i have no desire to have a laptop running ios or a keyboard on an ipad. a hybrid os x that allowed one to run ios apps would be ideal though.
Just to be clear - I like the iPad. I like MacBooks.
If I could chose between 2 devices, identically priced, identically sized, same battery life etc - I'd choose the one with OSX. In that I think we are totally agreed.
The only reason I'd like to see an "iBookAir" (bad name) - or a laptop running iOS - is because an A4-based touch laptop could be smaller/lighter/cheaper. And it would do enough for a great many people.
So if you had to choose between a $1200 MacBookAir (it has to be more expensive than the MacBook if it has the same processing power, right?) or a $600 iBookAir... would your interests change?
I was literally just about to ask that. To me, it makes alot of sense for apple to include an internal 3g cabability to the air to further differentiate it from their other laptops. The air is clearly targeted for the business type who wants a small portable fully functional laptop. For these people 3g is most likely a must.
And the price is worth it if that’s what it takes: with the aluminum case, backlit keys, fast CPU, etc. this is no low-end netbook.
I got the first-gen model, and 3 years later it’s still my primary machine while my iMac gathers dust. It’s not as powerful, but it’s powerful enough... and being so thin and light that I can grab it with one hand and run out the door (or to another room) is something I’m not willing to give up! Now that I’ve tried it, it’s hard to imaging living with any other laptop. They all feel like lugging a brick.
And three years later, my battery life is still great too.
I'm in exactly the same boat. I've probably logged more hours on my first gen MBA than any other mac since I got out of college (for context it was my 11th mac; now up to #13). I have neck/back issues so I notice every pound when I'm lugging things around. I can't see myself going back to a larger laptop. On the other hand, while I'll likely get an iPad soon, iOS isn't a replacement for MacOS X for "real work." The only reason I might not snap up a new MBA when its released is because my old one has nothing wrong with it.
Actually that's not completely true. The darn thing overheats doing video for longer than a few minutes or video iChat. The latter rather sucks when I'm out of town. I'm pretty sure they fixed that with later models.
Just to be clear - I like the iPad. I like MacBooks.
If I could chose between 2 devices, identically priced, identically sized, same battery life etc - I'd choose the one with OSX. In that I think we are totally agreed.
The only reason I'd like to see an "iBookAir" (bad name) - or a laptop running iOS - is because an A4-based touch laptop could be smaller/lighter/cheaper. And it would do enough for a great many people.
So if you had to choose between a $1200 MacBookAir (it has to be more expensive than the MacBook if it has the same processing power, right?) or a $600 iBookAir... would your interests change?
right now i woud say stick with my ipad rather than buy another one with keyboard. and the only reason is the web browser! i have to have a full blown web browser to fully function. i would buy an ios laptop for 600 dollars in a heartbeat if i could run google chrome on it. i have tried safari and its like IE in that i just cannot get used to either of them. i was firefox all the way but now chrome.
right now i will be using the ipad and run into a site that doesn't work and have to get up and get on my imac. eagerly waiting for the day when that will end. not a slight against apple its pervasive on all the mobile devices (do they all use apples webkit?)
But it shares important aspects with netbooks too: 2 Gigs of RAM, small screen, smaller keyboard. It strikes me as a high-quality netbook - limited usability, with a tiny form factor.
it differs from a regular netbook in important respects, however: It cannot play HD movies via HDMI on your home theater system, it cannot access regular web video without crashing, no TV Tuner option, etc.
Are you talking about the rumored next MBA or the current one? The current one has a full-sized screen and full-sized keyboard. No "netbook" compromises in those areas. Those are important. I've owned all the "mini" PowerBooks/MacBooks (PB 100, PB 2400) and over the long haul the cramped keyboards and small screens get annoying (at least for me). So if the next MBA compromises in those areas I probably won't be interested.
I disagree with those suggesting that the MBA should be made less expensive, because that necessarily means it will be less capable, which means that it will be hard to compete with the iPad.
I say go in the opposite direction. Dump the magnetic hard drive completely. Make it SSD only, and fast SSD. Give it more RAM and the fastest CPU/GPU you can possibly put in the form factor. Give it an IPS, LED-backlit display. And while you're at it, give it a single light-peak connection to a docking station (but no other ports -- that will freak people out!).
And make the case out of that liquid metal stuff... and have a built-in 3G radio.
i would buy an ios laptop for 600 dollars in a heartbeat if i could run google chrome on it. i have tried safari and its like IE in that i just cannot get used to either of them. i was firefox all the way but now chrome.
right now i will be using the ipad and run into a site that doesn't work and have to get up and get on my imac. eagerly waiting for the day when that will end. not a slight against apple its pervasive on all the mobile devices (do they all use apples webkit?)
If it's getting used to it - there are options.
Unfortunately they're all based on webkit (as is Chrome, right?) so if a site doesnt work that doesn't help.
(sorry... I know these are iPhone browsers, I'm not sure if iPad equivalents are being made).
if i was a mobile me user i would probably use safari (maybe) but i use google apps enterprise and i run chrome on os x, win, and ubuntu so i have it all nice and matching/configured. love it. wish i could have it on ipad too.
wouldn't be surprised if chrome and safari were using same code. some similarities there.
Cheap would be great, but it would be just as feasible to have a cheap basemodel with 2gb ram, 64gb SSD, etc and be upgradable to 4gb ram, 256gb SSD, 3G chip..
My perfect solution for the new Air would be a combo OS X and iOS. With touch screen that can be turned in all directions, you could hold it like a book and use your finger to navigate the browser, or twist the screen around to a tablet form factor. You could use is as a laptop or as an iPad. It needs Facetime, AirPrint, AirPlay, and a reversible screen. iOS could be a icon in the OS X dock just touch it and you are instantly in iOS. Another option would be to have iOS as the primary OS and just replace the Spotlight search page in iOS with OS X, so you would just swipe left from the home screen and you would be in OS X, and swipe right from the OS X home screen and you are back to iOS. I would want the touch screen to work in OS X as well, but I would still want a touchpad and the ability to use a mouse if needed. With AirPrint and AirPlay it would not need many external ports. I think all MacBooks will eventually include all of the above.
But it shares important aspects with netbooks too: 2 Gigs of RAM, small screen, smaller keyboard. It strikes me as a high-quality netbook - limited usability, with a tiny form factor.
It is a sort of "high quality netbook," but this new model sounds like it's more exactly that than the first one.
The current MacBook Air however is much faster than most netbooks (even though it isn't exactly a rocket itself), much more stable, has a bigger screen, a full-size keyboard, etc. The most popular netbooks in the last while at the University where I work would be the Dell minis and the MacBook Air runs rings around them performance wise and usability wise.
If we are honest, the MacBook Airs biggest flaw is probably it's almost complete lack of toughness. Like many many Mac products, the ad copy stresses how tough and high end the components are, but in reality, it's a precious little delicate jewel that is likely to break suddenly if not handled with velvet gloves. Same with iPhone 4. Ad copy says "special steel" and "hardened glass" but in reality if you drop it it shatters like a Glass Goblin.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Newtron
... it differs from a regular netbook in important respects, however: It cannot play HD movies via HDMI on your home theater system, it cannot access regular web video without crashing, no TV Tuner option, etc.
This is not accurate.
The MacBook Air struggles with Flash video on the web, and stutters a lot when trying to play it, but it doesn't typically or habitually crash. And when we are talking about Flash video on Mac OS-X, there is also the factor of Adobe's horrible software to factor in.
Also, while it's nice to use your portable to play videos, we are comparing computers here not VCRs. The fact that it doesn't integrate with your TV set or have a built in TV tuner of it's own is hardly a reasonable criticism of a laptop design. Those are nice "extras" that it doesn't have, but it's just not fair to criticise it's design over their lack of inclusion. Most laptops don't have that, let alone most netbooks.
Apple's patent figure 11 is obviously a representation of a MacBook that could transition into a tablet and in doing so takes on the transition process as described pertaining to the iMac Touch. Meaning, as the display of the MacBook is turned into tablet mode – OS X will instantly transition into iOS mode.
The patent clarifies this by stating that "the display could also be oriented for touch input. For example, the display 1130 may be rotated and laid flat against the keyboard 1134, with the backside of the display facing down against the keyboard so that the display screen is facing up, in an orientation for touch input."
Update: Below you'll find patent FIG. 6 which clearly illustrates that in "Desktop Mode," the "UI" will be a current version of the Mac OS: OS X. This desktop is used with a mouse (#619) and keyboard.
Apple's patent came to light at the World Intellectual Property Organization on January 14, 2010 while most of us were getting hyped up for the arrival of the iPad. The name of the patent is "Transitioning between Modes of Input" and published in 2010 under number 006210 A1.
I think that this is simply brilliant and I'd buy one of these if they came out for this Christmas as was rumored earlier this year in Taiwan. Now it's your turn. What are your thoughts on the proposed iMac Touch and MacBook Tablet?"
For full article with diagrams here is a link (scroll about halfway down the page):
Just to be clear - I like the iPad. I like MacBooks.
If I could chose between 2 devices, identically priced, identically sized, same battery life etc - I'd choose the one with OSX. In that I think we are totally agreed.
The only reason I'd like to see an "iBookAir" (bad name) - or a laptop running iOS - is because an A4-based touch laptop could be smaller/lighter/cheaper. And it would do enough for a great many people.
So if you had to choose between a $1200 MacBookAir (it has to be more expensive than the MacBook if it has the same processing power, right?) or a $600 iBookAir... would your interests change?
I like the idea of the air and ipad merging. I know there are MANY objectors but for me it makes sense. The iPad is increasingly being used for business generally and it seems logical for the air to be where the two OS' finally merge. It is a niche product on which Apple may feel it can experiment. There are limitations to IOS but it is a work in progress. For people who truly need that extra power the 13" MBP is an awesome machine. A repackaged iPad would, as you say, be smaller/lighter/cheaper and hopefully also have better connectivity along with a keyboard built in. An IOS NetBook.
I'd be interested to see a convertible at this size. iOS4 in slate mode, OSX in laptop mode.
Also the keyboard to dump all the extra keys around the edge, invent some smarter navigation, and keep a decent qwerty.
Still heavy tho.
Aboslutely. Would be great, with one tweak, I wouldn't mind the iOS in laptop config. Just have a large touch pad with a cursor on the screen when in this mode. I understand that may not work for games etc. but games would just require it be in 'slate' mode
(IMO-Apple should have called it iSlate, iPad is so lame; but alls well that ends well and iPads sell well... brown cow, sorry, just rambling.).
I like the idea of the air and ipad merging. I know there are MANY objectors but for me it makes sense. The iPad is increasingly being used for business generally and it seems logical for the air to be where the two OS' finally merge. It is a niche product on which Apple may feel it can experiment. There are limitations to IOS but it is a work in progress. For people who truly need that extra power the 13" MBP is an awesome machine. A repackaged iPad would, as you say, be smaller/lighter/cheaper and hopefully also have better connectivity along with a keyboard built in. An IOS NetBook.
It's not happening. The Air would be merged with the macbook before the iPad. The Air is supposed to be a full fledged notebook in an impossibly thin shell. As the macbook shrinks, the distinction between the two is blurred.
I like the idea of the air and ipad merging. I know there are MANY objectors but for me it makes sense. The iPad is increasingly being used for business generally and it seems logical for the air to be where the two OS' finally merge.
The two OS won't merge. Period.
Quote:
It is a niche product on which Apple may feel it can experiment.
Here's the thing: Apple is a company that "experiments" within their labs. Not on the market. When they place a product in the market, they don't do it to use actual people as guinea pigs for their crazy ideas and see what fits. They take that hard work for themselves.
Quote:
There are limitations to IOS but it is a work in progress. For people who truly need that extra power the 13" MBP is an awesome machine. A repackaged iPad would, as you say, be smaller/lighter/cheaper and hopefully also have better connectivity along with a keyboard built in. An IOS NetBook.
It already is an iOS netbook. It's better than most netbooks right now. And its OS will be better. It will be a walled garden, and many people will not like it. We will see how much "walling" it will have as we see it progress towards infinity.
Irrespectively of some bad tastes being shown in this thread regarding "convertibles", there is no way Apple will show off any one of those anytime soon. I'm willing to bet with *anyone* at *any price* for this bet.
It's not on their nature. They don't even do flip phones. They didn't even incorporate a keyboard on their phone. They do simple. Convertibles are not simple. QED.
Comments
i have no desire to have a laptop running ios or a keyboard on an ipad. a hybrid os x that allowed one to run ios apps would be ideal though.
Just to be clear - I like the iPad. I like MacBooks.
If I could chose between 2 devices, identically priced, identically sized, same battery life etc - I'd choose the one with OSX. In that I think we are totally agreed.
The only reason I'd like to see an "iBookAir" (bad name) - or a laptop running iOS - is because an A4-based touch laptop could be smaller/lighter/cheaper. And it would do enough for a great many people.
So if you had to choose between a $1200 MacBookAir (it has to be more expensive than the MacBook if it has the same processing power, right?) or a $600 iBookAir... would your interests change?
Any word on internal 3G?
I was literally just about to ask that. To me, it makes alot of sense for apple to include an internal 3g cabability to the air to further differentiate it from their other laptops. The air is clearly targeted for the business type who wants a small portable fully functional laptop. For these people 3g is most likely a must.
Sounds good to me!
And the price is worth it if that’s what it takes: with the aluminum case, backlit keys, fast CPU, etc. this is no low-end netbook.
I got the first-gen model, and 3 years later it’s still my primary machine while my iMac gathers dust. It’s not as powerful, but it’s powerful enough... and being so thin and light that I can grab it with one hand and run out the door (or to another room) is something I’m not willing to give up! Now that I’ve tried it, it’s hard to imaging living with any other laptop. They all feel like lugging a brick.
And three years later, my battery life is still great too.
I'm in exactly the same boat. I've probably logged more hours on my first gen MBA than any other mac since I got out of college (for context it was my 11th mac; now up to #13). I have neck/back issues so I notice every pound when I'm lugging things around. I can't see myself going back to a larger laptop. On the other hand, while I'll likely get an iPad soon, iOS isn't a replacement for MacOS X for "real work." The only reason I might not snap up a new MBA when its released is because my old one has nothing wrong with it.
Actually that's not completely true. The darn thing overheats doing video for longer than a few minutes or video iChat. The latter rather sucks when I'm out of town. I'm pretty sure they fixed that with later models.
Just to be clear - I like the iPad. I like MacBooks.
If I could chose between 2 devices, identically priced, identically sized, same battery life etc - I'd choose the one with OSX. In that I think we are totally agreed.
The only reason I'd like to see an "iBookAir" (bad name) - or a laptop running iOS - is because an A4-based touch laptop could be smaller/lighter/cheaper. And it would do enough for a great many people.
So if you had to choose between a $1200 MacBookAir (it has to be more expensive than the MacBook if it has the same processing power, right?) or a $600 iBookAir... would your interests change?
right now i woud say stick with my ipad rather than buy another one with keyboard. and the only reason is the web browser! i have to have a full blown web browser to fully function. i would buy an ios laptop for 600 dollars in a heartbeat if i could run google chrome on it. i have tried safari and its like IE in that i just cannot get used to either of them. i was firefox all the way but now chrome.
right now i will be using the ipad and run into a site that doesn't work and have to get up and get on my imac. eagerly waiting for the day when that will end. not a slight against apple its pervasive on all the mobile devices (do they all use apples webkit?)
But it shares important aspects with netbooks too: 2 Gigs of RAM, small screen, smaller keyboard. It strikes me as a high-quality netbook - limited usability, with a tiny form factor.
it differs from a regular netbook in important respects, however: It cannot play HD movies via HDMI on your home theater system, it cannot access regular web video without crashing, no TV Tuner option, etc.
Are you talking about the rumored next MBA or the current one? The current one has a full-sized screen and full-sized keyboard. No "netbook" compromises in those areas. Those are important. I've owned all the "mini" PowerBooks/MacBooks (PB 100, PB 2400) and over the long haul the cramped keyboards and small screens get annoying (at least for me). So if the next MBA compromises in those areas I probably won't be interested.
I say go in the opposite direction. Dump the magnetic hard drive completely. Make it SSD only, and fast SSD. Give it more RAM and the fastest CPU/GPU you can possibly put in the form factor. Give it an IPS, LED-backlit display. And while you're at it, give it a single light-peak connection to a docking station (but no other ports -- that will freak people out!).
And make the case out of that liquid metal stuff... and have a built-in 3G radio.
Then charge $2000 for it.
i would buy an ios laptop for 600 dollars in a heartbeat if i could run google chrome on it. i have tried safari and its like IE in that i just cannot get used to either of them. i was firefox all the way but now chrome.
right now i will be using the ipad and run into a site that doesn't work and have to get up and get on my imac. eagerly waiting for the day when that will end. not a slight against apple its pervasive on all the mobile devices (do they all use apples webkit?)
If it's getting used to it - there are options.
Unfortunately they're all based on webkit (as is Chrome, right?) so if a site doesnt work that doesn't help.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/15706...or_iphone.html
(sorry... I know these are iPhone browsers, I'm not sure if iPad equivalents are being made).
If it's getting used to it - there are options.
Unfortunately they're all based on webkit (as is Chrome, right?) so if a site doesnt work that doesn't help.
http://www.pcworld.com/article/15706...or_iphone.html
(sorry... I know these are iPhone browsers, I'm not sure if iPad equivalents are being made).
if i was a mobile me user i would probably use safari (maybe) but i use google apps enterprise and i run chrome on os x, win, and ubuntu so i have it all nice and matching/configured. love it. wish i could have it on ipad too.
wouldn't be surprised if chrome and safari were using same code. some similarities there.
hate IE. hate it, hate it.
Please be cheaper.
Cheap would be great, but it would be just as feasible to have a cheap basemodel with 2gb ram, 64gb SSD, etc and be upgradable to 4gb ram, 256gb SSD, 3G chip..
I'd be interested to see a convertible at this size. iOS4 in slate mode, OSX in laptop mode....
Never happen.
Convertibles are just bad design. Apple will never make something like that.
But it shares important aspects with netbooks too: 2 Gigs of RAM, small screen, smaller keyboard. It strikes me as a high-quality netbook - limited usability, with a tiny form factor.
It is a sort of "high quality netbook," but this new model sounds like it's more exactly that than the first one.
The current MacBook Air however is much faster than most netbooks (even though it isn't exactly a rocket itself), much more stable, has a bigger screen, a full-size keyboard, etc. The most popular netbooks in the last while at the University where I work would be the Dell minis and the MacBook Air runs rings around them performance wise and usability wise.
If we are honest, the MacBook Airs biggest flaw is probably it's almost complete lack of toughness. Like many many Mac products, the ad copy stresses how tough and high end the components are, but in reality, it's a precious little delicate jewel that is likely to break suddenly if not handled with velvet gloves. Same with iPhone 4. Ad copy says "special steel" and "hardened glass" but in reality if you drop it it shatters like a Glass Goblin.
... it differs from a regular netbook in important respects, however: It cannot play HD movies via HDMI on your home theater system, it cannot access regular web video without crashing, no TV Tuner option, etc.
This is not accurate.
The MacBook Air struggles with Flash video on the web, and stutters a lot when trying to play it, but it doesn't typically or habitually crash. And when we are talking about Flash video on Mac OS-X, there is also the factor of Adobe's horrible software to factor in.
Also, while it's nice to use your portable to play videos, we are comparing computers here not VCRs. The fact that it doesn't integrate with your TV set or have a built in TV tuner of it's own is hardly a reasonable criticism of a laptop design. Those are nice "extras" that it doesn't have, but it's just not fair to criticise it's design over their lack of inclusion. Most laptops don't have that, let alone most netbooks.
Never happen.
Convertibles are just bad design. Apple will never make something like that.
Apple did apply for a patent for a convertible laptop.
http://www.gottabemobile.com/2010/08...igns-for-macs/
"The MacBook Tablet
Apple's patent figure 11 is obviously a representation of a MacBook that could transition into a tablet and in doing so takes on the transition process as described pertaining to the iMac Touch. Meaning, as the display of the MacBook is turned into tablet mode – OS X will instantly transition into iOS mode.
The patent clarifies this by stating that "the display could also be oriented for touch input. For example, the display 1130 may be rotated and laid flat against the keyboard 1134, with the backside of the display facing down against the keyboard so that the display screen is facing up, in an orientation for touch input."
Update: Below you'll find patent FIG. 6 which clearly illustrates that in "Desktop Mode," the "UI" will be a current version of the Mac OS: OS X. This desktop is used with a mouse (#619) and keyboard.
Apple's patent came to light at the World Intellectual Property Organization on January 14, 2010 while most of us were getting hyped up for the arrival of the iPad. The name of the patent is "Transitioning between Modes of Input" and published in 2010 under number 006210 A1.
I think that this is simply brilliant and I'd buy one of these if they came out for this Christmas as was rumored earlier this year in Taiwan. Now it's your turn. What are your thoughts on the proposed iMac Touch and MacBook Tablet?"
For full article with diagrams here is a link (scroll about halfway down the page):
http://www.patentlyapple.com/patentl...mac-touch.html
Just to be clear - I like the iPad. I like MacBooks.
If I could chose between 2 devices, identically priced, identically sized, same battery life etc - I'd choose the one with OSX. In that I think we are totally agreed.
The only reason I'd like to see an "iBookAir" (bad name) - or a laptop running iOS - is because an A4-based touch laptop could be smaller/lighter/cheaper. And it would do enough for a great many people.
So if you had to choose between a $1200 MacBookAir (it has to be more expensive than the MacBook if it has the same processing power, right?) or a $600 iBookAir... would your interests change?
I like the idea of the air and ipad merging. I know there are MANY objectors but for me it makes sense. The iPad is increasingly being used for business generally and it seems logical for the air to be where the two OS' finally merge. It is a niche product on which Apple may feel it can experiment. There are limitations to IOS but it is a work in progress. For people who truly need that extra power the 13" MBP is an awesome machine. A repackaged iPad would, as you say, be smaller/lighter/cheaper and hopefully also have better connectivity along with a keyboard built in. An IOS NetBook.
I'd be interested to see a convertible at this size. iOS4 in slate mode, OSX in laptop mode.
Also the keyboard to dump all the extra keys around the edge, invent some smarter navigation, and keep a decent qwerty.
Still heavy tho.
Aboslutely. Would be great, with one tweak, I wouldn't mind the iOS in laptop config. Just have a large touch pad with a cursor on the screen when in this mode. I understand that may not work for games etc. but games would just require it be in 'slate' mode
(IMO-Apple should have called it iSlate, iPad is so lame; but alls well that ends well and iPads sell well... brown cow, sorry, just rambling.).
I like the idea of the air and ipad merging. I know there are MANY objectors but for me it makes sense. The iPad is increasingly being used for business generally and it seems logical for the air to be where the two OS' finally merge. It is a niche product on which Apple may feel it can experiment. There are limitations to IOS but it is a work in progress. For people who truly need that extra power the 13" MBP is an awesome machine. A repackaged iPad would, as you say, be smaller/lighter/cheaper and hopefully also have better connectivity along with a keyboard built in. An IOS NetBook.
It's not happening. The Air would be merged with the macbook before the iPad. The Air is supposed to be a full fledged notebook in an impossibly thin shell. As the macbook shrinks, the distinction between the two is blurred.
I like the idea of the air and ipad merging. I know there are MANY objectors but for me it makes sense. The iPad is increasingly being used for business generally and it seems logical for the air to be where the two OS' finally merge.
The two OS won't merge. Period.
It is a niche product on which Apple may feel it can experiment.
Here's the thing: Apple is a company that "experiments" within their labs. Not on the market. When they place a product in the market, they don't do it to use actual people as guinea pigs for their crazy ideas and see what fits. They take that hard work for themselves.
There are limitations to IOS but it is a work in progress. For people who truly need that extra power the 13" MBP is an awesome machine. A repackaged iPad would, as you say, be smaller/lighter/cheaper and hopefully also have better connectivity along with a keyboard built in. An IOS NetBook.
It already is an iOS netbook. It's better than most netbooks right now. And its OS will be better. It will be a walled garden, and many people will not like it. We will see how much "walling" it will have as we see it progress towards infinity.
It's not on their nature. They don't even do flip phones. They didn't even incorporate a keyboard on their phone. They do simple. Convertibles are not simple. QED.