Apple Placing Orders for Tablet Components? Connectors, 10-Inch Screen

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/12/28/apple-placing-orders-for-tablet-components-connectors-10-inch-screen/)

Taiwan's Economic Daily paper claims (http://chinese.wsj.com/big5/20091228/BCH003675.asp) that Cheng Uei Precision Industry has received an order for "connectors" for Apple's new Tablet PCs. According to the report the company is likely to begin shipping in the 3rd quarter of 2010.

Meanwhile Digitimes reports (http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20091228PD212.html) that Innolux, a panel-making subsidiary of Foxconn, will be the supplier for the touch panels in Apple's Tablet PC. The screen size is said to be 10-inches for the rumored device.

These reports add to the increasing number of rumors about Apple's upcoming Tablet. Just last week, Apple was said to be planning (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/12/23/apple-special-media-event-scheduled-for-january-26th/) a late January media event to launch the device which would ship later in 2010. Even more recently (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/12/25/apple-islate-trademark-and-what-is-a-magic-slate/) have been discoveries that Apple has trademarked the "iSlate" name presumably as a possible name for the device.

Article Link: Apple Placing Orders for Tablet Components? Connectors, 10-Inch Screen (http://www.macrumors.com/2009/12/28/apple-placing-orders-for-tablet-components-connectors-10-inch-screen/)

[TuffLuffJimmy]

wonderful. I'll take five.

[cmaier]

7". 10". Q1. Q3. Blah blah blah.

Enough already. Pics or it didn't happen.

[Andronicus]

So many rumors, awesome.

[adamw]

Waiting expectantly for this device. Sounds more and more like we will have an actual product announced soon from Apple!

[ImNoSuperMan]

I was hoping it`d be 7-inch. But I`ll take 10-inch without any complaints either. Just release it apple :D

[wonderbread57]

Hi, I'm a Tablet PC.

[zed2]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

I want one but I'd also like to know it's cababilities. Is it just an iPhone with a bigger screen?

Guess we just have to wait until Jan 27th for more info

[idmc]

:p - - and to think that my attention has been somewhat veering to netbook form factor type products ! no, seriously DESPITE already owning an Air + iPhone, if this thing is 'right' and is powerful enough and displays correctly including the 'correct' UI then we could be looking at another market changer... agreed ?

[Bonte]

I want one but I'd also like to know it's cababilities. Is it just an iPhone with a bigger screen?

Nothing wrong with the iphone OS, specialized apps make it more usable than regular osX. 10" is a bit big though, i'm hoping for a smaller device.

[DARKJ3DI]

Heres to the tablet revolution! Cheers guys/girls.

[spaceballl]

Connectors eh? i wonder if this is supposed to be a tablet... that can connect to a keyboard as a laptop... that can also be used as a desktop, when hooked up w/ displayport, etc... interesting......

[AAPLaday]

10" sounds more useable than 7" but who knows

[headfuzz]

I look forward to seeing an Apple tablet finally hit the market, although iPhone OS on it will be a massive fail and opportunity missed imho.

Also, I'll be curious to see 6 months down the line what sort of problems have been reported with the 1st gen.

[headfuzz]

Connectors eh? i wonder if this is supposed to be a tablet... that can connect to a keyboard as a laptop... that can also be used as a desktop, when hooked up w/ displayport, etc... interesting......

Connectors in this context probably refers to the proprietary internal interconnecting ribbon cables between screen and logic board, buttons and logic board etc found within laptops and PDAs rather than the external types you're thinking of.

EDIT: of which Foxconn and their associated companies have been suppliers to Apple for decades.

2nd EDIT: that said I have no idea who Cheng Uei Precision Industry are so you may very well be right. Your guess is as good as mine :)

[DMann]

Greatly looking forward to January 26th.

http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/images/4/2009/08/500x_mac-tablet-concept-2.jpg

[appleguy123]

Greatly looking forward to January 26th.

http://cache.gizmodo.com/assets/images/4/2009/08/500x_mac-tablet-concept-2.jpg

I would buy the tablet if it looked like that. Or if it had a variety of mac OS X. I don't need another iPhone OS device.

[Master Chief]

Fact is that it will run OS 4.0 – why else ask iPhone developers to work on full screen support – and include a touch screen. Think about it... more revenue for the iTunes store.

I do wonder how Apple is going to protect the back from scratching. And price is everything, but knowing Apple... we are most likely going to have to pay too much for it... just because it is new and hot. And has an Apple logo on it.

[zed2]

Nothing wrong with the iphone OS, specialized apps make it more usable than regular osX. 10" is a bit big though, i'm hoping for a smaller device.

Well yes I do love the iPhone OS.. I develop for it. But still it has some limitations.

I'm not really interested in just a bigger iphone. I would like to be able to run multiple iphone applications side by side. So maybe for each application have a choice of running it full screen or iphone size, and then be able to pop up two apps together, eg a calendar and and e-mail.

They have to make this function different from the iphone otherwise people will be choosing between the two, and I bet Apple really want people to buy both.

---Zed

[2992]

[...]I do wonder how Apple is going to protect the back from scratching.[...].
Probably in the same way they are protecting the iPhone's 3G/3GS back from scratching. :rolleyes:

[TuffLuffJimmy]

Fact is that it will run OS 4.0 – why else ask iPhone developers to work on full screen support – and include a touch screen. Think about it... more revenue for the iTunes store. Noted.

I do wonder how Apple is going to protect the back from scratching.
Good joke! Have you ever owned an Apple product? They are scratch magnets.

[DMann]

I would buy the tablet if it looked like that. Or if it had a variety of mac OS X. I don't need another iPhone OS device.

Despite the predicted giant iPod Touch, I imagine that the new tablet will be sporting a more capable, multi-tasking evolution of OS X, complete with new features such as tactile feedback, handwriting recognition, and integrated voice navigation.

29 days, and counting.

[creator003]

I would buy the tablet if it looked like that. Or if it had a variety of mac OS X. I don't need another iPhone OS device.
Agree. If the tablet is accompanied with an iphone OS,
what do people expect it to perform??? Someone else can do what ISLATE could by his phone.:confused:

[drpellypo]

I think we can safely say Apple are going to be releasing a tablet/slate/touchscreen device, surely? I think we have gone past the rumour mill as there's so much evidence to back up claims. Kinda. lol.

I am presently typing this on a MBP which cost me £1,300 and I'm looking at it thinking, what do I use this thing for? The answer is basically to go on the internet. I think I have opened word twice in all the time I've had it. Oh, and photoshop for messing with family pics. And watching films.

With this in mind it strikes me that a tablet would be absolutely perfect for me. I could sell the MBP for hopefully the same price as a new tablet. I wonder how many other people are in this boat? I mean, what percentage of people who have desktops/expensive mac laptops actually use them to their full potential? Or is it more the fact that people simply use them as glorified web browsers? Google Chrome OS is a classic example of big tech companies recognising this also.

[cc bcc]

As if Apple shares its secrets with a company that makes connectors. :o

[MizuInOz]

I have a company with over 250 employees and we are 100% Apple. (they a;; have iPhones that the company pays for).

If this puppy is real, I can see using it to replace laptops in meetings and exchange ideas with electronic white boards, share notes, use the "cloud" in our system to amalgamate ideas and then pass the leapfrogged ideas back and forth AND all real time. And do it with handwriting recognition that automatically converts to - or let's say marker type face (a little dig at Apple there - worst type face for the iPhone - IMHO).

I have been hoping for a tablet form for a long time. We use a programme called LabAssistant and I have always said that it would work best on a tablet - like a clipboard.

Price points and form factor (screen size) will not be a consideration as long as we can use a real OS not an paired down version of 10.6

There are some benefit to a tie in to the Apple Store (iTunes) but I do not think that is limited to a particular OS. It (the store) is a transfer agent that allows you to download and then install in multiple formats and OS's. Think about it.

Cheers from Downunder.

[Thex1138]

Long time to wait for my iSlate... s'late in 2010... I want to spend in Q1 twenty-ten not late in the year!!!

[walnuts]

Nothing wrong with the iphone OS, specialized apps make it more usable than regular osX. 10" is a bit big though, i'm hoping for a smaller device.

A tablet with the iPhone OS, even with specialized apps, wouldn't be enough. User-controlled multitasking (more than one app at a time) and file management are a must for me (and I suspect others) to get anything more than the iPhone I already have. Whether this runs a stripped down OS X or an enhanced iPhone OS, "Finder" would be its killer app.

[shaolindave]

i want to make a game for this thing.

[Anaxarxes]

interesting device. But I still doubt that iSlate would be the name. :confused:

iSlate sounds like ISOLATE. The first thing that comes to my mind is maybe Apple is working on an anti-virus/anti-spam/anti-privacy software that's called iSlate? Why not?

[Ultranote]

what do people expect it to perform??? Someone else can do what ISLATE could by his phone.:confused:

Why thinking it will perform like a giant iPhone? It's a lot more likely that it will run iPhone apps within a touch-friendly new GUI allowing deeper interactions than on a phone.

And why want a full blown Mac OS X GUI on it? Mac OS X isn't very usable on a 10" screen. What you need are apps tailored for the new GUI and the possibility to tap into the existing ecosystem.

No reasons to despair:

-iPhone OS and Mac OS X are subsets of OS X, imagine a third way taking both sides into account.
-dual core ARM CPU with some homebrew magic makes sense for power efficiency (everybody will moan if it only has 2h of battery life) and help the tablet stay cool. Ever pushed an Atom netbook to its limits? Felt the heat? And it might be more powerful than an Atom.
-Remember Steve Jobs insisting on the fact that OS X is CPU-independant by design during the Intel switch keynote? Recompiled relevant apps could still be adapted to a new GUI framework.

[Yixian]

Q3?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?

[Ultranote]

Q3?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?


The Digitimes article about FoxConn, the biggest supplier, actually goes along with the Q1 release: January demo, March/April release.

[peterdevries]

I think we can safely say Apple are going to be releasing a tablet/slate/touchscreen device, surely? I think we have gone past the rumour mill as there's so much evidence to back up claims. Kinda. lol.

I am presently typing this on a MBP which cost me £1,300 and I'm looking at it thinking, what do I use this thing for? The answer is basically to go on the internet. I think I have opened word twice in all the time I've had it. Oh, and photoshop for messing with family pics. And watching films.

With this in mind it strikes me that a tablet would be absolutely perfect for me. I could sell the MBP for hopefully the same price as a new tablet. I wonder how many other people are in this boat? I mean, what percentage of people who have desktops/expensive mac laptops actually use them to their full potential? Or is it more the fact that people simply use them as glorified web browsers? Google Chrome OS is a classic example of big tech companies recognising this also.

"Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar, you're gonna go far!" (Pink Floyd)

Totally on the money. You got it.

[Yixian]

A Q3 release after a January announcement would be the biggest load of bullcrap...

March/April imo.

[Compile 'em all]

Okay, this is confusing. Is it 7" or 10"?

[DaveDaRook]

personally i think q3 is not going to happen!
reason: waaayy to late.

So if the announcement is in january, then we can prepare for a late Q1 or early Q2 release.


...whats way more interesting and a deal or no deal for me is: will it have an OS with something like the finder, where i can use usb-sticks, maybe attach a keyboard to use word/letters on it.....

what do you think about it?

[peterdevries]

A 10" screen would open up the door to many developers that would consider the small iPhone or 7" screen to small for their apps. Most OS X applications would work just fine on a 10" screen.

You can argue about the restrictions Apple poses on applications distributed through the iTunes store, but the added marketing and fuss-free distribution model could pull a lot of developers in.

[zedsdead]

A Q3 release after a January announcement would be the biggest load of bullcrap...

March/April imo.

I agree. Didn't Jobs say after the iPhone was released that he never wanted to release a product that far in advance again.:confused:

[MatthewCobb]

Bring On The Elevator Pics!

[Ironduke]

A tablet with the iPhone OS, even with specialized apps, wouldn't be enough. User-controlled multitasking (more than one app at a time) and file management are a must for me (and I suspect others) to get anything more than the iPhone I already have. Whether this runs a stripped down OS X or an enhanced iPhone OS, "Finder" would be its killer app.

Finder?

finder Blows.

The spotLight in iphone OSonly needs to be enhanced for the tablet.

[TeamDNA]

I look forward to seeing an Apple tablet finally hit the market, although iPhone OS on it will be a massive fail and opportunity missed imho.

Also, I'll be curious to see 6 months down the line what sort of problems have been reported with the 1st gen.

Yeah right apple knows what they are doing. And dont worry apple doesnt take your opinion so it doesnt matter..

[ksgant]

According to the report the company is likely to begin shipping in the 3rd quarter of 2010.


Translation: Won't see this until probably spring of 2011. :D

Finder?

finder Blows.

The spotLight in iphone OSonly needs to be enhanced for the tablet.

Meaning let it run more than one app at a time?

also kainjow, if I wanted one post I would have done it. Your hosting site charge per post of your users or something?

[JonB3Z]

Okay, this is confusing. Is it 7" or 10"?

Couldn't it be both? Why not have two models that are basically the same except for size? It's an approach that has worked well for laptops, why not for tablets?

[skate71290]

Well yes I do love the iPhone OS.. I develop for it. But still it has some limitations.

I'm not really interested in just a bigger iphone. I would like to be able to run multiple iphone applications side by side. So maybe for each application have a choice of running it full screen or iphone size, and then be able to pop up two apps together, eg a calendar and and e-mail.

They have to make this function different from the iphone otherwise people will be choosing between the two, and I bet Apple really want people to buy both.

---Zed

nie thoughts running apps side by side - kind of like having spaces on a single desktop (if that made any sense lol), plus i hope thye put iwork on it - or at least charge us for it to put on it... perhaps with our existing software. would love to play COD5 Zombies on it lol... in addition this tablet will not compete with the iPhone as they will not put SMS/Voice Calls/Whatever on the tablet, and i dont understand how they are going to put 3g on it... it better be released everywhere simultaneously otherwise not going to be a happy bunny... like when the iPhone was released in America and not the UK :mad:

[Ironduke]

Meaning let it run more than one app at a time?


thats fine but the current situation with finder is that it quickly gets out of hand and breeds like rabbits:D

[zed2]

nie thoughts running apps side by side - kind of like having spaces on a single desktop (if that made any sense lol), plus i hope thye put iwork on it - or at least charge us for it to put on it... perhaps with our existing software. would love to play COD5 Zombies on it lol... in addition this tablet will not compete with the iPhone as they will not put SMS/Voice Calls/Whatever on the tablet, and i dont understand how they are going to put 3g on it... it better be released everywhere simultaneously otherwise not going to be a happy bunny... like when the iPhone was released in America and not the UK :mad:

It really needs 3G. If it's a mobile device. But I agree not happy when US had iPhone before UK. Also it would be interesting if they bind it to phone company or release it unlocked.

Maybe this sub will help keep the price down

[Sparced]

If they announce the iSlate on January 26th and say it doesn't come out till July at the earliest then it will harm the sales of not just MacBook Pro that's due an update but all portable products. The difference with the iPhone was that it gave people time to hold off buying a competitors phone and wait for Apple's instead.

I think they need to start shipping this thing in March/April. Any longer and the student population wont be in any hurry to pick one up if the reason for splashing out is to help with their studies. May as well pick one up in September for the start of the new term when the new OS is more stable and more apps to choose from. Maybe a better deal too.

[Master Chief]

Noted.

Good joke! Have you ever owned an Apple product? They are scratch magnets.
That's why I want them to do something about it. And yes... almost $44000 and counting (having children who just love Apple products helps spending my hard earn cash).

[zed2]

I think they need to start shipping this thing in March/April. Any longer and the student population wont be in any hurry to pick one up if the reason for splashing out is to help with their studies. May as well pick one up in September for the start of the new term when the new OS is more stable and more apps to choose from. Maybe a better deal too.

Yup couldn't agree more... the competition is already building tablets and netbooks.. Apple can't afford to announce and show it off to everyone and then not ship for 6 months.

---Zed

[Thex1138]

This device could also be a big player as a cloud computing front end...
With most of the software being at server side and only having the basic framework and user data in the device... as a starting point.

[megadon]

So is it possible to download torrents on this?
Or is all the stuff gonna be through an app store?

[kzin]

According to the report the company is likely to begin shipping in the 3rd quarter of 2010.

And last year, around this time, they were all saying "3rd quarter of 2009". And the year before...

I'll believe it when I see an official announcement from Apple.

[Usful Ijit]

3rd Quarter is April-May-June, so the article makes sense.

[kzin]

Nothing wrong with the iphone OS

Other than:
1) you can't install non-Apple-Approved apps on it (at least, not without jailbreaking it; if you have to break your device to access basic capabilities, that's not acceptable)
2) you can't access the underlying OS (which could be solved if #1 wasn't an issue)
3) you can't do true multi-tasking on it (don't give me the old saw "you don't need true multi-tasking, task switching is good enough!" ... you'll make yourself sound like a 1994 Mac OS fanboy)

specialized apps make it more usable than regular osX.

Usability is about the GUI, not the OS itself. Mac OS X could certainly use some adjustments, to make it ideal for a mid-range touch screen based device. But, Mac OS X is the correct model to start with. It allows the user to decide which apps are acceptable or not, not Apple. It allows you to utilize the full OS, and not just the upper layers. It allows true/full multi-tasking.

10" is a bit big though, i'm hoping for a smaller device.

10" is the perfect mid-range device size. Apple already has smaller-than-mid-range devices, and larger-than-mid-range devices. 10" is exactly the device size they need to release.

A 10" Mac Tablet, running a finger-friendly touch-screen-optimized version of Mac OS X ... or perhaps a 3rd flavor of OS X (Mac OS X, iPhone OS X, Tablet OS X; where Tablet OS X offers the best of both Mac and iPhone OS X), would be ideal.

[Ddyracer]

3rd Quarter is April-May-June, so the article makes sense.

Ummm. No. That is the second quarter. 3rd quarter would be jul-aug. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Compile 'em all]

3rd Quarter is April-May-June, so the article makes sense.

Q3 is apr/may/june?

*wipes brain matter off screen*

[Usful Ijit]

Ummm. No. That is the second quarter. 3rd quarter would be jul-aug. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Business is usually accounted for in a Fiscal Year, which begins its 1st quarter on Oct. 1, and ends on Dec. 31. 2nd quarter is Jan-Feb-Mar. So 3rd quarter is Apr-May-Jun.

[kzin]

-iPhone OS and Mac OS X are subsets of OS X, imagine a third way taking both sides into account.


Absolutely. But, as long as it allows me to:

1) install apps without oversight from Apple (ie. direct download and install, not limited to the iTunes store)
2) run apps in the background
3) use Bluetooth HID and FTP
4) use USB interface devices (keyboard, mouse, trackpad, trackball, etc.) and USB storage devices
5) has support for video out and/or remote desktop as the server* and/or Redfly

(* server meaning "display the tablet's screen onto my desktop computer running a VNC or remote desktop client/viewer")


-dual core ARM CPU with some homebrew magic makes sense for power efficiency (everybody will moan if it only has 2h of battery life) and help the tablet stay cool. Ever pushed an Atom netbook to its limits? Felt the heat? And it might be more powerful than an Atom.


An ARM based CPU would be a very good start, yes. And the underlying kernel and OS already run on ARM (on the iPhone and iPod Touch), so the hard part is already done. This "3rd variant of OS X" would only need to have its upper layers tailored to the CPU.


-Remember Steve Jobs insisting on the fact that OS X is CPU-independant by design during the Intel switch keynote? Recompiled relevant apps could still be adapted to a new GUI framework.

It is. The underlying OS for OS X has had incarnations on:

Motorola 68k family (NeXTstep 1, 2, 3, and 4)
(a processor family whose name I have forgotten, that was going to be the basis of the the NeXT workstations post 68k family; cancelled when NeXT stopped being a hardware company)
x86 family (NeXTstep 3, 4, and current Mac OS X)
Sun Sparc family (NeXTstep 3 and 4)
HP PA-RISC family (NeXTstep 3 ... maybe 4)
Power PC family (early Mac OS X)
ARM family (iPhone OS X)


CPUs already. Adding a new variant of ARM wouldn't be a colossal effort. And, luckily, NeXT's engineers did the right things, way back in the early 1990's, to ensure that adding CPU architectures wouldn't require a complete overhaul nor re-tooling of the platform. Even the recent "universal binary" feature of Mac OS X, as it transitioned from PowerPC to x86, wasn't a new feature at all. "OS X" has had that feature since the early 1990's, when you could use 1 NeXT platform to build, debug, and deploy a single "FAT" binary for 4 CPU platforms (68k, x86, Sparc, and HP PA).

Probably only Linux and NetBSD offer a wider range of hardware platform support than OS X's family of OSes has... and OS X's support is much more uniform and transparent than either Linux or NetBSD's.

[chadley_chad]

Apple tablet: for **** sake change the record!!!!!

[peterdevries]

Business is usually accounted for in a Fiscal Year, which begins its 1st quarter on Oct. 1, and ends on Dec. 31. 2nd quarter is Jan-Feb-Mar. So 3rd quarter is Apr-May-Jun.

Only true for some companies. Many do their accounting and reporting in line with a normal calendar year.

When a company talks about products and introductions thereof to customers in terms of quarters, they refer to calendar years, not fiscal years.

So this:
Q1: Jan-Feb-Mar
Q2: Apr-May-Jun
Q3: Jul-Aug-Sep
Q4: Oct-Nov-Dec

[kzin]

Business is usually accounted for in a Fiscal Year, which begins its 1st quarter on Oct. 1, and ends on Dec. 31. 2nd quarter is Jan-Feb-Mar. So 3rd quarter is Apr-May-Jun.

Fiscal Years vary from organization to organization, there is no universal definition like "Fiscal Years begin on Oct 1st". But, they are much more common to start on July 1st or January 1st (with January 1st fiscal years matching the calendar year). Oct 1st is pretty odd-ball. At least with an April 1st start-of-fiscal-year, you just about match the tax deadline ... but even that's a bit of an odd-ball thing to find.

But, all of that is irrelevant. Fiscal Years are internal considerations. When talking about publicity dates, and product releases, it's almost always announced relative to the calendar year, not the company's internal fiscal year. Saying "so and so will release a product in 3Q", especially without saying "that company's 3Q", most likely means "July - Aug - Sept".

[Ori]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

I want one but I'd also like to know it's cababilities. Is it just an iPhone with a bigger screen?

Guess we just have to wait until Jan 27th for more info

God I hope not. I wouldn't buy just an iphone with a bigger screen. If it runs osx then that would be useful. Even then I am not sure what the market is for a tablet. I'm sure one exists, but not sure how I would use one.

[taltal]

Regarding the question of OS X vs. iPhone OS: I don't know if it is such a contradiction. Today, the iPhone sort-of "emulates" the iPod (you can 'run' your music you used to 'run' on your old iPod OS), and the iPhone Dev environment can emulate the iPhone OS on OS X already today.

The tablet might be running OS X with tablet enhancements, and allow running an iPhone OS emulator with additional fullscreen mode.

[JonB3Z]

Just because this supplier expects to ship connectors in Q3 doesn't necessarily mean the device itself will wait until then. It's possible that Apple ordered an initial set of connectors on a fast turnaround -- and thus at a high price -- and that this report is about a follow-on order with a longer lead time and lower price.

If the product is really announced at the end of January, my bet is it will be available before the end of April.

[Usful Ijit]

Fiscal Years vary from organization to organization, there is no universal definition like "Fiscal Years begin on Oct 1st". But, they are much more common to start on July 1st or January 1st (with January 1st fiscal years matching the calendar year). Oct 1st is pretty odd-ball. At least with an April 1st start-of-fiscal-year, you just about match the tax deadline ... but even that's a bit of an odd-ball thing to find.

But, all of that is irrelevant. Fiscal Years are internal considerations. When talking about publicity dates, and product releases, it's almost always announced relative to the calendar year, not the company's internal fiscal year. Saying "so and so will release a product in 3Q", especially without saying "that company's 3Q", most likely means "July - Aug - Sept".

Actually, an Oct. start to a fiscal year is fairly common, rather than oddball. In my original post I said the article made sense, not that it was true. I don't claim to have insider knowledge of the deal. Also, the article states that the manufacturer will ship to Apple in the 3rd quarter, not Apple shipping a finished tablet to the consumer. Hence my speculation on fiscal instead of calendar years ( Calendar definitely makes more sense on a consumer press release, as most people think in terms of calendar year). Again, all that I have written regarding the article's content is pure speculation.

P.S. - Apple's fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

[stagi]

10" would be great and I bet they won't have anything out before Q3. Announcement in Jan and maybe shipping in Sept?

[SactoGuy18]

Here's the question: what kind of connector will the Apple tablet computer use? The standard iPod dock connector is a given (thanks to the fact it can serve both battery charging and data transfer functions), but I also see a Mini DisplayPort connector and maybe 1-2 USB 2.0 ports, too.

[kzin]

I think we can safely say Apple are going to be releasing a tablet/slate/touchscreen device, surely? I think we have gone past the rumour mill as there's so much evidence to back up claims. Kinda. lol.

I am presently typing this on a MBP which cost me £1,300 and I'm looking at it thinking, what do I use this thing for? The answer is basically to go on the internet. I think I have opened word twice in all the time I've had it. Oh, and photoshop for messing with family pics. And watching films.

With this in mind it strikes me that a tablet would be absolutely perfect for me. I could sell the MBP for hopefully the same price as a new tablet. I wonder how many other people are in this boat? I mean, what percentage of people who have desktops/expensive mac laptops actually use them to their full potential? Or is it more the fact that people simply use them as glorified web browsers? Google Chrome OS is a classic example of big tech companies recognising this also.

Amen. And this is why Apple needs to enter into the mid-range device market.

Laptops are dinosaurs. They're a relic of the days when everyone wanted/needed to run everything on their mobile computer. They are the ultimate expression of the "luggable computer", that started with those Kaypro and Compaq computers back in the early 1980's. But the use case/model has played out.

With the web, and especially with cloud computing and "web 2.0", most people just aren't needing to have that kind of compute model anymore. A "laptop" is over-kill. Heck, for many users, a full-blown desktop computer is overkill. A netbook and/or nettop is all most people need for the bulk of what they need their computer to do UNLESS they're in a niche (high end photoshop users, etc). Or for high end games, which isn't what everyone wants/needs, either.

Right now, Apple hasn't addressed this group of people. Even the iMac is, these days, over-kill, for the nettop crowd. The mac-mini is closer, but a little too expensive. The iPhone/iPod-Touch is too small. The Macbook is too large. (and, after a lot of testing of different devices, IMO, the netbook/laptop/clamshell is the wrong format for a mid-range device; it's a relic of the laptop era -- at best, convertible-tablet is the ony acceptable format of netbook/clamshell for the mid-range devices, the ideal is a tablet with USB and Bluetooth for external full size keyboards). Apple needs something in between the iPhone and the Macbook.

It needs to either be a tablet, or have a tablet mode. It needs to be more than a "big iPod Touch". It needs to be, like a netbook, as flexible and open as a laptop/desktop, just less powerful.

[itsbarry]

The people that keep saying "I don't want another iPhone OS device" need to think. The tablet will be APP DRIVEN. Apps on the iPhone are a certain way due to the iPhone's screen size and processing power. The tablet will be much more powerful with a larger screen. Apps will be quite different than you think.

In other words, let Apple do the thinking when it comes to the tablet. They have better ideas than you, trust me.

:apple:

[kzin]

Here's the question: what kind of connector will the Apple tablet computer use? The standard iPod dock connector is a given (thanks to the fact it can serve both battery charging and data transfer functions), but I also see a Mini DisplayPort connector and maybe 1-2 USB 2.0 ports, too.

I'm hoping for at least 2 USB ports (would prefer 3 or 4), with support for user interface devices and storage devices, a mini displayport connector, a 3.5mm headphone/ear-bud jack, a SIM card slot (for data;and optional, not required), and a docking port (standard iPod or not).

[itsbarry]

It needs to either be a tablet, or have a tablet mode. It needs to be more than a "big iPod Touch". It needs to be, like a netbook, as flexible and open as a laptop/desktop, just less powerful.

Who wants a "less powerful" laptop? That's like saying "I want a less faster Lamborghini". The MacBook Air is less powerful than the MacBook, and people complained about that. Why make something to run desktop applications weak as hell?

It should use the iPhone OS (Apple should just call it OSX for now on) and let the apps be way more powerful than what can run on the iPhone. Oh yeah, through in multitasking.

:apple:

[kzin]

They have better ideas than you, trust me.

No. They don't. They just have more resources than me.

[foobarbaz]

3) you can't do true multi-tasking on it (don't give me the old saw "you don't need true multi-tasking, task switching is good enough!" ... you'll make yourself sound like a 1994 Mac OS fanboy)

You don't need true multi-tasking on a phone. The iPhone OS is perfectly capable of multi tasking, there is just no UI to allow switching and killing of programs, etc.

This is a deliberate design choice for a phone, where screen estate is limited and battery life is king. Using iPhone OS as the basis for the iSlate doesn't limit this in any way. It's just a question of whether they allow it or not.

But, Mac OS X is the correct model to start with. It allows the user to decide which apps are acceptable or not, not Apple. It allows you to utilize the full OS, and not just the upper layers. It allows true/full multi-tasking.

Again, that is just a business decision. Apple claims the restrictions on the iphone are necessary to protect the networks. That excuse doesn't work on a tablet, if it doesn't have 3G... They could easily allow execution of unsigned apps on an iSlate even with iPhone OS, just as they could easily prevent it on regular OSX.


The decision between iPhone OS and OSX is technical! iPhone OS is absolutely better suited for a multi-touch tablet, and iPhone apps will be more easily adjusted to the iSlate than regular mouse and keyboard expecting apps!

Don't mix up the political AppStore/signed code infrastructure desicion with the OS decision. The iPhone OS is so perfect for this device, it's a no-brainer. If it feels restricted and useless, there are other reasons for that.

[kzin]

Who wants a "less powerful" laptop?

Everyone who ever bought a netbook. Including me.

That's like saying "I want a less faster Lamborghini".

I'd be fine with a Countach that didn't have a v12. And had a MUCH lower price tag, to go with it.

The MacBook Air is less powerful than the MacBook, and people complained about that.

The MBA is not (not even close) a netbook. Netbooks, as a rule, are less powerful than laptops, not just smaller. Do your homework.

Why make something to run desktop applications weak as hell?

Because you want the flexibility to run the wide range of random apps and utilities that are available for desktop computers, but you don't need the power to run high end/niche apps.

It should use the iPhone OS

No, it should not.

[chris975d]

With rumors swirling of both a 7" and a 10" device, also with conflicting release dates (early 2010, late 2010), does anyone think it's possible Apple might be releasing TWO devices? A 7" device that is basically a larger, more feature filled iPod Touch, and a 10" device that could be more of a "Pro" device, meant to be a netbook rival, that runs a modified full Mac OSX? There are so many "confident" sounding rumors on both screen sizes that just maybe BOTH sizes are coming, with different intended uses.

[zed2]

With rumors swirling of both a 7" and a 10" device, also with conflicting release dates (early 2010, late 2010), does anyone think it's possible Apple might be releasing TWO devices? A 7" device that is basically a larger, more feature filled iPod Touch, and a 10" device that could be more of a "Pro" device, meant to be a netbook rival, that runs a modified full Mac OSX? There are so many "confident" sounding rumors on both screen sizes that just maybe BOTH sizes are coming, with different intended uses.

Yeah now that does make some sense. Apple could release the pro version at the start of the year and the 7" towards the end of the year. However again they would have to be careful not to crash too much into itouch sales

[spencers]

In other words, let Apple do the thinking when it comes to the tablet. They have better ideas than you, trust me.

I hope so. Right now I can't see any point in myself owning a tablet, when I have a perfectly fine iPhone and iMac.

[creator003]

Yeah now that does make some sense. Apple could release the pro version at the start of the year and the 7" towards the end of the year. However again they would have to be careful not to crash too much into itouch sales
no... the 7" should go first
i suppose.

:apple:

[kzin]

With rumors swirling of both a 7" and a 10" device, also with conflicting release dates (early 2010, late 2010), does anyone think it's possible Apple might be releasing TWO devices? A 7" device that is basically a larger, more feature filled iPod Touch, and a 10" device that could be more of a "Pro" device, meant to be a netbook rival, that runs a modified full Mac OSX? There are so many "confident" sounding rumors on both screen sizes that just maybe BOTH sizes are coming, with different intended uses.

There was a rumor on this site, several months ago, about Apple going with 2 devices. A 6" and a 10", one would run iPhone-like OS X, and on would run a Mac-like OS X. But since then, we've heard less and less about the 6" version of the rumor.

I'd be quite happy if they did a 6" iTablet (based on iPhone OS X) and a 10" MacTablet (based on Mac OS X with tablet optimizations). The only people I can expect NOT to be happy about it would be Axiotron.

[cvaldes]

With rumors swirling of both a 7" and a 10" device, also with conflicting release dates (early 2010, late 2010), does anyone think it's possible Apple might be releasing TWO devices? A 7" device that is basically a larger, more feature filled iPod Touch, and a 10" device that could be more of a "Pro" device, meant to be a netbook rival, that runs a modified full Mac OSX? There are so many "confident" sounding rumors on both screen sizes that just maybe BOTH sizes are coming, with different intended uses.
That doesn't make much sense. If the devices are powered by ARM processors (which is assumed at this point), we will not see OS X running on them. OS X is a great operating system for traditional computers, but it is not optimized for touchscreen input. It's also a little resource heavy for a low-power device such as the iPhone/iPod touch and the power requirements of a tablet device. ARM isn't really the right processor architecture for running full-blown computers.

Next, the marketplace has largely shunned the 7" screen size in favor of 10" devices (i.e., netbooks). While I doubt this tablet would be a netbook competitor, it seems unlikely that Apple would make their initial foray into this area with a 7" device seeing has the marketplace prefers the larger screen.

Also, there are no rumors as of yet saying that Apple had ordered 7" parts. My guess is that they have a 7" device on the drawing board, but it may or may not see the light of day. Heck, there are probably prototypes of a wide range of screen sizes and types in some lab in Cupertino.

[foobarbaz]

it seems unlikely that Apple would make their initial foray into this area with a 7" device seeing has the marketplace prefers the larger screen.

Don't forget that all these devices have to drive regular desktop OSs and apps. Running OSX on a 7'' screen wouldn't be fun, either, but the iPhone OS and apps have already been designed for limited screen estate.

[Gosh]

If the devices are powered by ARM processors (which is assumed at this point), we will not see OS X running on them. OS X is a great operating system for traditional computers, but it is not optimized for touchscreen input. It's also a little resource heavy for a low-power device such as the iPhone/iPod touch and the power requirements of a tablet device. ARM isn't really the right processor architecture for running full-blown computers.

But the iPhone OS is OS X underneath - kind of OS X lite! And it runs pretty fast on the iPhone's ARM processor.

This proves how awkward Apple's OS naming has become as it's product range increases.

I think they need to emphasis OS X and then rename thus:
OS X Mac 10.7
OS X Mobile 3.x
etc

[gmcalpin]

3) you can't do true multi-tasking on it (don't give me the old saw "you don't need true multi-tasking, task switching is good enough!" ... you'll make yourself sound like a 1994 Mac OS fanboy)
Why are you assuming that the next version of the iPhone OS running on a new device with a different processor won't be able to do true multi-tasking?

[crees!]

Could it be that there will be a 7" and 10" touch device? 7" being the tablet and 10" being the desktop peripheral (keyboard)?

[cmaier]

MR should really just merge all these slate rumor threads.

[123macman]

What i want more than a tablet is a touch screen macbook pro. I would still like their to be a tablet but a macbook pro with a touch screen, keyboard, and track pad seems more usable to me.

[cmaier]

What i want more than a tablet is a touch screen macbook pro. I would still like their to be a tablet but a macbook pro with a touch screen, keyboard, and track pad seems more usable to me.

It gets very fatiguing touching the screen when it's positioned like in a mbp.

[Bubba Satori]

I have a company with over 250 employees and we are 100% Apple. (they a;; have iPhones that the company pays for).

If this puppy is real, I can see using it to replace laptops in meetings and exchange ideas with electronic white boards, share notes, use the "cloud" in our system to amalgamate ideas and then pass the leapfrogged ideas back and forth AND all real time. And do it with handwriting recognition that automatically converts to - or let's say marker type face (a little dig at Apple there - worst type face for the iPhone - IMHO).

I have been hoping for a tablet form for a long time. We use a programme called LabAssistant and I have always said that it would work best on a tablet - like a clipboard.

Price points and form factor (screen size) will not be a consideration as long as we can use a real OS not an paired down version of 10.6

There are some benefit to a tie in to the Apple Store (iTunes) but I do not think that is limited to a particular OS. It (the store) is a transfer agent that allows you to download and then install in multiple formats and OS's. Think about it.

Cheers from Downunder.

What will you do if it comes with a non-multitasking version of the iPhone Os?
Would you still be able to deploy it and work around a non-full version of OSX?

[creator003]

What will you do if it comes with a non-multitasking version of the iPhone Os? Would you still be able to deploy it and work around a non-full version of OSX?

That would be more like a toy,
instead of sth facilitating his businese:p

[cmaier]

What will you do if it comes with a non-multitasking version of the iPhone Os? Would you still be able to deploy it and work around a non-full version of OSX?


I think you'll see mac os touch, with a beefed up UIKit and at least OS-level multitasking, but not mac os snowleopard. Mac os apps will not work, even with a recompile, but iPhone apps will.

[peterdevries]

Who wants a "less powerful" laptop? That's like saying "I want a less faster Lamborghini". The MacBook Air is less powerful than the MacBook, and people complained about that. Why make something to run desktop applications weak as hell?

A tablet will most likely be geared toward media consumption, which doesn't require an immensely powerful processor. This has the advantage that battery life will be longer AND the tablet will be cheaper.

That's why I think people expecting to do photo editing using photoshop, Wacom like functionality etc will be sorely disappointed. In addition it will probably not run Crysis..

What it needs to be able to do is snappy surfing, downloading and editing of emails, playing HD movies full screen, playing music, render e-books, and run apps from the app store. It can do that with a moderately powerful processor. For everything else that needs more power, I'm sure apple will point you in the direction of it's iMac, Macbook Pro and Mac Pro lineup.

[JustChuck]

Apple better make sure they deliver the iSlate on time! Otherwise, the media will have a heyday with that name.

[cmaier]

Apple better make sure they deliver the iSlate on time! Otherwise, the media will have a heyday with that name.

No one has posted that joke in at least the last half hour.

[talkingnewmedia]

What it needs to be able to do is snappy surfing, downloading and editing of emails, playing HD movies full screen, playing music, render e-books, and run apps from the app store. It can do that with a moderately powerful processor. For everything else that needs more power, I'm sure apple will point you in the direction of it's iMac, Macbook Pro and Mac Pro lineup.

These rumors remind a little of the iPhone days. The speculation about a phone from Apple divided people into those who yawned at the idea of a new phone (me) and those who thought anything from Apple would be revolutionary.

I also remember Job's introduction: he said Apple was launching three revolutionary products -- a widescreen iPod with touch controls (big applause); a revolutionary mobile phone (huge applause); and a "breakthrough internet communicator" (very little applause).

I would argue that the third item was the truly revolutionary one, but people didn't see it at the time.

Any tablet Apple introduces has to do something new -- maybe not immediately, but eventually. A tablet that simply surfs the web or uses iPhone functions will be, like the Air, simply a new way to do old things.

A tablet, though, that replaces print products (which is what Hearst and Condé Nast are betting), or let's you watch TV remotely (bye bye Slingbox) or things I can't even think of . . . that is the one that will succeed.

One thing for sure, Apple has to make sure it has processing power. If it is under powered the tablet will be looked on the same way many people see Netbooks -- nice idea that doesn't work for them.

[flottenheimer]

January got me excited... Q3 makes me cold.

[taltal]

Apple better make sure they deliver the iSlate on time! Otherwise, the media will have a heyday with that name.

LOL!!!!!

I love that joke.

[Eidorian]

7". 10". Q1. Q3. Blah blah blah.

Enough already. Pics or it didn't happen.It does seem that Apple is ordering a lot of displays for products that haven't been released yet. :rolleyes:

[cmaier]

It does seem that Apple is ordering a lot of displays for products that haven't been released yet. :rolleyes:

If you believe all of the display-related rumors over the last two years, they've already purchased enough 7" and 10" displays to put one in every home in the U.S.

Or, it could just be that some of these rumors are completely wrong.

I wonder which it is.

[Macrovertigo]

I agree, there has to be a pony in this raft of rumors somewhere - is this device finally the one that actively observes it's owner's eyes (and things in the environs that it is pointed at) in anticipation of service?

[kzin]

I agree, there has to be a pony in this raft of rumors somewhere - is this device finally the one that actively observes it's owner's eyes (and things in the environs that it is pointed at) in anticipation of service?

That's what we need! Not an "iTablet", we need "iGoggles"/"iGlasses". Augmented reality display in your glasses, ear-buds dangling from the arms of the glasses, finger-tip recognition for manipulation (like the MIT media lab UI experiment), and proximity sensors along the arms and band of the glasses.

[simulacra]

You don't need true multi-tasking on a phone. The iPhone OS is perfectly capable of multi tasking, there is just no UI to allow switching and killing of programs, etc.

This is a deliberate design choice for a phone, where screen estate is limited and battery life is king. Using iPhone OS as the basis for the iSlate doesn't limit this in any way. It's just a question of whether they allow it or not.



On an iphone, yes you do, I can't recall how many times I sworn about having to quit my radio-app just to answer a text, maybe using streaming apps constantly isn't ordinary in the US due to crappy 3G-reception it is in europe, spotify and similar apps are used by most ppl with iphones and androids.

If iphone OS 4.0 isn't featuring a mutitasking ability, I'm prolly gonna have to rethink me getting a new iphone this summer.

[drpellypo]

"Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar, you're gonna go far!" (Pink Floyd)

Totally on the money. You got it.

Why thanks! ;) I do hope I'm right. I'm a lot poorer now because of Apple though.

[appleguy123]

Well yes I do love the iPhone OS.. I develop for it. But still it has some limitations.

I'm not really interested in just a bigger iphone. I would like to be able to run multiple iphone applications side by side. So maybe for each application have a choice of running it full screen or iphone size, and then be able to pop up two apps together, eg a calendar and and e-mail.

They have to make this function different from the iphone otherwise people will be choosing between the two, and I bet Apple really want people to buy both.

---Zed
Exactly! And if they sell this thing at <$600 then why would people buy the iPhone? I would go with a dummy phone and an iSlate. Apple would cannibalize their own market. One which they basically created

[lilo777]

:p - - and to think that my attention has been somewhat veering to netbook form factor type products ! no, seriously DESPITE already owning an Air + iPhone, if this thing is 'right' and is powerful enough and displays correctly including the 'correct' UI then we could be looking at another market changer... agreed ?

No. Unlike the case with iPod and iPhone where the market did exist. The market for tablets does not exist so there is nothing to change. Unless this device is a replacement for eBook readers.

[foobarbaz]

On an iphone, yes you do, I can't recall how many times I sworn about having to quit my radio-app just to answer a text

Music playback is hardly multi"tasking". The iPhone already is capable of playing music while you do something else, it's just not available for 3rd party apps.

Playing music in the background is a very specific task, and the iPhone has specific controls to manage it in the background (even a headphone "remote"). I wouldn't deduce a general need or desire for multitasking from this specific example. It just points to the need for better access to the multimedia APIs.

Of course, anybody can want multitasking on a phone, but I stand by the point that it is a reasonable (in my eyes beneficial) design choice to omit it for simplicity and performance.

Now if the iSlate has enough screen to keep displaying a "dock" then multitasking can be implemented in a transparent way and given enough computing resources might offer some benefits.

[lilo777]

Exactly! And if they sell this thing at <$600 then why would people buy the iPhone? I would go with a dummy phone and an iSlate. Apple would cannibalize their own market. One which they basically created

10" device is not something one would carry everywhere, so I am not sure your solution will work for many. It's possible that most people will simply stick wiht a phone and a laptop which covers all the needs.

It gets very fatiguing touching the screen when it's positioned like in a mbp.

It's true. However it might be even more difficult to deal with a flat tablet because the requirements for the angle for keyboard and for viewing are fundamentally different. Flat tablet would not be suitable for anyting involving significant amount of typing.


Of course, anybody can want multitasking on a phone, but I stand by the point that it is a reasonable (in my eyes beneficial) design choice to omit it for simplicity and performance.


Now that is a totally flawed logic. Unless we are talking about battery life there is absolutely no benefits in not having a multitasking. Those striving for simplicity could simply not use the multitasking (although I can hardly believe they would behave this way). It smacks of Apple apologetics.

[cmaier]

It's true. However it might be even more difficult to deal with a flat tablet because the requirements for the angle for keyboard and for viewing are fundamentally different. Flat tablet would not be suitable for anyting involving significant amount of typing.

Typing is not the same as touching. I doubt that the primary input method on any apple tablet would be an iphone style keyboard (though I imagine one would be available). However I do think the primary input method will involve touching the screen.

Now that is a totally flawed logic. Unless we are talking about battery life there is absolutely no benefits in not having a multitasking. Those striving for simplicity could simply not use the multitasking (although I can hardly believe they would behave this way). It smacks of Apple apologetics.

Performance is another reason. Pre and other smartphones get dinged for running slowly with more than a few apps open. Windows Mobile devices have notorious memory management issues with multiple devices open. Etc.

[iMJustAGuy]

3rd Quarter is April-May-June, so the article makes sense.

Um, April is at the very BEGINNING of the SECOND quarter...

[iMJustAGuy]

Business is usually accounted for in a Fiscal Year, which begins its 1st quarter on Oct. 1, and ends on Dec. 31. 2nd quarter is Jan-Feb-Mar. So 3rd quarter is Apr-May-Jun.

Then Begin/end of a fiscal year can differ for different companies...

[peterdevries]

No. Unlike the case with iPod and iPhone where the market did exist. The market for tablets does not exist so there is nothing to change. Unless this device is a replacement for eBook readers.

There is a market for tablets, but it is consists of pieces from the laptop, netbook and touchscreen cellphone markets, and will only get visible as actual products become readily available.

Compare it to the many new car models that are introduced frequently. I don't mean a new iteration of e.g. a 5 series BMW, but a whole new model such as the BMW X1. (take a look at the BMW website to see what I mean). This new model is a combination of a number of existing BMW models. Here the market for the X1 also didn't appear to exist before, but it was definitely there. In the markets for the models that the X1 is based on.

The same holds true for the tablet market, with one little difference. Most people will not buy two cars just because they have different features. In the case of the tablets I can see people owning laptops and tablets and using them both in different settings because of the features and advantages of each "model". I'm one of them. I can see myself at home working on my laptop, but on trips I would definitely take my tablet..

[kzin]

You don't need true multi-tasking on a phone.

Thank you. I knew at least one of you would take up that retro "We only need computers that look good, not computers with basic functionalities that have been common place everywhere else for decades" apologist line that was the party line in the Apple fanboy base 15 years ago.

YOU don't need multi-tasking on a phone. Don't tell me what I do or don't need, because you don't know what my needs are or aren't, and thus you don't know what you're talking about. And that's my point both with this, and with the app store part of what I was saying and you were replying to.

Apple doesn't know what my needs are or aren't, and therefore should shut their pie holes about what apps I can or can't install on my devices. If the Apple Tablet is similarly closed (no matter what types of wireless networks it does or doesn't support), then it's a failure on Apple's part. No if's, and's, nor but's. No apologist tripe desired nor required.

[Compile 'em all]

Apple doesn't know what my needs are or aren't, and therefore should shut their pie holes about what apps I can or can't install on my devices..

Actually, it is their product. So they have some assumptions of what people need and how they will use it. Otherwise, it won't sell. Don't you think?

If their product doesn't fulfill your needs then it is probably not the right thing for you. As simple as that.

[cvaldes]

P.S. - Apple's fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
Actually, it does not. Apple ends their fiscal quarters a few days before the last day of the calendar month.

Fiscal Year 2010 for Apple started on September 27th; I believe Apple is already closing the books on F1Q10.

[kzin]

If their product doesn't fulfill your needs then it is probably not the right thing for you. As simple as that.

Obviously. And if they want my money, they'll satisfy my needs/goals/desires. So, they'll have an ability to install apps that aren't judged/approved by Apple, they'll have true multi-tasking, etc.

[MacRumorUser]

So with all these various news | rumors personally I think it bodes two devices.

One launching Spring with a 7" screen. iPhone/iPod style interface, which will also be useable as an external controller to your main mac machine with multi-touch features.

Second more advanced version launching early Fall 2010 with a 10" screen, and running OSX (otherwise why have a 10" at all) alongside the iPhone OS which runs much like InstantOn linux.

I only hope I'm somewhat accurate :)

[DMann]

So with all these various news | rumors personally I think it bodes two devices.

One launching Spring with a 7" screen. iPhone/iPod style interface, which will also be useable as an external controller to your main mac machine with multi-touch features.

Second more advanced version launching early Fall 2010 with a 10" screen, and running OSX (otherwise why have a 10" at all) alongside the iPhone OS which runs much like InstantOn linux.

I only hope I'm somewhat accurate :)

Sounds plausible, and makes sense - the best of both worlds, this would be.

[cmaier]

Sounds plausible, and makes sense - the best of both worlds, this would be.

Doesn't sound at all plausible to me. Apple already has 4 OS's to support (SL, SL Server, iPhone, Apple TV). Even though these share a lot of code, we've seen how iPhone issues interfered with SL and vice versa. I don't think Apple wants to support two more variations.

[DMann]

Doesn't sound at all plausible to me. Apple already has 4 OS's to support (SL, SL Server, iPhone, Apple TV). Even though these share a lot of code, we've seen how iPhone issues interfered with SL and vice versa. I don't think Apple wants to support two more variations.

Good point - hopefully, an upscaled version of the iPhone OS will bring things closer to reaching a 'happy medium.'

[simulacra]

Music playback is hardly multi"tasking". The iPhone already is capable of playing music while you do something else, it's just not available for 3rd party apps.

Playing music in the background is a very specific task, and the iPhone has specific controls to manage it in the background (even a headphone "remote"). I wouldn't deduce a general need or desire for multitasking from this specific example. It just points to the need for better access to the multimedia APIs.

Of course, anybody can want multitasking on a phone, but I stand by the point that it is a reasonable (in my eyes beneficial) design choice to omit it for simplicity and performance.

Now if the iSlate has enough screen to keep displaying a "dock" then multitasking can be implemented in a transparent way and given enough computing resources might offer some benefits.

I'm not talking about playing music, yes, you can play music through the ipod in the iphone in the background, but you can't use 3rd party apps for playing music (eg. spotify which gives my somewhere around 200'000 songs readliy available for a fixed streaming fee, and radio streaming apps like tuner for webcasts).

And not to mention messaging apps like flowchar irc and the like which requires a constant connection to servers and won't benefit from push.
The android can do it without ppl whining about battery or memory (atleast not more than iphone owners do)

The iphone has changed the way ppl use their phone, seems like Apple underestimated their own user base.

[kzin]

So with all these various news | rumors personally I think it bodes two devices.

One launching Spring with a 7" screen. iPhone/iPod style interface, which will also be useable as an external controller to your main mac machine with multi-touch features.

Second more advanced version launching early Fall 2010 with a 10" screen, and running OSX (otherwise why have a 10" at all) alongside the iPhone OS which runs much like InstantOn linux.

I only hope I'm somewhat accurate :)

I'd go for that too.

[kzin]

Doesn't sound at all plausible to me. Apple already has 4 OS's to support (SL, SL Server, iPhone, Apple TV). Even though these share a lot of code, we've seen how iPhone issues interfered with SL and vice versa. I don't think Apple wants to support two more variations.

Last I saw/checked/heard, OS X server isn't really a different OS, it's a set of extra packages bundled into the Mac OS X platform. So, it's two different packagings of the same OS.

I've been told that AppleTV isn't much of a variation from standard OS X either. But I have no idea what CPU it runs on. Assuming it's ARM (because I don't see why they'd do it as an intel CPU), it could be that there's just two OS X's:

1) ARM -- with package variants for iPhone, iPod Touch, and AppleTV

2) x86 -- with package variants for desktop and server

Add the 7" model to group 1, and the 10" model to group 2. And if I'm wrong about AppleTV, just move it to group 2.

[cmaier]

Last I saw/checked/heard, OS X server isn't really a different OS, it's a set of extra packages bundled into the Mac OS X platform. So, it's two different packagings of the same OS.

I've been told that AppleTV isn't much of a variation from standard OS X either. But I have no idea what CPU it runs on. Assuming it's ARM (because I don't see why they'd do it as an intel CPU), it could be that there's just two OS X's:

1) ARM -- with package variants for iPhone, iPod Touch, and AppleTV

2) x86 -- with package variants for desktop and server

Add the 7" model to group 1, and the 10" model to group 2. And if I'm wrong about AppleTV, just move it to group 2.

Lot of assumptions you're making.

Apple TV is based on Tiger on x86.

Anyway, like I said, there is a lot of shared code between the various OS's, but you are greatly underestimating the difficulty in developing, maintaining, and supporting all of these variations.

And, like I said, we've already seen Apple get into difficulty trying to simultaneously develop iphone OS and SL and delaying both.

[kzin]

Anyway, like I said, there is a lot of shared code between the various OS's, but you are greatly underestimating the difficulty in developing, maintaining, and supporting all of these variations.


Or maybe I know/knew people who maintained that code base back when it was simultaneously deployed on 4 different CPU families, and I have a very good idea of how well those people do at making sure that the variations are manageable.

[jwdsail]

Connectors eh? i wonder if this is supposed to be a tablet... that can connect to a keyboard as a laptop... that can also be used as a desktop, when hooked up w/ displayport, etc... interesting......

Light Peak ftw

what other reason to be secretive about the nature of "connectors" besides it being a major leap ahead of the rest of the industry?

I remain optimistic.

[cmaier]

Or maybe I know/knew people who maintained that code base back when it was simultaneously deployed on 4 different CPU families, and I have a very good idea of how well those people do at making sure that the variations are manageable.

If that were so you'd know that Apple TV isn't ARM and has nothing to do with the iPhone code base.

[kzin]

If that were so you'd know that Apple TV isn't ARM and has nothing to do with the iPhone code base.

Or I never bothered to ask, and I stated up front that I didn't know.

[MorphingDragon]

If that were so you'd know that Apple TV isn't ARM and has nothing to do with the iPhone code base.

No discrimination on the tourists!

[cmaier]

Or I never bothered to ask, and I stated up front that I didn't know.

What are their names?

[MorphingDragon]

What are their names?

Bashful
Doc
Dopey
Grumpy
Happy
Sleepy
Sneezy

[kzin]

What are their names?

The people I knew at NeXT were Adam Beeman and Michael Snyder. Neither was a kernel engineer, but it was a small company and they had a lot of contact across groups. Michael was largely working on the compilers and debuggers, and thus had to deal with the cross-platform work. I was also a regular on the next newsgroups, where we had regular input from a couple of the core engineers (but, for the life of me, I can't remember the main one's name right now).

I'm not sure if Mike Kaye was an Apple employee who went to work on NeXT stuff after they bought NeXT, or if he was a NeXT employee who got hired right before they got bought. Though, he was mainly focused on WebObjects.

I also had a couple of friends in my larger circle of college friends, one named Dan, who said a few things at various times. Though, I honestly don't know what Dan directly works on at Apple.

And, since the merger, and the demise of Cygnus Solutions (where I worked), several of my old friends there went to work at Apple (in the compiler and debugger groups). (that's actually how I know Michael Snyder, he left NeXT to come work at Cygnus; I know Adam because was part of that larger circle of college friends, and married a good friend of mine ... after NeXT, Adam went on to be the sysadmin for the executive team at Pixar ... and then Apple).

[mac-sky]

Wonderful !
I can't wait to get it

[cvaldes]

Anyway, like I said, there is a lot of shared code between the various OS's, but you are greatly underestimating the difficulty in developing, maintaining, and supporting all of these variations.

And, like I said, we've already seen Apple get into difficulty trying to simultaneously develop iphone OS and SL and delaying both.
This appears to be a very plausible analysis.

There are a lot of interdependencies between the operating systems and it appears that Apple has its hands full juggling engineering resources in order to finalize and ship hardware and software in a timely manner.

Assuming that Apple launches this phantom tablet this spring, here's what it looks like:


Spring: tablet, maybe Apple TV + mid-tier OS
Summer: phone, iPhone OS
Fall: consumer Macs, legacy iPods, Mac OS X


Apple has very little wiggle room otherwise the whole schedule could slip.

[str1f3]

This appears to be a very plausible analysis.

There are a lot of interdependencies between the operating systems and it appears that Apple has its hands full juggling engineering resources in order to finalize and ship hardware and software in a timely manner.

Assuming that Apple launches this phantom tablet this spring, here's what it looks like:


Spring: tablet, maybe Apple TV + mid-tier OS
Summer: phone, iPhone OS
Fall: consumer Macs, legacy iPods, Mac OS X


Apple has very little wiggle room otherwise the whole schedule could slip.

It is a very reasonable analysis but here's the problem: The tablet is as important as the iPhone and far more important than the Mac right now. Why?

1. A touch/gesture-based system is the future of computing and not a keyboard and mouse.

2. The Mac OS itself has gone as far as it can be taken. We are now at the point where we quibble over slight UI changes and nothing has really changed since 10.3.

3. The idea of the Finder has become antiquated and can be revolutionized with an iPhone OS style design.

Apple will be really dropping the ball if it's just an oversized iPhone. This is the next generation of computing. I still hold out hope that this is what Apple is thinking because no one guessed correctly what the iPhone was before Macworld 2007.

If it's an oversized iPhone, I will turn my nose. If it's what I hope it'll be, then I'll be on it like Steve Ballmer on stupid.

[DMann]

If it's what I hope it'll be, then I'll be on it like Steve Ballmer on stupid.

The two shall remain indivisible; inseparable and inextricably bonded, nonetheless.

[cmaier]

It is a very reasonable analysis but here's the problem: The tablet is as important as the iPhone and far more important than the Mac right now. Why?

1. A touch/gesture-based system is the future of computing and not a keyboard and mouse.

2. The Mac OS itself has gone as far as it can be taken. We are now at the point where we quibble over slight UI changes and nothing has really changed since 10.3.

3. The idea of the Finder has become antiquated and can be revolutionized with an iPhone OS style design.

Apple will be really dropping the ball if it's just an oversized iPhone. This is the next generation of computing. I still hold out hope that this is what Apple is thinking because no one guessed correctly what the iPhone was before Macworld 2007.

If it's an oversized iPhone, I will turn my nose. If it's what I hope it'll be, then I'll be on it like Steve Ballmer on stupid.

That's why I make the following predictions:

1) it will be based on the iPhone OS. For example, it will include UIKit. It will be a superset of the iPhone OS. For example, UITableViews will support multiple columns, there will be new user interface elements (new keyboard types and probably some sort of handwriting recognition and/or voice input), etc.

2) it will support multitasking, though you won't be able to hook system events. Apps will have to get used to receiving ApplicationWillResignActive messages and do the right thing (many don't, right now). An aggressive OS scheduler will kill apps that are hurting performance too much.

3) it will come with additional built-in apps, including some sort of finder-like thing that will support importing and syncing files with local machines and the cloud (at least Mobile Me). The SDK will be augmented to relax the sandbox enough to allow apps access to a shared file system. Probably before an app is allowed to modify a file the first time, an alert will ask permission (like location tracking right now).

4) it will run on ARM. Existing iPhone apps will work. If the author doesn't set a flag in Info.plist, they will be scaled to full screen and look crummy. If the author does set the bit, he can take full advantage of the full resolution. There will be some sort of gesture to trigger something like expose.

5) it may come with a book reader and itunes may sell books/magazines, but I think it's less than 50% - instead I think you'll buy book apps off the appstore.

6) there will be no way to sideload apps (except for developers), same as iphone. This will continue to be an annoyance.

7) it will have some sort of 3g modem.

[str1f3]

That's why I make the following predictions:

1) it will be based on the iPhone OS. For example, it will include UIKit. It will be a superset of the iPhone OS. For example, UITableViews will support multiple columns, there will be new user interface elements (new keyboard types and probably some sort of handwriting recognition and/or voice input), etc.

2) it will support multitasking, though you won't be able to hook system events. Apps will have to get used to receiving ApplicationWillResignActive messages and do the right thing (many don't, right now). An aggressive OS scheduler will kill apps that are hurting performance too much.

3) it will come with additional built-in apps, including some sort of finder-like thing that will support importing and syncing files with local machines and the cloud (at least Mobile Me). The SDK will be augmented to relax the sandbox enough to allow apps access to a shared file system. Probably before an app is allowed to modify a file the first time, an alert will ask permission (like location tracking right now).

4) it will run on ARM. Existing iPhone apps will work. If the author doesn't set a flag in Info.plist, they will be scaled to full screen and look crummy. If the author does set the bit, he can take full advantage of the full resolution. There will be some sort of gesture to trigger something like expose.

5) it may come with a book reader and itunes may sell books/magazines, but I think it's less than 50% - instead I think you'll buy book apps off the appstore.

6) there will be no way to sideload apps (except for developers), same as iphone. This will continue to be an annoyance.

7) it will have some sort of 3g modem.

I agree with what you're saying for the most part but this has to be a independent device. It shouldn't have to rely on a Mac as the main machine. If that is the case, it'll sell but it won't be a revolution. It's OK if it's locked into the App Store (it would be jailbroken anyway) but it still has to be a computer. The monthly 3G price would raise it to the price of a fully open base MBP.

I can assure you that if Apple chooses it to be an oversized iPhone, Google will pick up where the iSlate left off. Reports are already coming out that the first Chorme OS device is a tablet.

[cmaier]

I agree with what you're saying for the most part but this has to be a independent device. It shouldn't have to rely on a Mac as the main machine. If that is the case, it'll sell but it won't be a revolution. It's OK if it's locked into the App Store (it would be jailbroken anyway) but it still has to be a computer. The monthly 3G price would raise it to the price of a fully open base MBP.

I can assure you that if Apple chooses it to be an oversized iPhone, Google will pick up where the iSlate left off. Reports are already coming out that the first Chorme OS device is a tablet.

I suspect you will be able to be independent as far as docs are concerned. You will be able to mail yourself docs to sideload them, or sync them from iTunes or the finder, or sync with mobile.me. If it does have a book/periodical reader, these will likely sync over-the-air. Music will not sync over the air - it will work like iPhone. Eventually, presumably, lala.com will end up meaning over-the-air sync, but who knows.

Here are a few more radical predictions - it will use mini-USB, not a dock connector. It will support bluetooth and 802.11n. It will have a SD card slot.

[str1f3]

I suspect you will be able to be independent as far as docs are concerned. You will be able to mail yourself docs to sideload them, or sync them from iTunes or the finder, or sync with mobile.me. If it does have a book/periodical reader, these will likely sync over-the-air. Music will not sync over the air - it will work like iPhone. Eventually, presumably, lala.com will end up meaning over-the-air sync, but who knows.

Here are a few more radical predictions - it will use mini-USB, not a dock connector. It will support bluetooth and 802.11n. It will have a SD card slot.

I'm fine with whatever as long as I don't have to rely on a Mac. The world is just starting to break out of an economic depression. While Apple has been successful, it's been because they have reliable and well built devices in the Mac, iPhone and iPod touch. If you're introducing a product that replaces nothing and adds a monthly data plan fee it just won't sell incredibly well.

For me, I'm not worried about money but I'm not just going to buy a device that I don't really need (already have a Macbook), add two pounds of weight to my bag and pay a data fee. I can already get my news for free. Considering that 60% of Macs purchased are laptops and the industry as a whole is moving towards portability, I don't think I'm alone in this regard.

[firewood]

And if they want my money, they'll satisfy my needs/goals/desires.

Has it occured to you that they don't want your money?

Especially if there is a lot more money to be made in another market segment.

[peterdevries]

Obviously. And if they want my money, they'll satisfy my needs/goals/desires. So, they'll have an ability to install apps that aren't judged/approved by Apple, they'll have true multi-tasking, etc.

You sound like something between the King of Saudi Arabia and a 5 year old child..

Since Apple apparently makes all products according to your specs, why doesn't the iPhone do multitasking?

[Sydde]

Here's the question: what kind of connector will the Apple tablet computer use? The standard iPod dock connector is a given (thanks to the fact it can serve both battery charging and data transfer functions), but I also see a Mini DisplayPort connector and maybe 1-2 USB 2.0 ports, too.

Answer: none

It will not even have a power connector. The price will be "surprisingly low" because if you want to use cables, you will have to buy the new airport especially designed for the tablet. Oh, you will be able to print to a classic airport, but the new airport will give you all the connectivity you need - for a few more dollars. It will recharge with a magnetic field charger, so there will not even be a power slot in it.

Personally, I would really like to see some sort of native slot for SD/xD cards (or a multi-format slot), but I would not count on it.

[kzin]

You sound like something between the King of Saudi Arabia and a 5 year old child..

Because I have a set of standards, can/will stick to them, and am willing to state them matter of factly?

If I was saying "they better do it, or they'll regret it!" that'd be different. But, I don't expect that Apple will care. I'm just stating my buying standards.

Since Apple apparently makes all products according to your specs, why doesn't the iPhone do multitasking?

Because they don't don't make products according to my specs. Duh. Who said they do? (and, if they did make products according to my specs, the physical keyboard would be a higher priority than multi-tasking ... though, both would be taken care of).

[lilskaterpunk]

Good news!

[iMacmatician]

That's why I make the following predictions:

1) it will be based on the iPhone OS. For example, it will include UIKit. It will be a superset of the iPhone OS. For example, UITableViews will support multiple columns, there will be new user interface elements (new keyboard types and probably some sort of handwriting recognition and/or voice input), etc.

2) it will support multitasking, though you won't be able to hook system events. Apps will have to get used to receiving ApplicationWillResignActive messages and do the right thing (many don't, right now). An aggressive OS scheduler will kill apps that are hurting performance too much.

3) it will come with additional built-in apps, including some sort of finder-like thing that will support importing and syncing files with local machines and the cloud (at least Mobile Me). The SDK will be augmented to relax the sandbox enough to allow apps access to a shared file system. Probably before an app is allowed to modify a file the first time, an alert will ask permission (like location tracking right now).

4) it will run on ARM. Existing iPhone apps will work. If the author doesn't set a flag in Info.plist, they will be scaled to full screen and look crummy. If the author does set the bit, he can take full advantage of the full resolution. There will be some sort of gesture to trigger something like expose.

5) it may come with a book reader and itunes may sell books/magazines, but I think it's less than 50% - instead I think you'll buy book apps off the appstore.

6) there will be no way to sideload apps (except for developers), same as iphone. This will continue to be an annoyance.

7) it will have some sort of 3g modem.I agree with basically all of that. I'll predict a few more things:

1. It may have mobile versions of iLife and/or iWork (tablet-only). These apps will be compatible with the desktop versions.

2. Camera, either as an option or on all models.

3. 32-128 GB flash memory?

4. MacRumors will be sharply divided between people who love it and people who hate it.

The monthly 3G price would raise it to the price of a fully open base MBP. I hope there is an option for no 3G.

[kristoffer4]

Do you think a tablet could replace the laptop? If it allowed a external keyboard and a stand I could see it happen...:cool:

[kzin]

Do you think a tablet could replace the laptop? If it allowed a external keyboard and a stand I could see it happen...:cool:

I've got Ubuntu on my Samsung Q1 Ultra. With that, I decided I didn't need a laptop anymore (has USB ports for keyboard/mouse/etc. and VGA out, but I couldn't ever get the VGA out to work with ubuntu and a 1280x1024 monitor; it also had screen rotation issues; so it is now relegated to being my couch computer).

The main things I want to be different about it:
1) Ubuntu is probably the best Linux out there, and it's leaps better than Windows ... but the fine detail integration still isn't as good as Mac OS X. And, it proved to me that I'm just not interested in always hacking my productivity devices; the devices I depend on have to have vendor supported OSes (and thus vendor supported Ubuntu, Android, or Mac OS X).
2) The screen is just a little too small ... my 9" dell mini 9 (which replaced the samsung as the "mobile computer") is almost right, so 9" or 10" seems perfect.
3) The screen rotation issue. There are TONS of times I want to use it in portrait mode, and just can't.
4) DVI-I or DisplayPort output, with support for 1024x768, 1280x1024, and WD displays. I'll accept VGA or HDMI, but I STRONGLY prefer DVI-I or DisplayPort (because they're each capable of being converted to both analog and digital display types, where VGA and HDMI are limited in their supported display types).

The lesson of the Dell mini 9, for me, is: I almost never use the keyboard because it's too big to thumb type, and too small to touch type. So it's basically just always in the way. What I want is not a netbook, it's a tablet or a convertible-tablet ... with a 10" screen, vendor supported Mac OS X, Android, or Ubuntu, usable USB and display ports, and functional automatic (or at least easy) screen rotation.

But, yes, a tablet can replace a laptop.

[jjd]

Do you think a tablet could replace the laptop? If it allowed a external keyboard and a stand I could see it happen...:cool:

I cannot imagine it would not at least accept a keyboard via BT. And, I think there will be an integrated stand on the back of the unit. Not so much to enable keyboard use but for watching videos, viewing slideshows etc. And, I think the integration of the stand will be a masterpiece of industrial design. It will be oriented to landscape viewing only - portrait viewing will be for handheld use.

As I think about it, it would also be nice if the tablet were to accept IR commands from the Apple remote. Again for ease of viewing when on its stand in landscape mode.

[lilo777]

4. MacRumors will be sharply divided between people who love it and people who hate it.


Neither the former nor the latter ones actually buying it, right?
:)

[Eidorian]

Neither the former nor the latter ones actually buying it, right?
:)I'm sure we'll pity those Rev. A buyers until Apple gets it right.

[lilo777]

Do you think a tablet could replace the laptop? If it allowed a external keyboard and a stand I could see it happen...:cool:

Tablet without a keyboard obviously can not replace a laptop (because you do not want thumb-type nayhting longer than 100 words on it and i it is big you would not be able to thumb-type at all). If there is a keyboard (and the keyboards can be realy thin these days), why not to use it to protect the screen? For that you have two options - classic laptop or classic tablet (with rotateable screen). People already went through this and the decision have been made. Tablet without the keyboard might make sense only as a media-entertainment device (primarily) with an option to connect to BT keyboard for occasional typing.

[AidenShaw]

because you do not want thumb-type nayhting longer than 100 words on it and i it is big you would not be able to thumb-type at all

"nayhting" :D

LOL - too bad you didn't have the "typed from my Iphone virtual keyboard" at the top of you post.

[MorphingDragon]

"nayhting" :D

LOL - too bad you didn't have the "typed from my Iphone virtual keyboard" at the top of you post.

That seems more like a touchtyping mistake.

[montom]

My crazy prediction:

The back of the tablet is touch sensitive.

You will be able to type using your fingers on the back of the device, as you look at the device from the front.