Unannounced Apple Product Found in Web Logs?

[MacRumors]

A NYTimes blog article by John Markoff (via AppleInsider) claims that Apple may already be testing a netbook-sized device. Markoff recaps Jobs' statements from yesterday's financial conference but adds this tidbit in an update to the article:

That would seem to confirm findings that a search engine company shared with me on condition that I not reveal its name: The company spotted Web visits from an unannounced Apple product with a display somewhere between an iPhone and a MacBook. Is it the iPhone 3.0 or the NetMac 1.0?

We're not sure what to make of this information. Had it was presented by someone other than the New York Times' John Markoff, we may have simply dismissed it.

Web user-agent identifications are easy to falsify. In fact, in many browsers users can enter whatever identifying string they would like. Similarly, resolution is a self reported statistic from the user's browser.

No identifying information is provided and a quick perusal of our own web logs have not revealed anything noteworthy. Still, it would be not be surprising that unannounced Apple products would be tested on live websites, though it's unclear how much identifying information Apple would include in such a device.

Article Link: Unannounced Apple Product Found in Web Logs?

 

[Eidorian]

User Agent strings aren't anything new around here.

 

[SimonTheSoundMa]

Yep. Mac Rumours thinks I'm on a iPhone right now, but I'm on latest Firefox nightly.

EDIT: Oops, I had referrer headers disabled.

 

[vanmacguy]

It was a site log just like this that the MacBook Air was first spotted.

End of line.

 

[schneb]

Oh no, ANOTHER laptop offering?

 

[gutefahrt]

Not much to go on here. Weak.

 

[corinhorn]

Not much to go on here. Weak.

Agreed. Got my interest peaked and deflated in seconds.

 

[Rocketman]

ATNN?

Rocketman

 

[Kebabselector]

Agreed. Got my interest peaked and deflated in seconds.

Indeed, visited many a website and got the same result.

 

[bdkennedy1]

Since Apple is no longer pursuing product leaks, they make be throwing out false information about products instead.

 

[zap2]

Yea, I'm gonna dismiss it, but that MacBook Air thing was reported like this no?

I just really want a netMacBook....so I'm gonna use this to hope!

 

[DMann]

Oh no, ANOTHER laptop offering?

The OLO may be fake, but might reveal a highly marketable peripheral for the iPhone. This would be interesting, and would likely work, with a little assistance from an additional internal processor to boot a fully operational OS X - A Netbook for the rest-of-us:

http://localtechwire.com/business/local_tech_wire/venture/story/3725254/

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Cool, I might have to get one when it comes out... stupid apple making things I want.

 

[iSee]

Also, we pretty much know Apple has all kinds of crazy prototypes in their R&D labs. When Steve said they have "some pretty interesting ideas" about netbooks, did you think the ideas were only on paper?

 

[bananabar]

And so the rumour-mill goes into overdrive.

 

[Saladinos]

What sort of UA String contains information about screen size?

This is bogus. No doubt Apple has unannounced products crawling the web, but there's very little information available from a UA String.

 

[arn]

It was a site log just like this that the MacBook Air was first spotted.

End of line.

This isn't true. It was an Adium log, not a web log.

The previous MacBook revision was seen when it was reported based on a battery logging application that saves the MacBook model numbers. But this was not a web log.

arn

 

[iMacmatician]

Yea, I'm gonna dismiss it, but that MacBook Air thing was reported like this no?

Something like that, I can't remember exactly. But we can hope!

And does this mean this device will come out soon, maybe MWSF 2009? I think it would be the main product at MWSF, if it's released there. As excited as I am for the mini-tablet/netbook, I'll keep my hopes in check until there's more rumors.

And AppleInsider's still pushing the iPhone OS mini-tablet…

Also, AppleInsider remains confident that the Cupertino, Calif.-based electronics maker is still developing its larger multi-touch tablet, which would provide more computer-like features and more screen area than either the iPhone or iPod touch. Although it's not known what if anything has changed since the device was pushed past its initially suggested launch timeframe, the hardware when first described was said to be about 50 percent larger than the iPhone and might use the extra breathing room for added software features.

I wondered where that rumor went…

 

[arn]

What sort of UA String contains information about screen size?

This is bogus. No doubt Apple has unannounced products crawling the web, but there's very little information available from a UA String.

Javascript enabled browsers can have their resolution detected.

arn

 

[LeviG]

it could just be a netbook running hackintosh os-x or do they show up as something other than 'os-x running safari' on the logs Screen res as stated is within current netbook range etc and theres been plenty of people getting os-x running on atom hardware.

Now I wouldn't mind seeing an apple netbook or a nice tablet would do fine (preferably with pen and ability to run photoshop or similar) but I'm not going to hold my breath on this.

 

[comradesnarky]

Could be something, could be nothing. Could be a working prototype they decided to employee test. Could come out, could never come out.

 

[M!K]

Even if this is true. which i doubt, i don't want Apple to make a netbook. Those little screens are useless and soooo ugly. Plus Apple already has the MacBook Air which replaces that I believe.

So... no netbook but pleaseeeeeeeee Apple, bring a tablet Mac like a MacBook Touch!!!!

 

[ageha]

A NYTimes blog article by John Markoff (via AppleInsider) claims that Apple may already be testing a netbook-sized device. Markoff recaps Jobs' statements from yesterday's financial conference but adds this tidbit in an update to the article:We're not sure what to make of this information. Had it was presented by someone other than the New York Times' John Markoff, we may have simply dismissed it.

Web user-agent identifications are easy to falsify. In fact, in many browsers users can enter whatever identifying string they would like. Similarly, resolution is a self reported statistic from the user's browser.

No identifying information is provided and a quick perusal of our own web logs have not revealed anything noteworthy. Still, it would be not be surprising that unannounced Apple products would be tested on live websites, though it's unclear how much identifying information Apple would include in such a device.

Article Link: Unannounced Apple Product Found in Web Logs?

"a display somewhere between"??? Size and resolution are not included in user agent strings.

 

[ThinkBrilliant]

Tablet Rumors Are Like Rain.

"If I keep claiming that God told me it was going to rain soon, I’d eventually be right." http://tinyurl.com/55fuac

 

[DMann]

"If I keep claiming that God told me it was going to rain soon, I’d eventually be right."

How Sweet It Is: