Induction please, and while they're at it a 50/60Hz passive inductor so I can recharge while standing/sitting next to any operating electrical device - cheap but hey!
A laptop format automatically supports a raised screen.
With a tablet, you either lay them flat.... which is not a great way to work...
Or need a stand of some kind. Which undermines portability.
If you are writing on the tablet, or poking it with a finger, the stand would have to be substantial.
Perhaps the best solution is a tablet you hold in one hand and poke at with the other.
But Apple already make one of those.
C.
I don't want a giant iPhone. I want a laptop with a multitouch screen that can be rotated and folded all the way down to cover the keyboard. Perhaps bundled with a stylus that uses Apple's Ink technology. But that's called a convertible tablet. Mac users who dismiss tablets seem to forget that there are 2 types of Tablet PCs: Convertibles which are regular laptops with rotating touch screens, and Slates which have fixed screens and no keyboard.
A laptop format automatically supports a raised screen.
With a tablet, you either lay them flat.... which is not a great way to work...
Or need a stand of some kind. Which undermines portability.
Exactly! If somebody where to add a built in stand It would by necessity have to be rather large. So why not go the laptop/netbook model. AT least then the keyboard and the weight of the hands can balance the screen somewhat. Of course if the screen was OLED the balancing might be a bit easier.
Quote:
If you are writing on the tablet, or poking it with a finger, the stand would have to be substantial.
If you are trying to write/type on a tablet sitting in a stand I'd have to say food luck to you. The use of a BlueTooth Keyboard might be helpful but you still need a stand. If one goes to all the trouble of making a built in screen stand then where does the portability go as such devices add considerable bulk.
Quote:
Perhaps the best solution is a tablet you hold in one hand and poke at with the other.
But Apple already make one of those.
C.
Well yeah they do but it isn't the be all end all device many make it out to be. The problem is the screen is TO small. Which comes back to my favourite theme an iPhone Maxi / Newton 2. The primary goal of this device would be to deliver a larger screen in a device that is still portable. This device would also support massive amounts of storage, ideally 128GB right off the start for the low end model and 256GB for its big brother.
In any event the idea with the screen is to provide HD quality in a device close to the size of a bank check. Yeah the actual ratio might be a little off and I'd honestly side on wider being better than higher. This puts us in the 6 to 7" diagonal screen size. The idea is to maintain a size that can still be put into a pocket, with at least as much ease as a fat check book but provide for a much wider screen on the portable device. The idea with the wider screen is that it works much better with the web than going a lot higher does. The simple fact is that almost every web site is designed to be wider than the current iPhone screen can accommodate and that won't change because of iPhones existence nor the existence of any other similar device. Check book size does allow for an increase in screen hight which would do wonders for horizontal keyboard mode, it might even help apps used in vertical mode. In any event the challenge for those that want to take it is to grab you check book and imagine a really nice touch screen on the face of it. Slip it into your pockets, carry it around a bit and just "use" it as you would an iPhone but imagine the screen is like much more useful. Think about having more than twice the pixels on screen. Think about this with a battery that lasts 24 hours on a charge while surfing the net.
As a side note you might not want to do that above with your check book in public. It might result in a white padded wagon coming to pick you up.
Yep; in its current form ATOM is a joke for the sorts of products most of us here seem to be interested in. I'm not sure Apple would even use it in a larger tablet of the sorts that is often suggested here by one person. The processor simply delivers to little to the party for what it costs in power.
Quote:
I think with the PA Semi acquisition and them trying to get Papermaster onboard its kinda obvious now (Steve even said so) that Apple wants to design their own chips for ipods and iphones.
Well I'm not to sure Papermaster was being hired for anything more than management experience. Right now Apple has way to many top flight engineers than it needs for engineering tasks. I think what Apple was looking for was a person able to guide these individuals in the right direction on complex and bleeding edge products. A visionary of sorts.
Lets face it many of us have visions of what the perfect portable handheld device would look like and do. the question is how many of us could lead groups of engineers spread all over the world to a common goal. This is Papermasters job to structure and build a team that can continue to turn out sate of the art devices that fit in your hand.
Quote:
Perhaps down the line they might even kick intel to the curb when it comes to chips for the macs and macbooks.
This I truly doubt. The problem is simply this i86 compatibility is a big thing for 'PCs". As long as Apples "devices" are marketed as things other than PCs, Apple has the door wide open in how and what they build them out of. The minute that they become a PC then the freedom goes out the door, this is a huge distinction. So I don't expect to see anything PC like on these new devices. In fact I don't really expect to see anything Mac OS/X like that we don't already see. Being free to use ARM gives Apple significant advantages over anything using INTEL hardware right now. Due to ARMs core size they should be able to keep those advantages for a very long time. At 45 nm Apple should be able to place a GPU, a quad of ARMs, System RAM, Video RAM, USB I/O, PCI Express I/O and misc I/O all on one chip. That means lots of board space for FLASH. Also given a really low power process and advanced power engineering they should be able to cut power usage while running at 2 to 3 times the current clock rate.
What I'm trying to say is that we are only starting to see what is possible with respect to iPods/iPhones and the like. Papermasters goal would be to put all this together in a package people like you and me would buy. What is interesting with these patents is that it is obvious that Apple is well on its way with ideas for future devices. Maybe they have a problem where they are producing more ideas than they have people to develop them.
The thing with companies like Apple is that patent applications like these don't in and of themselves mean much. In the case of this specific patent I'm not sure what they are even trying to patent as I can't believe that transfer of power by induction could be considered patentable any more. Even the design of the supports don't strike me as unique at all, I mean really how long have pivoting monitors been around. For Apple it is more a case of do we have the technology today to deliver this device, which is something that has to be phrased in the context of what they already do with iPhone. I'd say we are awfully close.
Exactly! If somebody where to add a built in stand It would by necessity have to be rather large. So why not go the laptop/netbook model. AT least then the keyboard and the weight of the hands can balance the screen somewhat. Of course if the screen was OLED the balancing might be a bit easier.
If you are trying to write/type on a tablet sitting in a stand I'd have to say food luck to you. The use of a BlueTooth Keyboard might be helpful but you still need a stand. If one goes to all the trouble of making a built in screen stand then where does the portability go as such devices add considerable bulk.
Dave
Well, if the device is propped up with its small built-in stand like the Nokia N810 or Samsung Q1u, then you would not use it with a stylus. You would use the bluetooth keyboard and mouse for input or as a screen for video viewing only. I don't know why this isn't obvious as several posters mentioned it would need to have a heavy duty stand for touching while in vertical desktop mode.
You would of course use the stylus or a finger when it is in regular note pad use like a tablet pc in your hands, not on a desk, and when done, put it in your pocket unlike a big convertable touchscreen that requires a nice padded carry case. The iPhone and iPod are merely accessory tech with internet browsing and downloadable $ apps, while the mini-tablet I mentioned would be a full, non-compromising computer. \
As for Atom, it is available now, today and not some blueprint specs that might make it to some assembly line worker's hands in a few years. I don't understand why this hasn't been made by ANYONE. It's feasable and everything in it is realistic and marketable and wouldn't cannibilize what Apple has because it's more of a top tier portable replacement for netbooks, which Apple doesn't manufacture.
Well, if the device is propped up with its small built-in stand like the Nokia N810 or Samsung Q1u, then you would not use it with a stylus. You would use the bluetooth keyboard and mouse for input or as a screen for video viewing only. I don't know why this isn't obvious as several posters mentioned it would need to have a heavy duty stand for touching while in vertical desktop mode.
If you attached to bluetooth keyboard to the screen, the screen wouldn't need a stand.
Yep; in its current form ATOM is a joke for the sorts of products most of us here seem to be interested in. I'm not sure Apple would even use it in a larger tablet of the sorts that is often suggested here by one person. The processor simply delivers to little to the party for what it costs in power.
Well I'm not to sure Papermaster was being hired for anything more than management experience. Right now Apple has way to many top flight engineers than it needs for engineering tasks. I think what Apple was looking for was a person able to guide these individuals in the right direction on complex and bleeding edge products. A visionary of sorts.
Lets face it many of us have visions of what the perfect portable handheld device would look like and do. the question is how many of us could lead groups of engineers spread all over the world to a common goal. This is Papermasters job to structure and build a team that can continue to turn out sate of the art devices that fit in your hand.
This I truly doubt. The problem is simply this i86 compatibility is a big thing for 'PCs". As long as Apples "devices" are marketed as things other than PCs, Apple has the door wide open in how and what they build them out of. The minute that they become a PC then the freedom goes out the door, this is a huge distinction. So I don't expect to see anything PC like on these new devices. In fact I don't really expect to see anything Mac OS/X like that we don't already see. Being free to use ARM gives Apple significant advantages over anything using INTEL hardware right now. Due to ARMs core size they should be able to keep those advantages for a very long time. At 45 nm Apple should be able to place a GPU, a quad of ARMs, System RAM, Video RAM, USB I/O, PCI Express I/O and misc I/O all on one chip. That means lots of board space for FLASH. Also given a really low power process and advanced power engineering they should be able to cut power usage while running at 2 to 3 times the current clock rate.
What I'm trying to say is that we are only starting to see what is possible with respect to iPods/iPhones and the like. Papermasters goal would be to put all this together in a package people like you and me would buy. What is interesting with these patents is that it is obvious that Apple is well on its way with ideas for future devices. Maybe they have a problem where they are producing more ideas than they have people to develop them.
The thing with companies like Apple is that patent applications like these don't in and of themselves mean much. In the case of this specific patent I'm not sure what they are even trying to patent as I can't believe that transfer of power by induction could be considered patentable any more. Even the design of the supports don't strike me as unique at all, I mean really how long have pivoting monitors been around. For Apple it is more a case of do we have the technology today to deliver this device, which is something that has to be phrased in the context of what they already do with iPhone. I'd say we are awfully close.
Dave
All I know is that Steve doesn't like having to use intel i86 CPUs. He felt he was forced because of POWERPC's poor performance when used as a personal computer cpu. Yes, he is benefiting (Apple I mean) in the short term because of compatibility and crap like that. But ultimately I truly believe that he wants his products top to bottom to be totally apart from the rest of the industry.
We all know he likes to plan things years...YEARS in advance so I really think down the line he will want his company to design custom CPUs for Apple's products including the full on macs/macbooks.
In fact, I think this plan has already been set in motion for a couple years already and perhaps in 2 or so years Steve will be ready to get rid of intel and their hardware from all future Apple products.
Go ahead and call me crazy.
p.s.: And by the way, the iTablet IS coming! MACTOUCH FTW SUCKAS!!!!!1111111
Cocoa Touch is the key not the hardware. Apple needed Intel because PPC was never going to deliver in a portable in time, 4.7GHz sure but definitely non-portable and intel gave Apple marketing leverage due to public brainwashing. The iPhone and apps store show a new development model which outpaces the incumbent. The only question is, will it be an iPhone on steroids or a modified MacBook.
I'm with the former as it plays to their advantage and everyone else has tried the latter.
Really, I didn't realize everyone else had tried to develop a device running OS X touch.
His comment seems to include a touch version of OS X for each option, but his comparison is with the HW. I think he has a point. Tablet PCs and notebook/tablet convertible PCs have taken off despite the coolness factor, but neither have larger MIDs.
Really, I didn't realize everyone else had tried to develop a device running OS X touch.
Of course nobody else has OSX but do they do what's been tried before or do they create something new? Apple have unique positioning to pull the market in their direction and possibly replace the consumer 'PC' with something else entirely. The question is how and what steps they'll take to get there.
It is nice, but in a work environment, it would be so nice to just plug the macbook into a docking station that already has a the keyboard and mouse and monitor connected, along with extra usb ports for the printers and hard drives, and not to mention the network cable.
As much as I hate to admit it, I actually like how Dell has things set up.
Nice fantasy, if you think companies are going to foot the bill for this dream set up.
The prior poster's DisplayPort, Mac monitor and more is more plausible but still living in a fantasy.
Problem: Enterprises aren't deployed on DisplayPort. Enterprises aren't deployed on Docking Stations.
Solution: Bring your own adaptor cable if you have to hook into the display and connect the USB keyboard/mouse and close your laptop while you work on-site. Same old, same old.
If a company is Mac specific, they aren't interested in you bringing in your laptop as they would prefer you to be on-site using their network mapped Mac systems which keeps your work ''on-site'', secure and safe from being transported "accidentally" back to your place with your laptop.
If you work in a place that allows your laptop to do this they either don't know about security, don't give a crap about their business or they have nothing worth stealing.
Nice fantasy, if you think companies are going to foot the bill for this dream set up.
The prior poster's DisplayPort, Mac monitor and more is more plausible but still living in a fantasy.
Problem: Enterprises aren't deployed on DisplayPort. Enterprises aren't deployed on Docking Stations.
Solution: Bring your own adaptor cable if you have to hook into the display and connect the USB keyboard/mouse and close your laptop while you work on-site. Same old, same old.
If a company is Mac specific, they aren't interested in you bringing in your laptop as they would prefer you to be on-site using their network mapped Mac systems which keeps your work ''on-site'', secure and safe from being transported "accidentally" back to your place with your laptop.
If you work in a place that allows your laptop to do this they either don't know about security, don't give a crap about their business or they have nothing worth stealing.
The previous posts have been about making the macbook (or pro or air) suitable for a business environment. The way laptops are used in many modern enterprises, is that the employee is given a laptop, and takes it around with him on business trips, home, for work while commuting, etc.
As soon as such an employee gets to the office, he pushes the laptop into the docking station, which is already connected (via adapters if necessary) to a screen, a keyboard (sometimes), a mouse (usually) and the Ethernet cable (mostly). This is not insecure. There is such a thing as disk encryption.
If said employee has a Mac (like myself), he's stuck with a somewhat less optimal version:
Put the computer on the desk
Get on your knees, and pull the Ethernet cable from under the desk. Plug it in.
Plug the mouse in (that's easy, it's on the desk)
Connect the magsafe and drop the brick behind the desk
Crawl under the desk and connect the brick to the wall
Pull the display cable (adapter already connected to the cable) and connect it to the computer.
My co-workers just click the Lenovo laptop in, and everything works. Much easier IMO, so yes, I would like a future macbook to have a docking station of some kind.
Comments
McD
This indicates why tablets are such a problem.
A laptop format automatically supports a raised screen.
With a tablet, you either lay them flat.... which is not a great way to work...
Or need a stand of some kind. Which undermines portability.
If you are writing on the tablet, or poking it with a finger, the stand would have to be substantial.
Perhaps the best solution is a tablet you hold in one hand and poke at with the other.
But Apple already make one of those.
C.
I don't want a giant iPhone. I want a laptop with a multitouch screen that can be rotated and folded all the way down to cover the keyboard. Perhaps bundled with a stylus that uses Apple's Ink technology. But that's called a convertible tablet. Mac users who dismiss tablets seem to forget that there are 2 types of Tablet PCs: Convertibles which are regular laptops with rotating touch screens, and Slates which have fixed screens and no keyboard.
This indicates why tablets are such a problem.
A laptop format automatically supports a raised screen.
With a tablet, you either lay them flat.... which is not a great way to work...
Or need a stand of some kind. Which undermines portability.
Exactly! If somebody where to add a built in stand It would by necessity have to be rather large. So why not go the laptop/netbook model. AT least then the keyboard and the weight of the hands can balance the screen somewhat. Of course if the screen was OLED the balancing might be a bit easier.
If you are writing on the tablet, or poking it with a finger, the stand would have to be substantial.
If you are trying to write/type on a tablet sitting in a stand I'd have to say food luck to you. The use of a BlueTooth Keyboard might be helpful but you still need a stand. If one goes to all the trouble of making a built in screen stand then where does the portability go as such devices add considerable bulk.
Perhaps the best solution is a tablet you hold in one hand and poke at with the other.
But Apple already make one of those.
C.
Well yeah they do but it isn't the be all end all device many make it out to be. The problem is the screen is TO small. Which comes back to my favourite theme an iPhone Maxi / Newton 2. The primary goal of this device would be to deliver a larger screen in a device that is still portable. This device would also support massive amounts of storage, ideally 128GB right off the start for the low end model and 256GB for its big brother.
In any event the idea with the screen is to provide HD quality in a device close to the size of a bank check. Yeah the actual ratio might be a little off and I'd honestly side on wider being better than higher. This puts us in the 6 to 7" diagonal screen size. The idea is to maintain a size that can still be put into a pocket, with at least as much ease as a fat check book but provide for a much wider screen on the portable device. The idea with the wider screen is that it works much better with the web than going a lot higher does. The simple fact is that almost every web site is designed to be wider than the current iPhone screen can accommodate and that won't change because of iPhones existence nor the existence of any other similar device. Check book size does allow for an increase in screen hight which would do wonders for horizontal keyboard mode, it might even help apps used in vertical mode. In any event the challenge for those that want to take it is to grab you check book and imagine a really nice touch screen on the face of it. Slip it into your pockets, carry it around a bit and just "use" it as you would an iPhone but imagine the screen is like much more useful. Think about having more than twice the pixels on screen. Think about this with a battery that lasts 24 hours on a charge while surfing the net.
As a side note you might not want to do that above with your check book in public. It might result in a white padded wagon coming to pick you up.
Dave
Apple will never touch the Atom.
Yep; in its current form ATOM is a joke for the sorts of products most of us here seem to be interested in. I'm not sure Apple would even use it in a larger tablet of the sorts that is often suggested here by one person. The processor simply delivers to little to the party for what it costs in power.
I think with the PA Semi acquisition and them trying to get Papermaster onboard its kinda obvious now (Steve even said so) that Apple wants to design their own chips for ipods and iphones.
Well I'm not to sure Papermaster was being hired for anything more than management experience. Right now Apple has way to many top flight engineers than it needs for engineering tasks. I think what Apple was looking for was a person able to guide these individuals in the right direction on complex and bleeding edge products. A visionary of sorts.
Lets face it many of us have visions of what the perfect portable handheld device would look like and do. the question is how many of us could lead groups of engineers spread all over the world to a common goal. This is Papermasters job to structure and build a team that can continue to turn out sate of the art devices that fit in your hand.
Perhaps down the line they might even kick intel to the curb when it comes to chips for the macs and macbooks.
This I truly doubt. The problem is simply this i86 compatibility is a big thing for 'PCs". As long as Apples "devices" are marketed as things other than PCs, Apple has the door wide open in how and what they build them out of. The minute that they become a PC then the freedom goes out the door, this is a huge distinction. So I don't expect to see anything PC like on these new devices. In fact I don't really expect to see anything Mac OS/X like that we don't already see. Being free to use ARM gives Apple significant advantages over anything using INTEL hardware right now. Due to ARMs core size they should be able to keep those advantages for a very long time. At 45 nm Apple should be able to place a GPU, a quad of ARMs, System RAM, Video RAM, USB I/O, PCI Express I/O and misc I/O all on one chip. That means lots of board space for FLASH. Also given a really low power process and advanced power engineering they should be able to cut power usage while running at 2 to 3 times the current clock rate.
What I'm trying to say is that we are only starting to see what is possible with respect to iPods/iPhones and the like. Papermasters goal would be to put all this together in a package people like you and me would buy. What is interesting with these patents is that it is obvious that Apple is well on its way with ideas for future devices. Maybe they have a problem where they are producing more ideas than they have people to develop them.
The thing with companies like Apple is that patent applications like these don't in and of themselves mean much. In the case of this specific patent I'm not sure what they are even trying to patent as I can't believe that transfer of power by induction could be considered patentable any more. Even the design of the supports don't strike me as unique at all, I mean really how long have pivoting monitors been around. For Apple it is more a case of do we have the technology today to deliver this device, which is something that has to be phrased in the context of what they already do with iPhone. I'd say we are awfully close.
Dave
Exactly! If somebody where to add a built in stand It would by necessity have to be rather large. So why not go the laptop/netbook model. AT least then the keyboard and the weight of the hands can balance the screen somewhat. Of course if the screen was OLED the balancing might be a bit easier.
If you are trying to write/type on a tablet sitting in a stand I'd have to say food luck to you. The use of a BlueTooth Keyboard might be helpful but you still need a stand. If one goes to all the trouble of making a built in screen stand then where does the portability go as such devices add considerable bulk.
Dave
Well, if the device is propped up with its small built-in stand like the Nokia N810 or Samsung Q1u, then you would not use it with a stylus. You would use the bluetooth keyboard and mouse for input or as a screen for video viewing only. I don't know why this isn't obvious as several posters mentioned it would need to have a heavy duty stand for touching while in vertical desktop mode.
You would of course use the stylus or a finger when it is in regular note pad use like a tablet pc in your hands, not on a desk, and when done, put it in your pocket unlike a big convertable touchscreen that requires a nice padded carry case. The iPhone and iPod are merely accessory tech with internet browsing and downloadable $ apps, while the mini-tablet I mentioned would be a full, non-compromising computer.
As for Atom, it is available now, today and not some blueprint specs that might make it to some assembly line worker's hands in a few years. I don't understand why this hasn't been made by ANYONE. It's feasable and everything in it is realistic and marketable and wouldn't cannibilize what Apple has because it's more of a top tier portable replacement for netbooks, which Apple doesn't manufacture.
Well, if the device is propped up with its small built-in stand like the Nokia N810 or Samsung Q1u, then you would not use it with a stylus. You would use the bluetooth keyboard and mouse for input or as a screen for video viewing only. I don't know why this isn't obvious as several posters mentioned it would need to have a heavy duty stand for touching while in vertical desktop mode.
If you attached to bluetooth keyboard to the screen, the screen wouldn't need a stand.
And.....we invent the laptop!
C.
Yep; in its current form ATOM is a joke for the sorts of products most of us here seem to be interested in. I'm not sure Apple would even use it in a larger tablet of the sorts that is often suggested here by one person. The processor simply delivers to little to the party for what it costs in power.
Well I'm not to sure Papermaster was being hired for anything more than management experience. Right now Apple has way to many top flight engineers than it needs for engineering tasks. I think what Apple was looking for was a person able to guide these individuals in the right direction on complex and bleeding edge products. A visionary of sorts.
Lets face it many of us have visions of what the perfect portable handheld device would look like and do. the question is how many of us could lead groups of engineers spread all over the world to a common goal. This is Papermasters job to structure and build a team that can continue to turn out sate of the art devices that fit in your hand.
This I truly doubt. The problem is simply this i86 compatibility is a big thing for 'PCs". As long as Apples "devices" are marketed as things other than PCs, Apple has the door wide open in how and what they build them out of. The minute that they become a PC then the freedom goes out the door, this is a huge distinction. So I don't expect to see anything PC like on these new devices. In fact I don't really expect to see anything Mac OS/X like that we don't already see. Being free to use ARM gives Apple significant advantages over anything using INTEL hardware right now. Due to ARMs core size they should be able to keep those advantages for a very long time. At 45 nm Apple should be able to place a GPU, a quad of ARMs, System RAM, Video RAM, USB I/O, PCI Express I/O and misc I/O all on one chip. That means lots of board space for FLASH. Also given a really low power process and advanced power engineering they should be able to cut power usage while running at 2 to 3 times the current clock rate.
What I'm trying to say is that we are only starting to see what is possible with respect to iPods/iPhones and the like. Papermasters goal would be to put all this together in a package people like you and me would buy. What is interesting with these patents is that it is obvious that Apple is well on its way with ideas for future devices. Maybe they have a problem where they are producing more ideas than they have people to develop them.
The thing with companies like Apple is that patent applications like these don't in and of themselves mean much. In the case of this specific patent I'm not sure what they are even trying to patent as I can't believe that transfer of power by induction could be considered patentable any more. Even the design of the supports don't strike me as unique at all, I mean really how long have pivoting monitors been around. For Apple it is more a case of do we have the technology today to deliver this device, which is something that has to be phrased in the context of what they already do with iPhone. I'd say we are awfully close.
Dave
All I know is that Steve doesn't like having to use intel i86 CPUs. He felt he was forced because of POWERPC's poor performance when used as a personal computer cpu. Yes, he is benefiting (Apple I mean) in the short term because of compatibility and crap like that. But ultimately I truly believe that he wants his products top to bottom to be totally apart from the rest of the industry.
We all know he likes to plan things years...YEARS in advance so I really think down the line he will want his company to design custom CPUs for Apple's products including the full on macs/macbooks.
In fact, I think this plan has already been set in motion for a couple years already and perhaps in 2 or so years Steve will be ready to get rid of intel and their hardware from all future Apple products.
Go ahead and call me crazy.
p.s.: And by the way, the iTablet IS coming! MACTOUCH FTW SUCKAS!!!!!1111111
I'm with the former as it plays to their advantage and everyone else has tried the latter.
McD
The only question is, will it be an iPhone on steroids or a modified MacBook.
I'm with the former as it plays to their advantage and everyone else has tried the latter.
Really, I didn't realize everyone else had tried to develop a device running OS X touch.
Really, I didn't realize everyone else had tried to develop a device running OS X touch.
His comment seems to include a touch version of OS X for each option, but his comparison is with the HW. I think he has a point. Tablet PCs and notebook/tablet convertible PCs have taken off despite the coolness factor, but neither have larger MIDs.
Really, I didn't realize everyone else had tried to develop a device running OS X touch.
Of course nobody else has OSX but do they do what's been tried before or do they create something new? Apple have unique positioning to pull the market in their direction and possibly replace the consumer 'PC' with something else entirely. The question is how and what steps they'll take to get there.
McD
It is nice, but in a work environment, it would be so nice to just plug the macbook into a docking station that already has a the keyboard and mouse and monitor connected, along with extra usb ports for the printers and hard drives, and not to mention the network cable.
As much as I hate to admit it, I actually like how Dell has things set up.
Nice fantasy, if you think companies are going to foot the bill for this dream set up.
The prior poster's DisplayPort, Mac monitor and more is more plausible but still living in a fantasy.
Problem: Enterprises aren't deployed on DisplayPort. Enterprises aren't deployed on Docking Stations.
Solution: Bring your own adaptor cable if you have to hook into the display and connect the USB keyboard/mouse and close your laptop while you work on-site. Same old, same old.
If a company is Mac specific, they aren't interested in you bringing in your laptop as they would prefer you to be on-site using their network mapped Mac systems which keeps your work ''on-site'', secure and safe from being transported "accidentally" back to your place with your laptop.
If you work in a place that allows your laptop to do this they either don't know about security, don't give a crap about their business or they have nothing worth stealing.
Nice fantasy, if you think companies are going to foot the bill for this dream set up.
The prior poster's DisplayPort, Mac monitor and more is more plausible but still living in a fantasy.
Problem: Enterprises aren't deployed on DisplayPort. Enterprises aren't deployed on Docking Stations.
Solution: Bring your own adaptor cable if you have to hook into the display and connect the USB keyboard/mouse and close your laptop while you work on-site. Same old, same old.
If a company is Mac specific, they aren't interested in you bringing in your laptop as they would prefer you to be on-site using their network mapped Mac systems which keeps your work ''on-site'', secure and safe from being transported "accidentally" back to your place with your laptop.
If you work in a place that allows your laptop to do this they either don't know about security, don't give a crap about their business or they have nothing worth stealing.
The previous posts have been about making the macbook (or pro or air) suitable for a business environment. The way laptops are used in many modern enterprises, is that the employee is given a laptop, and takes it around with him on business trips, home, for work while commuting, etc.
As soon as such an employee gets to the office, he pushes the laptop into the docking station, which is already connected (via adapters if necessary) to a screen, a keyboard (sometimes), a mouse (usually) and the Ethernet cable (mostly). This is not insecure. There is such a thing as disk encryption.
If said employee has a Mac (like myself), he's stuck with a somewhat less optimal version:
- Put the computer on the desk
- Get on your knees, and pull the Ethernet cable from under the desk. Plug it in.
- Plug the mouse in (that's easy, it's on the desk)
- Connect the magsafe and drop the brick behind the desk
- Crawl under the desk and connect the brick to the wall
- Pull the display cable (adapter already connected to the cable) and connect it to the computer.
My co-workers just click the Lenovo laptop in, and everything works. Much easier IMO, so yes, I would like a future macbook to have a docking station of some kind.