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Speculation About a 'MacBook Touch' Builds

I love the Idea of a Macbook Touch ...this is what I;ve been waiting for..hehehee.willl be very useful in the healthcare setting...

However, aesthetics aside..I'm just a bit worried about the egronomics of the keyboard..Having a multitouch keyboard is indeed sexy,useful and all (Something I myself m in love with)...however, I'm just afraid that prolong use of "flattened" multitouch keyboard may induce pain in the wrist and or wrist-joint effects.
 
Fingerprints

Yes, there are some that say "get over it" but... When you have something larger like a notebook or tablet or lets say a touchable iMac fingerprints become MORE noticable. Like I stated in my original, I have an ipod Touch. I love it and since it is small enough the fingerprints are not too bad are difficult to wipe. When you put this on a larger display you risk pressure and scratching when wiping unless it is durable enough to take it. again FWIW.

p.s. I just dropped some chip crumbs in my keyboard.... I like the keyboard sound better now ;-)
 
rroback said:
I'd love a tablet. I wish it could function as a wireless monitor for a desktop, obviously touch sensitive. Like a Cintiq.
Click to expand...

Let's assume that the monitor is only 1024x768 (which would be unfortunate). Let's assume that you want it as a real monitor, displaying actual pixels, not a compressed VNC client. Let's assume that you want 60Hz update speed.

1024x768x(3 bytes per pixel)x60fps = 135MB/s

802.11n is about a factor of 10 too slow to handle that.

So, you'd need to have at least a factor of 10 compression on the desktop, or put up with slow frame rates. Probably both.

This would still be highly interesting, but I wouldn't call it a wireless monitor for general purposes.
 
Phrogz said:
Let's assume that the monitor is only 1024x768 (which would be unfortunate). Let's assume that you want it as a real monitor, displaying actual pixels, not a compressed VNC client. Let's assume that you want 60Hz update speed.

1024x768x(3 bytes per pixel)x60fps = 135MB/s

802.11n is about a factor of 10 too slow to handle that.

So, you'd need to have at least a factor of 10 compression on the desktop, or put up with slow frame rates. Probably both.

This would still be highly interesting, but I wouldn't call it a wireless monitor for general purposes.
Click to expand...

Easily solvable by using the XWindows client/server system. The tablet (obviously) has its own CPU/GPU already, even if it is very minimal (Xscale or Atom, etc). The desktop doesn't send a video frame to the tablet, it sends instructions to it. Draw this window with this content here, resize this object to this size. Not good for gaming, but for "work" it would get the job done just fine at any resolution.
 
I think Apple is already transitioning to flatter and ultimatively no keyboards. The Apple Pro keyboard was curved and had old-school computer keys. The current aluminum keyboard lost the curve, the keys themselves got flat and key action got reduced a lot. So the next step is going to be a totally flat surface with the keys printed/painted/displayed on it and minimal tactile feedback. I think people would actually type faster with a customizable touch keyboard.

Imagine you're a touch typist and could split curve the middle row so it's most comforable to you like some "ergonomic" keyboards do. You're a programmer? put those paranthesis and special characters where you need them. Entering numbers in spredsheet? Just minimize/scale/move the letter keyboard and bring up the number pad.

I'd love an open touch keyboard API. Imagine a Java programming environment with keys like:

while(@)
{@}
for(@1;@2;@3)
throws @Exception;

where @ is a placeholder and the next thing you enter goes in there. I know, you can do this with macros already, but actual buttons would be so much nicer and easier,
 
tny said:
Imagine an iPod Touch with a 7 inch 720x480 screen (is there such an LCD?) which will pair with a bluetooth keyboard/mouse and have a stand so it can act like a monitor when you want, runs all iPod Touch apps, with a few more advanced apps (say an iWork Touch), has a front (rather than back) camera with video recording/video chat capabilities, can run BackToMyMac, and can stream from iTunes like an Apple TV. Price it $799 or $899 (sans keyboard and mouse). Are you telling me you wouldn't buy that?
Click to expand...


Sounds very nice, but I don't see it coming under $1K.
 
"A new Apple product"

Does anyone think the "MacBook touch" has anything to do with this from 6 June 2008?

Apple said:
Apple is look[ing] for a man and woman in their mid-20's to film a demo of a new Apple product. They are not looking for recognizable faces or names, and ideally the person would be "average to mildly attractive with nice hands". They must also have the ability to play the guitar or piano at an intermediate level.

The shoot will take place in Hollywood sometime in the next 6 to 8 weeks. Please let me know if you have any clients interested in this unique opportunity.

Again, Apple is not interested in recognizable talent. The focus will be on the new product and not the person.
Click to expand...
Multi-touch guitar/piano playing on a tablet? iLife '09? 6~8 weeks from early June would be late July to early August, about when the MacBook touch may be completed if it is to be released in September/October.
 
iMacmatician said:
... Multi-touch guitar/piano playing on a tablet? ...
Click to expand...

Might be nice for children, but anyone who could actually plays a real guitar or keyboard would find it extremely toyish in nature. It might be something to use to sketch out a piece in a situation where real instruments weren't available, or as a novelty act on the Ed Sullivan Show or Ted Mac's Amateur Hour (provided you had access to a time machine). But as an musical instrument interface it would be about as useful as an interface made by glueing some bong screens on a piece of plywood, wired up as touch-pads.
 
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