Revolutionary product similar to G4 Cube idea?

It's gonna be a tablet/Newton 2.

[quote]Originally posted by The Rootwitch:
<strong>It's gonna be a tablet/Newton 2.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Jobs hates PDAs or at least he doesn't think it is worth it for Apple to get involved in one.

Chris

Tablet does not = PDA.

Tablet could be a full fledged OS X system.

I'm leaning more toward a tablet, but I would like a Newton 2 more. Why? I have an iBook and an older Newton, and I can use the iBook for regular computer use wherever I want. The Newton serves a different purpose for me, and I could always use something smaller and lighter.

That said, I would buy a tablet if it came out, anyway.

What would you consider the differenace between a PDA and tablet, other than size? How much of a performance jump could one expcet from PDA to tablet, and what size screen/resolution could you get with a tablet? And cost?

I think Apple and Steve Jobs think a iMac with a 15.1 inch LCD, extremely small form factor for a desktop and a G4 is revolutionary.

If anything, you should have learned over the years that Apple only releases ahead of the curve items now, not ahead of their time items like they used to.

so no tablet, pda, newton, etc

You think the Cube crashed and burned, just wait till Apple introduces the iSlab/iTablet. "Less functional than an iBook, at only twice the price!" I see it now. A tablet is like a big PDA with (sometimes) a CD-ROM, and a faster processor and better OS. People should just get an iBook. There is no room in Apple's product line for a tablet.

Did the cube die or was it that the Mot processors just weren't up to speed for a place to have the cube fall into? If Mot had 667Mhz for the powermac then the 500Mhz cube might have worked for an in between the Imac to powermac spot.

I'm going to say that there won't be a tablet/newton2.

The LCD iMac will have to be tiny to make use of the LCD. Otherwise, there would be no justification for the higher price of an LCD iMac. To better the current compact CRT design sufficiently, an LCD imac would have to occupy only slightly more real estate than the 15in PowerMac LCD.

This would overlap far too much with a tablet design. And a new PDA? The iPod overlaps too much.

Thank you and good night,

C.pres

[quote]Originally posted by preston:
<strong>I'm going to say that there won't be a tablet/newton2.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I'm going to say there will be.

[quote]The LCD iMac will have to be tiny to make use of the LCD. Otherwise, there would be no justification for the higher price of an LCD iMac. To better the current compact CRT design sufficiently, an LCD imac would have to occupy only slightly more real estate than the 15in PowerMac LCD.<hr></blockquote>
Apple has ordered 100,000 15" LCD screens, and a company (I don't recall which) is manufacturing an AIO LCD computer for Apple.

[quote]This would overlap far too much with a tablet design.<hr></blockquote>
How is an iMac a tablet? A tablet runs on batteries and is portable, the iMac doesn't and isn't.

[quote]And a new PDA? The iPod overlaps too much.<hr></blockquote>
The iPod is an MP3 player. The only other thing you can do is play Breakout, and that's not very productive. A PDA is an organizer. There's nothing similar except that they're both small, can fit in your pocket, and have a display.

[quote]Think for a minute, what have been the last couple really new system announcements?:

iMac in May 1998
iBook in July 1999
Cube in July 2000 (discontinued July 2001)

They haven't released a really new system in a year and a half, so it's probably time for a new product in the grid.<hr></blockquote>

Can you say iPod?

[quote]Originally posted by applenut:
<strong>I think Apple and Steve Jobs think a iMac with a 15.1 inch LCD, extremely small form factor for a desktop and a G4 is revolutionary.
</strong><hr></blockquote>

And they would be right, as far as I'm concerned. I'd break my arm reaching for my wallet to buy one.

And G4Dude, regarding the "tablet not fitting in and having no use", I couldn't agree more.

Buy an iBook, people! Jeez. Tablet, my ass.



An overpriced, limited appeal thing like a tablet would make the G4 Cube look like the circa 1999 iMac. Talk about limited appeal. A small chunk of an already small user base.

And, being Apple, do any of you truly think it would be priced in any reasonable manner upon its initial release?

Uh...no.

It would tank quicker than you can say "Flower Power".

[ 12-21-2001: Message edited by: pscates ]</p>

[quote]Originally posted by CosmoNut:
I would venture to say that there's a good spot in the middle for the Cube-like product in Apple's current product line.<hr></blockquote>

If the Tablet mac is only an AirPort powered auxillary screen for a nearby AirPort equipped Mac then the Cube would be the perfect Hub for it. My specs for Cube2:

Apollo @ 1 Gig
WD 100 GB Caviar (I have one in my Cube - sweet!)
ATI Radon "All-in-Wonder" w/ TiVo record to disk
DVD combo drive - SuperDrive optional
512MB (one SIMM)
Gigabit ethernet
56K Modem

$1699 & $1999 US

People who want the Mac Tablet and don't have a Mac could buy this "Digital Hub" and forgo the monitor in favor of the Mac tablet ($699 - just a wireless screen repeater, might use Motorola embedded 8540 like a set top box)

[ 12-21-2001: Message edited by: Aphelion ]</p>

nd G4Dude, regarding the "tablet not fitting in and having no use", I couldn't agree more.

Buy an iBook, people! Jeez. Tablet, my ass.

This is just a daydream but what if the LCD iMac was a Tablet that would run on rechargeble batteries and would sit in a stand on your desk top that has the CD DVD CDRW ... and would charge in the stand.. an LCD iMac and a iTab all in one?

I think Apple and Steve Jobs think a iMac with a 15.1 inch LCD, extremely small form factor for a desktop and a G4 is revolutionary.

A product such as this would be a revolution in CONSUMER standards for a desktop machine.

As for the tablet idea, I think Job's description of a CONSUMER product is not a tablet. A tablet truly does NOT have universal appeal. Apple will give us a good show in a few weeks, calm down.

I HATE HOW MANY OF YOU SAY, "You know, it is Apple, the price, the so called revolution..."
Shut up! It is Apple and they are the best computer maker in the world period. Give them credit.

You say you wanna see a revolution?

<a href="http://www.geocities.com/franktau/sj2000.html" target="_blank">http://www.geocities.com/franktau/sj2000.html</a>

This is a revolution that has impacted Apples computers and will do so for a long time.

[quote]Originally posted by Macintosh:
<strong>[b]I HATE HOW MANY OF YOU SAY, "You know, it is Apple, the price, the so called revolution..."
Shut up! It is Apple and they are the best computer maker in the world period. Give them credit.</strong><hr></blockquote>

Well, yes, I agree. But can't I also believe that some of their stuff IS priced a tad high? How many times have we been taken aback at how LOW something new from Apple has been priced?

Doesn't mean I don't love them and would use anything else...but I reserve the right to bitch about excessively pricey stuff.

Lets put the PDA/Tablet crap to rest. Ain't going to happen boys and girls.

I think a tablet equals high price and less functionality than a portable.

Recipe for disaster.

The PDA business is just to cutthroat. People want the things to do everything for a next to nothing price. I think Handspring and Palm will go belly up in the not to distant future. Its just a bad business.

Its a recipe for disaster.

I am with Applenut. Expect an "Insanely Great (tm)" iMac with a new and unique wrinkle or two.

I can't wait!

Cobra

I just thought I would point out, that the invitation that was released overseas were NOT Steve Jobs words.

The following quote is taken from the CNN <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2001/TECH/ptech/12/19/apple.revolutionary.idg/index.html" target="_blank">article </a> that reported this information...

[quote]

Fueling speculation about a flat-panel iMac, Apple says the "powerful, user-friendly, and eye-catching" product will be launched worldwide and is expected to have an "enormous impact." The statements were made in an invitation sent to journalists in The Netherlands late last week.

Apple won't give out more details.

"We have already been too open, judging by the interest this is generating," says Ton van Garderen, general manager for Apple in The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, adding that the Dutch invitation could be "more candid than those sent out in other countries".
<hr></blockquote>

[quote]Originally posted by pscates:
<strong>

Well, yes, I agree. But can't I also believe that some of their stuff IS priced a tad high? How many times have we been taken aback at how LOW something new from Apple has been priced?

Doesn't mean I don't love them and would use anything else...but I reserve the right to bitch about excessively pricey stuff.

</strong><hr></blockquote>
It's hard to have low prices when you have the market share that apple has. They don't have 30M computers sold per year. They have to make a profit to keep making the equipment and software as best as they can. If you ask me they are doing a pretty good job for a small company. Most Rambler (or AMC) size companies would have been long gone by now. I'm amazed actually.

[quote]Originally posted by imacSE:
<strong>

Jobs hates PDAs or at least he doesn't think it is worth it for Apple to get involved in one.

Chris</strong><hr></blockquote>

unfortunate, especially as palm pilots exploded last year

[quote]Originally posted by imacSE:Jobs hates PDAs or at least he doesn't think it is worth it for Apple to get involved in one.<hr></blockquote>But they can get involved with MP3 players, right? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

[quote]Originally posted by Wrong Robot:
<strong>

unfortunate, especially as palm pilots exploded last year</strong><hr></blockquote>


Yeah...they exploded...whatever. There isn't a single PDA maker that is doing well...especially Palm! Where the hell do you get your information, your ass?

[quote]Originally posted by applenut:
<strong>I think Apple and Steve Jobs think a iMac with a 15.1 inch LCD, extremely small form factor for a desktop and a G4 is revolutionary.

If anything, you should have learned over the years that Apple only releases ahead of the curve items now, not ahead of their time items like they used to.

so no tablet, pda, newton, etc</strong><hr></blockquote>

Right. Couldn't be more right. G5 PM and G4 flatscreen iMac.....that is the ticket. They won't be able to make enough of those things....they will fly off the shelves....I agree.

"Jobs hates PDAs or at least he doesn't think it is worth it for Apple to get involved in one."

I hate jobs...

E PLURIBUS UNIX
-----------------------------


[ 12-23-2001: Message edited by: FERRO ]</p>

I hate PDA's too. God, get a piece of paper.

Anyway, most of the people I know who dislike apple think their only cool product was the cube. When I tell them it was discontinued, they were wondering why. The cube was different, and it actually looked really cool. I hope they bring it back, only with a punch.

[ 12-23-2001: Message edited by: corvette ]</p>

We know almost certainly that there will be LCD iMacs at MWSF:

<a href="http://quote.bloomberg.com/fgcgi.cgi?T=marketsquote99_news.ht&s=APBAPshW0UXVh bnRh" target="_blank">Bloomberg article</a>

<a href="http://www.wired.com/news/business/0,1367,48855,00.html" target="_blank">Wired News</a>

Now, do you really think Apple is going to upstage the LCD iMac?

I guarantee you that an LCD iMac is the revolutionary consumer product Steve is talking about. Anyone expecting more should be expecting to be disappointed.

It's the LCD iMac that Jobs is referring to. If he can call the iPod revolutionary, then he can say the same for an LCD G4 iMac.

Apple is not going to make a Tablet anytime soon. The cube was bad enough, and you all want them to make a Tablet? What, do you want to see Apple go under?

A Tablet is so unbelievably USELESS!!!

Why? Because for $50 extra, Apple can add a keyboard and make the tablet into a LAPTOP! And a friggin' laptop is about 100X as useful as a tablet.

A tablet has no efficient way to input data or commands. Touch screens are ok, but not as fast as a mouse or trackpad, and after a few months the screen is so full of gunk it's beyond cleaning. A stylus would work ok, but it's really not much more than a mouse. Handwriting recognition? Go buy a PDA if you want to write short notes by hand. If you want to TYPE information rapidly and efficiently, then buy a laptop.

A tablet is nothing more than a laptop missing the keyboard and trackpad. For those of you who are always whineing about tablets, just go buy a damn laptop!

As for Apple making a Tablet, who the hell would buy it? A few mac fanatics who shop at Sharper Image would buy it, but then who else? Students? No, they write long papers, so they need a keyboard, and they will buy laptops. Home users? Maybe, but let's think about what home users do: music, video, email, internet surfing, word processing. Can a Tablet do ANY of these things BETTER than a laptop? No. So Why not spend an extra couple hundred over a tablet for a laptop, that is more useful and functional?

Will a tablet have room for much of a hard drive? No. So there goes any chance of storing much music or movies. Laptop rules again.

Will a tablet be good for surfing the internet?
Yes, but if you want to participate in any chat rooms or discussion boards, you need to be able to type. Forget about downloading many MP3s or much porn, because the tablet will have a smallish HD.

A tablet would look "cool" to some people on the glass display case at Sharper Image. it would give them that special feeling of buying an item they don't really need for anything. It's the ultimate yuppie scum toy. But Apple learned with the Cube that there isn't enough yuppie scum to support a product. So no Apple tablet for the foreseeable future.

I don't know how many times I've said this but the augmented product matrix has shown it's success back when Apple had many different devices... and then again with the Cube.

Jobs simplified it to a four product matrix for a reason. I am seeing what looks like a new "hub" matrix growing with their software and now with the iPod I can see a periferal matrix but Apple's main computer matrix is going to stay at four for a while till they can get that cube taste out of their mouth.

Mac Guru

That looks like a decapitated Transformer dude!

[quote]Originally posted by Bigc:
<strong>
It's hard to have low prices when you have the market share that apple has. They don't have 30M computers sold per year. They have to make a profit to keep making the equipment and software as best as they can. If you ask me they are doing a pretty good job for a small company. Most Rambler (or AMC) size companies would have been long gone by now. I'm amazed actually.</strong><hr></blockquote>

This is an interesting point. Compared to all PC makers in one lump, yes, Apple has small market share. However, there are a huge number of PC companies sharing that market and only a few are larger than Apple. Recently I saw business survey posted in Japan that showed that one model of the iBook and one of the TiBook were in the top ten sellers of laptops in Japan. That means that with their limited product line they are competing quite well against many other companies that have broader product lines but smaller market share.

Apple products are very profitable, in a normal market. During this down market Apple is holding its own while other companies are suffering or losing market share to Dell.

What Apple doesn't do is make stripped down junk. The new iBooks have better value than any other laptop around. They may not have the lowest sticker price, but for comparable features and quality they are the best value.

[quote]Originally posted by corvette:
<strong>
Anyway, most of the people I know who dislike apple think their only cool product was the cube. When I tell them it was discontinued, they were wondering why. The cube was different, and it actually looked really cool. I hope they bring it back, only with a punch.

[ 12-23-2001: Message edited by: corvette ]</strong><hr></blockquote>

That's how a lot of people I know were too. They got the same feeling now with the iPod that they did with the Cube last year.

Hold on here. We're ARE talking about Mr. Hyperbole himself. King of the Reality Distortion field.

I've noticed a considerable decline in "WOW" factor since Apple introduced the Blue and White PowerMac G3 and the Cube.

I think perhaps the timing is right for something new, the iMac is definetly going to get a remake. Might not be called "iMac" but something will fill its shoes for sure.

Also, keep in mind here that April 1 is Apple's 25th anniversary. Wouldn't surprise me they decide to do something to top the 20th Anniversary Mac from 1997...

My hopes are really on a totally new PowerMac. A new CPU (G5) and *MUCH* higher clock speeds. I'm sorry but 1 Ghz is just not going to cut it. Apple needs to @ 2Ghz like RIGHT NOW.

[quote]Originally posted by tonton:
<strong></strong><hr></blockquote>

Laughed my ass off at rumors when they posted that dodecahedron story.....but now, I think that woul definitely be a "WOW" introduction.......especially if it was the iMac. If you think about it, the iMac doesn't need PCI slots or huge expandability. Having an enclosure like that, if people found it asthetically pleasing, doesn't seem to present any major problems that I can think of.

It still won't happen....but it would an interesting MW introduction if it did....

Might not be called "iMac" but something will fill its shoes for sure.

Apple will always have the imac in their product line. The iMac is single handedly responsible for Apples recovery. The iMac will not go the way of the Dinosaur.