Comments on: Apple plots course for middle of mobile

For years, the PC industry has longed to make a compelling device that's bigger than a phone but smaller than a notebook. They have failed. Can Apple pull it off?

[dreamworks21]

great article, well researched and even more impressively compiled into a smooth-reading, easily-accessible piece. i learned some good stuff reading it.

[legacydaily]

Looks like someone at CNET removed my earlier comment. I wrote about this evolution on my blog at http://legacydaily.com/2008/11/computers-in-a-few-years/ and had pasted a link in my comment.

Eventually our TVs will be large iPhones, our computers will be medium size iPhones, and of course our iPhones will remain. The small pocket iPhone will act as the remote for the large screen iPhone sitting in our living room and acting as the TV. There's nothing new here just evolution in progress.

CNET I'm disappointed in your removal of my earlier relevant comment. I hope you choose to allow this comment and prevent me from reciprocating by removing your site from my Google Reader.

[tundraboy]

I'm still skeptical about the success of an in-betweener. I read somewhere that netbooks have been slowly creeping up in screen size. An iPad or whatever Apple chooses to call it will have to offer something compelling for people to be willing to live with the poor compomise (larger than iPhone, lower computing power than MacBook Air). One thing I can think of is with a thin display, a system-on-a-chip from P.A. Semi and circuitry tucked to the side of the chassis, pretty much 80% of the device's volume could be devoted to the battery. That would be a helluva battery capacity. If the 17" MBP is rated at 8 hrs, maybe 12+ for the iPad?

[DocBaldwin]

I'm sure the article I read on March 11th 2009, in Appleinsider: Apple orders 10-inch touchscreens for mystery product, is a good indicator of the new device.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/03/11/apple_orders_10_inch_touchscreens_for_mystery_product.html

I currently have and love my first gen. iPhone but wish I wasn't tied to the one carrier and would welcome a larger screened media device with it's capabilities.

A Mobile MiniTablet device with the iPhone OS and the option of carriers, i.e. Verizon or AT&T would not only have great potential but would drive new innovations with other companies, like the iPhone did.

Hopefully, they can finally resolve the web video issues as well with the Safari browser; Flash, Silverlight, etc.

[J5Chicago]

Two words. Detachable battery.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Two more words:


Won't happen.

[myles taylor]

Apple will put a version of their new Macbook Pro battery in there. I agree...won't happen. I also disagree that this is a bad thing. People whine about this too much and it's not as big a deal as people make it.

[joyofsomeone]

Well, if Apple weren't planning this before, after reading this they certainly will be getting to the drawing table...

I agree, the iPad is a rather bad name. Hopefully, it IS just a name stolen from a non-official-Apple site, and so will probably have a more suitable name.

[Seaspray0]

"but on a device that's more portable than notebooks and lacks a keyboard."

Tom Krazit, the device you are showing in the picture does have a keyboard. Are the wall street journal and business week reporting on the same device, seperate devices, or is the picture a different device than the one in the quote above?

[spradlink]

I'd sell my iTouch and buy one of these in a heartbeat. I'm a frequent traveler and not much on music or movies, but give me books, brain games, and email on a slightly larger screen that can be comfortably used on an airplane with connectivity just about anywhere and I'm there! Would have bought a Kindle by now, but a) can't play with it before buying; b) don't like how the keyboard takes up too much space on the device; and c) it seems a little too one-dimensional for the price. A Kindle with Apple's UI design skills and the app store behind it though? That's a different story!

[rstinehour]

I hope there is some truth to the rumors about the "Apple iPad". Great post, thank you. I think the device could be engineered for low vision users. I wrote about this in my blog today.
http://www.learningaccessibility.com/blog/the-mythical-apple-ipad/

OK so here is what I would buy:
1) has two large screens. one side has a bright color screen for multimedia and the back of the device has eInk screen on the back for reading.
2) has 100+GB storage and 2 slots for SDHC
3) one of the sides to have iPhone touch keyboard, the other one to take scribbling with pen
4) has to be big enough and small enough (good luck with this one! :)
5) has Kindle like always-on data connection to download content to read
6) the bright/color screen should be able to fit 3 iPhone apps running at the same time or we pick which one to maximize to take the whole screen. this way that whole library of apps would be valuable Day1
7) You know what: just make my first request work and I'll buy...

[pithenumber]

good luck finding a device that meets your needs

[rshah29]

Personally, I think these are just rumors. I don't think there is really a need to bridge the gap between an iPhone and Macbook. That's already been addressed by the Macbook Air.

It's clear that consumers want either a mobile phone that's not as robust as a full blown laptop, or they want a portable laptop that's powerful. Both of these segments have products already available.

I just don't see the market and/or demand for something like this.

[pithenumber]

there is already a market for this
its the netbook market
and here come Apple's premium netbook

[rajid--2008]

I've been thinking along these same lines for a while! Thanks for the pointer to the old Origami project. I couldn't remember the name of it, but looking back at it now, it looks like a larger version of an iPhone making use of Kindle-like network connectivity (via Verizon?).
Here's my writeup on the rest of the possibilities:
<http://www.latibule.net/cgi-bin/print_blog.cgi?blog=raj_blog&article=5>

[InklingBooks]

I'm not sure having this device communicate through cellular networks makes much sense. It's likely to be too big for cell-phone and only those with ample budgets in these tight times could justify two pricey, $90 service plans.

Don't forget how well games and work applications for iPhones and iPod touches are selling. Making this an enhanced game & work machine (and thus an expanded iPod touch with perhaps Skype VoIP for phone service) makes more sense. Not everyone is foolish enough to think they're getting a 'deal' with a cellular plan that has them paying back more in fees than they saved up front. They'd rather just pay and be done with it, even if that means being tied to available WiFi.

Whatever they're doing, Apple needs to do it soon. I'm delaying the purchase of an iPod touch or second-hand iPhone until this is out. The key issue with me is the size. I'd rather have something a bit bigger than an iPhone, but not so big that it doesn't fit in a shirt pocket.

Once it's too big for a pocket, I might as well be carrying my mini-laptop or my MacBook.

--Mike Perry, Seattle

[Aaron Kempf]

where do you come up with this junk?

for years computer makers have tried to come up with something in between a notebook and a cellphone..

uh.. isn't that called a NETBOOK?

They've been selling, what 50 million units a year?

10 netbooks for every iphone that has sold, right?

Where do you come up with your biased reporting?

At my company-- literally 90% of the hits still come from Internet Explorer, I think that it's time to stop your apple-bias and start providing subjective reporting.

[Tom Krazit]

According to IDC, 11 million Netbooks were sold in 2008.

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2009/tc2009016_713053.htm

From June 2007 to December 2008, Apple sold 17 million iPhones.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10197216-37.html?tag=mncol

[myles taylor]

Thanks Tom. I know it's not possible to respond to every idiot that comments, but I always like to see when you do.

[Vegaman_Dan]

It's an interesting notion, but can by no means compete with a laptop or even netbook for usability when you look at it realistically. Apple said they have no intent to enter the netbook market for less than $500. Okay, so that means between $500-999 (macbook territory after that). You get a device that can do all that a Touch can- but at that point what OS is it running? Can you run OS X apps you download from the net to it? Or are you limited to only what apps are in the Apps Store? It may be a case of being too big to be usable for iPhone/Touch apps, too small for OS X full apps.

Keyboards- no physical keyboard? Touch screen only? Oh boy... that will be an interesting thing to see. Take a graphic novel, which would be about the same size as this unit is reported to have assuming it has a 7" screen and is no bigger than that. Hold it in one hand and try to touch type on it. It's awkward- the unit is too long to hold comfortably like you can now with a Touch or iPhone. You'll need to set it down on a surface to type on it. That reduces the functionality in my book.


There's a reason why UMPC's didn't catch on. The form factor is just a case of being too small to be a real laptop and too big to be portable. It's not pocket sized and it's too small to be useful as a laptop.

[sciontcya]

Well, they either really DON'T want any part of this, or it's the usual Stealth Apple hiding it until they're ready to show us.
I think there is a market for these devices (from Apple) but not sure if the market will sustain it now in this recession.
It also might take a big chunk out of iPhone sales, so we'll have to wait and see.
I think I'm interested - waiting of course for pricing and specs of said device(s)

[megustansalchichas]

Just make it a bigger iphone and that's all you need -1280X720 resolution at $499 with at least 6 hours battery life, and it will sell a zillion.

[pithenumber]

considering an iPhone w/out contract costs more than $500
good luck

[dell lover]

Apple should really think about getting in to the smartphone market, the Iphone is less a smartphone as it is a feature phone. Microsoft has Windows Mobile for PDA's, I say Apple should go back and think about reviving the Newton.

[Zaunto]

If Apple's bright idea is a "bigger iPhone or i Pod Touch with a bigger touch screen and the iPhone OS" is their bright idea, I sure as heck won't be wasting any of my money on it. I almost bought a Netbook when searching for a new laptop, but found an Acer Aspire 5315 on sale at that time, for $389. You rich folks can buy all the i Crap you want. The rest of us who are dealing with the recession know better.

[sciontcya]

Hey dummy, you DO know that the "iPhone OS" is a scaled-down OS-X, right?
It's more than up to the task, and would probably be another variation in between the iPhone/iPod Touch and the Mac OS.
Think just a little...

[sciontcya]

Oh, and rather than accuse "us" of buying "all the crap we want" you might re-think your example.
"Acer Aspire 5315 on sale at that time, for $389"
Well, recession or not, I'd rather SAVE money for something GOOD!
You sir, are the one buying crap...

[mgheff]

way to be bias towards people with more money. and like the other posts said, I would rather have a quality product that is more money than a piece of junk that is really cheap.

[Seaspray0]

@sciontcya. You think it's crap because it costs less. I think your choice is crap because it costs too much. Your opinion is the one in the minority and you screaming loudly to the world still doesn't justify it.

[pithenumber]

@sciontcya
maybe people want a full OS in their computer
not a Phone OS

and inexpensive things aren't always crap

[sciontcya]

@seaspray, no, I think it's crap 'cause it's cheap Acer crap. Simple.
Not screaming, just saying...

[sciontcya]

@ pithenumber, and you know WHAT the OS is? No, you don't and neither do I.
In fact, we don't even know if this thing exists! LOL
You guys need to go camping with those wankers on the MS commercials - the ones that don't actually BUY a laptop because MS does it for them.
Hell, if MS bought me a laptop, I might use it as a doorstop too.

[mgheff]

if this is going to be a computer, and they want it to sell. they NEED a keyboard. I understand not having one on the iPhone, which I really prefer on something that big, but it they don't have one for a ten inch screen, typing emails on something that larger is going to get really old, really fast.