Apple needs to kick out a consumer laptop that isn’t four times the price of a netbook .
Why? They are selling everything they make now... and making an excellent return on investment for their shareholders. Why should they join the bottom feeders with a cut-rate, no margin computer that won't last?
:’) Apple probably could use a chunk of that niche. Netbooks have keyboards best suited for small children. The tablet will be the Apple product in the netbook niche, and after having a specialist run electric shocks through their nerves to diagnose their hand injuries, early adopters will be happy to try a different interface. The MacBooks will continue in the laptop/notebook category, but decline in price.