
Apple 'Netbooks', Eh? - KevinBongart
http://daringfireball.net/2008/12/apple_netbooks_eh
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derefr
I can't imagine Apple producing a netbook. What I _can_ imagine is Apple
producing a foldable iPhone with a 7" screen and video chat capability: a
small laptop with a 3G (and therefore ubiquitous) Internet connection, an App
Store, and an in-facing camera. It would be a transitional step toward a
hypothetically even more tumultuous change: an App Store for OSX itself.

~~~
jrockway
Who is going to get developers to write 3 versions of their app -- one for the
iPhone, one for the iPhone Mega, and one for normal OS X? It won't be hard,
but a lot of testing will be required. Will developers be willing to do it?

~~~
pistoriusp
This in my opinion is why Java Me on mobile phones is a terrible platform to
develop for... It's incredibly annoying to try and produce an application for
several different handsets.

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Maro
In terms of portability, I don't see the value of taking a few inches off a
Macbook Air.

The MBA already fits into all backpacks, briefcases and even those funny bags
women carry around. It's very thin and light. You can't make it small enough
to avoid the need for a backpack/briefcase, ie. it won't fit in your pocket,
so what are you trading the screen real-estate for?

The only sensible answer would be 'money', ie. if it'd be less expensive, but
Apple / S.J. says they don't know how to make it cheaper.

~~~
wmf
The point of netbooks is that they are cheap; being small is just a side
effect. There are different kinds of small: reducing width/height makes it
cheaper, but reducing thickness makes it more expensive. If Apple was going to
make a netbook, the Air wouldn't be the place to start. It would make more
sense to start with the MacBook and reduce the screen/keyboard size, remove
the optical drive, replace the unibody with plastic, and keep the thickness
the same (or even increase it).

~~~
cstejerean
"The point of netbooks is that they are cheap; being small is just a side
effect."

Precisely why Apple won't enter that market.

~~~
RK
The iPod Shuffle might be a good counter argument.

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sidsavara
Nice analysis. A friend mentioned to me that the macbooks have gotten bigger
over the years and there was on that was 12 inches (?) that they no longer
make. I wouldn't be surprised if they announced a new small notebook with a
heavy price tag targeted at filling that void.

A netbook would be cool, but I doubt it would come cheap from Apple. They also
tend to be a little think (proportionally), so if they made a netbook Air
_that_ would be amazing.

~~~
sspencer
They used to make a 12" _PowerBook_ that is still regarded as one of the best
form factors Apple ever made. I doubt they'll start that again, though, or
trend any smaller because as the article mentions, Apple already has too many
competing products. In addition to the Macbooks the article lists, I think the
other end of the spectrum is the iPod/iPhone. These are essentially tiny
netbooks; able to do most of what I would want a netbook for in an even
smaller form factor. So I too strongly doubt that Apple will release a
netbook.

~~~
alaskamiller
His friend was talking about the 12" iBook.

The 13.3" Macbook Air is perfect form factor. As an aside, Apple is not going
to make any laptops in the 12" factor.

~~~
nickd
There was both a 12inch powerbook and ibook. I owned the 12 inch PB, and it
was pretty great, but no better than any of the current 13.3 inch models.

~~~
alaskamiller
Yes, but Macbooks and iBooks are both white. Just a point.

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Zoasterboy
Nah, this guy does not know what he's talking about. An iPhone is a phone. The
OS was built for the hardware, it was designed to communicate.

The NetBook is for the web. I can also install any OS, as it is a PC, not a
phone with a built in OS.

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ninjackn
Finally, someone with some sense about this netbook rubbish.

~~~
henning
Apple netbook rubbish, or plain netbook rubbish?

Small, lightweight, cheap computers are a great idea, it's just not the
business Apple is in.

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patrickg-zill
IMHO all they need to do is make a really cool portable keyboard that works
via BlueTooth with the iPhone and iPod Touch. Instant netbook functionality.

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arjungmenon
Quote from the article: _By controlling the software that can be loaded and
the hardware that can be attached, Apple's device will be simpler, easier to
use and more reliable than a PC_

This smells like the dreaded "Trusted Computing" with its hardware engraved
DRM.

Until people are free to install whatever apps they want to install & use any
operating system of their choice; Apple or any company that controls what
software can be installed isn't going to derive much success from their
computers.

~~~
wmf
No, it just means that an OS that only allows you to install apps is going to
be more reliable than an OS that allows app installers to overwrite parts of
the OS itself.

