More Apple Tablet Rumblings

[MacRumors]

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With increased interest in Apple across the web, rumors are distributed at a faster rate frequently without much attention paid to credibility or records.

The most recent is a blog entry claiming that an Apple Tablet is imminent and that prototypes have been sighted running "a reduced version of OSX, with some funky start-up PDA like Apple icon menu." This report has been reposted a number of places around the web.

Obviously, this is not the first time that the Apple Tablet rumor has surfaced, but does provide a good opportunity to recap recent tablet evidence.

This blog post claims that the Intel-Apple rumors are surrouding the use of an Intel processor for an upcoming Apple Tablet. Tablet rumors have been popular over the years with the demise of the Newton. Apple Tablet rumors hit a peak in early 2003 when several credible sources strongly hinted at the imminent release of a Mac-based Tablet design from Apple.

More recently, Apple's patent design application for a tablet computer reawoke the tablet rumors. One interesting observation, however, is that in the past, Apple has only applied/received design patents for current shipping devices. Suggesting that the Tablet may have been delayed from initial launch plans or indeed imminent.

[miketcool]

Weird, wonder if an HD tablet is in the works. Ya know, scuff up a pretty HD screen with stylus scrawling...

[MightyB]

does this mean G5 PB's??? er, I mean...I've got my cC ready!!


er....

[Mr. G4]

where can I get one of those?

I want one sine my newton is dead

[Josh396]

I would love to see an Apple designed tablet. I'm not exactly sure if I would buy one or even how well they would do but I would still like to see what Apple could do with one and the price range they would put it at.

[Oryan]

Originally Posted by Josh396

I would love to see an Apple designed tablet. I'm not exactly sure if I would buy one or even how well they would do but I would still like to see what Apple could do with one and the price range they would put it at.

Same here. I've liked the tablet design since I first saw a working model but I'm not sure how I would use it, esp for editing. I'll keep waiting for the G5 PB.

[PlaceofDis]

i'm still hoping for a tablet, but i'm not expecting one at all. hopefully Apple will surprise me one day

[Daveway]

O gosh here we go again...

Please spare another 20 page thread. We don't need this again.
The market for tablet is not yet big enough for Apple to enter it.

[akac]

Makes sense now (if true, of course). Intel != Pentium. Intel == XScale.

[dernhelm]

Originally Posted by akac

Makes sense now (if true, of course). Intel != Pentium. Intel == XScale.

Agreed. XScale is about the only interesting technology that Intel owns.

[poundsmack]

Originally Posted by akac

Makes sense now (if true, of course). Intel != Pentium. Intel == XScale.

well XScale is RISC based (i believe) so it is possible. just mind numbingly unlikly.

[enoch]

So.. there's all these iPhone rumours, and now there's all these iTablet rumours...

Then, there's all these UIQ symbian phones, which suffer from software bloat.

I'm not able to put two-and-two together. Let's all post supposition.

OK... go!

[BlackLilyNinja]

why do they need to go to intel when a mac mini type unit could be reworked into a tablet. unless they are going to be inovating again.

[SpaceMagic]

Please Please Please! I really want an Apple Tablet.

[rog]

Yeah those tablet PCs have become such a colossol hit! I mean you can't go anywhere without seeing one.

I hope Apple doesn't waste its money developing a tablet PC when there is so much work to be done on making good value, fast ibooks and powerbooks. Something they apparently no longer have an interest in.

[graphyte]

I'd love to see one, and to have it too!

[Toe]

Originally Posted by BlackLilyNinja

why do they need to go to intel when a mac mini type unit could be reworked into a tablet. unless they are going to be inovating again.

If they are using an Intel chip, then I would guess that the tablet would run a version of Darwin, not necessarily OS X. Or some intermediate.

This would make sense if it is to be a terminal, and not a computer. Think of it not as a small Mac you write on, but rather a remote terminal to your main computer (iServe?).

When you're sittin' around the house, yuou can just grab any ol iTablet and change the music playing on iTunes. Or select a different channel or movie to play on the TV. Or do a web search.

All of these (and a heck of a lot more) could be accomplished with a relatively dumb terminal, logging into a nice robust server in the closet (or in the den or whatnot). Ideally, wirelessly.

[Thanatoast]

Originally Posted by Toe

This would make sense if it is to be a terminal, and not a computer. Think of it not as a small Mac you write on, but rather a remote terminal to your main computer (iServe?).

When you're sittin' around the house, yuou can just grab any ol iTablet and change the music playing on iTunes. Or select a different channel or movie to play on the TV. Or do a web search.

All of these (and a heck of a lot more) could be accomplished with a relatively dumb terminal, logging into a nice robust server in the closet (or in the den or whatnot). Ideally, wirelessly.

Now, that's an idea I like. It would keep the cost down to a reasonable level (assuming you already own a mac) and does everything you need it to (well, your computer does it, but what's the effective difference?)

[SiliconAddict]

Originally Posted by BlackLilyNinja

why do they need to go to intel when a mac mini type unit could be reworked into a tablet. unless they are going to be inovating again.

Reworked is one thing. To make it small and thin enough that it isn't a burden to carry around while maintaining a good battery life is another matter altogether. The only thing that comes close on the PC side are slate devices that either use the craptastic Transmeta or Intel’s ultra low voltage Pentium M’s that I think range from 900Mhz to 1.2Ghz. (Which is pretty much the equivalent of a 1.5 on the desktop.)
If Apple releases a tablet it isn’t going to be a reworked mini.

[dongmin]

Originally Posted by SiliconAddict

Reworked is one thing. To make it small and thin enough that it isn't a burden to carry around while maintaining a good battery life is another matter altogether. The only thing that comes close on the PC side are slate devices that either use the craptastic Transmeta or Intel’s ultra low voltage Pentium M’s that I think range from 900Mhz to 1.2Ghz. (Which is pretty much the equivalent of a 1.5 on the desktop.)
If Apple releases a tablet it isn’t going to be a reworked mini.

A 'back door' way to switching to Intel?

Could be an interesting way to test the waters. Apple could implement a x86 version of OS X (slimmed down and optimized for a tablet) without having to worry about screwing developers or customers. No need for a painful transition period since all the apps would be in house, e.g. iLife & Appleworks, and whatever new apps developers write for the iTablet could be compiled and optimized for x86.

On the other hand, I'm not sure a 1.0 ghz Pentium M would offer much of an advantage over a 1.0 ghz G4. Recycling the iBook G4 architecture seems to be the most cost-effective way of implementing a tablet. A cut-down iBook (take out the optical drive, keyboard, speakers, etc. and use a smaller, lower-power LCD) would get you a pretty good form factor and battery life.

[tny]

Originally Posted by BlackLilyNinja

why do they need to go to intel when a mac mini type unit could be reworked into a tablet. unless they are going to be inovating again.

Because an 80-90 MHz ARM processor (like those used in the iPod) isn't going to be enough to drive a tablet. A 400 MHz XScale processor, on the other hand, might just cut it if the OS is stripped down enough (on the other hand, my 500 MHz G3 can't handle H.264, so . . . )

[wileypen]

Originally Posted by Daveway

The market for tablet is not yet big enough for Apple to enter it.

The market for hard drive based MP3 players was basically non-existent until Apple created it.

[Daveway]

Originally Posted by wileypen

The market for hard drive based MP3 players was basically non-existent until Apple created it.

iPods also costed well below what a tablet computer costs, therefore, a tablet would have a slower adoption rate than a $300 ipod.

[m-dogg]

[quote=Daveway]O gosh here we go again...QUOTE]

You took the words right out of my mouth!

[ZeeG]

In the System Preferences, try "option-click" of "Displays". (in Tiger)
Then you will see "Rotate" menu in there. You can rotate your screen orientation with it.
I believe this is an implication of coming Tablet Mac. Other than that, it is just an useless feature.