Apple Tablet Scheduled to Begin Shipping in March? Two Different Material Casings Being Considered?

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/04/apple-tablet-scheduled-to-begin-shipping-in-march-two-different-material-casings-being-considered/)

The Wall Street Journal reports (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703580904574638630584151614.html) (subscription required) that while Apple is expected to introduce its tablet device at a media event reportedly scheduled (http://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/04/major-new-apple-product-on-january-27th/) for later this month, the tablet will not begin shipping until March.Apple Inc. plans to unveil a new multimedia tablet device later this month, but doesn't plan on shipping the product until March, people briefed by the company said.

While the shipping time hasn't been finalized and could change, people briefed on the matter said the new tablet device will come with a 10- to 11-inch touch screen.The report also details information received from a source indicating that Apple has been working with two different materials for the device's casing, although it is unknown whether it plans to release models with both types.One of the people briefed on the matter added that Apple was working on two different material finishes for the tablet, though it was unclear whether the Cupertino, Calif., company was just testing them or planning to come out with multiple versions of the device at different prices.The remainder of the report summarizes previously-rumored information about the tablet, citing analyst claims of a price point near $1,000 and a multifunction nature catering to those interested in video, gaming, and electronic book, newspaper, and magazine content.

Article Link: Apple Tablet Scheduled to Begin Shipping in March? Two Different Material Casings Being Considered? (http://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/04/apple-tablet-scheduled-to-begin-shipping-in-march-two-different-material-casings-being-considered/)

[thegoldenmackid]

For $1,000 - I'll pass.

[sampro]

For $1,000 - I'll pass.


ya me too, at $1,000 no one will buy it, stocks will go down at that price and apple will loose money...

[adamw]

While many people would probably like to see it sooner than March, I want to see Apple get it right, so that the tablet is both durable and reliable.

Also that might give developers of apps enough time to port some of their apps over to the larger screen size format...

[AnthonyCM]

Sooner would be better (if it turns out I want one after seeing the presentation), but at least waiting until March will give me time to save up some cash after I blow it all gambling at CES later this week.

[eyephone]

1,000 bucks or not if they get it right as a device, I will prolly buy a new one every year.

For the same reason I buy each iteration of the iphone.

[MatthewCobb]

[ a multifunction nature catering to those interested in video, gaming, and electronic book, newspaper, and magazine content.]

As was said on the "what's the point of the slate" thread yesterday:

Originally Posted by Flavioparentiq
Here you go:
- The iphone was "Phone, Music player, Internet."
- The Islate will be "Media, News, Games."

Well spotted that man!

[dwd3885]

$899-$999 will be a tough sell. Might as well get a MacBook if you're going to spend near $1,000. And MacBook has all the news, games, media you need too.

[akadmon]

I would pay no more than $700 for this thing IF it had a color e-ink screen with crazy fast refresh rate. Not gonna happen since, AFIK, such a screen does not exist (certainly not anything that's ready for a mass market). Wake up, Apple!, why would any sane person pay a 1000 bucks for what is essentially a small laptop without a keyboard and with limited storage?

[turtlebud]

For $1,000 - I'll pass.

I agree. for $599, I would give it some serious consideration, for $999, I doubt it (for me).

[baryon]

Think before you say 1000 dollars is too much: What if this device will do everything a notebook should do, except the more advanced things? What if it's an almost full-featured and very usable notebook-style device? Then it's practically a revolutionary netbook right? What if it's an amazingly good "netbook"? So it costs twice as much as a netbook, does the same things but has revolutionary technology, it's not made of lame plastic, and it's Apple, sounds kinda normal to me!

[AnthonyCM]

Is $1,000 really that much (not that I don't want it cheaper!)?

A Kindle, which is only B&W has no video capabilities (among many other things it lacks) is over $300, and that's a huge seller. For a reader! Supposedly, the iSlate (or whatever it's called) will be a reader, a video player, a gaming tablet, has the potential to sub as a netbook, etc. You're looking at $700-$800 for a decent netbook and a Kindle. I'd rather have it all in one and not have two things to carry around when I travel.

No, it certainly won't be for everyone. Might not even be for me. However, I can see there being a market for this.

[stevemost]

I doubt anyone was "briefed by the company".
Apple never does...

[the-oz-man]

$1,000 is too much for me. I'll wait for the 2nd or 3rd version and something around $500 to $600.

[naman34]

I doubt they'll talk much about iPhone OS 4.0 this time…
They've got a lot to release:
iWork
iLife
new macbook pros with arrandale processors. (Which are going to be thinner)
new Macbook Air, with Arrandale Processor.
New Mac Pro with 6 and 12 cores, and massive amount of possible RAM.
and The Tablet.

Once the tablet is announced they'll take like half an hour demoing it.
After that I think they'll let people take it in for a while before they talk about the software side of things.

Maybe they'll just talk very little about it…
Like hey devs new tools available for you, get to work. Works pretty similarly as for the iPhone. start making your apps compatible..

[DaBrain]

For $1,000 - I'll pass.


Yep! May as well spend a bit more and get a Macbook Pro if this price rumor is true. :confused:

[MrCrowbar]

While many people would probably like to see it sooner than March, I want to see Apple get it right, so that the tablet is both durable and reliable.

The days of users getting thoroughly tested hardware are over. That's one of the problems with being secretive, few people have access to the new stuff for testing end thus fundamental flaws are not discovered.

For $1000 though... well the iPhone was expensive too at first.

[chstr]

$1000=(and I don't use this word loosely) FAILLLLLLLLLLL

[PeterQVenkman]

ya me too, at $1,000 no one will buy it, stocks will go down at that price and apple will loose money...

People (including me!) said almost the exact same thing about the iPod!

All I can say for sure is I won't buy it at $1000. :(


I would sure love to see this device though. It will be a big source of techno-lust for me.

[irishgrizzly]

Think before you say 1000 dollars is too much: What if this device will do everything a notebook should do, except the more advanced things? What if it's an almost full-featured and very usable notebook-style device? Then it's practically a revolutionary netbook right? What if it's an amazingly good "netbook"? So it costs twice as much as a netbook, does the same things but has revolutionary technology, it's not made of lame plastic, and it's Apple, sounds kinda normal to me!

If it's too this to the Macbook, wouldn't Apple be hurting there own laptop sales?

[tny]

Is $1,000 really that much (not that I don't want it cheaper!)? A Kindle, which is only B&W has no video capabilities (among many other things it lacks) is over $300, and that's a huge seller. For a reader!

Actually, the Kindle 2 is $259. You have to go to the large-form Kindle DX to get over $300.

[chstr]

, the iSlate (or whatever it's called) will be a reader, a video player, a gaming tablet, has the potential to sub as a netbook, etc. You're looking at $700-$800 for a decent netbook and a Kindle. I'd rather have it all in one and not have two things to carry around when I travel.


this is exactly how the tablet is gonna be marketed, but it's gonna be too expensive at first, the price will drop at least $200 within the first 6 months guaranteed

[jaw04005]

Oh how history repeats itself.

"Who would pay $399 for an iPod?"

"Who would pay $599 for an iPhone?"

Although neither really took off until they reached $199 respectively. I'm going with $899 for the iSlate. MacBook stays at $999.

[napabar]

Why does everyone assume the $1000 price tag is legit? It's a RUMOR site for crying out loud! And yet many of you are screaming FAIL at Apple for something you don't even know is true.

The Jackassery in these forums continues unabated......:rolleyes:

[NightFox]

Is $1,000 really that much (not that I don't want it cheaper!)?

A Kindle, which is only B&W has no video capabilities (among many other things it lacks) is over $300, and that's a huge seller. For a reader! Supposedly, the iSlate (or whatever it's called) will be a reader, a video player, a gaming tablet, has the potential to sub as a netbook, etc. You're looking at $700-$800 for a decent netbook and a Kindle. I'd rather have it all in one and not have two things to carry around when I travel.

No, it certainly won't be for everyone. Might not even be for me. However, I can see there being a market for this.

Trouble is, it's the e-ink which is the "killer feature" of a true reader, immature as the technology may be. I don't see how any device that features a traditional backlit screen can compete - it can provide a compromised alternative for e-reading I agree, but for one I always carry my Kindle as well as by MBP when travelling, even though I could read on the MBP's screen if I chose.

Incidentally (and this comment isn't aimed at AnthonyCM), I'm always amazed at how many people will discuss e-readers and compare them with PDAs, netbooks and laptops who clearly don't even realise that e-readers use a completely different display technology and think it's a PDA that you can only read books on.

[tdream]

I'll pay $2000 as long as it's good.

[*LTD*]

Why does everyone assume the $1000 price tag is legit? It's a RUMOR site for crying out loud! And yet many of you are screaming FAIL at Apple for something you don't even know is true.

The Jackassery in these forums continues unabated......:rolleyes:

But until the reveal what else are we supposed to do?? ;)

[Michael73]

I've got a MBP. I've got an iPhone. Can someone please explain to me why I should want / need this device?

At 10"ish I can't put it in my pocket so it won't replace my phone even if it could be used for video conferencing. It won't have the HDD size or raw computing power necessary to replace my MBP. Call it a 'tween device...

[napabar]

Plus, nobody here has talked about what the subsidized price of this tablet will be. I'd say the odds are better than even that Apple will be offering this through ATT, Verizon, or both with a data plan that will drastically reduce the price. I still believe it will have Wi-Fi and be sold without a 3G subsidy, if the customer so wants it that way.

[Xavier]

I agree. for $599, I would give it some serious consideration, for $999, I doubt it (for me).

$599 or around and I've already bought it.

[napabar]

But until the reveal what else are we supposed to do?? ;)

Have an educated discussion about the phantom product, without screaming FAIL every other post.
:)

[Flavioparentiq]

here you go. consuming device with no producing capabilities.

MEDIA - NEWS - GAMES.

[Jonny75]

$1000 is such an odd entry point. Translating this to the UK (so we are looking at £800-1000 depending upon the Apple Tax), this will not be different from a MacBook. Considering the MacBook at over £800 entry point is vastly over priced, why should anyone other than those with too much money - or too little sense - buy one?

Apple's crying out for a non-iPhone device that can run a screen of 7-10" with some more serious apps than the iPhone (Flash/Word process/Blog) but sub-laptop in the £400-500 bracket. This has to be it, or Apple will just be a gimmick out with the US, where their "exchange rate" bears little relation to reality.

[napabar]

I've got a MBP. I've got an iPhone. Can someone please explain to me why I should want / need this device?

At 10"ish I can't put it in my pocket so it won't replace my phone even if it could be used for video conferencing. It won't have the HDD size or raw computing power necessary to replace my MBP. Call it a 'tween device...

I'm not sure that everyone will need this. However, something like this would be perfect for my low-tech and computer-less Mom. A MacBook with mouse/trackpad and a desktop OS is too complicated for her. The iPhone OS/iPod Touch is perfect, but the screen is way to small for someone in their 60's. A 10 inch tablet running a souped up iPhone OS would be perfect to many Boomers!

[mccoma]

Trouble is, it's the e-ink which is the "killer feature" of a true reader, immature as the technology may be. I don't see how any device that features a traditional backlit screen can compete - it can provide a compromised alternative for e-reading I agree, but for one I always carry my Kindle as well as by MBP when travelling, even though I could read on the MBP's screen if I chose.

Incidentally (and this comment isn't aimed at AnthonyCM), I'm always amazed at how many people will discuss e-readers and compare them with PDAs, netbooks and laptops who clearly don't even realise that e-readers use a completely different display technology and think it's a PDA that you can only read books on.

http://www.pixelqi.com/

[chicagodrew]

People are b!tching about the price, but what if they just offered a bluetooth keyboard which be attached to the iTablet with a hinged frame? Wouldn't this be essentially like a notebook and tablet in one? This might quell the criticisms of those (like myself) who would want the hard keyboard functionality.

[bbydon]

I would pay no more than $700 for this thing IF it had a color e-ink screen with crazy fast refresh rate. Not gonna happen since, AFIK, such a screen does not exist (certainly not anything that's ready for a mass market). Wake up, Apple!, why would any sane person pay a 1000 bucks for what is essentially a small laptop without a keyboard and with limited storage?

the 3Qi Screen Technology seemed pretty promising. As far as being color and refreshing quickly. But even with it $1000 is steep

[mediarite]

Hasn't anyone considered the possibility that Apple might "leak" a price point of $1000 just to condition us, and then announce a price point of $599 at the WDC (to lots of cheers)? If they announce $599 now, who's gonna cheer for the price?

[cmaier]

ya me too, at $1,000 no one will buy it, stocks will go down at that price and apple will loose money...

For $1000 it better run Mac OS applications.

[1000masks]

http://www.pixelqi.com/
I agree that this screen would be a killer feature. If you could use this slate outdoors and use it as if reading e-ink that would be fantastic. Either way I will probably buy one as soon as it comes out. Then again I spent $500 on an Ipod when it came out and $500 on one of the first Iphones.

[mdriftmeyer]

$799-$999.

It's not a phone folks. It's a new computer platform for Apple.

[napabar]

$799-$999.

It's not a phone folks. It's a new computer platform for Apple.

Well said.

[cmaier]

http://www.pixelqi.com/
I agree that this screen would be a killer feature. If you could use this slate outdoors and use it as if reading e-ink that would be fantastic. Either way I will probably buy one as soon as it comes out. Then again I spent $500 on an Ipod when it came out and $500 on one of the first Iphones.

But depending on how you do the math (and depending on whether it has 3G, subsidy, etc.) this thing will have to be 2-5 times as good as iPhone to justify the price. Not that I believe the price.

[crobi]

Ok a tablet, I think we know there will be a tablet soon, fine.

But what about a new

Apple TV ???? :confused:

[batmccoy]

I have no use for a fully functional OS X laptop. As a graphic designer, I really need a full monitor, with a fast desktop machine, to work effectively. I've never understood why people pay more for laptops when the experience is less.

So a tablet device would be a welcome mobile companion. It would take away many things I currently use my phone for:

1) maps
2) IMDb app (while watching tv)
3) apple TV remote
4) web browser
5) e-mail
6) newspapers
8) astronomy
9) recipes and games

It makes much more sense to look at the tablet as an iPod touch or iPhone upgrade rather than laptop replacement.

[Detlev_73]

Even at $1,000 it sounds deliciously yummy! The iPhone's screen is way too small: give me a 7-10" screen, multitouch, virtual keyboard à la iPhone, with 64-128 GB SSD, 3G, WiFi, that is used for web-surfing, email, and basic stuff and I'm there!

I'll keep my Macbook and Macbook Air, but get this Tablet as well, and take the Tablet with me on trips. It would be cool if there were a way to upload digital pictures from a SD card: I already took 14+ GB of pics on a weeklong trip to Munich and Salzburg at the beginning of December: who wants to carry a heavy laptop? Yuck!

I just hope that Apple doesn't make it round or something stupid like that.

[GoodWatch]

Price aside, I noticed one interesting remark in the title post: that about electronic newspapers. Apple is known for being able to a create a huge momentum, friend and foe alike agree about that. As I write this, only one Dutch publisher has adopted an e-reader to distribute its newspaper. It's the same story as with cars running on hydrogen: the car manufacturers are waiting for companies to set-up a network of hydrogen stations and vice-versa. The 'iSlate' could propel electronic publishing into mainstream. Giving the screen used will be able to deliver...... Up to now I shy away from reading large amounts of text on a computer screen because it just cannot match paper.

[Lucamegh]

iSlate:

- PA Semi Processor (??? GHz)
- 10.1" Multi-Touch Screen
- Magic Slate Interface
- 2GB of RAM
- 80 GB
- Wi-Fi and 3G
- GPS
- A USB Port
- SD Card Slot
Price: $ 699

- PA Semi Processor (??? GHz)
- 10.1" Multi-Touch Screen
- Magic Slate Interface
- 2GB of RAM
- 120 GB
- Wi-Fi and 3G
- GPS
- A USB Port
- SD Card Slot
Price: $ 799

Optional $ 69 Dock

[flopticalcube]

$1000 is hardly "shockingly low". It better be damn sweet for that money. Even then...

[cmaier]

iSlate:

- PA Semi Processor (??? GHz)
- 10.1" Multi-Touch Screen
- Magic Slate Interface
- 2GB of RAM
- 80 GB Hard Disc
- Wi-Fi and 3G
- GPS
- A USB Port
- SD Card Slot
Price: $ 699

- PA Semi Processor (??? GHz)
- 10.1" Multi-Touch Screen
- Magic Slate Interface
- 2GB of RAM
- 120 GB Hard Disc
- Wi-Fi and 3G
- GPS
- A USB Port
- SD Card Slot
Price: $ 799

No way this thing has a hard disk.

[ryckmonster]

Subscription not required (http://tinyurl.com/ydzn7za).

Just go to the story through google search and you can read the whole thing. Google, "Apple to Ship Tablet Device in March" and it is the top hit. Why don't you guys start posting links that work instead of ones with (subscription required)..

[lilskaterpunk]

I thought it could be higher in price being Apple :apple: but if it is $1000, I'd prefer invest into a MBP or something else... Jan 26/27 is soon and hopefully well see what Apple has to offer :)

[GoodWatch]

$1000 is hardly "shockingly low". It better be damn sweet for that money. Even then...

I know I'll be covered in tar and feathers for this ("You don't have to buy it") but in Europe it will be a thousand EUR. Work out how much that is in $ :mad: Apple still doesn't like its market outside the USA.......

[emulator]

No way this thing has a hard disk.
very true. SSD at most.

[mytdave]

At this point it's all speculation, but preemptively I must say that pricing is going to be a major concern depending upon this thing's capabilities... things are different now, because this is not new tech... the iPhone and MacBook tech exists now...

So, to support a $1k price tag Apple will have had to dream up some new killer tech that nobody's thought of or brought to market before...

If it's basically a tablet version of a MacBook, then the price better not exceed $799...

If it's basically an overgrown iPhone/iPod, then the price better be in the $399 range...

Whatever it ends up being, I am highly unlikely to purchase one at a $1k price.

[flopticalcube]

I know I'll be covered in tar and feathers for this ("You don't have to buy it") but in Europe it will be a thousand EUR. Work out how much that is in $ :mad: Apple still doesn't like its market outside the USA.......

Probably even before VAT.

[balamw]

Subscription not required (http://tinyurl.com/ydzn7za).

Just go to the story through google search and you can read the whole thing. Google, "Apple to Ship Tablet Device in March" and it is the top hit. Why don't you guys start posting links that work instead of ones with (subscription required)..

Funny, your URL leads to a page with a few lines and a "TO CONTINUE READING SUBSCRIBE NOW" link. going in via Google does work for me though...

I doubt anyone was "briefed by the company".
Apple never does...

Of course they do, just under NDA. If it's this close their supply chain must be fully briefed by now. Someone is just violating their NDA.

B

[GQB]

Exactly what part of the immutable technology lifecycle don't people get?
If this thing turns out to be half of what's expected of it, then its a significant shift in how we approach computing.
Any time that sort of change occurs, the initial offerings are by nature expensive luxuries. And then they come down in price.
I fully expect the initial price point to be $1k and work down from there over the next couple of years.
That's ALWAYS how it works. Expecting otherwise is childish.

[m85476585]

I hope one of the finishes isn't chrome.

[acurafan]

$1,000?? if it doesn't run an OSX derivative then count me out.

[lostngone]

You people sound like a bunch of addicts

Everyone says its to expensive however how many of these people will be able to resist after you see everything it does, not to mention after you are exposed to the SJRDF.

You will have your credit card out before you even know what happened...

[m85476585]

$1,000?? if it doesn't run an OSX derivative then count me out.

OS X iPhone is an OS X derivative...

[Lucamegh]

You people sound like a bunch of addicts

Everyone says its to expensive however how many of these people will be able to resist after you see everything it does, not to mention after you are exposed to the SJRDF.

You will have you credit card out before you even know what happened...

You're right guy!

[Cerebrus' Maw]

You people sound like a bunch of addicts

Everyone says its to expensive however how many of these people will be able to resist after you see everything it does, not to mention after you are exposed to the SJRDF.

You will have your credit card out before you even know what happened...

Not quite. You will be reviewing your monthly Credit Card statement and say:

"What the hell did I blow $1000 on?",

and then realize that you are reading it on your iSlate

;)

[Aeolius]

I for one would not pay $1,000 if it ends up being a giant iPhone. I see that as a scratch waiting to happen. How do you carry the thing? Microsoft's Courier has the right idea; two screens that fold together to make a journal. I have desktop Macs, notebook Macs, Mac Minis, and iPhones. I do not need an additional device that duplicates the functions of them. The iSlate needs to have a "wow" factor that no one has yet to mention.

[tri3limited]

For $1000 i'd say count me out... But that's mainly cause I've got 3 Mac's in my life - plus an iPhone - and more would be just plain greedy!

For Apple $1000 for a multi-touch Mac sounds like a bargain. Just look at the MacBook Air - Ridiculously expensive for the stuff you get inside, but that isn't the reason you're buying it. Same could be said here, doubt you'd be buying it to replace your Mac Pro and those mentioning spend a little more and get a MacBook Pro - well the user might not be after that power nor size.

It's a preference thing.

[Lucamegh]

Not quite. You will be reviewing your monthly Credit Card statement and say:

"What the hell did I blow $1000 on?",

and then realize that you are reading it on your iSlate

;)

Hahaha!

[8CoreWhore]

It'll be better than the MacBook Air and Apple sold a lot of those for $800 more.

[NXTMIKE]

Is $1,000 really that much (not that I don't want it cheaper!)?

A Kindle, which is only B&W has no video capabilities (among many other things it lacks) is over $300, and that's a huge seller. For a reader! Supposedly, the iSlate (or whatever it's called) will be a reader, a video player, a gaming tablet, has the potential to sub as a netbook, etc. You're looking at $700-$800 for a decent netbook and a Kindle. I'd rather have it all in one and not have two things to carry around when I travel.

No, it certainly won't be for everyone. Might not even be for me. However, I can see there being a market for this.

yeah but if its $1,000, for almost the same price you've got yourself a polycarbonate MacBook. Sure it'll be an inch thicker, but you get soooooooooooo much more for the same price.

[bobob]

One of the people briefed on the matter added that Apple was working on two different material finishes for the tablet...

Aluminum and... actual slate?

http://www.answersincreation.org/curriculum/geology/images/SlateUSGOV.jpg

[Thex1138]

Well when I go on holidays I'll claim the duty free tax... a little bit cheaper :rolleyes:

[PeteSky]

I for one would not pay $1,000 if it ends up being a giant iPhone. I see that as a scratch waiting to happen. How do you carry the thing? Microsoft's Courier has the right idea; two screens that fold together to make a journal...

You know, I've been thinking about that. The Courier is very cool looking and I hope they get it out, but one of the great things about a tablet is - No Hinge. The Courier would work great on a desktop but not on a lap.

I think people are going to be converted to the idea : 'lose-the-hinge'.

There's also a lot to be said for no-moving-parts.

[Thex1138]

Aluminum and... actual slate?

http://www.answersincreation.org/curriculum/geology/images/SlateUSGOV.jpg

Dare I say it... anodized aluminum... or brushed... prefer brushed... like MacBooks and iMacs...

But also likely is the current iPhone blaque/white plastique :D
I don't mind that and it's good for the radio gear as well.

[Thex1138]

No way this thing has a hard disk.

Hard disk is dead in the mobility market...

Likely range of gigabytes 64, 128 to 256 [512gb @ 100 to 1 odds] in current cycle.
:rolleyes:

[appleguy123]

Aluminum and... actual slate?

http://www.answersincreation.org/curriculum/geology/images/SlateUSGOV.jpg
I think God has a trademark on that name for that material :)

[Azmordean]

Well, this thing should be interesting to see at least. But I personally think they may have trouble placing it - ESPECIALLY for $800 plus. Let's face it - a netbook may not look as pretty as the Apple Tablet, but I can guarantee you it is far cheaper and far more functional, at least as a computer. And heck, you can get a fully stocked DELL Inspiron with a Core 2 Duo and a video card for $800. Again, it doesn't look as pretty, but form over function can only get you so far.

It will be too big to fit in a pocket, it will EITHER be black and white, which kills it's usefulness as a media device OR not be e-ink, which kills it's usefulness as an e-reader. It will not have a keyboard, so any kind of text processing (IM, word processing, etc) will be a pointless endeavor.

So yeah, it will be interesting to see, but I will be surprised if it is extremely successful at that price point. Get it cheap enough to be a techno-gadget (under $500) then maybe, but over $500 and people will actually stop to think what they will actually USE this for - and probably won't buy it.

Of course, I also recognize some people's use patterns may be different than my own. But I've always felt your needs should compel the device, not your desire for the device cause you to try to think of why you need it. And for me a tablet is decidedly in the latter category.

[Digitalclips]

Why does everyone assume the $1000 price tag is legit? It's a RUMOR site for crying out loud! And yet many of you are screaming FAIL at Apple for something you don't even know is true.

The Jackassery in these forums continues unabated......:rolleyes:

LOL, well said. They are the ones with the pitch forks heading to the castle usually ;)

BUT ... even if it were true Apple won't fail! I paid close to $500 each for two iPod 60 GIGs years ago. They are still used almost daily and we never regretted the purchase but they are only MP3 players! The same cost for something right out of Star Trek ... sign me up :)

[ELScorcho9]

yeah but if its $1,000, for almost the same price you've got yourself a polycarbonate MacBook. Sure it'll be an inch thicker, but you get soooooooooooo much more for the same price.

But you still don't knoooooooooow what this tablet is going to feature. So the $1000 might sound reasonable after we do know. People shouldn't dismiss this thing just cause it sounds like a high price for what they're assuming it's gonna be doing.


Remember, an unsubsidized iPhone is $500. If a subscription isn't required, this leads me to believe that it's going to cost $700-$900.

[bdkennedy1]

Whatever finish they choose, I'm sure it will be shiny, scratch easily and show fingerprints all over it just like their other products.

[Chupa Chupa]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/04/apple-tablet-scheduled-to-begin-shipping-in-march-two-different-material-casings-being-considered/)

The Wall Street Journal reports (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703580904574638630584151614.html) (subscription required) that while Apple is expected to introduce its tablet device at a media event reportedly scheduled (http://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/04/major-new-apple-product-on-january-27th/) for later this month, the tablet will not begin shipping until March.The report also details information received from a source indicating that Apple has been working with two different materials for the device's casing, although it is unknown whether it plans to release models with both types.The remainder of the report summarizes previously-rumored information about the tablet, citing analyst claims of a price point near $1,000 and a multifunction nature catering to those interested in video, gaming, and electronic book, newspaper, and magazine content.

It sounds like a few major details like case material and screen size are still up in the air. I don't see how Apple can fabricate the parts and ramp up production fast enough for March shipping with these details still to be decided. Even if it's March 31 that is less than 90 days from today.

[Aeolius]

Aluminum and... actual slate?

I like it... a Pet Rock for today's generation. :)

How about for the second material, they use the stuff mood rings are made out of, to appease those that like color iPods.

Though we'll probably get:
http://edibleapple.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/picture-6.png

[canadan]

If it's over $700-800 (and Canadian!!), I'll pass. Can't afford it right now and I would prefer spending my dough on something else. Could always wait for the next generation which I will likely do since I don't want the first one anyway.

[Chupa Chupa]

But you still don't knoooooooooow what this tablet is going to feature. So the $1000 might sound reasonable after we do know. People shouldn't dismiss this thing just cause it sounds like a high price for what they're assuming it's gonna be doing.


Remember, an unsubsidized iPhone is $500. If a subscription isn't required, this leads me to believe that it's going to cost $700-$900.

Sure but an unsubsidized iPod Touch 64GB is $360, and Apple has terrific margins on those. If Apple squeezes their margins on the tablet to make a marketshare killing price point it's easy to see it at $600. Of course that assumes the tablet is going to be more like a Touch than a MBA.

[Ljohnson72]

The iPhone was how much when it first came out? Anywhere near $1000, the tablet will sell fine for Apple. It's a computer.

[richpjr]

If this thing costs $1000 and it is basically just a media device with built in 3G, I'd have a touch time justifying buying it. I'm hoping there is much more to it than that...

[Tampa Tom]

IF it's $1000 then all I have to do is rob ten 7-11's and average a $100 a pop. An easy two night's work. Do they have WiFi in prison????:p

[slashlos]

What was the MP2100 original price point, $599 or $699? I forget, but that's reasonable, considering other Apple and 3rd party options at 1K, and net books at $3-400, with a 10-12" screen.
--
/los "I was a teenage net-random"

[Rocketman]

For $1,000 - I'll pass.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=9036777&postcount=920

http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=9036971&postcount=930

Rocketman

[TraceyS/FL]

IF it's $1000 then all I have to do is rob ten 7-11's and average a $100 a pop. An easy two night's work. Do they have WiFi in prison????:p

Hey i'm not far away from ya - maybe i can help and get double??? :p

[trustbyte]

we're talking about apple..they are not chopping from their profit margins to sell a billion

it ain't gonna be cheap. don't even think about it.

let's just hope it has all those functions everybody is dying for.

maybe a super strong battery, 64GB nand minimum, GPS, wifi+3g and some neat new skills in the OS 4.0

anyway it's not for me, i just managed to get the damn ipod touch @ 32gb, 3rd generation or whatever, hope it will support the os 4.0 or i'll go loco

[billystlyes]

Not saying there isn't a tablet coming, but these rumors are nothing more than an attempt for media outlets to gain attention to their website. No one from Apple briefed the WSJ. That's so retarded. This should be page 2 at best. :rolleyes:

[christall109]

Ahhh I can see it now....

* Apple introduces the new and revolutionary iSlate for $1000. Everything's great about it, people love. Media outlets say the price is too high and don't know if it will be a great success. It'll be the thing that we absolutely need but don't. Fanboys (myself included) will be obsessed with it. Those with disposable income line-up for it in March and buy it. First Adopters WHORAH!

*Critics not sure if price is worth it, skeptical about sustained growth. Meanwhile momentum builds, and they are still selling, just not as fast as the iPhone.

*Just 3-4 months since the product goes on sale, Apple decides to get "aggressive" and marks the prices down a few hundred dollars. Early adopters in uproar, this time Apple doesn't issue a $100 credit.

*Sales reach millions, market share increases, 10 million units shipping each quarter, Apple did it again!

......just my predictions for 2010.:)

[NetScheduler]

You guys kill me. It will be between $1000-$2000 and all of you will happily pay that.

You'll start using all the usual fanboys phrases like "Steve doesn't want to play in the low end of the market", and telling us how "elegant" and "delicious (I've already seen that one posted in this thread)" the tablet looks. I'm sure it will be a "game changer" and will "change everything". You'll all be skating to "where the puck is going to be"...... And of course, any product without an Apple Logo will be "clunky", "crappy", and "junky"....

You are seeing why Apple doesn't care about Market Share... They can sell 1/10 of the product as does the rest of the world and make a hefty profit (margin).... Not hard when you're selling $300 gadgets for $1000 and all the customers care about is "Apple's Margin"....

I love my Apple Products, but I didn't buy an iPhone till it was $199 and bought the rest of my stuff use.. Oh, and by the way, I CAN afford to pay whatever - But having money to purchases thing doesn't make one stupid/...

[KnightWRX]

yeah but if its $1,000, for almost the same price you've got yourself a polycarbonate MacBook. Sure it'll be an inch thicker, but you get soooooooooooo much more for the same price.

Wait, are you suggesting Apple is going to sell a 0.08" thick tablet ?

[talkingnewmedia]

People are getting pretty uptight around here. Hey, it's a rumors joint -- take it easy.

As for the Wall Street Journal, good ol' Rupert Murdoch believes the future is in constructing paywalls between you and your content . . . and you are going to believe anything coming out of a Murdoch publication?

Today Skiff announced that they are introducing a new reader at the Consumer Electronics Show. Their reader, while pretty cool, would require you to sign up with Sprint, is monochromatic, and I don't think can display video -- though I could be wrong. Read about it on my site (http://talkingnewmedia.blogspot.com/2010/01/hearsts-skiff-to-unveil-new-reader-at.html).

In the meantime, let's wait until Apple actually gives us the details before proclaiming whether you will consider buying it or not. I have a funny feeling a new Apple tablet might just spark a few sales from the Macrumors crowd. After all, if MR readers won't buy it, who will?

[bobob]

I love my Apple Products, but I didn't buy an iPhone till it was $199...

I thought they haven't been below $599 yet?

[napabar]

At this point it's all speculation, but preemptively I must say that pricing is going to be a major concern depending upon this thing's capabilities... things are different now, because this is not new tech... the iPhone and MacBook tech exists now...

So, to support a $1k price tag Apple will have had to dream up some new killer tech that nobody's thought of or brought to market before...

If it's basically a tablet version of a MacBook, then the price better not exceed $799...

If it's basically an overgrown iPhone/iPod, then the price better be in the $399 range...

Whatever it ends up being, I am highly unlikely to purchase one at a $1k price.

Dude, seriously.

A Macbook already costs $999. Why would you think one with a touch screen would cost less?

An iPod Touch maxes out at $399. Even if this thing was nothing else but an iPod touch with a 10 inch screen, why do you think it would be the same price?

Dude, seriously....

[napabar]

I for one would not pay $1,000 if it ends up being a giant iPhone. I see that as a scratch waiting to happen. How do you carry the thing? Microsoft's Courier has the right idea; two screens that fold together to make a journal. I have desktop Macs, notebook Macs, Mac Minis, and iPhones. I do not need an additional device that duplicates the functions of them. The iSlate needs to have a "wow" factor that no one has yet to mention.

Microsoft's Courier looks like ass. No thanks.

[jlseattle]

I'm so excited for this device. I have been holding off on buying a laptop to see what this device will be. I'm hoping that this will have all the basic functionality of a laptop. Let's keep our fingers crossed. If it is like the iPhone I hope that iPhone portion will be more like the Front Row application where you just launch that app and it will give you all the functionality that you get with the iphone. But then if you want the full OS it defaults with that. My leanings are getting closer to a larger iphone. I hope not, but I will have to live with it if it is. I just hate the limitations of the iPhone interface. I want more power and functionality on a small platform. The iPhone interface "locks" the functionality.

[ArrowSmith]

It's amazing how Steve Jobs has most of you by the short hairs. :apple:

[jlseattle]

Dude, seriously.

A Macbook already costs $999. Why would you think one with a touch screen would cost less?

An iPod Touch maxes out at $399. Even if this thing was nothing else but an iPod touch with a 10 inch screen, why do you think it would be the same price?

Dude, seriously....

I'm thinking that we will get the first adopter tax and pay about 1k for it. It will have the amazing new whatever it will have that will get us to buy it. That is if you are the first adopter personality type. I am and I always pay the tax but it is worth it for me.

It will drop by 20% after 6m-1yr and probably get a revision. But it will be great and get you things that you didn't know you wanted. That is how apple works.

[leeschill]

im shooting for a $400 price tag to $500 max. They want this in the hands of as many people as possible. Wheres the "guess the price point contest forum"? :)

[Jamo12]

I know this is probably not going to happen but they do have a transparent OLED display (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G3wWmtkN88) that has been made. They could get one of those on top of an e-ink display so for books you still have the "You can red it in any light without hurting your eye's" feature but still has an amazing screen for all of the other media that it would need to display.

Since the OLED display is so thin it won't effect the thickness of the device hardly at all.

It will be too big to fit in a pocket, it will EITHER be black and white, which kills it's usefulness as a media device OR not be e-ink, which kills it's usefulness as an e-reader. It will not have a keyboard, so any kind of text processing (IM, word processing, etc) will be a pointless endeavor.




My 2¢

[MacPhilosopher]

For $1,000 - I'll pass.

We don't even know the specs (or the actual price point). How can you say you won't pay a certain price when you don't know what the product is going to be? The closer it is to $1000, the more it will do. Lower price=fewer features. This one may be less about straight data features and more about bundled subscriptions. NYTimes, ABC(TV), Warner(Movies) package for two years equals a lower price. I do agree that there is a point of diminishing returns on price/features, but lets wait and see the deal first.


Ok a tablet, I think we know there will be a tablet soon, fine.

But what about a new

Apple TV ???? :confused:

Get a new mini and an EyeTV 250Plus. All the features of Apple TV with a whole OS X system to boot. Apple would be smart to merge the Mini and Apple TV and add a tuner in for good measure. No one out there would be able to compete. They can have it switchable from simple GUI like Apple TV for the newbies and full blown OSX for all the rest of us. Winner.

[Chupa Chupa]

The iPhone was how much when it first came out? Anywhere near $1000, the tablet will sell fine for Apple. It's a computer.

We really don't know what it is yet. A $1,000 computer tablet might sell - still fighting against a bad economy. A $1,000 media tablet definitely will not.

As for the iPhone is was $599 when it came out but Apple had to reduce the price to $399 two months later to get it to actually sell beyond the committed Apple fan base. However, people need a cell phone -- for many it's their ONLY phone so the high price easier to justify. OTOH People don't necessarily need a tablet so it will be interesting what Apple does to make 10M people think they must have one.

[Mr. Gates]

I'm betting on $699 for the price

[str1f3]

We really don't know what it is yet. A $1,000 computer tablet might sell - still fighting against a bad economy. A $1,000 media tablet definitely will not.

As for the iPhone is was $599 when it came out but Apple had to reduce the price to $399 two months later to get it to actually sell beyond the committed Apple fan base. However, people need a cell phone -- for many it's their ONLY phone so the high price easier to justify. OTOH People don't necessarily need a tablet so it will be interesting what Apple does to make 10M people think they must have one.

I agree completely. For $1000 it had better be an actual computer and not a slightly more powerful iPhone OS. I'm willing to give Apple the benefit of the doubt sincethey are the only ones in this industry that can really surprise you.

[ouimetnick]

As long as hairline cracks don't appear, I'll be happy, but then again, 1 GRAND, no thanks.

[Thex1138]

It's amazing how Steve Jobs has most of you by the short hairs. :apple:

That would be truer if it were said to Ballmer... where 90% of desktops are Windows... But Jobsy is Mister 10% of desktops...

On the other hand he's a bit of a media mogul in a truer sense in that this might funnel a huge amount of the worlds media content through Apple's platform.

[Bear Hunter]

$500 range or it better be totally revolutionary and run full OSX. I already have a 10.1 netbook running 10.6.2 with all the applications installed that I currently have on my MBP and iMac. The Netbook only cost me $269 with wireless N, bluetooth, and 160gb HD. So this tablet better be something special.

[Digitalclips]

It's amazing how Steve Jobs has most of you by the short hairs. :apple:

There is so little good news these days it's nice to see people happy about something so why don't you lighten up?

[Ultranote]

The unsubsidised price can't be lower than an iPod Touch and will probably be lower than a basic MacBook. Only reaching the price of a MacBook if it's so innovative that it can be a notebook replacement.

People imagining very low prices have :

-no idea how low the USD is currently trading
-a netbook-twisted view of things.

A large touch screen with a very good multitouch technology, a large ecosystem, a good build-quality, a large autonomy and an innovative GUI can't simply be priced by weight. i.e. the Lemur, a 12" multitouch control surface (not a computer) with a not so fluid interface, costs around $2000.

The other solution will be to go for a Chrome tablet which an anticlimax OS/GUI that Google will be happy to sell at nearly zero margin as long as you accept to be part of their data-mining scheme.

Apple knows a thing or two about marketing. If they ship it at $1000, they will have something worth showing. Won't be a simple PMP.

[irishgrizzly]

Exactly what part of the immutable technology lifecycle don't people get?
If this thing turns out to be half of what's expected of it, then its a significant shift in how we approach computing.
Any time that sort of change occurs, the initial offerings are by nature expensive luxuries. And then they come down in price.
I fully expect the initial price point to be $1k and work down from there over the next couple of years.
That's ALWAYS how it works. Expecting otherwise is childish.

This came up a few pages back, but it's worth quoting. In 4 years time people will be pissed that the $1000 32GB iSlate can now be got for $599 (although the 256GB version is still $1000).

$500 range or it better be totally revolutionary and run full OSX. I already have a 10.1 netbook running 10.6.2 with all the applications installed that I currently have on my MBP and iMac. The Netbook only cost me $269 with wireless N, bluetooth, and 160gb HD. So this tablet better be something special.

So you'd like it to be cheaper then the iTouch, just bigger. Not going to happen, sorry.

[lilo777]

Is $1,000 really that much (not that I don't want it cheaper!)?

A Kindle, which is only B&W has no video capabilities (among many other things it lacks) is over $300, and that's a huge seller. For a reader! Supposedly, the iSlate (or whatever it's called) will be a reader, a video player, a gaming tablet, has the potential to sub as a netbook, etc. You're looking at $700-$800 for a decent netbook and a Kindle. I'd rather have it all in one and not have two things to carry around when I travel.

No, it certainly won't be for everyone. Might not even be for me. However, I can see there being a market for this.

But Kindle also includes life-long mobile subscription. That should cost something.

[-hh]

I would pay no more than $700 for this thing IF it had a color e-ink screen with crazy fast refresh rate. Not gonna happen since, AFIK, such a screen does not exist...

Trouble is, it's the e-ink which is the "killer feature" of a true reader, immature as the technology may be. I don't see how any device that features a traditional backlit screen can compete...

A good point - - and an interesting coincidence, being that I happened to hear a news story about the new Google cellphone (comparing its battery life to the iPhone), then an iSlate rumor story and thinking about how lousy the display is on my RIM Blackberry in daylight ... and batteries again ... and then realized that the Citizen "ECO Drive" wristwatch that my wife gave me last year has a solar panel built into the watchface.

...which brought me to those solar powered calculators.

Thus:

Since daytime readability of a tablet is a common need, as well as good battery life and so forth, what about making the background panel of a tablet a solar panel with which to help power it during "typical" use?

Sure, there's lots of issues to work out, but at first blush, it kind of sounds insane enough to be insanely great. Afterall, if we think about the things we normally read, the majority of the real estate is "white space", not the actual pixels of the letters on the page.


-hh

[cmaier]

Sure, there's lots of issues to work out

That's why not.

[MacRumorUser]

ya me too, at $1,000 no one will buy it, stocks will go down at that price and apple will loose money...

Wow nice generalizing there.

I'm expecting it to be 900-1000 and I WOULD buy it, as will many many others. Apple will not 'lose' money despite being 'loose'....

[NXTMIKE]

Wait, are you suggesting Apple is going to sell a 0.08" thick tablet ?

lol, well yeah...I'm slightly off there.

but wouldn't it be nice..... :P

[magicmode]

It will start at $599 and go up to $899, depending on how much memory you want.
The two different casing materials discussed.... one is white and one is black - just like the iPhone. This pricing will include a basic stand and charger. Look for several aftermarket stands ("frames") that will allow you to place this on a table or desk.

[wonderbread57]

Aluminum and... actual slate?

http://www.answersincreation.org/curriculum/geology/images/SlateUSGOV.jpg
I see what you did there (iSlate in slate!)

[mccoma]

Thinking about it, I'll take $1,000 and no 2 year cell contract as opposed to $599 and a 2 year contract.

[lilo777]

$500 range or it better be totally revolutionary and run full OSX. I already have a 10.1 netbook running 10.6.2 with all the applications installed that I currently have on my MBP and iMac. The Netbook only cost me $269 with wireless N, bluetooth, and 160gb HD. So this tablet better be something special.

Every Apple product is totally revolutionary (wait for the announcement). As far as price is concerned, we just had a real estate bubble which produced new word: McMansion. If this Apple product (at $1000) fails, MacTablet may become the McMansion of this hype.

[KnightWRX]

Every Apple product is totally revolutionary (wait for the announcement).

You mean like :

- The G4 Cube
- The Macbook Air
- The Apple TV
- The iPod Hi-Fi
- The Puck Mouse

? :rolleyes:

A very strange definition of Every.

[Robert M.]

With all the iSlate news I figured now would be a perfect time for me to join the site! I've been lurking this site for about a year now. :cool:

I'm a bit sad that it will probably cost $1000. But at the same time I have to wait and see before I say "That's too much!" It could be something really cool that will be worth the price. Only way I would think that $1000 would be "too much" is if it's a big iPod Touch... And more then likely it'll be something we didn't see coming! :D

The March release date sounds perfect to me. It's not too soon and it's not too long!

[topmounter]

I'm thinking "AppleTV Mobile" w/ apps, itunes, HDMI dock, etc.

[Compile 'em all]

$899-$999 will be a tough sell. Might as well get a MacBook if you're going to spend near $1,000. And MacBook has all the news, games, media you need too.

SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR A PHONE????? NO ONE WILL BUY IT!!!!

You guys make me want to kill myself and give up on reading this forum.

Just like any new technology, this iSlate will let you do a subset of things you normally do on your mac but in a very different and more natural way. It WILL be expensive and won't do everything a mac can do. It won't replace a macbook for everyone, now. But it will for some.

The iPhone when it first came out, it didn't do much. It didn't have 3G, no MMS, no copy paste, no 3rd party apps. But what it did, it did in a very very unusual way, compared to what was out there. Add to that it was quite expensive.

The exact same will be with the iSlate. It won't do everything you can do on your Mac. It will be expensive. But whatever it will do, will leave every other tablet/netbook/ebookreader in the dust.

[Bear Hunter]

-a netbook-twisted view of things.

How is it twisted? Those same netbooks currently run OSX flawlessly for under $300. I haven't found anything that I couldn't do on the netbook that required me to use my MBP. This includes iChat, image editing, word processing, etc..

Which leads me to my original position. $500 range or it better be totally revolutionary.

[Pachang]

I had a dream about the tablet last night. It's not actually a tablet. It's a robot with a tablet as a face. It was pretty crap though. I was this apple female salesman (man IRL) and the first question everyone asked me is if they could have sex with it and if they could they would buy it. Because you couldn't have sex with it I had to let them have sex with me. :(

what does this dream mean?:confused:

[lilo777]

Ok a tablet, I think we know there will be a tablet soon, fine.

But what about a new

Apple TV ???? :confused:

Apple TV is dead. Move on. There are plenty of better products available on the market.

[KnightWRX]

SIX HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR A PHONE????? NO ONE WILL BUY IT!!!!

Except most phones in the iPhone category are already 600$ dollars and with carrier subsidies, you never have to pay the full price.

Not to mention sales of the iPhone were abysmal before Apple dropped the price and upped the storage capacity, a mere few months after introduction. And 1st gen iPhone sales stayed pretty abysmal. The iPhone 3G is what really put the thing on the map.

Tablets aren't even near 1000$ though. This would put Apple in the premium end of the Market, and their biggest competitor would be the Polycarbonate Macbook.

[lilo777]

How is it twisted? Those same netbooks currently run OSX flawlessly for under $300. I haven't found anything that I couldn't do on the netbook that required me to use my MBP. This includes iChat, image editing, word processing, etc..

Which leads me to my original position. $500 range or it better be totally revolutionary.

In Steve's mind it's definitely twisted. Nobody is asking you about your opinion here ;)

[trekkie604]

2010 Year of the tablet? I wouldn't mind this Lenovo:

http://i49.tinypic.com/2vtv2gy.jpg

We'll see what Apple does with theirs.

[NXTMIKE]

Then again, there are good reasons to say that $1,000 will be a valid price point, and reasons that say that $1,000 will not sell at all.

One thing's for sure, I'm anxious to know wtf it will be, and what it could do. Because even though it's almost certain that Apple's releasing a tablet, there's been sources saying 7inch, others saying 11 inch. Some saying "reasonably low price point", others saying one grand. Even though I love rumors, it's getting a bit burnt. If Apple comes out with a tablet that has functionality that nobody saw coming (which I truly hope happens), then it's a whole different discussion of what the price should be. So I'm setting the countdown widget on my dashboard to January 26th.

[lilo777]

I'm thinking "AppleTV Mobile" w/ apps, itunes, HDMI dock, etc.

Apple does not do HDMI

[Ultranote]

I'm thinking "AppleTV Mobile" w/ apps, itunes, HDMI dock, etc.

What you describe is an Archos media tablet. Which is still only an evolved PMP with a browser. There are many others already.

The plus is in the tablet being a general purpose computer on top of all the media possibilities.

[Bear Hunter]

So you'd like it to be cheaper then the iTouch, just bigger. Not going to happen, sorry.

No I'm saying that I'm not going to pay $600 plus for something that is less functional than a netbook running OSX for half the price. I could give a ratz azz if it has a touchscreen. Hence my position of it has to be something totally revolutionary.

[goldenlotus]

Apple is good!!!!:apple:

[KnightWRX]

2010 Year of the tablet? I wouldn't mind this Lenovo:

http://i49.tinypic.com/2vtv2gy.jpg

We'll see what Apple does with theirs.

Wow, and guess what ? It's 999$ :

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/04/lenovo-ideapad-u1-hybrid-laptop-by-day-unhinged-tablet-by-nigh/

Now that's worth 999$ and would make me consider a "tablet".

And they say only Apple innovates.

[goldenlotus]

I had a dream about the tablet last night. It's not actually a tablet. It's a robot with a tablet as a face. It was pretty crap though. I was this apple female salesman (man IRL) and the first question everyone asked me is if they could have sex with it and if they could they would buy it. Because you couldn't have sex with it I had to let them have sex with me. :(

what does this dream mean?:confused:

Apple is good!!!!!

[Chupa Chupa]

It's amazing how Steve Jobs has most of you by the short hairs. :apple:

How so? I admit I'm a huge fan of Apple products, have been since my first Mac SE/20. Even still, I only buy what I likes. If Apple only pushed out half-baked products like AppleTV or the Magic Mouse I wouldn't be looking for the next big thing from it. I don't know of any consumer products company that excites like Apple. Most CE today are boring as hell.

[Wilbah]

I am pretty psyched about this device.. but I have learned my lesson...

NO MORE FIRST GEN APPLE PRODUCTS FOR ME...

I write this in caps to remind myself how pissed I was for overpaying to be an early adopter of all things Apple... Powerbook 100... Newton...Powerbook 165c...Powerbook 1400cs... original iPod, all the way up to and including the "iPhone 599" as we called it when the price was quickly dropped....

Apple has a LONG and storied history of overpricing products at introduction, only to have them drop precipitously a few short months later, or have the product revised (improved) AND the price dropped.... we over-pay to be Apple's R&D team as early adopters, as well as early promoters.

I'm waiting this one out on a matter of principal PLUS... it's a device that I don't exactly need ... at least not yet!

[Chupa Chupa]

2010 Year of the tablet? I wouldn't mind this Lenovo:

http://i49.tinypic.com/2vtv2gy.jpg

We'll see what Apple does with theirs.

A "convertible" laptop would be awesome. So would a docking laptop... like the old Duo, but with some real guts on the desktop dock side.

[lilo777]

2010 Year of the tablet? I wouldn't mind this Lenovo:

http://i49.tinypic.com/2vtv2gy.jpg

We'll see what Apple does with theirs.

This one looks nice. I like the idea. The problem is that it runs Windows 7 only when the tablet is docked into clamshell. When detached, it runs ARM/Linux. Having to use two different platforms is annoying.

[goldenlotus]

This one looks nice. I like the idea. The problem is that it runs Windows 7 only when the tablet is docked into clamshell. When detached, it runs ARM/Linux. Having to use two different platforms is annoying.

:confused::eek::mad::rolleyes::cool::p;):D:o:(:apple:

[lilo777]

Wow, and guess what ? It's 999$ :

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/04/lenovo-ideapad-u1-hybrid-laptop-by-day-unhinged-tablet-by-nigh/

Now that's worth 999$ and would make me consider a "tablet".

And they say only Apple innovates.

PCMag already called this product "revolutionary (see this article (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2357586,00.asp)). How dare they! :) Only Apple products are "revolutionary"

[Compile 'em all]

Not to mention sales of the iPhone were abysmal before Apple dropped the price and upped the storage capacity, a mere few months after introduction. And 1st gen iPhone sales stayed pretty abysmal.


Abysmal? From where the heck are you pulling out these numbers?

In the first month, the iPhone was pretty much sold out everywhere and stock was scarce. Just look up threads here on macrumors of members trying to locate stores stocking the iPhone without longass lines. And yes, $600 was expensive.

lay down the pipe.

[goldenlotus]

Suck on this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVzmHsl2FoY&feature=player_embedded

[digiguy23]

What happened to Apple's secrecy? Did it fly out the window?

[Ultranote]

How is it twisted? Those same netbooks currently run OSX flawlessly for under $300. I haven't found anything that I couldn't do on the netbook that required me to use my MBP. This includes iChat, image editing, word processing, etc..

Which leads me to my original position. $500 range or it better be totally revolutionary.


Well, cheaper isn't necessarily better. You get what you pay for. Which also means they will know how to price it.

They can't deliver something with the low build quality of a $300 netbook to keep their reputation.
They won't use an X86 Core2 Duo for overheating and battery life reasons.
Meaning probably a (dual core?) ARM CPU with adapted/recompiled Mac OS X apps and directly compatible resizable iPhone OS X apps.
They will only market a GUI which is fully adapted to the ergonomics of that screen size: not the plain iPhone black home screen and better adapted than Mac OS X on a small screen.

All in all it should be a very specific new interface, unlike other plain Win XP/ Win7 tablets.

[2992]

I'll pay $2000 as long as it's good.

Can you buy couple of them at that price for me, please? :D

PS: it is not going to be more than 699 USD. :p

[NXTMIKE]

What happened to Apple's secrecy? Did it fly out the window?

or are we just getting better at sniffing out rumours?

[Compile 'em all]

2010 Year of the tablet? I wouldn't mind this Lenovo:

http://i49.tinypic.com/2vtv2gy.jpg

We'll see what Apple does with theirs.

This looks horrible.

Who designs that crap?

[2992]

iSlate:

- PA Semi Processor (??? GHz)
- 10.1" Multi-Touch Screen
- Magic Slate Interface
- 2GB of RAM
- 80 GB
- Wi-Fi and 3G
- GPS
- A USB Port
- SD Card Slot
Price: $ 699

- PA Semi Processor (??? GHz)
- 10.1" Multi-Touch Screen
- Magic Slate Interface
- 2GB of RAM
- 120 GB
- Wi-Fi and 3G
- GPS
- A USB Port
- SD Card Slot
Price: $ 799

Optional $ 69 Dock

I'll buy the dock then. :o

[scroto]

LOL, well said. They are the ones with the pitch forks heading to the castle usually ;)

BUT ... even if it were true Apple won't fail! I paid close to $500 each for two iPod 60 GIGs years ago. They are still used almost daily and we never regretted the purchase but they are only MP3 players! The same cost for something right out of Star Trek ... sign me up :)

You got ripped, you just don't realise it. Apple depends on people like you to bend over and take it in the ass repeatedly.

[BjarkiS]

$1000 seems a bit steep for an over sized iPod touch but I'll wait until I see this thing and its price-tag before passing any judgment. (Doesn't WSJ have a rather poor record in the rumor department?)

My current Mac is a 4 year old Macbook that I'm looking to replace soon. If the tablet is any good, I might go for an iMac and get the tablet as well for the limited occasions where I need mobile computing. It would probably be cheaper than getting a MBP.

[KnightWRX]

Abysmal? From where the heck are you pulling out these numbers?

In the first month, the iPhone was pretty much sold out everywhere and stock was scarce. Just look up threads here on macrumors of members trying to locate stores stocking the iPhone without longass lines. And yes, $600 was expensive.

lay down the pipe.

Sold out doesn't mean it sold well. It just means stock was scarce. I'm not pulling any numbers out of anywhere and the pipe is down. Check it out for yourself :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:IPhone_sales_per_quarter_simple.svg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/IPhone_sales_per_quarter_simple.svg/800px-IPhone_sales_per_quarter_simple.svg.png

Yes, the initial price drop helped sales, and yes, the 3G is what really launched the iPhone. I know facts aren't as fun as revised history, but they still remain, a 600$ iPhone, and a subsequent cheaper but lacking 3G and MMS iPhone sold very badly.

[str1f3]

$1000 seems a bit steep for an over sized iPod touch but I'll wait until I see this thing and its price-tag before passing any judgment. (Doesn't WSJ have a rather poor record in the rumor department?)

My current Mac is a 4 year old Macbook that I'm looking to replace soon. If the tablet is any good, I might go for an iMac and get the tablet as well for the limited occasions where I need mobile computing. It would probably be cheaper than getting a MBP.

The WSJ has an excellent record when it comes to Apple products because Apple only talks to them and the NYT. Keep mind though that they don't know specifics and that is the kind of thing Apple keeps to themselves until the introduction.

[newdeal]

Obviously they are toying with plastic vs aluminum and will probobly end up picking plastic. I don't think people will buy this. At the same price as a macbook it will do the "toy" functions like videos, chatting etc but due to not having a physical keyboard will be limited on real production type things. I may as well just buy a macbook which does everything. There are things they could do with this though that would blow my mind so I am not ruling it out totally but still its going to be a very hard sell if it doesn't have any crazy features

[Chupa Chupa]

What happened to Apple's secrecy? Did it fly out the window?

What concrete info do we now have? We have page upon page here of posts of people guessing what the tablet will be and we don't really even know if there is a tablet other than the usual rumors. Nothing has changed in regards to Apple.

[KnightWRX]

This looks horrible.

How designs that crap?

Yet if Apple had came out with it, it would've been "gorgeous" and "another example of great Apple innovation!" and "Again, the naysayers that said a laptop was better than a tablet have been proven wrong, Apple offers best of breed and best of both worlds in one package!"

Seriously, you need to lay down the pipe. :rolleyes:

[RayetStar]

A few things I'm really excited for the Apple Tablet, I'll probably pick up one unless it's ridiculously expensive (ie. $2-3000). Here's a few things in terms of what I'm guessing the features might be.

Display - Definitely a color display that can do video, right now a b&w tablet wouldn't be groundbreaking. I'm guessing that they would probably use the Pixel Qi's e-ink/lcd displays.

Input - In terms of the input method I think that they'll be 2 touchscreens.
The first will be in the display in the front and will act in a similar method to the iPod Touch/IPhone. Used for games, launching apps, etc and will probably be able to recognize more gestures.
The second one will be on the back, maybe the entire back or a specified area which will be used for keyboard input, possibly a few other things (gestures?). This one would probably have haptic feedback for the user.

Anyways looking forward to see what Apple comes up with the end of this month.

[thewireman]

I would buy it for $1000 but I wouldn't buy it for $999, it seems too much.
:rolleyes:

[Roessnakhan]

Suck on this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVzmHsl2FoY&feature=player_embedded

Probably, like other tablet concepts, it was someone holding a dummy device and doing preset actions, and motion tracked to pre-rendered footage in a program like Motion or After Effects.

[E.Lizardo]

im shooting for a $400 price tag to $500 max. They want this in the hands of as many people as possible. Wheres the "guess the price point contest forum"? :)

Same price as an iPod touch?(almost)
higher...

[Brien]

1,000 bucks or not if they get it right as a device, I will prolly buy a new one every year.

For the same reason I buy each iteration of the iphone.

Apple users break down into 2 camps: those with money, and those without. Guess which users Apple prefers?

[balamw]

Who designs that crap?
That's actually really pretty radical/cute design for Lenovo, usually their Thinkpads looks the same as they did 10 years ago. Like tanks made by IBM.

B

[Vulpinemac]

Obviously they are toying with plastic vs aluminum and will probobly end up picking plastic. I don't think people will buy this. At the same price as a macbook it will do the "toy" functions like videos, chatting etc but due to not having a physical keyboard will be limited on real production type things. I may as well just buy a macbook which does everything. There are things they could do with this though that would blow my mind so I am not ruling it out totally but still its going to be a very hard sell if it doesn't have any crazy features

Your logic fails straight out of the starting gate. True, plastic might be lightweight and cheaper, but it doesn't have the durability or strength that aluminum would give to the product. Nor does plastic aid in cooling the electronics the way aluminum would. I expect this device would get pretty warm, just like any of the notebooks, but with an aluminum body, it wouldn't discolor and warp the way plastic would.

Follow this with your next comment about 'toy' functions; the lack of a physical keyboard has little effect on the iPhone/iPod Touch's capabilities, and certainly doesn't seem to have had an effect on their sales. In fact, if the Apple tablet device is as much an advance over other tablets as the iPhone was over other smartphones, then I expect a physical keyboard would be more of a hindrance than a help for the device. An auxiliary, plug-in keyboard (or maybe the already existent Bluetooth keyboard) might allow it to work as a 'laptop' on occasion. But if you understand what a tablet originally was--a pad of paper with a hardened back for writing while standing/walking--then anything with a keyboard can not even be called a tablet. This also means that the Apple tablet should be a truly mobile device, usable anywhere, anytime, even while walking down the street; something no other 'equivalent' device can really do.

[elfin]

Price aside, I noticed one interesting remark in the title post: that about electronic newspapers. Apple is known for being able to a create a huge momentum, friend and foe alike agree about that. As I write this, only one Dutch publisher has adopted an e-reader to distribute its newspaper. It's the same story as with cars running on hydrogen: the car manufacturers are waiting for companies to set-up a network of hydrogen stations and vice-versa. The 'iSlate' could propel electronic publishing into mainstream. Giving the screen used will be able to deliver...... Up to now I shy away from reading large amounts of text on a computer screen because it just cannot match paper.

and like AT&T has done with the iPhone, the print media will do with the tablet.
They will subsidize the tablet for a subscription.

[KnightWRX]

Yo read the website man! There are legit info manuals in the background!! Just watch the video it's not fake!!!!!!!!

You're trying too hard to get pageviews and ad revenue from an obvious fake. :rolleyes:

[goldenlotus]

:mad:

[notabadname]

I think $1,000 is realistic for a Tablet if it actually has the power of a Macbook or Macbook Air. Otherwise, what's the use? I don't just want a 10" iPod Touch. I want something that runs all my real Apps, like Word, and iWork. I want to work with images for clients in Photoshop on the fly, at the work site. Plus carry my full iTunes library and iPhoto library. Why would anyone think you could do this for only $300 more than the 64GB iPod Touch and $300 less than the basic Macbook?

If the Rumors are true about a Tablet, I think we should withhold judgement as to the fairness of its price until we have seen what the product really is. There is an enormous spectrum that the product could ultimately fall into that greatly varies the value and likely asking price.

[harmonica01]

ya me too, at $1,000 no one will buy it, stocks will go down at that price and apple will loose money...

agreed

I could justify getting one maxed out maybe at 800 after tax

Guess we just have to see official release and see what all it comes with. Who knows they could be gearing it to compete with ds, psp, kindle, and netbooks all at same time and possibly pull it off. Too much in the air as of now.

[greeneggs28]

If this thing is advanced as much as I hope it'll be, I don't think $1000 is high at all. Bleeding edge technology is hardly ever affordable when introduced. I freaked out by how much the MBA and iPhone were when they first came out. I don't think Apple is affraid of a $1000 price tag.

[onthecoast]

The specs on this HP tablet look pretty badass...

I would pay similar money if apple released similar specs
http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/04/hp-tm2-1070us-tablet-details-leaked-is-temporarily-out-of-stock/

[cmaier]

You mean like :

- The G4 Cube
- The Macbook Air
- The Apple TV
- The iPod Hi-Fi
- The Puck Mouse

? :rolleyes:

A very strange definition of Every.

Oh yeah? What about Mobile Me?

[KnightWRX]

Oh yeah? What about Mobile Me?

You mean the rebranded Mac.com ?

[cmaier]

You mean the rebranded Mac.com ?

That was a revolutionary rebranding.

[tetravus]

Well if it does come with a PixelQi screen and OSX 10.7 Clouded Leopard $1000 might be a bargain. I think it would have Bluetooth anyway so it should work with a keyboard. Despite all the complaints about the cost of the MBA, they seem to be selling fine.

[cmaier]

Well if it does come with a PixelQi screen and OSX 10.7 Clouded Leopard $1000 might be a bargain. I think it would have Bluetooth anyway so it should work with a keyboard. Despite all the complaints about the cost of the MBA, they seem to be selling fine.

Three things I promise:

1) no hard drive
2) no Apple product will ever be named "clouded leopard"
3) No PixelQi screen.

[str1f3]

That was a revolutionary rebranding.

LOL, yeah but I get a service that has fewer outages than Gmail and I don't have Google going through my emails. I also get a Find My iPhone feature that companies like Lojack charge for the price of all of MobileMe's features on Amazon.

[cmaier]

LOL, yeah but I get a service that has fewer outages than Gmail and I don't have Google going through my emails. I also get a Find My iPhone feature that companies like Lojack charge for the price of all of MobileMe's features on Amazon.

find my iphone oughta be free from at&t.

I have mobile me and gmail, and in my experience gmail has been much more stable - I've only ever noticed one outage (doubtless there have been others) whereas mobile me has been flakey. Are there uptime stats available for each?

[iMJustAGuy]

For $1,000 - I'll pass.

Unless you just know you could never afford something like that, how could you say that. You havn't the slightest idea about the posibilities of this thing are.

[mccoma]

Three things I promise:
3) No PixelQi screen.

I am very curious why you say no on Pixel Qi? It seems they are now ready to ship a screen in the rumored size. They are doing demos at CES.

[str1f3]

find my iphone oughta be free from at&t.

I have mobile me and gmail, and in my experience gmail has been much more stable - I've only ever noticed one outage (doubtless there have been others) whereas mobile me has been flakey. Are there uptime stats available for each?

Maybe Find my iPhone should be handled by the carrier but AT&T would most likely for charge for it since they're a telco and would charge you for breathing if they could.

Really? MobileMe has had one or two outages last year and one was in the early morning hours in the US. Gmail had like 10-12 outages and all of them were during work hours in the US last year. Maybe there is something wrong with your specific account.

TUAW always has posts when there is something wrong with MobileMe. As for gmail, anytime there's a problem Twitter usually goes ablaze with complaints.

[ntrigue]

Gizmodo serves-up these excellent concepts. ("http://gizmodo.com/5439378/apple-islate-concept-is-exactly-how-this-thing-should-be?skyline=true&s=x)

[cmaier]

I am very curious why you say no on Pixel Qi? It seems they are now ready to ship a screen in the rumored size. They are doing demos at CES.

This will make my prediction all the more amazing when it comes true.

[onthecoast]

Gizmodo serves-up these excellent concepts. ("http://gizmodo.com/5439378/apple-islate-concept-is-exactly-how-this-thing-should-be?skyline=true&s=x)

While that looks aesthetically cool, it looks insanely impractical. I want something a little bit less-fragile looking.

[mccoma]

This will make my prediction all the more amazing when it comes true.

the snark is strong with this one :)

[str1f3]

While that looks aesthetically cool, it looks insanely impractical. I want something a little bit less-fragile looking.

You could say the same thing about the iPhone. If it helps, rumors seem to indicate that Apple is concerned about the glass and it might be more shatter resistant when it comes out.

It's also interesting to know what kind of material is on the back. It might give clues to the next iPhone.

[onthecoast]

You could say the same thing about the iPhone. If it helps, rumors seem to indicate that Apple is concerned about the glass and it might be more shatter resistant when it comes out.

It's also interesting to know what kind of material is on the back. It might give clues to the next iPhone.


I'd like to see something rubbery on the back that doesn't scratch very easily like the iPhones does. SOmething like the pismo or wallstreet would be pretty cool.

[Vashthewicked]

Sold out doesn't mean it sold well. It just means stock was scarce. I'm not pulling any numbers out of anywhere and the pipe is down. Check it out for yourself :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:IPhone_sales_per_quarter_simple.svg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d9/IPhone_sales_per_quarter_simple.svg/800px-IPhone_sales_per_quarter_simple.svg.png

Yes, the initial price drop helped sales, and yes, the 3G is what really launched the iPhone. I know facts aren't as fun as revised history, but they still remain, a 600$ iPhone, and a subsequent cheaper but lacking 3G and MMS iPhone sold very badly.

Yes. And that large fluctuation in sales has nothing at all to do with the iPhone becoming available in all those other, entirely insignificant, parts of the world...:rolleyes:

[buddyro7]

Plus, nobody here has talked about what the subsidized price of this tablet will be. I'd say the odds are better than even that Apple will be offering this through ATT, Verizon, or both with a data plan that will drastically reduce the price. I still believe it will have Wi-Fi and be sold without a 3G subsidy, if the customer so wants it that way.

i'm going to guess that the unsubsidized price will be $799.

there will probably be two models though, 64gig and 120gig...

[magicmode]

Would love it if they could somehow pull off a combination e-ink color screen that switches to hi-def for watching movies.

[romz-rac]

Why does everyone assume the $1000 price tag is legit? It's a RUMOR site for crying out loud! And yet many of you are screaming FAIL at Apple for something you don't even know is true.

The Jackassery in these forums continues unabated......:rolleyes:

dude they are just commenting on the rumor not saying it is true calm down

[Brooklyn8]

I would buy it for $1000 if it is good. And knowing Apple it will be. There I said it.

[romz-rac]

Apple does not do HDMI

hmmm i wander y

[Raidersmojo]

what if the tablet itself was not only the ereader/mediaguru touch device it claims itself to be but the "you'll be amazed how you interact with it" goes a step further and it syncs to your computer and becomes a touch screen keyboard? you could manipulate pictures and throw them onto your other screen you have attached (like I have a 24 inch attached to my macbook) and then finish it up with a keyboard and mouse.

also that screen technology they were talking about, that would give it that real key feel even though there are not any.

you could surf through websites just like they advertise in that video clip a few pages back and everything else.

for a keyboard/media device I'd pay close to 1000 for it depending on how much content it could hold and the size.

don't know if someone mentioned that or not. not reading through eight pages to find out. it would certainty be cool though.

[onthecoast]

i'm going to guess that the unsubsidized price will be $799.

there will probably be two models though, 64gig and 120gig...

Yeah... there's no way it's ever going to have 120gig on launch

[dernhelm]

I have around $1200 saved just waiting for this announcement.

If the tablet comes in at between $500-$750, then I'll consider it even if it is essentially a large iPod Touch with "interactive book" type content. Especially if the interface is truly something special.

But if it pushes $1000, it better be a MacBook replacement (running full-blown OS/X) or it is simply no deal for me - I'll save up another $200 and get an MBP.

[oldwatery]

Why does everyone assume the $1000 price tag is legit? It's a RUMOR site for crying out loud! And yet many of you are screaming FAIL at Apple for something you don't even know is true.

The Jackassery in these forums continues unabated......:rolleyes:

Actually what people are saying is...IF it is $1000 it would be too expensive for them.
Bit different to your jackass comment :rolleyes:

As for me...$1000 for a tablet running a form of OSX would be fair. But if it is a big iTouch then it is not gonna be on my shopping list.

[str1f3]

i'm going to guess that the unsubsidized price will be $799.

there will probably be two models though, 64gig and 120gig...

Sorry, but at a price approaching $1000 I'd like to see 128GB & 256GB. The only difference in specs between this and a future iPhone would be 1-2GB RAM and screen size. The next iPhone is already believed to go to 64GB.

[buddyro7]

Yeah... there's no way it's ever going to have 120gig on launch

for a higher end model it very well could. Im sure the application footprint is larger on this device than on ipod touch which already comes in 64gig...also consider you now adding digital books, digital magazines, not to mention games, movies, music... i can see a higher priced 120gig model.

[MacPhilosopher]

Obviously they are toying with plastic vs aluminum and will probobly end up picking plastic. I don't think people will buy this. At the same price as a macbook it will do the "toy" functions like videos, chatting etc but due to not having a physical keyboard will be limited on real production type things.

I am typing this on the most amazing, thin, light weight wireless keyboard I have ever seen, and Apple is already selling a second generation version. Why does the keyboard have to be permanently attached? Even better to have it disconnected altogether.

[OceanView]

For the record $1000 is too much!

[str1f3]

for a higher end model it very well could. Im sure the application footprint is larger on this device than on ipod touch which already comes in 64gig... i can see a higher priced 120gig model.

These iPod Flash hard drives aren't very expensive. If it is a computer, Apple will have to find a way for you to actually store you movies, photos and music. It's hard for me to believe they would offer a 64GB model on what could be a standalone device which is the same as the touch or the next iPhone. I would figure this is a device you sync your iPhone to.

[digibdallas]

When is Apple going to get back to building workstations. I'm over all the gadgets, pods, phones, thin laptops, set top boxes etc... They are nice to haves, but I'd like to know my professional future is secure. I started my career on a Mac. I want to end it on a super charged bad ass Mac.

Mac Tablet? I don't see the benefit. I have an iPhone and a MacBook Pro. Two words. Mac Air. What a useless gimmick.

Bring back the power in Mac.

[mathewr]

i want one cause i want something new to play with. for a 1000 ill prob get it. obviously we have no idea what it looks like or what it does. if it has an isight then ill prob def buy. video conferencing on the go when i really have no use for it sounds like fun.

[str1f3]

When is Apple going to get back to building workstations. I'm over all the gadgets, pods, phones, thin laptops, set top boxes etc... They are nice to haves, but I'd like to know my professional future is secure. I started my career on a Mac. I want to end it on a super charged bad ass Mac.

Mac Tablet? I don't see the benefit. I have an iPhone and a MacBook Pro. Two words. Mac Air. What a useless gimmick.

Bring back the power in Mac.

Get a Mac Pro. You Texas guys... :)

[MisterMe]

When is Apple going to get back to building workstations. ...What is it that you can't do with a Mac Pro than you can do with a similar offering from HP or Dell?

[trekkie604]

What is it that you can't do with a Mac Pro than you can do with a similar offering from HP or Dell?

he can't "end [his career] on a super charged bad ass Mac" ;)

[sicilian2k]

It Is The Most Stupidest Device Ever Pointless Pointless!!!
How Would U Carry This Thing The Screen Would Be Ruined In No Time

[MisterMe]

It Is The Most Stupidest Device Ever Pointless Pointless!!!
How Would U Carry This Thing The Screen Would Be Ruined In No TimeTo your first question, the answer is "No."
To your second question, this is not a concern. The target market for the [rumored] Apple slate are people who have only two thumbs. Those with ten thumbs should stick with netbooks.

[StellarSoul]

Ok so I've read pretty much every post in this thread and the other massive thread started a couple of days ago (I know, no life right?). And I just wanna give my opinion on the impending Apple tablet. I'm a university student, soon to be a teacher, and like many other academics around the world, can see the huge advantages to this product and also what could be real drawbacks. I guess the real issue here is that a lot of people seem to be expecting this device is going to completely replace laptop computers. Where as I am kinda dubious about whether that will happen.

Obviously this device will be amazing for accessing, organising and consuming information. The way people use magazines, periodicals and news will be absolutely revolutionised. Honestly I couldn't be more excited on that front and welcome that change with open arms, and even $1000 of my own money if it shapes up to be as good as it could be (e.g. iTunes like media subscriptions to self updating interactive news and magazines).

The problem though, for me anyway, is word processing. I don't think people are really fathoming just how many people in the world do word processing on a daily basis, and on the fly! I am forever typing up assignments, reports, lecture notes etc. for uni. I couldn't do those things if the tablet was my primary computing machine (as many are saying it will become). It just wouldn't be comfortable to type on a flat surface whilst constantly looking down at it. Especially if it's just a 10" screen. At present I have a MacBook Pro and an iPhone. It's really all I need. If this tablet kicks off, and is as amazing as I hope it will be, it will then shift my needs to having three devices instead of two. Not good. Especially when I already carry around my MacBook pretty much everywhere I go. For that reason, I think Apple will have a pretty hard sell. People want to minimise the amounts of devices they have, not maximise. Unless Apple offer a way where people can do word processing on the tablet as efficiently as I can on my Macbook Pro, then I will not be buying one. The alternative of course is that I get an iMac for home, and use a Tablet and iPhone on the fly (probably what most people will be doing), and do all my word processing at home. But that's still three devices instead of the two I'm currently happy with. So when Apple solves the word processing dilemma, from my point of view the Tablet will be niche no more.

[ntrigue]

what if the tablet itself was not only the ereader/mediaguru touch device it claims itself to be but the "you'll be amazed how you interact with it" goes a step further and it syncs to your computer and becomes a touch screen keyboard? you could manipulate pictures and throw them onto your other screen you have attached (like I have a 24 inch attached to my macbook) and then finish it up with a keyboard and mouse.

also that screen technology they were talking about, that would give it that real key feel even though there are not any.

you could surf through websites just like they advertise in that video clip a few pages back and everything else.

for a keyboard/media device I'd pay close to 1000 for it depending on how much content it could hold and the size.

don't know if someone mentioned that or not. not reading through eight pages to find out. it would certainty be cool though.

Right on, I also picture an integration when the user gets home to the desktop. I'm beginning to think it will ship with a plastic screen cover than snaps on/off for transportation purposes.

[iMaggot]

This better be the best Tablet in the world if they are going to charge $1000 bucks for it.

[Michael CM1]

Is $1,000 really that much (not that I don't want it cheaper!)?

A Kindle, which is only B&W has no video capabilities (among many other things it lacks) is over $300, and that's a huge seller. For a reader! Supposedly, the iSlate (or whatever it's called) will be a reader, a video player, a gaming tablet, has the potential to sub as a netbook, etc. You're looking at $700-$800 for a decent netbook and a Kindle. I'd rather have it all in one and not have two things to carry around when I travel.

No, it certainly won't be for everyone. Might not even be for me. However, I can see there being a market for this.

A Kindle is $259, not the $359 you probably remember from many months ago.

I kinda agree with your point about a one-function device versus a multifunction device. But after a friend bought a Kindle and I saw how awesome the display is, it's hard to justify spending more than $500 on anything Apple offers as a tablet. I've got a MacBook Pro and an iPhone 3GS. How much more portable do I need to be?

Plus, you know that if there's built-in 3G, it's going to cost you to do anything. You're not going to get some free "I've got an iPhone" plan. I just may not be in the target audience for this, which stinks because of the possibilities of such a device.

[Brooklyn8]

This better be the best Tablet in the world if they are going to charge $1000 bucks for it.

Um, do you know how much a good tablet costs (ie Fujitsu etc)?? Think double that. $1000 is cheap for a full function tablet.

And I hope it doesn't run OSX. OSX isn't designed for a touch interface. And the iPhone OS is too basic for a tablet. The tablet needs its own system to be successful. It is all about the user interface.

[matthew6]

What if the tablet was something like this new product from Lenovo just released at CES?

http://ces.cnet.com/8301-31045_1-10424800-269.html

It would satisfy those users who want just a touch screen and also those users who want a laptop that would have a hard keyboard.

What do you guys think?

[RazHyena]

People are going to WILL this thing into existence.....

Edit: Can we have our midrange headless tower now?

[Intense]

I don't see a problem with the $1000 price point as one reader replied, the amazon reader is $300 and it's not in color. Taking into consideration the additional features and apps, $1000 is very well justified.

However, not justified for my wallet

[richpjr]

Ok so I've read pretty much every post in this thread and the other massive thread started a couple of days ago (I know, no life right?). And I just wanna give my opinion on the impending Apple tablet. I'm a university student, soon to be a teacher, and like many other academics around the world, can see the huge advantages to this product and also what could be real drawbacks. I guess the real issue here is that a lot of people seem to be expecting this device is going to completely replace laptop computers. Where as I am kinda dubious about whether that will happen.

Obviously this device will be amazing for accessing, organising and consuming information. The way people use magazines, periodicals and news will be absolutely revolutionised. Honestly I couldn't be more excited on that front and welcome that change with open arms, and even $1000 of my own money if it shapes up to be as good as it could be (e.g. iTunes like media subscriptions to self updating interactive news and magazines).

The problem though, for me anyway, is word processing. I don't think people are really fathoming just how many people in the world do word processing on a daily basis, and on the fly! I am forever typing up assignments, reports, lecture notes etc. for uni. I couldn't do those things if the tablet was my primary computing machine (as many are saying it will become). It just wouldn't be comfortable to type on a flat surface whilst constantly looking down at it. Especially if it's just a 10" screen. At present I have a MacBook Pro and an iPhone. It's really all I need. If this tablet kicks off, and is as amazing as I hope it will be, it will then shift my needs to having three devices instead of two. Not good. Especially when I already carry around my MacBook pretty much everywhere I go. For that reason, I think Apple will have a pretty hard sell. People want to minimise the amounts of devices they have, not maximise. Unless Apple offer a way where people can do word processing on the tablet as efficiently as I can on my Macbook Pro, then I will not be buying one. The alternative of course is that I get an iMac for home, and use a Tablet and iPhone on the fly (probably what most people will be doing), and do all my word processing at home. But that's still three devices instead of the two I'm currently happy with. So when Apple solves the word processing dilemma, from my point of view the Tablet will be niche no more.

What if it had a little stand you could set it in to act like a monitor (and charge it?) and use a bluetooth keyboard with it on those occasions when you had to type?

[carloslegarda]

I'm curious to see what features they include for $1000.

If they have 2 cameras included, one for Skyping/video-chatting, and one for heads-up display GPS navigation, then it would be an interesting device.

[blouis79]

Purely speculative but what if it is called iBook.

Shape of the lid of the macbook air and aluminum MacBook (wispy thin edges), 10-11 inch glossy touchscreen, slightly thicker (iPhone thickness). Port access via drop down connector like MacBook Air.

Low upfront cost, say $199 + subscription model including content. (They want to push content through the iTunes/iBook store to keep content providers happy.) Maybe advertising?
Wifi rather than cellular will work at most coffee shops, fast food, and at home. Bluetooth keyboard and mouse optional.

Maybe they will make one so you can connect them edge to edge to make a clamshell - then we get a 2 page view and built-in screen protection.

Nice to dream....

[gibbz]

Purely speculative but what if it is called iBook.

Shape of the lid of the macbook air and aluminum MacBook (wispy thin edges), 10-11 inch glossy touchscreen, slightly thicker (iPhone thickness). Port access via drop down connector like MacBook Air.

Low upfront cost, say $199 + subscription model including content. (They want to push content through the iTunes/iBook store to keep content providers happy.) Maybe advertising?
Wifi rather than cellular will work at most coffee shops, fast food, and at home. Bluetooth keyboard and mouse optional.


All possible, but I am really wondering about the subscription model idea. Are you suggesting that the media companies will subsidize the price or a telco like AT&T/Verizon? I know many are saying they hope for a Verizon deal, but I can't see Apple splitting their current iPhone users by making them sign into another agreement with a different company.

[makkazurich]

i just ask myself if it would not make sense to integrate the new tablet device with the iphone. some kind of combined device. maybe it would be necessary also to ship a new iphone that you can plugin with the new tablet. could be interesting cause of a) price > something like that could ship for sure below 300 USD (without an iphone), or they ship both togehter new iphone + tablet for USD 1000.- or so b) solving the problem of having two sim cards and maybe two data plans. c) you just have to maintain one OS (for example apps). what you guys think of that?

[AAPLaday]

Hopefully it's less yellow than certain iPhones and iMacs :)

[Pigumon]

I'm always amazed at how many people will discuss e-readers and compare them with PDAs, netbooks and laptops who clearly don't even realise that e-readers use a completely different display technology and think it's a PDA that you can only read books on.

Although it's a different technology, many japanese and american e-ink manufacturers are claiming they'll have full motion video at some point. This would be great. I'd go insane for an "art tablet" that uses e-ink.

What I'd like to see right now is a double-sided tablet, LCD on one side, E-ink on the other (color would be great). I think that would truly be the "All-Killer" device. $599 sounds about right to me.

Also, I think it should have the charging pad type charger built into the body (iPhone and touch should already have this by now).

[peterdevries]

The remainder of the report summarizes previously-rumored information about the tablet, citing analyst claims of a price point near $1,000 and a multifunction nature catering to those interested in video, gaming, and electronic book, newspaper, and magazine content.

If these analysts are just as accurate and informed as that douchebag Gene Munster from Piper Jaffray, than I wouldn´t put too much stock into this $1000 figure.

[peterdevries]

Gizmodo serves-up these excellent concepts. (http://"http://gizmodo.com/5439378/apple-islate-concept-is-exactly-how-this-thing-should-be?skyline=true&s=x)

Although nice, these are just rounded squares with a grayscale gradient for reflectiveness and an Apple logo.. I personally expect the same form factor as a large iPod Touch, or a unibody shape (like with the MBP) with an embedded screen. Aluminium would be great but a little heavy..

I personally prefer a bit more squarish form factors than the round and smooth shape of the iPhone. The unibody macbooks are ideal IMHO.

[Peter Harrison]

http://www.techtree.com/India/News/Apple_iSlate_Purported_Specs_Surface_Online/551-108492-615.html

More rumors and (fake I assume...) specs for the Tablet.

What are the chances of it having a projector? I've seen some smart little micro-projectors for the iPhone recently.

[Jamo12]

Would love it if they could somehow pull off a combination e-ink color screen that switches to hi-def for watching movies.

What if they had a see-through screen with an e-ink screen behind it. They have Transparent OLED displays (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G3wWmtkN88). They could just turn off the OLED display so it could be a good e-reader and turn it on (while turning the e-ink screen to black) so it could do more complex things

Since the OLED display is so thin it won't effect the thickness of the device hardly at all.

I am aware that this is not going to happen (in the next year anyway) But I can dream, yes?

[-hh]

When is Apple going to get back to building workstations. I'm over all the gadgets, pods, phones, thin laptops, set top boxes etc... They are nice to haves, but I'd like to know my professional future is secure. I started my career on a Mac. I want to end it on a super charged bad ass Mac.

Considering that the Mac first came out a mere 26 years ago, you still have an easy 10-15 years until you're eligible for retirement...so be patient! ;)

Mac Tablet? I don't see the benefit. I have an iPhone and a MacBook Pro. Two words. Mac Air. What a useless gimmick.

YMMV. My business takes me on travel quite a bit, and I'd really like to dump my 6-7lb Windows laptop for something that's half that weight. After a decade of a local "No Macs" IT Policy, there's scheduled to be a meeting later this month to do a 180 and officially start supporting them again - - probably has to do with leadership being utterly fed up with our total ban on USB storage devices because of theirs security risks that exists only within Windows.

Ok...I just wanna give my opinion on the impending Apple tablet. I'm a university student, soon to be a teacher, and like many other academics around the world, can see the huge advantages to this product and also what could be real drawbacks. I guess the real issue here is that a lot of people seem to be expecting this device is going to completely replace laptop computers. Where as I am kinda dubious about whether that will happen.

The problem though, for me anyway, is word processing. I don't think people are really fathoming just how many people in the world do word processing on a daily basis, and on the fly! I am forever typing up assignments, reports, lecture notes etc. for uni. I couldn't do those things if the tablet was my primary computing machine (as many are saying it will become)...

RoadWarrior connection: how is it that many of us have been "coping" so fine with the tiny screen/keyboard of RIM Blackberries? I've composed some pretty darn long/complex emails on mine...its been clearly adequate enough to obviate the need to boot up the laptop in the briefcase for providing an email reply, be it a short or long note.



i just ask myself if it would not make sense to integrate the new tablet device with the iphone. some kind of combined device. maybe it would be necessary also to ship a new iphone that you can plugin with the new tablet...what you guys think of that?

Yes; your idea distills to three words: iPhone Wireless Tethering.

And to extend it a bit further, consider also a "wireless cloud" type of collaboration to your desktop system...a desktop that under Snow Leopard very well may have a big honking GPU in it to collaboratively add computational performance.

And this is a parallel to my comment yesterday about the idea of having a solar panel underlying the screen: these aren't necessarily "easy" things to do, but we do know that Apple has been picking away at this problem for a couple of years, so there's been the time & resources applied to solve harder problems.

Unfortunately, it seems that no one anymore remembers who JFK was and his statement, "We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too."


Although nice...I personally expect the same form factor as a large iPod Touch, or a unibody shape (like with the MBP) with an embedded screen. Aluminium would be great but a little heavy..

I personally prefer a bit more squarish form factors than the round and smooth shape of the iPhone. The unibody macbooks are ideal IMHO.

Something that I've been thinking about for form factor requirements is based on a photo that someone posted on the Star Trek tablets (see some examples here (http://www.slipperybrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/stpd.jpg)). Simply put, if you have an edge-to-edge screen, then how do you hold it for use? The UI conceptual solution in Star Trek wasn't to have a pretty-in-pictures edge-to-edge display screen: they consistently have a solid area somewhere to allow the user to grab/pinch the device between their fingers/thumb.


-hh

[KnightWRX]

I don't see a problem with the $1000 price point as one reader replied, the amazon reader is $300 and it's not in color. Taking into consideration the additional features and apps, $1000 is very well justified.

However, not justified for my wallet

The Amazon reader is 249$ and comes with free 3G connectivity for data. It's "black and white" display is because it uses e-ink, which is more expensive than LCD technology.

So yes, 1000$ is a problem. It better be a full on OS X machine with a Core 2 Duo at that price.

[jouster]

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)

10-11 inches? Oh well. If it had been the size of a Kindle -- which fits in my suit coat pocket with ease -- I'd likely have preordered.



I can get away with just my iPhone for shirt business trips, but still need a laptop for longer ones. I was hoping this device would be mobile enough and capable enough to replace the computer.

Edit: my iPhone won't let me scroll up in the text box when editing. I meant "short" not "shirt." hitting "i" instead of "o" is the most common and annoying error I get on the otherwise excellent keyboard.

[sanford]

$499 w/ 3G and/or content contract. A grand is too much. I don't care if it's not too much for YOU. Apple doesn't care about YOU. To make money, let alone dominate the market, they have to sell the overwhelming majority of these things to people who aren't Apple gear hobbyists. Fifteen years ago, sure, priced into a niche market only. But post-iPod, Apple not only cares about the whole market, they know they can sell to the whole market.

$499 as overpriced for an iPod is not a fair comparison. It's true, as someone else mentioned, neither iPod, nor iPhone, ever really took off until they hit the $200 market -- subsidized in the case of the iPhone. But $499 for an early iPod wasn't all that out there. Fancy audio equipment always comes at a premium. But there's still a vast market for fancy audio equipment. Much, much larger than the market for an Apple tablet. Many more people would have paid $500 for an original iPod -- and you have to remember back then it only worked with Macs -- than will pay a grand for an Apple tablet. The iPod also had the benefit of working with your entire existing media library, the kind of media an iPod would play, anyway. The tablet will work with SOME existing media, but what most people predict to be it's most prominent features will required purchasing lots of new media and/or media subscriptions.

Personally, I think the tablet will sell for $499 - $599. Probably a subsidized price, but it will FEEL like you only spent about 500 bucks. Sure, I can see a grand for an unsubsidized model. In fact, if you're an analyst, and you're making reasonable guesses at tablet component parts and their costs, and Apple pricing trends, you're probably going to come up with something like $999. Because that's the most concrete data you can use to speculate. You won't be privy to the specifics of any subsidy deals with wireless or media subscription providers, especially if one of those potentially subsidizing media subscription providers is Apple itself.

[paulyras]

First, for those who think there will be a $500 difference between the subsidized price and the unsubsidized price, you're crazy, unless a)the service is >$75 per month for 2 years (or like a 5 year contract) and b) the ETF if you bail is $500 as well. I'm sure people would freak about the ETF, but the carriers need to recoup the money. It's not apple's subsidy- it's the carrier's.

Personally, my guess is that theprice will be $699 and $999. It will definitely be GSM. It MIGHT have a CDMA chip too, but I think it's unlikely that they'll rush out 2 models- one for the US market solely. At $699 you have 3G wireless web including iChat, VoIP, etc... on a $40 / month unlimited data plan, 2 year commitment. At $999 you have the option of either using it as WiFi only (with one exception, as I'll describe below), or to buy a data plan, but with no commitment.

I believe that the iTunes / TV subscription model will be coming. My theory is that if you buy content (TV, music, magazines, etc...), that the data for transferring it to your iSlate will be baked into the price. This is how the Kindle works as well. The data is baked into the price of the newspapers, books, etc... eliminating the need of a general data package.

Finally, as for how one interacts with it, I believe one option will be the ability to use your iPhone / Touch as a touch-pad and keyboard for the slate. Would also be able to take advantage of the accelerometer in the phone or touch to control accelerometer based games on the slate.

That's my 2c

[TraceyS/FL]

Personally, my guess is that theprice will be $699 and $999. It will definitely be GSM. It MIGHT have a CDMA chip too, but I think it's unlikely that they'll rush out 2 models- one for the US market solely. At $699 you have 3G wireless web including iChat, VoIP, etc... on a $40 / month unlimited data plan, 2 year commitment. At $999 you have the option of either using it as WiFi only (with one exception, as I'll describe below), or to buy a data plan, but with no commitment.

So how do you sell this model in the educational market? To schools wanting carts of them? Do you require them to do the $699 with Data? The $999 is higher than the Edu Macbook price ($899) - how do you get schools on board, which is going to be needed for the ebook side?

The Touch is already being shown to be a stepping stone to the iPhone. So wouldn't you want this bigger device to be one too?

So maybe the cheaper model is an educational model without a radio, and then the "fancier" model is the subsidized with the radio.

I don't know - i'm torn myself how they are going to do this, but if it IS what is floating around - they need the educational market on board.

I can't help but think rather than a contract - there will be a radio in it that the providers can offer pre-paid types of service for - like in the states, so buy an iSlate monthly service card at your local store and away you go.....

Time will tell!

[greygray]

I've got a MBP. I've got an iPhone. Can someone please explain to me why I should want / need this device?

At 10"ish I can't put it in my pocket so it won't replace my phone even if it could be used for video conferencing. It won't have the HDD size or raw computing power necessary to replace my MBP. Call it a 'tween device...

I'm in the same position as you, friend. I have a 32GB 3GS and a 17" UMBP. Although price is not a matter to me, I see no reason to buy the Tablet unless it is exceptionally good and stands out from a Mac. If not, I'll pass.

[str1f3]

Interesting blog post about a patent on how to manipulate 3D objects on a two dimensional plane. Apple owns the patent but searches under Apple's name in the patents database doesn't retrieve this patent, because the names of the original French inventors are still on it. The French inventors actually work at Apple now.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/technology/2010/01/apple_tablet_3d.html

[blouis79]

I'm thinking people will buy a device for $200 with an iTunes/iBook/whatever subscription from Apple for 2 years at say $50 per month (total $1400 includes say $400 of content - news/mags/books). Price around what people pay for phones but instead of bandwidth, you pay for premium content with ability to top up. Content pricing brings revenue to content providers plus Apple as store owner, not a lot different from current paper distribution.

Apple will need to bootstrap the revenue stream for the content providers and a plan does that. The aim is to capture the device + content distribution channel leveraging off the success of iPod/iTunes for newspaper and magazine style content. Apples strong connections in the graphics arts market will help no end.

So with wifi at home, you iBook will automatically download you daily paper overnight ready for the daily commute +/- bluetooth tethering to iPhone for internet connectivity when out and about.

iPhone and iBook help each other's sales. Apple will have an unassailable market position.

[paulyras]

So how do you sell this model in the educational market? To schools wanting carts of them? Do you require them to do the $699 with Data? The $999 is higher than the Edu Macbook price ($899) - how do you get schools on board, which is going to be needed for the ebook side?

The Touch is already being shown to be a stepping stone to the iPhone. So wouldn't you want this bigger device to be one too?

So maybe the cheaper model is an educational model without a radio, and then the "fancier" model is the subsidized with the radio.

I don't know - i'm torn myself how they are going to do this, but if it IS what is floating around - they need the educational market on board.

I can't help but think rather than a contract - there will be a radio in it that the providers can offer pre-paid types of service for - like in the states, so buy an iSlate monthly service card at your local store and away you go.....

Time will tell!

Edu would be tough with this, as the simple fact of the matter is that the cost of goods isn't going to be cheap. There's going to be limits as to how low it can be priced (at least initially- prices do decrease with increasing volumes). As for university level education, I'll say this... Books alone can cost up to $1000 per semester. If e-versions can save 25% per semester, the system has paid for itself in two years. Not to mention the ability to take notes, push homework and supplementary materials, etc...

I look at a desktop program and accompanying app like 'Papers' (I have no affiliation, other than using religiously), and a tablet is the PERFECT form factor to be able to read articles and such on the go.

My only point is that there are longer term financial and productivity advantages that offset the upfront cost...

I agree though- Many unanswered questions. Good times...

[sculfort]

i like how people are getting mad at apple about a hypothetical price of a product that doesnt exist yet.

[DaBrain]

It Is The Most Stupidest Device Ever Pointless Pointless!!!
How Would U Carry This Thing The Screen Would Be Ruined In No Time

I think it's time to invest in Apple for ALL the Repairs that this will produce. Can you imagine all the broken screens from people dropping their tablets? ;)

[Peter Harrison]

i like how people are getting mad at apple about a hypothetical price of a product that doesnt exist yet.

Agreed.

"Apple, what are you playing at! We won't spend that!"

:p So funny. I'm going to see what it is like when official information is released. If it's crap, I won't buy it. If it's good, I'll buy it, if the price is fair. Deciding now if it's worth $1000 or not? That's like arguing over the length of an angel's wing. ;)

I'm hoping this tablet is really special. If it isn't, then it's not a big deal. I'll move on. I don't get where all the anger comes from. I get healthy speculation and discussion, but saying things like "Apple has lost it!" is just hilarious.

[RichardI]

I don't care about most of the hoopla over this "device" and what it will do. Here's what I want - the best e-reader ever. All books should be free with advertising, no more than $5 each without. Subscriptions to news magazines, sports magazines, etc., should be the same: free with advertising, no more than $10 a year without.
Oh, and the price - less than $200 including whatever OS it comes with. If it's more than that, Apple will sell some, but not many. Steve Jobs will smile and kid himself that he's done it again. What a genius.

[Peter Harrison]

I don't care about most of the hoopla over this "device" and what it will do. Here's what I want - the best e-reader ever. All books should be free with advertising, no more than $5 each without. Subscriptions to news magazines, sports magazines, etc., should be the same: free with advertising, no more than $10 a year without.
Oh, and the price - less than $200 including whatever OS it comes with. If it's more than that, Apple will sell some, but not many. Steve Jobs will smile and kid himself that he's done it again. What a genius.

You definitely won't be getting what you want. Apple aren't stupid enough to create a new computer and sell it for less than their phone.

[str1f3]

I'm starting to believe all the rumors that this is just a "content consuming" device. If so, this is essentially a useless device no matter which way you look at it. Just more stuff to fill up the landfills if you ask me.

The hook will be the way you interact with it and only those with money to burn or with half a brain will go out and buy it.

[hiimamac]

For $1,000 - I'll pass.

$1000 dollars that says eveything you want a tablet to do is the higher priced one. The lower, maybe Internet with subscription. The higher price included plus running of osx apps. The cheaper, a giant iPod.

The gotcha marketing ploy. You go into apple and for just a litte more. You get what you want until suddenly your waking out with a MacBook pro. Dedicated gpu, fast CPU, Internet, FireWire attachment, USB for keyboard slots.

[bigjnyc]

ya me too, at $1,000 no one will buy it, stocks will go down at that price and apple will loose money...


wrong, wrong and wrong

if this thing lives up to the hype price won't matter people will buy it, there are alot of people out there with disposable income and alot of them are apple customers..... New exciting product that lives up to the hype stock price will go up or keep steady as the release of the tablet is probably already factored into the price with all the news. at that price point profit margins will be huge for apple even if they don't sell as much quantity as they would at a lower price point. And apple will not lose money lol they have so much reserve cash that they probably used for R&D on this thing that anything they make is pure profit.

[TraceyS/FL]

Edu would be tough with this, as the simple fact of the matter is that the cost of goods isn't going to be cheap. There's going to be limits as to how low it can be priced (at least initially- prices do decrease with increasing volumes). As for university level education, I'll say this... Books alone can cost up to $1000 per semester. If e-versions can save 25% per semester, the system has paid for itself in two years. Not to mention the ability to take notes, push homework and supplementary materials, etc...

I look at a desktop program and accompanying app like 'Papers' (I have no affiliation, other than using religiously), and a tablet is the PERFECT form factor to be able to read articles and such on the go.

My only point is that there are longer term financial and productivity advantages that offset the upfront cost...

I agree though- Many unanswered questions. Good times...
I don't think it's a hard sell at the University level. I'm 4 years from having a kid at that level, so i'm at the K-12 stage right now. The idea of a bookless classroom worries me (and California is doing this - last i heard, made me glad i moved), but with a device such as this, kids CAN have their books with them at all times. Teachers can push assignments, videos or whatever. You can have a copy of the notes on the board - even if you were out sick (provided the school has sprung for those fancy whiteboards - an online friends school that did that for like $30k a classroom.... then had to cut bus service out...).

THis is all doable with a laptop (before Hobe jumps in and tells me that) - but as a parent, i'd buy a Slate version a whole lot easier. Watch and read.... then write. Print out the worksheet to complete. I don't see the need for it both sides - output and input all the time.

Which is why i see this going over to schools more than - "give them all a laptop". This concept is more locked down, doing only what the school wants them to do.

I think that i'm excited about where Apple might push this area. It will be interesting to watch play out - i just hope us peons can afford to play in the sandbox :D