Hot Toys November 2009
Get ready for Christmas: Here are 10 Hot Toys You Should Know About!Read more ...
Let’s be honest, calling an Apple computer ‘affordable’ is an oxymoron, so please excuse my sensationalism in the headline. But Apple is to the generic PC what Lexus is Toyota, they are both more than likely to take you from A to Z, but the Lexus is more comfy and will do it in a more stylish way. Now it seems that Apple will soon be revealing the computer equivalent to a Lexus that is stripped down to the bones. It is likely to cost a lot less than current Apple computers, but it won’t be able to take you all places. Will you prefer this Lexus with a weak engine over a similarly priced Toyota that will get you everywhere?
It has been a rumor that simply refused to die – the Apple tablet or netbook. The netbook, a small and lightweight portable computer (watch for an upcoming very special review of such a netbook on Single Parent Gossip) has taken over notebook sales thanks to their capability to provide a decent Internet experience with most notebook features for about $250. Apple does not offer such a device. Instead, Apple has the iPod touch (from $199), which the company does not really describe as an iPod but more like a small computing and gaming device), the iPhone (from $99 with a 2 year cellphone contract), which is really the small mobile Internet device the computer industry has tried to create since 2006 and then there is the Macbook, which will cost you at least one grand.
So what is there in the middle? Nothing, and if you have been looking for an affordable portable computer, you only had one choice: A PC. If you really want an Apple computer, you have to stretch to more than $1000 or deal with the small screen of an iPod touch or iPhone. But as far as netbooks go, Apple said in the past it would not offer “a $500 piece of junk”.
But if you have been asking for a cheaper Apple computer, your prayers may have been heard by the almighty Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. The company is expected to announce a tablet computer, apparently an evolutionary netbook PC, on January 26. The usual Apple rumor experts on the Internet have figured out its name already – the iSlate, since Apple had control of this domain since 2007 and may have been working on it recently.
So, what should you expect? Expect a device that bridges the gap between the Macbook and the iPod touch, without jeopardizing sales of either product. Rumors suggest that it will be a tablet without a keyboard integrating a screen with a size of at least 10” (likely larger). It will run Intel’s least capable processors called “Atom”, which are common in today’s $300 and less netbooks and are enough to get you around the Internet. They play music and most video, but they are not strong enough to provide lots of gaming fun – at least those fancy 3D games. But since some AppStore developers have been asked to create large-screen versions of their iPhone apps, there will be simple games this device will run.
For single parents on a budget, this may be an opportunity to buy a simple Apple computer you can use for everyday computing tasks for less money than you would have to pay for a Macbook. The price is speculation, of course, but if we are looking at Apple’s current product line, then expect a starting price of about $350 to $400 for entry-level devices and slightly more than $1000 for top-of-the-line iSlates.
My advice? If you get some personal value out of having an Apple device, wait for January 26 and the iSlate. If you are all about practicability and a small Internet device is all you need when you are away from home, a netbook PC with Windows 7 is all you need. It is not as fancy as the Apple tablet will be, you won’t collect any looks, and you won’t get a touch screen feature. But just like a Toyota, the netbook will get you everywhere the iSlate can take you – for a lot less money.
Related Articles on Single Parent Gossip:
-
Apple Islates
