And the iPhone runs … a modified version of OS X.

Now for the interesting bit, for me. You mention two apps that make would make this a great buy for you (ebook reader, light word processor). There are hundreds more, for many people. Now the only thing “done different”(ly) that I see that you would have to go through the Apple store, giving Apple its cut. And they would be able to veto any app that would compete with their bigger machines. Otherwise it would be a regular netbook, as far as I can tell, altough the build quality would be high like all Apple products.

i hate carrying around extra hardware that will only be useful in some places and not in others. it just annoys me that there us a functional solution the trackpoint and yet the hardware i want will never have one.

wouldn't it be nice in this day and age to be able to have a standard slot on the front of laptops/netbooks into which you could slide the keyboard/touchpad/mouse/trackball/trackpoint of your choice? might make for a thicker/unsexier laptop/netbook but it would appeal to those keyboard junkies who will reject your laptop/netbook on keyboard alone. i know a few folks programmers mostly who will not buy hardware because of the keyboard of otherwise perfect machines. its a small minority but planetwide that could still be a lot of laptop sales.

you can already do most things people do with netbooks (surf the net). add in better document editing facilities (and FINALLY a copy-cut-paste function!!!) with a bigger screen and you'd be good-to-go with a netbook done different.

how good would a thin, hi-res 7″, multi-touch Touch be? more like a portable ideas pad or clip board… so easy to cart around with you all day. Mmmmm. A slide out keyboard or bluetooth one would really help too for those doing lots of typing. i just want something big enough you could read books and manuals on easily. we might finally see a real ebook reader

you could always just plug in a small USB mouse

most laptops having shocking control surfaces for serious graphics work. I always find a small mouse much easier to use. doens't take up that much space to take on with you given the productivity push.

i actually think Sony got their device right (if not the price!!!). use the nipple device to casually navigate with and then plug in a mouse for times you need something better. makes for a smaller device when you don't have to whack in a trackpad.

“processor of their own design” should read processor of their own make based on the ARM architecture.

- 10″ tablet using a Pixel Qi screen
- Will run a modified version of the iPhone OS not OS X. OS X simply isn't built for touch
- Will probably use a processor of Apple's own design from their buyout of PA Semi, posslby with an integrated GPU from their nVidia buddies.
- Non-removable battery
- Multitouch with some form of haptic feedback
- Apple will call into use their recent handwriting acquisitions as the primary means of input for this device with an alternative OSKB

The sad thing is that I was thinking about building a very similar device myself but I clearly don't have Apple's resources. =(

The second alternative of course as you mention is to lock and limit it in every way possible, and market it as a step up in power from the iphone, if not as portable. I wouldn't buy the concept (or the machine) but plenty of people would. This is Apple after all.

1. Offer a cheap device is small (10″ or less) that can operate on its own in OS/X and also charge an iphone and act as an external speaker and screen extender. Tying it into the iPhone would allow them to package it as a mobility device rather than a netbook.

2. Package the unit as a tiny Macbook Air so it appears to be just a smaller less powerful version of the popular thin Air series of laptops. Of course they would have to charge at least $600 for the device so it appears as if it is a head and shoulders above the netbook crowd.

But Apple will never jump on the bandwagon. They just don't do that. Thats one of the reasons I like PC's. If you want to use an analogy its like two different types of girls. One girl is low-maintenance and will adapt to the person and situation (a PC) and the other girl is high-maintenance and has too much PRIDE to ever admit shes wrong (Apple).