Apple, please give us a shrunken laptop like dell!

[iMacmatician]

If they were to release a larger ipodlike device, theres no way it would be marketed as an ipod.

Right. The original AppleInsider rumor on this called this device another product category besides Mac, iPod, and iPhone.

+ it would be way too expensive.
The reason why iPod touch sells at the current price is because the production of it's parts goes on a very large scale serving 2 products... and yes, I'm talking about the touchscreen.A larger touch would cost as much as the 1st gen iphone prototype..
So, there goes any larger touchscreen product...

Hopefully there's some good software to justify a higher price point, like iLife, iWork, Preview, eBook reader, and split-screen.

We can also see up to double the capacity of the iPod touch.

 

[Phrasikleia]

apple had a netbook it was called emate. Apple seems to be going to the past to make current designs so its plausible for them to bring out a small laptop. I do not think they will bring out a 4th model dedicated to small laptops that will be reserved for the tablet I think they will just make the air smaller.

A MacBook Air Mini? I doubt it. The Air is all about being "full featured", which includes having a full-sized keyboard and ample screen real estate.

I think Apple has decided that they don't want to compromise too much in the name of portability, since the last thing they need is a product that is more of a reaction to current trends than it is an effort at innovation.

 

[Digital Skunk]

think Apple has decided that they don't want to compromise too much in the name of portability, since the last thing they need is a product that is more of a reaction to current trends than it is an effort at innovation.

Agreed, and the way Apple engineers their products the iNet Book won't be under $600. It would be the most expensive book to get, and since most will only be doing basic word processing and surfing the web, it'd be overkill in price.

Most are better off getting the current models which are selling well and running Linux distros and open source software.

 

[Alchematron]

A MacBook Air Mini? I doubt it. The Air is all about being "full featured", which includes having a full-sized keyboard and ample screen real estate.

I think Apple has decided that they don't want to compromise too much in the name of portability, since the last thing they need is a product that is more of a reaction to current trends than it is an effort at innovation.

How about just giving the customer what we want?

C'mon Steve, take a customer survey before cranking out stuff we don't want!

 

[bytodaystandrds]

One MBA is enough...

... it just has to become affordable.
But don't expect apple to sell any laptop below $900... let alone a laptop with unique specs for $500.

I don't know what you guys thinking...

Here we have existing computing hardware that's dated and needs to update, hardware that is experimental and begs to get to the mainstream, "desktop" machines still using the NAPA platform... all that with Snow leopard less than 9 months away and you think the best apple could do is to start selling a 7" laptop, with or without a keyboard?

Cheers!

 

[puffnstuff]

Apple doesn't need to make a budget laptop. Because someday a light bulb will go off in someones head and they will make a shell with a screen and keyboard that you plug the ipod touch/iphone into. Kinda like the palm folio or windows redfly.

 

[Digital Skunk]

C'mon Steve, take a customer survey before cranking out stuff we don't want!

NO!!!!!!

Let's not forget the what people wanted before the iPhone launch. If idiot customers and consumers had their way we'd be stuck with a faster horse, not the automobile.

Apple doesn't need to make a budget laptop. Because someday a light bulb will go off in someones head and they will make a shell with a screen and keyboard that you plug the ipod touch/iphone into. Kinda like the palm folio or windows redfly.

Except the Folio was a flop due to just that reason. You HAD to have the phone nearby and plugged in for it to be of any real use.

 

[a456]

At least the "Foleo" had tethering. Now that netbooks are taking off, the Foleo doesn't seem like such a bad idea - can't remember what the specs and software on it were though.

 

[glitch44]

Sorry, guys, it's not going to happen:

Apple doesn't do budget laptops because it would hurt the Apple brand. The "brand" is the concept of the company out in the world even for non-customers.

If you stopped random people on the street (even non Apple users) my guess is they'd say their concept of Apple as a brand is "easy to use, good quality, for creative types, expensive".

Apple doesn't want people thinking "cheap, budget, low cost, flimsy" which is what a netbook might do. If this happens it hurts the entire Apple brand, including regular Macbooks, Pros, etc. They're not going to risk the whole brand for a $500 netbook.

"Cheap, budget, low cost, flimsy" may be fine for Asus or MSI, but that's not the brand Apple wants to cultivate.

 

[puffnstuff]

I think ipod touch users especially would take to the folio. It would expand the functionality 10 fold. And there a lot of people who want a netmacbook (me including).

Here is a concept that I saw a few months ago..

An apple brand netbook is possible. Apple did bring back the newton. So will they bring back the emate? Who know's!?!

 

[Phrasikleia]

I think ipod touch users especially would take to the folio. It would expand the functionality 10 fold. And there a lot of people who want a netmacbook (me including).

Here is a concept that I saw a few months ago..

An apple brand netbook is possible. Apple did bring back the newton. So will they bring back the emate? Who know's!?!

I hadn't seen that mockup before. The embedded iPhone/Touch looks a bit silly, since it would require the owner to have one. Replace it with a trackpad, put a $700 price on it, and it will fly off the shelves...and muddy the waters of Apple's neatly delineated laptop lines, which is why it will never happen.

 

[puffnstuff]

I hadn't seen that mockup before. The embedded iPhone/Touch looks a bit silly, since it would require the owner to have one. Replace it with a trackpad, put a $700 price on it, and it will fly off the shelves...and muddy the waters of Apple's neatly delineated laptop lines, which is why it will never happen.

Thats the point its the ipholio mockup it mirrors the ipone/touch. The touch/iphone would be the trackpad or tablet. The shell + an 8gb touch would maybe cost $600 it would allow you to expand the usability of the touch. Plus you can detach the touch when you do not need the keyboard and bigger screen.

 

[glitch44]

Thats the point its the ipholio mockup it mirrors the ipone/touch. The touch/iphone would be the trackpad or tablet. The shell + an 8gb touch would maybe cost $600 it would allow you to expand the usability of the touch. Plus you can detach the touch when you do not need the keyboard and bigger screen.

I think Phrasikleia completely understood the concept, he just thinks it's silly. I think it's a bad idea too. Things that fit together and pop apart over and over, have hinges, have clips-- they don't wear well. You break a clip and your shell is useless. You misplace your ipod touch or iphone and you can't surf the internet. i don't think apple would ever make this, but i wouldn't buy it if they did.

 

[drenk1976]

There's more to netbooks than you think

I've just bought a 120GB HDD Linux Aspire One as a bit of a toy. It cost me £230. The facts are:

1) It's got a usable keyboard whilst still being really (think paperback novel) portable.

2) It looks pretty cheap, so I'm not too bothered about getting it out in public places.

3) In true Apple style, it just works. It boots in 15 secs, hold as much media as a iPod Classic with a much more watchable screen. Web, IM, Email, Open Office etc work great.

I've also got an iPhone, which I love, but it's the Aspire I'm lying in bed typing this on. It really is an idea form factor to go everywhere with you and still be usable.

I think Apple should get on this. Whoever it was who said Apple don't like to copy other products obviously hasn't seen a phone (pre 2007) which can send email, browse the web etc. Apple's real talent is making things really usable and I think they could bring something to improve something Asus & Acer in particular have already carved into a serious new product area.

 

[nial.k]

well speaking of netbooks.. this lenovo looks quite good (much better than that ugly dell )
Link

 

[Phrasikleia]

I think Phrasikleia completely understood the concept, he just thinks it's silly. I think it's a bad idea too. Things that fit together and pop apart over and over, have hinges, have clips-- they don't wear well. You break a clip and your shell is useless. You misplace your ipod touch or iphone and you can't surf the internet. i don't think apple would ever make this, but i wouldn't buy it if they did.

Yeah, I get it that it's an embedded, expanded iPhone/Touch. I wouldn't buy that combination, especially given the frequency with which iPod/Phones change their dimensions. (In that regard it reminds me of the Gorenje iPod refrigerator.)

Just putting out a bluetooth keyboard would do a lot for expanding the Touch IMHO, but that's the topic for another thread.

 

[puffnstuff]

Yeah, I get it that it's an embedded, expanded iPhone/Touch. I wouldn't buy that combination, especially given the frequency with which iPod/Phones change their dimensions.

You bring up an excellent point. Redfly has it right then it connects through usb and bluetooth. Video displays are already being sold so how would something like this be pointless?

I do not expect Apple to make a shell for the touch I think some company will do it eventually. What I do expect Apple to do is shrink the size of the Air. The current trend with Apple for the past year or so has been thin. They downgraded the ipod classic to make it thinner, they came out with the thinnest notebook ever and the thinnest ipod ever. So of course the will make the macbook and macbook pro thin. What to do with the air? Shave off 3.3"

 

[CyberBob859]

They can compete

Apple's real talent is making things really usable and I think they could bring something to improve something Asus & Acer in particular have already carved into a serious new product area.

If there ever was a market segment that could use Apple's design expertise and build quality, it's this one.

They would not have to compete on price.

 

[Abstract]

Apple generally prices on the Lenovo and Sony side of things, so if an Apple netbook was spec'd the same as all the other netbooks, I'd expect prices to be on the upper end.

On the other hand, Apple wouldn't just enter this market now unless they offered something genuinely different, and "different" costs money. I'd expect a 1 GHz C2D processor in there. They'd want to brag about being the lightest, or being the thinnest or something, so ego is going to get in the way of specs. I doubt you'd see 3 USB ports. You're more likely to see only 1 or 2 USB ports, no ethernet port ("Didn't you know that everyone in the world uses wireless now?), no 4-in-1 or 5-in-1 card reader, a 64 GB SSD, and a micro DVI port, where you'll have to remember to bring an adapter so that you can actually connect devices to the machine.

All this could be yours for $1299.



Does anybody else Apple should NOT enter this market? I'd rather see a manufacturer take OSx86 into consideration when designing a netbook, and use parts that are compatible with OS X. The MSI Wind is quite compatible, but some small features don't work due to the hardware and driver issues/differences.

 

[gotzero]

I think it is coming and soon. Atom has got to be too tempting for Apple to pass on.

I do not know how they would do it, but I am all for something that augments my iphone. I think this would be practical application of the imac looking dock for the small laptop that drawings came out for awhile ago.

I assume multi-touch will finally get let out of the gate. I have been waiting for the fingerworks greatness to be unleashed. The iphone and MBA/MBP gestures are nothing compared to working products they had ages ago.

Give me a 9"-10"er with a touchstream interface and I am sold. Apple is not locked down by the requirements to run XP on a netbook, and this will turn out to be a huge advantage for them.

 

[Cheffy Dave]

Dear,

For a while I'm thinking Apple is missing the boat here. Everywhere around me in electronic stores and phone stores, I see small mini laptops with 9" screen for around $299 a $399. It seems to selling like hot cakes and very popular.

And why not! For only $300 you have a small cute device for internet etc.

When I see all those things happen around me I am thinking, apple missed the boat here and should be the first one who made the trend here. I hope Apple come in to this game soon and introduce a 9" mini laptop with the awesome Apple design.

With kind regards,
Bas

Ain't happing Bas, Don't think Aplle could get their profit margins on it.

 

[andreab35]

Whoa that thing is thick!

It's nice, but I'm sorry... I do not care for it.

I think the current size of the MBA is nice.