I don't understand how you think that, because the subject of a "mid-range tower Mac" has been beaten to death, buried, exhumed then beaten again, buried, exhumed then beaten again.
Sure, thats true.
Quote:
Not only that, it's getting away from the intended thread subject which would have been a completely different part of the product line. It's just getting old. I think anyone that's reading this site for any more than a week would know about this gap in the product line.
But in this case, I didn't think that this was a hijacking. I didn't think it was an egregious mention in the original post and only a slight detour in the follow up posts.
But, whatever. After all the zillions of posts about a tabletMac the rumors are coalescing around an actual product--maybe all that interest kept it on Apple's radar. I imagine it will only encourage all the xMacers (what will be left to ask for?), so get used to it!
I don't understand how you think that, because the subject of a "mid-range tower Mac" has been beaten to death, buried, exhumed then beaten again, buried, exhumed then beaten again.
IMO a tablet is one thing, but a portable newton like device is another, and I just hope apple doesn't see the success of the iPhone as a need for a bigger newton like PDA device. There are a few people that would like one, a few more that might buy one, and a few that could probably use one, but the market for such a device is sooooooo limited.
I'm ready for an Apple laptop/tablet, but I stand as a sceptic for any mid size mid range device. Because honestly once all the "oooo... something new" wears off this thing, anything half done is going to be just another nail in the new line of half done Apple hardware coffin hole they have started digging.
Don't tell me you're still hoping Apple will do a convertible, cause you are in dreamland if you are. It couldn't be more un-Apple-like, or more correctly, more un-Steve Jobs-like.
10 or 11" screen-size is the obvious sweet-spot for this thing. Any smaller and you'd rather carry an iPhone, cause it fits in your pocket, "and" any smaller and the screen would be too small to be Mac productive. If you don't mind carrying around a 7-9" tablet, as you can't fit it in your pocket, you may as well make it 10-11" and make it way more useful. And if it's any bigger you may as well just get a notebook.
My dream portable is an 11" Mac touch, not that I've said this before or anything
Oh, and dream desktop is a 24" 2.8Ghz iMac, oh yeah, I've got one of those
I don't want something like this to be "Mac productive". If you really need productivity, get a real computer, with a keyboard, and large HDD.
This is for those wanting something in between.
The idea is to have people carry this around wherever they go. Even something with a 10 to 11" screen will be too big for that.
People will look at it, and think,"Nah, I'n not going to carry this now".
That's what the Newton, Palm, and now the smartphones, and UMPC's are trying to work around.
So it has to be small enough for people to want to do that. Some compromise on size must be made.
This is a device that is not the ultralight. Keyboard or not.
10 or 11" screen-size is the obvious sweet-spot for this thing. Any smaller and you'd rather carry an iPhone, cause it fits in your pocket, "and" any smaller and the screen would be too small to be Mac productive. If you don't mind carrying around a 7-9" tablet, as you can't fit it in your pocket, you may as well make it 10-11" and make it way more useful. And if it's any bigger you may as well just get a notebook.
My dream portable is an 11" Mac touch, not that I've said this before or anything
Have you looked at this? Perhaps this is what you seek grasshopper.
Don't tell me you're still hoping Apple will do a convertible, cause you are in dreamland if you are. It couldn't be more un-Apple-like, or more correctly, more un-Steve Jobs-like.
I'm not saying anything of the kind. I'm saying that a newton slate has limited possibilities.
I also think that tablets, in a full size form, have limited usefulness.
Admittedly, tablets, as exemplified by Windows machines, are far from being ideal.
But, I also think there is a reason for why we see 6 to 8 pound machines.
People are just not ready to abandon their keyboards. So therefore, manufacturers include both. This makes machines thicker, and heavier, as well as mechanically more complex, than they would otherwise need to be.
There is no guarantee that Apple could convince a mass of people to abandon their keyboards either, even with a large multi-touch one.
I can also tell you that the idea of tablets, where you crook the tablet onto your forearm, and do your thing, is VERY tiring. So, people ask, "Why bother?"
So far, tablets have not managed to rise above the 0.5% level in overall computer purchases. Apple would have to figure out something VERY special in order to break through that lack of interest.
I WANT to believe Ireland. But... who know's if consumers will accept this kind of product. Sure, they'll be amazed by it. But will they buy it? Sighh...
I WANT to believe Ireland. But... who know's if consumers will accept this kind of product. Sure, they'll be amazed by it. But will they buy it? Sighh...
Not in any numbers.
As for the cradle thing. The problem with it is that the pressure on your arm from pressing down when writing, as well as the weight, makes it very uncomfortable after a short while, even for the smaller, and lighter, models.
I think that it would have to weigh less than two pounds to function as a clipboard, which is what tablets are modeled on. I'm not even sure if two pounds is light enough for the long term. One pound is likely the limit.
The UMPC's are attempts to rectify this. But, they are all very bad.
If Apple can come out with a device that would replace these, it could be successful.
This is from an interview with Pat Gelsinger from Intel. I agree with what he says:
Quote:
What about the Tablet PC – is Gelsinger seeing signs of a change in customer feelings? Negative.
“Not really. When it came out I was sceptical over the slates. I thought the usage model would be a mixed-mode device. There are limitations of battery life which will help the category [but] the OS and application integration are still pretty clumsy. Even if you have the perfect device I don’t think it will be [hugely popular]. The UMPC is the one [category] I really think will take off.”
As for the cradle thing. The problem with it is that the pressure on your arm from pressing down when writing, as well as the weight, makes it very uncomfortable after a short while, even for the smaller, and lighter, models.
[/url]
You wouldn't be pressing down too hard, and what could you be doing for a prolonged period of time that doesn't let you sit down?
Its difficult for me to see where another Newton would fit in. The PDA market is dying. An SDK for the iPhone and iPod Touch essentially makes them ultramobile PC's.
I can more believe the rumor about the light weight notebook that would make even less reason for a tablet. Apple has been fairly anal about not diluting its product line
Comments
I don't understand how you think that, because the subject of a "mid-range tower Mac" has been beaten to death, buried, exhumed then beaten again, buried, exhumed then beaten again.
Sure, thats true.
Not only that, it's getting away from the intended thread subject which would have been a completely different part of the product line. It's just getting old. I think anyone that's reading this site for any more than a week would know about this gap in the product line.
But in this case, I didn't think that this was a hijacking. I didn't think it was an egregious mention in the original post and only a slight detour in the follow up posts.
But, whatever. After all the zillions of posts about a tabletMac the rumors are coalescing around an actual product--maybe all that interest kept it on Apple's radar. I imagine it will only encourage all the xMacers (what will be left to ask for?), so get used to it!
I don't understand how you think that, because the subject of a "mid-range tower Mac" has been beaten to death, buried, exhumed then beaten again, buried, exhumed then beaten again.
I think it was also gassed a couple times..
IMO a tablet is one thing, but a portable newton like device is another, and I just hope apple doesn't see the success of the iPhone as a need for a bigger newton like PDA device. There are a few people that would like one, a few more that might buy one, and a few that could probably use one, but the market for such a device is sooooooo limited.
I'm ready for an Apple laptop/tablet, but I stand as a sceptic for any mid size mid range device. Because honestly once all the "oooo... something new" wears off this thing, anything half done is going to be just another nail in the new line of half done Apple hardware coffin hole they have started digging.
Don't tell me you're still hoping Apple will do a convertible, cause you are in dreamland if you are. It couldn't be more un-Apple-like, or more correctly, more un-Steve Jobs-like.
Amen, Ireland.
Amen bro. Amen
10 or 11" screen-size is the obvious sweet-spot for this thing. Any smaller and you'd rather carry an iPhone, cause it fits in your pocket, "and" any smaller and the screen would be too small to be Mac productive. If you don't mind carrying around a 7-9" tablet, as you can't fit it in your pocket, you may as well make it 10-11" and make it way more useful. And if it's any bigger you may as well just get a notebook.
My dream portable is an 11" Mac touch, not that I've said this before or anything
Oh, and dream desktop is a 24" 2.8Ghz iMac, oh yeah, I've got one of those
I don't want something like this to be "Mac productive". If you really need productivity, get a real computer, with a keyboard, and large HDD.
This is for those wanting something in between.
The idea is to have people carry this around wherever they go. Even something with a 10 to 11" screen will be too big for that.
People will look at it, and think,"Nah, I'n not going to carry this now".
That's what the Newton, Palm, and now the smartphones, and UMPC's are trying to work around.
So it has to be small enough for people to want to do that. Some compromise on size must be made.
This is a device that is not the ultralight. Keyboard or not.
10 or 11" screen-size is the obvious sweet-spot for this thing. Any smaller and you'd rather carry an iPhone, cause it fits in your pocket, "and" any smaller and the screen would be too small to be Mac productive. If you don't mind carrying around a 7-9" tablet, as you can't fit it in your pocket, you may as well make it 10-11" and make it way more useful. And if it's any bigger you may as well just get a notebook.
My dream portable is an 11" Mac touch, not that I've said this before or anything
Have you looked at this? Perhaps this is what you seek grasshopper.
Even if one was in the planning stages, Asus' big mouthed employees just got the project Steved.
Don't tell me you're still hoping Apple will do a convertible, cause you are in dreamland if you are. It couldn't be more un-Apple-like, or more correctly, more un-Steve Jobs-like.
I'm not saying anything of the kind. I'm saying that a newton slate has limited possibilities.
Admittedly, tablets, as exemplified by Windows machines, are far from being ideal.
But, I also think there is a reason for why we see 6 to 8 pound machines.
People are just not ready to abandon their keyboards. So therefore, manufacturers include both. This makes machines thicker, and heavier, as well as mechanically more complex, than they would otherwise need to be.
There is no guarantee that Apple could convince a mass of people to abandon their keyboards either, even with a large multi-touch one.
I can also tell you that the idea of tablets, where you crook the tablet onto your forearm, and do your thing, is VERY tiring. So, people ask, "Why bother?"
So far, tablets have not managed to rise above the 0.5% level in overall computer purchases. Apple would have to figure out something VERY special in order to break through that lack of interest.
And screw keyboards, I'm ready to toss mine out the window for this.
AND... you just have to cradle it. Like a baby. It's not that awkward.
And I believe Apple is very capaple of doing so.
And screw keyboards, I'm ready to toss mine out the window for this.
AND... you just have to cradle it. Like a baby. It's not that awkward.
That's nice. Now, can you show that there are enough people just like you for Apple to bother with this thing?
I don't think so.
I WANT to believe Ireland. But... who know's if consumers will accept this kind of product. Sure, they'll be amazed by it. But will they buy it? Sighh...
Exactly. And that's why I'm heartbroken.
I WANT to believe Ireland. But... who know's if consumers will accept this kind of product. Sure, they'll be amazed by it. But will they buy it? Sighh...
Not in any numbers.
As for the cradle thing. The problem with it is that the pressure on your arm from pressing down when writing, as well as the weight, makes it very uncomfortable after a short while, even for the smaller, and lighter, models.
I think that it would have to weigh less than two pounds to function as a clipboard, which is what tablets are modeled on. I'm not even sure if two pounds is light enough for the long term. One pound is likely the limit.
The UMPC's are attempts to rectify this. But, they are all very bad.
If Apple can come out with a device that would replace these, it could be successful.
This is from an interview with Pat Gelsinger from Intel. I agree with what he says:
What about the Tablet PC – is Gelsinger seeing signs of a change in customer feelings? Negative.
“Not really. When it came out I was sceptical over the slates. I thought the usage model would be a mixed-mode device. There are limitations of battery life which will help the category [but] the OS and application integration are still pretty clumsy. Even if you have the perfect device I don’t think it will be [hugely popular]. The UMPC is the one [category] I really think will take off.”
http://www.theinquirer.net/gb/inquir...ing-nvidia-ati
Not in any numbers.
As for the cradle thing. The problem with it is that the pressure on your arm from pressing down when writing, as well as the weight, makes it very uncomfortable after a short while, even for the smaller, and lighter, models.
[/url]
You wouldn't be pressing down too hard, and what could you be doing for a prolonged period of time that doesn't let you sit down?
The UMPC's are attempts to rectify this. But, they are all very bad.
This one is getting pretty enthusiastic reviews.
I really hope Apple are heading in this direction.
I can more believe the rumor about the light weight notebook that would make even less reason for a tablet. Apple has been fairly anal about not diluting its product line
Does anyone here have one? It's as close as we'll get for now..