The Industry Standard - Apple launches a netbook in '09? - Comments

Readers: Prediction market

Ian Lamont — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:58:21 -0400

Readers: Prediction market player Tay Bass has pointed us to an AllThingsD blog post which cites "multiple music industry sources" as saying there will be some sort of Apple event the week of September 7. However, there hasn't been any confirmation, much less a mention of what product(s) might be involved.

Ian Lamont
Managing Editor
The Industry Standard
twitter.com/the_standard

Thanks Ian, I'm there

John Frantz — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:07:19 -0400

Thanks Ian, I'm there (predicting for a tablet while against a netbook).

John: To clarify, I will use

Ian Lamont — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:46:31 -0400

John: To clarify, I will use the definition of an Apple netbook that first appeared in an earlier prediction tied to Macworld 2009:

"... it must have typical netbook qualities, such as a lower power processor than other macbooks, a keyboard, and smaller overall size footprint."

In addition, the price must be lower than the current lowest-priced MacBook, and also must not have the same branding as base MacBook -- i.e., it can't be simply a price cut of the low-end MacBooks.

Also, please note that we do have another prediction about an Apple tablet.

Ian Lamont
Managing Editor
The Industry Standard
twitter.com/the_standard

This is a little bit

John Frantz — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:01:26 -0400

This is a little bit unclear. I would assume that a tablet device with a touchscreen that doesn't have a physical keyboard opposing the screen (i.e. the "book" in "netbook") could never be a netbook. It's a tablet.
I suppose another characterization of a netbook would be a cheap price (under $800?) but mostly a small form factor (smaller than12in. in diameter?) and light weight.
A giant ipod touch would probably fulfill all of these restrictions except it's not a "book".

When Tim Cook says this -

zee log — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:07:41 -0400

When Tim Cook says this - you can bet it is a careful, outflanking move. Notice, he never said no. And trust Apple to bring out an iPhone-like netbook for $799 and watch the (sheep) herd!

Does not look likely. Tim

David Kuan — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:35:14 -0400

Does not look likely. Tim Cook call's netbook market 'junky'

Not a chance! Apple can't

hwertz — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:34:13 -0400

Not a chance! Apple can't make anything cheap enough. A "netbook" that costs like $900+ is not a netbook.

I'll be pleasantly surprised if I'm proven wrong, though.

@Yi-Wyn, please clarify that

David Kuan — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 01:16:21 -0400

@Yi-Wyn, please clarify that favorable judgment can only be made if:
1) Apple makes the product announcement by end of 2009.
2) Product is categorized formally within the netbook category.

Apple launches a netbook in '09?

Yi-Wyn Yen — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:16:49 -0400

Apple is working on its next big thing. What's not clear is what Apple is developing. Some speculate that Apple is getting into the growing netbook segment based on a tip that Taiwanese manufacturer Wintek is supplying touch panels for the Cupertino-based company. A netbook is a scaled-down version of a laptop.

Others suggest that Apple is making a super-sized version of its iPod Touch with a bigger screen to watch movies, play videogames, and read e-books on.

Prediction: Apple unveils a new netbook in 2009. An announcement from Apple by Dec. 31, 2009 that the company will sell netbooks will be sufficient for a favorable judgment. Apple does not have to sell netbooks in '09 for a favorable ruling. The product must be formally categorized as a netbook.

8/10/09 clarification: The definition of netbook is as follows:

It must have typical netbook qualities, such as a lower power processor than other MacBooks, a keyboard, and smaller overall size footprint.

In addition, the price must be lower than the current lowest-priced MacBook, and also must not have the same branding as base MacBook -- i.e., it can't be simply a price cut of the low-end MacBooks.

Image: Simon Varwell/Flickr