Isaiah's Tech

Google's CEO, Eric Schmidt, has just mentioned that he believes their Chrome OS will be "the first significant OS outside of Windows to hit the market." That sounds to me like a cheap shot at Apple's Mac OS. Anyways, he also mentioned that netbooks running Chrome OS will cost you around $300 to $400 USD, which is the typical netbook price right now. Hopefully they can market these netbooks because the word needs to get out somehow.

[Netbooked]

Here's a perfect April Fool's Joke, but keep in mind that this is a real product found in China. It may look like a MacBook Pro but that's because it's supposed to. Unfortunately, it's a clone and it's actually sporting a 14.1-inch display along with an Intel Atom N450 1.66GHz CPU or an Atom 1.66GHz D510 dual-core CPU. Thankfully, they decided to put the second-gen Ion inside of this baby along with 1GB / 2GB of RAM, a 160GB  / 320GB HDD, HDMI / three USB 2.0 ports, a 4-in-1 card reader, and WiFi a/b/g / Bluetooth support. It's pretty funny that this notebook also features the Apple signature trackpad, but who knows how well it actually works.

[Liliputing, Shanzai]

Apple has just confirmed the Apple tablet and they're calling it the iPad. They decided to work on a tablet instead of a netbook because a netbook, basically, doesn't do anything better than a notebook. Steve Jobs actually demoed this iPad on stage and Engadget actually called it "odd" since they were just watching him browse the web. Jobs clicked on a page and there was actually a missing Flash plug-in, so let's hope they get some Flash support before this launches or else that'll be a real big let down. The UI is like a big iPhone and everything else works just like an iPhone does with some new UI changes.

The iPad itself features a 9.7-inch IPS capacitive multi-touchscreen LED-backlit display with a 1,024 x 768 resolution (132 ppi), it weighs 1.5 pounds, and it's just 0.5-inches thin which is already impressive. Inside it's packing an Apple A4 CPU which is clocked at 1GHz. It'll be available in 16GB / 32GB / 64GB models and they'll all, of course, be packing a 3.5mm headphone jack, 3G, WiFi 802.11n and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR. It'll also have a speaker, a microphone, an accelerometer, and a digital compass in case you didn't know. The battery life is good enough for a month of standby time and 10 hours while watching a movie (possibly with WiFi turned off). Since Apple is one of the greenest companies out there it's an eco-friendly product.

The iPad doesn't have a front-facing webcam or a camera on the back - just in case you're wondering. Like I said earlier, the iPad also appears to be missing Flash support. There's no multi-tasking, no phone calls (Google Voice could work though, I believe), and no notifications. Apple showed off a regular dock, a keyboard dock, and a case that doubles as a stand as well. The prices - I believe - were not mentioned though.

With the iPad you'll be able to use "almost all" of the apps on the App Store. It'll connect to your Mac / PC the same way your iPhone / iPod does. Apple - more specifically Steve Jobs - mentioned that this is "our most advanced technology in a magical & revolutionary device at an unbelievable price." The iPad is running a customized iPhone OS.

The iPad will be available contract-free (pre-paid) on AT&T. For $14.99 monthly you'll get 250MB of data and for just $30 monthly you'll get unlimited data (which costs $60 for mobile phones). All models will be unlocked and use GSM microSIMs. The best part is that it will only cost you $499! Amazing, even I'm impressed. Of course, that's the 16GB model. The 32GB and 64GB model will cost $599 and $699, respectively. Unfortunately, those are the models without 3G. The iPad 3G models will add another $130 to the price tags, so $629, $729, and $829, respectively. You can order them now and the WiFi-only models will be shipping in 60 days. The iPad with 3G will be shipping in 90 days.

Just thought I'd mention one more thing: what a terrible name. I also think that this was overhyped - as usual.

[Engadget, Gizmodo]

In case you're thinking about putting Apple's OS X on your HP Mini 311 there is good news for you. Well, the good news is that right now those OS X hackers have ported it successfully to said netbook. And, for the most part, it's functional; the whole display, Nvidia Ion graphics, Ethernet port, card reader, Bluetooth, and integrated webcam all work, but there are still some kinks to work out. Apparently, the sound, WiFi, and sleep / resume functions aren't working. I guess you should just stick with running Windows 7 on this netbook for now.

[Liliputing]

Why wait for the iTablet when the iPhone transforming netbook is already here. This pretty awesome video has popped on YouTube and you watch it below for youself. I'm pretty sure this is exactly what Apple is planning to show us.

Update: P.S. Yes, I'm joking, but it's still pretty cool.



[9 to 5 Mac]

Apple started it all with their App Store and I give a lot of credit to them for doing that. It looks like even Intel is going to start their own app store in the future. They are kicking off their "Intel Atom Developer Program" which will "unlock a netbook's potential while opening a new sales and distribution channel." Those are just fancy words for an incoming app store.

[jkk Mobile]

This may not be an accurate picture, but we've already heard about possible iMac refreshes. W'eve heard about a possible Blu-ray drive and a 24-inch LED Cinema display. Below is what Wedge Partners thinks.

Wedge sees a redesigned iMac witjh a “thinner, organic design, likely with smoothed or rounded edges. The MacBook redesign “is likely to be limited,” Wedge asserts. Meanwhile, the firm also expects “new, lower price points to drive demand and create a meaningful competitive threat” to coming PCs based on Windows 7 as well as to the booming netbook segment. “We believe these new designs and price points will help Apple achieve a 3 million unit quarter for Macs in [calendar] Q4.”

[9 to 5 Mac]

The Nokia Booket 3G that was announced yesterday was pretty sexy and unexpected. I mentioned that it had an Apple look to it and Nokia is not taking my comment lightly. According to the latest rumour, Nokia will be pegging an Apple price tag on their netbook; it's rumoured to launch for $799 USD off-contract. Paying $800 for a netbook is ridiculous, seeing as there are cheaper netbooks out there. Even for Apple, $800 for a 10-inch laptop is absurd - okay, maybe not.

The difference between an $800 10-inch Apple netbook - if it were real - and the $800 Nokia Booklet 3G is that the Apple one would sell - even if it had terrible specs.

[Liliputing]

It was just a couple of days ago when Nokia confirmed that they are definitely "looking" to enter the netbook market and it's been months since we've heard rumours about a Nokia netbook. Today, it's official! Nokia has unveiled the Booklet 3G, it has: a 10.1-inch display, an Intel Atom CPU, integrated 3G, a SIM card slot, aGPS support, HDMI output, Bluetooth / WiFi support, and a battery long enough to reportedly last 12 hours. The design definitely looks pretty nice. It weighs 2.75 pounds, it's just 2cm thick, and I'm loving the chiclet keyboard layout - don't forget it's aluminum body. It's like Apple helped them design this thing. This is sexy.

It looks like it will be available this year because it is running Windows 7 in the video below - hopefully there'll be an Intel Moblin OS option. This netbook will be officially unveiled on September 2nd by Nokia themselves - y'know Nokia World.



[Engadget, Liliputing, Crunch Gear, Unwired View, Beta News]

That long rumoured Apple tablet may hit stores by the end of the year, according to China Times. The three companies that will be working on the netbook / tablet are Foxconn, Wintek, and Dynapack. This netbook / tablet will have a touchscreen, similar to the Asus Eee PC T91 or T101H. But, the inclusion of a keyboard was not mentioned, so it could just be a straight-up 9.7-inch tablet. This rumoured Apple tablet / netbook is expected to hit the shelves this October with an $800 USD price tag.

[Gizmodo]

According to Digitimes, Wintek will be the "panel module supplier for Apple's upcoming e-book form factor netbook product." So, it looks that Media Pad that I talked a bit about yesterday could be the device that they're talking about. I hope it's announced at WWDC, but it probably won't be, seeing how Apple is probably solely focused on the next iPhone announcement for that conference.

[Engadget]

Apple has denied many times that they are not working on a netbook, but it looks like Psystar could fulfill some dreams out there. Psystar has just "confirmed" that they are working on a netbook running Mac OS X. Hopefully it will be cheap enough for someone to buy, not like most Apple products. The spec sheet shouldn't be entirely bad, but they haven't been mentioned at all yet. We'll see what happens in the future. The price and the release date has not been mentioned yet, so I'm sorry about that.

[Slash Gear]

Apple could be working on a netbook and this could be some proof. Well, this is the picture and it's up to you to judge whether it is real or not. Apparently, this image is from a "trusted contributor." I don't know why the Apple has a slash through it and that could easily identify it as a fake. We'll see what happens. Nonetheless, this news is pretty juicy though.

Update: It's not real! Looks like it has been confirmed to be a project by a student named Kyle Buckner. He made this Apple laptop using wood, real-working hinges, and also hand-drew a bunch of other stuff. Check it out at Gizmodo.

[Mac Rumors, Gizmodo]

"Apple Insider has spotted a newly released patent filed by Apple back in late 2007 that shows volume controls that can be integrated into various Web browsers." I think this would be extremely useful, especially for MySpace sites or maybe some YouTube videos. The "new panel" will sit in the top right hand corner of the browser and will allow the user to change the volume of the site. "What makes this patent filing notable is that it's not just for Safari, and is listed as being applicable to multiple browsers, which means it could either be a part of an upcoming OS or as a standalone application. As the usual disclaimer goes though, patents are often filed for technologies that never make it to market." On a side note, Windows Vista reportedly has this feature too - somewhere.

This is probably what the tablet from Apple looks like. Okay, I'm clearly joking. Anyways, Apple's COO, Tim Cook, has denied that they have any plans for a netbook. Instead, he pointed towards more iPhone and iPod Touch devices, so this could mean that a tablet is in the making. It won't really matter to me which one they make because I'm fine with a tablet. You can always just get a stand and a Bluetooth keyboard if you don't like the on-screen keyboard. I hope that that Apple's next device has Bluetooth 3.0 because that's some blazing speed right there.

[CNet News, Apple Blog (tablet)]

The Apple netbook rumours have surfaced yet again and it's from good ol' DigiTimes. Apparently, Foxconn will be creating Apple's so-called netbook. I'm excited to see what it is because although I do dislike Macs, a netbook from Apple could be decent. It'll be interesting to see how big this is, because I'd need a netbook with around a 12-inch screen to get sucked in. It should also have around 8-hours of real-time battery life, hence why I haven't bought one yet. Hopefully, that Android netbook will have my desired battery life, although I doubt it. I'll probably have to wait until next year to find something decent.

[Crunch Gear]

The Asus Eee PC 1000HA is now available and with the handy-dandy chiclet keyboard. You'll find the chiclet keyboard on various Apple laptops (MacBook), so it's not the newest thing around. The keyboard looks great but the netbook itself only comes in black - no white version. The 1000HE may be a better option, but for the 1000HA you will have an Intel N270 1.6GHz Atom CPU, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB HDD, a battery life that will last around 7 hours, and it will run on Windows XP Home. The Asus Eee PC 1000HA is now available for around $350 USD.

[Engadget]

Dell aims their new Latitudes at young kids. This is evident when you take a look at the colour names: School Bus Orange (looks yellow to me), Blue Ribbon, Red Apple, and Blackboard Black. Codenamed 'Welch', the Latitude 2100 will have a 10-inch display and will be priced under $600 USD. It will have the N270 Intel Atom (1.6GHz), up to 2GB of RAM, three USB 2.0 ports, gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth, an SD / MMC slot, and has an HDD - of unknown storage - but you can swap it for an optional SSD if you like. Dell also gives you the option of choosing between a 3 and a 6-cell battery and you can go for a touchscreen as well. It is expected to be released by May of this year, just in time for the American back-to-school season.

[Gizmodo]

So, this is actually not a rumour as some of you might suggest, this is all 100% confirmed. The next iPhone will be announced around mid-June, which is just like I've said many times (around the launch of the Palm Pre). It will, of course, be faster, possibly also including the faster HSDPA (7.2Mbps). We should also be expecting a new iPhone every year as a part of Apple's "tradition." There are a bunch of things that AT&T mentioned, but some of it can be interpreted in a bunch of different ways. Especially, that the "gap in capability should be filled with the new iPhone." This could mean a possible slide-out QWERTY keyboard, which would be amazing. The last part is the most interesting: "The $99 [USD] netbook will start selling this summer, and the first one won't be a Windows OS." I guess this confirms the so-called Apple netbook, but it's kind of confusing. If they were talking about Apple releasing a netbook, why would they have to confirm that it won't be running on a Windows OS? An Apple netbook would, of course, run on the Mac OS. So, that last point is a toss-up.

[Boy Genius, Electronista]

According to a number of "sources" apparently LG is supplying OLED screens to Apple for their future devices. This would include the likes of a new iPhone, iPod Touch and their possible netbook. It is reportedly "confirmed" by a bunch of sources that LG is supplying the OLEDs after they reached a £300 million deal with Apple. LG is also reportedly trying to get rid of the attraction of fingerprints on the aforementioned OLED screens, so that it will keep Apple's "cool tech" image. This is still a good bunch of rumours, but apparently "Apple already has a working netbook prototype using the OLED technology." Now this is getting interesting! Could LG be the so-called Taiwanese company that Apple bought the OLEDs from about a week ago? This is really, really interesting and I'm excited to see someone who can confirm this for me. With Apple using OLED technology for their future devices, expect a bright and clear (clarity-wise) device. I hope that it also has sunlight readability, that would be icing on the cake for me. It may also push the OLED trend forward because Apple just does everything so well.
[Tech Radar]

iPhone and iPod Touch users can now say goodbye to the Infinite SMS app. Before today, iPhone / iPod Touch users were able to send free texts via a 3rd-party application using Google Talk, but Google has now shut it down because it is "unwilling to foot the bill." This means that they simply don't feel like paying the bill for you. The SMS service is still available in Labs, but "users of the popular Infinite SMS app will undoubtedly be disappointed."

Mitsubishi showed off their 3D touch panel prototype last week. The prototype that was shown consisted of a 5.7-inch touchscreen with a 640 x 480 resolution. "The panel is also capable of judging the speed of the finger's approach by calculating the time variation of capacity on the z-axis and so could trigger different actions based on velocity, not just position." Man, technology really has come a long way. You don't even have to touch the screen to perform an action. Now, this technology is not exactly the newest thing, but it's good to see that Mitsubishi has a working prototype that is aimed at mobile devices. "The screen's response speed is also affected depending on the state, jumping to 50ms in the proximity state ["when the finger is away from the screen"] but sitting at 10ms in the contact state." This is interesting and i'm excited to see what transpires from these 3D touch panel prototypes from Mitsubishi.

According to a new rumour, Apple has reportedly ordered 10-inch touchscreens from Taiwan. Looks like these Apple netbook rumours may be true and i actually can't wait to see Apple's attempts at a netbook / tablet.

Basically, new breakthrough research states that a new Lithium breakthrough could charge batteries in just 10 seconds. If you want to read the whole story click here, it really goes in depth about the research and how it is possible. Who knows how long it will take for the technology to be perfected and to be actually used in our everyday lives, but i guess it's mighty expensive right now. It will be incredible if this ever becomes a reality in our everyday lives in the next couple of months / years.

Goodbye Infinite SMS (and picture): http://i.gizmodo.com/5168080/google-shuts-down-infinite-sms-for-gmail-iphone
Mitsubishi 3D Touch Panel Prototype (and picture): http://www.electronista.com/articles/09/03/11/mitsubishi.3d.touch.panel/
Apple Orders 10-Inch Touchscreens: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/03/11/apple_orders_10_inch_touchscreens_for_mystery_product.html
Lithium Breakthrough Could Recharge Batteries In 10 Seconds: http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2009/03/lithium-breakthrough-could-charge-batteries-in-10-seconds.ars