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Nice analysis. A friend mentioned to me that the macbooks have gotten bigger over the years and there was on that was 12 inches (?) that they no longer make. I

Nice analysis. A friend mentioned to me that the macbooks have gotten bigger over the years and there was on that was 12 inches (?) that they no longer make. I wouldn't be surprised if they announced a new small notebook with a heavy price tag targeted at filling that void. A netbook would be cool, but I doubt it would come cheap from Apple. They also tend to be a little think (proportionally), so if they made a netbook Air that would be amazing.

sspencer 18y ago
They used to make a 12" PowerBook that is still regarded as one of the best form factors Apple ever made. I doubt they'll start that again, though, or trend any smaller because as the article mentions, Apple already has too many competing products. In addition to the Macbooks the article lists, I think the other end of the spectrum is the iPod/iPhone. These are essentially tiny netbooks; able to do most of what I would want a netbook for in an even smaller form factor. So I too strongly doubt that Apple will release a netbook.
- alaskamiller 18y ago
  His friend was talking about the 12" iBook. The 13.3" Macbook Air is perfect form factor. As an aside, Apple is not going to make any laptops in the 12" factor.
  - nickd 18y ago
    There was both a 12inch powerbook and ibook. I owned the 12 inch PB, and it was pretty great, but no better than any of the current 13.3 inch models.
    - alaskamiller 18y ago
      Yes, but Macbooks and iBooks are both white. Just a point.
- netcan 18y ago
  I disagree. A netbook is not closer to an iphone then a laptop. I can't see too many carrying a netbook & a laptop. I can see many carying a netbook & an iphone.
DabAsteroid 18y ago
A friend mentioned to me that the macbooks have gotten bigger over the years and there was on that was 12 inches (?) that they no longer make. Part of the "increase in size" is just pretend. Modern notebooks are not as large as their quoted screen sizes might imply. As 4x3 and 5x4 aspect displays have given ground to widescreen displays, display sizes of given diagonal measurement have dropped. To wit: a 14" widescreen (16:10 or 16:9) is not as large (does not have as much area) as an old-fashioned 14" 4x3 screen, which in turn is not as large as an old-fasioned 5x4 screen. A modern 15.4" widescreen is about the same size, overall, as an old-fashioned 14" screen. Apple's current 13.3" Macbook has about the same screen size as did its old 12" notebook. It is only effectively "larger" for widescreen content that would produce black bars on the old 12" squarer screen. More comparisions: a modern 22" widescreen is about the same size as an old-fashioned 5x4 19" screen. A modern 19" widescreen is about the same size as an old-fashioned 5x4 17" screen.

sspencer 18y ago

They used to make a 12" PowerBook that is still regarded as one of the best form factors Apple ever made. I doubt they'll start that again, though, or trend any smaller because as the article mentions, Apple already has too many competing products. In addition to the Macbooks the article lists, I think the other end of the spectrum is the iPod/iPhone. These are essentially tiny netbooks; able to do most of what I would want a netbook for in an even smaller form factor. So I too strongly doubt that Apple will release a netbook.

alaskamiller 18y ago
His friend was talking about the 12" iBook. The 13.3" Macbook Air is perfect form factor. As an aside, Apple is not going to make any laptops in the 12" factor.
- nickd 18y ago
  There was both a 12inch powerbook and ibook. I owned the 12 inch PB, and it was pretty great, but no better than any of the current 13.3 inch models.
  - alaskamiller 18y ago
    Yes, but Macbooks and iBooks are both white. Just a point.
netcan 18y ago
I disagree. A netbook is not closer to an iphone then a laptop. I can't see too many carrying a netbook & a laptop. I can see many carying a netbook & an iphone.

DabAsteroid 18y ago

A friend mentioned to me that the macbooks have gotten bigger over the years and there was on that was 12 inches (?) that they no longer make. Part of the "increase in size" is just pretend. Modern notebooks are not as large as their quoted screen sizes might imply. As 4x3 and 5x4 aspect displays have given ground to widescreen displays, display sizes of given diagonal measurement have dropped. To wit: a 14" widescreen (16:10 or 16:9) is not as large (does not have as much area) as an old-fashioned 14" 4x3 screen, which in turn is not as large as an old-fasioned 5x4 screen. A modern 15.4" widescreen is about the same size, overall, as an old-fashioned 14" screen. Apple's current 13.3" Macbook has about the same screen size as did its old 12" notebook. It is only effectively "larger" for widescreen content that would produce black bars on the old 12" squarer screen. More comparisions: a modern 22" widescreen is about the same size as an old-fashioned 5x4 19" screen. A modern 19" widescreen is about the same size as an old-fashioned 5x4 17" screen.