Apple Tablet Computer?

[Nicky G]

All I know is, I've been waiting for an Apple tablet computer (not wireless dumb terminal) for years now -- something that could double as a passable desktop-ish hyper-portable if you add keyboard + mouse (Bluetooth of course). Have a little stand so can just prop up the LCD if you want. I'd probably pay up to a grand for such a beaut'. It would have to at least be a 1GHz+ G4 w/ up to 1GB ram on a single SO-DIMM, 40/60GB HD, 8" 800x600 (or preferably 9 or 10 inch 1024x768) display, fw400, USB, Airport Extreme, Bluetooth. Touchscreen of course, w/ stylus. A microphone and speaker and camera would be sick. For all of those options, I would pay over a grand. I think a lot of folks would

You could almost combine the iBook and iMac lines, offering a variety of sizes and options. You want really small? Give up your optical drive, shrink the screen, no built-in keyboard.

Bah. I've been saying this for so long now, I can't imagine this finally being the time. But maybe that's when it'll happen, who knows.

It is sort of weird how these tablet and iMac rumors dropped in quick succession. Maybe they are hinting at the same general principle, a new direction they are taking their consumer products in? I wish.

 

[jvaska]

It's probably been said a few times already...

What is the problem with the iMac? When it dies you have to throw out a perfectly good monitor.

Not if you have a detachable monitor however, which is what I believe this is. And, I bet it will play video streamed via an iPod.

Just my guess...v

 

[spankalee]

The article said that it was filed in may but was not made public till this week of this year. I also remember jobs saying they developed a PDA device but canned it, i just dont remember when he said that.

Man this is one of the biggest myths in recent Apple history...

Steve NEVER said that Apple had developed a PDA. He only said that he was proud of the products they released, and some products they didn't release, such as a PDA. This is probably better intrepreted as Steve saying that he's proud that Apple did not release a PDA. Either way there's no implication that Apple ever developed a PDA, it's clearer stated the second way.

It's certainly possible that Apple did develop a PDA, and Steve didn't say that Apple hadn't developed, one, but he certinaly didn't say they did develop one.

 

[ericdano]

The windows XP tablet is next to worthless. Frankly the only area that really benefits that much from tablet technology is health care ... a tablet is a nice thing to have for a doctor making his rounds.

With 2% market share for PC I can't imagine Apple actually wanting to get into such a small market ...

Is this the sort of thing people where saying about Apple producing a Mp3 player......which we all know now as the iPod?

 

[ericdano]

Moving over some details from other thread...

Assuming that (a) that little square thing is an iPod dock connector and (b) the drawing is to scale, this thing is about 5.75 by 8.25 inches, about .625 inch thick, with about a 10 inch diagonal display.

I don't think it's a Mac or PDA, but something more specialized.

What about some sort of REMOTE for iTunes? Something that can access your iTunes, via Airport Express or something, and lets you see and select what songs you want to play. That would be very cool I think.

 

[ericdano]

I doubt this is a tablet in the traditional sense -- my guess is that it's more a "wireless home media display", a remote way to watch streamed video, look at photos, and control iTunes. Think of it as the remote control for your digital hub.

Yeah, I agree. That is what I think it is. It might also double as some sort of PDA that is hooked up via iSync to Address book, email, etc....

 

[indar20]

looks great!

it looks like the Thin Client is finally about to arrive (and only 10 years late!). I think this device could be huge--it could change the way we use computers. I think it will become, essentially a media Hub for the WiFi equipped. Lets say this will have a 60gb hd: you could have all your music and photos stored on this device, and (using the sharing features already in iTunes and iPhoto) you could access them from the different computers and stereos and printers on the same WiFi network. On top of that i imagine this device will run a limited number of non-CPU-intensive apps (word processing, web-browsing, instant messaging, calendar, mail--essentially 95% of peoples' needs). if you can connect a keyboard i will buy it without hesitation.

 

[fixyourthinking]

MacWhispers

On the eve of the introduction of the 3G iPod, MacWhispers also had information regarding the production of a white plastic base with these dimensions, causing many tablet rumors. In the same article, the site detailed the construction of a combination firewire/USB2.0 cable, which turned out to be correct, and, though I don't recall it with as much detail, I believe also predicted the iPod base and 3G button arrangement.

So it seems that there may have been some legitamacy there.

Unfortunately apple doesn't sell everything they patent.. we're never going to see the snake-arm imac (thank god).

As Nagromme already pointed out, MacWhispers was just a front of made up rumors in one of Jack Campbell's "take advantage of the Mac Community" scams. Not only did Jack post a bad review of their competitors product, but it was praised on his other sites and in forums by him. Further, Jack developed products for the PowerMate and stole ideas from Griffin and it's sister company Marathon while visiting there (nearby)

The iPod cable, that ended up being one of the only accuracies on the site, may have been stolen information from Griffin headquarters as pointed out in a few forums around the internet.

I believe you give too much credit to fictional prognostication. I think I can easily say Apple will one day release a G5 PowerBook with a TV tuner. If I had a rumors site, posted that, and it took 4 years for it to come true, wow, I was right.

Catch Me If You Can Pt II: The True Story Behind MacMice

 

[fixyourthinking]

Man this is one of the biggest myths in recent Apple history...

Steve NEVER said that Apple had developed a PDA. He only said that he was proud of the products they released, and some products they didn't release, such as a PDA. This is probably better intrepreted as Steve saying that he's proud that Apple did not release a PDA. Either way there's no implication that Apple ever developed a PDA, it's clearer stated the second way.

It's certainly possible that Apple did develop a PDA, and Steve didn't say that Apple hadn't developed, one, but he certinaly didn't say they did develop one.

You should listen to the conference call again. He did say Apple built several things, but chose not to release them. Then followed with a very cryptic statement to the affect that Apple had lots of new products in the pipeline yet to come.

 

[Porchland]

It's probably been said a few times already...

What is the problem with the iMac? When it dies you have to throw out a perfectly good monitor.

Not if you have a detachable monitor however, which is what I believe this is. And, I bet it will play video streamed via an iPod.

Just my guess...v

All signs point to yes. It just makes sense that the killer app of the iMac -- assuming the currently rumored specs to be more or less correct -- would be portability of the monitor. Otherwise, it's just a G5 in a new form factor.

 

[Porchland]

Yeah, I agree. That is what I think it is. It might also double as some sort of PDA that is hooked up via iSync to Address book, email, etc....

I suspect active contact via Randevous rather than iSync.

 

[narco]

It's probably been said a few times already...

What is the problem with the iMac? When it dies you have to throw out a perfectly good monitor.

Not if you have a detachable monitor however, which is what I believe this is. And, I bet it will play video streamed via an iPod.

Just my guess...v

I've never known anyone that had a computer just "die" and then they just "throw it away". I still have the original iMac and it's still running smoothly; if something goes out on it, I can just replace the faulty part. Who would throw it out?

.narco

 

[BWhaler]

Here's what it will look like...right?

Man alive, this is one funny post. Good form ol' chap.

 

[BWhaler]

Man this is one of the biggest myths in recent Apple history...

Steve NEVER said that Apple had developed a PDA. He only said that he was proud of the products they released, and some products they didn't release, such as a PDA. This is probably better intrepreted as Steve saying that he's proud that Apple did not release a PDA. Either way there's no implication that Apple ever developed a PDA, it's clearer stated the second way.

It's certainly possible that Apple did develop a PDA, and Steve didn't say that Apple hadn't developed, one, but he certinaly didn't say they did develop one.

This is absolutely correct.

I was at the D Conference and heard Steve say this first hand. Hell, I was sitting 10 feet from the guy. The rumor sites got it dead wrong.

Steve was asked what products he was most proud of. And after mentioning a few, he said he was also proud of products they didn't do. A PDA was one. He went on to say they were smart enough at Apple to know the PDA market was dying and didn't invest in it.

Later that day, every site on the planet was reporting that Apple had a PDA but didn't release it.

It's simply not what Steve said.

 

[BWhaler]

It's definitely not a patent for a tablet Mac.

Steve at the D conference was asked point-blank about doing a mac tablet.

He said no way, and all you really needed to do was look at how badly tablet PC's were selling to see why Apple has no interest in making one.

Walt Mossberg who had interviewed Bill Gates the night before commented that while Bill acknowledged that tablet sales were really bad, he was patient.

Jobs poked fun at Bill saying it was, "always mañana, mañana, mañana with Bill."

Steve went on to say Apple research showed people want keyboards for input. It's why PDA's are 99% output by users, and also why tablets are failing.

----
So, what do I think it is?

Simple. The missing living room remote.

Look at your ical, addressbook (but that'll be in Tiger.) Until then, we'll drive iTunes, iPhoto and your home electronics.

Also, I think we will not see this until at least January. Apple likes to trademark and patent WAY before the product is released.

But I would buy it in a second if this comes out at the end of the month.

God, I really hope the Paris Expo has the WOW factor that was missing from the January Expo and from Apple in general this year.

 

[fixyourthinking]

This is absolutely correct.

I was at the D Conference and heard Steve say this first hand. Hell, I was sitting 10 feet from the guy. The rumor sites got it dead wrong.

Steve was asked what products he was most proud of. And after mentioning a few, he said he was also proud of products they didn't do. A PDA was one. He went on to say they were smart enough at Apple to know the PDA market was dying and didn't invest in it.

Later that day, every site on the planet was reporting that Apple had a PDA but didn't release it.

It's simply not what Steve said.

But it was brought back up during the financial call, where he said Apple DID create a PDA and never released it.

 

[unsigned]

So, what do I think it is?

Simple. The missing living room remote.

Look at your ical, addressbook (but that'll be in Tiger.) Until then, we'll drive iTunes, iPhoto and your home electronics.

That might be cool, but why limit it to that? Alot of people say that the problem with the LCD remote is that you have you look down at it to use it - can't just finger the buttons.

How about also running all of tiger's widgets, and sherlock? something that would actually pay to carry around with you - useful little software apps that replace or augment your daily life? A mobile (like, on a digital phone network) Sherlock seems like it would be the ultimate information appliance to me.

But I guess that's what a PDA is, isn't it?

 

[morkintosh]

I want a ...

I personally have been waiting for something like this for a couple of years now. The closest I have seen to what I want is a Samsung Nexio, but it's not close enough, and pretty pricey. An 8" screen would be perfect.

All that stuff is jazzy, but for my two cents:

... is a nice remote control for my air port express with air tunes.

This might (assuming it sees the light of day) fit the bill.

 

[bviz2]

When bluetooth keyboards and mice started coming out I stated to a friend that I would love to see Apple put the guts of my PowerBook into the display, with a touch screen and a compact and transportable bluetooth keyboard with a pointing device.

Maybe a hinged tray to hold the removable keyboard... It would hold the keyboard to serve as a laptop and a stand when using it as a desktop with a detached keyboard.

When I only needed to check my calendar, or surf the web via WiFi, the touch screen would be adequate.

When I want to use it as my desktop replacement the disconnected keyboard woudl be nice.

It has been a while since I played around with MacOS X's hand writing recognition, but when I did it didn't seem too bad. I don't know if it has evolved any since then. ... Where is that old wacom tablet ....

.... oh well ... time will tell what Apple plans to do with this patent (if anything).

 

[HasanDaddy]

if Apple made a PDA or Tablet, I would buy both!

 

[sdf]

Not sure if anyone else has seen this but the register has an interesting article on a new apple tablet/wireless display.

New wireless display/tablet?

published this morning.

I would buy one if the price were right. But I'd prefer this technology be intergrated with the full-size Powerbook at some point.

 

[djdrah]

Why not?

The tablet didn't work for anyone else, why would it work for Apple?

I think it'll work the same way one MP3 Player Manufacture couldn't get it right until Apple whipped out it's iPod and dominated that market. Someone's got to do it right, then it'll take off. PCs inherently can't get anything right, we all know that.

 

[tmornini]

It's just a new Home iPod...

I think this will be a Home iPod.

Likely running, OS X lite, at least Aqua lite.

WiFi to talk to Airport Express. Hard drive to store music.

Looks good on the coffee table.

Runs something much closer to iTunes.

Definitely allows iTunes Music Store purchases.

If they put in an FM tuner, it replaces your home stereo components (short of amp and speakers) with something clearly next generation. Truly a paradigm shift.

Has a dock connector for syncing to your computer for backup.

Keep it simple. Apple could sell a lot of these at the right price. And they could sell a lot of music with them as well.

$600? Oh, boy, could Apple sell a lot of these for $600! Even $800 would work.

 

[bradburn]

Wireless Display

Has anyone thought the new Flat monitors apple just came out with would make super HDTV's? What if this "Wireless Display" is an HDTV that you can stream music and video to from your Mac?
It'd be silly to think Apple would go for the tablet market. Its a dead market for another 4 years.. Why not open lateral markets in consumer appliances that don't require the ever so difficult "switch-to-mac" paradigm... especially a consumer market that capitalizes on Apple's superior Display technology.

I would be curious to see iPod sales prior to being Windows compatible and after....
I would be curious to see iTunes sales prior and after.
Avoiding the windows world all together is what got them 5% market share...

 

[BakedBeans]

I think this will be a Home iPod.

Likely running, OS X lite, at least Aqua lite.

WiFi to talk to Airport Express. Hard drive to store music.

Looks good on the coffee table.

Runs something much closer to iTunes.

Definitely allows iTunes Music Store purchases.

If they put in an FM tuner, it replaces your home stereo components (short of amp and speakers) with something clearly next generation. Truly a paradigm shift.

Has a dock connector for syncing to your computer for backup.

Keep it simple. Apple could sell a lot of these at the right price. And they could sell a lot of music with them as well.

$600? Oh, boy, could Apple sell a lot of these for $600! Even $800 would work.

heres to hoping, i would really like some thing that can stay on the coffee table that i can access a full range of music (especially if it syncs with my main computer) it would be great if it had the portability to drag it round the house or out in the garden and listen to music or do whatever....

i suppose we will just have to wait and see...

maybe the paris expo will make up for the slightly disappointing wwdc