As I write this the rumour mill is going in to overdrive with talk of Apple’s next big thing – a tablet notebook. Expected to the unveiled to the public next month this altogether different Steve Jobs’ ‘Model-T’ (not its real name) could either be another exercise in hubris or a missing link, filling a void we never even knew we had. I’m betting on the latter and here’s why.
First, let’s look at what the Model-T won’t be doing. It won’t be managing construction sites, keeping inventories or become a corporate workhorse. It won’t be appearing in hospitals managing patient records. It won’t be squaring off against similar form factors from Toshiba. It won’t be anything like the Macbook, Macbook Pro or Macbook Air. It will ‘definitely not’ be competing in the netbook space.
So what will the Model-T be like? Well we can be certain of the following: it will be slightly bigger than a netbook (although smaller than the Macbook Air) use multi-touch, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and run OS X Snow Leopard.
On more unsteady terrain I would go so far as to argue it will have a touch screen display and a small, lightweight SSD drive. You might think this a bit of a no brainer but it’s the way Apple will want you to use it that unlocks its purpose: a home entertainment/network management device.
Consider the following; users are satisfying their entertainment needs online, either through peer-to-peer downloading or on-demand catch-up services like RTE Player. At the same time we have both Microsoft and Apple flailing about trying to sell the concept of the media PC controlling your music, movies etc and playing them on your main TV. Then there’s the Apple TV, which no one is entirely sure what to do with. Is it a media streamer or a PVR? Does anyone actually own one of these things? Try persuading someone of its advantages over connecting your laptop to your TV directly and you will have a long hard argument ahead – I did and I think I lost. Something is missing. Enter the Model-T.
It looks like a laptop. Feels like a laptop. Works like a laptop. Flip the screen however and you get an entirely different animal. From the comfort of your sofa you can connect wirelessly (through Airport) to your Apple TV and manage its content via iTunes’ coverflow interface. In one move not only have you turned a basic notebook into a glorified remote control but found the missing link between the Web content and broadcast TV.
Should this be Apple’s strategy then it is genius. Microsoft’s Media Centre, while a fine piece of software, is too intimidating to regular users happy with their Sky boxes and video recorders (yes there are some still around). Besides, who wants a tower beside their TV? Compare and contrast with the sleek, unobtrusive Apple TV, sitting pretty on top of your Blu-ray player/PVR. Consider controlling your iTunes purchases on your Model-T then have them download direct to your Apple TV without impacting on your notebook’s performance.
It’s not a new model, but the concept of the PC in the front room needs an ambassador – a discrete, attractive solution to having more media than you know what to do with. Looks like 2009 may indeed be the year of the transformer. Let’s hope the Model-T, whatever shape it take, will get a better critical response.
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