An iPhone is a Netbook?

By Jeff Moriarty (Intel) (33 posts) on October 31, 2008 at 1:17 pm

Last week Steve Jobs, in that special way he has of tossing out little random nuggets of chaos into the industry, basically said that Apple already had a netbook out there called the iPhone. As a rabid iPhone and netbook user, I called Shenanigans.

Then a series of articles at What's On iPhone made me stop and give it some more thought. The lines between smartphones, iPhone, netbooks, and all the rest grow increasingly fuzzy, so maybe I jumped the gun on my assessment.  I spent some time really thinking about how I used each, and decided that the three features of my netbooks that I value the most are:

Portable: I can grab my netbook as I head out the door and don't need a backpack or messenger bag. Sometimes I'll even take it "just in case" I may need it, where I'll only grab my Macbook if I know for a fact I will need it along the way.  Here the iPhone meets the criteria just fine. Even better, since I can't fit my Eee PC in my pant's pocket. Passed.

Powerful: I used to have a Windows Mobile phone and used it for basic phone calls, email, and in a pinch maybe getting some information off the internet (which is NOT the same as just web surfing). As I've noted before, I barely use my iPhone for the "phone" part of it at all. I use it for email, games, notes, information, and nearly normal web surfing on occasion. It's a very powerful little device.  Passed.

Functional: Here's where the wheels come off. For all the power in my iPhone, I just can't get at like I need to for many things.  For example, I type more on my iPhone than I did on my smartphone, but I'm still not writing a big blog post. Nor am I preparing a presentation, reviewing lots of data, or building anything complex. It's both an input (no keyboard) and output (screen size) issue. It's not a bad thing by itself, but it just limits the use cases for which the iPhone is a solution.  I can't put typed data in at a reasonable speed, and the zoom and pan of the iPhone just isn't enough for even mildly complicated work I do on a netbook. Significant Fail.

So I stand by my calling of Shenanigans.  The iPhone has a lot going for it, but it is not and never will satisfy the needs of netbook users.  Personally, I'm hoping Mr. Jobs was just stalling because judging by the number of people out there attempting to get OSX running on existing netbooks, if Apple ever came out with their own netbook (Macbooklette? Macnetbook? Netmac?) I wouldn't be standing in line to buy one all by myself.

Categories: Mobility

Comments (9)

October 31, 2008 5:41 PM PDT


Hong Cho		 I think it's more appropriate to say that an iPhone is a MID.

Hong.
October 31, 2008 5:42 PM PDT


Hong Cho		 ... And that could be the reason why "MID" is not taking off.

Hong.
October 31, 2008 6:40 PM PDT

Jeff Moriarty (Intel)
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 @Hong - I actually agree with you, an iPhone is a great example of what most people consider a MID. It fits that model much better than a netbook, and I can't see those two categories every combining.
November 1, 2008 9:54 AM PDT


UX-admin		 Look, an iPhone is something no netbook is: a fit-in-your pocket UNIX server. A real UNIX server!

Install OpenSSH, Apache, PHP, PostgreSQL RDBMS, and sky is the limit! Currently no other product is a full featured UNIX server in that form factor.

And since I can connect to an iPhone via SSH, I can use any other device which has SSH software, to comfortably work on the iPhone as my server.

And with Apache, PHP, and PostgreSQL in such a small form factor... what a powerful server that is!

The only major drawback, and the reason why I refuse to get an iPhone is that it's a closed source platform, and that the device is not available to buy and use with whichever provider *I* choose.

I like prepaid mobile. And I'm absolutely not going to stand for uncle Steve dictating me how I'm to use a device.
November 2, 2008 3:05 PM PST


Stefano F.		 Also, the only thing that saves Apple from anti-trust is the claim that "hey, it's just a phone".

On a Netbook you could never forbid home-brew apps, or forbid competition (with your own product) forcing everyone to get approved (or refused) to the appstore, and sharing (an insane amount of) earnings with the OS software house.

Shuold also said, because of the security (or whatever) limitations imposed to the third party apps, a lot of functionality is lost. Apps can't share data with other apps. Is that netbook comparable ?
November 3, 2008 9:54 AM PST

Jeff Moriarty (Intel)
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 @UX-admin - I like your view of the iPhone as a Linux server. I've talked with lots of people who love to see a device similiar to the iPhone - where it is provided as a complete system for average consumers - but can be added, modded, and expanded freely by more advanced users. Rather than a locked down storefront, something more akin to the Add-ons model that Mozilla uses for Firefox.

@Stefano - A Mozilla-style add-on store for MIDs like Firefox has would let the community rate, discuss, and decide which apps are the best without having to go through a single controlling company. It would be an interesting model.
November 3, 2008 11:09 PM PST


UX-admin		 No as a "Linux server", UNIX(R) server!

I have no interest in GNU/Linux, other than it is currently the only available free/open source OS running on a device that small.

What I would really *love* to see is an OpenSolaris powered phone, with SSH, PostgreSQL, PHP and Apache2 running an OpenSolaris distro with Buluetooth drivers, and configured to also be used as a quad band GSM and 3G mobile phone, to work with *ANY* telecommunications provider in the world.

Especially important would the that this device is not SIM-locked, or gerally locked in any way.

I envision this device as a OpenSolaris UNIX server configured to serve as a mobile phone and a PDA at the same time, which I could use on the road to make phone calls and schedule meetings, with applications powered by the PostgreSQL, PHP and the Apache web server on it, ala "E-groupware" (a free/OSS pandan of MS Exchange and Outlook), http://www.egroupware.org/.

This device would absolutely top all known competition: what can be more flexible than a full blown UNIX System V Release 4 powered system, running on an intel or ARM CPU?
March 12, 2009 7:12 PM PDT


stopkidding		 UX-admin, I like your enthusiasm, but when was the last time you wanted to use a Unix server? I have never woken up with the urge, "today I am going use a Unix server and sip some fine coffee". As far as most users are concerned, whats more important is what you can do with these devices (pictures, web, IM, email) and how easy they are to use (touch screens, keyboards, screen resolution) that define whether a device is user friendly and "powerful". I agree with some of your issues about apple's closed source approach. Personally I won't buy the iphone yet, but as far as what's running inside, I wouldn't care if its was a hamster sitting inside an iphone doing the math. As long as its easy to use and meets the needs of users. This is where apple get their market. For me its neither.

As for the MID vs Netbook questions, hhmm the jury is still out, but I hope to see MIDs that are far more functional than the iphone.
December 23, 2009 10:48 PM PST


Tameem		 does win7 has outlook messenger? if no outlook messenger works on win7

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