# Apple iDeas



## Androo (Jul 21, 2003)

It's time to talk about some Hardware and software ideas for apple.

Here's some of my ideas.
Apple should release a Cell Phone, which can play music. Basically a cellphone and ipod combined. It would also be cool if u can plug in your ibook to it, for WIRELESS INTERNET!!!!!!!!!!

Also they could have a mac handheld, MiniMac or something. It should play music!

Give in some iDeas!


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## fryke (Jul 21, 2003)

I'm all for a real subnotebook by Apple. A 10.4" screen (1024*768), G3 processor (900 MHz), 256 MB RAM (upgradeable to 640 MB, like the 12" PB) and a 40 GB harddrive. This could be a tad more expensive than the 12" model and would less impact sales of the iBooks. I'd love to own one...


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## dlloyd (Jul 21, 2003)

...that weighs one pound and has a 9 hour battery life 

Myself, I'd go for an Apple branded pillowcase


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## Randman (Jul 21, 2003)

> Apple should release a Cell Phone, which can play music. Basically a cellphone and ipod combined. It would also be cool if u can plug in your ibook to it, for WIRELESS INTERNET!!!!!!!!!!


 It's not Apple, but the Nokia 3650 (and upcoming 6600) can do all that.
   It plays mp3s (though the speaker ain't great), it plays videos, it does pictures, video and sound recording. You can sync it with your Mac, you can connect via bluetooth and have wireless Internet. Oh and it makes phone calls already.

   I think Apple should jump in and make a statement with an iTablet. Take the iBook and pare it down (no disc drive). Built-in AirPort and Wireless. Offer it at a low price for a secondary (or third Mac) or times when you need more than a pda.
  Use iLife so you could play music, or run video or import photos (for when you're on the go) and have it be able to sync/pair up with the Big Mac in the house.


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## mr. k (Jul 21, 2003)

The Nokia 3650 is a HUGE cellphone, it's a monster...  Why would you need all that shit on your phone?  Sound recording is a good feature for a cellphone, but even a little built in camera is really too much for a phone.  I can't wait until I can buy an extremely small cellphone, thin enough to keep in my wallet or back pocket that has a minimal screen that can show phone numbers  imported from my mac and has no keypad, just voice recognition.  That would be awesome!  Make it apple...
I also think that there is already bluetooth embedded in 3G iPods, and apple has a wireless input device for notetaking/advanced input all ready to release, that would be so cool.  The input device could also serve as a wifi bridge for the iPod, and enable it to connect to other iPod's on the local network via rendezvous.  You could browse someone's library and send them voice messages through the iPod's left earbud :^)
Wow, that would really be cool!


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## Randman (Jul 22, 2003)

> The Nokia 3650 is a HUGE cellphone, it's a monster... Why would you need all that shit on your phone? Sound recording is a good feature for a cellphone, but even a little built in camera is really too much for a phone.


 And that's why phone manufacturers have basic models for people who can't handle more. Gee, are you against PDAs as well? I guess one can scribble a bunch of numbers on a napkin and fold it, then tuck it into the back pocket to save space as well.
  The SmartPhones are as much PDA as phone these days. And I can save space by not needing to lug around a mobile and PDA at the same time as much. I can check my calendar, make notes, watch a TV show on an airplane, show home videos to my family during trips all without needing my laptop or Palm. The phone reads cellular signals so when I get to work, it goes to a work profile, or vice versa when I get home. I've set it to read signals at several movie theatres in town and it automatically goes to silent and another app sends an sms to any callers I specify saying I'm unavailable because I'm in a movie.
  That's the huge advantage, and Apple is making it easier to sync bt-enabled phones . If I go shopping, or need to run some errands, I can make notes on my Mac, sync it to my phone (and/or PDA) and have them ready to go on the run.
  Oh, and I can voice dial and voice answer with my phone using a bluetooth headphone, so I  can still have mobility and keep the phone in my case.




> I also think that there is already bluetooth embedded in 3G iPods


 No.



> The input device could also serve as a wifi bridge for the iPod, and enable it to connect to other iPod's on the local network via rendezvous. You could browse someone's library and send them voice messages through the iPod's left earbud
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Androo (Jul 22, 2003)

The all new G5 Cube.
It should have the same design as powermac G5 (the wierd holes that are pretty cool), and it should be in cubeform.


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## Androo (Jul 22, 2003)

iPod should take pictures.

o ya, and to add on to my wireless mac idea, it would be cool to phone people from your mac through your cell phone!


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## phatcactus (Jul 22, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Androo _
> *iPod should take pictures.*



I'm curious, why should the iPod take pictures?  It's an MP3 player, and it would make a shitty camera.  And I'm honestly confused as to why there is space for my contacts and calendar.


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## Randman (Jul 22, 2003)

> it would be cool to phone people from your mac through your cell phone!


 You can already sms people via bluetooth from your address book. And with as many ways to connect, IM, iChat, sms, e-mail, there's not much need for a telephone system on most Macs, plus you get into issues of networks, reliability, servicing, features, etc.
  If I want to talk, I just put on my bt headset and call someone. I think Apple's done well in making it easier to connect between its Mac (especially laptops) and mobile phones.
   And why have photos on the iPod? You can get that for cheaper with many pdas including the Tungsten line, many Clies, the Zire 71s and many Smart Phones.
  I think instead of inventing everything, Apple should continue to work to make things work better together that already exist. No sense in re-building the wheel, just make it roll better.
  But I do think there's a market for basic users that should be addressed as Macs seem to go more upscale. Even the iBooks these days are better than PowerBooks of old.
  My Mom wouldn't want a full-sized computer, even a laptop. But she might warm to a simple to use tablet for e-mail and stuff. If she knew she could get photos, e-mail and videos from the family without knowing anything about computers (or having to spend an arm and a leg), then she'd go for it. And I'd get one to bridge the gap when I need more than my SmartPhone or PDA, but less than my laptop.


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## Cat (Jul 22, 2003)

> I'm all for a real subnotebook by Apple. A 10.4" screen (1024*768), G3 processor (900 MHz), 256 MB RAM (upgradeable to 640 MB, like the 12" PB) and a 40 GB harddrive. This could be a tad more expensive than the 12" model and would less impact sales of the iBooks. I'd love to own one...


Make that a 1GHz G4 and I'm buying it today! Look at the new Sony! Gosh, for that: look at the Toshiba Libretto! Argh! Must .. have .. smaller laptop .. *argh* ... cannnot .. carry .. weight .. *pant* ..


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## Androo (Jul 24, 2003)

lol i knoo... 10'' may be a bit..... RIDICULOUS! But it would be compact, easy  to fit into your bag.


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## karavite (Jul 24, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Randman _
> * I think Apple should jump in and make a statement with an iTablet. Take the iBook and pare it down (no disc drive). Built-in AirPort and Wireless. Offer it at a low price for a secondary (or third Mac) or times when you need more than a pda.
> Use iLife so you could play music, or run video or import photos (for when you're on the go) and have it be able to sync/pair up with the Big Mac in the house. *



Randman, we are brothers at heart!  I have posted on this numerous times too. I want a cheap wireless device that treats my G4 DP 1Ghz as something of a server to all my iApps, email and more. I could have one on the coffee table to access addresses, email or Sherlock (movies and yellow pages). I could have one on the wall in my bathroom (attached to little speakers) so I could dial up the internet radio version of any station and listen to it in the shower. In addition, I could have some little wireless box that plugs into an input of my surround sound receiver and use it to view my iPhotos and movies (that are on my G4) on my TV. Along with pushing home automation (what I believe is the next big thing), Apple would have some new hgardware to make money off of. They may or may not make it compatible with Windows - why not - but maybe have the Mac versions do extra special things.


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## ApeintheShell (Aug 11, 2003)

Apple iChat AV Celluar Phone

- quicktime video
- easy navigation and organization from iPod
- comes in white for basic features
and brushed metal for advanced features
- mobile airport card (no more signal interference)
- firewire for charging and bluetooth for syncing
- night time: backlight flash for incoming calls
- day time: "excuse me!" "excuse me!"
- optional stand for desk or table
- durability up the wazoo
- tiny shutter door for screen to prevent scratches. 
- fozzy bear greeting


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## Giaguara (Aug 11, 2003)

Apple should register iPorn before we can find an app with that name somewhere 

Or better still ... iPorn like iTunes. Click to see the movie clips and download with a click. With the obsolete parts of pody blurred or hidden behind a blank apple.


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## Lycander (Aug 11, 2003)

> _Originally posted by Giaguara _
> *Apple should register iPorn before we can find an app with that name somewhere
> 
> Or better still ... iPorn like iTunes. Click to see the movie clips and download with a click. With the obsolete parts of pody blurred or hidden behind a blank apple.  *


I really like that idea. BTW, how old is that Ellen chick from the switch ads?


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## Arden (Aug 11, 2003)

Definitely not old enough for you, Lycander.

iPorn... the digital hub for your, how shall we say, less public engagements!

Androo, I'm not against you but against the idea on this: the iPod should _not_ take pictures because it's an MP3 player.  Sure, it's got games and calendar features, but these will never replace professional devices.  The iPod is a music player, and adding this and that and the other to it will only jack up the price, complexity and confusion about how to use it.


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## vogel (Aug 11, 2003)

> _Originally posted by arden _
> *Androo, I'm not against you but against the idea on this: the iPod should not take pictures because it's an MP3 player.  Sure, it's got games and calendar features, but these will never replace professional devices.  The iPod is a music player, and adding this and that and the other to it will only jack up the price, complexity and confusion about how to use it. *



What if the iSight plugged into a colour screened iPod (which had software built in for autofocus etc)?


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## Arden (Aug 11, 2003)

Let me say it again: The iPod is not intended as anything but a glorified music player.  You can want all you want, but Apple is not going to change the basis of the iPod.  It's a music player.

I'm not sure what you'd plug an iSight into it for anyway; digipix?


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## vogel (Aug 12, 2003)

> _Originally posted by arden _
> *I'm not sure what you'd plug an iSight into it for anyway; digipix? *



Uh... the iSight is a video camera... it's not a huge leap of logic for it to record _video_.


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## MikeXpop (Aug 12, 2003)

The iTab. When you first look at it, it's an iBook with a stylus. But when you fit the thing with 2 Airport Cards (one for the base, and one for the screen) BOOM! Instant ultralight tablet up to 100 feet. Now I'd buy that


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## eric halfabee (Aug 12, 2003)

On the software front:
I would like the option to have windows auto expand when you open a folder (in list mode) which contains heaps of files etc _it would stop when it reaches the top of the dock or bottom of screen if dock is hidden. You would also have the option to turn this off or on using a modifier key etc.

eric


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## Androo (Aug 13, 2003)

The folding computer. iFold it will be called, which is quite ironic, since its like its saying that it folds. yay!
This is the dumbest idea ever.

How about this! The new Apple Pro Mouse 2. Two clicks on the top with a scroll wheel inbetween the two. And then where your thumb is, there is a third click!!!!!!!

iTunes 5: Put videos in your playlist, replacing quicktime. Dunno what it'll be called. iTunes actually IS just quicktime, except it has a playlist. You need quicktime to use itunes


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## Arden (Aug 13, 2003)

Apple already _has_ folding computers.

Apple wouldn't put a button where your thumb is on the Pro Mouse because that is where you pick the thing up, and it's a reference point for holding the mouse while clicking.

iTunes 5 with video would be called MacMP, or Macintosh Media Player.  Windows already does this.

Mike:  Why not an iTablet that's just a computer behind a touchscreen?  Some of the boys on the Dark Side came up with something like this, but Apple could probably do it better.  It could even have a slide-out keyboard.


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## karavite (Aug 13, 2003)

> _Originally posted by arden _
> *Why not an iTablet that's just a computer behind a touchscreen?  Some of the boys on the Dark Side came up with something like this, but Apple could probably do it better.  It could even have a slide-out keyboard. *



Amen Arden! And of course I could use such a tablet for you know what! 

Do you think Apple is just plain burned to this day from Newton-itis to ever develop a tablet type device until everyone else does? I hope not - even though the Newton took so much abuse for hand writing recognition, but Graphiti solved that (I had Graphiti on my Newton years ago) and the darn thing was so cool and powerful - just a little too ahead of its time (and price). I remember Jobs criticizing comtemporary PDAs a year or so ago and I thought that would lead into something from Apple (PDA, tablet... something).


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## senne (Aug 13, 2003)

i want a moveable desktop. You can choose how big your desktop should be. For example: i choose that my desktop should be 5000x2800. But i will only see 1440x900, because i have an iMac 17". To see the rest of the desktop, you just move your mouse to the right/left/up/down with the Shift key pressed.

Or what about a moveable screen? You can not only move the desktop, but you can move the whole damn thing!

For example: You have 4 Safari-windows open, all placed next to each other. To see the most right window (which you can not see, because it's off-screen), you move your mouse to the right with the Shift Key pressed.

The dock and menu-bar stay at the same position (on top of all things).



That's my idea.


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## senne (Aug 13, 2003)

ohyes,  you have also a Navigation-window, which you can active when you press F1 and deactive by pressing F1 again. Its opacity is 70 procent, so you can see through it. It's something like Photoshop's Navigator. 

Yup, that would be cool.


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## Androo (Aug 13, 2003)

Safari should have CSS.


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## Ricky (Aug 13, 2003)

Safari does have CSS.


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## Arden (Aug 13, 2003)

You didn't turn it off, did you, Androo?


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## Androo (Aug 16, 2003)

[gasp!]
How do i turn it on!?

iSight should be built in the imac! You know where the little apple logo is? there would be a neat place. But it would be better if it was inside the screen, so you could point the cam somewhere else by adjusting the screen.


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## fryke (Aug 16, 2003)

I think the cam should be separate, just like it is. ;-) Not everybody has a use for a webcam, and if you DO have a use, you might enjoy the freedom of moving it about your room to show your iChat buddy around. But I think for notebooks, an integrated cam makes some sense (see Sony's VAIO models). However, it should be able to make better pictures and yet be much smaller. The VAIO cams are usually just-not-good-enough to make pictures that could also be used for one or the other print.


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## Matrix Agent (Aug 16, 2003)

I'd like a remote control for my Mac. One that would allow me to select between a limited number of applications such as iTunes, iPhoto and Apple DVD Player. On its small LCD screen you could jog through a song or create a new playlist, create a new album of photos and instruct it to play on the computer screen or do something as simple as move through menus and scenes on a DVD. If Apple used radio frequencies it could be used anywhere within the house.

Obviously the small screen would be good for looking only at lists of songs or thumbs of about 4 photos. Otherwise, the remote would just display system wide controls such as master volume. If the remote could contact you when you had mail, that would be nice, or if you could respond to instant messages using handwriting recognition... but that's basically becoming the PDA which will _never_ be made by Apple.

 I think it's a feaseable idea since other remotes already interact with Macs, but seemless integration of the more entertainment-based iApps would be a real selling point.


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## Cat (Aug 16, 2003)

A very cool thing would be to have a virtual keyboard as an option on laptops. Basically instead of the keyboard you have a kind of touchscreen which can be used to draw or write, but you can also visualize a keyboard on which you can type normally. Obviously this can be configured in the OS to show the keys you need and all kinds of localized layouts (the Z-Y inversion of german, French Azerty, Italian accented letters, Dvorak, Quake symbols...). This would be quite expensive, but also very very cool...


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## chevy (Aug 16, 2003)

Virtual keyboard with force-feedback... yeah !


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## Arden (Aug 16, 2003)

Apple should support this or this.

Matrix:  Why not use Bluetooth with the remote?


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## Reality (Aug 16, 2003)

Here is one I like to see. A Auto Pilot. 

It be a app where you use a menu of some kind you can select what other apps you like have turn them selves on. For example with this I could set my Mac to turn on by it's self at 8:00 in the morning, then it open iTunes and select my favorite station or playlist and start playing.


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## Matrix Agent (Aug 17, 2003)

> _Originally posted by arden _
> * Matrix:  Why not use Bluetooth with the remote? *



I originally thought the same thing, but bluetooth is a short range interconnect, it's more likely that 802.11g would be used over everything else.

I believe we're on the same page though, I'd love to see bluetooth pushed forward wherever it can be applied. Adoption of Bluetooth has been dog slow.


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## Arden (Aug 17, 2003)

Reality:  In OS 9, you could set your computer to start up and shut down at specified times, and you could put stuff in your Startup Items so that the computer would be all ready to go when you got to it.

One small quibble:  I don't know what country you live in, so I don't know how familiar you are with English syntax.  In English you put the word "an" before words starting with vowels or vowel sounds, so "a chicken lays an egg."  The only reason I bring it up (I don't usually correct grammatical errors like this) is that it's a little hard to read your posts when you say something like "a app;" it presents a sort of mental stumbling block.


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## Androo (Aug 17, 2003)

They should improve Classic so that you can switch to os 9 instantly (os x logs out and os 9 comes to the front).

Also it would be neat if windows and mac came together to make one SuperOS. It would take time, but slowly it would turn into a nice operating system.
It would use a dock, right click and it shows the windows in the program. The X and all that would be on the right side. You could switch between a few themes.... Aqua, Brushed, Luna XP, Silver XP, and a cool default theme.
Then all games and programs would work on it. All of the things made for Mac or Windows, and some stuff that's new and made for the new system!


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## Arden (Aug 17, 2003)

Not going to happen, for reasons we discussed.


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