The iPadification of Mac
It was inevitable, really. The brave, new, multitouch-capable world pioneered by the iPhone and polished by the iPad was going to become a reality of the venerable Mac. We had seen patent applications proving Apple was leaning this direction and we are all quite familiar with the glass trackpads that have been adorning MacBooks since 2008, eventually becoming their own peripheral, the Magic Trackpad. However, with Apple’s recent Back to Mac event, the tide has begun to come in with force.
Not only did we receive a clear statement that the iPad has begun influencing future Mac development straight from Steve, we also saw a preview of Mac OS X 10.7 (Lion) that features a number of iOS elements, an upcoming Mac App Store, full-screen modes on the iLife ’11 suite that mimic the iPad. More importantly (and most lust-worthy) was the introduction of an entirely flash storage-based MacBook Air. With the new software changes coming down the pipeline – and with the all new 11″ model coming in at just $1000 – you can see a future where your Mac is nearly as thin as your tablet and serves to be a like-minded back up and loading dock when you aren’t lounging on the couch in a more casual habit form.
If I could justify replacing that 2008 MacBook of mine, I would get started on this future today.
(From my Case for the iPad blog.)