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The Comfort Of Small Things (2/14/02)
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We're sure that plenty of Mac fans must have been pretty elated last month when Steve took the wraps off the new iBook with the 14-inch screen; sure, you get the same number of pixels, but those pixels are bigger, which, for some people, makes all the difference. After all, it's all about choice. Want maximum mobility, minimum weight, and a petite but high-res screen? Get one of the 12-inch puppies. Eyes maybe not what they once were, and an extra pound or so doesn't give you pause? Then the 14-incher is for you. Stock options may not hold the allure they once did, but product options are still pretty darn cool.
But what's this? Mac OS Rumors reports that come this summer, all iBooks will come with 14-inch screens. That's fine for the "bigger is better" crowd, but what about all of the road warriors who snapped up the iBook in record numbers specifically because of its ultraportable form factor? We heard complaints from viewers for years bemoaning the lack of a sub-five-pound laptop in Apple's product line; we even heard of people going to extreme measures to trick out PowerBook 2400s (Apple's last subnotebook, discontinued way back in the spring of 1998) to extend their capabilities and useable lives well beyond what modern science had thought possible. We're dead certain that the pent-up demand for a mini-PowerBook contributed hugely to the iBook's record-breaking sales numbers.
So Apple, if you're listening, consider this a plea on behalf of all globe-trotting Mac users who know what a difference an extra pound on the shoulder can make while hurtling through the airport on the way to the gate. Likewise, an extra inch and a half of width can take up a surprising amount of room in a shoulder bag, and that additional inch of depth probably doesn't help when trying to get work done in coach when the passenger in front of you decides to recline his seat back. Right now the whole alleged move to all-14-inch displays is "just a rumor," but if it actually comes to pass, we envision lots of 2400-style preservation tactics being applied to obsoleted 12-inchers another four or five years down the line.
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SceneLink (3570)
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And Now For A Word From Our Sponsors |
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 | | The above scene was taken from the 2/14/02 episode: February 14, 2002: Happy Valentine's Day! Here, chew on some highly questionable Apple handheld rumors. Meanwhile, Apple touts the UNIX purring at the heart of Mac OS X to an annual gathering of geeks, and rumor has it that the itty-bitty 12-inch iBook may be going bye-bye this summer to make room for an all-14-inch line-up...
Other scenes from that episode: 3568: Just LOVE Them PDA Rumors (2/14/02) Ah, Valentine's Day-- that glorious celebration of love inspired by the historic occasion of St. Hallmark driving all shame out of the greeting card business in the early 1400s. Well, AtAT may not by a virtual luv-fest like some sites we could mention (heartfelt congratulations to CmdrTaco and Kathleen Fent on their Very SlashDot Proposal and subsequent engagement; we're certain their geek love will flourish gloriously), but in the spirit of the day, we thought we'd dish out something extra-special for those of you feeling a little lonely without the PDA of your dreams by your side... 3569: Hey UNIX Geeks; Join Us! (2/14/02) We're certain that some of you are still coming to terms with the fact that Apple is replacing the traditional Macintosh operating system with a colorful candy shell on top of some big, ugly command-liney stuff, but sooner or later you're probably just going to have to accept it: the future of the Mac is Mac OS X, and under the hood, Mac OS X is UNIX...
Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast... | |  |
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