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I call bogus...

Mar 09, 09 - 08:53 am Comment from: Big Al

This is a trusted source.

They report when the sun will rise in every issue and sure enough, the sun rises at that time the next day. They have never been wrong.

I was just about to call bullplop, but who knows. Maybe all we'll hear is, "Apple's late arrival to the net/micro/nanobook party."

Magic word is "waiting", as in what I'll do for holographic-in-thin-air displays.

Mar 09, 09 - 09:11 am Comment from: cptnkirk

As usual with Apple, this revelation may completely blow any deal. Every partner signs a non-disclosure agreement. These folk will be immediately dropped if they have spilled the beans.

Mar 09, 09 - 09:12 am Comment from: CourtJester

Maybe Appple can see a way of making good margins on a super efficient netbook without damaging sales of laptops.

We can hope that there is a grain of truth in this story.

Mar 09, 09 - 09:29 am Comment from: HMCIV

Wash, rinse repeat.

I doubt that Apple will release a netbook. It’s more likely going to be a touch screen tablet computer.

Mar 09, 09 - 09:31 am Comment from: Wingsy

I'd like to be the first to bitch about it having a glossy display and no firewire.

HAHAHAHAHA Good way to start the day my good man!

Didn't MDN earlier rail on and on about Apple selling a netbook as the stupidest idea ever?

Mar 09, 09 - 09:43 am Comment from: Demon

Aren't these the same sources that claimed that they were making iPhone Nano's or screens for Apple's yet to be released iPhone Nano?

I'll file this one in the BS folder because DigiTimes has it's own credibility problems that go way beyond Apple New Product rumors.

Apple Suppliers are also under NDA contracts and suppliers that leak information normally are dropped from Apples Supplier list and products are pulled or contracts are not renewed and products or parts are then manufactured elsewhere. In Asia this is a well known fact and Asian manufactures are trying to hold on and get and keep as much work as possible so, they can keep their employees working as much as passible. So, currently Apple can pick and choose who to make what and loose lipped Management at these companies will find themselves on the street very quickly in this economy. In the past management might overlook it due to capacity and the flowing of new contracts while we may loose an Apple contract their is other deals that will greatly out perform the volume that the Apple Product will do. Today that is not the case an the contract manufactures in Asian are fighting for every contact they can get their hands on.

Mar 09, 09 - 09:46 am Comment from: Martin

Digitimes gets it wrong most of the time.

Well for what it's worth, I would love to have an Apple netbook 'nano', or a Ipod touch 'mega' or whatever.
I can see it being inextricably linked to the app store for apps, and presumably there would be a Iwork app that has the basics.
As long as one could hook up (via usb or send wirelessly) to a printer, It would be the little netbook that could. A crystal clear 10.1" screen, 2G ram built in webcam and maybe even a WIMAX/WIFI chip. Do the same as HP with a 92% size keyboard, price it as $599 or $699 and it will sell, sell, sell,. Premium because it's a quality Apple product, but worth every penney over the long run......

Mar 09, 09 - 10:30 am Comment from: DLMeyer

Perhaps they have mistaken the casing for the iPhone max (just a bit bigger than the largest cell phone currently marketed) for the casing for the Mac "netbook" (quite a bit smaller than the smallest current netbook)? I have to admit it can be hard to classify these things - especially when their is so much potential for overlap - but the larger model iPhone will more resemble the original iPhone, in terms of functionality, than it will your typical netbook. And it won't be cheap.

Touch screen tablet computer would be nice. With a dock to plug in cable, telephone, and IR build in. I could walk around the house with it and be able to access everything, oh to dream.

An iPod Touch Max would be sweet. I can't envision Apple building an iPhone with a bigger screen since it does need to fit the dimensions of being a comfortable cellphone to carry around and use.

A tablet-size Mac would be a great equalizer to compete against netbooks. It would be light in weight and have a the dimensions of a Kindle but with a larger color display and it would run Snow Leopard Mobile. Apple is building a solid mobile platform and if there is really a trend of people continuing to purchase netbooks, then Apple should certainly jump into the fray. I still think the key selling point of a netbook is it's price and I don't see how Apple can sell such a product and not charge far more than the rest of the companies.

All in all, it will be interesting to see how Apple fights growing netbook sales.

WHAT SIZE are these touch panels?

@DLMeyer

It didn't occur to me that they are talking about another Iphone though that makes sense. Although the lines are blurred with the appstor providing so much more than a phone good catch.

I maintain that there is still a market for a Mac netbook. In the class room to type (silently a 2-3 pages of notes, In the hotel room responding to a proposal, (tough to do on a IPhone Keypad) reviewing a 3 sheet spreadsheet making modifications and sending it back, oh and skyping video as well. What do most folks do on the net - email, pay bills on line, online shopping reservatiosn etc. reading the online newspapers, twittering, facebooking etc etc. this is about what l 90 % of folks that use computers do.

How about recylcing the word Ibook ( internet book) for that is what it would be.

THIS WAS INEVITABLE. When Steve said Apple couldn't make a $500 device, he was right. But the iPhone costs more than that. But after network subsidies, not so much. I think this will have network subsidies. They couldn't just ignore such a huge segment of growing market.

3G + Wi-Fi data in your pocket sized computer. Hopefully it will run full OS X, not iPhone version.

And for Pete's sake, allow Bluetooth keyboard to work with it!

How about a touch tablet running OSX with a snap-off lid/cover that has a wireless keyboard on the inside?

Mar 09, 09 - 11:02 am Comment from: Connor MacBook

I'd be happy with a MacBook Air with the same footprint as the 12" PowerBook...

1) Digitimes gets lots of things wrong.

2) It doesn't do it on purpose.

3) They are not an Apple-obsessed site, they just publish reports on the Taiwan electronics market, where much of the stuff we use is sourced.

My conclusion is that the first part of the report, about WinTek, is probably true. Apple works with lots of suppliers on possible products.

The part about Quanta from The Commercial Times is the one sentence that sticks out as rumor.

Having said that, it sure sounds like WinTek is a small screen supplier, so it does make one think of a iTab or iPad type device, rather than a netbook.

It's obvious any Apple approach will build up from an iPhone, rather than downsize a Macbook. Everything from Walt Mossberg's D Conference interview with Steve and B Gates to Steve's approach to launching the iPhone as a smartphone rather than as a portable computer with telephony tells us that.

@Ken C
I think you are right about building from the Iphone instead of the Macbook. that's why it would be a 'ibook' instead of a Macbook 'Nano' This is where Apple is going obviously and they are miles ahead of anyone else in this.

The trick is to bring the iphone/apps to laptop functionality; like being able to cut and paste from a source to a document and print out results. As I said earlier 90% of users only need to get on the net for what they use a computer for. For anything a bit more robust, Resumes,there need for business proposals and college need for presentation, spreadsheets and up to say a 50 page paper with spell check and footnotes, I think a Iworks app can fill that role very nicely. Bundled it with the usual, Itunes, mail, calendar Safar, and one woul truly have a very, very powerful consumer device....Again at the $699 level.
Form factor? Something like the HP netbook in size and weight.

Mar 09, 09 - 02:53 pm Comment from: NCIceman

I too hope it's a tablet...don't see much use for the netbook-scale computer, especially since I own an iPhone.

Mar 09, 09 - 03:27 pm Comment from: Crabs

This should be labeled RUMOUR! Gosh dang it MDN and your stupidity…

Mar 09, 09 - 03:27 pm Comment from: Roger Knights

This may be a strategic / deliberate leak (i.e., with Apple's blessing).

Mar 09, 09 - 11:46 pm Comment from: JKPinPDX

Netbook eh... so is it going to be a "stronger more powerful larger version of the iPhone, with a simplified OS" or a "weaker smaller, long battery-life laptop ala-Macbook Mini" hmmm or will this netbook fad be over by then (fall of 2009 supposed release) ....Apple did come "late to the mp3 player game" with the iPod ya know... Would I buy one... I think a Mac fanatic would, I think a "apple ecosystem curious customer" would... Food for thought.

Everyone talks about net book's being a fad. Why? I kind of see it as logical step of making the laptop more portable. Imagine if it had really good speaker's a razorsharp 10.1- screen (for text or video), and was capable of basic Iwork functions with either a add on keyboard (bluetooth) or an improved (larger) iphone keyboard. c'mon Apple, it really could be the 'next big thing'
Remember folks, there were other MP3 players before the Ipod. It was the Itunes store that made it the success. Well Apple already has the App store, Now they just need another device. An reborn 'Ibook' is just the ticket. Apple needs a $699 3 pound netbook. end of story.