jkOnTheRun debate- what do you want in a Mac netbook?

Kevin and I had one of our Skype chats this morning that quickly turned to a topic that we’ve both given a lot of thought.   We both use netbooks and we both use Macs in our daily routine and the conversation quickly turned to what would we like to see Apple produce on the netbook front?  It became apparent quickly that Kevin and I have different views on this subject and it sounded like a good idea to both give our views and then open this up for discussion with you the readers.

JK:  I have a hard time envisioning an Apple netbook because of my own definition of what makes a netbook.  We think of netbooks as small laptops but to me that’s not what makes a netbook a netbook.  Small laptops are nothing new, they have been around for years, most of them produced in Asia.  They have always been very expensive when compared to other laptops and I see the main difference between netbooks of today and those small notebooks is price.  I feel that the low price point is what makes the netbook so popular.   When I think of a Mac netbook I don’t see the low prices possible due to Apple’s price premium.  So when I think of a Mac netbook, MacBook Mini if you will, I just can’t see Apple getting the price low enough to make the netbook grade.

This leads me to think about a small Mac notebook in general terms.  If I put price aside for the moment how small would I like to see them go?  Netbooks come in varying sizes, from 7-inch screens up to 10.2-inch screens.  The trend seems to be moving to the high end of that spectrum today on the netbook front. Based on my intended usage of the little Mac notebook the smallest I’d be willing to go would be a 10-inch screen.  The keyboard is very important to me in my writing work and my experience with notebooks with a screen smaller than 10 inches leaves me with a keyboard that I wouldn’t be happy with for extended use.  A 10-inch screen device would be a nice small size for portability so I could live with that.  To be honest though, if that would require compromising the keyboard then I’d be happier with an 11 or 12-inch screen.  A MacBook Pro at that size would be the perfect notebook for me.

The discussion with Kevin also embraced processor speed.  Would I be happy with an Atom-equipped Mac for daily use?  I’m not sure.  I think it would depend on a couple of things.  If the Atom could run OS X well then I could probably live with it, if it would make for a much lower price point on the MacBook Mini.  But I think that if this little MacBook would end up being as expensive as I think it would then I probably don’t want the Atom inside.  A $800+ MacBook Mini, which is where I think such a device would start, is too much for me to settle for the reduced performance of the Atom.  I’m going to be happier with a Centrino 2 inside for that kind of money.

Based on the above expectations how much would I spend for such a little MacBook?  That’s a tough question.  If it was going to cost me $1,000 or more then I’d more likely want a full MacBook Pro system in a smaller package.  If Apple could get the price down near $600 then I’d be willing to settle for reduced performance and frills.  I can’t see myself paying more than $800 for a notebook from anybody that has too many shortcuts, however.  Once I start reaching that level of pricing I want a full-blown notebook, however small.

KCT: OK, this the last time I let you go first in a debate… I see you lifted my name of MacBook Mini! ;) There’s no doubt that the term "netbook" means different things to different people. And I certainly agree that price is helping to define the netbook market. Unfortunately, Apple isn’t a company that offers a single product that is by far, the lowest priced when compared to its competitors. I’m willing to accept that due to the positive daily experience and that’s why I’d pay up to $800 for a Apple designed netbook. That would fit it nicely under the MacBook line that starts at $1,099 for a 13.3-inch notebook. It doesn’t have to be as thin as the MacBook Air, nor does it have to be as powerful as any other device in the MacBook line. At least not for me.

I’d be looking for either an 8.9- or 10-inch MacBook Mini that weighs in around two or two-and-a-half pounds. I already know that I can touch-type on a device with a 8.9-inch screen, but of course for me, it has to have a full-sized Right-Shift key. No cutting corners there… we’re already compromising on the overall keyboard size, so let’s not compromise further there. If the Acer Aspire One and MSI Wind can offer me that keyboard, an Apple MacBook Mini should be able to as well.

Speaking of the MSI Wind, let’s tie in performance. Although it’s a "no-no", some folks have installed Mac OS X on the Wind, which is running the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom. While that won’t compete with our Intel Core 2 Duo MacBook Pros, the evidence I’ve seen shows pretty peppy performance. At least enough to use the MacBook Mini for the majority of everyday tasks. I’ve already proven that I can just use a web-browser and no client apps for 60-days, so an Intel Atom MacBook Mini ought to work nicely. Putting anything else in under the hood would just be overkill for the use-cases of this device, while reducing battery life faster and causing heat issues. With the Atom, I think I can work all day on the web, but still have enough "oomph" for some lighter native and third-party apps.

Why wouldn’t I just get a five-pound MacBook for $1,099? Well, if I can get something smaller but nearly as usable that will run longer on a single charge and weigh 60% less, that’s worth $800 to me. Sure, I’d love to see an OS X netbook that’s comparable to the $299 to $599 netbooks, but history has told me not to hold my breath. Besides, the HP Mini-Note got a nice review and that device can run upwards of $829 when fully loaded, so is $800 too much to ask? Put another way: I was happy with Mac OS X on my UMPC with a 7-inch screen and that device cost me $1,300. Sign me up for a Mac netbook at $800 or less!

JK:  Points well taken and thanks for the MacBook Mini name.  :)  What I hear us both saying is that price is important but not as important on Apple Mac devices as it is for other netbooks.  That speaks volumes for the user experience we both get on our Macs, doesn’t it?  What I’m also hearing is that you’d pay $800 for an Apple netbook (FruitBook, if you will).  Me, I’m not happy paying that much for ANY netbook, not even a Mac.  If the price point gets that high then I don’t want to compromise on any performance nor components.  I’d rather have a full package at that high price.  You’re right when you point out that some netbooks can run that high already, but I personally wouldn’t buy one.  It starts getting into the area of giving up too much for the money to me.

KCT: I hate to admit that I’m willing to pay more for an Apple product, but obviously I am since I have in the past. While everyone’s experiences can vary, I have far less "downtime" with my MacBook Pro than I do with any of the other computers I currently or have previously owned. I won’t say they’re perfect, but they tend to offer me a more enjoyable and more stable experience. That in itself is worth a premium because my time is worth money.

But price isn’t the only factor here: in using ultra-mobile PCs for two-and-a-half years and netbooks since last October, I’ve come to find that the OS implementation is clearly a differentiator in this market. Custom Linux builds that offer the most functions a majority of folks will use is a start, but it’s not a proven model just yet. Add in the fact that we’re seeing so many different Linux interfaces and well… I’ll go with one that’s familiar to me and one that has a greater amount of third-party application support.

In the end, I could spend $800, or less even, and get a "full featured" notebook but it’s going to be heavier and be overkill for my mobile needs. At home or for heavy duty tasks, I’m good with my MacBook Pro. On the road, I don’t need a "full-figured" machine. I need a small, stable device that can do 90% of what my home computer can do. Or even 100% in a pinch.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Why iPad 2 Will Lead Consumers Into the Post-PC Era
• The Near-Term Evolution of Social Commerce
• Content Farms: The Players, The Benefits, The Risks