mendax.org

When we commented on the Macbook Air, we were not pleased with the unit’s price, particularly as it reflected the unit’s function. In brief, we would have rather seen a compact, portable machine designed around internet use. This is where sub-notebook computers like the Eee PC are finding their niche, as most consumers don’t need more than a web browser and a word processor. Interestingly, Apple’s iPhone already meets the basic criteria of an ultra-portable internet machine, but lacks the usability required to do any serious writing or networking. That’s because the iPhone’s weaknesses are the lack of a real keyboard, the inability to multitask effectively, and a screen size that doesn’t bode well for our precious eyes or patience, what with having to constantly turn the iPhone 90 degrees to jump into horizontal mode, else push/pinch the screen to find a zoom state we’re content with.

The iPhone does, however, have the computing power necessary to do what we want. That’s why an iPhone “dock” of sorts would make for a useful accessory, effectively doubling the time we spend with our iPhone. Imagine a small notebook-like enclosure that doesn’t have many of a computer’s internals, since most of what we need is already in the iPhone. Give this skeleton a 10-inch screen, appropriately-sized keyboard, and a slot in which to throw the iPhone, and we have virtually everything we need to fulfill our internet/blogging machine concept. With the exception of a power cord (which could be just a normal iPod USB-to-AC cable), this iPhone station would serve as an economic, basic computer designed around portability and common use. In effect, it would be what the Air should have been all along.

We’ll take our concept a few steps further, however, to outline what we see as the missing Apple venture. For lack of better marketing, we’ll term our vision the iPhone Annex. Re-hashing the aforementioned features and a few others, the basic spec-sheet would look something like this:

• Screen: a touch-sensitive display so that a trackpad is unnecessary, this screen could also be turned around 180 degrees and closed to create an ultra-portable tablet PC, effectively making the Annex into a large iPhone.
• SD slot: secure digital would be the ideal expansion mechanism for the Annex, allowing users to save precious space on their iPhones for media.
• Backup battery: to power the Annex’ screen while on the go, and to preserve iPhone battery life, a replaceable backup battery would allow the Annex to extend the iPhone’s normal battery life.
• Speakers: to better listen to the iPhone’s music library while the Annex is in use.
• Video output: Just as current-gen iPods have video-out, so would the Annex, allowing it to be hooked up to a larger, non-touchscreen display for “desktop” use. In this configuration, the Annex’ screen can be used in tablet mode as a large trackpad, else as a second display.
• Price: as a $250 accessory, the Annex becomes a usable product along with the purchase of a $400 iPhone, hitting a sweet price-point of $650. With an iPod Touch, the Annex could run as cheap as $550 sans data network.

The core of the Annex, the iPhone, would enable the Annex to be online virtually anywhere, what with the iPhone’s built-in wi-fi and EDGE 3G. The Annex could also leverage the iPhone’s bluetooth for adding a wireless mouse. Best of all, with a common iPhone interface, the Annex could be used with any iPhone, meaning that upgrading one’s computer would be as simple as upgrading one’s cell phone.

While the Annex wouldn’t turn any heads in terms of processing power, it could still replace many a basic computer, and would be the ultimate mobile Internet tool for bloggers and writers on-the-go. The Annex, powered by the iPhone, would be a near instant-on device, which alters iPhone application threading only inasmuch as multitasking is concerned; a minimal amount of switching between applications would be necessary to enable users copy/pasting between applications via a clipboard.

Many might argue that the Annex is too much like a Newton (whose market was arguably small), but we argue that the Annex’ features are ideal for a niche market that the Eee PC is only starting to cater to. Frankly, we’re not alone in saying that we’d gladly replace our MacBook Pro for a desktop and an Annex, given that we can easily synch what we need to between the two. At worst, the Annex will sell a few more iPhones, and at best, it would dominate the compact notebook market like only Apple could.

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