Apple Tablet Speculation Continuing to Gain Attention

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/11/16/apple-tablet-speculation-continuing-to-gain-attention/)

CNNMoney.com today reports (http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/16/technology/apple_tablet/) on the continued hype over Apple's much-rumored tablet computer, citing the multitude of different speculative reports of the device's specs to attempt to paint a picture what users can expect when it is finally announced.If the rumors are true, the tablet will be able to do basically everything a gadget could possibly do. It's an e-reader, a gaming device, and a music player. You can watch TV and movies on it and surf the Internet (or so we've heard). And it will have thousands of third-party apps available for it ... or maybe it will run Mac OS X. That's all still unknown.The report reiterates a number of rumors that have been circulating in recent months, including a price point ranging from $600 (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/08/07/new-analyst-mockup-and-sales-estimates-for-apples-tablet/) to $1000 (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/09/15/apple-tablet-rumors-revived-february-2010-launch-p-a-semi-processor/), multiple models with and without 3G connectivity (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/09/29/apple-tablet-to-run-iphone-os-and-launch-in-may-or-june-2010/), and integrated webcam (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/08/13/apple-tablet-to-offer-webcam-option-serve-as-touchscreen-input-device-for-macs/).

Many Apple fans are eagerly anticipating the device, wondering exactly how Apple is aiming to remake the tablet and netbook market segments in much the same way the iPod and iPhone found novel ways to bring new dimensions to the music player and smartphone device categories."The Tablet will be awesome, and my guess is that it will be an instant hit for people who loved Kindles and people who want netbooks," said David Wertheimer, executive director of Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center.

Wertheimer said he finds it hard to comprehend how the tablet will replace all other on-the-go tech products. "But then again, what I can't imagine, Steve Jobs often can," he added.Others are not so sanguine about the prospects of an Apple tablet being able to serve as an all-in-one device capable of replacing users' computers, media players, and e-Book readers."What we've found in the past with these multi-function devices is that they're better for ad-hoc purposes, like quick and dirty tasks," said Zeus Kerravala, an analyst with Yankee Group. "They're not for any prolonged, high-performance use."While Apple remains as tight-lipped as always about its tablet plans, consumers and industry experts alike are left speculating on just what Steve Jobs and Apple have up their collective sleeve. If rumors are to believed, however, Apple may finally be ready to show its hand early next year, and the market will then decide how well the device achieves Apple's goals and measures up to expectations.

Article Link: Apple Tablet Speculation Continuing to Gain Attention (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/11/16/apple-tablet-speculation-continuing-to-gain-attention/)

[Yixian]

$700 or less or bust.

Also, very very few people who already have iPhone will sign up to yet another contract. Maybe if the tablet could tether via. bluetooth to your iPhone that'd be sweet.

Oh and a seriously discounted educational version would go down very very well, I'm just waiting for this to replace all my textbooks as a medical student.

[sxdev]

Maybe with Touch features and many restrictions but Apple won't give up the opp to get a lot of new full-Mac OS X developers.

[lostngone]

Real or not, the rumors sites and everyone else are going to literally will this thing into existence.

[spazzcat]

I think this would have to be priced in the $350 range or it will flop. No matter how cool it will be...

[Chaszmyr]

I can imagine 3G being optional, and I can also imagine there being units with different HDD (SSD) capacities, but I would be surprised if something like a webcam is optional. It's either going to be there or not. $600-1000 doesn't seem like an unreasonable price range to me, but that entire price difference could be potentially be explained by the size of the SSD.

[Full of Win]

Full OS X or bust!

None of this weak as water mobile OS stuff.

I want to collect images on mine
I want to give ppt presentations with it
I want a hierarchical file structure that I can control
I want to install application on it that have not passed the "Apple Gods" crazy rules that stifle innovation

I want it to be OS X.

[TB Apple]

The killer feature would be a seamlessly integrated keyboard dock. Think of it as a removable touchscreen for the the current Macbook.

With that kind of ability, the $700 - $1000 price point is acceptable.

[Full of Win]

I think this would have to be priced in the $350 range or it will flop. No matter how cool it will be...

The iphone when first released was 499/599. It did not fail in the marketplace.

[sjo]

If the rumors are true, the tablet will be able to do basically everything a gadget could possibly do

rumors based on rumors, it must be true then.

[GregND]

I have been dreaming about a device that would allow me to present Keynote presentations from. I also want a device that will allow me to take written notes with a stylus so that I can draw. Perfect for those science conferences.

[Eminemdrdre00]

The iphone when first released was 499/599. It did not fail in the marketplace.

It might have. It was only $499/$599 for 2 months.

[wackymacky]

Gee... is there anything new here?

I hope "David Goldman, CNNMoney.com staff writer", doesn't get paid alot to write this dross.

[iSee]

rumors based on rumors, it must be true then.

Ouch. What did the nail ever do to you, that you've got to hit it on the head like that?

[MongoTheGeek]

But will it run run hypercard?

[baryon]

So if the Tablet is true, then it will either run OS X, or a new OS. Either way, all those Apps in the App Store won't be compatible with it due to its larger screen right? Or maybe it could enlarge the apps somehow... But if it will have its own App Store, then we're going to have to wait a year to have lots of useful apps again, so that seems like a bit weird...

I think that the best would be if it ran full OS X, or at least a modified version of OS X (to adapt to the touch-based controls), that would be compatible with mostly everything that the full OS X is compatible with... But isn't it kinda lame to have to hold a large screen in your hand while using it? I mean an iPhone is small, and a laptop folds in half so you don't have to hold it or prop it up against something... But I can't imagine using a larger screen without the keyboard part holding it at the right angle...

[thegoldenmackid]

Full OSX and this is going to sell at any price point.

[Bonte]

Speculation and rumors point to a wide range of models, my bet is that Apple will flood all tablet segments. From a big $400 big ipod to a $1000 laptop replacement running the regular osX.

At the moment all this feels like a iPhone Déjà vu.

[bennyek]

Apple Slate anyone? :-)

[Analog Kid]

This really is starting to look like an echo chamber... Can Arn or somebody comment on how many of these rumors are coming from independent and reliable sources? Analysts and web sites are most likely just parroting what they've read here. I'm not sure I even consider CNN a reliable source these days...

[LagunaSol]

Can this mythical device possibly live up to all the rumor and innuendo?

The iPhone managed to - but will lightning strike twice?

P.S. I'd love to see the Newton name on this thing, if and when it actually appears. Time to drop the iStuff naming convention.

[designgeek]

Real or not, the rumors sites and everyone else are going to literally will this thing into existence.

Totally "lol'ed" at this. I bet you're right. I can hear Steve say "Well we didn't want to but..."

Let it be the one device to bring them all together.

[Elzlaik]

I think this would have to be priced in the $350 range or it will flop. No matter how cool it will be...

I wish people would stop saying "It better be cheaper than (insert ridiculous price here)." An iPhone costs more than $350. At the lowest I expect this to be $999 and it will probably get you a slightly upgraded version of the iPhone OS. Personally, I want this let me to install whatever programs I want and to be like a MacBook Air but without the keyboard, running a (nearly) full Snow Leopard. I would be willing to pay the full Air price for this, but realize I must be in the minority as everyone else seems intent on purchasing this Slate with pocket change.

[Eidorian]

It definitely needs to be x86.

[topmounter]

If the rumors are true, the tablet will be able to do basically everything a gadget could possibly do
rumors based on rumors, it must be true then.

rumors based on rumors, it must be true then.

If that rumored rumor is true, then it will be capable of taking your temperature... rectally! :eek:

[DipDog3]

Never ends does it?

Apple needs to release a table to stop the madness!

[SPUY767]

$700 or less or bust.

Also, very very few people who already have iPhone will sign up to yet another contract. Maybe if the tablet could tether via. bluetooth to your iPhone that'd be sweet.

Oh and a seriously discounted educational version would go down very very well, I'm just waiting for this to replace all my textbooks as a medical student.

A hybrid type of display that could run as either an LED backlit LCD panel or an eInk type display with extremely low power requirements would be a nice touch.

[dernhelm]

This is like a snake eating its tail. MacRumors reporting on a CNN story that claims validity because there are so many tablet stories to be found on MacRumors (among other places).

They said nothing new whatsoever. They may have even made a few misquotes along the way. But it's OK because those will be translated into "new rumors" which will feed the cycle again.

[Amnak]

Every one who thinks that it will be below 1000$ is crazy especially if it runs full OsX
1. Apple products are always more expensive(rightfully)
2. Windows runnig tablets are about 1000
3. Apple is competitive

[trose]

I'd definitely want one of these as a secondary computer in the house, and I could see a lot of folks with similar demands.

Right now I've got an iMac and an iPhone... when I'm on the iMac, my wife will take the iPhone to browse and vice-versa. The problem is, the iPhone is just a little too small and slow for browsing sessions at home on WiFi.

This device would be perfect for us... doesn't take a lot of space, is easy to lay in bed with and browse, bigger than an iPhone but not quite as clunky as a laptop.


If they could get it around $699 with no 3G contract required, I'd be all over this.

[powers74]

fishing for hits are we?

[G4R2]

They neglected to mention that it will be powered by pixie dust.

[TheMechanic]

You are all going to be sooo disappointed when this thing is eventually released because it will definitely not run Mac OS X.
It's operating system will be a hybrid of both Mac OS X and iPhone OS that can probably run all existing iPhone apps and maybe a few simple OS X apps (definitely not Photoshop, Garageband etc.).
Fortunately it won't be as expensive as some folks would like it to be (e.g. 1000$) but it will neither come for 400$ or less.

But this is only my wild speculation...

[GimmeSlack12]

Where and when did this rumor FIRST even come to fruition? I still feel like the Tablet idea was born from thin air. Thus, I just have no idea why people think it will be a reality.

Where did this rumor come from?

[RazHyena]

No 3G contract or mobile OSX. Otherwise I just stick with the iPod Touch.





....assuming we'll ever SEE a tablet. :rolleyes:

[Chupa Chupa]

This is like a snake eating its tail. MacRumors reporting on a CNN story that claims validity because there are so many tablet stories to be found on MacRumors (among other places).

They said nothing new whatsoever. They may have even made a few misquotes along the way. But it's OK because those will be translated into "new rumors" which will feed the cycle again.


Nailed it. Ah, the state of Urinalism today. At least they don't report real news this way. :rolleyes:

I especially love how they are able to narrow down the price range within $400. Talk about painting yourself a large bullseye.

[paradox00]

Every one who thinks that it will be below 1000$ is crazy especially if it runs full OsX
1. Apple products are always more expensive(rightfully)
2. Windows runnig tablets are about 1000
3. Apple is competitive

I think you are looking at the wrong type of tablet, and thus the wrong price range.

http://store.archos.com/A9.php?country=ca&language=en

I would say that there is some room for Apple to price a tablet device above the $549 for the tablet I linked, but below $1000. Although I don't think it will run full OSX, just because Apple could give a better end user experience with a tablet variant of iPhone OS.

[redcrow240]

"If the rumors are true, the tablet will be able to do basically everything a gadget could possibly do. It's an e-reader, a gaming device, and a music player. You can watch TV and movies on it and surf the Internet (or so we've heard). And it will have thousands of third-party apps available for it ... or maybe it will run Mac OS X. That's all still unknown."


Not to badmouth an unreleased and unconfirmed product like the tablet (I like design innovation as much as the next guy), but what exactly can a product like a tablet do that a laptop cant? All the things mentioned can be done on a macbook (or any other laptop). Im just curious if theres been any talk of new innovations.

Im assuming we are to see the next evolution of the oleophobic screen. Any talk of that? It seems like having a device with a screen exposed 100% of the time will be hard to take care of, even worse than an iphone since its much bigger and more dangerous to drop and shatter.

Anybody else dream of the tablet having the design of the macbook pro? just remove the entire display part and place a screen where the keyboard currently is? Have the screen sunken in like that. That lay on the table design would help in case you drop it. The end result would be like having a sort of portable imac. It would even have the slot loading disc drive. Of course the screen would have to have slightly larger dimensions than the keyboard space currently does, so maybe eliminate the trackpad or make it smaller. Keep a front camera and work on making this light in weight with long battery and id buy two of them on launch day :)

[powers74]

Where and when did this rumor FIRST even come to fruition? I still feel like the Tablet idea was born from thin air. Thus, I just have no idea why people think it will be a reality.

Where did this rumor come from?

I think there was some semi-solid evidence that Apple had ordered some 10.2" LCDs or something like that. Probably someone knows a link to the exact post here on MR. Or you could Mroogle it or whatnot.

It would even have the slot loading disc drive.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say no optical.

[stagi]

Real or not, the rumors sites and everyone else are going to literally will this thing into existence.

agree, its just a matter of time :)

[cababah]

As someone with an iPhone and MacBook Pro, I will have a hard time seeing a place for this. iPhone fits in my pocket and is for doing things on the go, MBP for at my desk or stationary places....tablet for...???? Anyone?

[SubtltzSir]

I think there was some semi-solid evidence that Apple had ordered some 10.2" LCDs or something like that. Probably someone knows a link to the exact post here on MR. Or you could Mroogle it or whatnot.

I'm all over it if it's using the iPhone OS. I'm using an earlier tablet wish list as a check list for when this thing finally surfaces (my post from late September - http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=791244 ).

The only things from my earlier post that I'd change now is to up it to full 1080p (DPI on screens have made huge strides - 27in iMac) and the cost could be subsidized with ads to bring it to the folks who can't deal with an $800 list price.

Just a thought. And I love rumours (CDN). :rolleyes:

[paradox00]

Not to badmouth an unreleased and unconfirmed product like the tablet (I like design innovation as much as the next guy), but what exactly can a product like a tablet do that a laptop cant? All the things mentioned can be done on a macbook (or any other laptop). Im just curious if theres been any talk of new innovations.

I think you are approaching this from the wrong angle. I doubt the differentiating feature will be capabilities, but rather ease of use. A laptop can play mp3's, but you don't lug it around in place of a PMP. A PC often has similar specs for a lower price than a mac, but that doesn't result in an equivalent end user experience.

Some things like ebook reading, note taking, laptop internet in front of the TV, accelerometer based games, touch optimized programs, portability, etc would be better with a tablet. Other things like text entry and heavy computing would be worse.

[Data]

"If the rumors are true, the tablet will be able to do basically everything a gadget could possibly do. It's an e-reader, a gaming device, and a music player. You can watch TV and movies on it and surf the Internet (or so we've heard). And it will have thousands of third-party apps available for it ... or maybe it will run Mac OS X. That's all still unknown."


Not to badmouth an unreleased and unconfirmed product like the tablet (I like design innovation as much as the next guy), but what exactly can a product like a tablet do that a laptop cant? All the things mentioned can be done on a macbook (or any other laptop). Im just curious if theres been any talk of new innovations.

Im assuming we are to see the next evolution of the oleophobic screen. Any talk of that? It seems like having a device with a screen exposed 100% of the time will be hard to take care of, even worse than an iphone since its much bigger and more dangerous to drop and shatter.



I totaly agree on that , why would i want a tablet over a book/iphone ?

I untill this day still havent heard anything that the rumored tablet could do that my iPhone or macbook can't do, and for sure not the combo of those 2.

I probably buy it if my wallet alows it but i see it ending up next to my Appletv just gathering dust, i hope i'll get surprised with something innovative do that nobody has tought of yet ;-).

[DaBrain]

Never ends does it?

Apple needs to release a table to stop the madness!

What about the Chairs? ;)

[Marx55]

The iTablet must run Mac OS X applications (full Mac OS X inside - Tablet version). Must be as light and small as possible. Must have video-out and USB 2 ports for Keynote and PowerPoint presentations.

[Burnsey]

If it runs full OSX, has decent specs and a decent res display for under $1000, it will replace my aging MBP.

[NT1440]

Lol, what if apple isn't even working on a tablet right now? I agree with the poster that said this device is literally being willed into existence.

[cmaier]

Lol, what if apple isn't even working on a tablet right now? I agree with the poster that said this device is literally being willed into existence.

Same thing happened with the iPhone. Turned out ok. :-)

[AidenShaw]

It definitely needs to be x86 x64.

If 10.7 is going to drop all 32-bit kernel code (which it should) you wouldn't want the tablets holding it back.

[Rocketman]

You know what I want? I want to be able to ingest content from digital cameras in oddball formats no sane person would voluntarily choose, process it into a usable file format, and then be able to do all the Apple-ly things with it. I don't care if the translation is a cloud function, although a 1 gig HD video upload might be an issue, or a locally run conversion utility for that one task, but getting content in, is a recurring problem when sharing with friends with no taste in brands or file formats.

The newest handtop chips have plenty of local compute power for a format conversion of a family HD video. It might take a while. :)

Rocketman

[cmaier]

If 10.7 is going to drop all 32-bit kernel code (which it should) you wouldn't want the tablets holding it back.

x86 doesn't imply 32-bit. x86-64 (or, as an AMD alumni, I prefer AMD64) is 64-bit. x64 is nothing. x86 is either 32 or 64 bit depending on context. At this point, I don't think you can even find a 32-bit x86 chip.

[whooleytoo]

Some analyst suggested Apple received c. $500m worth of free advertising through rumours sites in the lead-up to the iPhone announcement; simply by throwing out a few scraps of news and letting the internet run with it.

By the looks of it, that seems like a conservative estimate of how much free iTablet advertising Apple is getting!

The great thing about a rumoured, hypothetical consumer device; it CAN be all things to all people. Given the range of features it (apparently) has to have or it'll flop; the actual, real device is going to be a massive let-down, regardless.

[cmaier]

Given the range of features it (apparently) has to have or it'll flop; the actual, real device is going to be a massive let-down, regardless.

That's what they said about the iPhone prior to the announcement. Don't think it turned out that way.

[Jason Beck]

Full OSX and I will even eat my lunch on it.
OSX Tablet / Food Plate!
(built in stylus/spork):eek:

[*LTD*]

Whatever it'll be, it'll be a game-changer. Bet on it.

Apple shares to $300. Easy.

[JohnnyGo]

I think most here realize that Apple has been "creating" this product for a while now and they have certainly being "listening" to all forums and media comments.

I noticed a couple of repeat "requests" in this thread as in previous posts related to the "iTablet". Excluding the clear outliars (price below $399, 240hr battery life :confused:), there is a lot in common:

a) various sizes and features / different price points (3G+WiFi v. WiFi only, Cam v. NoCam, 7" v. 10")

b) expanded iPhone OS (run iPhone apps, in windows and/or full screen, but also add major OSX apps like iWork, Mail)

c) option for NO CONTRACT with mobile carrier :D

d) media playing capabilities (video out) :cool:

e) multiple media syncing options (Mac, Mac mini server, AppleTV, mobileme, itunes, new cloud library, etc)

f) multi-function device (not dedicated) in order to appeal for ereader crowd, multimedia/video crowd, web browsing crowd, etc

g) use new Apple battery technology (used in new MBP) to allow 16hr WiFi web browsing and/or video play (full day)

I think it won't be announced prior to Xmas... but surely, Steve will be dressed as Santa Claus in late January to announce this new device as his gift to all folks that stood by Apple :apple: throughout the last 30 years

I will by one ! :)

[whooleytoo]

That's what they said about the iPhone prior to the announcement. Don't think it turned out that way.

I think the tablet speculation is going even further. Even at launch (without the App Store), the iPhone was fairly feature rich for the time; so it's not surprising it was very well received.

But the expectations for his tablet are off the scale. Some want OSX, some want iPhone OS. For some it's a home media device, for others it's the only computer they'll need. It needs to be small, and light; and have enough power for Photoshop and long battery life. It needs a big-enough screen to be able to work on documents/images; but small enough to hold in one hand (or how else would you use the on-screen keyboard?)

I think there's a genuine market for tablets, and if anyone can get the marketing niche perfect, it's Apple. But the initial release is bound to have a huge negative reaction here.

[Stately]

I'ts coming . . It's definitely on the way, I'm stoked.

[Tulipone]

Personally I wonder if this will apply new injection into the mobile telephone market by out iphoning the iPhone and coming with a bundle deal an internal sim card for browsing. A 2 year (3 year?) contract with your mobile provider would seem likely to me.

Is a tablet a suitable device for displaying presentations with? Not unless it comes with a projector (what a great idea - films also supplied through iTunes?).

Will it work and outkindle a Kindle? Yes, especially if magazines/periodics/newspapers produce a version (though iTunes?).

If it costs more than a macbook, why would you buy it? If it cost almost as much as a macbook air, whats the point? If it were priced between a macbook and an iTouch and provided a decent bit of functionality it will sell big.

[uraniumwilly]

Adios, macbook air.

[hvfsl]

Full OS X or bust!

None of this weak as water mobile OS stuff.

I want to collect images on mine
I want to give ppt presentations with it
I want a hierarchical file structure that I can control
I want to install application on it that have not passed the "Apple Gods" crazy rules that stifle innovation

I want it to be OS X.
It won't have full Mac OS X, for that to happen it would need an Atom CPU and Apple have recently stopped supporting them.

[AidenShaw]

x86 doesn't imply 32-bit. x86-64 (or, as an AMD alumni, I prefer AMD64) is 64-bit. x64 is nothing. x86 is either 32 or 64 bit depending on context. At this point, I don't think you can even find a 32-bit x86 chip.

The original Atoms are x86, some of the newer ones are x64.

Microsoft and Sun, among others, use x86 as the keyword for the 32-bit ISA, and x64 for the 64-bit version.

There are lots of variations (e.g. "x86_64", "x86-64", "Intel® 64")....

[KPJLK]

I wonder if the re-branding of Apple's 13" laptops as "Pro" points to an approaching divergence in the line-up (and so, as Apple sees it, in the market). Fully-functioning, OSX-driven, keyboard-equipped computers for professional or semi-professional use, and tablet devices for everything BUT work. . . to be called, as the name becomes free, the "Macbook".

[Peace]

Embedded OS on a custom ARM ( Apple owned ) processor.

[jeznav]

You are all going to be sooo disappointed when this thing is eventually released because it will definitely not run Mac OS X.
It's operating system will be a hybrid of both Mac OS X and iPhone OS that can probably run all existing iPhone apps and maybe a few simple OS X apps (definitely not Photoshop, Garageband etc.).
Fortunately it won't be as expensive as some folks would like it to be (e.g. 1000$) but it will neither come for 400$ or less.

But this is only my wild speculation...

I agree.

I stopped believing any news related to the tablet since it's all a specultion. Apple has not released any detailed information about it although some detaills are observed by their hardware orders from suppliers, aquisition of PA-semi, and image patent leaks.

I really don't want to spoil myself regarding the things it might do. But for the people who are wishing/dreaming the things they want will just be disappointed if it came out that's isn't on their wishlist. 100% guarantee people will complain about it not having this or that. I have my wishlist to but it's best to wait.

[Stately]

Every one who thinks that it will be below 1000$ is crazy especially if it runs full OsX
1. Apple products are always more expensive(rightfully)
2. Windows runnig tablets are about 1000
3. Apple is competitive

I think the last two points are irrelevant to your comment. Other companies hardly have any bearing on the price of Apples products. I think they are priced that way simply because of your first point. Apple is top of the food chain so to speak, so they just do what they do. Everyone else follows suit. They could price it between 6 and 7, heck, even five. As long as it destroys the competition as always. If that's the case, price won't be the deciding factor of purchase for the majority.

[jeznav]

The iTablet must run Mac OS X applications (full Mac OS X inside - Tablet version). Must be as light and small as possible. Must have video-out and USB 2 ports for Keynote and PowerPoint presentations.

They have something similar: MacBook Air

[reallynotnick]

Steve Jobs is going to have a huge announcement for this, big press event. He's going to talk about sales numbers and then changes in the industry and how Apple likes to be ahead of the curve. He will tell the crowd that he is proud to finally announce Apple's worst kept secret in history and just as he is going to unveil the product Ashton Kutcher is going to come out and tell the crowd everyone just got punked and high five Steve Jobs. They both have a great laugh about it and then finally walk off the stage leaving the audience alone and in awe.

[indigo144]

Apple's tablet will need to compete with Chrome running on cheap Atom netbooks. iPhone OS (ARM) is too little and full blown MacOSX (core2duo) is too much. The formidable challenge Apple faces is developing a compromise that justifies Apple's price premium. Being slick is not enough. Nor millions of toy apps.

Google recognized that Android (with its multitasking) is insufficient for full tablet functionality. It will be interesting to see how Apple responds but unless they have a (hardware) ace up their sleeves providing near-MacOSX ability, they will be slammed by sub $500 hardware running Chrome and Android.

And if they mess this up Apple may even lose out on the phone market where again its tough to see the iPhone maintain its price premium (huge margins).

[Winni]

I have been dreaming about a device that would allow me to present Keynote presentations from. I also want a device that will allow me to take written notes with a stylus so that I can draw. Perfect for those science conferences.

They're called Tablet PCs and have been around for quite a while now. There's no need to wait for something from Apple when others have already been on that party for years.

[ShiftyPig]

If this thing runs full OS X, I'll buy one and wear it as a hat for a month. If I recall, the margin of error (if that's the proper term) for the touch interface is like 30 pixels.

Hook your Mac up to a 10-inch monitor and open a few windows to see how it would be like touching the screen to work your way through OS X. The Bluetooth/Airport/Time/Battery indicator on the top right? Good luck with that. Navigating in an Internet browser? Have fun. BTW, your bookmark bar is practically worthless, and don't even try going near the red/yellow/green buttons on that active window.

iPhone OS is designed for touch interface. Time to cool the "full OS X" FB engines...

Edit for a mong spelling error.

[huntercr]

Where and when did this rumor FIRST even come to fruition? I still feel like the Tablet idea was born from thin air. Thus, I just have no idea why people think it will be a reality.

Where did this rumor come from?

The tablet idea surfaced in the early 2000-2001 when apple said it would not be coming out with a new newton. People speculated that Apple might develop a tablet which was all the rage in the PC manufacturers laptops at the time ( which were absolutely horrible ). I think there's a quote of Steve Jobs saying he could do it better.

The tablet rumors stopped for awhile, and everything switched over to iphone this and that ( which was a rumor for nearly as long ), and then when the iPhone turned out to be real, everyone assumed that the tablet had to be real too. ( though apple is playing pretty coy here... it's very likely to be real )

[Winni]

Full OSX and this is going to sell at any price point.

May I ask why? Except for using this as sketchpad replacement, I have a hard time imagining anything that a tablet could do better than a netbook.

Now with an ePaper display it could also be nice competition for the Kindle, too. The only problem is that electronic devices are still years away from being a real substitute for printed paper - on which I can draw, underline or mark text, rent it to a friend, sell it on a flea market or just read it without having to fear empty batteries.

So we have two ePaper things that this tablet could do. But somehow, that doesn't excite me at all.

[Darth.Titan]

The more of these highly speculative stories that come out, the larger the chance the Apple Tablet will fail miserably when (if) it is ever released.

If the rumors are true, the tablet will be able to do basically everything a gadget could possibly do. It's an e-reader, a gaming device, and a music player. You can watch TV and movies on it and surf the Internet (or so we've heard). And it will have thousands of third-party apps available for it ... or maybe it will run Mac OS X. That's all still unknown.

Really? Why not rumor next-gen OLED screens holographic storage, and breakthrough battery technology that charges using the heat from your fingertips as you use it? All for the low price of $99, Buy One Get One Free! :rolleyes: Just from reading this thread I can tell that expectations are all over the place and are, for the most part, unrealistic.

I believe that this device (if released) will probably be quite different from what is being wildly speculated, and an order of magnitude simpler.

I also think that the growing mania and wild theories that are propagating could make Apple pull the plug on this project altogether. (As I believe they've done before. How many years have we been listening to tablet rumors again?) There's no way to release a real product that can succeed when it has to live up to the mythological hype that has grown to surround the fabled "Tablet" over the last couple of years.

[brendu]

Where and when did this rumor FIRST even come to fruition? I still feel like the Tablet idea was born from thin air. Thus, I just have no idea why people think it will be a reality.

Where did this rumor come from?

i had read somewhere that the first rumors started popping up around 2003...

edit: here (http://gizmodo.com/5374299/apple-working-on-a-tablet-since-at-least-2003)

[Stately]

Whatever it'll be, it'll be a game-changer. Bet on it.

Apple shares to $300. Easy.

Yup, got that right. :cool:

[Hrududu]

Can this mythical device possibly live up to all the rumor and innuendo?

The iPhone managed to - but will lightning strike twice?

P.S. I'd love to see the Newton name on this thing, if and when it actually appears. Time to drop the iStuff naming convention.
As long as Steve Jobs is running the show, the Newton name will remain nothing more than a memory. Newton is unfortunately associated with a product that failed, and Steve wouldn't want to give John Scully the gratification of calling this new tablet Newton.

[Stately]

I still think a lot of people here are still thinking very much in the box of what a tablet from Apple will be. Too many are thinking what it SHOULD be based on what they think it has the capability of being because of the preconceived notions they have from devices prior. Apple does things differently, remember that. This device most probably will be about things that we didn't expect. Think outside of the box.

[GQB]

The killer feature would be a seamlessly integrated keyboard dock. Think of it as a removable touchscreen for the the current Macbook.

With that kind of ability, the $700 - $1000 price point is acceptable.

If there's a keyboard, it will be Bluetooth.

[olternaut]

I sware man, that device of apple's had better be radioactive and have the ability to read minds!

[Apollo21]

If this thing runs full OS X, I'll buy one and wear it as a hat for a month. If I recall, the margin of error (if that's the proper term) for the touch interface is like 30 pixels.

Hook your Mac up to a 10-inch monitor and open a few windows to see how it would be like touching the screen to work your way through OS X. The Bluetooth/Airport/Time/Battery indicator on the top right? Good luck with that. Navigating in an Internet browser? Have fun. BTW, your bookmark bar is practically worthless, and don't even try going near the red/yellow/green buttons on that active window.

iPhone OS is designed for touch interface. Time to cool the "full OS X" FB engines...

Edit for a mong spelling error.

An OS with a built-in error of 30 pixels for any touch interface it's given?? This makes no sense at all. The touch interface would sense a touch, and then send that information to the OS. I would love to see your source for this.

[Stately]

In any event . . the upcoming tablet is going to be bananas . . no offense lol. :D

[Rocketman]

Embedded OS on a custom ARM ( Apple owned ) processor.

Wouldn't that be effectively instant boot? With the power management they have been doing, some sort of very low power apps can run in the background like receiving messages for example.

Is an iPhone with a charged battery ever really "off"?

Rocketman

[PPietra]

I also wished that the tablet ran MacOS X, but most of the facts point to the contrary. Here are some of the arguments against it. Its processor is expected to be a ARM derivative (after Apple acquired PA Semi), rendering current applications useless without a recompile. The performance will be worse than the notebooks, but probably with an excellent battery life.

Apple’s products usually try to avoid cannibalizing the higher end, where it has bigger profit margins, and the specs tempt people to choose more expensive products. A MacOS X tablet would obviously compete with one of its best selling products (MacBook), and there is already a ultraportable (MacBook Air). The current strategy has been working very well.

Apple has already made some comments (remember what Jobs said about the kindle) and moves that seem to focus on digital content, which means that the interface has to be something that would look more like the iPhone than the normal MacOS X.

And finally Apple history shows that it goes for simple and intuitive designs, adding extra functionality with time. The interface is the key. There is a lot of room for innovation here. Apple can build a machine that covers all the basics in the internet connected life.

Having said all this, I probably wouldnt buy this tablet because I need my notebook, its power and flexibility.
We will have to wait and see what Apple has created.

[mattster16]

This is my favorite part right here:

"Others are not so sanguine about the prospects of an Apple tablet being able to serve as an all-in-one device capable of replacing users' computers, media players, and e-Book readers.
"What we've found in the past with these multi-function devices is that they're better for ad-hoc purposes, like quick and dirty tasks," said Zeus Kerravala, an analyst with Yankee Group. 'They're not for any prolonged, high-performance use.'"

This is just the classic example of analysts who fail to grasp the fact that Apple has redefined product categories and will continue to do so. These are the same people who said things like 'people don't surf the web on their smartphones or use a multitude of 3rd party apps so we don't see the iphone becoming that successful'. I can kind of agree when they say this won't replace computers, but who knows what Apple will pull. They should know by now that it's hard to speculate on Apple's rumored products - they'd be better to just refrain from doing so and protect their reputations.

[dan5.5]

will apple please give us a tablet... I really want a highly portable laptop/tablet

[CmdrLaForge]

You are all going to be sooo disappointed when this thing is eventually released because it will definitely not run Mac OS X.
It's operating system will be a hybrid of both Mac OS X and iPhone OS that can probably run all existing iPhone apps and maybe a few simple OS X apps (definitely not Photoshop, Garageband etc.).
Fortunately it won't be as expensive as some folks would like it to be (e.g. 1000$) but it will neither come for 400$ or less.

But this is only my wild speculation...

I definitely hope that it will run Mac OS X apps and not just tiny little iPhone apps. We will see. The only information currently available is that there is a high chance that Apple is indeed working on a device. And thats not even sure.

[cmaier]

An OS with a built-in error of 30 pixels for any touch interface it's given?? This makes no sense at all. The touch interface would sense a touch, and then send that information to the OS. I would love to see your source for this.

What he's probably referring to is the fact that apple says the minimum interface element size is 40px - in other words, if you space things less than 40px apart, the human finger will have trouble hitting the one that is intended. Of course the 40px is based on iphone dot pitch.

[wizard]

Full OS X or bust!

Doesn't make sense especially on ARM hardware. What the tablet needs is a 100% highly compatible superset of iPhone OS.

None of this weak as water mobile OS stuff.

You have no idea what you are talking about. There is nothing weak about iPhone OS underneath the user API it is pretty much the same as Mac OS. The difference is the user inteface tool kit which is tuned for a phone sized device.

The current limitations with respect to apps has more to do with available RAM than any inherent weakness in iPhone OS. Before slagging iPhones OS take a serious look at it's SDK.

I want to collect images on mine

People collect their porn on iPhone so this should be a snap on a tablet.

I want to give ppt presentations with it

I've seen this need posted on several forums and have to wonder what are you guys thinking and how do you suppose that a tablet would do well for this application. Frankly I see the idea as a bit stupid. Given that I might be missing something IPhone OS could do presentations right now given the right hardware.

I want a hierarchical file structure that I can control

The file structure is already there. All Apple needs to do is to write an app to access it.

I want to install application on it that have not passed the "Apple Gods" crazy rules that stifle innovation
[\quote]
I'd actually like to be able to install the apps of my choice also. So I only disagree with you in part, because I don't see any stifiling of innovation on app store. The vast majority of problems lye with developers not reading the licensing agreement or ignoring what it says. It is safe to say there are thousands of innovative apps on the app store. Some of those apps are there because of Apples policies which support the developers.

This is not to say app store is perfect. Far from it but considering the rapid growth of the store it isn't that bad.
[quote]
I want it to be OS X.

You may want it to be OS/X but I kinda doubt that is what we will get. Rather I see a derivative of iPhone OS, that is a superset that maintains 100% compatibility and performance on limited hardware. Considering iPhone OS came from a canceled tablet project, the likely ARM hardware and other considerations I think Mac OS is out.

As long as they don't lock the unit down to the same extent as iPhone it will be OK. Like you said file system access is important as is the ability to install apps outside of App Store. However I very much want an App Store as it is certainly the best feature of my iPhone. Ideally the tablet would have a built in scripting platform ( Either Ruby or Python) that would provide for user programs and access to software and hardware features of the tablet. If for example the language is Ruby it needs to be a first class element of the OS.

Thanks

Dave

[Rocketman]

AT&T Cloud:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=27369&tag=nl.e550

Rocketman

[Detlev]

They forgot to add that it will be able to do the dishes, wipe your :eek:, and produce 3D holograms of your Facebook friends when they are online.

[Tulipone]

As long as they don't lock the unit down to the same extent as iPhone it will be OK.

I cannot believe it would be anything other than locked down tightly. Apple likes a revenue stream.

Chris

[iMacmatician]

Where and when did this rumor FIRST even come to fruition? I still feel like the Tablet idea was born from thin air. Thus, I just have no idea why people think it will be a reality.

Where did this rumor come from?There have been rumors for a long time but I think this (http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/07/09/26/up_next_for_apple_the_return_of_the_newton.html) is the first of the "current" set of rumors.

[spencers]

If the rumors are true, the tablet will be able to do basically everything a gadget could possibly do. It's an e-reader, a gaming device, and a music player. You can watch TV and movies on it and surf the Internet (or so we've heard). And it will have thousands of third-party apps available for it ... or maybe it will run Mac OS X. That's all still unknown.

Barring TV, I'm pretty sure I can do all that on an iPhone 3G (S) just fine

[NT1440]

AT&T Cloud:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=27369&tag=nl.e550

Rocketman
I'm pretty sure if this thing were to be cloud based, apple would be using that multibillion dollar server farm they just started in NC. There is no reason why they would want to trust AT&T as they already don't have a good relationship. I think once the exclusivity of the iphone contract ends, things between at&t will really have the light shed on them.

[wizard]

First; Newton did not fail, it was AXED. From the standpoint of a business decision it was pretty smart as Apple was not expected to make it another year.

As long as Steve Jobs is running the show, the Newton name will remain nothing more than a memory.

You seem to think Steve hated the Newton. I don't belive that to be so. He could have sold off the tech especially at a time when Apple needed the cash. He didn't and made a point to keep and continue the technology development. So obviously Steve saw some value here.

Newton is unfortunately associated with a product that failed, and Steve wouldn't want to give John Scully the gratification of calling this new tablet Newton.

Newton did not fail. If you had a sense of history and Apples state at the time you would understand that.

As to reusing the Newton name again there are good and bad points to that. But I will agree with the other posters the last thing we need is another "I" device. I'd actually would like to see Apple use another common name for an apple variety.

Dave

[Sweetbike40]

Wouldn't something like this with OSX be too similar to the MacBook Air? I'd think it would be half the price of the Air to be an option.:confused:

[NT1440]

Wouldn't something like this with OSX be too similar to the MacBook Air? I'd think it would be half the price of the Air to be an option.:confused:
Laptop != tablet (which will surely have features the air simply won't be able to have)

[CaryMacGuy]

I think that this device would be best marketed as a student companion. I can picture students using this one device to replace all their textbooks, paper notebooks, and laptops at the same time. I can see it as a fabulous device for reading (and highlighting) textbooks. It could have a great touch friendly version of iWork and would connect to the internet with either WiFi or a mobile carrier data connection. Finally it would run iPhone OS app in a window that emulates the iPhone form factor.

[Marx55]

They have something similar: MacBook Air

Yes, if only the MacBook Air was lighter (300 to 600 g) and smaller.

[CyberBob859]

Full OSX and this is going to sell at any price point.

the ModBook (http://www.axiotron.com/index.php?id=modbook)

It's out now and it runs OS/X. You can convert your existing MacBook or buy one made especially to your tastes.

[azentropy]

Newton did not fail. If you had a sense of history and Apples state at the time you would understand that.



As a technical innovation it didn't fail, as a revenue generating product it did.

I was at WWDC when Jobs talked about axing the Newton instead of completing the spinoff. I don't remember if that is when it was announced or just shortly afterwards. He made it pretty clear he did not like it. I remember him specifically saying he didn't like the stylus and couldn't understand why anyone would want to control a device that way. So a tablet using a stylus would be a 180 from what he thought then.

[wizard]

I cannot believe it would be anything other than locked down tightly. Apple likes a revenue stream.

Chris

it would be easy for Apple to find a compromise level that would be acceptable to many. In any event I very much want an app store as that is one fantastic feature to have. That should not however prevent the intallation of alternative software.

I kinda think of it as the Linux model. Linux distros have their repositories which is usually the first place to look for software for installations or updates. Installing your own or a third parties isn't a problem either.

In any event i belive there is more to the focus on app store and the "I" devices than just revenue. Believe it or not many parents like the control app store provides along with the parental controls on the hardware. Even corporations like to take the mother hen approach with corporate cell phones. Cell phones are a different market as opposed to computers and tablets.

Dave

[flottenheimer]

I'm really looking forward to see whatever Apple comes up with... Seriously doubting that it will be able to compete with a MacBookAir+iPhone combo though...

[topmounter]

I'm thinking it has to be the "Newton Video" or the "Newton Color"... nothing else makes sense.

[cmaier]

I'm thinking it has to be the "Newton Video" or the "Newton Color"... nothing else makes sense.

The NewNewton

[Riemann Zeta]

While a real version of Mac OS would be my clear preference, I doubt that this tablet device will be able to run Snow Leopard as is. It will likely end up being similar to the AppleTV--a stripped-down, locked-down strain of OS 10.6, with the same kernel, but a custom interface and locked applications. The biggest strength of the AppleTV hardware, however, is that it was (is?) standard x86, so one can hack the device to run standard Mac OS. The 'iTablet' will almost certainly be a proprietary ARM embedded-system solution, with everything (CPU, GPU, chipset, sound, networking, firmware, etc...) all on one piece of silicon.

I think the overall success of the device will depend upon just how locked-down it is. If Apple tries to make it one of those "cloudy" dumb-terminals that requires continuous network access for DRM lock-out verification, it will fail. Many companies have tried the dumb terminal tablet idea--basically, a device that is just a screen rigged to access non-local files via streaming--but none have ever succeeded in the market.

[NT1440]

I'm thinking it has to be the "Newton Video" or the "Newton Color"... nothing else makes sense.

PDA's are dead, why would remaking one make any sense?

I predict, based on nothing but apples history, that this will be their 4th industry changing device. What it is in its entirety, I can't tell you, because as usual, its going to be something people didn't even know they wanted but after using it, couldn't imagine not having it.

[slapguts]

Slow news day?

"Anything interesting?"
"No."
"Post some random crap about the tablet."
"You're a genius."

[reallynotnick]

I think that this device would be best marketed as a student companion. I can picture students using this one device to replace all their textbooks, paper notebooks, and laptops at the same time. I can see it as a fabulous device for reading (and highlighting) textbooks. It could have a great touch friendly version of iWork and would connect to the internet with either WiFi or a mobile carrier data connection. Finally it would run iPhone OS app in a window that emulates the iPhone form factor.

And how do I type my papers on it? As much as I love my iPhone, I'm not going to want to give up having a keyboard on my main computer, this is my biggest concern about the Tablet.

[spillproof]

and my guess is that it will be an instant hit for people who loved Kindles and people who want netbooks

Another thing telling me I won't have a use for it. :(

If I can write on it then :)

[wolfshades]

I think this would have to be priced in the $350 range or it will flop. No matter how cool it will be...

Doubtful. $800 at least. And it will not flop - not in the slightest. People like me who buy the latest iphone every year because of the upgraded features will gladly drop our Kindles and Sony eReaders and grab an Apple tablet.

(What? A new iPhone every year? Yeah, it's true. Some people blow their grocery and rent money on crack. I throw my rent money at new toys. It's a sickness I tell ya....)

[hiimamac]

$700 or less or bust.

Also, very very few people who already have iPhone will sign up to yet another contract. Maybe if the tablet could tether via. bluetooth to your iPhone that'd be sweet.

Oh and a seriously discounted educational version would go down very very well, I'm just waiting for this to replace all my textbooks as a medical student.

Watch movies as in free what is in ABC.com, Heros, flash forward, Lost (all free mind you or torrents downloading shows that are free), or as in $1.99- $2.99 via iTunes. Now for me, that would be a BuSt.

Peace. Be Safe and Healthy.

[Imhotep397]

Steve Jobs hated the Newton because it was too big to be an effective PDA so I don't think this is designed for that purpose. Apple is pretty market driven they tend to design hardware around big markets that already exist with something better than what's out there already or they design for markets they think are going to explode at some point (MacBook Air/Apple TV.) Building a piece of hardware with just a hope that it will grab the low hanging fruits of several small market segments (EBooks/Portable Games/Netbooks) just doesn't sound like an Apple type move. I'm not sure what market they are targeting, but it wouldn't surprise me if it was games and the Tablet is intended to be an at home game system with a lot of other functionality built in for all of those smaller markets. They haven't acquired much in the way of in-house content development, but they have had more original games developed for the iPod Touch/iPhone in the last year or so than have been on the Mac platform ever. They may be trying to pull a Wii.

[Thex1138]

Surely Apple would not alienate iPhone OS developers... nor OS X users...
So I still think there will be two... iPhone OS [10 inch] and larger form factors for OS X [13, 15 inch]...
If wrong well... tears in rain...

[forty2j]

Isn't a article rehashing existing rumors without contributing anything new Page 2 material?

[hiimamac]

And how do I type my papers on it? As much as I love my iPhone, I'm not going to want to give up having a keyboard on my main computer, this is my biggest concern about the Tablet.

This is why I like the idea of microsofts Courier. Especially if it can record lectures and use dragon speaking to turn it into text. What would be more amazing though is if the Courier ends up being real and is a Microsoft only device, this would mark the first time they released a computer that they have 100% control over. Which in and if itself makes it harder to believe. However if trur, I have no doubt it would play flash movies.

Peace. Be safe and Healthy, everyone.

[mac jones]

Nothing new just lame filler by some journalist who got FU over the weekend and had nothin for monday.

" I've got nothing........ that Apple tablet vapor's a sure thing.....Damn this headache"...:o

suckers :D

[CaryMacGuy]

And how do I type my papers on it? As much as I love my iPhone, I'm not going to want to give up having a keyboard on my main computer, this is my biggest concern about the Tablet.

I thought about that and I don't really have an answer to you...just speculation...

Perhaps Apple has some amazing technology that makes a virtual keyboard feel more like a real one. Also remember, the screen on this device is bigger. This would allow for a bigger keyboard.

The other option would be that users could use a Bluetooth keyboard with it. Perhaps the device would have a "kickstand" allowing people to angle it in a position comfortable for typing.

I am just brainstorming. Remember, when the iPhone came out, it was beyond what anyone could possibly imagine.

[mossme89]

I can easily see this as a flop if the rumors prove true. It would be big & bulky and would not likely suit the mainstream user. It would likely be more of a business product to work things like CAD and for the arts and also for students.

Does anybody wish apple would wait 1-3 years when flexible OLED displays become mainstream? It would be awesome to have a 7-10 inch tablet that folds up to the size of your checkbook!

Maybe this could be introduced as a major revision down the line. I just think if apple waits to release, they could use the hype to their advantage and truly release an earth-shattering gadget

[kdarling]

Slow news day?
"Anything interesting?"
"No."
"Post some random crap about the tablet."
"You're a genius."

Ha. Similar to the Apple joke about Jobs getting getting out of a corner in an interview:

Interviewer: "So, Mr. Jobs, why is Apple acting as a walled garden... indeed, as Big Brother... with respect to the iPhone? Millions of readers want to know."

Jobs: "Well, ummm, you see it's like.... oh, hey, isn't that the new Apple tablet over there on my desk?"

Interviewer: (totally forgetting the last question) OOoooooooooooooo. Where? Where?!!

[cmaier]

I can easily see this as a flop if the rumors prove true. It would be big & bulky and would not likely suit the mainstream user. It would likely be more of a business product to work things like CAD and for the arts and also for students.

Does anybody wish apple would wait 1-3 years when flexible OLED displays become mainstream? It would be awesome to have a 7-10 inch tablet that folds up to the size of your checkbook!

Maybe this could be introduced as a major revision down the line. I just think if apple waits to release, they could use the hype to their advantage and truly release an earth-shattering gadget

flexible oled mainstream in 1-3 years? not so much.

[RazHyena]

Slow news day?

"Anything interesting?"
"No."
"Post some random crap about the tablet."
"You're a genius."

LOL. Quoted for truth.

[kellen]

I wonder if due to apples push to get cheaper costing products out, it will offer a 3g contracted tablet, taking $300 or so off the price, but you have a 50 dollar bill each month. I could see that is how they advertise their lowest price.

Second I just want them to release it. I don't think I would buy a first generation, due to the track record of first generation products and updates. So the earliest it gets here, the sooner the second or third gen comes out that I will buy.

[chadley_chad]

I personally couldn't give a toss! I like Apple products, but they'll do whatever they're gonna do it just whenever they like, regardless of procrastination from this site.

Also knowing Apple, no longer the innovator they once were, it'll probably have loads of missing opportunities and be priced way too hard ... but of course people will still buy so why not; its a great way to sell products by getting people to upgrade products every year by implementing something that should have been there in the first place. I note: add a Blueray player to the new iMac and people who have already purchased are sure to do it again.

Dont you just love to hate Apple these days!

[mossme89]

flexible oled mainstream in 1-3 years? not so much.

Ok maybe 2-4 years. By mainstream, I mean that it won't cost you $1000 for a 7-10 inch screen. I can see OLED's being a premium in that period. Maybe they could be in an "iTablet Pro", if you will.

[paradox00]

And how do I type my papers on it? As much as I love my iPhone, I'm not going to want to give up having a keyboard on my main computer, this is my biggest concern about the Tablet.

Luckily for you, the tablet will most likely be a companion device, i.e. not a main computer. You would still type papers on your main computer. One of Apples major sources of mac sales are students. Apple doesn't benefit if students buy a tablet instead of a macbook, clearly they want you to have a tablet and a macbook.

A tablet for taking notes, recording lectures, reading and annotating textbooks, and reducing the number of times you have to bring your laptop to school. The laptop/main computer would still be used for typing up reports, backing up the tablet, and using any processor/memory intensive or keyboard dependent program.

[topmounter]

It will run the iPhone / Touch Mobile OS and you'll be able to buy an emulator+OSX bundle on the App $tore.

[Full of Win]

As someone with an iPhone and MacBook Pro, I will have a hard time seeing a place for this. iPhone fits in my pocket and is for doing things on the go, MBP for at my desk or stationary places....tablet for...???? Anyone?

Two words.... MAN PURSE ;)

http://gaygamer.net/images/girlpurse.jpg

Apple may come out with a leather one that is 'real nice' and cost only 300.00 USD.

[Full of Win]

Ok maybe 2-4 years. By mainstream, I mean that it won't cost you $1000 for a 7-10 inch screen. I can see OLED's being a premium in that period. Maybe they could be in an "iTablet Pro", if you will.

The problem with OLEDS, as far as I understand, is out door performance. This may have changed, however, this was a major ding in the reviews of the Zune HD. If they are targeting this as an eBook reader, I do not see them making it near useless in outdoor situations.

[Digital Dude]

The speculators all sound like politicians. Since they have no clue, they’re assuming it will be an end-all and be a do-all device. Steve just loves this simple minded thinking. No doubt, it will be innovative in the manner in which it works, rather than what it actually does.
Regards, :rolleyes:
Dan

[powers74]

... Apple, no longer the innovator they once were...

Unibody lap-tops? Glass track pad with integrated button? Multi-touch mouse?

Give me a break.

[brewno]

This is page 2 news.

[cmaier]

Unibody lap-tops? Glass track pad with integrated button? Multi-touch mouse?

Give me a break.

iPhone...

[CaryMacGuy]

It will be what it is...it will be amazing but will miss something key that you would expect it to have (typical Apple). However...you, me, everyone will flock to it and hand a friendly Apple Store employee our credit card for this shiny new iToy.

Here is an interesting thought...do you think that Apple will create a 3rd developement platform for it? I am sure that it will run some version of Mac OS X but will it have its own specialized Apps (outside of iPhone OS Apps, which it will run just fine).

[rajmac]

>>>$600 to $1000, multiple models with and without 3G connectivity


A $600 Apple Tablet with without 3G connectivity could be a joke Microsoft and PC tablet makers quite happy put in their ads.


*

[BenLava]

Others are not so sanguine about the prospects of an Apple tablet being able to serve as an all-in-one device capable of replacing users' computers, media players, and e-Book readers.
Quote:
"What we've found in the past with these multi-function devices is that they're better for ad-hoc purposes, like quick and dirty tasks," said Zeus Kerravala, an analyst with Yankee Group. "They're not for any prolonged, high-performance use."


Who is this guy Zeus? Yeah, those multipurpose devices like the iPhone are definitely worse than having a separate phone, iPod, gameboy, GPS device, etc...

And this guy gets paid to analyze tech companies?!

(I use a blackberry: I don't have a dog in this race, but this is laughable analysis. Or did I dream up the last 10 years and it's 1999?)

[midwich]

The iphone when first released was 499/599. It did not fail in the marketplace.

While I broadly agree with the sentiment of your Avatar, I get seriously hacked off with people of the leftwards persuasion bringing politics into what essentially are non-political threads, so I'd politely ask that you consider changing it please. Two wrongs don't make a right and all that...

[I WAS the one]

ok... if it's going to be lke an iPod Touch it need to be priced at $350.00 without 3g. $99.00 with 2 years contract.

if it's going to be a laptop without keyboard and as thin as the MB Air, with 2 Year contract, I WILL BUY IT NO MATTER WHAT!!!!!! WILL NOT CARE ABOUT THE PRICE :-D

[powers74]

iPhone...


I was just trying to think of the innovations since the iPhone!

[Amnak]

I think you are looking at the wrong type of tablet, and thus the wrong price range.

http://store.archos.com/A9.php?country=ca&language=en

I would say that there is some room for Apple to price a tablet device above the $549 for the tablet I linked, but below $1000. Although I don't think it will run full OSX, just because Apple could give a better end user experience with a tablet variant of iPhone OS.

Oooo so it wouldn't necessarily have like a full keyboard deal ....ya i could see that.

[NT1440]

While I broadly agree with the sentiment of your Avatar, I get seriously hacked off with people of the leftwards persuasion bringing politics into what essentially are non-political threads, so I'd politely ask that you consider changing it please. Two wrongs don't make a right and all that...

You can't ask him to change his avatar simply because of an image that meets the rules here. As much as I don't like it, he has every right to keep it.

[NT1440]

I was just trying to think of the innovations since the iPhone!

You mean the industry changing device that was only introduced 2 short years ago? You can't seriously expect revolutionary products every other year from one company, thats ridiculous.

Though I'd say that multi touch integration in their laptops is certainly ushering a new way we interact with our machines.

[paul4339]

if it doesn't run full OS-X on Verizon and have Blu-Ray and Arrandale i7 (32nm), SSD, and use latest nVidia card on an OLED, 18-hours of battery and play Modern Warfare 2, and give serious discounts for educational versions with a docking bay, under $299, it'll be a bust.

Anything less and it'll be crushed by Chrome/Android because we don't want to install apps using your crazy rules that stifle innovation because I heard it now take 24-36 months to get approved, remember GV?
How are you gonna attract developers?


Besides I can build one for under $199 with off-the-shelf-components "in my mom's basement" ... the remaining $500 is just branding, right?

Hello STEVE, don't you get it??


Just my 2 cents.

[NT1440]

if it doesn't run full OS-X on Verizon and have Blu-Ray and Arrandale i7 (32nm), SSD, and use latest nVidia card on an OLED, 18-hours of battery and play Modern Warfare 2, and give serious discounts for educational versions with a docking bay, under $299, it'll be a bust.

Anything less and it'll be crushed by Chrome/Android because we don't want to install apps using your crazy rules that stifle innovation because I heard it now take 24-36 months to get approved, remember GV?
How are you gonna attract developers?


Besides I can build one for under $199 with off-the-shelf-components "in my mom's basement" ... the remaining $500 is just branding, right?

Hello STEVE, don't you get it??


Just my 2 cents.
SHOW me how you could possibly build anything close to that under 199 with off the shelf parts in a tablet form.

Please tell me you were just joking!

[AidenShaw]

While I broadly agree with the sentiment of your Avatar, I get seriously hacked off with people of the leftwards persuasion bringing politics into what essentially are non-political threads, so I'd politely ask that you consider changing it please. Two wrongs don't make a right and all that...

If it bothers you, find that gal who has Sarah Palin for her avatar.

Rightwards balances leftwards... ;)

Oh wait, the Obama joker avatar is rightwards - OMG, does that mean that Fox (can't say) "News" will be taking over MacRumours? :eek: :eek:

[paul4339]

SHOW me how you could possibly build anything close to that under 199 with off the shelf parts in a tablet form.

Please tell me you were just joking!

Please don't flame me, because I'm an unreasonable, unrealistic, idiot. :confused:

[danvdr]

SHOW me how you could possibly build anything close to that under 199 with off the shelf parts in a tablet form.

Please tell me you were just joking!

Might want to dust off the 'ole dictionary and look up "sarcasm".

[NT1440]

Might want to dust off the 'ole dictionary and look up "sarcasm".

I couldn't actually tell he was being sarcastic here. I thought I was seeing the same kind of posts I see crop up alot around here sometimes.

[uraniumwilly]

You can't ask him to change his avatar simply because of an image that meets the rules here. As much as I don't like it, he has every right to keep it.

Yes. If there's one lesson to learn in the land of the free: tea-baggers have a right to get tea-bagged. Crackpots have a right to boldly go and congregate where the pots are cracked.

[NT1440]

Yes. If there's one lesson to learn in the land of the free: tea-baggers have a right to get tea-bagged. Crackpots have a right to boldly go and congregate where the pots are cracked.

Ha, I agree.

[BVeritas]

I am so looking forward to the tablet. It really couldn't have been done earlier, since technology wasn't ready.

Why am I excited? I love reading, I love annotating, but I want more. I want to be able to duplicate my Franklin binder, keeping notes, addresses, what ever. Handwriting support (not necessary recognition) is key. It's so much more friendly than a keyboard. But I still want apps and and mac mode.

[twoodcc]

nothing much here. but i can't wait for this device!

[alexbates]

Even if Apple came out with a tablet like this, I would not have any interest in it. Apple will charge $800+ for it when it is released.

Wouldn't you all rather buy an Unibody Aluminum Tablet running Snow Leopard with a 10.1" Touch Screen, an Accelerometer, a built-in webcam, 160GB HD, and 2GB RAM for less than $400?... Well... that is exactly what we are in the process of designing/building over at InsanelyWind. (a hackintosh Tablet guys :D ) It really is amazing, the perfect gadget for every Apple fanboy :)

[Rot'nApple]

P.S. I'd love to see the Newton name on this thing, if and when it actually appears. Time to drop the iStuff naming convention.

Nah! It needs to have the name Palin on it... Because like the real thing, people are going to worship it 100% or think it's 100% BS! :D

[cmaier]

Even if Apple came out with a tablet like this, I would not have any interest in it. Apple will charge $800+ for it when it is released.

Wouldn't you all rather buy an Unibody Aluminum Tablet running Snow Leopard with a 10.1" Touch Screen, an Accelerometer, a built-in webcam, 160GB HD, and 2GB RAM for less than $400?... Well... that is exactly what we are in the process of designing/building over at InsanelyWind. (a hackintosh Tablet guys :D ) It really is amazing, the perfect gadget for every Apple fanboy :)

No.

[jazz1]

Well after reading this thread, and all the speculation I couldn't see buying a Nook or a Kindle. Yes, the rumored Apple Tablet will be way more expensive, but it should it actually come to exist it will have to be better than a book reader and small netbook. I'd probably pop for the 3G connectivity to make it useful full-time.

If the book content never lives up to the Nook/Kindle I can always buy a paperback ;)

[andiwm2003]

Even if Apple came out with a tablet like this, I would not have any interest in it. Apple will charge $800+ for it when it is released.

Wouldn't you all rather buy an Unibody Aluminum Tablet running Snow Leopard with a 10.1" Touch Screen, an Accelerometer, a built-in webcam, 160GB HD, and 2GB RAM for less than $400?... Well... that is exactly what we are in the process of designing/building over at InsanelyWind. (a hackintosh Tablet guys :D ) It really is amazing, the perfect gadget for every Apple fanboy :)

if i have the choice between a fully functional apple style tablet for $800 and a hacked, half functional high maintenace tablet for $400 then I gladly pay $800.

it really comes down to apple making the tablet useful. that could either be with a full OS X or with a iPod touch like system. it just needs to be useful enough for me. and absolutely maintenance and worry-free.

[jazz1]

if i have the choice between a fully functional apple style tablet for $800 and a hacked, half functional high maintenace tablet for $400 then I gladly pay $800.

it really comes down to apple making the tablet useful. that could either be with a full OS X or with a iPod touch like system. it just needs to be useful enough for me. and absolutely maintenance and worry-free.

So are you thinking the approximate power of the MBA in tablet form? I've been close to buying a refurbished MBA which would be closer to a price point I could live with.

[beebler]

I have a source in Apple's R&D and they also had told me here will be two versions, one with 3G and one without. He's never been wrong so far with his info.

[*LTD*]

Unibody lap-tops? Glass track pad with integrated button? Multi-touch mouse?

Give me a break.

Add to that the iPod Touch and the iPhone. Nearly everything Apple does is either better-implemented than what's already there, or somehow new or innovative. Apple drives the industry.

[DMann]

While I broadly agree with the sentiment of your Avatar, I get seriously hacked off with people of the leftwards persuasion bringing politics into what essentially are non-political threads, so I'd politely ask that you consider changing it please. Two wrongs don't make a right and all that...

Response:

If it bothers you, find that gal who has Sarah Palin for her avatar.

Rightwards balances leftwards... ;)

Oh wait, the Obama joker avatar is rightwards - OMG, does that mean that Fox (can't say) "News" will be taking over MacRumours? :eek: :eek:

Look who's talking.

[NinChina]

If the rumored Apple tablet unites some professional functions in one device I would get just for the lower weight I have to carry every day.
The functions of the iphone are already a great help in my daily work life and I hope the tablet can go further.
Subscribing to my favorite newspapers, downloading ebooks via itunes and reading them in the taxi, replaces the kindle, great!
Taking pictures with an embedded camera and skype video conferences, replaces the normal camera, amazing!
If the tablet can offer some functions of Wacom's Cintiq it would be perfect!
No doubt I would pay 1000$ if I get all those functions in one device.

[danvdr]

I couldn't actually tell he was being sarcastic here. I thought I was seeing the same kind of posts I see crop up alot around here sometimes.

You bring up a good point. There gets to be so much expectation for so much and cost so little that it almost sets the iSlate up for failure.

[deconstruct60]

As a technical innovation it didn't fail, as a revenue generating product it did.


The Newton devices didn't have a price subsidization model. The price was a bit too high. The price on the current iPhones is too high too. (fewer folks notice because it is hidden by a payment plan. )

Palm was both smaller and cheaper.



I was at WWDC when Jobs talked about axing the Newton instead of completing the spinoff.


was spun off but still wholly owned. But yeah did not like it but didn't want to give it a chance either. (so could pull the tech out of the bag again later. )


I remember him specifically saying he didn't like the stylus and couldn't understand why anyone would want to control a device that way.


That would not necesarily apply to a iPhone OS Tablet device. The "control" is all done with the finger. With the larger, more affordable screens now can make the control object big enough to stab at them with a bulky fingers.

I don't think that is an indictment of using a stylus for writing and drawing. There is about 3,000-4,000 years of history that demonstrates it works quite well for those tasks. Unless just pounding out pure prose text, fingers aren't exactly the best device for that; especially in a mixed mode where quick diagrams and text.



So a tablet using a stylus would be a 180 from what he thought then.

if the pointing resolution could switch between bulky finger and pointy stylus resolution doesn't have to be an either/or proposition.

[firewood]

Two words.... MAN PURSE ;)

Forget men. Half or more of the buying public are women, and they already have purses. Something like an iPod Touch of a more readable size that fits in their purses would probably sell lots.

[DMann]

Two words.... MAN PURSE ;)

"Carry-All......... It's EUROPEAN!!!!"

[firewood]

Not to badmouth an unreleased and unconfirmed product like the tablet (I like design innovation as much as the next guy), but what exactly can a product like a tablet do that a laptop cant?

You can use an iPod Touch while standing up or walking around, no table or lap needed. You can even wave it around like a game controller. A slightly larger tablet could do the same, but be a lot easier to read for larger web pages or book pages.

[firewood]

As someone with an iPhone and MacBook Pro, I will have a hard time seeing a place for this. iPhone fits in my pocket and is for doing things on the go, MBP for at my desk or stationary places....tablet for...???? Anyone?

It's not for you. It's for people for whom an iPod Touch is too small, and a MacBook Pro is too big, heavy and expensive.

If it exists, it might be "just right" for millions of Goldilocks.

[kushninja]

Luckily for you, the tablet will most likely be a companion device, i.e. not a main computer. You would still type papers on your main computer. One of Apples major sources of mac sales are students. Apple doesn't benefit if students buy a tablet instead of a macbook, clearly they want you to have a tablet and a macbook.

A tablet for taking notes, recording lectures, reading and annotating textbooks, and reducing the number of times you have to bring your laptop to school. The laptop/main computer would still be used for typing up reports, backing up the tablet, and using any processor/memory intensive or keyboard dependent program.

Wow! Someone else actually got it. Nice job. You see everyone on this site wants it to be an "all in one device" (almost everyone), in other words they want a 7" MBP with a touch screen and 50 hours of battery life. However, just like you said, a "companion" device makes the most sense. In order to get the full functionality out of the tab, you would need a Mac (MB/iMac/etc), the tab itself, and they might even throw the iPhone in there too (for 3G for those that come without).

It's just like all of Apple's products. Don't believe me, look at AppleTV. You need a computer, the device itself, and iTunes. Sure you could connect your computer to your TV but its just not practical. Apple's all about simplifying.

I see a device that is as thin as notebook screens are today, capable of doing those tasks which a notebook would be overkill for. They will make it easier by making it small, lightweight, long battery, touch interface, but be big enough and powerful enough to get the job done. And for this reason, it won't be priced too high.

A 10" would be perfect for me as I am going to college. If I need a computer to play MW2 on, I'll take my MBP.

[adztaylor]

Who cares what OS it will have?
My only concern is if it doesn't come hand polished by Steve himself then he won't be getting my money.

[twilson]

Real or not, the rumors sites and everyone else are going to literally will this thing into existence.

You mean like they've managed to with an Apple Netbook? :p

[Full of Win]

Who cares what OS it will have?
My only concern is if it doesn't come hand polished by Steve himself then he won't be getting my money.

I and many others care. Why: CONTROL

If its like a mega iPod Touch, then we will have to go through the gatekeeper for apps most likely.

[greygray]

Who cares what OS it will have?
My only concern is if it doesn't come hand polished by Steve himself then he won't be getting my money.

Any OS? Windows 98? 95?

I'm just looking for it to have at least Mac OS X. Nothing less. Or an OS X made for touch-based gestures.

[skate71290]

So if the Tablet is true, then it will either run OS X, or a new OS. Either way, all those Apps in the App Store won't be compatible with it due to its larger screen right? Or maybe it could enlarge the apps somehow... But if it will have its own App Store, then we're going to have to wait a year to have lots of useful apps again, so that seems like a bit weird...

i'm hoping that Apps will be playable as Treyarch have just released COD5 Nazi Zombies on the iPhone and it looks deep!!! :D:D:D :D :D :D :D :D

[Yixian]

A 10" would be perfect for me as I am going to college. If I need a computer to play MW2 on, I'll take my MBP.

lol, fat chance, maybe on a late 2011 revision if you're lucky.

[splintah]

i want full osx on a 13+ inch and macbook air specs and pen support
then i am happy to pay their premium price

[je_wallace]

Wonder how many articles about a rumored iPhone there were pre-iPhone launch vs. how many articles there are about the iTablet?

And is there any possibility that Apple is actually feeding or generating some of these rumors as part of their marketing campaign for an Apple Tablet?

[asrai]

Steve Jobs is going to have a huge announcement for this, big press event. He's going to talk about sales numbers and then changes in the industry and how Apple likes to be ahead of the curve. He will tell the crowd that he is proud to finally announce Apple's worst kept secret in history and just as he is going to unveil the product Ashton Kutcher is going to come out and tell the crowd everyone just got punked and high five Steve Jobs. They both have a great laugh about it and then finally walk off the stage leaving the audience alone and in awe.

:D Funny!

[reactions]

great - at least we arent talking about steve jobs and the Beatles collection

good lord fanboys make me sick

[mr_matalino]

Me thinks that the tablet rumors are getting too hyped and that when the tablet is really introduced it will be disappointing...

[knightlie]

great - at least we arent talking about steve jobs and the Beatles collection

good lord fanboys make me sick

To waste time posting that when you could have been playing Minesweeper, or drawing with Paint.

Good lord trolls make me sick.

[xhambonex]

It's not for you. It's for people for whom an iPod Touch is too small, and a MacBook Pro is too big, heavy and expensive.

If it exists, it might be "just right" for millions of Goldilocks.

So you are talking about the netbook category. You would have either a full-featured tablet that would compete directly with a netbook and 2-3x the cost of a netbook, without a keyboard or any of that stuff.

Or you could have a featured controlled device like the iPhone or iPod touch platform (more features than those devices, but not open like an OS) in which you'd still be paying 2-3x for a netbook.

If a laptop is too expensive, then this tablet will be too. Same goes for size, at 10" its not really that small. I'm just curious how they well pitch this thing...it won't be a device we all *need* like we need computers or cell phones. I think it will be successful like the MBA. An expensive, more niche market.

[firewood]

So you are talking about the netbook category.

Not at all. More like the iPod Touch category. A device that can be used standing up. Maybe something about the weight of a magazine or book you could read while waiting for the train. I use my iPhone for that, but I have to squint a bit, or get out my reading glasses. If I didn't have an iPhone, and some networked device with a bit larger display were available...

If a laptop is too expensive, then this tablet will be too.

Of course. But given that Apple is Apple, they could very well be quite successful at profitably selling a lot of something that is "too expensive". The comparison to netbooks could follow the same story line as Apple's current comparison to Nokia. Nokia may sell a lot more smartphones, but Apple makes more money selling iPhones, even though they started with a crazy initial price, and were even missing basic smartphone features at first.

[JajoPGH]

Steve Jobs is the present day Willy Wonka

[macshill]

I hope we don't have another fiasco of an innovative product tied to a certain carrier (*coughs* AT&T *coughs*) that requires a contract (that's AT&T again). I'd like to think Apple customers would revolt in overwhelming numbers, but I think a pretty sizable number would sell their soul to the devil (AT&T once again) to get it (much like the iPhone), which is quite frightening.

If Apple can sell out their integrity of putting customers first to get a sweetheart deal (tied to one wireless company), I'm sure they will. Why? Because this isn't quite an iPhone, isn't quite a computer, (so let's call it a glorified iPhone) and why not get the most profits possible by tying it, even if it means infuriating customers?

I HOPE I'm proven wrong though!!!

[cmaier]

I hope we don't have another fiasco of an innovative product tied to a certain carrier (*coughs* AT&T *coughs*) that requires a contract (that's AT&T again). I'd like to think Apple customers would revolt in overwhelming numbers, but I think a pretty sizable number would sell their soul to the devil (AT&T once again) to get it (much like the iPhone), which is quite frightening.

If Apple can sell out their integrity of putting customers first to get a sweetheart deal (tied to one wireless company), I'm sure they will. Why? Because this isn't quite an iPhone, isn't quite a computer, (so let's call it a glorified iPhone) and why not get the most profits possible by tying it, even if it means infuriating customers?

I HOPE I'm proven wrong though!!!

Hey, Apple offered iPhone to Verizon first, and they said no.

[MacKiddyWiddy]

this speculation is going so far apple are gonna be forced into making one http://macblog.***********/imgs/signature_SmileyFace.jpg

[Manderby]

My thoughts about what apple might be up to. We assume, it's a tablet, or at least somthing flat with a big touch screen. The iPhone is about 4.5 x 2.5 inches, let's assume it's something at least three times the size, 4.5 x 7.5 inches. That's not very big but big enough to see something and small enough to carry it. As it is a device which by it's very purpose should be held in one hand, it must not weight much more than 300 grams. The iPhone weights about 150 grams. Three times this weight and by optimizing the space and weight, the tablet could actually weight just 300 grams. Thats what the physical goals are.

What can you fit inside such a box? The screen, CPU, GPU, RAM, Flashmemory, Notworking, Huge Battery. As Apple tends to go wireless, there are possibly very few connectors, like for example for headphones and of course a docking connector.

What can you expect to be on the device? Huge computing power is not possible, so aside from browsing and using little apps, there is not much possibility. But maybe this device just acts as a remote, reducing the computing power to just display content and the actual performance tasks are done on a remote computer. The pixelcount is small enough to stream lossless (or almost lossless) to the device or maybe, there even is the possibility that the device just receives cocoa messages and displays the contents accordingly. If so, the computing power of the device could be reduced drastically which allows to make it very thin (less heat issues).

Where could this device be used? Anywhere where a person just needs to do a quick task and exchanging data with a server, for example when doing inventory, postmen signing mails, doctors checking patients, ... There sure is a market for that, the existing devices just are not appropriate enough.

Just my thoughts, Would be nice, IF there will actually be something.

[iMacmatician]

What can you expect to be on the device? Huge computing power is not possible, so aside from browsing and using little apps, there is not much possibility. But maybe this device just acts as a remote, reducing the computing power to just display content and the actual performance tasks are done on a remote computer. The pixelcount is small enough to stream lossless (or almost lossless) to the device or maybe, there even is the possibility that the device just receives cocoa messages and displays the contents accordingly. If so, the computing power of the device could be reduced drastically which allows to make it very thin (less heat issues).Yeah that's an interesting idea that I like. Maybe not completely tied to a computer…but in times where there's no connection, the device could use its own processor and stuff.

[cmaier]

Yeah that's an interesting idea that I like. Maybe not completely tied to a computer…but in times where there's no connection, the device could use its own processor and stuff.

Except that this engineering tradeoff makes more sense. You're better off burning the cpu power locally than burning even more power to keep the radios on (plus suffering the latency and chewing bandwidth).

[scroto]

If you have to sign a contract for this thing then no one but the fanboys will buy it. .

[cmaier]

If you have to sign a contract for this thing then no one but the fanboys will buy it. .

Just like iPhones.

[firewood]

What can you expect to be on the device? Huge computing power is not possible, so aside from browsing and using little apps, there is not much possibility. But maybe this device just acts as a remote, reducing the computing power to just display content and the actual performance tasks are done on a remote computer.

You can already do this using an iPhone or iPod Touch plus a VNC or Remote Desktop app (there are about a dozen of these in the App store). Run Flash on your Mac or PC, and view the results on your iDevice.

OnLive is a startup company that wants to stream games from a big server farm of power hungry GPUs in the "cloud", and display these game on your iPhone (or other similar low power device).

etc.

[SactoGuy18]

I still think Apple may be right now making its final decision to use either a modified ARM processor (using PA Semiconductor technology) or go with Intel's new Atom N450 dual-core low-power CPU.

Why the Atom N450? Because it would offer excellent performance with very low power consumption, which will be necessary given what the tablet computer can do. And most importantly, it also means very easy porting of current Mac applications to this machine (no need to recompile the code from scratch like you will need with an ARM-based CPU).

I do think the device will keep the standard iPod dock connector, since this is sufficient for copying files to and from a larger laptop or desktop computer through the USB 2.0 interface.

As for internal storage, we may see an SSD of around 128 to 256 GB, since the device is big enough to accommodate such an SSD internally.

[KPJLK]

Steve Jobs is the present day Willy Wonka

Or the real-life Willy Wonka? :D

I wish I believed in Roald Dahl. . .

[firewood]

And most importantly, it also means very easy porting of current Mac applications to this machine...

That's why Apple won't do it. Easily ported apps kill new product niches. The ported apps would be unsuitable, but still strongly reduce incentive to rewrite the apps more appropriately for the platform. That's why Apple often changes the APIs to make it much harder to port than to rewrite for new platforms (For Lisa, Mac, Cocoa, iPhone, and maybe whatever's next).

WinMob makes app porting easier, and has a larger app library to port from. Look how well that product is doing. Look how well Windows tablets sell to the general public. It's a proven bad idea.

[CQd44]

That's why Apple won't do it. Easily ported apps kill new product niches. The ported apps would be unsuitable, but still strongly reduce incentive to rewrite the apps more appropriately for the platform. That's why Apple often changes the APIs to make it much harder to port than to rewrite for new platforms (For Lisa, Mac, Cocoa, iPhone, and maybe whatever's next).

WinMob makes app porting easier, and has a larger app library to port from. Look how well that product is doing. Look how well Windows tablets sell to the general public. It's a proven bad idea.

Are you saying Apple likes to make things difficult for developers?

[iphones4evry1]

If Apple keeps waiting and waiting, and meanwhile the media keep talking about massive demand for a tablet, then Apple's competition will grab the idea by the horns and become first to market. A Windows 7 Tablet. I don't think any of us around Apple want that. Apple needs to hurry up. The media has already hyped the idea and the public demand has skyrocketed. Someone needs to fulfill the demand soon. Who will be first? Apple or Microsoft?

[AidenShaw]

If Apple keeps waiting and waiting, and meanwhile the media keep talking about massive demand for a tablet, then Apple's competition will grab the idea by the horns and become first to market. A Windows 7 Tablet. I don't think any of us around Apple want that. Apple needs to hurry up. The media has already hyped the idea and the public demand has skyrocketed. Someone needs to fulfill the demand soon. Who will be first? Apple or Microsoft?

Already coming....

http://eeepc.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/archos-win7-tablet.jpg

9", Atom (x86), HDTV tuner

http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/02/archos-9-windows-7-tablet-does-a-little-hands-on-time/


Many "convertible" tablets are on the market or coming, with Windows 7 Multi-touch...

http://www.dell.com/us/en/enterprise/notebooks/laptop-latitude-xt2/pd.aspx?refid=laptop-latitude-xt2&s=biz&cs=555

http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/05/gateways-windows-7-boasting-ec18t-tablet-images-specs-leak-ont/


http://us.acer.com/acer/wr-resource/3128263441/upload/E0Entity3/1/Acer%20Aspire%201420P.jpg

11.6" LED backlit display, 8 hr battery, multi-touch screen (finger or stylus), multi-touch trackpad, wifi, BT, 3G (opt), x64 (up to 8 GiB RAM), SD/MMC/MS/xD reader, MPEG/VC-1/AVC hardware decoding, VGA out, HDMI output with 7.1 sound, optical sound out, 3 USB, 1.7kg (3.8 lbs)

http://us.acer.com/acer/product.do%3Bjsessionid=9BD5475C0D4FD80A71DF2AF0120D43F3.public_a_us004?LanguageISOCtxParam=en&rcond5e.c2att92=145&inu49e.current.c2att92=145&link=ln314e&CountryISOCtxParam=US&kcond47e.c2att92=145&rcond159e.att21k=1&kcond48e.c2att101=68402&rcond190e.att21k=1&acond23=EU&rcond4e.att21k=1&sp=page17e&rcond157e.c2att92=145&var9e=793&ctx1g.c2att92=145&rcond42e.att21k=1&kcond50e.c2att92=145&rcond45e.att21k=1&rcond158e.c2att1=0&ctx2.c2att1=0&inu53e.current.c2att92=145&rcond38e.c2att1=0&var13e=EU&rcond44e.c2att1=0&rcond186e.c2att92=145&rcond3e.c2att1=0&rcond28e.attN2B2F2EEF=3206&rcond189e.c2att1=0&ctx1.att21k=1&CRC=1229369540

I wonder how long before HackBook is supported on it....

[SactoGuy18]

Are you saying Apple likes to make things difficult for developers?

I would expect Apple to say that when you port a Mac app to run on the tablet computer (providing it uses the Intel Atom N450 CPU), it has to be "simplified" to make it easier to use and also redesign the program to work specifically with the tablet interface.

Because we all expect the tablet to offer much more functionality than the iPhone/iPod touch, what works on the iPhone/iPod touch may be insufficient for the tablet computer, especially with the much larger display area and definitely more computer power available.

[iMacmatician]

This (http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1562735/apple-tablet-postponed) better not be true.

Apple's Tablet gets postponed

THE SECOND COMING of Apple's Newton tablet, which has been hyped more than the return of Christ, is now looking equally delayed.
After churning out rumours about how wonderful the Tablet is going to be, the rumour mill is now telling the world that Apple might not be ready to expose the tablet to reality yet.
Apple apparently planned a March launch of the Newton II and was spending its time trying to fill the media with claims it was not just a big Iphone or a PDA in drag.
Now it appears it is still vapourware with plans to postpone the launch of its tablet to somewhere in the second half of 2010. This will probably coincide with the software launch of Duke Nukem Returns which we guess will be the first game that will run on the machine.
The reason for the delay is that Apple has decided to change some of the components and plans to launch a model using an OLED panel from LG Display.
Foxconn, Quanta Computer and Pegatron Technology are expected to be manufacturing partners for both of Apple's two tablet PC models. One tablet will have a 10.6-inch TFT LCD panel while the other will have a 9.7-inch OLED panel.
However the news might be bad for those who think that Apple's tablet will be flogged for $800.
The 9.7-inch OLED panels are priced at about $500 and panel costs normally account for about 30 per cent of a device's total cost.
This means that Apple's 9.7-inch OLED tablet PC might be priced at about $1,500 or higher. Other sources think that the price will drop to as little as $1,200 by the second half of 2010 or that the retail price could reach as high as $2,000.
In other words, no one has a clue as to how much these things will actually cost, if they ever do appear.
Some people think that the only way Apple will get a Tablet into the shops is if its mates in the telecoms industry subsidise it enough.
Cynics claim that Apple is delaying the release of the Tablet until OLED panel prices drop far enough. That means that the Tablet might have to wait until 2011 when it is expected that the technology might be available at acceptable prices. µ2011?? $1500-$2000?! :rolleyes:

[macshill]

Conde Nast To Publish Digital Version Of Wired For Apple Tablet
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/18/conde-nast-to-publish-dig_n_362927.html

"Considering Wired is unabashedly pro-Apple and functions basically as a publicity arm for the company this isn't particularly surprising.

If anything, Apple should cover the cost of the development of this new platform, seeing as Wired will spend every waking moment from now until the release of this tablet raving and salivating over it and proclaiming anyone who doesn't own one to be one of the last remaining ancestors of "Homo digitalis", the new dominant sentient mammal species on planet Earth."

[Traqqer2000]

Conde Nast To Publish Digital Version Of Wired For Apple Tablet
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/18/conde-nast-to-publish-dig_n_362927.html

"Considering Wired is unabashedly pro-Apple and functions basically as a publicity arm for the company this isn't particularly surprising.

If anything, Apple should cover the cost of the development of this new platform, seeing as Wired will spend every waking moment from now until the release of this tablet raving and salivating over it and proclaiming anyone who doesn't own one to be one of the last remaining ancestors of "Homo digitalis", the new dominant sentient mammal species on planet Earth."


Wired's subscription rate has been dropping like flies over the last couple of years. So, they are pretty desperate to try anything. Not sure if Conde Nast produced this video, but it's interesting to see some of the possibilities of a Tablet being used for these purposes...

http://www.alltabletnews.com/2009/11/22/new-tablet-concept-video-for-wired-magazine/

[LagunaSol]

Conde Nast To Publish Digital Version Of Wired For Apple Tablet
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/18/conde-nast-to-publish-dig_n_362927.html

"Considering Wired is unabashedly pro-Apple and functions basically as a publicity arm for the company this isn't particularly surprising.

If anything, Apple should cover the cost of the development of this new platform, seeing as Wired will spend every waking moment from now until the release of this tablet raving and salivating over it and proclaiming anyone who doesn't own one to be one of the last remaining ancestors of "Homo digitalis", the new dominant sentient mammal species on planet Earth."

Your great Apple conspiracy paranoia (and burning hatred) would be funny if it weren't so sad. Aren't there better places you could be where you could commiserate with your own kind? With 95% market share, I'm sure there are cyber-places where the Microsoft acolytes gather and share their common loathing of El Jobso and the evil glowing fruit.

You're just wasting our bandwidth here.