Is there a need for third laptop line?
With the anticipation of a new Powerbook on the horizon, if there is a need for a third laptop line.
I throw this out only because I think we're paying a premium for the Powerbook.
I'd like to see Apple keep the slim form factor of the current Powerbook but up the horsepower, video card etc. Position this laptop at the top and introduce a mid-range model that is slightly thicker but more affordable. Perhaps one using the same classic material as the pismo but redesigned in a new shape.
I realize the 14" iBook was somewhat intended to close the gap. But it's still $500 less than the cheapest Powerbook.
Perhaps the line could be something like this:
Powerbook Pro - $2400-$3700
Powerbook Classic - $1800- $2000
iBook - $999 - $1500
Not sure about configs, or processors but my point is more about a greater choice and affordability.
I throw this out only because I think we're paying a premium for the Powerbook.
I'd like to see Apple keep the slim form factor of the current Powerbook but up the horsepower, video card etc. Position this laptop at the top and introduce a mid-range model that is slightly thicker but more affordable. Perhaps one using the same classic material as the pismo but redesigned in a new shape.
I realize the 14" iBook was somewhat intended to close the gap. But it's still $500 less than the cheapest Powerbook.
Perhaps the line could be something like this:
Powerbook Pro - $2400-$3700
Powerbook Classic - $1800- $2000
iBook - $999 - $1500
Not sure about configs, or processors but my point is more about a greater choice and affordability.
Comments
They could do 3 lines:
Powerbook G4 - 1Ghz+ with 133Mhz bus ($2700)
iBook G4 - 700Mhz, 14" with 100Mhz bus ($2000)
iBook G3 - 700Mhz, 12" with 100Mhz bus ($1300)
The low end iBook appeals to education, the iBook G4 would be for prosumers and the Powerbook would be for professionals.
Right now the 14" iBook is more powerful than my 11 month old Pismo, but I'm not upgrading to another G3 and the cheapest Powerbook is underpowered too.
I want to upgrade but there is no product which fits my needs and my pocket. An iBook G4 might (my rule is never upgrade unless you can double your speed).
12" & 14" iBooks make sense, and i think apple have got it right at the moment.
Peace,
G
<strong>I'm with Black Cat, the G4 is essential for my next purchase. The flexibility of the Pismo G3 has been fantastic and with all the old VST stuff I have had, it has been handling all my needs on the road for two years, but I would want to move to G4. I tried the iBook in its Japanese 500/combo form last summer and it is great for note taking and playing Japanese zone DVDs, BUT..... i do not see a G4 iBook at 14" a solution. What is needed is bringing the whole line up to the G4 standard as has now happened with the iMac.</strong><hr></blockquote>
That's certainly the best option, as it avoids the 'dumbing down' of the low end 12" model, but Apple may want to keep the G3s going to keep IBM onboard.
My ideal solution would be a G4 Powerbook with drive bays to allow expansion. The Pismo has a really nice shape and a decent screen size too.
I doubt Apple will drop the widescreen format and 1" thickness though.
I love the formfactor of the ibook. But its too "chunky". Remove the cd-drive to make it thinner and much lighter than the Powerbook. Sell it with an external firewire superdrive(!). And ofcourse two Firewire ports for firewire charging (like the ipod). Make it a G4 with imac power (700/800mhz). Put in the mobile radeon with support for external monitor. You could even use that new 20 GB disk version of the ipod HD.
Now THAT would reduce size.
I'd happily pay as much as the top-notch Powerbook for this. A true subnotbook!
Color? Something like the ipod. White and Shiny steel!
Escher?
The sub-notebook would be similar to the current powerbook, made out of Titanium and all, but it would sport a tiny display and it would have only a CD-RW drive (no need for a DVD drive on such a tiny display).
The sub-notebook would be for non-digital video professionals who need a laptop primarily for giving presentations. Since they would do most of their work on their desktop, and use the laptop for presentations, email, web surfing, and other easy tasks, it would need a full set of ports, an excellent video card, but only a low-end G4 CPU.
While I like the idea of a humongous display like the Powerbook has, lugging it around would be a pain. It would be cool to have the ultimate portable from Apple, for those of us who don't edit their latest movie in FCP on the airplane, or cut their latest track in protools on the touring bus. Some of us still rely heavily on Canvas, Word, and Powerpoint for communicating ideas.
Also, this sub-notebook should have a full-sized keyboard. The keyboard should be the limiting factor in its size.
The possibilities are endless.
<strong>NO TABLET!
Apple are the only people who could pull it off! Think of it, a 12" iBook with a touch screen instead of a keyboard (and Mouseki obviously <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" /> ) for $999.
But it shouldn't be marketed as an iBook, it needs to be a digital hub device.
The best this concept can hope for is a Lab Coat pocket sized Device (like a newton, eBook Reader, or one of those half-letter size spiral bounds) A device to read on, take notes in a pinch, that is, only in paces where it's too inefficient to deploy a keyboard. Like a journo who has to stand during a press conference, or in a labratory to make notes between one station and the next, perhaps with a built in voice recorder. Something with killer database system to file and log entries. Ie. a real tool, and not some "gee look at me I can carry this around the house but it isn't actually good for anything" device. It has wireless conectivity to exchange info with you computers and a nice file sharing system with solid PDF and QT viewers for looking at data. You record voiice notes, make sketches on it, do data entry into user pre-defined fields, and organize data and links etc...
If you want to make it really usefull you stick a keyboard on a double hinge that wraps right over. Open 360 degrees for a tablet, a circuit auto kills the keyboard when you do, OR open 90 to 180 degrees to use as a very small subnote. It drops into a zip up binder, or a brief-case, or a purse, or a lab coat pocket and is flexible and useable in many work/research/field/travel environments. The keyboard is pared down to the essential but the letters and numbers are full size, the rest of the keys are pinched to make the whole keyboard no wider than a full size keyboard is from the '1' to 'backslash' at the top. On board 1.8" HDD, 1 USB, and 1 firewire for charging/synching (just like iPod)
That's probably an expensive little device, but it is at least useful.
Tablets = Blech!
1. A tablet.
2. A subnote book.
3. A proper monitor art slate like the recently launched Wahhhhhhcom thing.
Why?
I think they'd all look cool.
I think they'd all sell.
Apple's design team are on a roll.
The computer's gonna be here for a while.
But the iPod is the hint of the shape of things to come.
Lemon Bon Bon
<strong>Tablets are LESS functional than NOTEBOOKS at the same price points. Awkward to hold and use if they get too big, too small for extended work periods if they get small enough to be manageable.
The best this concept can hope for is a Lab Coat pocket sized Device (like a newton, eBook Reader, or one of those half-letter size spiral bounds) A device to read on, take notes in a pinch, that is, only in paces where it's too inefficient to deploy a keyboard. Like a journo who has to stand during a press conference, or in a labratory to make notes between one station and the next, perhaps with a built in voice recorder. Something with killer database system to file and log entries. Ie. a real tool, and not some "gee look at me I can carry this around the house but it isn't actually good for anything" device. It has wireless conectivity to exchange info with you computers and a nice file sharing system with solid PDF and QT viewers for looking at data. You record voiice notes, make sketches on it, do data entry into user pre-defined fields, and organize data and links etc...
If you want to make it really usefull you stick a keyboard on a double hinge that wraps right over. Open 360 degrees for a tablet, a circuit auto kills the keyboard when you do, OR open 90 to 180 degrees to use as a very small subnote. It drops into a zip up binder, or a brief-case, or a purse, or a lab coat pocket and is flexible and useable in many work/research/field/travel environments. The keyboard is pared down to the essential but the letters and numbers are full size, the rest of the keys are pinched to make the whole keyboard no wider than a full size keyboard is from the '1' to 'backslash' at the top. On board 1.8" HDD, 1 USB, and 1 firewire for charging/synching (just like iPod)
That's probably an expensive little device, but it is at least useful.
Tablets = Blech!</strong><hr></blockquote>
Not everyone would want to work on there iPad...
I have bought apple computers for the last seven years just for recreation... So have all my closest friends... None of us have ever "in our entire buying time-line" got an apple for anything serious...
If apple did make an iPad all of us would buy one too...
And we are not alone...
So an iPad may not float your boat for work purposes, but alot of people would buy one... and really enjoy it... for recreation...
------------------------------------
© FERRO 2001-2002
But how about an hybrid device that basically is a notebook with a flip-around screen - sorf of like the new Sony PDA.
I know that there is a prototype of this in the Windows world with pen input - pretty cool.
Especially when you can change the screen orintation.
<strong>look up</strong><hr></blockquote>
Sorry, I got too little sleep the last couple of days... had my exam today, so I hope the situation improves ;-)
<strong>Guess what guys, Apple isn't going to make a third notebook line. Not with their current market share and both of the 'Books being home runs as they are. The MOST they will ever do is make the G3-based iBook available for a period of time once the G4-based iBook (more than likely with larger screen and much improved everything), a la the G3 iMac. And the iTablet thing I don't see happening, but rather a smart wireless touchscreen monitor/display choice in the future, it may even coincide with Apple's eventual (and hopefully, ground-breaking) adoption of OLED.</strong><hr></blockquote>
One way to eventualy increase marketshare is to offer innovative products.
And I guess keeping the current line-up - even with the iBook going G4 - until OLED is matured is rather counterinnovative.
Suggestions
iBook - as now for students and those on a budget
TiBook - pretty much as now
uber-TiBook - 9 pound ultra-TiBook. 16 or 17 inch wide screen, superdrive, 100GB HD, 1GB memory, etc. Think of this as the ultimate transportable computer.
sleek-book - 3 pounds, 800MHz low power Sahara G3, 12.1 inch screen, .75 inches thick, 8 hours battery life, DVD/CD drive (playback only), airport standard, 512MB built in (not changeable), 30GB HD, deep metallic blue or green. Real portability for those on the go. Probably used often as a second machine for those who have a G4 desktop or tower so some compromises on CPU and options are acceptable.
The point is that fine tuning the iBook/TiBook specs doesn't buy much. It would be better for Apple to cast a wider net to get more market share.
The 14" should be priced around $1300, and the 12" should be replaced by a light-weight iBook.
The 12" could get lighter by making the CD-ROM external, and maybe moving to a iPod size drive (though the cost probably wouldn't be worth the weight).
There is definitely room for a G3 light-weight laptop.
There are students who can't afford computers with frills they don't need, and there are professionals out there who want a laptop to supplement their desktops.
I'm imagining a G3 laptop with a 10-12" screen, EXTERNAL CD-ROM, ethernet port, PCMCIA slot (in case someone still wants a modem), one firewire port, one USB port, and a long lasting battery.
No modem, no expensive graphics card, no video mirroring, etc..
This would be a strictly low cost alternative for (non-gaming) students/second computer for mobile professionals.
All it needs to do is run office and work on the web, nothing more. Since the technology it would use is mostly stuff that already has come down substantially in price, Apple should still get a healthy margin out of this sort of laptop.