You know, I know that a classroom setting is not exactly on the list of uber-important things for you bread-making 3-piece swivel monkeys, but it's actually nifty to use if you're putting on a presentation for a course, or if you're a student in college doing a research presentation.
Interesting, however I have yet to see a single "corporate drone" using Keynote. Actually, I am not certain I have seen anyone using Keynote besides when I have played with it on my MacBook. Still, if the suits were waiting to use a Mac for a presentation because they needed an iPhone remote control, they have officially lost that excuse.
@Monty: Actually I use keynote at our company meetings, as I'm the one who throws those together. Since I'm a mac guy it works way better than powerpoint, and infrared (line of site) remotes suck in most environments. I will almost definitely end up using this.
@lpranal and the magic holiday taco dip: We use RF remotes for presentations, which is similar to this anyway. Agreed -- infrared does not work, but I have not seen an infrared remote being used for a presentation since the turn of the millennium.
@Kaiser-Machead: if you ever have to give a presentation with the display behind you, you'll appreciate this. Being able to control it remotely and walk around while still being able to see your notes and view which slide you're on is pretty nice. And if you've already got a Mac (which I assume you do) and you give a lot of presentations, I imagine you'd find it worth $1.
See, I love Apple to death, but I doubt they'll ever release a budget *anything* without some big catches. They tried their damnedest with the MacMini, but by the time you bought the accessories for the thing and a decent monitor, you might as well have bought a MacBook.
I'm under the opinion that if they were gonna go the Netbook route, it would've been their last major release, but they decided to go with a beefier MacBook instead.
@michaelportent: The intent w/ the Mini was that you'd already own a monitor/keyboard/mouse that would work. Unfortunately it just didn't work out that way.
I'm doubtful about this. For one, Apple isn't in the market for low margin hardware. They have repeatedly said this, and proved that they can sell hardware that isn't at a cutthroat margin.
I think we'd be more likely to see a 12" tablet PC than a netbook. Personally I don't want, or have need for a tablet PC, or a netbook. Kind of like I don't need a MB Air. Not my market.
"There are some customers which we chose not to serve. We don't know how to make a $500 computer that's not a piece of junk, and our DNA will not let us ship that."
@newgalactic: A douchebag for being honest about apple's product lineup and desired target audience? Hardly.
Apple has specific design requirements, and one of them is that their laptops are durable. $500 laptops are anything but durable in my experience. They fit a certain market niche, and they fall apart easily. Which is why Dell makes consumer lines, and business lines of laptops.
@Lite: exactly the same point I try to explain to these people time and time again. MacBook laptops are unbeatable in quality / durability and if you want a laptop that can compete, your damn well paying the same cost if not more. I've always been intrigued by Northwest Falcon laptops as well as the Voodoo PC lineups but lets face it, they are higher in price and you can't run OSX which is a huge down side for my personal taste (unless you do the whole x86 thing but im not going to even bother).
@newgalactic: The fact of it all is why should Apple have to support more hardware than their own product? No one forces Microsoft to do it and thats where all of their flaws come from. So why in the world would they take an OS that runs so smoothly and completely screw it up simply to let everyone install OSX. It's a business, not a charity. You sound like you expect them to cure cancer.
@imTheKing: I'm not saying Apple should do anything different. I was pointing out that YOU are being somewhat misleading by saying that computer Brand X "can't" run OSX, when in fact it's actually "prevented" from running OSX.
We can argue the merits of open vs. closed architecture all day. But that's a different topic. Quite honestly, I probably will agree with you on some of the merits if a closed system (regardless of my overall preference). But lets call a spade a spade and try to be a little clearer. There's isn't a laptop manufactured today that CAN'T run OSX (slight exaggeration on my point for the sake the argument), but Apple prevents the vast majority of laptops from running it.
@imTheKing: "MacBook laptops are unbeatable in quality / durability and if you want a laptop that can compete, your damn well paying the same cost if not more."
That's complete BS. I just bought my in-laws a Macbook last week and the second day of use, they're having problems with the unpredictable garbled startup screen and freezing.
I agree with newgalactic; paying more for a product does not necessarily mean getting a quality/reliable product. No matter how much they try to convince you, it's still a machine with flaws.
@ripfire: Oh so since your one single case happened, the product is horrible. Great logic there. I can't tell you how many times I've seen brand new out of the box Dell computers burn up with faulty MB's. In 12 years of using Mac based machines, I've encountered only 2 problems, all of which were fixed in days without any argument (and one of them being related to a product out of warranty). Guess how long I spent on the phone with Dell arguing over 1 week about a $4500 desktop that continually burnt up. Every company has flawed builds, its part of life. Shit, there have been numerous articles, even from PC Magazine and CPU Mag pertaining to the quality / durability of a Mac vs. a PC. And now I can only imagine your response... "link me because thats not true". Then I'll take even more time out of my day to explain something so simple. If you think your one case holds that much water, tell that to the ridiculously large growing scale of Mac based laptop sales.
@imTheKing: History this, statistics that. Blah blah blah. Say all you want, the fact doesn't change that I bought a MacBook for my in-laws and it broke down the 2nd day. Did you get that? In-laws. Broken Macbook. Second day.
Believe it or not, an x86 Mac is nothing more than a PC running OSX. As for your "Closed Architecture" arguement, tell me: Why did they include Boot Camp?
As much as everybody here is trying to do you a favor and uncover the wool over your eyes, I'll give you my final word: Apple is not out there for your interest. They're out there to make money and satisfy investors.
If the above is the Apple netbook then let me be the first o proclaim: FAIL!
A netbook is a tiny notebook. That's all. That's the beauty of it. No one wants a small computer with a new, proprietary OS that doesn't run off-the-shelf apps. What people want is an MSI Wind (or something similar) that runs OSX.
Seriously, Divad makes a good point. Even if I was loony over Apple, I'd find it hard to get attracted to a product with a new OS, even a re-tooled version of OSX, that isn't fully compatible with what's out there. He's -right-, a netbook is just a tiny notebook. I think that's why the Acer Aspire One is just so awesome--It's a blasted 9 inch laptop which can run Windows XP or any version of Linux I want, albeit a tad slowly. -That's- what I want, not a big iPhone.
@katch-22: Oh come on. How in the world is that being a fanboy. I'm telling you damn straight that I like a closed system software / hardware over a system like Microsoft Windows. If Microsoft made a closed system OS, I'm sure I'd like that just as much. Just because you dont want an Apple product doesnt make everyone who uses their products fanboys.
So in that case, you must be an Acer fanboy and a Microsoft fanboy.
You forgot Linux, as I mentioned that but I was not accused of being a fanboy of it. I use a Dell, too, I just appreciate the Aspire One, and Windows XP does all I need it to do, which can just as well be said for OS X for many other people, just not me.
I was more using the fanboy remark to bring out how utter inane -your- post was, with all due respect. Divad makes a good point, and you bring up the excellent point that his comment was dumb shit. Right? He makes a good point in that there are a LOT of people who don't want to buy a netbook masquerading as a phone--something closed without many applications available to it. I'll raise my hand and second that point. In fact, as much as I like the concept of the Aspire One, Linspire Linux is a real piece of work--it's neat that it works well, but it's a pain in the neck to use for anything except what comes with it. Not that you'd do much more on an Aspire One, but it'd be nice to have the option.
tl;dr: stop dismissing points as dumb shit without a decent reason.
@katch-22: I've given complete reasoning as to why the comment is way out there. It doesn't take a genius to figure it out. His comment suggests that for one, the mock-up above is from Apple and is what it will look like... i mean seriously? How in the hell could you think that is an actual mock-up of the product when theres a windows key at the bottom of the keyboard and it was obviously slapped together and two, pushing the whole OSX86 thing without mentioning its not supported nor the pain in the ass process involved in pulling it off. It's completely misleading if anything.
Uh, dude... if you thought my comment was based on the misunderstanding that the Photoshop of an iPhone onto a PC Notebook keyboard was what an Apple netbook would look like then you obviosuly didn't actually read my comment before declaring it "some of the dumbest shit I've read" which, come to think of it, is pretty rich.
I predict that an Apple branded netbook of the sort described in the above article, should it come to market, will suffer the same fate as the Palm Foleo.
Yup, a 10" Air would make a nice netbook. Apple could even sell it for $700.00 if they wanted to and it would do well. The price is only one factor in the success of the netbook class of machines. The form factor is equally important, IMHO.
@newgalactic: Yes there was and still is an article above you. Scroll up quickly and catch it before it disappears like a broken bicuspid awaiting retrieval by the Tooth Fairy...
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Sigh, had I known my senior design project a decade ago would be worth $.99 a pop...
Useful, sure. But, color me unimpressed.
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But probably not.
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Facebook > Face-palm
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12/16/08
I'm under the opinion that if they were gonna go the Netbook route, it would've been their last major release, but they decided to go with a beefier MacBook instead.
12/16/08
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Apple, inferior products at inflated prices! Yay, lets all buy some!
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I think we'd be more likely to see a 12" tablet PC than a netbook. Personally I don't want, or have need for a tablet PC, or a netbook. Kind of like I don't need a MB Air. Not my market.
12/16/08
Jobs actually said that? What a douche-bag.
12/16/08
Apple has specific design requirements, and one of them is that their laptops are durable. $500 laptops are anything but durable in my experience. They fit a certain market niche, and they fall apart easily. Which is why Dell makes consumer lines, and business lines of laptops.
12/16/08
12/16/08
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12/16/08
We can argue the merits of open vs. closed architecture all day. But that's a different topic. Quite honestly, I probably will agree with you on some of the merits if a closed system (regardless of my overall preference). But lets call a spade a spade and try to be a little clearer. There's isn't a laptop manufactured today that CAN'T run OSX (slight exaggeration on my point for the sake the argument), but Apple prevents the vast majority of laptops from running it.
12/16/08
12/16/08
That's complete BS. I just bought my in-laws a Macbook last week and the second day of use, they're having problems with the unpredictable garbled startup screen and freezing.
I agree with newgalactic; paying more for a product does not necessarily mean getting a quality/reliable product. No matter how much they try to convince you, it's still a machine with flaws.
12/16/08
12/16/08
Believe it or not, an x86 Mac is nothing more than a PC running OSX. As for your "Closed Architecture" arguement, tell me: Why did they include Boot Camp?
As much as everybody here is trying to do you a favor and uncover the wool over your eyes, I'll give you my final word: Apple is not out there for your interest. They're out there to make money and satisfy investors.
12/16/08
A netbook is a tiny notebook. That's all. That's the beauty of it. No one wants a small computer with a new, proprietary OS that doesn't run off-the-shelf apps. What people want is an MSI Wind (or something similar) that runs OSX.
12/16/08
12/16/08
Apple fanboy much?
Seriously, Divad makes a good point. Even if I was loony over Apple, I'd find it hard to get attracted to a product with a new OS, even a re-tooled version of OSX, that isn't fully compatible with what's out there. He's -right-, a netbook is just a tiny notebook. I think that's why the Acer Aspire One is just so awesome--It's a blasted 9 inch laptop which can run Windows XP or any version of Linux I want, albeit a tad slowly. -That's- what I want, not a big iPhone.
Not that I want an iPhone. Just saying.
12/16/08
So in that case, you must be an Acer fanboy and a Microsoft fanboy.
12/16/08
You forgot Linux, as I mentioned that but I was not accused of being a fanboy of it. I use a Dell, too, I just appreciate the Aspire One, and Windows XP does all I need it to do, which can just as well be said for OS X for many other people, just not me.
I was more using the fanboy remark to bring out how utter inane -your- post was, with all due respect. Divad makes a good point, and you bring up the excellent point that his comment was dumb shit. Right? He makes a good point in that there are a LOT of people who don't want to buy a netbook masquerading as a phone--something closed without many applications available to it. I'll raise my hand and second that point. In fact, as much as I like the concept of the Aspire One, Linspire Linux is a real piece of work--it's neat that it works well, but it's a pain in the neck to use for anything except what comes with it. Not that you'd do much more on an Aspire One, but it'd be nice to have the option.
tl;dr: stop dismissing points as dumb shit without a decent reason.
12/16/08
12/16/08
Uh, dude... if you thought my comment was based on the misunderstanding that the Photoshop of an iPhone onto a PC Notebook keyboard was what an Apple netbook would look like then you obviosuly didn't actually read my comment before declaring it "some of the dumbest shit I've read" which, come to think of it, is pretty rich.
I predict that an Apple branded netbook of the sort described in the above article, should it come to market, will suffer the same fate as the Palm Foleo.
12/16/08
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Yup, a 10" Air would make a nice netbook. Apple could even sell it for $700.00 if they wanted to and it would do well. The price is only one factor in the success of the netbook class of machines. The form factor is equally important, IMHO.
12/16/08
Did you read a single word of the article you just commented on?
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