[psmith2.0]

This will be one of those threads where fistfights break out almost daily...especially once you consider the fact that Apple would probably pursue such a project at the expense of Mac Pro or MacBook Air updates.

According to LoopRumors.com, it will happen within the next 60 days at a special media event.

I'm split on this, for all kinds of reasons. Part of me can imagine such a thing. But then I snap to my senses and think "wow, that's just a fanboy nocturnal emission [look it up] if there ever was!"

The article talks of a hybrid sort of iMac, which makes sense because I guarantee you that nobody is going to sit and keep their arms raised and moving for hours and hours just to use the iMac. Maybe certain functions or software, where it makes sense to manipulate the screen, but not a 24/7 approach to input and interaction.

I don't know. What do you all think?

MacRumors puts it on their "page 2" (the dumping ground for rumors and news of a more "WTF?!" nature), so they're obviously not putting much stock in it.

BTW, ~60 days puts us almost into September (man, 2010 is zooming by!), which is when the big iPod media event has taken place the past several years. With all the rollout for the iPad and the new iPhone 4, would Apple schedule another event sometime in July-August, and then turn around and do the September iPod event too? Or would such a thing appear as a drunken "one more thing..." at September's event?

In any case, let the handwringing and hysterics for the "end of the Mac" commence.

"I'm gonna get all riled up and pissy about something that is 8-10 years away, if it even happens, period. Where's that Dell catalog?"

[Mugge]

27" touch screen? Could be fun for iLife and Google Earth, but it would really need some James Bond villain type apps to make it shine.

[BuonRotto]

My arms are tired just thinking about it. On the other hand, my triceps are looking great in that image in my head.

[psmith2.0]

Yeah, unless it's lying down (or at an angle (like maybe a drafting table?), I think it's not that appealing.

But here's the neat thing...Apple knows this.

So I doubt it'll just be the "iMac as we know it, with Multi-Touch slapped on" (assuming this is all even true).

There will be an Apple-y "Well, Duh...Of Course!™" angle attached somehow.

There usually is.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 There will be an Apple-y "Well, Duh...Of Course!™" angle attached somehow. There usually is.

I think it'll end up being the iMac with Magic Trackpad. The rumors are probably just a little...off.

If they put the screen on an articulating arm again, a touchscreen could be OK. Still, a 27" touchscreen sounds expensive.

[Gargoyle]

How about if the screen detaches, and it falls back to an iPad type device!

[adamb]

I think the iPad dock makes much more sense than a 27" iPad. In that way an iPad with OSX is more appealing to me than a Mac with iOS, slot the iPad into an iMac style dock and have a traditional desktop computer experience.

It could however open up desktop development with an influx of iOS apps and developers familiar with it. Still, the Mac and iOS devices have hugely different usage patterns so I'm not sure how successful that would be.

[Robo]

Idunno. I actually like the iMac the way it is.

It's due an update, of course. And it should really have a Blu-ray drive. But I think it's just gorgeous.

I think it's perfect for dorms, since the 27" model supports video input, meaning you can hook up a PlayStation to it and essentially use it as a decently-sized television. If they added HDMI, it'd be even simpler to do so.

I wouldn't want to see that functionality go away. If anything, the 21.5" model should gain it too.

[ezkcdude]

I thought this was a good idea when I started a thread on it over a year ago. I was pretty much the only one though.

iMac Touch

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by ezkcdude I thought this was a good idea when I started a thread on it over a year ago. I was pretty much the only one though. iMac Touch

You: "...it's a no-brainer. Right?"

Me: "Actually, it's a bit of a brainer."



Next time you're at your computer, hold your arms up and pretend that's how you're controlling the thing (display is vertical, you're 12-18" away at the desk, etc.). Even with your elbows supported on the desk, you're going to get tired fairly quick (if the blood doesn't drain out of your hands first and they get all tingly and "asleep" feeling).

[thegeriatric]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 (if the blood doesn't drain out of your hands first and they get all tingly and "asleep" feeling).

Hey that happens anyway at my age!

[ezkcdude]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Next time you're at your computer, hold your arms up and pretend that's how you're controlling the thing (display is vertical, you're 12-18" away at the desk, etc.). Even with your elbows supported on the desk, you're going to get tired fairly quick (if the blood doesn't drain out of your hands first and they get all tingly and "asleep" feeling).

Actually, sometimes after I've been using the iPad for a while, my natural instinct is to reach out and touch my iMac. Only to be disappointed when the screen doesn't magically respond to my gesture.

[Satchmo]

Originally Posted by BuonRotto My arms are tired just thinking about it. On the other hand, my triceps are looking great in that image in my head.

I recall everyone wondering how the heck one would use an iPad without their arms getting tired. There was chatter that Apple would come up with some innovative way from thumb gestures to voice activated controls. What we got was nothing of the sort.
I suspect this might be the case for the iMac. Not the best for your arms or shoulders, but we're Apple and you'll learn to multi-touch on an iMac!

[psmith2.0]

Originally Posted by ezkcdude Actually, sometimes after I've been using the iPad for a while, my natural instinct is to reach out and touch my iMac. Only to be disappointed when the screen doesn't magically respond to my gesture.

I'm sure it's a great way to use (and a big iMac-like screen tilted downward would help). But I'm just talking about constant, hours-long use that way...yikes!

At least with the iPad, it's small enough to hold in your lap and you can make much smaller movements. And you're not holding it "up and out", suspended in the air.

[Maciej]

We could use the exercise.

[Messiahtosh]

The cool part is you just unhinge it and it becomes an iPad. Hmmm

It's about time they brought it back.....

[Majost]

They need to do it the other way. I dock my iPhone, and it suddenly becomes a full-fledged OS X machine with a big monitor and keyboard.

Hardware has a way to go yet, but damn wouldn't that be amazing.

[Robo]

Originally Posted by Majost They need to do it the other way. I dock my iPhone, and it suddenly becomes a full-fledged OS X machine with a big monitor and keyboard. Hardware has a way to go yet, but damn wouldn't that be amazing.

Yes!

[psmith2.0]

Remember this? From January 2008...



Doesn't seem quite as silly now (although my Apple tablet mockup is a bit smaller than what came to be). But you get the idea. Basically a Cinema Display with a slot in the side (although you'd probably insert the iPad horizontally so its bottom connector could dock into something on the inside).

Not sure if it makes a lot of sense, but I dig the "ooooh...neat!" factor.

EDIT: Updated to reflect current, existing hardware (bear in mind that the iPad slides all the way in...it's not used sticking out 6-7" like this)

[Robo]

Originally Posted by pscates2.0 Not sure if it makes a lot of sense

It doesn't not make sense, but I also really like the idea of connecting a display using a mini-DP on the device, syncing a BlueTooth keyboard, and using the iPhone (or iPad, as I suppose) as a touchpad. You'd only have one cable!

[Miko]

Nope still doesn't work for me and the iPad would be even worst than the first mock-up, but I do so enjoy your renderings.

Until Apple opens some kinda of file structure you can drill down in and share files, what's the point of docking the iPad that way?

[Baron Munchausen]

My take on this since just before the iPhone4 announcement is we may see an iOS, A4-powered MBAir, basically a larger, clamshell iPad with k/b.

Air is an odd one out. Bringing it into the A4 fold could be a sensible rationalisation.

[psmith2.0]

But what would it run? iOS apps? Those are designed for a certain type of screen and Multi-Touch.

Regular OS X applications? Why not just stick with the fast Intel stuff and have a full-on Mac?

Or would developers welcome the task of reformatting versions of their apps to fit a 13" display (horizontal-oriented) and trackpad-driven?

I can't see this happening. I don't think they'd "downgrade" a proper computer that way. And I think it's a safe bet that Apple, at this point, has no interest or desire whatsoever to get into the traditional "netbook" market (small notebooks with traditional keys, underpowered processors that aren't quite full Macs but also allow for more than an iPod nano.

[Baron Munchausen]

I see no hope for iPad aps if they are to be locked into screen size or DPI resolution. At all. If iPad app developers are thinking like that the future is on its way to bite them on the ass. iPad will eventually get 1920 HD resolution. How many inches is neither here nor there.

iOS vs OSX for my clamshell? I am not greatly fussed as I see the two blending anyway. I suspect people who buy the Air are not into heavy lifting and if they were, an MBP is right there for them as part of a compromise. The Air is portability, but right now it is unique in motherboard terms. I can see Apple resolving that and making it A4 based. The A4 brings them enough power for normal duty.

The "trackpad vs touch" is a non event. Touchpads and mouse pads are already multitouching to an extent. The ability to have BOTH is quite possible and desirable.

To me the core issue of iOS/OSX is NOT the physical interface, but is the sandboxing, in particular on a phone platform. One approach could even be by sandboxing the PHONE element instead of sandboxing everything else that sits on a phone but that depends on internals I am not privy to.

Still, the A4 Air would not be a phone, and so I see no reason to not have it as OSX based with the iOS full screen multitouch capabilities. There could be a sandbox for iOS apps alongside OSX applications for all Macs, frankly and in that you can see the AppStore moving into mainstream applications on OSX Macs.

My point is that a I do think a clamshell A4-based, multitouch screened Air will be a rational move if only from a hardware perspective.

[Doxxic]

I'm very sure iMacs will run iOS some time.

After all, iOS is still nothing else but Mac OS X with added and refined technology.

Refining iOS = refining Mac OS X.
Developing the next iLife for iOS = developing the next iLife for a refined Mac OS X.
So when Jobs says that Mac OS X is "absolutely not" being left in the cold, he could be referring to what Apple is currently doing with iOS!

The only thing is that I don't think a final version for an iMac will be introduced within 60 days.
I mean, how could that be if they won't even have iOS 4 ready for iPad before fall?

But a preliminary version...

Jobs could have a great story to tell if the next version of Mac OS X basically inherits all the countless innovations Apple has made on iOS.
I suppose such a successor to Snow Leopard could be ready for sale some time in 2011.

And as always, developers would need some Mac OS X preview before that. That could be what this rumor is about (besides the touchscreen iMac by the way - regarding that I have more doubts).

I think the developers would be very enthousiastic. Especially if they already develop for iOS, they'll see their markets and possibilities expanded again.

And during this preview, on a side note, Jobs could just tell that iOS is and has always been the next version of Mac OS X.

[Dave]

Eh... iOS seems designed more for a pen/finger interface than a keyboard/mouse interface. The underlying OS could be the same, but what's presented to the user doesn't translate well, IMHO.

[Frank777]

Originally Posted by Majost They need to do it the other way. I dock my iPhone, and it suddenly becomes a full-fledged OS X machine with a big monitor and keyboard. Hardware has a way to go yet, but damn wouldn't that be amazing.

How far does it have to go?

The new iPhone already works with a Bluetooth keyboard. The iPhone now handles more pixels than my original Mac LC's 12" monitor.
All that's needed is a way to dock the iPhone into a larger monitor (or a clamshell monitor/keyboard shell) and we have a Mac laptop.

Of course, the problem with iOS is file management and the lack of WiFi Direct for printing.

[Doxxic]

Originally Posted by Dave Eh... iOS seems designed more for a pen/finger interface than a keyboard/mouse interface. The underlying OS could be the same, but what's presented to the user doesn't translate well, IMHO.

That depends on the definition of iOS. I think the term iOS is not tied to a specific kind of interface, but rather to a specific programming environment.

One of the features of iOS 4 is that it 'has feature parity with Mac OS X'. To me, that means that in terms of programming environment, it basically can do all Mac OS X can do (if the hardware would let you).
And since iOS has APIs that Mac OS X doesn't, this means that iOS is really just a more advanced version of Mac OS X.

That would mean that the next upgrade from Snow Leopard could just consist of feature parity of Mac OS X with iOS.
That would mean that future Macs are in fact running iOS, only making use of a different user interface.
Looking at it that way, iOS and iOS apps may contain several user interfaces and choose which it uses, depending on the device it's on and the hardware that is connected.

Why is this important?

iOS could become the name of the successor of Mac OS X that runs apps from the iTunes Store and allows for in-app purchases.

For developers, that would be a very meaningful definition.
Developers of existing iOS apps would have to make adaptations to the Mac line which are comparable to the step they made from iPhone to iPad.

ps I wonder if Jobs insistence on mice having only one button was in fact caused by him foreseeing the current developments....

[Messiahtosh]

I don't think that iOS will be the predominate way that the computer functions, though. I can see a version of OS X that incorporates but does not become just a super powerful iOS device. Macs with iOS would have the same (but consistently upgraded) current OS X interface and then have certain Apps take advantage of touch. Some iApps and media display stuff would be nice for iOS, but besides those, I can't really see the whole system moving to that.

Remember, "PCs are trucks and iOS devices are cars." Something like that.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Doxxic ps I wonder if Jobs insistence on mice having only one button was in fact caused by him foreseeing the current developments....

Possibly, but right-click is so damn useful that I still say he's wrong.