Thoughts on the rumoured Apple MID (Mobile Internet Device)

On May 15, 2008, jnaina posted the following:

I have been recently mulling over this whole iTablet MID thingy that Apple is reportedly working on, to try to put this in perspective of what the market is ready for, looking back at the way the PC has evolved over the years.

A number of companies in the past 15 years have run after the touchscreen computer market intently, only having had their collective fingers burned badly. I remember AT&T with their EO, Slate computers, and later followed by Momenta (remember that disaster anyone?), 3COM Audrey, various other Internet tablets and more recently Microsoft with their Tablet PCs and the laughable Origami UMPC disaster of a form-factor. None have ignited the imagation of the consumer and have been largely relegated to niche uses in certain verticals like healthcare, logisitcs and education.

But the recent phenomena of cloud based computing and increasing interests in devices like the Asus EEPC and the Everex Cloudbook (and to extraploate this to include the OLPC from Nichloas Negroponte and team), I believe the circumstances are right for a unique class of device that straddles somewhat between a mobile phone device and the traditional laptop. And at the sametime, with continued the evolution of the “Software as a Service” (SaaS) concept, cloud computing, media-rich browsers with technologies like Adobe AIR and Microsoft Silverlight for rich mobile content/applications, along with ubiquitous access to bandwidth (like community wifi or celco wifis), all the elements are in place for the evolution of a third type of computing platform/form factor: a ultra-portable, small factor, always on, solid-state, wireless, touch screen, internet cloud based device, for use on the go.

So if Apple takes their iPhone platform, adds a faster energy efficient processor (Intel Atom), OS X with multi-touch, Safari with Adobe Air thrown in, Wifi, with a larger screen at 800×600 resolution, front & back cameras for chat and collaboration, wifi/HSPA, and a good size battery. And added to this, they launch an improved .Mac service, with more storage, iWork “cloud edition” web based producitivity apps, social network application with IM, an improved “back to my Mac” service, media player with Itunes and TV streaming via MediaFLO, we have the perfect “half-way” platform between the iPhone and the Mac.

This type of device will appeal to mobile knowlegde workers who need mobility, but with slightly larger screen to access remote applications, something bigger than an ipod but smaller and less wieldy than a laptop. This will also appeal to students (imagine access to learning content, online collaboration, chat, IM), to gamers, and casual users. And of course, this will be something that Apple can push for certain vertical markets, especially Medical and Education sectors. And at the right price, it might even win over the OLPC as a low cost educational tool.

Hope El Jobso gets another home-run here, where others have failed…

Thoughts anyone…?

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