Apple Touchscreen Netbook to Launch in October at $800?

[Shake 'n' Bake]

I won't buy one if it's got a keyboard and looks like a laptop - absolutely pointless - I've already got an MBP and an MB.

If it's not a big Ipod Touch it's going to have no purpose. 10" gaming Touch then yes...

If it a scaled up iPT, it will only be able to run Apple-approved apps, you won't be able to run MS Office or iWork, you won't be able to print anything, you won't be able to do presentations, you won't be able to share files with real computers and the thing won't be powerful enough (or have the right OS) to run PS or anything a tablet would be useful for.

Apple will NOT. I repeat. NOT make a netbook. Period. They are too cheap.Too hard to use. And underpowered.

Apple WILL make a Macbook.

Haven't you seen the glaring omission of a Macbook line in the store ?

1+1=2

Nothing can be too cheap for the consumer.

Hard to use? As long as it has a nearly full-size keyboard, it is plenty easy.

Underpowered depends on what OS and software you've got. A netbook typically runs Windows XP, which has low requirements, so it is faster than you'd expect. You're not running PS on it. You're using a web browser and maybe doing some document editing. A netbook is plenty powerful for that.

At my Apple store, there a couple MacBooks out on display.

 

[sterlingindigo]

Yes.

9" MBA

 

[dicklacara]

No offense intended here, but the ad has already been created for a device named: iTouch or inTouch...

 

[duncyboy]

I'm torn between which seems more likely (not what seems plausible, but in the context of this thread/rumour- which is more likely?)

A) A big iPod Touch running iPhone OS and, of course, ready for the App Store.

B) A clamshell netbook with teeny screen and keyboard (imagine the Wireless Keyboard shrunked a bit- if the rumoured screens are 9 to 10 inches diagonal then the Wireless Keyboard's no big stretch when you factor in a small bezel etc) and no touchpad- the touch-screen replaces the touchpad/mouse. You type using the keyboard and navigate/highlight/select using the screen. A single Displayport would allow you to connect it to a display and bluetooth keyboard/mouse would be nifty.

Will it have 3G?

Are Apple ever going to make Apps from the App Store available for anything else apart from the iPhone/iPod Touch?

A small, ultra-portable, touchscreen device would beg the question.

 

[JohnnyLemonhead]

9" MacBook Mini 1.6GHz C2D 9400M 802.11n BT 2Gb 32GB SSD $599.99
9" MacBook Mini 1.83GHz C2D 9400M 802.11n BT 4GB 64GB SSD $799.99

Done.

 

[almond]

I really hope this device is less a glorified iPod Touch and more a subset of a Macbook. My Touch is great but until I can stick my own files onto it, sync painlessly with third-party apps, and attach to external devices (like displays or keyboards), I can't compare it to a netbook.

If Apple comes out with something that is essentially a MBA with a tablet form factor (with UI tweaks as necessary), I am sold. Even for $800 - $1000.

I really think were looking at an eBook reader here, apple revolutionized mp3 players with the market. The amazon kindle is good but its not "quite there yet". I really think apple making an eBook reader and starting an eBook store inside iTunes is the way to go. This touchscreen actually fits that profile.

I don't see Apple investing in a single-purpose device like that anymore. Look at the iPod - it started out as a simple music player but now even the Nanos can view photos and videos, and of course we have the Touch with its internet browsing and apps. It would take about 10 seconds for someone to come up with an eBook app for an Apple tablet and fill that niche. The small percentage of users who need an eBook reader with a long battery life would stick with their Kindles; everyone else would be happy they have a device that can do a lot more than just display books.

 

[deconstruct60]

Haven't you seen the glaring omission of a Macbook line in the store ?

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook?mco=MTE4MTY

If look at the Apple Store's "Top Seller Macs" the Macbook is sitting there in second place. (right behind the iMac) and four places ahead of the MacBook Air.

You could be refering to a wider range of offerings. However, even if just build-to-order options it is still the primary laptop in terms of volume.


If anything the MacBook Air is what looks out of place right now (versus the overall marketplace.) A smaller, less expensive solution would wipe out a good chunk of its appeal in a Mac line up. ( If want a "second' computer it should cost less than your 'primary' one. ) Even more so when pitted against a 13 MBP on the upper end of the "smaller/lighter" scale. Nobody slips laptops into interoffice envelopes in real life usage.

 

[dicklacara]

Well done! Those are just awesome demos. Hope Apple will hire you soon and copy as much as possible. That's the way to go ...

Wow! Really nice stuff here!

Now I'll share one with you. There is an app on the app store (free and pay versions) that lets you enter text on an iPhone using a “random walk” algorithm on a touch surface-- you enter text by dragging over some letters instead typing individual keys. The software recognizes the shape of the pattern you traced and determines the word based on the pattern. The iPhone app, as it currently exists, requires you to spell out [most of] the word by dragging over keys on a virtual keyboard.

But the capability could be enhanced to:

--enter shorthand instead of entire words
--eliminate the virtual kb and use any flat surface (or even gestures in the air)

See:

http://www.shapewriter.com/

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

9" MacBook Mini 1.6GHz C2D 9400M 802.11n BT 2Gb 32GB SSD $599.99
9" MacBook Mini 1.83GHz C2D 9400M 802.11n BT 4GB 64GB SSD $799.99

Done.

Perfect, except with a 10'' screen and optional 3G. Or like this:

9''/10'' model: MacBook mini - 1.6 GHz C2D, option to 1.86|Intel integrated graphics, option to 9400M|802.11n|1 GB, option up to 6 GB|80 GB HDD, option 32 GB or 64 GB SSD|Optional BT and 3G on Verizon|starting at $449, tablet version starting at $899

10''/13'' model: MacBook - 1.86 GHz C2D, option to 2.0 GHz, 2.13 GHz|Intel integrated graphics, option to 9400M|802.11n|2 GB, option up to 6 GB|80 GB HDD, option 120 GB HDD, 64 GB SSD, 128 GB SSD|BT|Optional 3G on Verizon|starting at $549, tablet version starting at $999

 

[puffnstuff]

I just have to see this thing because I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around it. The close we get to september the more we will know maybe Mr.Blurrycam will leak a photo soon.

I have a hard time imagining something under 12" running SL. It seems like something with a 9-10" screen will be running a beefier version of iPhone OS. Yet all signs point SL being tablet compatible.

 

[Quad 2.5 G5 =)]

I realise that this most likely true, but I feel that this is like the people at Airliners.net, discussing when Northwest will retire their Douglas DC-9s. (Never ending, and a new discussion every week)

That aside, any more details on this touchscreen notebook?
I would like to see this:
Processor: Matching MacBook Air (1.86 & 2.13), or 1.6 Intel Core 2 Duo.
Ram: 2GB standard- user customizable to 4GB. (1 1066Mhz PC3-8500 slot.)
Graphics: nVidia 9400M w/ 256MB of shared memory, or top-end 9400M & 9600M w/256MB of memory.
Removable Battery
No Optical drive, 2x USB.
Will this netbook be screen-only (iPhone style) or screen and keyboard?

 

[mrblahh]

I agree.



I have used them, they are worthless for any real work. Please refrain from insulting me, attacking me, or claiming falsehoods about me when you haven't a clue. Thanks.

I really doubt this, I use a hackintosh lenovo s10, I do everything on it that I do on my macbook and my desktop, EVERYTHING, and it works flawlessly

hulu plays fine on it, in fact I just finished watching a show on hulu, and I'm typing on the lenovo to make this post. I use iphoto and imovie most of the time, it's great for downloading and editing pictures & movies on the road, I'm in a hotel right now in fact.

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

I realise that this most likely true, but I feel that this is like the people at Airliners.net, discussing when Northwest will retire their Douglas DC-9s. (Never ending, and a new discussion every week)

That aside, any more details on this touchscreen notebook?
I would like to see this:
Processor: Matching MacBook Air (1.86 & 2.13), or 1.6 Intel Core 2 Duo.
Ram: 2GB standard- user customizable to 4GB. (1 1066Mhz PC3-8500 slot.)
Graphics: nVidia 9400M w/ 256MB of shared memory, or top-end 9400M & 9600M w/256MB of memory.
Removable Battery
No Optical drive, 2x USB.
Will this netbook be screen-only (iPhone style) or screen and keyboard?

So basically a MacBook with the 9400M+9600M and no ODD. I'd say that this would cost $1100, more than most people want to spend on a netbook.

 

[hashholly]

I realise that this most likely true, but I feel that this is like the people at Airliners.net, discussing when Northwest will retire their Douglas DC-9s. (Never ending, and a new discussion every week)

That aside, any more details on this touchscreen notebook?
I would like to see this:
Processor: Matching MacBook Air (1.86 & 2.13), or 1.6 Intel Core 2 Duo.
Ram: 2GB standard- user customizable to 4GB. (1 1066Mhz PC3-8500 slot.)
Graphics: nVidia 9400M w/ 256MB of shared memory, or top-end 9400M & 9600M w/256MB of memory.
Removable Battery
No Optical drive, 2x USB.
Will this netbook be screen-only (iPhone style) or screen and keyboard?

More realistic is:

Processor: 1.6 or 1.8hz
Ram: 2ghz (no 4gb option)
Graphics: 9400M
Non User Replaceable Battery
No Optical Drive, 1 USB, 1 Mini-Displayport, Optical in/out port, Bluetooth, GPS, 3G option
No Keyboard

Hell its possible we may not see an Intel/Nvidia combo at all: http://www.9to5mac.com/cortex-a9-motherboard

 

[Peace]

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook?mco=MTE4MTY

If look at the Apple Store's "Top Seller Macs" the Macbook is sitting there in second place. (right behind the iMac) and four places ahead of the MacBook Air.

You could be refering to a wider range of offerings. However, even if just build-to-order options it is still the primary laptop in terms of volume.


If anything the MacBook Air is what looks out of place right now (versus the overall marketplace.) A smaller, less expensive solution would wipe out a good chunk of its appeal in a Mac line up. ( If want a "second' computer it should cost less than your 'primary' one. ) Even more so when pitted against a 13 MBP on the upper end of the "smaller/lighter" scale. Nobody slips laptops into interoffice envelopes in real life usage.

One plastic Macbook with options is NOT a Macbook line.

 

[Quad 2.5 G5 =)]

So basically a MacBook with the 9400M+9600M and no ODD. I'd say that this would cost $1100, more than most people want to spend on a netbook.

Maybe no 9600M, but I was saying no optical drive because of space, would there be any room for a SuperDrive in a 9 or 10" netbook?

 

[Justinf79]

Eh, if this is coming with a touch screen, it won't have a keyboard. Also, rumors of the OS being a hybrid between OS X and the iPhone OS are sounding more probable now.

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

More realistic is:

Processor: 1.6 or 1.8hz
Ram: 2ghz (no 4gb option)
Graphics: 9400M
Non User Replaceable Battery
No Optical Drive, 1 USB, 1 Mini-Displayport, Optical in/out port, Bluetooth, GPS, 3G option
No Keyboard

Hell its possible we may not see an Intel/Nvidia combo at all: http://www.9to5mac.com/cortex-a9-motherboard

That's some fast RAM!

One plastic Macbook with options is NOT a Macbook line.

Neither is a white and black MacBook, if the white has options that make it equal the black.

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

Maybe no 9600M, but I was saying no optical drive because of space, would there be any room for a SuperDrive in a 9 or 10" netbook?

I've seen a few with an ODD and the 12'' PB had one.

 

[zedsdead]

I've seen a few with an ODD and the 12'' PB had one.

There is no way any Macbook Touch / Tablet is going to have an optical drive or removable battery.

The most ports it will have will be in line with the Macbook Air, plus maybe an SD card (maybe, but I doubt it).

Or, if it is just one gigantic iPod, it may just have an ipod dock connector with headphones.

As for the price, at $800, it will sell (and I will buy one of them).

 

[longterm]

800 dollars for a netbook is lame. not surprising at all

People said stuff like that when the rumor was about an iPhone. Here we are 2 years later, and they're selling tons of them.

I was in the Apple Store Sunday morning; got there 15 minutes before it opened, and by noon when it opened, there were about 20 people there. By 5 after, there were 50.

Amazing.

If Apple builds a netbook, I'll buy one; I'd love something like this for the couch, and as a far better ebook reader than the butt-ugly Kindle.

 

[Peace]

That's some fast RAM!



Neither is a white and black MacBook, if the white has options that make it equal the black.

You DO remember a few months ago Apple introduced the first unibody MacBook right ?

 

[important]

Per CNET and VentureBlog, PA Semi is allegedly making the chips for this:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10285523-37.html

by way of

http://deals.venturebeat.com/2009/07/13/look-for-pa-semis-chip-designs-in-upcoming-apple-tablet/

Reports surfaced today that Apple will launch an $800 tablet computer in October. But we’ve dug out something interesting ourselves: the processor chip for the tablet is being designed by Apple’s own internal chip team.

Apple acquired PA Semi in April, 2008 for $278 million. It never said what it planned to do with the chip design firm, which featured star chip designers including Dan Dobberpuhl and Jim Keller. But we’ve learned that PA Semi’s team was split into two parts, one designing portable ARM-based processors for iPhones and iPods, and another designing a processor for the tablet device.

Our source noted that Apple acquired some incredible design talent with the PA Semi team, which was behind the original Digital Equipment Corp. Alpha processor and the StrongArm processor, which was a speedy low-power processor family that was acquired by Intel and then sold to Marvell. The Wall Street Journal confirmed recently that Apple has a substantial chip design effort under way.

But no one really knew what the chip team was doing. It makes sense that Apple would divide the multi-talented team into an effort focused on the mobile space and something else focused on more substantial designs for tablet computers or netbooks. There’s a lot we don’t know about this project. But given the rumors floating into us and to others, it definitely seems like there is something going on. It seems fairly early for PA Semi’s team to be finishing a chip for launch in a product debuting in the fall.

The stories surfacing today from the China Times and MacRumors say that Apple will debut this tablet, which is its first netbook (smaller than laptop web-browsing device), in time for the holiday shopping season. It says three companies — Foxconn, Wintek, and Dynapack — have received orders from Apple related to the tablet.

Apple’s tablets are said to be using touch screens. Apple is apparently shooting for high-end users and is thus staying out of the price war in the low end of the market, where companies such as Acer and Asus are fighting it out. (Apple Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook has said the company isn’t interested in making traditional netbooks.) If Apple’s chip designers are indeed creating their own ARM-based chip for the tablet, that would help Apple reduce its costs. It won’t, for instance, have to pay a markup to other chip design companies such as Samsung or Intel.

 

[iMacmatician]

Eh, if this is coming with a touch screen, it won't have a keyboard. Also, rumors of the OS being a hybrid between OS X and the iPhone OS are sounding more probable now.

Definitely. The other question is what parts of each OS are being put in the hybrid?

Per CNET and VentureBlog, PA Semi is allegedly making the chips for this:
…
… If Apple’s chip designers are indeed creating their own ARM-based chip for the tablet, …

So if the tablet runs ARM, does this mean it will use iPhone OS or a hybrid? Or is there a secret ARM version of Mac OS X (unlikely)?

 

[ddTaylor]

I agree.



I have used them, they are worthless for any real work. Please refrain from insulting me, attacking me, or claiming falsehoods about me when you haven't a clue. Thanks.

How was that an attack? You and just a few who are complaining about netbooks. If I say your posts are ignorant - that means UNINFORMED - and not the watered-down version adopted by the popular culture. Do take things so personally, especially if you are not sure of the context. Do you OWN a netbook or have you just 'used' one? If you have owned one - you are welcome to your opinion - even if you have not owned one you are still welcome to your opinion but understand many will dismiss that point because you have no firsthand knowledge of the use of a netbook.

Are you saying a G4 PowerBook is good for only internet work and WP?

D