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Gizmodo reports on a number of different tips and tidbits it has received in recent months that together paint a picture of Apple's goals for its much-rumored tablet computer. Building on a report yesterday claiming that the new device will have a focus on translating print media to an electronic platform, Gizmodo cites sources claiming that Apple has talked to The New York Times and several textbook and magazine publishers about various aspects of moving their content into the digital realm.

Multiple sources associated with The New York Times reportedly claim that Apple approached the newspaper in June about translating its content for use on a "new device", an extension of the newspapers currently digital efforts on the iPhone and other platforms. On the textbook front, another source indicated several months ago that publishers McGraw Hill and Oberlin Press have been working to bring their content into the iTunes ecosystem, a concept that appears to be similar to that employed by CourseSmart with its eTextbook offerings for the iPhone and iPod touch.

Finally, Apple reportedly recently met with magazine executives to pitch its vision of the future of that industry, showing off mockups of interactive content as an early step in what have presumably been continued talks. Together, these claims suggest that Apple is aggressively pursuing a digital evolution of print media, with its tablet computer as a key element of the push.
Some I've talked to believe the initial content will be mere translations of text to tablet form. But while the idea of print on the Tablet is enticing, it's nothing the Kindle or any E-Ink device couldn't do. The eventual goal is to have publishers create hybridized content that draws from audio, video, interactive graphics in books, magazines and newspapers, where paper layouts would be static. And with release dates for Microsoft's Courier set to be quite far away and Kindle stuck with relatively static e-ink, it appears that Apple is moving towards a pole position in distribution of this next-generation print content. First, it'll get its feet wet with more basic repurposing of the stuff found on dead trees today.

Article Link: Apple's Tablet Effort Aiming to Redefine Print Media?
 

Full of Win

macrumors 68030
Nov 22, 2007
2,615
1
Ask Apple
I for one will be glad when they release tis thing, and all these fragment stories will end. Little tid bit here, little there... its getting infuriating
 

macduke

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,142
19,682
This could be an incredible development for students like me.

I just hope it has pressure sensitivity. That would be instant sale.
 

Lesser Evets

macrumors 68040
Jan 7, 2006
3,527
1,294
If Apple can do such, and create another program for the regular person to make video/text/image texts for distribution, the democratization of instructional media will take a huge leap forward.

It's a good idea. If the tablet can take a big chunk of the Kindle function and add games and internet and videos and further assumed tablet function for business and school productivity, it will be an amazing stride for such devices.

Having such hopes never pays off, it seems.
 

imac george

macrumors member
Apr 2, 2007
32
4
First music

now print media brought to the digital age. I wonder how Apple proposes to create revenue for the traditional content providers?
 

zombitronic

macrumors 65816
Feb 9, 2007
1,127
39
The eventual goal is to have publishers create hybridized content that draws from audio, video, interactive graphics in books, magazines and newspapers

That's cool, but don't we just call that a web page?
 

Bodhi395

macrumors 6502a
Jul 23, 2008
817
0
My thinking is the tablet will have to have some type of revolutionary screen, one that is both easy to read like eink, but also can show color and video. It must be something spectacular for Steve Jobs to be so involved, something that hasn't been done before and will be a game changer. If the tablet is merely an oversized iphone, no one would really want to read too much on it, since it would hurt your eyes after awhile, especially reading entire books. I really think the key to the tablet is the screen, get the screen right, and it will be a revolutionary device that will change publishing and electronics in one fell swoop.
 

alywa

macrumors 6502
May 6, 2004
350
7
College

My thought all along on this is that the Tablet will be the Ultimate E-Book.

I'd imagine that the introduction will go something like this...

10" tablet, with or without 3G, 802.11 n standard. Geared for students / avid readers. Book to be finger or stylus highlightable. "page folding", highlight / cut and paste / summary abilities from the get go.

All major text-book houses on board for launch. Purchase or rental available (Semester rental). Perfect for colleges... Huge list of colleges for initial program already ready to implement. High schools across the country ready to implement too.

One more thing... iPublisher. Professors, students, authors, poetry groups, etc... ready to work with iWork, MS Word, etc. Integrate graphics, photos, etc. Publish via iTunes store. Like podcasts, but for print media. Clubs, fan groups, class notes, etc... all instantly downloadable via wifi or 3g. Subscriptions available. Professional magazines already on board.

-Will revolutionize print media. All e-reader formats supported (including Amazon's Kindle media)... Amazon makes money off of books, we make it off of hardware.
 

rdowns

macrumors Penryn
Jul 11, 2003
27,397
12,521
I buy this rumor. It's no secret that newspapers are hurting and looking for ways to charge for content.
 

TB Apple

macrumors newbie
Jun 13, 2009
6
0
Bellmore, NY
Kindle

How will a B&W Kindle compete with this? :p

Does any net-book offer thousands of cheap apps like those that will be immediately available on this device? :p

Add a slim portable keyboard dock and they could redefine the notebook segment just like they did the cell phone market. Knowing Apple they will leave an external keyboard option for third-party manufactures.

I had planned to get one of these for my 10 year but if tablet offers 3G, I may just give her my 3GS. Apple has to be the best at making people happy that their 6 month old devices are obsolete. :cool:

Off topic, did anyone else notice that CNN's $1.99 app is now the top grossing app beating Navigon??
 

iphones4evry1

macrumors 65816
Nov 26, 2008
1,197
0
California, USA
I think doubling as an eBook reader is pretty much a MUST these days.
I would definitely buy a Tablet if it doubles as an eBook reader,
but only if it will also double as a notepad (for note taking), and have
a full computer OS (for Office documents). It doesn't have to have the
latest, greatest Mac OS, but it needs to have some type of Mac OS (kind of
the way the netbooks have XP)

its getting infuriating
Yeah, especially the report yesterday that rumored an iPhone OS in the Tablet! :mad:

.
 

eastcoastsurfer

macrumors 6502a
Feb 15, 2007
600
27
The problem with things like the Kindle for textbooks is that it sucks at it. You can't scribble all over the margins, sticky sections well, look at 2 books at the same time, etc...

When I was in school I often had 2-3-4 books open at the same time to figure out a particular topic. By the end of the semester I had pages dog eared, marked with colored tape and margins covered with additional information that was learned throughout the class. Until an ebook reader can get this right, it will not take over in any college.
 

alywa

macrumors 6502
May 6, 2004
350
7
That's cool, but don't we just call that a web page?

You're right... we can already do all of this via web pages. Unfortunately, the learning curve to make a page is daunting for many, but everybody knows how to create an MS Word, Excel, or Powerpoint document. Furthermore, traditional text book makers don't want to put their wares online, due to decreased sales, easily pirateable materials, sharing of passwords, etc.

Add in a secure way for traditional textbook manufacturers to sell / rent their wares via digital distribution (yes, DRM / fairplay) and you have a win-win for everyone involved.
 

Gasu E.

macrumors 603
Mar 20, 2004
5,034
3,150
Not far from Boston, MA.
<satire>If the Tablet doesn't have e-Ink, OS X, firewire, matte display, discrete graphics, Blue-Ray, floppy drive, FM tuner, quad core, it's a FAIL</satire>

Personally, I hope for a well-designed and useful product that provides positive net value. I will leave the implementation details to the people developing the product.
 

AtHomeBoy_2000

macrumors 6502a
Feb 3, 2005
879
0
If Apple is indeed looking at the Tablet as a multi-media ebook kind of computer for magazines, text books, and newspapers... it MUST have an 8+ hour battery life as a minimum and I am not sure how they plan on pulling that off if it's not an e-ink display.

No students wants to be in the middle of class and have his Apple ebook tablet die while he's trying to take an open book test.
 

CommodityFetish

macrumors regular
May 31, 2006
165
0
Syracuse, NY
And not that long ago Jobs said that people don't read anymore...

puhlease... :rolleyes:

Hmmm... I wonder what's more ecologically sound, print media or electronic tablets? Over the long haul...
 

joemama

macrumors 6502
Apr 21, 2003
366
3
And they say, "Print is Dead." Ha!

How about "The Rebirth of Print." (which technically, isn't really print....)
 

talkingfuture

macrumors 65816
Dec 4, 2008
1,216
0
The back of beyond.
Can' wait to download interactive magazines with video clips as well as photos. I suppose another cool feature will be newspapers that update themselves as the story changes. The possibilities for this could be endless.
 

bailorg

macrumors member
Dec 16, 2008
90
2
I suppose the key will be getting the content lined up at a reasonable price

This will be doomed to fail if either:

1. There are few providers of content, and/or
2. The cost of the device-specific content is too high vs. what is currently available for free on magazine/newspaper websites.

Also, if one of Apple's primary targets with this device is higher education, it's hard to see how Apple can bridge the gap between the competing cost pressures of satisfying both students, who probably won't buy this thing if they have to buy this device and pay anything close to current costs for textbooks, and textbook manufacturers who probably don't want to provide content for this thing if they can no longer charge the exorbitant prices they currently charge for paper textbooks.
 

sishaw

macrumors 65816
Jan 12, 2005
1,147
19
My thinking is the tablet will have to have some type of revolutionary screen, one that is both easy to read like eink, but also can show color and video. It must be something spectacular for Steve Jobs to be so involved, something that hasn't been done before and will be a game changer. If the tablet is merely an oversized iphone, no one would really want to read too much on it, since it would hurt your eyes after awhile, especially reading entire books. I really think the key to the tablet is the screen, get the screen right, and it will be a revolutionary device that will change publishing and electronics in one fell swoop.

Good post. As a long-time Kindle user and iPhone owner, I completely agree. If you're a real serious reader, a paper book or an e-ink reader leads to much less eyestrain than an iPhone-type screen. You don't notice it in, say 20 minutes of reading, but try reading for an hour or three. You'll feel the difference.

On the other hand, magazines are not well-formatted on the Kindle (usually, they appear as a list of sections/a list of articles, with some pictures). Forget about large format books such as textbooks and coffee-table books. If Apple's hypothetical device could retain the original look of the page layout, the color, and have an easy-on-the-eyes screen, it could indeed put electronic reading over the top. If it could handle games and other media, as well as some minor document and photo editing (as the iPhone can do now), it would be a winner.
 

DipDog3

macrumors 65816
Sep 20, 2002
1,191
812
Can't we wait till there is a tablet before we speculate about what it will change in the print media?
 
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