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Kahney: Fantasizing About Apple's Brick [With Photos]

Kahney: Fantasizing About Apple's Brick [With Photos]

by , 3:25 PM EDT, September 30th, 2008

Inspired by Mike Elgan and concept photos of an OLPC, Leander Kahney at Cult of Mac started to dream about what the so-called MacBook touch (or "Brick") might look like.

Multiple rumors are cropping up about an Apple product called the "Brick." Mr. Kahney went back and looked at an artist's concept created by Yves Behar and started pondering whether Apple might release a similar product.


Source: TED's blog

Such a folding device, with a virtual keyboard, could double as a sub notebook, a tablet, and eBook, and more.

As Apple gains more and more experience with the iPod touch and obtains more and more patents on its multi-touch technology, including a gesture dictionary, many Apple observers are more and more eagerly anticipating or dreaming a computer like this.

Such a computer would also beg the question of what needs to be done on a desktop or laptop and what can be equally well done by a mobile user. Also, the folding design in this concept would have to particularly rugged for expected use with kids.

Finally, such an device would have to be carefully positioned in Apple's product line between the iPod touch and the MacBook Air to avoid cannibalization. With luck, Apple will figure out how to compete with itself before someone else does.

In any case, the artist concepts linked to go a long way towards stimulating discussions about what may be that "One More Thing" coming next from Apple.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:gopher Posts: 291 Joined: 28 Mar 2002
Subject: keyboard still too small

OLED would change all that. Imagine a folding keyboard on a Trails Illustrated thin paper that is strong and easy to stow away in your pocket.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: More..?

"..double as a sub notebook, a tablet, and eBook, and more."

Really? More? Like a...toasted sandwich maker, or... tie press? Does it really need to do more, or was that lazy writing?

Close Name:geoduck Posts: 1922 Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Subject:

I may be the only one but I hope that after SJ announces all of the new Macbooks, there would be wild applause, then it fades away to silence. Jobs would look at the audience and then say, "Oh and one more thing. You've probably heard all of the speculation. Well here it is...The Brick!". The curtain parts and on a clear lucite pedestal sits The Brick. Two inches wide, three inches deep, six inches long,

and made completely out of fired red clay.

Close Name:iJack Posts: 313 Joined: 13 Jun 2001
Subject:

Quote
geoduck wrote:
...The curtain parts and on a clear lucite pedestal sits The Brick. Two inches wide, three inches deep, six inches long, and made completely out of fired red clay.

Unfortunately, that would make it non-standard specs:
2 2/3" H x 3 5/8" D x 7 5/8"L.

Close Name:geoduck Posts: 1922 Joined: 30 Dec 2003
Subject:

Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor not a bricklayer

(Actually I'm not a Doctor either).

Close Name:BanjoBanker Posts: 86 Joined: 27 Dec 2004
Subject:

I'm givin' ya all she's got, Captain!

Close Name:MOSiX Man Posts: 558 Joined: 20 Jun 2001
Subject: Raising one eyebrow...

Fascinating.

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