Filed under: Rumors
Rumor: Is 'The Brick' a wireless hybrid handheld-slash-Mac?
There's a substantial amount of whispering about an anticipated "October Surprise" around the corner, but it's not the usual sort -- multiple sources have suggested that there is an Apple product introduction due on or about October 14. This hinting, combined with the refresh clock ticking away on the laptop line, leads us to suspect that new MacBooks and MacBook Pros are coming up soon -- but what of The Brick?If another Apple product announcement is coming on the heels of a mid-October laptop refresh, and if it's the "product transition" mentioned in the earnings call last quarter, where Apple's margins will be squeezed enough to merit a warning to analysts, it's going to have to be something different. A TUAW source has passed along the following (unconfirmed) details on a possible new product -- and several of our commenters may be on the right track.
Imagine a portable Mac reduced to the form factor of a modest tablet (the size of a Newton), with a solid-state drive, multitouch display, and wired/wireless docking capabilities to convert to a full workstation wherever you choose to park yourself. This is the suggested 'Brick' product, allowing you to "carry everything with you" without the burden of a full laptop. The MacBook Air, our source indicates, was in some respects a technology greenhouse for the engineering chops needed to build the next-gen portable.
Along with this product concept, the other item our source noted was that the full Mac portable line should be getting multitouch displays at some near date, enabling some spectacular new interface concepts while not replacing the trackpad and keyboard.
Is this a plausible product -- or, more to the point, a saleable one? If Apple can leverage some technologies that have been just around the corner for a (long) while now: wireless charging, USB and FireWire sans cords, wireless video, and low-power CPUs ... a device that could bring the on-the-go interface and capabilities of the iPhone/iPod touch family while serving as a desktop replacement when you get back to base would be pretty darned awesome.
Thanks Mr. X
Along with this product concept, the other item our source noted was that the full Mac portable line should be getting multitouch displays at some near date, enabling some spectacular new interface concepts while not replacing the trackpad and keyboard.
Is this a plausible product -- or, more to the point, a saleable one? If Apple can leverage some technologies that have been just around the corner for a (long) while now: wireless charging, USB and FireWire sans cords, wireless video, and low-power CPUs ... a device that could bring the on-the-go interface and capabilities of the iPhone/iPod touch family while serving as a desktop replacement when you get back to base would be pretty darned awesome.
Thanks Mr. X
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Jash Sayani said 6:19AM on 9-26-2008
Probably... A nice 10 inch multi-touch Mac with on-screen/sliding keyboard......
Wow! I want that !
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imacmatt09 said 7:20AM on 9-26-2008
It could be software. If they want to have a true Microsoft killer they could release OS X for PC's. Highly doubtful though.
h said 1:33PM on 11-18-2008
If I tell you guys what the brick is _not_, can I get my check as an analyst from the ads revenue generated by over-blogging an unknown device with crazy ideas-slash-opinions?
We'll know soon enough, anyway, won't we?
drunkenoaf said 5:11PM on 9-26-2008
If such a thing were made, I'd have to buy it.
*wants*
And my girlfriend will want to kill me for spending all of that money on it...
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Mo said 6:21AM on 9-26-2008
If Apple released a device, running Mac OS X, that had (roughly) the form factor of an iPod touch, but was 12-13" diagonally (i.e., iBook/MacBook display-sized), with Bluetooth for an external keyboard/mouse, I'd buy one in a heartbeat.
Thin, light, multi-touch display, a port of the on-screen keyboard from iPhone OS (Ink wouldn't be much help without a stylus, and stylii are rubbish on a capacitive touchscreen). Low-end model ships with the same HD as the low-Air/iPod Classic, high-end model ships with the same SSD as the high-Air.
Whether this brick exists, or comes close to that, who knows?
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MDG said 6:24AM on 9-26-2008
The above post is most likely wishful thinking, Apple needs market share to successfully compete, their opportunity lies in taking the MAC mainstream just like they did the IPOD 70 percent plus share.
How do they do that..Leverage Itunes for Digital media in a very small formfactor mini computer (take out the DVD) make it close to 400 dollars essentially a mini Apple Computer (Brick) running OSX , cheap in the living room or every home. Price is their biggest barrier in the consumer market and the world wide rapid growth markets. Steve is smart he knows he needs to go mainstream very soon.
How many people would buy a mini computer for their kids or home living room with Itunes connectivity at that price point. (CD are becoming less of factor as we download or USB media and it cuts cost form factor and power )
Mini-revamped lower power smaller space, OSX, full capability , no CD , around 300-400 dollars.
Massive Market share..by the way BRIC also is a term for emerging markets..which this would fit perfectly.
aaa RUMORS....
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Telly Savalas said 6:44AM on 9-26-2008
I posted the remark in the other thread (referenced in this post) about separating the laptop. I'm not affiliated with Apple, don't have any "insider" connections, but have used just about every product they've released going back to the Apple II. Just a layman speculating.
But... getting back to the original idea, this is simply where information access is going. 1) More compact, 2) Always available data, 3) Fewer cables or none at all. That's really nothing earth shattering, nor news to anyone.
But bringing it to market first and best? That's what matters and Apple is quite good at turning fantasyware into actual hardware.
At the end of the day, the brick will just be an oversized iPhone, undersized Mac Mini, with full-on Bluetooth integration.
But done right, that will be a slam dunk.
Tater said 9:11AM on 9-26-2008
Dude - have you heard of the Mac Mini????
Phil U. said 12:07PM on 9-26-2008
No intend to flame, but you're talking about the AppleTV. All it's missing is 1080p support, a web browser and widgets and I'd buy it. All of these seem to me to be relatively simple additions to the current model.
Regarding a tablet - anything bigger than 8" would be too big for me to lug around regularly - I hate laptops because of their large footprint. Imagine a (yikes) Kindle-sized screen with a much smaller case/bezel around the screen. That's what I'd be interested in. Hook it up to an iMac, Mac Pro, Mackbook, etc. in drive access mode while it's screen becomes a second monitor (e.g. display-USB) for that host system with multi-touch capabilities!
Dave said 6:26AM on 9-26-2008
What do people use tablets for these days? I'm out of the loop on this.
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Randy said 10:03AM on 9-26-2008
My Sentiment's exactly. So many people blather on about tablet PC's but I've yet to encounter anyone actually using one.
Can someone in the know, please enlighten Dave and myself?
MacTipper said 10:48AM on 9-26-2008
Personally, I find the idea of an iTablet appealing.
However, I always run into the problem that if it doesn't have a keyboard, it doesn't have keyboard shortcuts.
And then, I find it appalling.
Sabon said 10:59AM on 9-26-2008
I'm a computer systems analyst in a group that supports several thousand "PCs". All of them Windows.
We have about two hundred tablet PCs. Most of the techs around here love them. They have yet to impress on me as to why. As far as I'm concerned, supporting them in a pain the donkey's backside.
Unlike a Mac that seamlessly goes between wired and wireless connections. Tablet pcs get all freaked out when you try to go from one to the other. Quite often they loose the ability to connect either way and have to be rebooted.
It's gotten to the point that users don't call us about it anymore. They have been trained to reboot right after plugging in or unplugging their tablet computers even when they don't need to.
As for remoting in, see the note above. When their connections don't work, we can't connect to them. We've had internal analysts and consultants from four companies come in to try to fix this. So far no good.
The way it's going. Users are going to revolt and not accept a tablet the next time they are given a laptop computer.
As to what they are good for? The only thing I can see where the concept works really well is when you have a check list of things that need to be completed and you tap on the screen to check things off. Other than that, it's just a screwed up laptop.
Miranda Kali said 7:07AM on 9-26-2008
A tablet with the form factor of a netbook would be perfect for me, but I may not be the average user.
I chiefly use a computer to listen to and view media, surf the web, play some old school video games, and do light blogging. Even with a top notch keyboard, my typing speed is so abysmal that typing on an iPhone is just about as fast.
With a device like the speculated tablet, I could have a better screen, better storage, and better processing power than the iPhone. Instead of putzing around on my computer at work, and having to worry about B.B. watching me, I 'd have a nice little device with all my stuff on it that I can just throw into my purse.
Again, it'd be perfect for me, but I don't know how many other people use a computer the same way I do. ;)
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conradnuccio said 7:21AM on 9-26-2008
This is just wishful thinking and speculation but:
If the "Brick" is something like an iPhone or an iTouch; with a WhisperNet service (like the Kindle [Free : FTW]), real GPS, and maybe a new UI...
...I'll take two.
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Jay said 6:09PM on 9-26-2008
Do you mean iPod Touch? Because there sure as hell isn't anything called an iTouch.
Veeral Kanji said 7:32AM on 9-26-2008
could it be...
a brick that you connect via usb and firewire to the back of your imac - which then acts as a wireless usb hub/wireless docking station for a small tablet bigger than an iphone like the other commentators
this would then mean you could get home and plonk your device down on your desk - and the brick plugged into the back of your imac would enable you to use the imac screen and keyboard and attached devices etc with the HDD/OS/system on your portable device
so the brick actually turns an imac into a docking station
they could do this via software update to the OS on the imac to have the information pass through to the keyboard and mouse and devices etc etc
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Think Adrian said 7:38AM on 9-26-2008
I don't get it. We have the MacBook Air, and the iTouch/iPhone - this product already exists!
I believe more in something very different, or a total price reduction on everything.
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techslacker said 8:04AM on 9-26-2008
Anyone expecting a 10" multitouch tablet for $600 or less really needs to answer the questions as to how that can be possible when the iphone would be priced around that without AT&T discounting it with their contract. And, just because Apple has stated that they would take a cut in profits does not mean they're suddenly pricing things like Dell or HP. In other words I would get my hopes up on that sorta stuff for those lower price points.
For what it's worth some have speculated that the product transition Apple mentioned was actually the ipod touch being repositioned as a game system.
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Szbloger said 8:49AM on 9-26-2008
Heheh! or maybe Steve's loing it and just walks onto stage with... an actual brick.
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