Apple Engineers Increasing Trips to Asia Ahead of Tablet Launch?

MacRumors · Oct 29, 2009, 10:56 AM

Silicon Alley Insider issued a brief report yesterday sharing secondhand information of an Apple engineer's increased trips to Asia of late and apparent additional upcoming trips during the usually-slow holiday season.

Quote:

Indeed, a source tells us a system integration engineer friend of his at Apple has been ramping up his travels back and forth between China lately, broadcasting word of his travels over the Internet.

There's even a few weeks scheduled during the Christmas holiday season.

Recent signs have continued to point to a first quarter 2010 launch for Apple's much-rumored tablet, and speculation regarding increased trips to Asia of course centers on the finalization of that device as a possible cause.

Article Link: Apple Engineers Increasing Trips to Asia Ahead of Tablet Launch?

!¡ V ¡! · Oct 29, 2009, 11:08 AM

I can only imagine this

Tablet competing against the NetBook hardware, other than that its seems limiting in purpose.

It's going to be underpowered to conserve battery life and will have a screen in the 10-13" range to be portable yet functionally usable for every age group.

NetBooks are great and I have one as well, however its not for all ages as the screen and resolution can be straining on some age groups as well as those who suffer from poor eye-sight. It is also not practical to stare at a small screen for long hours.

Let see what this

Magic Tablet has to offer. Though I am not inclined to drop some coin on it.

talkingfuture · Oct 29, 2009, 11:08 AM

Must be a nice life being an Apple engineer with all the trips to china. I wonder if we'll see it in January or later in the quarter. If it is launched just after Christmas we may be on version 2 by Christmas 2010!

kevindosi · Oct 29, 2009, 11:08 AM

i'll believe it when i see it

RyanR. · Oct 29, 2009, 11:08 AM

I can't wait to see this thing, I hope it lives up to all the hype(although it won't, but it will be a good product)

!¡ V ¡! · Oct 29, 2009, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by talkingfuture

Must be a nice life being an Apple engineer with all the trips to china. I wonder if we'll see it in January or later in the quarter. If it is launched just after Christmas we may be on version 2 by Christmas 2010!

It will be Q1 2010, the product line-up for the Holiday Season is set. According to Phil.

Michael73 · Oct 29, 2009, 11:14 AM

Of course the engineer could just be Chinese and visiting a sick relative but that wouldn't really lend itself as much to Macrumors.

In fact, I heard there's also an engineer who has been making trips back and forth to Peoria, IL and will be going there during both the Thanksgiving, Christmas AND New Years holidays but that's just because he likes his mom's cooking.

!¡ V ¡! · Oct 29, 2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanR.

I can't wait to see this thing, I hope it lives up to all the hype(although it won't, but it will be a good product)

The moment you have to balance an object, screen, tablet on your forearm, you are going to run into problems. The handheld devices worked because a person can grasp it easily. Try holding and balancing that Tablet on your forearm for 10+ mins, you will find yourself placing it on a desk or table and if you are going to do that you might as well have a more powerful notebook.

Curious to see the

marketing spin on this. Love the hype it only makes it more interesting.

je_wallace · Oct 29, 2009, 11:19 AM

This is so absurd.

It's like trying to read tea leaves to read the future of Apple products...No, wait. That's what the Apple Engineers are doing. They are traveling to Asia to find the right person to read tea leaves and see what Apple should do next.

Given Steve's dislike of leaks and being outted, I wouldn't be surprised if he & Apple don't just cancel this project.

!¡ V ¡! · Oct 29, 2009, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by je_wallace

This is so absurd.

It's like trying to read tea leaves to read the future of Apple products...No, wait. That's what the Apple Engineers are doing. They are traveling to Asia to find the right person to read tea leaves and see what Apple should do next.

Given Steve's dislike of leaks and being outted, I wouldn't be surprised if he & Apple don't just cancel this project.

or maybe just maybe they really like authentic Chinese Cuisine.

Cost is nothing when you have a craving.

al2o3cr · Oct 29, 2009, 11:22 AM

A tablet is possible, but I think the (expected) Arrandale MBP update is a more likely reason. All the signs point to a Q12010 release for the processor, and this wouldn't be the first time that Apple had secured early access to a new architecture.

mccldwll · Oct 29, 2009, 11:22 AM

Silicon Alley Insider is Henry Blodget.
from Wikipedia (others aren't as kind):
"In 2002, then New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, published Merrill Lynch e-mails in which Blodget gave assessments about stocks which conflicted with what was publicly published.[5] In 2003, he was charged with civil securities fraud by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.[6] He settled without admitting or denying the allegations and was subsequently barred from the securities industry for life. He paid a $2 million fine and $2 million disgorgement.[7]"

iSee · Oct 29, 2009, 11:26 AM

Uh,

This has to be one of the lamest rumors I've ever read on MR.

Friend of a source???
ramping up trips to China???

Yep. Clearly, could only point to one thing.

Don't get me wrong. I think an Apple tablet is coming in the first half of 2010. But this rumor has absolutely zero impact on that prediction.

Tampa Tom · Oct 29, 2009, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by !¡ V ¡!

The moment you have to balance an object, screen, tablet on your forearm, you are going to run into problems. The handheld devices worked because a person can grasp it easily. Try holding and balancing that Tablet on your forearm for 10+ mins, you will find yourself placing it on a desk or table and if you are going to do that you might as well have a more powerful notebook.

Curious to see the

marketing spin on this. Love the hype it only makes it more interesting.

I can hold a book of a similar size very easily, but I'm not equating a Apple Tablet with a netbook or laptop. I guarantee you it WILL be something that addresses our digital lifestyle. When I look at the percentage I use my iPhone as a phone, it is less than 3% of its total use.

VenusianSky · Oct 29, 2009, 11:32 AM

This is like techno-paparazzi. Made me just think of that Intel commercial with the co-inventor of USB walking through the labs like he is a rock star.

Stately · Oct 29, 2009, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RyanR.

I can't wait to see this thing, I hope it lives up to all the hype(although it won't, but it will be a good product)

Every time I try not to get myself worked up over mention of the tablet, the exact opposite happens. Sheesh.

Doctor Q · Oct 29, 2009, 11:34 AM

Will we soon be seeing news based on reporters going through Apple employees' household trash, or following them in cars?

Stately · 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iSee

Uh,

This has to be one of the lamest rumors I've ever read on MR.

Friend of a source???
ramping up trips to China???

Yep. Clearly, could only point to one thing.

Don't get me wrong. I think an Apple tablet is coming in the first half of 2010. But this rumor has absolutely zero impact on that prediction.

Meh, what can you do. Enjoy the buzz while it lasts. Cause soon it will be here and then . . well you know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by je_wallace

This is so absurd.

It's like trying to read tea leaves to read the future of Apple products...No, wait. That's what the Apple Engineers are doing. They are traveling to Asia to find the right person to read tea leaves and see what Apple should do next.

Given Steve's dislike of leaks and being outted, I wouldn't be surprised if he & Apple don't just cancel this project.

If the project was cancelled, I would go banana leaves.

nagromme · Oct 29, 2009, 11:44 AM

10” sounded huge and unportable to me, but that’s about paperback book size apparently. Maybe this will be a new “experiment” like AppleTV, only for publishing. Another step toward touch-based daily computing! I don’t see it being as widely popular as the current pocket size, but I can see there being a niche to fill—a niche to fill now BEFORE it’s a big one.

If it’s more than an experiment, then games would have to be key. (Web and email too, but people already have tons of ways that they use those, so carrying a bigger screen around just for that wouldn’t be any bombshell. That would compete against netbooks, but that segment seems pretty limited for now anyway.)

jabingla2810 · Oct 29, 2009, 11:46 AM

Steve has said that he's not interested in making a tablet in the past.

Thats the boss... saying he's not going to make one.

And yet, some employee's suposedly book more trips to China and the internet goes wild with anticipation

Anyhow... I dont see the point... it would be like releasing a smaller macbook, but being so small that it couldnt have a CD drive.... who in their right mind would buy on of them?!?

Oh wait...

iSlave · Oct 29, 2009, 11:51 AM

It'll be the e-reader to end all e-readers (amongst other things).

neilw · Oct 29, 2009, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by talkingfuture

Must be a nice life being an Apple engineer with all the trips to china.

This was a joke, right? If not, then I assume you've never traveled on business (especially long-distance). It ain't a vacation, and the factories aren't exactly in tourist zones.

Anyway, this whole tablet thing is quite fascinating. How are they going to address one-handed, balancing-it-on-your-arm operation? How are they going to justify something $800 based on the iPhone OS, unable to run Mac programs or even Flash-based websites? What's going to be the killer app?

I continue to assume they have something up their sleeve to surprise us, or else I would predict the product to lack mass-market appeal. But they'll still sell some, because at minimum they'll be dead-sexy.

Stately · Oct 29, 2009, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iSlave

It'll be the e-reader to end all e-readers (amongst other things).

I hope the "amongst other things" part IS the e-reader.

wolfpackfan · Oct 29, 2009, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jabingla2810

Anyhow... I dont see the point... it would be like releasing a smaller macbook, but being so small that it couldnt have a CD drive.... who in their right mind would buy on of them?!?

Sigh, it's not going to be like a small MB; it's going to be like a big Touch. And it is going to be a huge seller. I just don't understand why folks can't see that. Apple would not have put so much effort into the App Store and iTunes, if they were not going to leverage it further. SJ has said he isn't going to produce a netbook. Well this won't be a netbook. It's going to be an entire new device class. I know I'm very excited. I was sitting there last night watching a movie on my miniscule iPhone screen and thought I sure would love a device with about 3 times the screen space.

Schizoid · Oct 29, 2009, 11:56 AM

I saw a guy at the airport today, he was probably an Apple engineer, he was on his way to China...

I also saw a guy coming back from China, he looked a bit happy too... I think he had a tablet in his hand, but it might have been a sandwich...

Oct 29, 2009, 11:08 AM	#3
talkingfuture macrumors 6502a Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: The back of beyond.	Must be a nice life being an Apple engineer with all the trips to china. I wonder if we'll see it in January or later in the quarter. If it is launched just after Christmas we may be on version 2 by Christmas 2010! __________________ Futuristical bloggery with a twist.

Oct 29, 2009, 11:14 AM	#7
Michael73 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Feb 2007	Of course the engineer could just be Chinese and visiting a sick relative but that wouldn't really lend itself as much to Macrumors. In fact, I heard there's also an engineer who has been making trips back and forth to Peoria, IL and will be going there during both the Thanksgiving, Christmas AND New Years holidays but that's just because he likes his mom's cooking. __________________ MP 2.8GHz Octo, 12GB RAM, 8800GT, 5TB HDD, 2xSuperdrives uMBP 15.4" 2.66GHz, 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD 1TB Time Capsule, 32GB iPhone 3G S (Black), 30GB iPod Video

Oct 29, 2009, 11:19 AM	#9
je_wallace macrumors newbie Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Budapest, Hungary	Really? really? This is so absurd. It's like trying to read tea leaves to read the future of Apple products...No, wait. That's what the Apple Engineers are doing. They are traveling to Asia to find the right person to read tea leaves and see what Apple should do next. Given Steve's dislike of leaks and being outted, I wouldn't be surprised if he & Apple don't just cancel this project. __________________ Macintosh User since Aug. 28, 1985 6:45PM +/- 10 minutes

Oct 29, 2009, 11:22 AM	#11
al2o3cr macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2009	More likely putting the finishing touches on Arrandale MBPs A tablet is possible, but I think the (expected) Arrandale MBP update is a more likely reason. All the signs point to a Q12010 release for the processor, and this wouldn't be the first time that Apple had secured early access to a new architecture.

Oct 29, 2009, 11:26 AM	#13
iSee macrumors 65816 Join Date: Oct 2004	Uh, This has to be one of the lamest rumors I've ever read on MR. Friend of a source??? ramping up trips to China??? Yep. Clearly, could only point to one thing. Don't get me wrong. I think an Apple tablet is coming in the first half of 2010. But this rumor has absolutely zero impact on that prediction. __________________ "Nobody ever reads these things so I can write anything. I'd eat bananas every day if they were crunchy."

Oct 29, 2009, 11:08 AM	#2
!¡ V ¡! macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jun 2007	I can only imagine this Tablet competing against the NetBook hardware, other than that its seems limiting in purpose. It's going to be underpowered to conserve battery life and will have a screen in the 10-13" range to be portable yet functionally usable for every age group. NetBooks are great and I have one as well, however its not for all ages as the screen and resolution can be straining on some age groups as well as those who suffer from poor eye-sight. It is also not practical to stare at a small screen for long hours. Let see what this Magic Tablet has to offer. Though I am not inclined to drop some coin on it.

Oct 29, 2009, 11:08 AM	#4
kevindosi macrumors regular Join Date: Mar 2006	i'll believe it when i see it

Oct 29, 2009, 11:08 AM	#5
RyanR. macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Virginia	I can't wait to see this thing, I hope it lives up to all the hype(although it won't, but it will be a good product)

Oct 29, 2009, 11:22 AM	#12
mccldwll macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2006	Silicon Alley Insider is Henry Blodget. from Wikipedia (others aren't as kind): "In 2002, then New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, published Merrill Lynch e-mails in which Blodget gave assessments about stocks which conflicted with what was publicly published.[5] In 2003, he was charged with civil securities fraud by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.[6] He settled without admitting or denying the allegations and was subsequently barred from the securities industry for life. He paid a $2 million fine and $2 million disgorgement.[7]"

Oct 29, 2009, 11:32 AM	#15
VenusianSky macrumors 6502 Join Date: Aug 2008	This is like techno-paparazzi. Made me just think of that Intel commercial with the co-inventor of USB walking through the labs like he is a rock star.

Oct 29, 2009, 11:34 AM	#17
Doctor Q macrumors god Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: at the table with countless relatives	Monitoring their travel? Will we soon be seeing news based on reporters going through Apple employees' household trash, or following them in cars? __________________ "You've just been abducted, of course you need crepes!" -- Walter Bishop

Oct 29, 2009, 11:44 AM	#19
nagromme macrumors 601 Join Date: May 2002 Location: Blinking blue dot	10” sounded huge and unportable to me, but that’s about paperback book size apparently. Maybe this will be a new “experiment” like AppleTV, only for publishing. Another step toward touch-based daily computing! I don’t see it being as widely popular as the current pocket size, but I can see there being a niche to fill—a niche to fill now BEFORE it’s a big one. If it’s more than an experiment, then games would have to be key. (Web and email too, but people already have tons of ways that they use those, so carrying a bigger screen around just for that wouldn’t be any bombshell. That would compete against netbooks, but that segment seems pretty limited for now anyway.) __________________ nagromme Would you like a treatment?

Oct 29, 2009, 11:46 AM	#20
jabingla2810 macrumors regular Join Date: Oct 2008	Steve has said that he's not interested in making a tablet in the past. Thats the boss... saying he's not going to make one. And yet, some employee's suposedly book more trips to China and the internet goes wild with anticipation Anyhow... I dont see the point... it would be like releasing a smaller macbook, but being so small that it couldnt have a CD drive.... who in their right mind would buy on of them?!? Oh wait... __________________ 2.4 Alu Macbook 2GB 250GB

Oct 29, 2009, 11:51 AM	#21
iSlave macrumors regular Join Date: Jun 2007	It'll be the e-reader to end all e-readers (amongst other things).

Oct 29, 2009, 11:56 AM	#25
Schizoid macrumors regular Join Date: May 2008 Location: UK	I saw a guy at the airport today, he was probably an Apple engineer, he was on his way to China... I also saw a guy coming back from China, he looked a bit happy too... I think he had a tablet in his hand, but it might have been a sandwich...

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode