iPod touch iPod Touch-mini computer now, full computer when?

[MasterNile]

These are just some questions that I had that I couldn't answer so maybe someone here can give me a very rough estimate

So, multi core ARM chips, when will we have chips the same size that compare to my 2.0Ghz C2D in processing power?

When will we have any kind of GPU that is equal to/better than the Intel GMA X3100?

If we were to get these 2 things would it be possible to run full Snow Leopard with modified drivers?

Then if you have a full blown computer OS you would of course need peripherals, USB female to dock connector? (Or even just a USB female on the iPod since everything can be connected to it anyway, but knowing Apple they'd make an adapter and sell it for $50) And probably by the time my future super iPod Touch comes out it would at least be using USB 3.0. Connect powered hub to iPod Touch and you can have lots of things plugged in including a full keyboard, mouse, and external hard drive or external ODD.

Already being able to connect the iPod Touch to a TV is a good start, now if it has a decent GPU it can run a monitor, what would be a good connection for video out to a monitor from the iPod Touch? How tall is mini DisplayPort, too big for an iPod Touch by how much? Would some kind of micro DisplayPort be plausible?

When connected to a monitor the iPod Touch screen could as a trackpad if no mouse was detected.

 

[wywern209]

WOW. apple was envisioning the IPOD TOUCH and an ipod. not a computer. it is going to bea while before anything reaches the touch with the power of a C2D

 

[MasterNile]

WOW. apple was envisioning the IPOD TOUCH and an ipod. not a computer. it is going to bea while before anything reaches the touch with the power of a C2D

But that's what it is....a computer, we're not talking some ipod that only plays music or movies and music anymore. Yes I know we're talking far future tense when it comes to an iPod Touch w/ the power of C2D, but what desktop/laptop processor do these new multi core ARM chips compare to?

Not to mention Apple says they can't make a decent computer for less than $500, but the iPod Touch 2nd Gen (jailbroken) can do a lot of the same things a netbook can, sure not everything (yet) but I'm considering ditching my MB and only having my iMac for real computing and using the iPod Touch for mobile stuff, I'm sure if I had an iPhone with constant internet connection it would be even more tempting.

 

[Dmac77]

It's not going to happen. Apple won't take the chance that doing such a thing would cannibalize the MB's sales. Plus, most people don't like dealing with a 3.5" screen.

Don

 

[MasterNile]

It's not going to happen. Apple won't take the chance that doing such a thing would cannibalize the MB's sales. Plus, most people don't like dealing with a 3.5" screen.

Don

How would it cannibalize MB sales? It's got less power, a smaller screen, no built in keyboard and would be half the price, I think that would attract new users to mac, if people start to buy less MBs then cut the line, have the Mac Touch for like Mac Mini prices and then combine the MB and MBP line into one line with a lot more options, they're having trouble differenciating the 2 lines as it is anyway, so why bother anymore?

 

[Dmac77]

How would it cannibalize MB sales? It's got less power, a smaller screen, no built in keyboard and would be half the price, I think that would attract new users to mac, if people start to buy less MBs then cut the line, have the Mac Touch for like Mac Mini prices and then combine the MB and MBP line into one line with a lot more options, they're having trouble differenciating the 2 lines as it is anyway, so why bother anymore?

Currently, you get a MB if you want to get a "cheap" portable Mac. Most people who are new to Apple, will buy a MB, because it's the cheapest notebook that they offer. If Apple were to release a cheaper portable computer-like device, sales of MBs would decline.

Don

 

[MasterNile]

Currently, you get a MB if you want to get a "cheap" portable Mac. Most people who are new to Apple, will buy a MB, because it's the cheapest notebook that they offer. If Apple were to release a cheaper portable computer-like device, sales of MBs would decline.

Don

Yes but marketshare would grow as there are many people now a days who will pay $800-900 max for a notebook/netbook, so they go with windows, if a lot of these people were introduced to Mac OS X then they would probably go for a full blown macbook/pro or a desktop. I bought a 17" iMac 3 years ago, since that purchase I have now owned a Mac Mini, my white MacBook, and now a 24" 2.8C2D iMac, same thing happened when I tried my first 4GB iPod Nano, the future purchases that this would draw in would be where you see the profit come from.

 

[Dmac77]

Yes but marketshare would grow as there are many people now a days who will pay $800-900 max for a notebook/netbook, so they go with windows, if a lot of these people were introduced to Mac OS X then they would probably go for a full blown macbook/pro or a desktop. I bought a 17" iMac 3 years ago, since that purchase I have now owned a Mac Mini, my white MacBook, and now a 24" 2.8C2D iMac, same thing happened when I tried my first 4GB iPod Nano, the future purchases that this would draw in would be where you see the profit come from.

I doubt Apple would go for this model. Apple really doesn't care about market share. They don't want to become the next MSFT, they just want continue to sell overpriced computers. An Apple netbook-like device will still cost more then a PC counterpart. And most likely, the whole touchscreen thing would turn people off. It would be to different.

Don

 

[MasterNile]

I doubt Apple would go for this model. Apple really doesn't care about market share. They don't want to become the next MSFT, they just want continue to sell overpriced computers. An Apple netbook-like device will still cost more then a PC counterpart. And most likely, the whole touchscreen thing would turn people off. It would be to different.

Don

I think what you mean is Steve Jobs doesn't care about market share, I hope that might change in the near future as I really don't think Jobs will be around too much longer.