inch should be more than sufficient for a full-size keyboard.
8. Screen options!
I hear demand for matte screens. I prefer glossy screens. Default to glossy, since there seems to be more demand for that, but make it an obvious option on the BYO screens to switch to matte. Frankly, I don't care if Apple decides to default to matte screens. All I care is that the customers have the option.
As far as other features, like removing the trackpad in favor of multi-touch screen or a pointing stick (ala Thinkpads), are concerned, I think you people are dreaming. It's just not feasible yet. Apple rarely puts tech into its products unless it has proven itself capable elsewhere. The iPhone is using multitouch because Apple has found it reliable in small applications. It would get more complicated when dealing with a much larger surface (notebook screen) and I really don't think it'll happen until after all the iPods have it.
Did I miss anything? I'm talking realistic here. Nothing pie-in-the-sky.
I can't wait, that's what I wanted all along. <Thinking of ways to justify another notebook purchase to the wife, and why I need this in addition to the 15" MBP...>
I seem to rember that Apple trademarked "MobileMe", Maybe this is it.
Also remember that other patent where a computer did not have a keyboard and instead you placed different "masks" and depending on the mask that surface had different functionality?
Obviously the induction charging would be great for this baby on its docking station. But the laptop needs an ethernet port as wireless is not always available on the road.
This could be a real hit.
BTW, you guys are way too rich. I seen many of you buy or promise to buy just about every single product Apple puts out.
A table with the power of the MacBook Pro I would consider. I could use it for everything including Photoshop, Video Editing, reading, surfing, writting, video chats, etc.
But mainly for the photoshop, using my fingers or a stylus would be more accurate than a mouse or trackpad when editing photos or video.
Here it is and it uses a virtual click wheel (look at screen)
Also remember that other patent where a computer did not have a keyboard and instead you placed different "masks" and depending on the mask that surface had different functionality?
Obviously the induction charging would be great for this baby on its docking station. But the laptop needs an ethernet port as wireless is not always available on the road.
This could be a real hit.
BTW, you guys are way too rich. I seen many of you buy or promise to buy just about every single product Apple puts out.
A table with the power of the MacBook Pro I would consider. I could use it for everything including Photoshop, Video Editing, reading, surfing, writting, video chats, etc.
But mainly for the photoshop, using my fingers or a stylus would be more accurate than a mouse or trackpad when editing photos or video.
Here it is and it uses a virtual click wheel (look at screen)
You've been smoking something.My wallet is ready.
I predict this sub-notebook will have a touch control screen instead of a traditional keyboard.
LOL. It's another one of my drug-induced fantasies! It could happen... you never know with Apple.You've been smoking something.
Well I could certainly see an iMac with touchscreen and would love one for my mother, but a laptop I'm not so sure. You're getting into tablet territory. Now if the screen flipped over and you could use it as a tablet or a laptop then that would be something, but now I might be smoking something.LOL. It's another one of my drug-induced fantasies! It could happen... you never know with Apple.
I agree with a lot from above. For me, the thing should:
be faster than a MacBook.
have more VRam than a MacBook / no shared graphics
come in a different body color/material than a MacBook
have ability to plug into a large monitor
have a keyboard
have plenty of ports although I could get by on the same as 12" PB.
I would prefer that the screen not be widescreen.
I don't see Apple providing a laptop without an optical drive. And I think I would want one.
be faster than a MacBook.
have more VRam than a MacBook / no shared graphics
come in a different body color/material than a MacBook
have ability to plug into a large monitor
have a keyboard
have plenty of ports although I could get by on the same as 12" PB.
I would prefer that the screen not be widescreen.
I don't see Apple providing a laptop without an optical drive. And I think I would want one.
iphone- bigger than a phone smaller than a lap top...
yeh but i wanted it to be more computery than a phone
I like the flybook because it is really small and has Sim card slot
Dude,lay down the crackpipe!!
1. WHY on earth would it have to be faster than macbook? It is an ultraportable for chrissake! The typical usage of them dont require processing power like macbook,let alone MPB.
2. It might have a 3" narrower display (10") than MB, so the requirements would be lower on that part,let alone than the typical usere,wich would NOT use any graphically intensive tasks because the computer wouldnt be catered for such users in the first place.
3. Alu would be the propable,like MPB. Light,relatively easy to manufacture and good heat dissapation.
4. Definately. Mini-dvi and capable of driving a 23",like the g950 can do.
5. Duh?! Lick screen is at least..well..10 years away.. Multitouch is not costprobhitive atm.
6. Well,as stated here,2usb,power,audio out,mini-dvi and power is enough for this type. RS-232 is not propable.
7. Actually,me neither! For this small screen estate,it might be a bummer. And getting a keyboard layout with the "palm rests" in this small computer with a widescreen might be a bitch,let alone fitting a trackpad.
One huge problem that the advent of "widescreen" displays have brought to a certaing group of professionals,photographers, is that the displays are too bloody height constricted!! To view vertical pictures is a real biatch,even on 23" monitors and the 30" is so-so. Not that it would matter on theese speciality MiniBooks,even if photographers would propably steal them from stores...
The 12" iBooks and Powerbooks are propably the most traveled computers with photogs.This new minibook would be godsent.
8. Hopefully they do exclude it. The cd/dvd is nice, but as said,you can use externals. They are cheap and small. The drive is unused for most of people for the most of the time. At some point I made a quick survey on our work place,how many times people have used their drive in the last year.
It was around 10 times, for 6 people...in a year...total.
Ultra-portable would be nice, but I would still like to see a 10-12 inch MacBook Pro.
Something that could run Aperture, Photoshop, etc.
Decent GPU, plenty of disk space and such.
However, for this thread, and just to have another gadget, something that was very light, with whopping battery life, a wide-screen for movies (with no letterboxing), all the usual wireless stuff and FW800 and USB 2.0 would be pretty cool.
I think having an external optical drive is great for batter life and weight. Figure if you can get one of those Vaios to weigh 2 pounds, then without the drive it would be 1.5 or such.
If we could get 8-10 hours of batter life, WHILE watching DVDs, that would be great for flights or working all day and then watching a movie on the way home.
Or to be on campus all day, checking email, recording lectures via iSight, etc and never having to plug in. Plus being small enough to just tuck in a coat pocket.
Could be pretty cool.
Something that could run Aperture, Photoshop, etc.
Decent GPU, plenty of disk space and such.
However, for this thread, and just to have another gadget, something that was very light, with whopping battery life, a wide-screen for movies (with no letterboxing), all the usual wireless stuff and FW800 and USB 2.0 would be pretty cool.
I think having an external optical drive is great for batter life and weight. Figure if you can get one of those Vaios to weigh 2 pounds, then without the drive it would be 1.5 or such.
If we could get 8-10 hours of batter life, WHILE watching DVDs, that would be great for flights or working all day and then watching a movie on the way home.
Or to be on campus all day, checking email, recording lectures via iSight, etc and never having to plug in. Plus being small enough to just tuck in a coat pocket.
Could be pretty cool.
I'll probably buy one -- whatever it is, but I wish it could also be a tablet. That would really make my day, or at least the part of the day when I see the official announcement.
It's the Return of the Newton, people--modernized, with a sleek form factor, an optical drive on the back, pen/virtual keyboard/real (external) keyboard input, multi-touch screen, bluetooth, wi-fi. Of course, it will also play music and videos--goes without saying. It will be usable for entertainment, personal organizing, notetaking, gaming (games to be created by the Apple/EA jv) and light computing tasks.
Just read the first 6 pages of replies...
I'd love it if Apple brought out a subnotebook. In fact, I've been wanting one for a couple years now, but the only people who make them are vague 3rd party manufacturers like Avera.
As for features:
* No optical drive. That's what the desktop PC at home or a slimline docking station are for.
* 8.9"-11.1" widescreen display (16:9) at 1280x800 or higher, although a 4x3 screen wouldn't kill it as long as this thing was truly portable.
* As fast as the lowest-end MacBook (1.83ghz) with the option to have 1GB of RAM.
* Edit: A built-in keyboard would be nice, but if it came with a seek-ahead touchpad, that would also be groovy. Otherwise you'd need to carry around a mini-keyboard to enter data into it.
* At least 3 hrs of battery life, but the more, the better.
* A 60-80GB hard drive. A flash drive of 8-32GB would also be nice, but not if it's going to add a few hundred dollars to the high price the machine will already cost.
* No video card. You want a video card, buy a bigass MacBook Pro or desktop PC. Integrated graphics are just fine.
* 802.11B/G/N, and Bluetooth or RF for keyboard/mouse.
* No trackpad. Use the ThinkPad nipple, or even the nipple from the Mighty Mouse - I love those, and haven't found a trackpad on any notebook that I liked - so unintuitive, and force you to pick your hands off the keyboard while you're working (ugh).
* At least 1 USB port, firewire port, and multi-media reader port each for moving data between PCs that aren't your own, and because CDs/DVDs should go the way of the floppy drive.
* A DVI or Mini-DVI out port so that you can output the home work to a nice 19-30" flatscreen monitor.
* iSight. I don't care at all about iSight, and can take it or leave it.
Of course, YMMV.
I'd love it if Apple brought out a subnotebook. In fact, I've been wanting one for a couple years now, but the only people who make them are vague 3rd party manufacturers like Avera.
As for features:
* No optical drive. That's what the desktop PC at home or a slimline docking station are for.
* 8.9"-11.1" widescreen display (16:9) at 1280x800 or higher, although a 4x3 screen wouldn't kill it as long as this thing was truly portable.
* As fast as the lowest-end MacBook (1.83ghz) with the option to have 1GB of RAM.
* Edit: A built-in keyboard would be nice, but if it came with a seek-ahead touchpad, that would also be groovy. Otherwise you'd need to carry around a mini-keyboard to enter data into it.
* At least 3 hrs of battery life, but the more, the better.
* A 60-80GB hard drive. A flash drive of 8-32GB would also be nice, but not if it's going to add a few hundred dollars to the high price the machine will already cost.
* No video card. You want a video card, buy a bigass MacBook Pro or desktop PC. Integrated graphics are just fine.
* 802.11B/G/N, and Bluetooth or RF for keyboard/mouse.
* No trackpad. Use the ThinkPad nipple, or even the nipple from the Mighty Mouse - I love those, and haven't found a trackpad on any notebook that I liked - so unintuitive, and force you to pick your hands off the keyboard while you're working (ugh).
* At least 1 USB port, firewire port, and multi-media reader port each for moving data between PCs that aren't your own, and because CDs/DVDs should go the way of the floppy drive.
* A DVI or Mini-DVI out port so that you can output the home work to a nice 19-30" flatscreen monitor.
* iSight. I don't care at all about iSight, and can take it or leave it.
Of course, YMMV.