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Apple Tablet Announcement As Early as January?
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There are different kinds of ARM licenses. Their licenses for various soft and hard macros (for generic embedded and cell phone CPUs) are reasonably priced. But an ARM Architecture license, which allows you to modify the ISA and/or create your own implementation, is very rare and expensive (very likely well over $1M).
Seems that right about the time Apple made a big investment in ARM, ARM also announced that they had sold an ARM Architecture license to a company that did not want to be named. Who could that be? And why would they pay that much for a license to highly customize an ARM CPU if they weren't going to use it in a product which has unique requirements (e.g. not a cell phone or netbook, for which ARM already designs CPU macros)?
And Dobberpuhl led an ARM architecture design team at DEC (another one of the very few companies with an ARM Architecture license.)
hmmm...
Exactly. StrongARM was the first ARM that got anywhere, and Dobberpuhl ran it. They're clearly working on ARM, and given what the guys who I know work there (at Apple on that team) used to do, they are definitely doing their own physical implementation (and not synthesis, either - these are full custom/hand synthesis with standard cells guys).
name the iPad
I think it is going to be either iTablet or Tablet Mac, more likely the latter. Except the iPhone and Ipod, rest of them are- Mac something or something Mac !!
HOW ABOUT MAC-TABLET
I think it is going to be either iTablet or Tablet Mac, more likely the latter. Except the iPhone and Ipod, rest of them are- Mac something or something Mac !!
HOW ABOUT MAC-TABLET
Just as long as there as an update to either the mbp or the mac pro's (pref both) i'll be happy 
suxs not opening gifts during the holidays
suxs not opening gifts during the holidays
That is right !
Just let the whole world and CES know to dampen the other tablet's promotion...lol
Just let the whole world and CES know to dampen the other tablet's promotion...lol
Nonsense.. This is what is happening:
Several manufacturers are releasing tablets and even more release concepts. Very few people outside of the Engadget and Gizmodo communities will know about these, because marketing campaigns for these tablets do not exist. If the tablet is THE next generation of mobile computing, then I expect to trip over a giant display with the thing when I enter a best buy or another computer shop.
When and if Apple releases a tablet, they will do in on an event that is followed not only by media dedicated to electronics, but also conventional media such as newspapers etc. In addition Apple will swamp the media, sides of buildings and their stores with marketing about the Tablet.
So, what I expect is that when Apple introduce a tablet, the whole world except a few fanbois, Engadget and Gizmodo will think that Apple invented the concept. Add to that the fact that Apple is the only manufacturer thinking sufficiently about usability of the new input method (see iPhone) and people will also assume that Apple is the only one who did it right.
Sigh... Don't be a sucker for this crap. Every few months they claim it's release is "imminent". Anyone remember how long this went in for tge iPhone? I do, about 2 years. Don't get your hopes up cause these reports are crap.
Actually, a January introductory annoucement of a product that ships in March isn't so far fetched.
Apple already has established a pattern of announcing/releasing products in June (iPhone) and September (iPods, consumer-grade PCs). March would be the next most likely candidate if Apple were to prefer amply-spread releases, skipping December/January because of the holiday selling season.
Thus, a January preview (if FCC approval is required for the new device, then they probably need to pre-announce) for a device that manufacturing ramps in February and ships in March would make sense.
Apple already has established a pattern of announcing/releasing products in June (iPhone) and September (iPods, consumer-grade PCs). March would be the next most likely candidate if Apple were to prefer amply-spread releases, skipping December/January because of the holiday selling season.
Thus, a January preview (if FCC approval is required for the new device, then they probably need to pre-announce) for a device that manufacturing ramps in February and ships in March would make sense.
{{{gets all nostalgic and wonders where her DECUS t-shirt is.......}}}
I know nutin' bout chips, I'm just ready to know if this is what I'm buying my daughter or not! Lol!!
A pre-CES announcement would be cool.... But I won't hold my breath!
Tablet train is leaving ...
There seem to be lots of tablets coming out. Maybe Apple got the rumor started to distract competitors into building them while they work on something else, LOL. I have a feeling it is going to be a very high end tablet, whatever it started as. Maybe you will be able to watch live TV as long as you have a WiFi connection and a subscription. TV, movies, and periodicals seem to be the main targets for this device. It surely is a general computer as well.
I saw a tablet PC at Fry's (I can't find it on their website or on the internet, haven't been back) about a week ago. About 13", running Windows Vista, for about $450. In the little time I played with it, it was not bad at all, pretty snappy response. Not that I want ANYTHING with Windows on it ...
I saw the Archos 5 tablet at BestBuy, but the darn thing was not powered up.
There seem to be lots of tablets coming out. Maybe Apple got the rumor started to distract competitors into building them while they work on something else, LOL. I have a feeling it is going to be a very high end tablet, whatever it started as. Maybe you will be able to watch live TV as long as you have a WiFi connection and a subscription. TV, movies, and periodicals seem to be the main targets for this device. It surely is a general computer as well.
I saw a tablet PC at Fry's (I can't find it on their website or on the internet, haven't been back) about a week ago. About 13", running Windows Vista, for about $450. In the little time I played with it, it was not bad at all, pretty snappy response. Not that I want ANYTHING with Windows on it ...
I saw the Archos 5 tablet at BestBuy, but the darn thing was not powered up.
Α lot of things were coming out when apple was designing their "thing" at ny point in time. Problem is the vast majority was crap. A tablet with a desktop os is an aberration for example.
A tablet is the next step/revolution in consumer electronics and it has to be done excellently, apple is rightly taking their sweet time and the project has been rebooted a lot of times. Besides the tec just not being there to make this useful/powerful/power efficient enough (and price conscious) up until a few months ago, the os considerations are super crucial. It has be set absolutely right because we are talking here about an almost brand new mobile platform for this form factor, it's 1980-1-2 all over again.
As soon as most of us get this tablet, the ibook, we will be baffled who we did without it. I already feel that such a device is the number one missing device in my digital life. I can't wait to kick back on the sofa or easy chair a read my books/browse the internet/stream music with beatiful artwork in my living room and NOTHING can do that right now, the laptop format is just not functional for this, you can't hold it as a book and the iphone is just too small. I have a few ereaders some with the largest screens available but these are badly designed and too limited in what they do.
Mark my words this will be announced at the latest end of February, it will have a powervr pa semi chip, modified iphone os and subscription options to magazines and newspapers.
Start readying these sleeping bags because the queue is going to be long at the apple stores come March.
HOPEFULLY, Mac OS X (TOUCH) and not OS X (iPhone & iPod touch) inside. Hopefully Intel (and not ARM) inside. Hopefully, full compatibility with the Mac produoctivity suite (read Apple Keynote and Microsoft PowerPoint). Hopefully video-out and USB 2 ports. Hopefully, no more than 300 to 600 g. Hopefully, pocketable. Hopefully, THE ULTIMATE PRESENTATION TOOL.
You have got to be kidding intel? What? the Paleolithic atom with crap igfx from intel, even amd's neo runs circles around the atom. No way this has intel inside, there's no point to that. Even if you fit in a ulv intel x86 (which there is no reason for since you don't need to keep compatibility with the x86 code) core i-something this will skyrocket the price and hit every conceivable power saving and battery feature. No way.
