Three things Apple won't do

Nothing is much of a secret about Apple events these days.

Turns out, a high percentage of the rumors and leaked images of the notebooks announced Tuesday were right on target: The price drop, the aluminum casing across the entire product line, the new unibody construction process, the black bezeled displays were all mentioned on Apple rumor sites and gadget blogs before CEO Steve Jobs took the stage Tuesday.

But, as would be expected, several of the most widely circulated pieces of speculation proved false. In brief comments after his keynote speech, Jobs did something he doesn't usually do, and clarified what isn't on his company's immediate notebook road map. Three of them are some of the most oft-repeated rumors of future Apple products. Here's why touch screens, Blu-ray, and Netbooks are not what Apple has in store for us anytime soon.

Blu-ray
Perhaps Jobs' most puzzling or awkward comment during Tuesday's event was regarding what is assumed to be the standard in high-definition packaged media. Regarding Blu-ray, Jobs described it as "a bag of hurt." He expanded, saying that he meant that not from a consumer experience perspective, but that the licensing is expensive and complex. Apple apparently plans to take a wait-and-see approach after Blu-ray has been in the market awhile.

Though Jobs clearly left some wiggle room in his answer, don't expect to see a Blu-ray drive in an Apple notebook anytime soon. If you're disappointed, blame iTunes. Apple is in the middle stages of building a video download business, and it's clear that the company wants its customers to use iTunes to watch high-definition videos, not revert to packaged media, where it can't get a slice of the revenue as it does while selling or renting digital content.

While Blu-ray is certainly the dominant high-definition format, it's still not the dominant packaged media format. DVD sales are tapering off, but still haven't completely disappeared. By the time that happens, it's assumed digital downloading for videos will become more common. In the interregnum, the major Hollywood studios are hedging their bets, some offering titles as a free download once you buy the title on disc.

But not Apple. In fact, Blu-ray's presence in an Apple computer is pretty much a moot point, according to Steve Baker, vice president of industry analysis for NPD Group.

"They're (Apple) not trying to be everything to everyone like Netflix or Blockbuster. They're going to keep trying to deliver economy around digital downloads. I still question why anybody would question or care whether they'd have Blu-ray," he said.

Touch-screen notebook
Jobs also seemingly put the kibosh on any touch-screen Mac, another rumor that rears its head every once in awhile. When asked Tuesday, Jobs said that while they've looked at touch screens for notebooks, "it hasn't made a lot of sense to us," he said.

Apple is one of the leaders in implementing touch screens in its devices--the iPhone, the iPod Touch--and using them in innovative ways. And while Jobs admitted that his company has looked into it, it's passing on making a notebook version of Hewlett-Packard's TouchSmart PC, the desktop with a touch-screen monitor.

While it would be innovative to put one in a notebook, it's not really likely from any major computer makers at this point, according to Charles Smulders, Gartner's managing vice president.

"We're seeing some vendors using touch screens, but it's typically on the desktop form factor not on a notebook," he said. HP's TouchSmart, for instance, is designed to be used in a room like the kitchen, where interactions are more brief. Long-term or all-day use generally requires input devices like a keyboard.

Netbook
And though many Apple fans were hoping for a Netbook, a cheaper, underfeatured notebook, from the company Tuesday, they'll have to wait longer. When asked about that Tuesday, Jobs said Netbooks are still a nascent market and that "we'll see how it goes."

While he certainly left some room to change his mind, he didn't sound excited about the category at all. And the company might be timid about getting into the Netbook market since its attempts at the smaller, cheaper Mac Mini weren't that well received, said Baker of NPD.

"They did a Nettop (a desktop version of a Netbook) and it wasn't particularly successful, if you think about the Mac Mini as a precursor to Nettops," he said.

On one hand, it does make sense for Apple to leave Netbooks out of its Mac lineup if just to preserve its brand image. (Just look at the reaction to Apple lowering the price of its lowest-end MacBook to $999.) Netbooks are based almost purely on price, and Apple doesn't make its product decisions on price points, but rather features.

Any lower price point would be likely be a big hit to the quality of experience Apple tries to deliver, and its margins. (While Apple is catching up in the U.S., it's still far outpaced in units shipped by HP, Dell, and Acer, which can afford a side business of making smaller, cheaper Netbooks.)

But while Jobs' comments Tuesday don't sound too promising, he certainly left plenty of room to change his mind. After all, he's right about Netbooks being very new. And while they're selling relatively well right now, there's not a lot of innovation in the sector. As the market matures, there's plenty of room for Apple to jump in, according to Smulders.

"It's such an early developing market; there's a long way to go before the optimum form factor and user experience is delivered," he said.

For complete coverage of the Apple notebook news, see "Apple polishes up its MacBook line."

[3rdalbum]

Apple slightly changed the look of some of its notebooks, and it has taken up headlines every single day for a week. In the meanwhile, Blu-ray players hit what many consider a "mass adoption" price-point, Antec announced an amazing new computer case with a very apt name - the "skeleton", and Youtube implemented a rickroll detector.

[Virturion]

"Apple slightly changed the look of some of its notebooks"

I think they did a good bit more than that. A great deal of innovation and quality went into the new line.

[rcrusoe]

"In a chat with British website Pocket-lint, Samsung UK Consumer Electronics Director Andy Griffiths predicted that Blu-ray will be obsolete by 2013. "I think it [Blu-ray] has 5 years left, I certainly wouldn't give it 10," he stated bluntly"

If companies in the business of making Blu Ray players don't expect them to be a viable product for very long, it makes sense that Apple would wait before doing something that adds cost to their product.

Personally I haven't used physical media to watch movies or tv, or listen to music for at least 2 years.

[barbose]

What have you been smoking? the look and build-process of the new MacBook line is SIGNIFICANT. If you add in the look of the new 24" display and then the iMac line, you'll see an across-the-brand design language.

but then again, these things aren't considered interesting by most outside of the Mac community and those few creatives who use windows.

[D3vildog699]

"I think they did a good bit more than that. A great deal of innovation and quality went into the new line."

Hows that koolaid taste? is it grape or strawberry??

[this1!]

agreed with D3, apple hasnt done anything innovative with their computers in a looooooooooooong while.
As much as Jobs says the word, im not sure he actually knows what it means.

That said, macbooks look damn sexy in aluminum...

[-fjtorres-]

Uh? Guys?
Howsabout a reality check before quoting "experts"?

"We're seeing some vendors using touch screens, but it's typically on the desktop form factor not on a notebook," he said. HP's TouchSmart, for instance, is designed to be used in a room like the kitchen, where interactions are more brief. Long-term or all-day use generally requires input devices like a keyboard.

Hasn't the dude heard about, ahem, Tablet PCs? You know, those laptops with pens and touchscreens, as well as keyboards and touchpads?
http://reviews.cnet.com/tablet-pcs/?filter=503179_5551474_&tag=mncol

Many come with combo digitizers that respond both to pen and finger (indeed, with multitouch, too).
Of course, a lot of them sell for under $1000 so you won't see Apple play in that business, but to say nobody does them is factually incorrect. Just ask HP, Fujitsu, Gateway, and the dozens of asian vendors doing touch-screen Tablet PCs.

Jobs does a plenty good job of reality distortion all on his own, he doesn't really need outside assistance justifying how he runs his empire. The simple reality is that touchscreens add to the manufacturing cost without allowing for a proportiornally large markup and hence have a smaller profit margin than Apple likes. Unless Apple can charge 300% of the touchscreen cost they're not doing it. Period.
That simple.
End of story.

[Chameleon81]

Show us some good tablet pcs under 1000 dolars please. There is no good tablet pcs which are below 1000. BUT yes tablet pc are great.

Steve is being arrogant again. It is like saying "3g takes to much from the battery that's we dont have it on Iphone and then launching next year iPhones with 3g .

Steve wants our money as much as he can and thinks we are fools who cant see it.

[dadsgravy]

Actually, it's usually just windows users that distort reality, with their misinformation and arrogance. There has been a mac tablet for years. It's called the Modbook, look it up. You have know idea what you're talking about. Period. That simple. End of story.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Dadsgravy wrote:

'There has been a mac tablet for years. It's called the Modbook, look it up."

This product is not made by Apple and is irrelevant to the situation. It's a hacked product and very much an unsupported niche item.

[dadsgravy]

"This product is not made by Apple and is irrelevant to the situation. It's a hacked product and very much an unsupported niche item."

No, Axiotron is a premier apple developer and licensed by apple to make tablets. It is very relevant and shows that apple has little interest in making tablet pc's, do to the low demand for them. Go to Axiotron's site and learn how to read.

[kojacked]

Eating too much gravy dad:

"Axiotron?s innovative design and manufacturing process integrates an Apple® MacBook® computer*, state-of-the-art Wacom® pen-enabled digitizer technology and Axiotron's own proprietary hardware and software components into a complete tablet solution, the Axiotron Modbook."

Sounds like a hacked MacBook to me... Frankenstein anyone?

[Vegaman_Dan]

If doesn't say Apple on the sales slip and isn't sold in an Apple Store, then it isn't an Apple.

I can't take an Axiotron to an Apple store for service. That makes it a clone, even if it's approved by Apple.

[barbose]

Really? So the iPhone pricing is just 300% more than other phones? gimme a break.

The real problem with touch-screen NOTEBOOKS (not tablets) is that the user experience would SUCK. your arm weighs too much, and some crazy hybrid of full multi-touch and also mouse/keyboard would be confusing and crazy.

Apple isn't about pricing, it's about full-features, high-quality and COHERENT and SUPERIOR user experience.

[Balrob]

Apple doesn't have a 300% margin. You and the others are right, Apple is motivated by making money - which is a good thing in my opinion. Perhaps you come from a communist country where making a profit isn't a motivation for a hardware manufacturer ?
If Apple could sell a Tablet in volume, and preserve it's current (or similar) margin - then I am sure it would. Unfortunately, Tablet's are for an unprofitable niche.

To the other commenters to this posting;
I don't see why Steve is arrogant for not giving you what you want. I think the market cap of Apple (current market problems aside) are the measure of whether Steve has made the right choices.
"Tablet pcs are great". Really, for what ? They were a novelty when they came out - and have a few narrow niches where they excel - but for most PC use (office apps, email, web) they lose their novelty really fast.

[Chameleon81]

Tablet PC' s are great for school . I used Tablet PC ( iMac as a desktop so I' m a Apple user ) at my university and at least 20 people approached me and asked so many questions. They r very useful if you take notes etc. ( Using onenote )

I called Steve arrogant not because he is not giving me what I want. ( By the way how do you know that I want a touch screen computer from APple? ) He is arrogant because he always undervalues everything that Apple does not produce . ( Now touch screen , 1 year ago it was 3G on the cell phones ) But he is lucky because apple users are divided in two parts , first one is the minority rational Apple users and second one is the APple nazis.

iPhone is not 300% priced. You can get a pay as you go for 349 and Samsung Omnia was close to 400 pounds .

And I know about Modbook and it's name tells us it is mod not the original product from Apple. Some people might create laptop batteries running on hydrogen for Sony which lasts for 2 days but it does not mean Sony has laptops with long battery life.

[ducttape36]

i love my tablet pc. i use it as a notebook most the time but when it comes to note taking or just having something small to surf the web i fold the screen down to tablet mode. and it is definitely not underpowered: 2.4 core 2 duo, 3gb ram, 250 gb hard, ati radeon 2300 hd graphics, etc.
what i predict happening is that apple will introduce a tablet sometime in the next year or so, and then everyone will call it innovative and new. including all the apple fans who said tablets were pointless to begin with. Kind of like how the iphones suddenly made smart phones an object of consumer envy.

[dascha1]

Well, as a vet of the Educational Equipment/Dry Erase industry since I was 5 years old (counting "L" clips and "Flag-holders"), I can honestly say that it would be a BAD decision for Apple to "turn-back" now and try to re-build itself as the Educational Computer co. it once was. We've got a lot more original and creative folks in the business now who are based in the U.S. and understand what it really means to replace 16' x 4' slateboards and old chalkboards by transforming them into high-quality, branded, and locally trusted solutions... plug-in wise that is.

[Zoobie]

First, not quite sure what your comment has to do with this particular article.

Second, not sure what you mean about Apple "turning-back" to education. I've lived in three states and have had kids in 5 different school districts--and they all had iMacs in the classroom. I also come from a family with parents that spent their entire careers in education (both classroom and administration) and in 30 years never saw my dad use anything but a Mac for work. As far as I can tell, graphic design and education are two areas that Apple never lost it.

[dascha1]

Um, you can take a look at interactive Chalkboards, or "resurface" or "surface", it's entirely up to you. You can also try to use the simple, touch-ready "free" version of the Schalow Board that I built around an Accessibility application in the 90's using MicroTouch (now part of MMM).

Otherwise, you win with your family history in academia. I was only the adopted child of a Navy-man who cared enough to work, as my Dad, after leaving American Steel in the 1960's struggled in Powhatan to make Chalkboards and ends meet. I do hold a Music Industry, Business/Engineering degree, to which I guess I should say thanks to Apple Computer, that is, Apple Music Co. now since you could hardly recognize the Education, I mean, Music markets they (he) are credited and paid to dominate. So, you think the desktop is still the future?

[rocketjam--2008]

Blu-ray would add expense to every Apple computer while only a small percentage of customers would be interested in it.

[MaggieRed]

Wow one really smart person responding.

Congrats to you sir.

[myles taylor]

Hear hear!

I know I wouldn't use it and it's not like it would be an option, so we would all have to pay for it.

[Tech Diva XXX]

So how come HP has it on several laptops, all lower priced than Apple's MBP, if it's so expensive to license? Apple could also have easily offered it as an OPTION for anyone who wants it.

[drhamad]

So offer it as an option, as they did with DVD burners back in the day.

[drfrost]

You're saying an insignificant portion of laptop users are interested in playing movies on their laptops? All the movies I'll be buying from this point forward will be blu-ray, but I would have no option of playing those on these laptops. I suspect you are wrong but, like you, I'm not going to present any real data except the single sample point provided (me).

[jessiethe3rd]

Call me one of those small percentages.

[medezark]

You're all forgetting that Blu-Ray isn't JUST a movie playback formula. There are Blu-Ray writters out there as well. Think of it in terms of writable media. Like for transportable archival back-ups. 50 GB on a platter, currently. And there is a standard for re-writable blue ray as well. If I'm going to be running a NAND-FLASH hard drive, I'm going to want a reliable, high density back-up media.

[dpip]

Blu-Ray *IS* a big bag of hurt from the licensing side - it has nothing to do with iTunes at all. The fact is, the format is solid, but Sony has done such a wonderful job at making vendors NOT want to license the technology (for players) that this smells just like the BETAMAX days of lore. For example: I ama hardware mfg that was to create a BluRay Player -- I spend a ton of money on R&D, etc. and another on Licensing... oh, wait, my player is only good for a max of two years, after that, my customers will need to buy another one, or they may not be able to pay the more current versions of blu-ray,,,, In fact, as it stands right now, the ONLY guaranteed blu-ray player is the PS3.... what a strange coincidence...

[pjhenry1216]

Its possible to build other future-proof players. In fact, there may already be some. They just need to be able to update their firmware over the internet. Thats what keeps the PS3 futureproof.

[Galaxy5]

Remember when everyone complained about licensing FireWire at twenty-five cents per port? This is the same deal, on a larger scale. As I recall, Apple rescinded the licensing fee after a while.

[trd1282]

I agree, Blu-ray is pretty much the most overrated thing in the entertainment business today.

[Shaun822]

I wouldn't say it is overrated, its just still far too expensive.

[bommai]

Wow! May be you are not into home theater. Anybody with a home theater with screen bigger than 60" will defintely see a huge improvement in both video and audio (assuming the theater has good audio equipment). My screen is 118" and 1080p/24 resolution and Bluray movies are great and I have lossless audio through my Klipsch reference series speakers powered by HK 745 receiver. Nirvana!! My system is better than many movie theaters! Overrated. I don't think so.

[make_or_break]

I too think it's overrated, but that's judged solely on the current going rate, not on whether the technology is viable. Blu-ray media is still too expensive a premium for the benefit one gets over upscaled DVDs. I dispute whether a lot of older movies actually LOOK better in high def. Sharper yes, but better? I think that's a matter of taste. There's a certain patina that comes with film, something that HD advocates seem oblivious to. Filmmakers--especially the best ones--understood the media, and often shot their product with its shortcomings (and benefits) in mind. Blu-ray and the departed HD-DVD format scrubs all of that skill and technique away.

As for AAPL's take on BD...I agree with the author of this article: BD like DVD before it is competition for video downloads on iTMS. BD support, even more so than FM radio--does not generate revenue for iTMS. Apple is loathe to back things that deprive their download cash cow of its sales livelihood.

[ddiddy415]

ha ha ha ha.........wow!!!!! OVERRATED.....ha ha ha....do you even have blu-ray....or the tv to watch it on..nevermind.......you will eventually come around like all the non believers out there

[barbose]

agree all you wnt, but the quality of the video (at least when studios use AVC) is undeniably the highest quality content out there.

[robvme]

Agreed. I have a high end theater system with a 120" Screen, MacIntosh Audio, Pioneer Reciever, and Sony Projector. Blu-Ray just isn't needed for a great picture or sound quality. Many of the movies I stream in 1080p are much better than Blu-Ray. Movies from the Cloud are what the future is going to be and this is what Jobs is really talking about. That said, I have a Blu-Ray Player and it does rock, but it is not that phenomenal that I would replace my entire movie library when i can upconvert them on my player. Still, I have to wonder with prices coming down and Apple's rep for not having the cheapest notebooks why he would exclude them entirely. I use a PC, but have many friends that swear by Macs for photo and video editing, with Blu-Ray burners around the corner I have to wonder about the logic here.

[compudoc318]

if you have a nice tv, hdmi and a good bluray player, then its not overrated, overrated is someone who has none of those and talking smack, let me guess never used vista either, but hate it....lol..

[Philips]

Touchscreen notebook? Netbook?? They have iPhone already - they'll just improve it to the point where it would replace the both.

As for Blu-ray, Apple already has DD (Digital Distribution) system and it already has HD videos. Not much, not really Full HD, yet something much cheaper and more accessible.

Also never forget that Apple - in stark contrast with others - was never hunting for lower end of market. As long as Jobs at steering wheel, their elegant and expensive ware would be elegant, expensive and would sell. But beware of "Apple after Jobs."

[pjhenry1216]

The iPhone will *NEVER* replace a laptop. Thats plain ridiculous. It won't even replace a netbook. You still can't get a full web browser experience with it. Thats like the entire point of a netbook, plus email. Email on an iPhone is certainly doable, but its not preferable. Typing on that thing is second-rate compared to a full keyboard (i'm not talking about on other phones, i mean a REAL two hand keyboard). I'll admit they could probably do wonders if they did a Mac Tablet PC, but if Steve Jobs says they don't want it, I'm sure most people will say he's probably right.

[mknopp]

Could it be that the Mac Mini has not been well received because it is basically the "red headed stepchild" of the Apple line? It has not received an update in close to 430 days. Honestly stop and think about that. This computer has not received a single change in over 14 months. That is about like saying nobody should build cars anymore because the model T isn't selling very well today. There is a demand for low price, quality, Mac computers. Just because Apple has fumbled the ball on maintaining their one foray into the arena doesn't mean it is not wanted.

I know of several people who would buy an updated Mac Mini in a heartbeat if it were updated, or at least if the price were adjusted accordingly. However, with Apple's current model of business you would have to be either desperate or ignorant to purchase a Mac Mini now. Especially when every single day carries the possibility of Apple updating the thing you would have spent over $600 dollars on basically two year old technology.

So, don't be so quick to assume that weak sales of the Mac Mini means there is no demand, it is much more likely that it is because of Apple's update policy (I.E. extreme secrecy and no gradual price adjustments) and their utter contempt for the segment.

[montex66]

BS. The mini has been updated from a PPC G4 at 1.25Ghz to an Intel Core 2 Duo with extreme "n" wifi, bluetooth, SATA drive, 4 USB 2.0 ports and Leopard. The fact that the form factor has remained the same says more about the genius of Apple's design more than any neglect of the product line.

My mini is connected to a 42" plasma flatscreen and it is a fantastic media PC. Unlike the AppleTV, it can play any media file, download torrents and store a vast library of data on it's external firewire HD.

Anyone who digs on the mini doesn't have one. Now maybe if Apple jammed a gigantic heat sink with a turbo prop fan on it into the mini - that might make the naysayers happy.

[drfrost]

montex66 : I don't think he said the mini had never been updated. I believe he said it hadn't been updated in over 14 months (we're talking hardware here... not software). Checking out http://www.rhythmac.com/history/macmini leads me to believe that mknopp is correct in stating that. The last time the mac mini was updated was August of 2007 according to the site I've listed. Do you have any evidence to the contrary?

[kelmon]

I'd pretty much agree with all of this with the exception that Apple may well need to bring prices down in order to maintain sales, which they ought to be able to do given the high margins. Blu-ray is not interesting to me, least of all in a laptop with a screen so small that I'd never notice the difference, and I don't see the point of a touch-screen laptop outside of specialist uses. The more concerning aspects of the announcement were the lack of matte displays and the disappearance of FireWire.

[drfrost]

It's not so much being able to play at full blu-ray resolution that counts... it's when your movie library consists of blu-ray disks and you "can't" play them at any resolution.

If you don't watch movies on your laptop, no worries. If you do and you've upgraded to blu-ray.... now we have a problem. The real question is, how many customers buying these in the next 12 months are going to care.

[Vidiot17]

Apple's Blu-Ray concerns are directed toward protecting its position in the consumer marketplace. But it wasn't that many years ago when Jobs made his impassioned plea to film and television professionals to embrace Apple's big plans to dominate digital production technology. That road has been marred by periodic lapses and gaps, most often when the company chooses to ignore those it invited and focus instead on consumer-only offerings... and this is yet another example. The decision to exclude Blu-Ray hardware is lamentable; but the refusal to allow its professional software applications to acknowledge Blu-Ray disc creation is a breach of the extravagant promises Jobs lured us in with.

[lixpaulian]

Yeah, count me on the list of Mac Mini buyers. I am waiting since a while for the next upgrade, but on the other hand I am affraid that the product will be discontinued... I expect a newer processor and the new 11n WiFi at least, that would do it for me. I plan to use it as a small home server connected to a Full HD plasma TV. All my family members have MacBooks (with 11n!), but we need a server...

[barbose]

I'm using a 1.83 GHz Core Duo (not Core 2 Duo) machine as a server and it's also connected to my HDTV. The Mini has been upgraded multiple times since then. You DO know than "Full HD" is actually LOWER resolution than any of your family's MacBooks?

The mini has had 'n' for a while. The core 2 duos are plenty fast for 1080i/p.

I have 1TB of external storage attached via USB (also PLENTY FAST FOR MEDIA STREAMING) and it shares video with any screen in the house. what's the big deal?

[shanx24]

Blu-ray was not the main thing at the moment. The design is fugly, there's only one firewire port, only two USB in this day and age, no eSata drives (even Vaios have had them for over a year!), no matte option in screens, and so on and so forth. Stupid fluff Paris Hilton of an update. Hope Apple is listening to the places where their vocal audience speaks out: Digg, Slashdot, even their own MBP forums which are now littered with disappointments and bafflement. Apple losing its mojo if the last few "announcements" are anything to go by.

[cameronielsen]

You miss the point. Apple is about minimalism, you don't need a swiss army knife. Just the basics, executed to perfection. The matte screen thing is a valid point, but you can't call the design fugly, it looks really nice and corresponds to their iMac line. As a designer, I say it looks good and arbitrarily overrule you. =)

I think people were expecting too much, too fast with the laptops - you can only make things so small. The air is a sign of things to come but they won't integrate that into the other laptops until they can make it perfect.

[rapier1]

What is the point of excellent design if it limits functionality?

I'm looking to upgrade my mac in the next 8 months and based on what I saw I'm probably just going to stick with what I have until the next iteration, hopefully, addresses some of these problems. No hapatic feedback for the trackpad 'buttons'? A chiclet keyboard with less than stellar responsiveness? A glossy screen so I end up staring back at my own ugly mug when I'm trying to code? No. Its just not working for me. Design is important but it has to meet functional demands.

[Tech Diva XXX]

cameronielsen, at the price of the MBP, Apple needs to step up. People aren't going to give you $2000+ for less anymore. Not when PC laptops can offer a bigger bang for the buck. Perhaps serious dedicated Apple users, but not even many of them seem happy with this "update".

I think the design does look good, but no matte option is a bad move. Shanx24 is also right about the low number of ports. That means an extra expense of getting a USB hub for any devices you need to keep plugged in. The MBP can be a good desktop replacement, but with the lack of ports it's limited.

[barbose]

blah blah blah. are you stealing copy from MS?

[MaLvaDo39]

Netbook = iPhone $199

[pjhenry1216]

get back to me when the iPhone has a fully-featured browser (plugins, etc.) THEN you can call it a netbook. A netbook is for a full internet experience, not the one from the iPhone. I'm not saying the iPhone is bad. It does what it can. But it doesn't replace a netbook.

[da_alman]

Netbook = $500 - 600.

iPhone = $199 + $70/month x 24mo = $1680 for a grand total of $1879 not including taxes, overages, etc.

Not a good comparison at all.

[ashwinkn]

iPod touch - $229, plus a lot faster for tasks that you would perform on a netbook.
That's a fair comparison.

[da_alman]

ashwinkn; comparing an ipod/iphone to a netbook is just stupid. You actually think a netbook, whether it's plugged into a network cable or via wifi is slower than an ipod touch performing tasks, such as writing an email or surfing the web? LOL. Stop smoking crack dude.

[cb3431]

I guess it's a good thing we have Dell, HP, Toshiba, Sony, Lenovo, Gateway and many others. And It's nice that we have the ability to make our own decisions and we don't have to do what Steve Jobs says or wants.

[sythara]

Hell yes, finally someone sees the light.

Then again, we have to take what Bill Gates says about using Vista (or you can use linux)

[jessiethe3rd]

Amen to that. Hail competition.

[YankeePoodle]

The MacMini needs a decent over-haul. Lucky for apple that the economy did not tank before back to school. Apple will lose a good chunk of its student base in this bad economy if it does not have economical options. This is the time to update the MacMini so that it would be relevant as well as affordable.

I would wait and see the next quarter results for apple. The IPhone 3G would be doing more leg-work for apple, expect the Mac sales to take a hit because of the economy, people would shop for a sub-800 laptop, than an apple.

[pkscout]

"DVD sales are tapering off, but still haven't completely disappeared"

This is the understatement of the century (and the last one). At around 85% of physical media sales, I'd say DVD is likely to continue to be the format of choice for a long time, maybe even so long that people switch from DVD to digital downloads and bypass high-def physical media all together.

[pjhenry1216]

Internet infrastructure has a long ways to go before digital downloads for a plausible takeover of physical media. Physical storage is close, but still has a ways to go if high definition catches on, which hasn't caught on to physical media yet, but hi-def will eventually catch on. Right now hi-def really only makes headway in tv (sports being the biggest, but sports doesn't really push physical media), but its only a matter of time before it makes headway in physical media. Blu-ray is a bit ahead of its time for mass consumption. Not enough people have tv's that take advantage of it. There *IS* a significant difference between blu-ray and dvd, assuming the tv is up for the challenge. However, 720p tvs are the most common hdtvs right now and they don't do the trick. plus, you need a decent sound system to notice the difference as well.

Last but not least, DRM is severely hindering the pickup of digital downloads. Once they go DRM-free, it'll be a big step forward, but until then, I don't think so. It was bearable with music as you really only needed it to play on your computer and your mp3 player. With movies, you'll want it on your computer, tv, possibly a friends house, etc.

Digital offerings for movies and video in general aren't as inevitable as music was. There are more challenges for them to over come. Portability of movies is a big deal. I'm not going to bring my ipod over to someone's house to watch a movie off it (even with the tv adapter... its quality isn't good enough compared to a dvd). Playing on multiple sets is a must, but with incompatible DRMs and what not, its so far not possible. For digital offerings to really pick up any time soon, DRM needs to go. Without DRM, the other problems can wait a bit. With DRM, they really need to solve those other problems first.

[GlennAllen]

Not only have DVD sales *NOT* tapered off, DVD has actually increased market share. It's Blu-ray that's tapering off... dwindling in the market. Hi-def is the future, but that doesn't mean Blu-ray will still be prevalent once enough people are interested in going hi-def because the price point will be where it needs to be for it to reach critical mass. People want two things: content and value, and DVD satisfies both of these right now and for the foreseeable future. No one's saying Blu-ray isn't significantly better than DVD in picture and sound; it's just not better enough to justify its cost (unless you have the money to throw away on something you don't really need).

[mpitogo]

Blu-Ray - I agree
It's best keep it in my playstation3. Why bulk up the price tag for everyone when only a small single digit percentage of the masses will use it. Add more insult to injury my PS3 has only seen 4 blu-ray movie disks, kinda sad really, but $35 for a movie I'll watch maybe once or twice...

Touchscreen - I agree
God who would want to put a nice 24" display subject to the abuse of finger and smudge prints. Its a nice novelty feature but its just that.

Netbook - well, my iPhone is kinda there. I just wish AT&T's network lives up to their slogan "nations fastest" 3G on my MBAir with Verizon seems much faster and more reliable in the NYC area.

[bommai]

Why don't you use Blockbuster online or Netflix for getting your Bluray movies. that is what I do. I bought a few Bluray movies when they were on sale for $10-12 last winter but that is about it.

[D3vildog699]

"Why don't you use Blockbuster online or Netflix for getting your Bluray movies. that is what I do. I bought a few Bluray movies when they were on sale for $10-12 last winter but that is about it.

-I use this blockbuster pass for $21 a month, unlimited rentals, including blu ray.

People seem to forget that blu ray isn't just about movies, on disc can have up to 50gb of space.. thats half of my old Hard drive backed up...

[johnqh]

None of the tablet notebook from any vendors are top sellers. So, I agree with no touch-screen notebook.

Netbooks are hot, but we don't know if it is a long term trend or a one-time thing. They are awfully underpowered for web surfing....yes, web surfing requires fast processing these days, thanks for Flash. Many websites require at least 1G processor to work (like YouTube), and some even push 2G C2D to 100% CPU usage. No wonder Apple doesn't want Flash on iPhone.

If Netbook is a long term trend, I won't be surprised if Apple gets into the market the same way they get into the PDA market with iPhone.

[sanenazok]

What web app pushes a dual core processor to the max?? I use a P3 1GHz at home for web surfing and Word and it works perfectly!

[TV James]

Mr. Jobs doth protest too much.

Blu-Ray, yeah, that's not going to happen soon for several reasons. Jobs mentioned licensing, there are probably others. But the key is, he publicly criticized it.
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2008/pulpit_20080314_004511.html
http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2008/pulpit_20080502_004815.html

As for Netbooks and Touchscreen tablets... it's a toss-up. A netbook could be an oversized iPod touch. Or, it could be something he sees as cheapening the brand. Touchscreen laptops/tablets - now that's cool. Cool, fun, potential to be another exclusive expensive Apple product for the designers and pitch meetings. Basically miniature Surfaces, out the door before Microsoft Oahu. His quiet demurral is nothing less than a "Stop asking about it, it's in the works." We've seen it all before with his suggestion that no one would want video on an iPod and later no one would want a phone and an iPod in one device.

[SteamChip]

BlueRay?!? Lame. DVD is fine and I do not see myself getting on the download only bandwagon for years to come. DVDs play in my TV, entertainment center, and compute machines. It is an embedded good enough technology. BlueRay does not offer anything I cannot already do. If more companies adopted it and it were as easy as DVD to burn, cheaper, then I suppose eventually my hardware would be updated to include it (as eventually they became updated past CD only drives).

TouchScreen?!? Smudge spluge U peple Keep YO filthy mitts off my SCREEN !

NetNotebook?!? Apple Iphones seem to fit this category quite well. Always I?m impressed when somebody whips one out and with a few taps of their pinky displays and zooms in on their gnats ascii photos.