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iPhone docking station
PC Idea Description
Steve Jobs has been quoted as saying that Apple won't enter the netbook market because they don't know how to make a netbook that simultaneously satisfies Apple's quality/design standards and the market's price points. But what comprises a netbook? Apple innovated on what comprises a budget PC when it introduced the Mac Mini and the concept of BYODKM (bring your own display, keyboard and mouse), which (though now long in the tooth) has been quite successful and well suited to its purpose. In a similar fashion, I think Apple could meet a netbook price point by introducing a device that acts more like an iPhone 3G screen-plus-keyboard docking station. The iPhone would dock into the front of the device where it functions as a trackpad. Two bays sit under the full-size keyboard: one for the battery (included) and the other is an empty 2.5" SATA drive bay. So the customer brings their own iPhone 3G and can add a mechanical or solid-state SATA drive.
The iPhone's dimensions are 115.5mm h x 62.1mm w x 12.3mm d. A full-size laptop keyboard is about 285mm x 110mm. Typical netbook dimensions are 250mm x 170mm x 30mm. You need to fit the iPhone in front of the keyboard to use as a trackpad, and make the keyboard as close to full size as possible while containing the overall size. It may be permissible for the iPhone to jut out somewhat at the front, seeming as it's not a permanent attachment. This would allow the iPhone's headphone socket and internal microphone to be used while docked, which means less duplication by the device.
This design approach means you aren't cannabalising iPhone sales -- though it may allow iPhones to cannabalise low-end MacBook sales.
The iPhone provides almost all of the capabilities of the device, including wireless and Bluetooth. The iPhone's battery means that the device's battery is hot-swappable. The device includes a GPU to assist the iPhone in rendering to the device's screen and the Mini DisplayPort in addition to the iPhone screen. Because the device is too small for ubergameplay this GPU needn't be terribly new or powerful -- even a Riva TNT2 or similar would probably be fine. A less powerful GPU prolongs battery life.
Ports:
MagSafe (Apple power adapter included)
Mini DisplayPort
3 x USB2
Gigabit Ethernet
All-in-one card reader
Bays:
2.5" internal SATA (bring your own drive -- HDD or SSD; hot-swappable)
iPhone 3G dock with power/data bus (bring your own iPhone)
Battery (included, hot-swappable).
Screen: LED-backlit widescreen 10.3", native resolution 1280x800 (same as MacBook Air)
Chassis: Aluminium Unibody enclosure
Built-in iSight webcam
Built-in mono speaker (to one side of the docked iPhone)
Include a one-year MobileMe account
Introduce iPhone support for Remote Disc, OpenOffice and other crucial netbook apps.
Most Recent Submissions:
Anywhere-PC
March 19, 2010 11am
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Just did a search and found this.
Nice idea.... I see it being a bit bigger but the iphone/Ipod being the Brains on "netbooks: and as a swap out on all other portables. Could even go further and have BT keyboards that dock and talk to your screen. which would be the tablet device. Basicly... how many products can Apple easily tie together to make ppl want to buy a bundle(d) Apple Digital Infrastrufture.