Sign In
Register
Help
I thought that if it's standard-sized than it couldn't be considered a Netbook.
Can Apple Save the Netbook?
MultiQuote
#62
TechieXP 
- Expert
-
- Group: Members
- Posts: 2,256
- Joined: 29-October 08
- Location:Chicago / Sarasota
Posted 02 December 2008 - 07:21 AM
You just descibed a fancy notebook that couldn't possibly be cost effective since the idea would be to make a low-cost smaller alternative to a notebook pc or mac. The drive you mentioned itself right now cost almost $400. How much do you thnk carbon fiber cost? And what you would be descibing literally would be a plastic casing wrapped with cardon fiber strands, much like they do bicycles. See how nuch they cost compared to similar styles? The other things you mentioned are possible...but if you priced it at 599 or 699 then you defeated the purpose. There are already laptop that have fingerprint resistence surfaces. Look at the dvt odel from HP and a few of the Acer models. That is what that shiny surface is. Its not there just to look pretty. Until prices come down even pc makers couldnt do it., you sure can't expect Apple too. Its not that they can't, its just not cost effective. Try using a cad program and designing what you said and then see what teh cost would be...if you manage to be successful...you could get rich pretty quick.
#63
RACinWNY
- Member
-
- Group: Members
- Posts: 16
- Joined: 28-November 08
Posted 02 December 2008 - 01:28 PM
sfoalex: I don't read MacWorld regularly but will look for the Jan. issue to read that article. I'm sure my local branch library has it.It will be interesting to read the whole article. I agree that I just don't see Apple moving into the netbook market, especially at this point in time given the economic situation and their way of doing business.
butlerwm: My Mom and Dad spaced us kids apart somewhat. Had my brother when they were 29, me at 39 and sister at 42, thus my Dad being 90! Nice for me always to hear of other females who were into what at that time were definitely NOT girl type interests! I built my first project when I was 9. I've built all kinds of stuff over the years but it's been really about 10 years since I've done anything. The last thing I did was a separate low power transmitter and receiver for 7 MHz Ham bands, and a small audio amp plus a side tone oscillator if I remember correctly. The hubby has been at it as long as myself but is exceptionally skilled whereas I'm just OK. We met via our mutal interest in Ham Radio in fact.
RE: the ebook scene. On the mailing list I ran I had both authors and folks like myself who were very enthusiastic about ebooks and reader devices. So many of the authors I got to know via that list and a few other venues at that time were very much interested in ebooks. It just always seemed that they were up against the publishers. I can see the point of view the publishers have but at some time in the hopefully near future they'll finally find a way. One of my biggest complaints was with two readers and two devices in the household I resented having to pay full price for a book TWICE. When I purchase a paper bound book I purchase it ONCE and if the interest is there, I read it and then he reads it, or vice versa. Sure we could share the devices, swap them as it were, but for us a ebook reader device becomes personalized, ala your personal computer, and it's not easy swapping back and forth. Especially if one is traveling and one is home. As for reading ON a computer as we know them today, at a desk or table, not in our case. I ALWAYS read sitting in a comfy chair or laying in bed unless I'm traveling or somewhere like a waiting room. That's why something the size of my netbook but perhaps without the keyboard, meaning then it would have a touchscreen, would certainly serve me well as an ebook reader too. Even WITH the keyboard I think I could find it doable. Heck, this AAO is just a tad bigger than my old Rocket eBook and is slimmer!
As a Ham and as someone generally interested in new tech I watch the battery development area fairly close. I have seen recent advances being made but it's not, IMO, to the point of being useful and more important, easily and cheaply available to the average user. But I remember when the thought of something like this Intel Atom cpu and my netbook with the 6 cell battery were pie in the sky ideas too, so I've hopes we'll see the newer battery tech in the mainstream soon...at a price that is not out of sight! In fact, IF the netbook market can survive and moreso, grow, I've hopes that it will push along the battery tech and vice versa. As it is, I'm already seeing third market larger batteries for my AAO but I've read mixed reviews of them. I do hope that before I find my netbook to be an artifact to either save, give away or toss, I'll be able to pick up a bigger well made battery for it at a cost that makes sense. All in all, this will be interesting. Heck, I might just toss those boxes of Model 100s yet! ;)
butlerwm: My Mom and Dad spaced us kids apart somewhat. Had my brother when they were 29, me at 39 and sister at 42, thus my Dad being 90! Nice for me always to hear of other females who were into what at that time were definitely NOT girl type interests! I built my first project when I was 9. I've built all kinds of stuff over the years but it's been really about 10 years since I've done anything. The last thing I did was a separate low power transmitter and receiver for 7 MHz Ham bands, and a small audio amp plus a side tone oscillator if I remember correctly. The hubby has been at it as long as myself but is exceptionally skilled whereas I'm just OK. We met via our mutal interest in Ham Radio in fact.
RE: the ebook scene. On the mailing list I ran I had both authors and folks like myself who were very enthusiastic about ebooks and reader devices. So many of the authors I got to know via that list and a few other venues at that time were very much interested in ebooks. It just always seemed that they were up against the publishers. I can see the point of view the publishers have but at some time in the hopefully near future they'll finally find a way. One of my biggest complaints was with two readers and two devices in the household I resented having to pay full price for a book TWICE. When I purchase a paper bound book I purchase it ONCE and if the interest is there, I read it and then he reads it, or vice versa. Sure we could share the devices, swap them as it were, but for us a ebook reader device becomes personalized, ala your personal computer, and it's not easy swapping back and forth. Especially if one is traveling and one is home. As for reading ON a computer as we know them today, at a desk or table, not in our case. I ALWAYS read sitting in a comfy chair or laying in bed unless I'm traveling or somewhere like a waiting room. That's why something the size of my netbook but perhaps without the keyboard, meaning then it would have a touchscreen, would certainly serve me well as an ebook reader too. Even WITH the keyboard I think I could find it doable. Heck, this AAO is just a tad bigger than my old Rocket eBook and is slimmer!
As a Ham and as someone generally interested in new tech I watch the battery development area fairly close. I have seen recent advances being made but it's not, IMO, to the point of being useful and more important, easily and cheaply available to the average user. But I remember when the thought of something like this Intel Atom cpu and my netbook with the 6 cell battery were pie in the sky ideas too, so I've hopes we'll see the newer battery tech in the mainstream soon...at a price that is not out of sight! In fact, IF the netbook market can survive and moreso, grow, I've hopes that it will push along the battery tech and vice versa. As it is, I'm already seeing third market larger batteries for my AAO but I've read mixed reviews of them. I do hope that before I find my netbook to be an artifact to either save, give away or toss, I'll be able to pick up a bigger well made battery for it at a cost that makes sense. All in all, this will be interesting. Heck, I might just toss those boxes of Model 100s yet! ;)
#64
WinTard
- Expert
-
- Group: Members
- Posts: 3,131
- Joined: 16-January 09
- Location:Look behind you...
Posted 11 March 2009 - 10:00 PM
Although this is old news, the topic is current, with all the rumors (no doubt intentionally planted by Apple) about something coming up from Apple re: netbooks or tablet computers... Remember the ill fated Apple Newton?
My on topic comment is that Apple cannot save the Netbook concept, simply because the netbooks potential buyers are price sensitive. And Apple isn't. Their marketing strategy isn't the Wal-Mart but more the artsy-fartsy fashion designer yuppie crowd sipping $5+ lattes. No offense, there are lots of young urban professionals, dinks (dual-income-no-kids) with that kind of disposable income. There's the market. And that's not the sub $300 market. Let's say the air is too rarified or thin for Apple's bottom-line tastes.
This is in no way a bash against Apple. But just stating my honest opinion, is the right thing to do. Sorry if I offended anyone in saying it like it is, and it conflicts with the object of their adulations.
~~~~~~~~~~
One's first step in wisdom is to question everything -- and one's last is to come to terms with everything.
~ Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, 1742-1799, German scientist/Satirist/Philosopher
The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names.
{Chinese Proverb}
Wisdom is simply the best means to achieve the best ends.
~ Tony Orbin
My on topic comment is that Apple cannot save the Netbook concept, simply because the netbooks potential buyers are price sensitive. And Apple isn't. Their marketing strategy isn't the Wal-Mart but more the artsy-fartsy fashion designer yuppie crowd sipping $5+ lattes. No offense, there are lots of young urban professionals, dinks (dual-income-no-kids) with that kind of disposable income. There's the market. And that's not the sub $300 market. Let's say the air is too rarified or thin for Apple's bottom-line tastes.
This is in no way a bash against Apple. But just stating my honest opinion, is the right thing to do. Sorry if I offended anyone in saying it like it is, and it conflicts with the object of their adulations.
~~~~~~~~~~
One's first step in wisdom is to question everything -- and one's last is to come to terms with everything.
~ Georg Christoph Lichtenberg, 1742-1799, German scientist/Satirist/Philosopher
The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names.
{Chinese Proverb}
Wisdom is simply the best means to achieve the best ends.
~ Tony Orbin
#65
smax013
- Moderator
-
- Group: Moderators
- Posts: 9,073
- Joined: 28-January 07
- Location:Southeast Michigan
Posted 12 March 2009 - 11:44 AM
WinTard said:
Although this is old news, the topic is current, with all the rumors (no doubt intentionally planted by Apple) about something coming up from Apple re: netbooks or tablet computers... Remember the ill fated Apple Newton?
My on topic comment is that Apple cannot save the Netbook concept, simply because the netbooks potential buyers are price sensitive. And Apple isn't. Their marketing strategy isn't the Wal-Mart but more the artsy-fartsy fashion designer yuppie crowd sipping $5+ lattes. No offense, there are lots of young urban professionals, dinks (dual-income-no-kids) with that kind of disposable income. There's the market. And that's not the sub $300 market. Let's say the air is too rarified or thin for Apple's bottom-line tastes.
This is in no way a bash against Apple. But just stating my honest opinion, is the right thing to do. Sorry if I offended anyone in saying it like it is, and it conflicts with the object of their adulations.
My on topic comment is that Apple cannot save the Netbook concept, simply because the netbooks potential buyers are price sensitive. And Apple isn't. Their marketing strategy isn't the Wal-Mart but more the artsy-fartsy fashion designer yuppie crowd sipping $5+ lattes. No offense, there are lots of young urban professionals, dinks (dual-income-no-kids) with that kind of disposable income. There's the market. And that's not the sub $300 market. Let's say the air is too rarified or thin for Apple's bottom-line tastes.
This is in no way a bash against Apple. But just stating my honest opinion, is the right thing to do. Sorry if I offended anyone in saying it like it is, and it conflicts with the object of their adulations.
And I tend to agree. I highly doubt Apple will enter the current Netbook "market" and succeed. If they do try for the Netbook market, it will on their terms in an effort to "redefine"...as they kind of redefined the MP3 player market when they went with a higher end hard drive based player that was significantly more expensive than all the flash based players that were available at the time. And this kind of "co-insides" with the rumors about a touch screen 10" Netbook that is more alongs the line of a "bigger" iPod Touch. And even then, there is no guarantee that they can be successful in their attempt. But, I definitely agree that they will not likely compete with the current "market" as Netbooks are now.
