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.