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?

[callmehal]

Doesn't anyone remember 2001 Space Odyssey?

Flat pad. Local network. Realtime Two-way Video.
About the size of a kindle without the crappy keyboard.

Really - people are paying $359 for that?

Watch a movie or tv show like I try to on my macbook but
it's just a little bit of overkill?

Data surfer. Book reader. User annotation.

Perfect.

Wifi and bluetooth only.
Tether it to an iphone wifi network for on the go cellular access.

I'll take two.

[zzsilas]

Forget about something in-between a cell phone and a laptop apple should just make something better than a cell phone. the main reason I didn't buy an iphone was that monthly contract is just to high. I have an Ipod touch and i use a voice over the internet application to call people. hope there new device has video calling, I like the comment about macbook touch that sounds like a good direction... just don't want to get raped by the f@#king monthly bill though maybe wifi stand alone device with the possibility of data or voice only plans ?

[C433Z]

Um, I'm not sure I understand the point/appeal of it. It seems like a waste of money.

[mkpelland]

Apple's change of heart can be explained simply...never take verbatim what an ace marketing guru says one day after he says it.
Thanks for this article, I shared you with my Chicago readers - I so wish someone would come up with a terrific, affordable reader and quit messin' around....
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-5356-Chicago-Home-Technology-Examiner~y2009m5d1-Is-Apple-Mediapad-mobile-internet-device-gunning-for-Kindle

[dragonsky1]

I don't understand why anyone would spend $300-$400 on a netbook. You do realize you can get a more powerful laptop, though woefully underpowered compared to the MacBooks and most PC laptops, for the same price. Compaq, Acer and Toshiba all have laptops in the $400 range at Best Buy and they sell tons more of those than netbooks. They have a DVD burner, and can actually run some real applications, though a bit slowly. The only thing netbooks have for them, is the smaller size, portability and the batter life. But in my case, I can't use most netbooks anyway because the keyboards are too small.

I'm willing to bet we will see an iBook or iPad, or whatever Apple chooses to call this. Apple has a knack for creating new markets where people thought they didn't exsist before. I don't think this thing will be huge, but it will do well and Apple will make money off of it.

[pithenumber]

portability
netbooks are small
some people value that