I can see a 12 and 15" with drawer like lcd screens that slide out of the left and right sides, these side panels would butterfly out and would be a perfect fit for the Dock and the buddy lists as well as some other Panel type sidebar displays. The keyboard could likewise butterfly out on a 12" unit. What do you think?
I understand that IBM is thinking of re-introducing the butterfly keyboard as well.
If the price were right I could see myself buying a 20" instead of a desktop. For my purposes, tiny (like a hand held which I can take with me anyplace) and huge (just portible enough to throw in the car and take on vacation) are the two most useful sizes.
Look: the genesis of the question arises from Apple's recent foray into making a 20-inch iMac. It's a legitimate question. From all accounts the 20-inch iMac is simply breathtaking. A year ago who would have ever thought Apple would soon use the panel from their 17-inch iMac for a 17-inch PowerBook? No one!!! And you know, I assume that had I asked a year ago if you would buy a 17-inch widescreen PowerBook the answers might be close to what they are for this thread. I am not advocating for it -- I am just curious that should that be a direction Apple takes its pro notebooks would you be interested. That's all.
Ok, enough of the laughing at and head shaking. It was a legitimate question. This level of ridicule is unnecessary.
I'm sorry dude, but it was a pretty stupid question. Portables and desktops serve different uses, and will both be around for the forseeable future. A 20" portable is damn stupid, and this thread is only here because, well, there's almost nothing really interesting anymore in FH.
I'm sorry dude, but it was a pretty stupid question. Portables and desktops serve different uses, and will both be around for the forseeable future. A 20" portable is damn stupid, and this thread is only here because, well, there's almost nothing really interesting anymore in FH.
Barto
Indeed they do serve different puposes. But since when have 2 separate purposes not attempted to be met with one product? This wasn't a call to build the machine, it was a question if anyone would purchase such a machine were it to be produced. What's so stupid about that?
The idea of a large screened (trans)portable is not as asinine as one might initially think if one considers all the practical uses for it and uses it would immeditely serve today's market.
A 20" notebook is a bad idea. But, that is only because a notebook as a workstation is a bad idea - at any size. I love portables and cannot imagine not owning one. But other advantages and disadvantages aside, they are ergonomic nightmares. The screen is too low which causes neck and shoulder pain. Using one for an extended period of time is very uncomfortable. To make it more usable at home, you need an external monitor and an external keyboard and an external mouse or other pointing device and enough space to put the, now, unused laptop. If you are going to do all that, you just as well be using a desktop. The disadvantage that all desktops have is that from the time they come out of the box, they live and die in one place, the top of your desk. They never move and that limits where and when you can get any work done. People who use their notebooks in this way are a real mystery to me. What's the point. The only advantage a notebook brings to the table is portability. Ease of setup is not worth it because you only have to set up a desktop once, then it's done. Why deal with the smaller screen, less power, ergonomic discomfort, and greater expense if you don't want to use the one benefit that makes it all worthwhile, portability?
The solution to both form factors is to redesign the desktop so that the line between portable and desktop are further blurred. Enter, the 20" portable desktop replacement. It would be large as you imagine such a notebook looking creature would be. But that would be alright because it is not intended to be used in transit. It will have a full-sized keyboard. The lid, when opened, would lift upward on some type of articulated hinge or perhaps sliders on the sides of the monitor. You could raise it 4 to 6 inches, thus placing it at eye level, yet still keeping the keyboard at the proper height. On the back of the monitor would be thin speakers that fold out to either side. It would be a true AiO. The only cord would be the power cord. Now, you can take your computer into the living room and watch the game while still getting a little work done. Just set it on a TV tray and away you go. You can take it on a trip with you. Just unplug it, fold in the speakers, close the lid, and away you go. This design would even work with smaller notebooks as well. I do not believe that there is any reason for notebooks to be stuck with a non-ergonomic design. The clamshell works for porting it about. But when in use, we must find a way to raise the monitor to a working height. Better speakers are also a must. But I believe such things are possible right now.
A 20" PB the way notebooks are currently designed? No way. A 20" ergonomic desktop/portable? Bring it on. Give me all that with user upgradable graphics and HD and you will make the consumer desktop as we know it completely obsolete.
I love the way people ridicule a product just because they don't want to use it.
I would buy a 20" powerbook (if were cheap and powerful enough). I need a computer that I can easily move from place to place throughout the day, but is powerful enough for heavy duty recording -- pulse the normal bevy of web-design tools (along with some video and 3d rendering).
A 20" powerbook as a true desktop replacement would be perfect for me.
I use a 17" PB and LOVE it!!! (Although I did come from a 500Mhz iBook)
I am a software developer and as such I do a lot of my coding on my desk in the back room. However, once a week I have to go into the office for meetings. Also, sometimes I need to go to another coders place to work on something. I need the power that a desktop offers but the portability that a notebook offers.
Now, a 20" PB might be a little much, even for me. But, if a 20" screen allowed internal realestate for a second processor, a second hard drive (can you image Final Cut Pro on a 20" laptop with a pair of 80 - 120Gb hard drives!!!) a second battery....... I think I'd be sold!!!
And others would benfit too (FCP users as stated above to name one group).
You're not going to sell 20" PowerBooks to Joe Blow who walks in of the street wanting to use word and maybe play some games. You are going to sell them to pro users, jounalists, TV/Movie people, maybe other coders.
I also had another idea the other day, feel free to borrow it.
What if your "foolscap notebook" didn't have a keyboard as such??
What if instead of a keyboard you have an LCD touch screen?? (I know I'm losing some of you here but stay with me!!!)
So, your a video editor (as an example but feel free to apply this to your own industry). You take video, digitise it, edit it, maybe make a soundtrack etc etc etc. Why not have a video desk on the keyboard? You know, tools for scrubbing back and forward trough scenes etc..... Then you go to edit the soundtrack (or maybe you are a DJ instead of a video guy), the display changes to sliders for your EQ and volume etc etc etc...
Maybe you are a composer as well and the display could change to a piano keyboard or something?? A built in tablet for graphic artists??
Of course you could have your standard keyboard layout as well (although I don't think I'd like to type on a touch screen, but that is what bluetooth/USB is for right??)
How would you change screens?? Uummm, maybe there is an area in the top corner where you can click through them?? Maybe the app in front tells the keyboard what to display??
It's probably a niche thing in a niche market but I still think it would be cool.
How about the 12" PowerBook needs a wide screen, with similar resolution to the original Ti: 1152x768.
This is what I'd want to replace my rev A Ti 500. Basically shrinkage and more power! Its that or I'd just buy another 15", now with the higher rez screens (granted, not new) and all the other goodies.
Comments
I understand that IBM is thinking of re-introducing the butterfly keyboard as well.
Originally posted by DHagan4755
Say Apple made such a portable. Would you buy it? Would it be practical?
are you crazy? no way. that would be stupid. altops are supose to be portabe!
Or maybe Apple can go dual head and ship the first PowerBook with two screens.
Originally posted by Amorph
Any takers for a 23" PowerBook? How about a 30" PowerBook Extreme?
I hate the 'EXTREME' marketing take...Apple is also guilty of this...i.e. AirPort Extreme
the person who created the page below captured my thoughts exactly...
http://maddox.xmission.com/xtreme_bullshit.html
No one bats an eye at a 20" iMac or 20" Cinema Display. As well they shouldn't.
If Apple ever makes a PowerBook larger than the current 17", I'll be shocked beyond words.
Originally posted by rageous
Ok, enough of the laughing at and head shaking. It was a legitimate question. This level of ridicule is unnecessary.
I'm sorry dude, but it was a pretty stupid question. Portables and desktops serve different uses, and will both be around for the forseeable future. A 20" portable is damn stupid, and this thread is only here because, well, there's almost nothing really interesting anymore in FH.
Barto
Originally posted by Barto
I'm sorry dude, but it was a pretty stupid question. Portables and desktops serve different uses, and will both be around for the forseeable future. A 20" portable is damn stupid, and this thread is only here because, well, there's almost nothing really interesting anymore in FH.
Barto
Indeed they do serve different puposes. But since when have 2 separate purposes not attempted to be met with one product? This wasn't a call to build the machine, it was a question if anyone would purchase such a machine were it to be produced. What's so stupid about that?
The idea of a large screened (trans)portable is not as asinine as one might initially think if one considers all the practical uses for it and uses it would immeditely serve today's market.
Originally posted by Amorph
Any takers for a 23" PowerBook? How about a 30" PowerBook Extreme?
Or maybe Apple can go dual head and ship the first PowerBook with two screens.
Why stop there? A full hydra headed notebook with an external gas generator. Oh and a cherry on top too.
Originally posted by rageous
But since when have 2 separate purposes not attempted to be met with one product?
When a feature of one product becomes a disadvantage when used on the other product.
PocketPC Cell Phones suck, because you either have a big
A 20" PowerBook would manage to suck and blow because it would be a hidiously expensive unportable portable. Duh.
IS IT SO HARD TO GET PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND?
Barto
Originally posted by Nr9
the 17 is not that big. what suprises me is that apple hasnt managed to take advantage of that extra size and offer a bigger battery.
batteries are heavy
A 20" notebook is a bad idea. But, that is only because a notebook as a workstation is a bad idea - at any size. I love portables and cannot imagine not owning one. But other advantages and disadvantages aside, they are ergonomic nightmares. The screen is too low which causes neck and shoulder pain. Using one for an extended period of time is very uncomfortable. To make it more usable at home, you need an external monitor and an external keyboard and an external mouse or other pointing device and enough space to put the, now, unused laptop. If you are going to do all that, you just as well be using a desktop. The disadvantage that all desktops have is that from the time they come out of the box, they live and die in one place, the top of your desk. They never move and that limits where and when you can get any work done. People who use their notebooks in this way are a real mystery to me. What's the point. The only advantage a notebook brings to the table is portability. Ease of setup is not worth it because you only have to set up a desktop once, then it's done. Why deal with the smaller screen, less power, ergonomic discomfort, and greater expense if you don't want to use the one benefit that makes it all worthwhile, portability?
The solution to both form factors is to redesign the desktop so that the line between portable and desktop are further blurred. Enter, the 20" portable desktop replacement. It would be large as you imagine such a notebook looking creature would be. But that would be alright because it is not intended to be used in transit. It will have a full-sized keyboard. The lid, when opened, would lift upward on some type of articulated hinge or perhaps sliders on the sides of the monitor. You could raise it 4 to 6 inches, thus placing it at eye level, yet still keeping the keyboard at the proper height. On the back of the monitor would be thin speakers that fold out to either side. It would be a true AiO. The only cord would be the power cord. Now, you can take your computer into the living room and watch the game while still getting a little work done. Just set it on a TV tray and away you go. You can take it on a trip with you. Just unplug it, fold in the speakers, close the lid, and away you go. This design would even work with smaller notebooks as well. I do not believe that there is any reason for notebooks to be stuck with a non-ergonomic design. The clamshell works for porting it about. But when in use, we must find a way to raise the monitor to a working height. Better speakers are also a must. But I believe such things are possible right now.
A 20" PB the way notebooks are currently designed? No way. A 20" ergonomic desktop/portable? Bring it on. Give me all that with user upgradable graphics and HD and you will make the consumer desktop as we know it completely obsolete.
I would buy a 20" powerbook (if were cheap and powerful enough). I need a computer that I can easily move from place to place throughout the day, but is powerful enough for heavy duty recording -- pulse the normal bevy of web-design tools (along with some video and 3d rendering).
A 20" powerbook as a true desktop replacement would be perfect for me.
I am a software developer and as such I do a lot of my coding on my desk in the back room. However, once a week I have to go into the office for meetings. Also, sometimes I need to go to another coders place to work on something. I need the power that a desktop offers but the portability that a notebook offers.
Now, a 20" PB might be a little much, even for me. But, if a 20" screen allowed internal realestate for a second processor, a second hard drive (can you image Final Cut Pro on a 20" laptop with a pair of 80 - 120Gb hard drives!!!) a second battery....... I think I'd be sold!!!
And others would benfit too (FCP users as stated above to name one group).
You're not going to sell 20" PowerBooks to Joe Blow who walks in of the street wanting to use word and maybe play some games. You are going to sell them to pro users, jounalists, TV/Movie people, maybe other coders.
My 2 cents.
What if your "foolscap notebook" didn't have a keyboard as such??
What if instead of a keyboard you have an LCD touch screen?? (I know I'm losing some of you here but stay with me!!!)
So, your a video editor (as an example but feel free to apply this to your own industry). You take video, digitise it, edit it, maybe make a soundtrack etc etc etc. Why not have a video desk on the keyboard? You know, tools for scrubbing back and forward trough scenes etc..... Then you go to edit the soundtrack (or maybe you are a DJ instead of a video guy), the display changes to sliders for your EQ and volume etc etc etc...
Maybe you are a composer as well and the display could change to a piano keyboard or something?? A built in tablet for graphic artists??
Of course you could have your standard keyboard layout as well (although I don't think I'd like to type on a touch screen, but that is what bluetooth/USB is for right??)
How would you change screens?? Uummm, maybe there is an area in the top corner where you can click through them?? Maybe the app in front tells the keyboard what to display??
It's probably a niche thing in a niche market but I still think it would be cool.
My 2 cents.
on second thought...no.
This is what I'd want to replace my rev A Ti 500. Basically shrinkage and more power! Its that or I'd just buy another 15", now with the higher rez screens (granted, not new) and all the other goodies.