However the problem with Dashboaord wouldn't be improved by running iOS apps. For many of us Dashboard never really fit our work flow and methods. Regular Mac apps just are far more convient especially if you have a large sceen or multiple screens.
The problem here is that a full OS/X app with touch support would be much better. You could get the best of both worlds. Still the ergonomics of a touch screen on a laptop is a huge problem.
There are a number of ways for Apple to address this though. One idea floating through my head is a transparent laptop screen that is viewable as a standard screen when oPen and as a touch panel when closed. Actually the screen needs not to be transparent if you use two LCD screens. In this approach OLED might work better. From Apples standpoint it shouldn't be a big deal software wise as all they would have to do is reverse the image. The neat thing is the utility of the machine would increase drastically but remain mechanically robust relative to other convertibles.
This has been mentioned again and again but XCode already does this. Every app built for the simulator is an x86 app. The fact is you can easily run iOS apps on a Mac today if you have the source code. I don't see Apple going public with this technique though as it isn't a clean way to bring touch to the Mac.
There are two problems here. One is that dashboard isn't a solution to any pressing problem on the Mac. The other problem is the age old issue of making money off you works.
App store is a tremendous motivator for even minor app developers. Even modest pay backs to developers can result in numerous apps being produced that wouldn't be other wise. Like it or not the locked down nature of iOS and the low impact app store has lead to a very positive platform for developers.
This is one reason why I would like to see an app store come to the Mac. We obviously don't need a locked down platform but a secure and low cost way to distribute apps would be very helpful. Such a facility would lead to Mac's software library tripleing very quickly.
A good thought but honestly I don't see Apple going this route. They will bring touch to the Mac when it is ready. Adding iOS apps to dashboard would be a bust in my mind. To get the functionality of these Mini apps on a Mac requires giving developers an incentive via a framework for profits. Or atleast cheap distribution of their works.
Regarding the payment model: I mean that an IOS dashboard model would use the SAME pay app your buy in the App Store now. Perhaps actually incorporating the sore into the Dashboard.
Your technical points are interesting. I tend to disagree with the idea that Apple's existing method of compiling for x86 in xCode for testing isn't how Apple would do this. It is exactly how they handled the transition from PowerPC to x86. Universal App Binaries would hardly be unprecedented.
We've heard a lot in recent months about iLife possibly dropping iDVD from the suite. I think its entirely likely that this will happen, and iDVD will receive a minor update and be posted as a free download on Apple.com (think iMovie HD/QuickTime 7).
Combine this possibility, with the likely refresh of the MacBook Air, Apple's DVD-less notebook. Coincidence? Maybe. But if you speculate a little further, I wonder if the time as come for new form factor notebooks (all of them except the 17") that are all without optical media drives, and Apple introduces a new notebook SuperDrive accessory that works across all notebooks, for those who want it.
Whether you agree with the principle or not, its very possible that Apple will bill these new form factor notebooks as being lighter and faster and thinner due to the lack of unnecessary optical drives. We could see insanely fast MacBooks, with discrete GPUs (aka: what we really need), in place of optical drives.
Sorry guys, no blu ray for ya. (unless by magic the new optical accessory is a blu ray drive lol)
It makes sense for iDVD's capabilities to be rolled into iMovie.
I agree that it's time for optical drives to become an optional component, but forcing people who don't want to carry an external DVD drive to buy a 17" MBP doesn't feel right to me.
I strongly disagree with the MB Air design because the user sacrifices screen size, speed, storage and ports just to lose the optical drive.
I would introduce a family of optical drive-less MacBook Pros. Everything the MBP has now except the optical drive. In its place offer a second hard drive or bigger battery. Continue to offer the current MBP for people in all screen size categories who still make regular use of their optical drives, but they would be getting a strong hint that the future will not include optical discs.
I hope so, but that would also mean a discrete GPU which also means finding room in the 13? machine for that GPU, and the only room I know of (outside of even more miniaturization is where the ODD is.
The i 3 processor is to big to fit inside the 13inch MBP so there goes that concept.They may keep the 13inch MBP in the line for a while.
Activity within Apple's supply chain throughout the better part of 2010 has shown signs that the Mac maker is gearing up to introduce a new notebook that doesn't fit into any of its existing hardware designs
Which of which is to say their's no plans to bake netbooks, which is which Apple consistently refused to.
Comments
However the problem with Dashboaord wouldn't be improved by running iOS apps. For many of us Dashboard never really fit our work flow and methods. Regular Mac apps just are far more convient especially if you have a large sceen or multiple screens.
The problem here is that a full OS/X app with touch support would be much better. You could get the best of both worlds. Still the ergonomics of a touch screen on a laptop is a huge problem.
There are a number of ways for Apple to address this though. One idea floating through my head is a transparent laptop screen that is viewable as a standard screen when oPen and as a touch panel when closed. Actually the screen needs not to be transparent if you use two LCD screens. In this approach OLED might work better. From Apples standpoint it shouldn't be a big deal software wise as all they would have to do is reverse the image. The neat thing is the utility of the machine would increase drastically but remain mechanically robust relative to other convertibles.
This has been mentioned again and again but XCode already does this. Every app built for the simulator is an x86 app. The fact is you can easily run iOS apps on a Mac today if you have the source code. I don't see Apple going public with this technique though as it isn't a clean way to bring touch to the Mac.
There are two problems here. One is that dashboard isn't a solution to any pressing problem on the Mac. The other problem is the age old issue of making money off you works.
App store is a tremendous motivator for even minor app developers. Even modest pay backs to developers can result in numerous apps being produced that wouldn't be other wise. Like it or not the locked down nature of iOS and the low impact app store has lead to a very positive platform for developers.
This is one reason why I would like to see an app store come to the Mac. We obviously don't need a locked down platform but a secure and low cost way to distribute apps would be very helpful. Such a facility would lead to Mac's software library tripleing very quickly.
A good thought but honestly I don't see Apple going this route. They will bring touch to the Mac when it is ready. Adding iOS apps to dashboard would be a bust in my mind. To get the functionality of these Mini apps on a Mac requires giving developers an incentive via a framework for profits. Or atleast cheap distribution of their works.
Regarding the payment model: I mean that an IOS dashboard model would use the SAME pay app your buy in the App Store now. Perhaps actually incorporating the sore into the Dashboard.
Your technical points are interesting. I tend to disagree with the idea that Apple's existing method of compiling for x86 in xCode for testing isn't how Apple would do this. It is exactly how they handled the transition from PowerPC to x86. Universal App Binaries would hardly be unprecedented.
An interesting theory/prediction:
We've heard a lot in recent months about iLife possibly dropping iDVD from the suite. I think its entirely likely that this will happen, and iDVD will receive a minor update and be posted as a free download on Apple.com (think iMovie HD/QuickTime 7).
Combine this possibility, with the likely refresh of the MacBook Air, Apple's DVD-less notebook. Coincidence? Maybe. But if you speculate a little further, I wonder if the time as come for new form factor notebooks (all of them except the 17") that are all without optical media drives, and Apple introduces a new notebook SuperDrive accessory that works across all notebooks, for those who want it.
Whether you agree with the principle or not, its very possible that Apple will bill these new form factor notebooks as being lighter and faster and thinner due to the lack of unnecessary optical drives. We could see insanely fast MacBooks, with discrete GPUs (aka: what we really need), in place of optical drives.
Sorry guys, no blu ray for ya. (unless by magic the new optical accessory is a blu ray drive lol)
It makes sense for iDVD's capabilities to be rolled into iMovie.
I agree that it's time for optical drives to become an optional component, but forcing people who don't want to carry an external DVD drive to buy a 17" MBP doesn't feel right to me.
I strongly disagree with the MB Air design because the user sacrifices screen size, speed, storage and ports just to lose the optical drive.
I would introduce a family of optical drive-less MacBook Pros. Everything the MBP has now except the optical drive. In its place offer a second hard drive or bigger battery. Continue to offer the current MBP for people in all screen size categories who still make regular use of their optical drives, but they would be getting a strong hint that the future will not include optical discs.
Totally off topic, but I sold a 40GB AppleTV in June for $90...how cool is that?
Pretty cool?
So long as SJ hasn't set this thing up for a walled-garden iOS, it could be a hot item!
What?
So long as SJ hasn't set this thing up for a walled-garden iOS, it could be a hot item!
Logged in just to reply.
What is wrong with you?
I hope so, but that would also mean a discrete GPU which also means finding room in the 13? machine for that GPU, and the only room I know of (outside of even more miniaturization is where the ODD is.
The i 3 processor is to big to fit inside the 13inch MBP so there goes that concept.They may keep the 13inch MBP in the line for a while.
The i 3 processor is to big to fit inside the 13inch MBP so there goes that concept.They may keep the 13inch MBP in the line for a while.
How is it too big? It seems to fit fine in other machines.
It's certainly the case that the iPad is astonishingly responsive compared to computers which have dramatically more memory and CPU horsepower.
If this is true, it could be interesting.
C.
The i 3 processor is to big to fit inside the 13inch MBP so there goes that concept.They may keep the 13inch MBP in the line for a while.
That's total BS
Activity within Apple's supply chain throughout the better part of 2010 has shown signs that the Mac maker is gearing up to introduce a new notebook that doesn't fit into any of its existing hardware designs
Which of which is to say their's no plans to bake netbooks, which is which Apple consistently refused to.
Which of which is to say their's no plans to bake netbooks, which is which Apple consistently refused to.
Which of which and baking net books??