But will it actually be "nothing short of Apple’s reconception of personal computing," as Gruber opined? What I think he's getting at is the sentiment embodied by already announced products like the Litl and Google's Chrome OS. This is the middle ground between the desktop and mobile software platforms, which makes perfect sense for a hardware device that fills a similar position. The "reconception" part comes in when you consider how many people really need the power—and the complexity that comes with it—of a desktop platform, and in what situations. As a computer geek watching the Chrome OS introduction video, it's hard not to think about how much easier some people's lives would be (hi Mom and Dad) if they could trade technical complexities they don't care about for vastly increased simplicity and ease of use.

As my last foray into Apple rumour land states:

I've been "predicting" a Mac Tablet for 4 years now. Today, it would be more like a super iPhone or iPod Touch, with a 7" screen.

Now Om has been reading the tea leaves and finally thinks that a Mac Tablet / Netbook / Super iPhone is something we might see from Apple soon:

First of all, people are looking for a cheap, connected Internet device that is “not a laptop.” I was recently watching an interview with Amazon’s Jeff Bezos on Charlie Rose, in which he talked about the Kindle being flexible enough to encourage new kinds of media consumption, including multimedia books and newspapers with immersive content and interactivity. I think he is spot on — and just from that perspective, Apple has to be thinking really hard about this looming opportunity.

Secondly, I think the emergence of the iPod touch/iPhone is changing how we perceive and interact with computers. My friend Antonio Rodriguez, who founded and sold his startup Tabblo to Hewlett Packard, thinks that a whole generation of kids is now growing up with keyboardless computing as a default way to interact with machines.

I carry around a paper notebook for a couple of reasons. One is that I "think better" when I'm scribbling, and it stays in my brain. Secondly, I can engage someone directly and still take notes, rather than create a barrier with a laptop screen. I can see a tablet-like device being a good fit here.

Tomorrow is the Macworld 2009 keynote, this time by Phil Schiller instead of Jobs. Regardless, it's that time of year again -- Apple rumour time! Mac Rumors is still my favourite site for this sort of thing -- here is their 2009 rumor roundup. They are on twitter now, so as well as the MacRumorsLive site, you can also follow them @macrumors.

The rumors seem pretty believable. I'd like to think something more exciting is planned for the MacBook Pro 17" than just a better battery. Maybe touchscreen instead of a keyboard? That's what I was thinking last time ... no keyboard, no trackpad, an entire touchscreen / tablet interface on the "bottom half". Think what this would do for audio mixers, Photoshop tools, etc. etc. I call this crazy wild idea the "Macbook DS" (partial props to UnConed on that one). (you know, kind of like I predicted 2 years ago :P)

So...who else thinks there is going to be an iPhone Nano?

The main complaint against the iPhone seems to be the price point. Looking at things like the widely popular Motorola RAZR, which ended up in the mass market price bracket, I just have to believe that Apple is thinking along the same lines.

A similar form factor as the Nano, except screen taking the place of the click wheel. What else removed? Not sure, maybe no wifi? Limited storage?

Anyway, just thought I would record this crazy idea. I have no inside information, only time will tell if I'm right. And without a photoshop mock up, I'm not going to get tons of traffic :P

Update: Alexa commented and made a Photoshop of an iPod Touch Nano / iPhone Nano:

Troy posts some predictions for Apple's October 12 event. He figures Intel-based Powerbooks and iPod Minis that have no hard drives. He also says "I really doubt all this nonsense about video iPods. I just can't see it. Video is not that useful to people".

Well, I've already speculated that an Airport Express Video might be more likely than a video iPod (I would buy a Sony PSP over a video iPod...but that would mean Apple would need to allow Fairplay DRM to be built into the PSP, which seems unlikely).

I've been writing about iTunes Movies since October 2004...when the iPod Photo came out. I really do think video is "useful" to people. At least, in the small world of anecdotal stories.

Apple has stopped posting new music video content for the past couple of weeks. This seems to be one indication that *something* with video is coming. What if they did offer video content? Movies? TV Shows? I mean, Google Video is already going to be offering UPN's "Everybody Hates Chris".

PDA Mac? iBook mini? Palmtop Mac?

Don't believe the rumours. I've got the real scoop. It's going to be a tablet!

I wrote up my Mac tablet predictions earlier, but let's do a recap:

Om's post about the Sonos Digital prodded me to write up my Mac Tablet prediction (and Media Mac and movies from iTunes).

Well, that, and I said it out loud talking to Marc Canter and Robert Scoble at BBS05, so I need to make sure I stake my blogosphere claim.

(Note to Scoble: I'll get around to turning on full posts again one of these days. Sorry about that.)