im not going to buy one, well because i just bought an imac last month and it will last me about 5 years. so my next computer will defiantly be one of these, but updated x 50 
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MacBook Touch?
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Unusual Qrtly Conference Call
As a shareholder and user, I usually listen to these Quarterly conference calls with Apple management.
It was VERY unusual for management to have made continual references to a "new product" and a "major product transition" - it was clearly orchestrated (the answers to typical questions I'm quite sure are written and rehearsed) and was reiterated by more than one during the call.
Given Apple's penchant for secrecy, I would guess that whatever the reference is, it's MUCH CLOSER than anyone suspects. Apple wouldn't want to signal competitors too early, and would definitely not want to mislead the market.
It's a puzzler!
As a shareholder and user, I usually listen to these Quarterly conference calls with Apple management.
It was VERY unusual for management to have made continual references to a "new product" and a "major product transition" - it was clearly orchestrated (the answers to typical questions I'm quite sure are written and rehearsed) and was reiterated by more than one during the call.
Given Apple's penchant for secrecy, I would guess that whatever the reference is, it's MUCH CLOSER than anyone suspects. Apple wouldn't want to signal competitors too early, and would definitely not want to mislead the market.
It's a puzzler!
Just because there's a MacBook touch...
...doesn't mean there won't be a mini-tablet.
Maybe the reason why the mini-tablet was supposedly delayed was because engineers were moved to the MacBook touch project.
...doesn't mean there won't be a mini-tablet.
Maybe the reason why the mini-tablet was supposedly delayed was because engineers were moved to the MacBook touch project.
App Store compatible maybe--but not the SAME apps as on an iPhone or Touch. Those apps are made for 324x480 and wouldn't look great (or necessarily run right) if scaled to other sizes.
I suspect this kind of rumor will turn out to only have fragments of truth in it.
Still cool to imagine
How about this....
iPhone Apps == Dashboard Widgets
150 million people didn't 'need' an iPod either but it didn't stop them from buying one.
If you only bought things you 'needed' or were practical, life would be pretty dull don't you think?
That's what I was thinking. iPhone apps would just run in a 480*320 floating window not unlike the floating palettes we have today on Mac OS X.How about this....
iPhone Apps == Widgets
Don't think it would be feasible to get a custome processor, thin case, touch screen, SSD option and other micro components for $1000.
You are looking to spend just about the same price as any ultra portable, around $2000.
Either have your cake, or eat it, that's the choice tech users have to make.
I believe the answer lies on Axiotron's website:
"Axiotron has previously participated at the invitation of Apple Inc. in its Proprietary Solution Provider program, a supply contract arrangement."
there is no need for devise between macbooks and iphone, and apple are not going to make a whole new sdk for this devise that would be no more successful than the failed umpc's. But we will still here this rumor after every apple statement and before every apple event
I do not think the UMPCs failed. I've loved using my Sony UMPC for years. I will slowly lay it down to rest as Apple's stuff gets better. But try to give a powerpoint from the iphone or edit a Word document to stick one more Endnote reference in. You can't.
UMPCs are great and the only thing preventing widespread adoption is that eyesight goes as you get older
This is such a terrible mis match of specifications it's almost tragic that some people really do think this is going to be a real product...
I mean come on, Superdrive? App Store compatible? full gps? LOW PRICE!
I'm sorry but it's such a unfeasible spec sheet I really don't want this to come out, it'll be an embarrassment to Apples product line...
I mean come on, Superdrive? App Store compatible? full gps? LOW PRICE!
I'm sorry but it's such a unfeasible spec sheet I really don't want this to come out, it'll be an embarrassment to Apples product line...
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oh, man. Even I see actual one, I really want it. It will replace my whole mobile environment. Very excited!!!
oh, man. Even I see actual one, I really want it. It will replace my whole mobile environment. Very excited!!!
"Product Transition"
Expect a detachable touch screen paradigm. Apple has always favored the idea of a computer/display combo. Multi-touch tablet is exactly what the doctor ordered.
I would definitely agree. The only way out would be if Apple pulls this one off really well.
Sounds like it could be next computer in 4-5 years' time. It'll be around the price of the MB Air but cost much more to produce. I'll wait for the more refined version once my MBP runs to the end of its life.
Possibly.
Or MacBook Pro Touch
Possibly.
Or MacBook Pro Touch
Sounds like it could be next computer in 4-5 years' time. It'll be around the price of the MB Air but cost much more to produce. I'll wait for the more refined version once my MBP runs to the end of its life.
Possibly.
Or MacBook Pro Touch
The intention of course is for all notebooks to contain this functionality (touch is the future) while being as thin as the Air - they will all move into one product line once the prices are available.
Possibly.
Or MacBook Pro Touch
The intention of course is for all notebooks to contain this functionality (touch is the future) while being as thin as the Air - they will all move into one product line once the prices are available.
i'm a target market for this type of device
although i don't believe those specs - as everyone says, they're neither one thing nor another
but a touch-screen tablet mac would be ace. i have a mac mini hooked up to my tv - but 9 times out of ten, i find myself using the screen share on my macbook to control the mouse of the mini
and that's not comfortable and not practical - but a tablet would be perfect
and it'd be great for photoshop
and utterly brilliant for Fallout 3 and StarCraft 2 when they get released - i SO wanna play StarCraft via a touch screen interface
although i don't believe those specs - as everyone says, they're neither one thing nor another
but a touch-screen tablet mac would be ace. i have a mac mini hooked up to my tv - but 9 times out of ten, i find myself using the screen share on my macbook to control the mouse of the mini
and that's not comfortable and not practical - but a tablet would be perfect
and it'd be great for photoshop
and utterly brilliant for Fallout 3 and StarCraft 2 when they get released - i SO wanna play StarCraft via a touch screen interface
Hmm, I don't know about this.
I can't see them making a device with a screen larger than the iPhone's but smaller than say, 12".
Next, I can't see them removing a physical keyboard from a "computer". UMPC's failed.
Perhaps a thinner macbook with a multi touch display is possible (essentially a convertible laptop). But without a way to take notes on the screen with a pen, a lot of potential users will be disappointed.
I can't see them making a device with a screen larger than the iPhone's but smaller than say, 12".
Next, I can't see them removing a physical keyboard from a "computer". UMPC's failed.
Perhaps a thinner macbook with a multi touch display is possible (essentially a convertible laptop). But without a way to take notes on the screen with a pen, a lot of potential users will be disappointed.
I dunno.....this sounds cool but when potential buyers are faced with the choice between a MacBook and a MacBook Touch, I think the regular MacBook is going to win out the vast majority of the time because a keyboard is just way too practical.
What would be really cool is essentially the MacBook touch but with an ultra-thin keyboard that spins 180 degrees and folds into the back of the screen. So essentially it would be a laptop with the guts behinds the screen instead of under the keyboard.....and you could discretely fold the keyboard away.
One problem with that is that it would be very tippy. You'd need some way to keep it balanced with all the weight in the screen....it's probably better to just give us a new MacBook with a touch screen.
What would be really cool is essentially the MacBook touch but with an ultra-thin keyboard that spins 180 degrees and folds into the back of the screen. So essentially it would be a laptop with the guts behinds the screen instead of under the keyboard.....and you could discretely fold the keyboard away.
One problem with that is that it would be very tippy. You'd need some way to keep it balanced with all the weight in the screen....it's probably better to just give us a new MacBook with a touch screen.
I just thought of something....
If it does have the tablet form-factor with no physical keyboard (not the MB/MBP form factor), why would it be a Macbook Touch, wouldn't it just be a "Mac Touch"?
If it does have the tablet form-factor with no physical keyboard (not the MB/MBP form factor), why would it be a Macbook Touch, wouldn't it just be a "Mac Touch"?
Now I agree there! All the rumors/gossip and actual updates to Apple's products are related to the iPhone.... It's been this way for months. I'm glad to see a Mac Rumor (on Mac Rumors....) for the first time in a while
Now, if this is true, how much will it cost? $1,799 USD? $2,999 USD? Wouldn't be surprised...
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Very good thinking. Maybe [if it is true] it will be called the Mac Touch.
I don't doubt that it appears Apple is definitely introducing some innovative new product. I can imagine some type of multi-touch tablet, or modified next-gen Macbook that deeply integrates multi-touch gesturing, although I'm unsure of the practicality of this. You can't use Multi-touch with a vertically-oriented screen on a normal laptop, so it would have to either be a tablet form factor, or the gesturing would be done on the horizontal surface like the Touchpad on the macbook air.
Whatever it is they are cooking up, if it is a lot bigger than an iPhone and has full-computer/full-OSX functionality, then I doubt PA SEMI is involved. First of all, I don't see them ever using POWER-based chips for anything. And although ARM has some new powerful offerings, like the multi-core and 1.0ghz capable Cortex-A9, I would assume they would want to use x86 if it is running full OSX and meant for general computing use. Well, I guess if the product was a ~5-7" tablet that was meant to be similar to a super-sized iPod touch, then they could stay with ARM and just use a more powerful Cortex A8 or A9. I don't know, It's all really speculation, but it sure is killing me trying to imagine what they have in the pipeline!
Oh, and Immersion's mobile-phone "haptic technology" is pathetic. I'm sick of these companies hyping up what is nothing more than a VIBRATING SCREEN. I don't want the damn phone to vibrate after I touch the touchscreen, that is NOT the primary goal of "haptic" sensory technology. The *REAL CHALLENGE* that needs to be solved with touchscreens is that you are unable to feel the boundaries of the virtual buttons, which means you have to look at the keys to type and which reduces your positioning accuracy. THAT is what they need to come up with a solution for. a "pre-action" haptics, not a "post-action" haptics.
Whatever it is they are cooking up, if it is a lot bigger than an iPhone and has full-computer/full-OSX functionality, then I doubt PA SEMI is involved. First of all, I don't see them ever using POWER-based chips for anything. And although ARM has some new powerful offerings, like the multi-core and 1.0ghz capable Cortex-A9, I would assume they would want to use x86 if it is running full OSX and meant for general computing use. Well, I guess if the product was a ~5-7" tablet that was meant to be similar to a super-sized iPod touch, then they could stay with ARM and just use a more powerful Cortex A8 or A9. I don't know, It's all really speculation, but it sure is killing me trying to imagine what they have in the pipeline!
Oh, and Immersion's mobile-phone "haptic technology" is pathetic. I'm sick of these companies hyping up what is nothing more than a VIBRATING SCREEN. I don't want the damn phone to vibrate after I touch the touchscreen, that is NOT the primary goal of "haptic" sensory technology. The *REAL CHALLENGE* that needs to be solved with touchscreens is that you are unable to feel the boundaries of the virtual buttons, which means you have to look at the keys to type and which reduces your positioning accuracy. THAT is what they need to come up with a solution for. a "pre-action" haptics, not a "post-action" haptics.