Apple Tablet Computer?

[nmk]

I, for one, think the world lost something really valuable when Apple discontinued the Newton. Someone mentioned, in an earlier post, that this sort of a device needs a killer application. Well, I think that Apple had this killer application with the Newton ten years ago. How about an easy to use, easy to understand, digital notepad. The Newton is one of the most useful devices I have ever owned. When I was at University it replaced my pen and paper. Nothing since has been able to do that for me. Thats why I continued to use the Newton even as newer devices started coming on the market.

All the PDA's after the Newton were simply too small, and the interfaces too clunky, to work effectively as a notepad. The Laptop has now become standard issue for most students in university. However, I think it is a highly compromised device for the purpose of note-taking. When you're sitting in an economics class, your professor will typically write text as well as draw diagrams on the board. Ok, so most modern word processors will let you insert hand drawn graphics in your document. But how much of a pain in the ass is that. The Newton was designed for this kind of use. You could use its superb handwriting recognition to input text, and then seamlessly switch to freehand graphics mode and insert graphics. The text and graphics would be formatted exactly where you placed them. If one of you had actually used the Newton the way I did, you would understand.

If this can incorporate the functions that the Newton had, as well as well as a host of new applications that have become possible with the advancement in technology, I think it would make a great device for students. A lot of people, back in the day, used the Newton as a substitute for a full fledged computer. If all you want to to is check email, use a word processor, and browse the web, a modern Newton would be all you would need. Of course, it can have other applications as well, but I think that the time has come for THE RETURN OF THE DIGITAL NOTEPAD.

 

[billyboy]

I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet...

Imagine if the guts of an entire desktop PC could be squished into something hardly bigger than a PDA.. it could have a rack-and-pinion mounted thumb keyboard underneath that slides forward smoothly when you want to type. It could also use a pen in the traditional PDA manner. It would have a full color screen, a hard drive, Firewire, usb, bluetooth, wifi, all built in. And still have decent battery life. and most of all, it runs a regular, full fledged, desktop OS - not crippled in any way. It might be more expensive than a regular laptop, but you pay a price for the size.

And Apple could be first to market! Er, uhm, darn.

If u see the video link, showing the development of computer sizes, it is very impressive how they can fit a full computer into the OQO, but they lost a bit of credibility when they were showing a guy on a motorbike with full size gloves typing on the ultra mini keyboard.

 

[seyo]

I think if they can make these things for ~$450, there may just be a market.

dude, the ipod costs that much. if they do make this its gonna be much more than that knowing apple.

 

[Flowbee]

mmm maybe you've been out of college a little too long. Why would this (absurd) scheme alleviate the need to carry textbooks?

...and how long before your iPod screen was covered in hi-litghter??

 

[seyo]

They are going to release a new iMac that has all of the guts built into the back of the display. The display (and guts) are going to be detachable from the frame so that the iMac will BECOME a tablet computer if/when you want it to be.

Makes sense in theory, BUT, this "thing" only has at most a 10" screen. The iMacs have 15" screens and up, so I think this is not the right answer.

 

[dpbjr]

RE: Imagine this...

Imagine this ...

A low cost tablet type computer with NO hard drive. Just Screen, CPU, & RAM, and wireless keyboard. Well perhaps a small 4 gig HD for embeded OS X. This devise could sell for $699 for a 15 inch LCD.

Your iPod IS the hard drive! The iPod contains and all your digital files, home folder, Applications, and settings. The screen/tablet is just there mostly as a screen.

senario ... Imagine listening to your iPod while driving to work. you hook up your iPod to a low cost tablet/screen at work and logging on with your name and password. Work on your projects using the iPod as storage. Once done at work, go home and hook your iPod to the low cost screen at home.

It sounds like the future to me, an iPod future. Carry all your digital life with you. Panther was going to incorporate this type of feature but Apple held the concept back, perhaps for this bigger, mature vision.

Imagine every college student with an iPod connecting to low cost Apple tablet Screens all over campus. Colleges and schools will love the low cost computer screens. While students pay $299-$399 for a kick ass MP4 player and document storage system. Imagine no book bags! Just an iPod in your pocket!

I can see Apple moving everyone to a liberating mobile computing experience. It's not the CPU that's important it's the files and documents that make up your digital life!!!

Using the iPod as the host device or primary hard drive...I thought about this too. Could this possibly be one the "hidden" features to the G4 iPods? It sure would create some unique up-sell / cross-selling opportunities for Apple. If you buy a G4 iPod you'll be lusting after (or at least be thinking about) the companion iPad/Tablet thingy and if you like the iPad/Tablet thingy you read about in Home Theater or Sound & Vision magazine then you'll definitely want/need one the new G4 iPods to go with it! Something like the Philips iPronto http://www.consumer.philips.com/glo...d=PRONTO_REMOTE_CONTROLS_SU&productId=TSI6400 but cheaper and with more computer functionality/integration would be awesome. Hey, while you're at it might as well pick up a new G5 iMac too!

If they can pull this off at the right price they would have another winner on their hands like iPod, and a new product category with mass market appeal.

 

[rand()]

mmm maybe you've been out of college a little too long. Why would this (absurd) scheme alleviate the need to carry textbooks?

I've heard of a few colleges that make books available as eBooks on CD-ROM. With a wireless link to this device, you could fairly easily concieve of a "Tablet" - I prefer Personal Access Display Device (PADD. iPADD? ) - that holds a few years' worth of class's books.

With an 8" viewable screen, I'd say the page size @ full screen would be roughly that of a paperback novel, which is on the small side; but given easy-to-use searching and page navigation functions, it could be extremely workable. If the display used the new-to-market 'Digital Ink,' the physical aspect while reading could be made to feel quite natural, as well. Plus the ability to highlight/annotate - without wrecking a physical copy - would make a superb functional device, if you ask me.

Now, I know there are physical devices similar to this already out there, but with the "Apple Touch," this could really take off as a viable thing. But, it smacks of becoming a specialized device, and Digital Ink would be impractical for real video applications.

Just my 2 cents.

-rand()

 

[corywoolf]

AppleWorks goes along with Tablet?

If you think about it... apple will need to come out with a new appleworks before it can release a tablet. I think it will be released in January, because the powerbooks will become the tablets. Possibly a ibook will do it too. But i can see it already. " New G5 PowerBook with tablet functionality..." It will most likely be a swivel screen powerbook. I could see this maybe just for the 12" powerbook and the 12" ibook. Because anyone who can take a 17in. powerbook with them, can surely take a graphire ( or what ever the name of those virtual paper things are). I don't think the iMac will have this function though. I think we will see the release of the 60 gig iPod with wifi functionality, and the killer app... a mobile music store, along with internet radio. I think it will serve as a test to see if it does well, and if wifi is the answer. Then if it does do well, they will add it to the rest of them. Thats all for now...

 

[corywoolf]

CDW takes $500 off 15" Powerbook...

Is it possible that resellers have been notified that a new product is on the way?

Why else would CDW suddenly drop the price so much?

I don't think they'd do it for back to school.

 

[MontgomeryBurns]

Using the iPod as the host device or primary hard drive...I thought about this too. Could this possibly be one the "hidden" features to the G4 iPods?

This would work well if used in conjunction with home-on-ipod.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Is it possible that resellers have been notified that a new product is on the way?

Why else would CDW suddenly drop the price so much?

I don't think they'd do it for back to school.

That is not for the most recent revision PB....

 

[cubist]

Remember those iPod "hidden features," and "the imac and detatchable screen are one in the same" hoo-ha? ... 4gen iPods were going to have some sort of video-out? ... The tiny Hitachi 60Gb drive? ... It seems pretty obvious to me what's going on here.

Yeah - people are dreaming about stuff that ain't gonna happen.

 

[PBGPowerbook]

I can see textbooks being on a server. You still pay for the book, but it would be in the PDF format. DRM could help prevent pirating.

So an Apple gizmo puts all academic printing presses out of business...

NO NO NO. I love a good rumor but this is really ludicrous. You make colleges sound like Camp Macintosh.

 

[beatle888]

If u see the video link, showing the development of computer sizes, it is very impressive how they can fit a full computer into the OQO, but they lost a bit of credibility when they were showing a guy on a motorbike with full size gloves typing on the ultra mini keyboard.

i think they should develop a keyboard thats on the back of the unite. that way you can hold the device with two hands and in this position your fingers would be around the back of the device naturally, and your thumbs would naturally be holding the unit with them on top. think of holding a closed magazine as you read the cover. now imagine your fingers on the back typing away in that natural position...and you can use your thumbs on a track pad on the front. this would let you securely hold the device and still rapidly enter data. it would have a learning curve but they can base the layout like they do those split keyboards based on ergonomics. the keys could be quit large. actually the whole back could be the keyboard which would be a touch screen keyboard with that new technology that gives the feeling of your finger actually pressing the buttons down. it has touch feedback. on the front viewing screen you could have a trackpad area that you would manipulate with your thumbs as well as some space bar and funtion keys on the front as well...towards the bottom of the screen...that way you wouldnt have the hold the unit with one hand and chicken peck type with one hand. and you wouldnt need to set it down in order to do some fast typing.

 

[mvc]

i think they should develop a keyboard thats on the back of the unite. that way you can hold the device with two hands and in this position your fingers would be around the back of the device naturally, and your thumbs would naturally be holding the unit with them on top....that way you wouldnt have the hold the unit with one hand and chicken peck type with one hand. and you wouldnt need to set it down in order to do some fast typing.

People have been trying to change the layout of keyboards since QWERTY was introduced, and all have failed. An idea like this is a guaranteed fail as you would effectively have to introduce a new keyboard layout and no one would want to learn it unless they were über geeks.

Some things don't change because they have too much habitual and social inertia. "Window metaphor" based operating systems (OS X included) are an example, 12 digit numeric keypads on phones is another, and the keyboard/mouse input combo is also in that category.

These things stick around far too long, generally slowing the pace of creative development because they do the job (badly) and the alternatives all require a learning curve and are flakey and immature. Then some sleek mature disruptive new technology renders them utterly superfluous (when did you last send a telegram, what happened to DOS?)

I would love to see Windows disruptively replaced before I die, and not by some other Microsoft OS of equal squalor. But, I think Microsoft may outlast me!!!.

 

[o1b2]

screen tablet.

This would be nice if it is a wireless touch screen, such as the Wacom Cintiq. As an artist I have used wacoms product and it is great, it works great, artist natural work this way but the problem is when I draw I usally need to have my pad in my lap to feel right. So it would be a nice way to work. well we will see but, I dont really think this will happen because it makes to much since, and apple does adventure into such things much more. But maybe with there pro software line really be pushed out there.

 

[Mr.Bob]

Could Duke University iPod Deal Fit In?

Maybe the Duke University iPod's being given to incoming Freshmen be a part of this scenario?

If so, the Paris introduction would be spot on and really shock everyone!

 

[beatle888]

People have been trying to change the layout of keyboards since QWERTY was introduced, and all have failed. An idea like this is a guaranteed fail as you would effectively have to introduce a new keyboard layout and no one would want to learn it unless they were über geeks.

your wrong. it isnt a gauranteed failure. test it out for yourself. take your keyboard or lap top and turn it upside down simulating what i have descriped. now just use one hand since you'll have to hold your keyboard...and try typing a word that you can spell with with just the standard left finger positions....like the word "street". see about for trys at most and you can do it easily. when your talking about small devices you usually have a micro keyboard and that would slow down data entry. once you get use to my idea since it isnt that different from the standard layout (actually its the same its just the hands are in a different position) it will be a breeze to learn. no new fingering to learn, its just your hands are in a different position.

 

[germ war]

"pursue"
"blatant"

Nitpicking.

 

[ArticulatedArm]

your wrong. it isnt a gauranteed failure. test it out for yourself. take your keyboard or lap top and turn it upside down simulating what i have descriped. now just use one hand since you'll have to hold your keyboard...and try typing a word that you can spell with with just the standard left finger positions....like the word "street". see about for trys at most and you can do it easily. when your talking about small devices you usually have a micro keyboard and that would slow down data entry. once you get use to my idea since it isnt that different from the standard layout (actually its the same its just the hands are in a different position) it will be a breeze to learn. no new fingering to learn, its just your hands are in a different position.

What if you used voice recognition AND pen input combined?

So imagine you are talking to your computer.. and while you are speaking whenever you touch a word that is dictated with the stylus all the possible words you might have meant would be displayed in the order of probability... so if the wrong word was dictated you could touch the correct word easily... as I imagine it this could be a pretty fast system. Voice recognition was 90 percent accurate the last I heard... so that is only one in 10 words you would need to reselect with a pen.

Another thing I was wondering about just out of curiosity... could someone measure the dock opening on their new iPod and try to guess how large the device in the patent drawing would be if that dock is the same size?

 

[pozytron]

your wrong. it isnt a gauranteed failure. test it out for yourself. take your keyboard or lap top and turn it upside down simulating what i have descriped. now just use one hand since you'll have to hold your keyboard...and try typing a word that you can spell with with just the standard left finger positions....like the word "street". see about for trys at most and you can do it easily. when your talking about small devices you usually have a micro keyboard and that would slow down data entry. once you get use to my idea since it isnt that different from the standard layout (actually its the same its just the hands are in a different position) it will be a breeze to learn. no new fingering to learn, its just your hands are in a different position.

Surely you must be joking.

 

[billyboy]

People have been trying to change the layout of keyboards since QWERTY was introduced, and all have failed. An idea like this is a guaranteed fail as you would effectively have to introduce a new keyboard layout and no one would want to learn it unless they were über geeks.

Some things don't change because they have too much habitual and social inertia. "Window metaphor" based operating systems (OS X included) are an example, 12 digit numeric keypads on phones is another, and the keyboard/mouse input combo is also in that category.

These things stick around far too long, generally slowing the pace of creative development because they do the job (badly) and the alternatives all require a learning curve and are flakey and immature. Then some sleek mature disruptive new technology renders them utterly superfluous (when did you last send a telegram, what happened to DOS?)

I would love to see Windows disruptively replaced before I die, and not by some other Microsoft OS of equal squalor. But, I think Microsoft may outlast me!!!.

This idea of inertia is spot on. It ties in with the Bill Gates idea of having a small device to do all things that you usually need a fair bit of space for. Just because you can fit a million features into something small, is not a green light to actually do that. It is like selling newspapers with spare notepaper attached. Why not? it is useful to have a bit of blank paper around to take notes of the occasional phone number or web site advertising a killer deal, and you can obviously write on newspaper paper ok. So why not? The reality is, a newspaper is for reading, it is a one way info source.

Anything with keys smaller than a laptop size, is a good info provider, not a comfortable info inputter. Forget conventional keyboard mentality on a diddy all in one device - leave the traditional diddy PDA with "keyboards" to mobile phones where people put up with the limited key size because they use the phone for very limited data input.

For $1000 or more who wants to have an all singing computer with the same data input functionality as a mobile phone?

 

[fixyourthinking]

Taking for granted

your wrong. it isnt a gauranteed failure. test it out for yourself. take your keyboard or lap top and turn it upside down simulating what i have descriped. now just use one hand since you'll have to hold your keyboard...and try typing a word that you can spell with with just the standard left finger positions....like the word "street". see about for trys at most and you can do it easily. when your talking about small devices you usually have a micro keyboard and that would slow down data entry. once you get use to my idea since it isnt that different from the standard layout (actually its the same its just the hands are in a different position) it will be a breeze to learn. no new fingering to learn, its just your hands are in a different position.

You are taking for granted that most people that type - know how to touch type.

I'd say touch typing is either 50% or the minority of typers/computer users. Your proposed interface would alienate that crowd. It's a great idea, just not practical.

 

[applekid]

This won't JUST be a remote for iTunes. Why buy such a remote at such a ridiculous cost? This will be much much more.

You do make a valid point.

It'll have to be:

- A media tablet with an AirTunes remote as just another part of the media tablet.
- A remote for AirTunes. No frills or thrills. Just that.
- The media tablet is really cheaper than we can imagine and is a fair price for an AirTunes remote and then some.

 

[stingerman]

If u see the video link, showing the development of computer sizes, it is very impressive how they can fit a full computer into the OQO, but they lost a bit of credibility when they were showing a guy on a motorbike with full size gloves typing on the ultra mini keyboard.

Funny thing is that the OQO was developed by former Apple Engineers who must have left and started their own venture when Steve nixed the idea. The problem with the OQO is the user interface. A handheld device needs a different interface than a notebook. That's one thing they should have learned from the iPod.

That's why the blackberry does so well in the face of all those PocketPCs.