Apple's iPhone OS X on Subnotebook

[juststranded]

This simply won't happen. Apple is all about having only one version of OS X. On the iPhone, it'sa little diffrerent because you're only running basically 2 aspects of OS X. Music playback, and internet. Ok, and maybe widgets. If they were to put some mimi OS X on a mini laptop, people would have t relearn the whole system. Yes, they'd probably make it very similar, and of course easy to use once you got teh hang of it, but it's just not practical. They will always keep every new Mac running the same OS, with the same version.

Unless Steve Jobs leaves and so bozo replaces him.

2 cents.

 

[whatever]

...seems I might have to think twice about buying this...

not being able to run programs like parallels or rapidweaver would be a deal-breaker for me..

Once again people are missing the point for such a device. It's not meant to be a desk top replacement! Gee, I can hear people in this forum asking for a Octo-Core version and a mini-tower version.

 

[whatever]

Actually, I can.

I have the 17" PowerBook and it is starting to feel kinda small.

I had a 17" PowerBook and have since decided that it's to large (it's a pain in the airport and on a plane). I also do not like the 15" model either. I really do like the 13" MacBook, but I'm waiting to see if a new MacBook Pro in a similar footprint will be made available.

A laptop larger than 17" is just stupid and not practical.

 

[Rocketman]

As I have said for months now. Apple Tablet Not Nano (ATNN).

Need more memory, storage, full OSX? Pay LESS and get more and LARGER MacBook device.

Want miniaturization with "cool new features", albiet more limited in number and scope? Pay more.

"The more you pay the more it is worth." - truism

Rocketman

 

[RocksInMySocks]

Who would use something like this as their sole machine and desktop replacement? Umm, that would be me. At one time, I had 5 Macs in the house until I eliminated all except my 12" iBook and a Mac Mini (which serves exclusively as a very expensive DVD player).

I'm a designer and I do all of my work on the iBook. And while I don't handle video production, I'm not a light weight user... I deal with large Photoshop images, Flash development, and book-length InDesign docs. And even at less than 1GHz, processing hasn't been a major bottleneck (I'm not a gamer).

The iBook became my main machine because of my lifestyle. I require something portable: 1) so I can show clients work in progress; 2) because I like to work everywhere... on my couch, in bed, and at my favorite non-Starbucks coffeehouse; 3) I have friends who like to get together and compute/work/browse communally; 4) Google at my fingertips (WiFi depending); 5) I don't have space for a desktop. And get this, I want to go even smaller.

The iBook is freakin' heavy as a constant companion (try picking it up with one hand). It's also thick... my wrists begin to hurt after a period of typing from balancing on its sharp edge. I'd also like to not have to carry around a conspicuous and awkward-size laptop bag (an ideal size for a machine would be something that could fit inside a zippered notebook or a "man-bag"). So a fully-featured sub-compact would be the ticket, even without the IMHO rarely used optical drive.

But it would be useless to me if it was based on a watered-down OS and couldn't run real apps. Display size would also be crucial... just wide enough to display a typical website layout without having to zoom/scroll (i.e., not a pod-sized tablet). For detail work, I'd span Photoshop (et al) to my larger monitor and use the small screen for palettes.

An opinion on the touch screen nonsense: my fingers are bigger and less precise than a cursor and on-screen keyboards cost real estate. That said, I could easily see the trackpad becoming a tertiary screen for widgets.

 

[mrthieme]

One question, does anyone think that a touch tablet would need proprietary apps that are optimized for the less precise input method of multitouch or would it simply be running an interface on top of whatever program is used? ie: would something like Office need built in solutions to help you accurately place the cursor in a body of text, or would the OS have that handled. If the latter, I could see a specialized OS being used,( maybe one of Leapard's "secret features")

 

[JimmyTJ]

Real Video iPod

I'm trying to imagine where in the market this product would fit that wouldn't be merely a novelty item. Any ideas?

My idea would be that this isn't really going to be a sub-notebook per se (not a work device) but the true video iPod. It won't be small enough to put into your pocket but it will be smaller and lighter than a typical laptop and so easy to carry around.

One could carry it with them on a trip (plane and car) to watch movies, plug it into a TV at your hotel or cabin, and surf the internet, through WiFi, on your couch or down at the local coffee shop. I'm thinking iPhone without the phone but with a real keyboard for writin emails.

 

[BoyBach]

I could imagine a really small notebook/pda device designed by Apple with a 'basic' OSX being really popular.

If it offers 'decent' performance and allows for some 'basic' computing - Safari, Mail, iPhoto, iCal, iTunes, Preview, Keynotes and Pages, plus specially designed 3rd party apps - in a small package of say twice the footprint of an iPod, with Apples new multi-touch display and long battery life, it would corner the UMPC/tablet market quickly.

Students, teachers, business people, plus we 'tech whores' would eat them up.

 

[50548]

Unless Steve Jobs leaves and so bozo replaces him.

Ya mean Ballmer? Or would it be Sculley again?

 

[gerwitz]

Perhaps the "mini OS X" on a flash-booting subnotebook is just that: the core OS (and Quartz) moved to flash for faster booting, with Aqua and userland still pulled off disk.

 

[Cult Follower]

I think instead of flash based laptops, they will build on the iPhone line, otherwise it will simply be a toy.

 

[goosnarrggh]

But this is partially correct. Multitouch screens are pressure-sensitive unlike most single-point touchscreens.

I was under the impression that it was something other than "pressure" sensitivity. IIRC, there's been speculation that the iPhone's screen uses charge-transfer capacitive sensors to detect proximity of materials with certain dielectric characteristics (specifically, the characteristics of a human finger) to detect actuation.

And I believe I've read first-hand accounts attesting to the fact that the iPhone doesn't respond to *all types of* pressure -- tapping it with a piece of plastic or a gloved hand garners no response at all. That would pretty much rule out the possibility of using pure pressure-sensitivity.

 

[goosnarrggh]

He also noted that Apple's use of ARM processors in iPhone is a definite confirmation of their strategic direction. The most significant device to use the ARM processor in Apple's past was the Newton. ARM specializes in processor designs specifically tailored to mobile communications platforms.

I'm sure that every iPod Apple has ever made doesn't count as a significant use of ARM processors...

 

[twoodcc]

this would be really nice. i hope it's true, but that it's mini leopard, and not mini tiger though.

 

[gnasher729]

Perhaps the "mini OS X" on a flash-booting subnotebook is just that: the core OS (and Quartz) moved to flash for faster booting, with Aqua and userland still pulled off disk.

I'll just repeat that: You don't put stuff on flash for faster booting; it is an absolutely stupid idea. I know that is what Microsoft tells everyone they want to use Flash for, that doesn't make it any cleverer. You are not supposed to reboot a Mac portable, you close the lid, it goes to sleep, you open the lid, it wakes up.

 

[Bedawyn]

I've never understood the people who insist that something has to be either pocket-sized or bigger than 10" to be useful. There are whole companies devoted to making writing tablets, agendas, folios, address books, and assorted other low-tech data managers in 4X6, 5x7, and 6x9 sizes. Maybe all the geeks and wealthy businessfolk have forgotten that since they use their PDAs now -- but if you're old enough, didn't you carry that 5X7 agenda book around quite happily 10 years ago? And there are plenty of non-geek, non-wealthy people who still do -- or who have switched to using cell phones that they hate and would be happy to have something one-gadgety and reliable that they didn't have to squint at. And these are exactly the consumers Apple has chosen to target in recent years.

The fact that we can include more functionality in smaller sizes now is irrelevant. Can doesn't mean should. History has shown that people will happily use a 5X7 or similar form factor if the functionality is worth it.

 

[traderonline]

a small pda like touchscreen notebook with osx will be great.

 

[quantman]

Let's not forget AAPL is having a tough time in Japan!

Many/most may know that Apple is having a tough time in Japan where sub-notebooks are doing really well due to commute times being high (1 hour plus each way) and arm space in trains being a limiting factor.

This is why sub-notebooks are doing well in Japan as it is ideal for the commuter and then they can sync up with their laptop/desktop when they get into the office. Also, same for sales people and other mobile professionalsin Japan/Korea.

Additionally, those of you familiar with the Japanese/Korean everyday group meeting systems know that they all have way too many meetings over a sofa type mini-living room setting in the corner of a big hall which houses 20-30 offices with desks (but no cubicle style walls), or at mini-conference tables. This is how their group discussion/incremental process-driven consensus style decision-making system works in everyday work life.

For this culture - and realities of commuting and arm space- a sub-notebook is THE answer, the market already has it and the working public has begun to move to this already.

THE point of all this above is that if Apple wants to have a chance of making any kind of real headway with their computer business in Japan they need a sub-notebook really bad - and they need it yesterday.

I believe this has got to be key driving factor of a sub-notebook with multi-touch on a sub-notebook with flash being the secret functional differentiator/marketing sauce. Of course, Apple will also then be able to sell this big in European and U.S. metro cities.

As someone who has being business for large MNC's for many years and as one who knows that Apple is not making much headway with their growth rates on their Mac business in Japan, I believe this has to be a/the key driving factor for a sub-notebook.