Apple iPad announced – will we ever see an Apple netbook?
I'm sure you've already read all about the new Apple iPad, but I wanted to take a few moments to comment on the new product and how the iPad's existence all but crushes the (already very small) chances of an Apple netbook ever coming out. I've written about the possibility of an Apple netbook multiple times in the past and I even held out a slight glimmer of hope that they would announce not only the Apple iPad but also an Apple netbook today, but alas they did not.
Now that we know what the specs and pricing are on the iPad it's easy to see there is no need for Apple to create a netbook when they have a product relatively the same size and price as many netbooks on the market today:
* 9.7-inch IPS Display
* 1GHz Apple A4 Chips
* Capacitive multi-touch screen
* Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth
* 16GB to 64GB Flash storage
Pricing:
* $499 for the base 16GB Wi-Fi
* $599 for the 32GB model Wi-Fi
* $699 for the 64GB model Wi-Fi
* $629 for the 16GB Wi-Fi + 3G
* $729 for the 32GB Wi-Fi +3G
* $829 for the 64GB Wi-Fi +3G
The Apple iPad uses a virtual keyboard and is also around the same 10 inch screen size that most netbooks are proves the chance of an Apple netbook is all but dead now. The fact that they are also trying to take over the Kindle eReader market now with this device is further evidence that Apple is trying to have it's cake and eat it too (netbook and eReader in one).
What do you think? Now that the Apple iPad has been released will we ever see an Apple netbook?
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Tagged: Apple netbook
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The ipad IS Apples netbook. Unless I am missing something…
Yes that is basically what I am implying here. We shall see though…
I think Steve Jobs made it clear that iPad was created because ole Steve thinks netbooks suck at what they were made for.
Problem is, netbooks weren’t “made for” anything. They’re just small computers with low-power hardware. I suppose the iPad would be superior if the only thing you ever with your netbook is surf websites on a couch, but that’s not really what netbooks are all about.
If Apple is successful in capturing a share of the netbook market with the iPad, and other manufacturers get serious about the pad market with windows based machines, then the question comes up as to whether the pad market will consume the netbook market. After all, if you had a detachable or wireless external keyboard with a pad, isn’t it simply just a netbook with a touchscreen? Perhaps the devices become one and the same thing. That would probably be a good thing.