Will Apple’s Touchscreen Netbook Look Like This?

Lonnie Lazar ()

mactouch1.png

Speculation that Apple is poised to release a touchscreen netbook remains persistent as winter snows, with dozens of outlets reporting again today that unnamed “sources” in Taiwan and China “confirm” the new product will be released as early as the 2nd half of this year.

So what the heck, as long as we’re talking about something that may or may not come to pass, why not talk about what it may or may not look like?

16 year-old German artist Darakas, who also goes by the name Jesse, gets the conversation started with this 3D modeling rendition of his vision for the Apple MacTouch.

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Until the badly lit spy photos start showing up, we think this is a pretty good jumping off point. Have you finished your Apple netbook mock-up, or see any others out there? Let us know in comments and we’ll feature them here.

33 comments »

About the author

Lonnie Lazar

Lonnie Lazar is a writer-musician-web designer-attorney. He writes about Apple for Cult of Mac and Mac|Life, and about VoIP and telecommunications for Voxilla. Follow Lonnie on Twitter @LonnieLazar, join the Cult of Mac on Facebook, and find Lonnie's photos on Flickr.

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Posted in Apple, News, Quickies, Rumors, Top stories |

  • Jacob Varghese

    Looks pretty good, but I doubt it would have an optical disc drive or non-integrated antenna

    In terms of jacks:
    Audio in/out
    USB
    Mini-displayport
    nothing else is really needed.

  • Church of Apple

    No way the thing will be that thick, have an optical drive or a stylus.0_o

  • http://alexchoi.tumblr.com Alex

    Optical drive? No — an ultraportable will not have such a battery sucking part motion sensitive part

    Stylus? No way in Hell — Steve himself said it “Who wants a stylus?”

    Trap door for ports — BARF! really? Only the air has this, and it’s because there’s no other good way to put in a USB port on that device.

  • Drew Caster

    An obvious “No” to the headline. A very important rule of design; know who you’re designing for.

    1) A stylus? Did you watch the iPhone keynote?
    2) A DVD drive in a netbook? The MacBook Air doesn’t even have one.
    3) A swing out port protector? When was the last time Apple did that on a new design.

  • iRube

    Optical Drive? Not a chance. Nor is a touch screen that requires a wand.
    I’m guessing that, whomever rendered this illustation, has no idea how Apple designs its products. So NO, this will not be what it would look like (if Apple does indeed make a netbook).

  • http://www.youtube.com/punkdoggy800 sean m

    Nice 3D render, I have made a concept of what I think the Mac touch will look like

    Here:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/26791704@N05/3161843245/in/set-72157612162409759/

    And Here:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/26791704@N05/3274842317/

    Hope you like them!

    -Sean

  • CaryMG

    Will the iPad look like *that* ?

    In the name of all that is Holy, let us *hope* not ….

  • http://www.lonseidman.com Lon

    It needs a keyboard!! A real, tactile one. If not I will keep my Hackintosh Dell mini 9 :).

  • http://www.erickpatrick.net erick Patrick

    No way, that ridiculous thing from Apple… Stylus? Maybe for an artist, not a main choice. Something like a Base to aid fan or USB, etc?

    No doors to Apple, USB ports are full visible or in touch, all of them, not behind any “door”…

    In a far sight, it seems to be and Dell notebook rather than an Apple one…

  • http://www.grandbiloxicasinohotel.com GrandBiloxiCasinoHotel

    That is so cool!

  • Ian

    There’s no way a Netbook from Apple will look like this.
    This looks like a MS fanboi rendition.
    More likely (and that’s not very) it’ll be a Touchscreen version on the Air with SS Drive, Wi-Fi (802.11n), Mini Display Port, one USB Port and Power Connection. Nothing else. Battery will be sealed. Cost – $999

  • Angel

    Ok, so loose the flip out panel and make it touch sensitive….

  • Angel

    … and the optical drive :) That seems conceivable if not likely. iPhone biggie sized + full osx.

  • Sabon

    I definitely hope NOT. It should be an iPhone but double in size and nothing more except that it could connect to blue tooth keyboards and mice.

    - The stylus is STUPID.
    - Why would you need an optical drive? See the Mac Air for reference on this.
    - It is WAAAAAY to thick. It should be no thicker than the iPhone

  • Don’t call me: Surely

    Yes, exactly, that is what it will look like, except it will have more little hatches and doors and knobs like apple always designs.

  • Bobbertson
  • MikeD123

    Hardly the first “MacTablet” rendering and far far far far from the best…
    “Start off the converstation”? Please…

  • Steve Turner

    Too fat, stylus is for losing, optical drive is wasted.
    Whole thing is just not a step ahead of the competition.

  • http://www.gearsandwidgets.com/ phoenix

    Put simply? No. But it’s a good effort!

  • Morgan

    Why is this even featured here?

    Drew Caster hit the nail on the head.

  • http://www.danielkvasnicka.net Daniel

    Optical drive and stylus? :-D I sincerely hope this is far from truth. But a nice 3D stuff otherwise.

  • http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=iphone lou

    Good effort, 16 year-old German kid. Don’t listen to any of the douchebaggery being spewed forth by these self-absorbed “Mac-ier than Thou” fanboy Comic Book-guy wannabe nerdlings.

    You all make me sick. Mac “fans” like you all are the reason why many cannot stomach the thought of Apple’s continued existence. Congratulations, you bunch of elitist pricks.

  • JD

    I’ve got to agree with many of the posts here, no way Apple would release something this thick as a “netbook” or “netpad’. I can’t imagine Apple invested the millions into making the Macbook Air and then drops a 1″ thick netbook on the market. No CD drive on the Air, no CD drive on any of the other netbooks I’m aware of, no way it makes Apple’s.

    Stylus… possibly an option for entering text vs virtual keyboard. Palm had this technology years ago and it worked rather well. I can see Apple improving on this and making it viable. Handwriting recognition, could be.

    Flop down door, no chance in hell lol, whoever produced this should take another look at the Apple line of products because you missed this by a few miles.

    My own ideal “TouchMac” or whatever it ends up being would have a 7″ to 9″ (although now it sounds like 10″ according to some other rumors) screen. Hopefully 1gig min ram, 64gig SSD, 802.n wifi, possible 3g or at least some sort of USB for 3g/4g/LTE support. Touch screen works for me as I have no issues with the iPhones interface. The battery is the real kicker. IF they can use the technology from the 17″ MBP and utilize the limited form factor I hope they use, it could make for 4 hours or so of use. That would be a “Buy Now” for me :)

    Once again Apple creates some serious hype and will keep it’s captive cult following entertained just thinking about it’s new products! I can’t think of another company that can do this year after year. Brilliant marketing, leak just enough to peak everyone’s interest and the media and Apple faithful line up to offer our cash to fill the Apple piggybank!! lol damnit!

  • Tanuki

    Way too chunky.

    Stylus strictly an optional extra for artists like me.

    No optical drive.

  • http://www.rahq.com Dan-A

    Needs a real keyboard.

  • Fuego
  • http://www.kryptonproducts.com Mr_Krypton

    Wow, looks really cool. But even if it doesn’t look like this, we have an issue here…privacy. I’d feel a bit uncomfortable checking my email and banking info for all to see. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of accessories will be available.

    Your thoughts? Would you feel the slightest bit uncomfortable using this product in public?

  • purplefugue

    If it really wants to compete against the mini notebooks, it has to have a keyboard. That keyboard on-screen takes up valuable screen space. Imagine typing an article or working in Excel with that thing…!!

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  • Berdi

    It will be far thinner than this, will have NO PORTS at all, much like the MacBook Air, all apps and content will be streamed. It will have SSD, a virtual keyboard (as this product will not be aimed at the laptop market, but more a bridge between Mac’s already in use!) and a iSight built in.

    This new concept will have very little bell’s & Whistles and will most probably have a unibody which holds the 10″ touch screen.

    Cover Flow & Front Row will play big parts in presentation, with the possibility of 802.11X as opposed to the current N.

    The Touch will only allow Apps from the App Store to run, and will NOT have a full version of OS X. iPhone OS 3.0 will be the starting point for the software and move forward from there. There will be more 3rd Party Dev’s interested as this ‘netbook’ will provide the new iPhone platform a far more reaching item which has no tie-in to Mobile Carriers.

    Cut, Copy & Paste has finally been included in the iPhone OS, but this is actually for the ‘netbook’, not really to quash the appetite for the phone, think about this, Imagine Apple bringing out a brand new product, with new software OS which DID NOT SUPPORT Cut, Copy & Paste?

    The iPhone is just the start of where Apple will take this Touchability!

  • j-man

    give the poor kid a go, he is only 16!

  • Nicola

    Give them a break! I think that this is good for macintosh because they are expanding their brand. Some people would love this new touchscreen (especially artists), some won’t. And the ones who don’t should just shut their mouth and be glad that some people are trying to expand technology. And, by the way, they are not done designing this thing yet. Well, anyway, If ever this comes out, i wouldn’t buy it because i’m not really a fan of touchscreens (my itouch is annoying enough) and i’m happy with my macbook right now.

    p.s. i’m only 14, so you probably wouldn’t care what i think. :)

  • mungler

    lmfao, GOD no. whoever created this knows very little about apple.