Here's my 3D mock-up
Nice mockup, but I hope that the device wont look like that. Who needs a 10" tablet? Seriously? How do you type with that thing?
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More Sources Point to a Touchscreen Apple Netbook in 2009
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Nice mockup, but I hope that the device wont look like that. Who needs a 10" tablet? Seriously? How do you type with that thing?
This is something I didn't want to think about too closely: they make this thing their top end device and filter down tech into the laptop line.
Somehow I doubt they will do that, and this tablet (assuming it is a tablet) will be lower end and limited in processor power and price. $1099.
Absolutely wrong. Physical keyboards are a necessity for professionals who do data entry and massive typing. However, they are not necessary on most all portable devices if they can be put on the screen similar to the iPhone.
If a future device like a tablet can Bluetooth a real keyboard it will find a wider customer base.
I don't think apple will go with moving parts (slide out KB, things that may break) I think they will go with minimalism to match there product line, so its the latter
Agreed.
Moving parts look like hell, function badly with time, and have a greater possibility of breaking. Simplification has always been Apple's M.O. since Jobs came back.
As long as you can sketch and paint without lag i will be happy
Having a 10" touch device without adequate artist function seems somewhat criminal to me!
As long as you can sketch and paint without lag i will be happy
Having a 10" touch device without adequate artist function seems somewhat criminal to me!
I agree with that. I'm worried it comes out as a mere web browser device, like a larger iPT. If this is a Cintiq mini but with all software inside, I'm sold on it.
if you do allot of typing I'm sure a BT keyboard would ease your pain.
I for one don't type that much to be honest, so it wouldn't bother me to have an on screen keyboard just for the odd Google search, forum entry and file name save at most.
Isn't that what a touch screen is all about? touching it
You said who needs a 10" tablet? I would love one for art and design.
Alias sketchbook pro comes to mind.
So you need a stand to place the display on the desk, then you have a separate keyboard that you can use for typing. Instead of carrying one device, I would need two, and it would be next to impossible to use the device on my lap (when I'm commuting for example).
Targetting art and design would be targetting a niche. Apple want a mainstream-device.
I've heard the dock idea and the Bluetooth idea, what if it was a dock with a keyboard? I don't have any software to make any real mock up, but imagine a macbook where the screen pulled off from the hinge area (with like a one inch socket type deal at the hinges of the keyboard). The whole unit could be carried around like a clam netbook or you can detach the screen to use it like a tablet. Its a little hard to imagine it looking good and functioning well though. I like the tablet w/ BT keyboard idea, but the real sweet thing would be if they do happen to find a way to make the two units portable as one device. If apple did go with something like this (which I doubt) I still think it will have low end specs to price it lower.
any other ideas on how the two could be portable as one?? in a way that they would protect eachother????
any other ideas on how the two could be portable as one?? in a way that they would protect eachother????
I wouldn't say targeting a niche.
I would think of it as expanding to a wider audience as well as mainstream
Thanks for commenting on my 3D mock-up regardless
Great reply buddy, I am aware of most of what you said but I didn't know about the recent purchase you mentioned. That will be so great, the atom sucks so badly, it's an anachronism, even amd kicks it's butt. But I was also looking for detailed h2h benchmarks.
Fortunately there's a device perfect for people with typing requirements - - it's a MacBook!
Every machine can't be everything to everybody.
Personally, a 10" Mac tablet is exactly what I'm looking for, and I'm ready to pay my Apple tax for one asap - - bring it on!
Here's my 3D mock-up
F**K yeah!
PLEASE have a 2.93GHz processor!
PLEASE have 4GB of RAM!
PLEASE have an optical drive!
PLEASE have FireWire! (Just kidding)
PLEASE be $199!!! (OK that's not me, but some of you guys....)
Uh, HP has a 12" Convertible tablet with an AMD Turion X2-72, 4GB, 320GB HD and a ATI 3200 video card for $899.
I was thinking about that, also. It would be cool if it folded neatly in half but it would be tough to hide the necessary split between the two pieces of glass when using it in full tablet mode. And if that was the only place that the display was required to be flexible, it might just be better to use two displays nestled side-by-side. Still, you have an aesthetic (and probably functional) issue at the crease.
Maybe something like this would be better.
The fold wouldn't be as tight but you'd still be able to protect the screen when it's put away. If the physical keyboard was removed, when folded up as a netbook an on-screen keyboard could display in portrait mode vs. landscape mode when opened as a tablet.
I'm really hoping for an Apple netbook in 2009. I'm very tempted to buy a competitor and try to put OS X on it. I could care less if its touchscreen though. I'd be happy with just multitouch.
They should put a tiny trackpad on top of each key on the keyboard and then you could slide your fingers over the keyboard to move the curser. Then get rid of the trackpad and just have a single mouse button.
They should put a tiny trackpad on top of each key on the keyboard and then you could slide your fingers over the keyboard to move the curser. Then get rid of the trackpad and just have a single mouse button.
I was thinking about that, also. It would be cool if it folded neatly in half but it would be tough to hide the necessary split between the two pieces of glass when using it in full tablet mode. And if that was the only place that the display was required to be flexible, it might just be better to use two displays nestled side-by-side. Still, you have an aesthetic (and probably functional) issue at the crease.
Maybe something like this would be better.
The fold wouldn't be as tight but you'd still be able to protect the screen when it's put away. If the physical keyboard was removed, when folded up as a netbook an on-screen keyboard could display in portrait mode vs. landscape mode when opened as a tablet.
It's an interesting design problem. The tightness of the fold would be important here. Replacing a crease hinge with one that's more of a half circle bend is most likely a deal breaker for Apple as it increases the overall thickness of the device. On the flipside, a gradual bend in the center would be really cool to work with on a desk. The rigidity of the hinge would remain consistent as you bend it from completely flat on a surface to slightly bent up for viewing+typing.
Two separate screens side-by-side still offers lots of possibilities. Industrial design is so interesting.
No, the Macbook Air, if you want to put it into the netbook arena, is the "Cadillac Escalade" of netbooks (over sized, and over priced, relative to its competition).
Whether you like the Macbook Air or not, the Macbook Air is way too big and way too expensive to be in the "netbook" category.
I have a first gen Air and while I wouldn't call it a netbook by any means, I love it and defend it. Does everything I need and does it beautifully.
What the heck IS that fugly Windows gadget above? I hope that's just a prototype and wasn't actually brought to market? Oh it's so bad.
Am I the only one that sees this multi-touch 'tablet' as the perfect Carputer or somehow integrated in the car? 10" is too big though IMO. I was hopeing for 8".
Or - a Kindle alternative.
What the heck IS that fugly Windows gadget above? I hope that's just a prototype and wasn't actually brought to market? Oh it's so bad.
Am I the only one that sees this multi-touch 'tablet' as the perfect Carputer or somehow integrated in the car? 10" is too big though IMO. I was hopeing for 8".
Or - a Kindle alternative.
50 bucks says as soon as this is released, the story here on macrumors will have WAY more negatives than possitive ratings. "i want this, i want that... screw apple until that happens." So ridiculous.