The Quasi-Tablet?

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/04/04/the-2-2-billion-macbook-air/' target='_blank'>http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/04...on-macbook-air/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Apple's break-out notebook, says an analyst, may represent a new category: the quasi-tablet. With so much attention focused on the iPad, J.P. Morgan's Mark Moskowitz chose Monday to change the subject. He issued a note to clients that focused instead on the fastest growing member of Apple's Mac line: The MacBook Air."</em></p><p><img height="251" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1289832145.usr105634.jpg" width="600" /></p><p>After owning an 11-inch Macbook Air, and finding that I can indeed do pretty much everything I could do with my heavier and slower Macbook Pro (obviously not the latest model), I can totally understand why this segment is growing. I've even done some minor video editing and iPhoto processing and it is easily able to handle the tasks. And from the looks of the figures in this article, there are plenty of other people who think this and the 13-inch model are just the laptop they need. I don't know about the moniker he chooses to give it though, as it is much more than a "quasi-tablet." ONe thing is sure, you can't argue about the success of the product. What are your thoughts?&nbsp;</p>

[Sven Johannsen]

NOOO, it is not a quasi-Tablet, anymore than a bicycle is a quasi-motorcycle, or a motorcycle is a quasi-car. At the core of Tablet is the concept of touch screen. I would prefer a pen-enabled touch screen, but that ship sailed with the iPad. The Air is a laptop. A great instantiation of a laptop for some, but a laptop never the less. Oh, and a tablet needs to be portable, on purpose. My desktop has a touch screen, and I can move it, but I would not classify it as a tablet ;)

There was a genre of ultra-portable for a while, but that was difficult to nail down too. Was it a function of weight? Physical size? If you want to call the Air something, though, ultra-portale probably fits.

[encece]

I agree with Sven. My hope for the future though is a MacTablet Air!!!

[Deslock]

Note that the quote attributed to JP Morgan analyst, Mark Moskowitz doesn't mention "quasi-tablet" at all:

"We believe," he says, "the key attributes that distinguish the MacBook Air from standard notebooks and even tablets could help define a new category -- ultra-portable devices for productivity users -- within the PC market."

I wonder if fortune made up the sensationalistic (and misplaced) phrase to get more hits. Either way, Mark Moskowitz's comment is also absurd since business class ultra-portables existed since long before the current generation MBA (albeit at outrageous prices).

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Been rocking with Thinkpad X-series notebooks ever since they were out. 12" of portable computing bliss. Never understood why 12" instead of 13" is not the preferred small notebook format.