Apple's Next Big Thing: MacBook Touch?
Techtree News Staff, Jul 24, 2008 1820 hrs IST
Ever since Apple CEO Steve Jobs promised innovative products from its stable, speculation has been rife about the possibility of a MacBook Touch.
Rumors have started pouring in about Apple's next big innovation. Ever since Apple CEO Steve Jobs promised innovative products from its stable in the company's quarterly earnings report, unofficial Apple-related websites are anticipating the possibility of a MacBook Touch in the near future.
MacDailyNews, the website that reported wireless iTunes a week before its official announcement in the past, has initiated this rumor. The buzz is that the MacBook Touch, or whatever the name is going to be eventually, will have an interface that is similar to Apple's iPhone.
MacDailyNews writes: Think MacBook screen, possibly a bit smaller, in glass with iPhone-like, but fuller-featured Multi-Touch. Gesture library. Full Mac OS X. This is why they bought P.A. Semi. Possibly with Immersion's haptic tech. Slot-loading SuperDrive. Accelerometer. GPS. Pretty expensive to produce initially, but sold at "low" price that will reduce margins. Apple wants to move these babies. And move they will. This is some sick shit. App Store-compatible, able to run Mac apps, too. By October at the latest.
As reports suggest, the touch sensitive MacBook would be just one of the new innovative products that Apple is finishing upon. We wonder what the other novel products could be. Any guesses?
USER COMMENTS
by Anonymous, Cincy, on Jul 25, 2008 08:05 PM, Report abuse
Fanbois have been prognosticating this for years, hardly an original idea. Just because Apple could do this, doesn't mean they should. First, what would be the advantage? Ergonomically, a touch screen larger than the iTouch/iPhone becomes a pain, thumb typing becomes unfeasible and the touch keyboard cannibalizes a lot of screen real estate. The feedback from a real mechanical keyboard is still superior to a touchscreen, so getting real work done would be more difficult. Your hands would obscure part of the screen as you work, and sitting with a touchscreen on your lap is far less ergonomic than a small form-factor laptop where you can adjust the screen to a comfortable angle. The option of holding the screen and using it with one hand is fine for simple tasks, taking inventory or accessing medical records, which, incidentally, is what tablets are mostly used for. A very specific market segment. The second issue is that such a product would slot uncomfortably between the iphone and the macbook air, yet would be less useful than either: too big to put in your pocket, less powerful and versatile than a regular laptop. Also, the cost of making a large touchscreen device, with miniaturized components, would be prohibitive. Witness the high manufacturing cost of the iPhone, as well as the low cost-to-performance ratio of tablets currently on the market. The profit margins on such a device would be quite slim, and its appeal would be quite limited.
by flyedlice, shanghai, on Jul 25, 2008 12:48 AM, Report abuse Reply
Whoa .. u sure can type fast. Apt comments thou.
by Dizzy, Kolkata, on Jul 25, 2008 01:12 AM, Report abuse
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I hope not either! I'm waiting for another compact Mac smaller than the Pro and larger than the Mini that is customizable, longer shelf life. As I've been holding off buying a new Mac and I DON'T want an iMac.
by Tivette, San Jose, on Jul 25, 2008 01:52 AM, Report abuse Reply