Yep, heard about it, filed it under "useless notepad" and forgot about it. 12" is already getting pretty small for a screen, and if Apple goes to 10", they'll probably make it a Powerbook so they can charge more. Much smaller still, and the keyboard becomes the limiting factor. I've tried laptops with miniaturized keyboards, and they were abominations - I just don't see Apple going that route.
I would personally love such a thing, but I doubt we'll see one anytime soon. I'd love to get a 6"x9" laptop from Apple, but Steve has said he's not interested in units that aren't fully functional by themselves and it's hard to get all that hardware into such a small box.
There is no reason why we can't have a sub 3 pounder like the Panasonic W2 or Y2 with an optical drive...
Yes, but what do those cost? The 12" iBook and 12" PB are quite competitive as full featured, comfortable (useable) notebooks go. And I can say the 12" PB is quite robust and stands up well to daily use.
They could switch to a new material, maybe a magnesium alloy case (annodized) and possibly thin them down a bit, but the iBook especially is built to a very decent price, and making it smaller (even with ommissions) will make it cost more than it should.
It is a better move for Apple to make the iBook slightly larger, and incorporate a wider screen (14" 16:10 is just under 2" wider and no taller than the 12) so as to better compete with large screen home/edu models in terms of screen size and battery life.
In fact, any technology than can be used to cost effectively check weight in the 12" PB, shouldn't be wasted on a smaller machine at all, rather all the gains should be spent on a larger screen and longer battery life. 5.5lb, 14 widescreen iBook with 6 hour battery life? Yes, yes please!
I heard some info about a sub-notebook a while ago (from very inside sources), and nothing ended up panning out. That was two years ago, when the buzz was involving high end G3s, and the potential of an Altivec enabled G3. Perhaps the results were found to be inadequate. the E-series processors may deliver the goods.
There is no reason why we can't have a sub 3 pounder like the Panasonic W2 or Y2 with an optical drive...
I'd take something like the R3, don't have much use for an optical drive anymore and I would love the 2lb weight. 4.7lbs for the current 12in Powerbook just sucks.
Well as sub notbook doesn't insterest me, however a 8-10" tablet done right by apple would refine computing, just like apple redfined the music industry with the iPod. I think when the time is right, apple will do somehting like this the question is when.
I think first of OLEDs must become prolific before an idea like this can be entertained.
The price of storage needs to drop a lot, either in the form of flash memory or hard disks.
Sidenote: Did someone say it would run a light OS? They could call it Liger.
Tablets are a waste of time. I have no wish to write notes at a quarter of the speed I could type them with less accuracy.
I just got a Danger/T-Mobile Sidekick because I really need to be online with email without luggin my 15" powerbook around everywhere, and whilst it's generally rather limited (no JavaScript browser as yet), it's exactly what I'd really like to see Apple do right. A larger, hi-res flip screen, HD storage and OSX, WiFi, Bluetooth (dump the camera). The tech's already here, they just need to put it in a (pocket size) box. I don't want it to write a novel or work in Photoshop with it, but I do want to communicate effectively from anywhere.
Tablets are a waste of time. I have no wish to write notes at a quarter of the speed I could type them with less accuracy.
I just got a Danger/T-Mobile Sidekick because I really need to be online with email without luggin my 15" powerbook around everywhere, and whilst it's generally rather limited (no JavaScript browser as yet), it's exactly what I'd really like to see Apple do right. A larger, hi-res flip screen, HD storage and OSX, WiFi, Bluetooth (dump the camera). The tech's already here, they just need to put it in a (pocket size) box. I don't want it to write a novel or work in Photoshop with it, but I do want to communicate effectively from anywhere.
Tablets as they are now, are totally a waste of time.
howwever
there are somethings you can take notes for using a keyboard, think chemistry, or diagraming data structures- w/ apples inkwell and perhaps some other well engineered technolgies from apple tablets could become viable.
No point, that's not Apples market... provide a great all round communication device you can carry in your pocket, and they wouldn't be able to make enough of 'em to keep up with demand.
No point, that's not Apples market... provide a great all round communication device you can carry in your pocket, and they wouldn't be able to make enough of 'em to keep up with demand.
a tablet would "work" as a media device and not as tablets are seen now. e.g. control your mac/mac network from anywhere in the house via airport. view photos from your iphoto collection. pick music from itunes to play on your airport express.
expand .mac and the idisk and you might have a more viable product in the newton vein.
Right... such a device would surely boost .mac subscriptions as people who previously had only one mac suddenly had a real reason to sync their stuff. Currently .mac is really only useful if you have more than one mac or use one at work as well as home. Which isn't as widespread as Apple (or any of us) might like. Sure, it's a cool email address but not worth $100 for most people.
I'm liking the Sidekick I got last week, but only for the fact I can deal with emails in my pocket with its small qwerty keybard (which is totally useable). I'm not liking that it doens't sync like my bluetooth SonyEricsson Z600, which leaves me feeling stuck in a sort of information no mans land when I get home and realize the data I have on one is slightly different on the other.
If you want to look at a smaller notebook as a guide take a look at IBM's X Series ThinkPad. Small, light and about 3 pounds. External optical drive and floppy drive. The reason to look at the X Series is that it is a successful product. It's been in the line for years and continues to sell. That shows the market likes that form factor - especially for those that travel a lot.
Tablets are a waste of time. I have no wish to write notes at a quarter of the speed I could type them with less accuracy.
Freind of mine has windows tablet (no other kind, I realise this, anything else is a PDA), says he can now write faster than he could type. I personally prefer to pound keyboards, is much more stress releiving when somethinbg buggers up.
Anyway, I don't think the cost would be insane, although I imagine you would see it as a replacement of the 12" Powerbook over the iBook, although I could be wrong. I think $2000 would be reasonable for an under 3 lb subnotebook.
Comments
Originally posted by TKN
There is no reason why we can't have a sub 3 pounder like the Panasonic W2 or Y2 with an optical drive...
Yes, but what do those cost? The 12" iBook and 12" PB are quite competitive as full featured, comfortable (useable) notebooks go. And I can say the 12" PB is quite robust and stands up well to daily use.
They could switch to a new material, maybe a magnesium alloy case (annodized) and possibly thin them down a bit, but the iBook especially is built to a very decent price, and making it smaller (even with ommissions) will make it cost more than it should.
It is a better move for Apple to make the iBook slightly larger, and incorporate a wider screen (14" 16:10 is just under 2" wider and no taller than the 12) so as to better compete with large screen home/edu models in terms of screen size and battery life.
In fact, any technology than can be used to cost effectively check weight in the 12" PB, shouldn't be wasted on a smaller machine at all, rather all the gains should be spent on a larger screen and longer battery life. 5.5lb, 14 widescreen iBook with 6 hour battery life? Yes, yes please!
Originally posted by TKN
There is no reason why we can't have a sub 3 pounder like the Panasonic W2 or Y2 with an optical drive...
I'd take something like the R3, don't have much use for an optical drive anymore and I would love the 2lb weight. 4.7lbs for the current 12in Powerbook just sucks.
I think first of OLEDs must become prolific before an idea like this can be entertained.
The price of storage needs to drop a lot, either in the form of flash memory or hard disks.
Sidenote: Did someone say it would run a light OS? They could call it Liger.
GAHAHAHAHAHHAHA, i crack myself up.
I just got a Danger/T-Mobile Sidekick because I really need to be online with email without luggin my 15" powerbook around everywhere, and whilst it's generally rather limited (no JavaScript browser as yet), it's exactly what I'd really like to see Apple do right. A larger, hi-res flip screen, HD storage and OSX, WiFi, Bluetooth (dump the camera). The tech's already here, they just need to put it in a (pocket size) box. I don't want it to write a novel or work in Photoshop with it, but I do want to communicate effectively from anywhere.
Originally posted by jasonfj
Tablets are a waste of time. I have no wish to write notes at a quarter of the speed I could type them with less accuracy.
I just got a Danger/T-Mobile Sidekick because I really need to be online with email without luggin my 15" powerbook around everywhere, and whilst it's generally rather limited (no JavaScript browser as yet), it's exactly what I'd really like to see Apple do right. A larger, hi-res flip screen, HD storage and OSX, WiFi, Bluetooth (dump the camera). The tech's already here, they just need to put it in a (pocket size) box. I don't want it to write a novel or work in Photoshop with it, but I do want to communicate effectively from anywhere.
Tablets as they are now, are totally a waste of time.
howwever
there are somethings you can take notes for using a keyboard, think chemistry, or diagraming data structures- w/ apples inkwell and perhaps some other well engineered technolgies from apple tablets could become viable.
Originally posted by jasonfj
No point, that's not Apples market... provide a great all round communication device you can carry in your pocket, and they wouldn't be able to make enough of 'em to keep up with demand.
i'll go with that
otherwise it is just another semi useless product.
Apple makes products that are useful and narrowly designed to fit.
think complete kife set as their product line up. not the all in one swiss army knife of other manufacturers.
need a pairing knife- 12" ibook
a meat cleaver try the dual powermac g5
Originally posted by TednDi
expand .mac and the idisk and you might have a more viable product in the newton vein.
Right... such a device would surely boost .mac subscriptions as people who previously had only one mac suddenly had a real reason to sync their stuff. Currently .mac is really only useful if you have more than one mac or use one at work as well as home. Which isn't as widespread as Apple (or any of us) might like. Sure, it's a cool email address but not worth $100 for most people.
I'm liking the Sidekick I got last week, but only for the fact I can deal with emails in my pocket with its small qwerty keybard (which is totally useable). I'm not liking that it doens't sync like my bluetooth SonyEricsson Z600, which leaves me feeling stuck in a sort of information no mans land when I get home and realize the data I have on one is slightly different on the other.
Originally posted by jasonfj
Tablets are a waste of time. I have no wish to write notes at a quarter of the speed I could type them with less accuracy.
Freind of mine has windows tablet (no other kind, I realise this, anything else is a PDA), says he can now write faster than he could type. I personally prefer to pound keyboards, is much more stress releiving when somethinbg buggers up.
Anyway, I don't think the cost would be insane, although I imagine you would see it as a replacement of the 12" Powerbook over the iBook, although I could be wrong. I think $2000 would be reasonable for an under 3 lb subnotebook.