O'Grady's Powerpage says a new "mini laptop" is in the works:
slim little mini pocketops are doing the rounds and getting a lot of great feedback. Sources who claim to have seen one have commented that an internal planning spec details that the new machine runs a stripped-down flavour of Mac OS X. We're told that it will finally utilize Apple's Inkwell technology to "write anywhere" and neatly fold into your pocket - rather like an enlarged Motorola RAZR V3 mobile phone with a keyboard.Just yesterday I had a flash that Apple would be crazy not to release a smaller form factor notebook in the 3 lb or lighter range. The notebook is rapidly becoming the desktop for most folks. There needs to be a variety of form factors available. The 4-7 lb notebooks Apple is selling are fine in their place - as portable desktop replacements. But, they are too big and clunky for the mobile digital lifestyle of today.
My hero, mobile visionary Russell Beattie, thinks that almost everything can or should be done from a cell phone, but I think there needs to be a device with some screen real estate and a keyboard for some mobile computing too. As content goes online more and more, a lot of us want access to that content 24-7. Where and when we want it.
There's a big gaping hole in Apple's computer line up and it's the size of a Powerbook or iBook mini! With their new low-cost theme of late, perhaps it will be an iBook mini.
I've been wondering why it has taken so long for Apple to come up with a notebook with a smaller screen. All I could figure is that OS X has big icons and needs a big screen to go with it. And, the handheld market has suffered major slippage to cell phones. Another possible reason for delay is that Apple is busy developing more robust synchronization so that I can synch my mini ibook to my full-sized 15" Powerbook.
I'm feeling trapped on the Mac platform. I will not switch for this, but I get frustrated at times. Hoping this rumor has legs...
Technorati Tags: Apple, Macintosh, iBook mini, Powerbook mini