Apple Jumping into the Netbook Market?

The buzz recently has been about if Apple should jump into the netbook market, that seems to be growing with computers form all the major computer companies these days. Some could actually argue that the Macbook air in essence is a netbook due to its small size and easy mobility, and if that were the case, then Apple is actually responsible for the netbook. But it seems the term netbook has become much more then just portability. Netbooks now seems to mean portability and cheap, being a laptop less then $500.

Steve Jobs when recently asked about if Apple would make a netbook to compete in the new market of computers he responded with saying that Apple didn't know how to make a computer for less then $500 that wasn't a piece of junk. But again rumors seem to be accumulating again that Apple is actually in the works of a netbook. So the real question is what determines a netbook.

In essence netbooks are small portable device to travel with that can connect to the Internet, and you can use variuse software such as word to get things done. I think it is the consumers who added to the definition of a netbook that it had to be cheap. But netbooks being designed to be portable is actually why they are cheap. For instance being portable means small, and light wait which takes away a cd drive from most and limits them to small screens. Those are two factors that make most netbooks cheap.

When Steve jobs stated Apple didn't know how to make a computer for less then $500 that wasn't a piece of junk, he was not out right saying Apple would not make a netbook, he may of actually been hinting that Apple woudl actually be making a superb netbook. Lets just remember what Apple did with the mp3 player (yes that's what the used to be called), they didn't create the first one, nor did they create a cheap one. What Apple did with the mp3 player was create a high quality one, which although expensive set the standard and eventually ate up the market share.

What if Apple were to do the same thing with netbooks by using there amazng design team that crates a new netbook that is accomplishes the same goal but in a little different way? The rumors of the Apple Netbook have talked about brining touch screen to netbooks. Some have even hinted at a larger version of the ipod touch. If you think about it, the ipod touch in essence is a netbook; its cheap (compared to a computer), portable and it can get you online quickly. Now if thats not a netbook then what is? If Apple comes out with a Netbook, it coudl possible be a larger version of the Ipod touch with a bigger screen. Think tablet pc without the keyboard. Maybe somehtign the size of Amazons Kindle, but just covered in screen. Then just through in osx on it and you have a real netbook with some power! Apple coudl possible chaneg the landscape for netbooks as it did with mp3 players.