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January 8th, 2009

The iPhone v. Netbooks

This is surely an interesting time to be involved with technology. Lately I’ve been really intrigued with netbooks, the tiny, basic computers that have no real expandability but win almost solely on size and weight. (It should be noted that only Sony has a sweet-looking model, in my opinion.)

And as I peruse Apple sites, I’ve seen many people clamoring for Apple to introduce a netbook to compete with these things. Here’s the thing: I think they already have. It’s the iPhone and iPod touch.

Consider that both the iPhone/touch and netbooks are really multi-purpose computers. They’re both extremely portable. They’re both limited in various ways. They both require compromises. And to make things interesting, they occupy some of the same price points.

I haven’t exactly been wanting an iPod touch largely because my 3-year-old iPod is doing a splendid job at what it does best (and, you know, the economy.) But I’ve been thinking of the touch more and more of a small computer instead of a music player. It’s really just a computer that has Apple’s iPod software.

And once you get to that point you realize, hey, they might not need to do a netbook after all!

Unless someone wants a keyboard.

Posted in Technology

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