Apple Netbook(?)

Many people are trying to decipher the latest comments by Steve Jobs. The rumor out there now is a new product. Think MacBook Nano or iPhone Slate? Or is it the coming of the NetBook?

Remember, the iPhone was spotted online in Web traffic blogs. So many this is going to be the real deal.

Gizmodo hypothicizes what we might expect:

“Instead, if this is indeed a new unannounced Apple product, here in Gizmodo we are thinking about an iPhone HD with an updated 800 x 480 pixel display, probably coming in 2009. That resolution is something between the iPhone’s 480 x 320 pixels and MacBook’s 1280 x 800 pixels, which is completely reasonable: Other phones—like the HTC Touch HD—already have these ultra-sharp screens.”

Jobs says, “we don’t know how to build a sub-$500 computer that is not a piece of junk”, and this is believable. So rule out the computer. Maybe ramp up the iPhone to another level because Apple has sold more iPhones than computers this year.

“Although Apple said it sold more Macintosh computers than in any other quarter in the company’s history and more iPods than in any other non-holiday quarter, it is clear that the iPhone is quickly becoming its golden goose.

Sales of the iPhone accounted for 39 per cent of the roughly $7.9-billion (U.S.) in revenue Apple posted in the quarter.

Apple, based in Cupertino, Calif., has now sold more than 13 million iPhones this year, easily eclipsing the company’s stated goal of selling 10 million in 2008. Apple raked in $1.14-billion in profit for the quarter, or $1.26 per diluted share.”

New York Times reporter, John Markoff, adds to the mystery with this bit of information:

“UPDATED: That would seem to confirm findings that a search engine company shared with me on condition that I not reveal its name: The company spotted Web visits from an unannounced Apple product with a display somewhere between an iPhone and a MacBook. Is it the iPhone 3.0 or the NetMac 1.0?”

Whatever. Expect Apple to introduce a “new category” product sooner than later.

via new york times new york times gizmodo report on business