So when is Apple going to release a smart book? Not that many people want a smart slate. [iPad]

Say the iPad supported Flash, had a camera, and ran a new iPhone OS that had multitasking. It sounds great, but what about a keyboard? What is the iPad when you really sit down and think about it? It’s a device with a large display running an operating system designed for hand held devices. We all laughed when Qualcomm showed off “smart books” for the first time, running the stock version of Google’s Android operating system, but the iPad isn’t any different, if anything it’s simply a “smart slate”.

At CES, just a couple of weeks ago, Lenovo introduced something called the Skylight. The video below got less than 2,000 views on YouTube, but it touches on all the points Steve Jobs’ mentioned during the iPad’s 90 minute product announcement, all in the span of 1 minute and 42 seconds. It’s a 10 inch, ultra thin (less than 0.7 inches), ultra light (less than 2 pounds), laptop with 10 hours of battery life, 20 GB of built in storage, HDMI out, 3G, that’s meant to be in between your laptop and your smartphone, all for just $499, and most importantly running an ARM processor. In this case the 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon. That should give you some idea of how competitive Apple comes in terms of pricing; for the cost of a base model iPad you get a keyboard, 4 GB more storage, a web cam, and built in 3G with Lenovo’s product.

Will the Lenovo Skylight sell is a question of how many sacrifices people are willing to make in terms of user experience. I guarantee you that their ARM optimized Linux isn’t going to be anywhere near as nice to use as the iPad operating system, but for some that’s OK since they just want a browser window to type facebook.com and gmail.com into. This begs the question, when will Apple make a smart book?

If Apple released a 9.7 inch version of the iPad and made it look somewhat like a shrunken down MacBook Air, would you buy it? How much more appeal would it have to you if it had that familiar laptop form factor that you’re used to?

About The Author

Stefan Constantinescu

Stefan Constantinescu (@WhatTheBit on Twitter) has loved technology since as far back as he can remember. It started with computers, but in the past few years his passion has turned to mobile devices. As a mobile phone enthusiast who lives and breathes devices that connect to the internet, he knows he is not alone with this radical fascination of all things wireless. He is strongly opinionated and enjoys a good debate so leave comments in his posts and he’ll get back to you! Stefan began blogging as a hobby in the fall of 2006 and joined IntoMobile in the summer of 2007. Later he got a job at Nokia in March 2008, but as of June 2009 he has rejoined the IntoMobile team. He is currently based out of Helsinki, Finland.

Jody

I don’t give a crap about a keyboard. I have a real PC at for the important things, but in a mobile device I only use it for trolling Apple fanbois in the forums and writing emails quick anyway. But as a portable browser/email/videos the iPad is getting close.

Hardware wise it is pretty good. But the really important thing is do I want to submit to Uncle Steve.

Give me multitasking and a more open OS and I would be there. So, someone please make me something just the same with an SD slot and running Windows 7. Nokia… tablet Booklet 3G perhaps?
Jody

Hmmm, less beer perhaps. I meant that I have a real PC at home for the important things.
Chris P

Nokia Booklet? (if it was a tad cheaper..)
a.p.k.a.y

Wasnt it the basic model of iPad supposed to be 16GB and not 4GB as you say, no?
Stefan Constantinescu

“4 GB more storage” as in the Skylight has 4 GB more than the 16 GB on the iPad.
Lee

Really don’t see how you have the balls to write this crap after you already wrote…

My theory on the Apple Tablet: It doesn’t exist, will never exist, and it is probably a 10 inch laptop

All your doing is proving what a WANKER you are, if you don’t know what a wanker is then substitute CUNT for it…
MarkInDallas

The biggest attraction of the iPad is the fact you don’t have to have it opened like a laptop and you are not set into landscape mode. I also like the high resolution of the screen.

I don’t see any advantage of the skylight over my laptop. Can you easily manipulated it standing up and talking to someone? Seems clunky.
Kevin

I think $499 for either product is still asking too much. Disruptive technologies (those that start a new market or turn an old market on its head) tend to enter at a low price point that leaves the competition and the status quo scrambling to catch up. That’s not happening here.

I can get a netbook that will do much more than the Skylight or the iPad for about half the price. That netbook has excellent battery life (5+ hours depending on usage), runs a multitasking “install whatever you want” OS (XP, Vista, Win7, a Linux flavor), has a webcam, USB ports, and 160GB of storage. If I want 3G wireless, I’ll attach a Verizon / Sprint / AT&T 3G USB antenna card and pay for their month-to-month service (about the same price as iPad’s predicted month-to-month 3G cost). Anything your iPad / Skylight can do, my netbook can do better – and at half the cost. iPad was obsolete the second Steve unveiled it on stage.