Jobs reported working on Apple netbook

By Jake Widman
Tuesday, 14 April 2009 02:44

Technology

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, Steve Jobs is still working on future Apple projects--one of which sounds a lot like a netbook.

The main thrust of the article is that even though Jobs is officially on medical leave, he is still closely involved in Apple's products and direction.

His involvement is mostly reviewing plans (and, presumably, giving feedback), such as those for the new iPhone OS unveiled last month.

But in a boost to the Rumor That Would Not Die, the article says Apple's working on "a portable device that is smaller than its current laptop computers but bigger than the iPhone or iPod Touch."

That description would certainly fit a netbook, especially one with a touchscreen. Netbooks are the fastest-growing segment of the PC market, and Apple is conspicuous by its absence.

At the same time, the company's iPhone and iPod touch, with their wireless capabilities and built-in e-mail and Web browser, already do much of what people use netbooks for.

The speculation also dovetails with earlier reports about Apple hardware orders.

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