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More Sources Point to a Touchscreen Apple Netbook in 2009

I've said it before and I'll say it again... A touch screen does *NOT* make sense with a traditional clamshell notebook (or desktop) where you are interacting with a vertical display! The ergonomics don't make any sense -- Who is going to want to hold their arms in the air in front of them manipulating a touch display???

If there is a real device being made with a ~9-10 touchscreen, I'd have to assume it is going to be some type of multi-touch tablet, either with a smartphone/UMPC style slide-out keyboard on the bottom that is parallel to the display or lacking a physical keyboard altogether.
 
manhattanboy said:
$500 bucks for FULL osX functionality?
Say good-bye to the entire Apple laptop line then.
Gosh I hope so, but will not hold my breath
Click to expand...

Ok, ok, maybe $499 won't happen:rolleyes: Although that would be nice!

But hopefully it won't be higher than... $599-$649. That probably would be a good price point.

I can't wait for it to be released! I really hope Apple does release one!
 
VIP question ? why no one is asking?

greetings ,

will it support a GSM card? to use 3G internet? like an iphone?
if no GSM then will other phones be able to sync as a modem for this netbook?

example

[ NETBOOK ] -- sync -- [ PHONE or IPHONE ] --- ( INTERNET )
netbook make use of phones or iphone as a modem for it to connect on the net

enough with these complications
i just wish it will support GSM or provide full sync to all kinds of model phones which can still let this netbook connect online instead of WIFI
sometimes people needs internet in places where their is no internet , forexample shoping...
if i will be shopping and like to make some photos on products to compare online quickly i would be able to do so , some places like woolworth and many shopping centers like carrefour dont have a hotspot for wifi

lets hope this netbook thinks more with the online features rather then putting their confidence with wifi as the source of demand.

btw about keyboard thing which people have problems with touchscheen , this netbook provides a USB , then you can attach a wireless mini usb which looks cool or they can provide it.
 
winterspan said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again... A touch screen does *NOT* make sense with a traditional clamshell notebook (or desktop) where you are interacting with a vertical display! The ergonomics don't make any sense -- Who is going to want to hold their arms in the air in front of them manipulating a touch display???

If there is a real device being made with a ~9-10 touchscreen, I'd have to assume it is going to be some type of multi-touch tablet, either with a smartphone/UMPC style slide-out keyboard on the bottom that is parallel to the display or lacking a physical keyboard altogether.
Click to expand...


...I'm not disagreeing, but ASUS seems to think this way...
20090302-c-3.jpg


What would be nice is a cheap, flat tablet Mac with this functionality when combined:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/david_merrill_demos_siftables_the_smart_blocks.html
 
I see the point in netbooks, but I don't see the point in expensive netbooks. People I know have bought their netbooks to be their second or third computer, because they are so cheap and it's not that big investment. The success of netbooks is based on the low price. Personally I don't see how a netbook with high price (for example Sony Vaio P) could be as successful as the lower priced models. If the price point goes too close to the "normal" laptop, it's not easy to find reasons why you need a second or third full-priced computer.
 
is anyone seeing this being the new macbook air??

the macbook air as we know it, is essiently a experimental computer pushing the limits.

why cant the advances and technology , R &D that has made the macbook air, be passed onto future macbook and pros.

in the meanwhile, the macbook air as it stands becomes obselete, being replaced with a device that will function and have the same power as the macbook air, possibl come in two flavours.

10 inch and 13 inch sizes.

itll be a touch screen device, and just like the macbook air, itll become a experimental computer which future computers may benefit, just like the current air will.

as for the price, it will not be anywhere near the netbook range, itll be in the macbook AIR range, and hell, may even cost more than that.

it wouldnt be intended as a netbook, yet fills in that gap bewteen macbook/pros and the iphone, which the macbook air currently does, it dosent make sense to have iphone/touch, a touch netbook, macbook air, then macbooks, and macbook pros.
 
teme said:
I see the point in netbooks, but I don't see the point in expensive netbooks. People I know have bought their netbooks to be their second or third computer, because they are so cheap and it's not that big investment. The success of netbooks is based on the low price. Personally I don't see how a netbook with high price (for example Sony Vaio P) could be as successful as the lower priced models. If the price point goes too close to the "normal" laptop, it's not easy to find reasons why you need a second or third full-priced computer.
Click to expand...

I agree - today's enthusiasts make it too easy to build a hackintosh out of compatible hardware. I'd bet this gets more fullproof in the future. I'll wait for Apple to release some kind of Moorestown/Lincroft device, and if they don't or if they price something too high, I'll pick up a cheap one from HP/EEE/Dell and roll my own.

iAlan said:
My money is on this devise replacing the MacBook Air - with the MacBook Air being the first stepping stone to the new device. Apple needed to test some technologies and the MacBook Air was the result. Now for the next step..
Click to expand...

Why replace the Air? They've positioned it as a high-end laptop. I'd still make it, and improve it over time.

The netbook/tablet would/should be marketed as a companion device. They can skip video out, firewire, maybe even USB - and rely on bt for peripheral connectivity and wifi for streaming. By doing that they won't cannibalize other machine sales, they'd be creating new markets and exploiting new opportunities.
 
winterspan said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again... A touch screen does *NOT* make sense with a traditional clamshell notebook (or desktop) where you are interacting with a vertical display! The ergonomics don't make any sense --


Who is going to want to hold their arms in the air in front of them manipulating a touch display???
Click to expand...

a lot of the posters on this forum http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewforum.php?id=12 , who are even prepared to void their warranties in order to get a touchscreen in their eeepc.

just because it doesnt make sense to you, doesnt mean other people dont want it.
 
jackfrost123 said:
Can someone post a speculative at least comparison between the new arm cortexes (some implementation of them at least, the atoms and the c2 duos, or are they so different implementations that no easy tools exist to test them for the average user?
Click to expand...

Atom is an Intel processor, optimised for power consumption. Power consumption is great compared to Core Duo. It is absolutely abysmal compared to any ARM processor.

Note that Apple owns a company that has been and is producing processors. And some unnamed company has recently bought an unlimited license to ARM processors, which allows them to do anything they want with the ARM design (your can take a guess who that is, but that license only makes sense if you are capable of producing your own processors). And ARM is a very simple device that can easily be modified. So I would not be surprised at all if Apple comes out with a very powerful and very low-power ARM+ processor.

If the "blown-up iPod Touch" theory is correct, this device will be very light and therefore don't have a really big battery. Say three times the size of an iPod Touch battery. With an ARM processor, this would give you an excellent battery life. With Atom, not so. With Core 2, forget it.
 
and how much will they cost ? apple like, US$10.000 and if you want 2 more Gigs of Ram US$30.000 ?
 
winterspan said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again... A touch screen does *NOT* make sense with a traditional clamshell notebook (or desktop) where you are interacting with a vertical display! The ergonomics don't make any sense -- Who is going to want to hold their arms in the air in front of them manipulating a touch display???
Click to expand...


i agree... I don't see the point...
 
I seem to recall an apple patent regarding touchscreen input to both sides of the glass.

Just brainstorming here, but would it be possible that such a device could have a display capable of projecting both ways? I'm thinking of a clamshell device where the where the screen can be used from the outside as a tablet, or opened up and used in clamshell fashion. The hinge design could then be similar to any laptop.

If apple decides to play on the MID market it will be fascinating to see which direction they choose. Do they stay with Intel and a full version of OS-X?, do they develop something using ARM/PA semi?, or do they peruse a hybrid strategy?

To me a real point of interest is whether their entry into this market will be:
A) powerful enough to run a VM, or:
B) able to support a boot camp environment.
(I think apple is still conscious of switchers)
 
winterspan said:
Who is going to want to hold their arms in the air in front of them manipulating a touch display???
Click to expand...
I agree as well. But HP did it with the TouchSmart (which sucks, by the way, I tried one the other day), and people are (amazingly) buying that.

If Apple does decide to do this, I'm positive they'll figure out some way to make computing on a touchscreen notebook comfortable. :)

SFStateStudent said:
I'm still thinkin' they will sell for about $999, at least $100 more than the Sony Vaio P, but the plus is "Snow Leopard" as the OS....:eek::p
Click to expand...
If Apple goes through with this, the thing will have to be no more than $700 if it wants to sell. $699 would be fairly attractive, $599 would definitely be a possibility, and $499 would knock my socks off.

Apple, if you're reading this (and I know you are- don't lie), it really can't be too hard to take the mainboard from the Mini, stretch it out a bit, lay the memory slots horizontally, and shove that into a frame. :rolleyes:
 
andiwm2003 said:
Intel Core 2 Duo based
32 GB SSD
2GB ram or more
USB
10" 1280x800
full OS X
physical keyboard
all standard apps
G3 wifi via AT&T built in
$899

but that won't happen because it's too close to a MBA and I'm not sure it could be done for $899
Click to expand...

Why is it that whenever the discussion turns to a potential new product from Apple, you guys have totally unrealistic expectations? If you are expecting those specs, you will be disappointed. Especially if you expect to get them at a netbookish pricepoint.

You are much more likely looking at

Intel Atom, single core or dual-core
maybe NVIDIA Ion
1GB of RAM
16-32GB of flash-storage
1024x600 screen-resolution

Maybe two versions. One with 16GB of flash and single-core Atom, for $699. Another, with 32GB of storage and dual-core Atom, for $899.

C2D, high-resolution screen, 2GB RAM etc. would push the price close to 1000 bucks. And the battery-life would be crap.
 
winterspan said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again... A touch screen does *NOT* make sense with a traditional clamshell notebook (or desktop) where you are interacting with a vertical display! The ergonomics don't make any sense -- Who is going to want to hold their arms in the air in front of them manipulating a touch display???

If there is a real device being made with a ~9-10 touchscreen, I'd have to assume it is going to be some type of multi-touch tablet, either with a smartphone/UMPC style slide-out keyboard on the bottom that is parallel to the display or lacking a physical keyboard altogether.
Click to expand...

I think that one day there will be a "touchscreen device" that you can slide in your macbookpro to sync and use as a removable HD. That "device" is a 260Gb SSD ipod/iphone 10"-12" tablet (with OS) that can double as touchpad in your MBP or a touch remote for your apple TV through blue tooth. It can be used as a drawingpad and it has connection to a standalone folded full keyboard.
You can also use it to operate your MP, iMac, MBP with the wifi itunes connection and your stereo.

Sort of a Multipurpose tablet that you can use as "the everything you can control gizmo".

Now thàt would be something I'm willing to pay a lot of money for.

Someday

As for a touchscreen iMac? No thanks, but a touchscreen next to my keyboard that I can use to "sort of remote touchscreen" my iMac (MP or MBP) would make me happy.

Ah, If I where CEO of Apple, the things I would invent for you guys (and girls, how about a Macbarbie? No that sounds more like a pink burger) :D
 
I don't think it is going to be a netbook. I think it is going to have a bigger screen and feature-wise it is going to be between the ipod touch and iphone. It is going to work with the appstore. It would be nice if it has better speakers, GPS and a more useful bluetooth. We would need at least 32GB. It should more oriented to business than multimedia. Copy and paste?
For example, we should be able to export documents from the email app to an office suite and edit them. I have hard Quickoffice and Dataviz cannot do that with the iphone, which makes it a nice toy.
 
I`ve posted numerous comments before on why Apple will eventually produce a tablet and not a netbook, so i`m not going to rehash it here.

Just to say, look at Safari 4`s tabs & top sites and tell me that`s not for a multi-touch (on the screen) user interface. It`s screaming to be dragged by finger.

I don`t see Apple launching new macbooks in the autumn with multitouch screens, they`ve made it perfectly clear that they think the ergonomics of that suck and are going the multi-touch gesture route via trackpad.

It`s a tablet, end of story. Shame it won`t have a physical keyboard, but Apple in no way wants this competing with a macbook.

M. :cool:
 
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