Interesting how quickly things change. On first look at the iPad I posted my opinion that it was not for serious fictionwriters. Why? Because, the the kind of pounding fictionwriters do, its virtual keyboard was not a serious contender for the toolbox. Well, that’s all over now. FADE OUT/FADE IN: Apple, about to unveil the iPad, is already offering a bluetooth keyboard that just might do close the discussion. Check it out.

If you’re writing your novel on a Mac wouldn’t you’d love to be able to slip off to some dark, quiet coffeehouse, plug some music into your ears ,and write like crazy in a place so anonymous it surrounds you with invisible support?

But who wants to lug even a Macbook around all the time. And so far, the iPhone offers no keyboard alternative. E-e-hh, so you stay home.

It’s true there’s a hole in the Apple repertoire where a netbook should be–-and the iPad doesn’t really fill it. But footloose authors rejoice! Restless minds have figured out ways of getting OS X (specifically Snow Leopard, maybe earlier, I don’t know) onto various Windows-native netbooks. The one it works best with seems to be the Dell Mini 10V (street price under $300), so without further ado, here are a couple of articles that’ll tell you what you need to know, step by step:: How to Hackintosh a Dell Mini 10V into the Ultimate Snow Leopard Netbook and Netbook Compatibility Chart (Just get a Dell Mini 10V

See you in the coffeehouse. (I’ll be the unapproachable guy behind the impenetrable shades.)