Apple Tablet Delayed with OLED Model Planned? 3G Possible?

[MikeDTyke]

I used to want some sort of tablet w/ good handwriting recog. for writing, until I realized how much I'd slow myself down not typing.

Apple has learnt this lesson before, i don't think speedy text entry is a focus of this device. Chicken scratch notes, drawings and information retrieval seems more inline with reality. It's a new paradigm of computing (i really hate using that word, a hundred curses on you for making me use it ;-))

Besides if it did fast text entry, what reason would you have for buying a macbook or an iMac?

 

[MikeDTyke]

Why are people so obsessed with OLED? It is useless for use outside in the sunlight while LCD does still work outside in direct sunlight. It uses more power than LCD when displaying white pixels for things like documents, books and the web. The blue organic pigment will deteriorate over time when exposed to sunlight resulting in a colour shift.

What are the advantages of OLED that counter all of these negatives making it still better than LCD for a portable device that will be used outside?

Spot on!

It's a technology thats still a bit bleeding edge. Maybe this oled screen they talk of is for version 2 in 2011.

 

[Ping Guo]

- The lager screen is cheaper.

Not to mention impervious to beer spills!

 

[roocka]

I wonder if one will be a widescreen model...

Also, if it's OLED, it will be much thinner than if it's LCD. I think this is awesome. So they will give us two price points..

1. Get the larger screen, but a thicker machine. This is $800-$1000
2. Get the slightly smaller screen (due to cost of manufacturing) and pay approximately $2000 for superior technology, lighter weight, and smaller footprint.

It's quite a smart strategy. Plus, they didn't rush the iPhone and look at how successful that has been. If the original product was to be released in March as the rumor stated earlier then it might be released too soon. if it's released six months late, it's perfect for Apple. They will have 6 more months of speculation and FREE ADVERTISING and HYPE. Then they release it just before the Thanksgiving holiday in 2010 with plenty of supply and the hottest tech product in the market.

That is SO SMART.

 

[iSamurai]

they want you to buy the smaller one because it's "subsidised". goes against logic that bigger is better. but that's apple for you... lol

if you think the screen is too big... well I think it's alright, but it's really over the top considering (seems like) they're not putting the full OS on it. something like MS's media centre style programme to read ebooks or the like would be much better than an iphone like OS on a considerably large screen.

 

[rwilliams]

suppose it does come out with an OLED and it cost $2000.

suppose.......

it's fully touch screen, runs full blown OSX etc and is configured like a MBP but the really cool thing is when you get off the train after surfing the web or whatever, and get into your office, you take the IWHATEVER from it's pouch, lean it on it's accompanying dock with wireless keyboard and mouse and suddenly it works like a desktop.

i'm getting one of those!

All of what you just described, I currently do with my MacBook, which has a bigger screen and cost way less than $2000. I can do without the touch screen.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

Well, the way I see it, Apple can build one of two devices:

1. A big, powerful, expensive, do-all desktop-replacement machine that'd compete with their notebooks.

2. A satellite unit to accompany a more substantial desktop back at home. Sort of like your iMac's mobile extention.

Aside from speculating about how #2 looks like something apple would do to buffet its product line, the device-in display port on the new iMacs makes me think it's part of the plan.

I'd love a #1 with fries, but I certainly wouldn't complain about a #2 on my doorstep either.



High performance, great usability, and cheap: pick two.

 

[mytdave]

'it can't be done' must be your motto

Haaaa ha haa haaa ha haaaa haaaaa, oh stop, haaa ha, please no more, ha haaa ha hhhhaaaa ha ha. I always try to be nice, but this is plain idiotic.

Oh MikeDTyke, let's do some basic math. I'm going to just use one figure so we don't have to do this twice, and say the new device would have battery capacity 2.5x that of iPhone.

Features where screen size would draw extra power (say 50% more), you take the previous figure, less 50% in screen drain, times 2.5 more battery capacity:

Internet use:
Up to 5 hours on 3G : (5-50%)*2.5= 6.25hrs
Up to 9 hours on Wi-Fi : (9-50%)*2.5= 11.25hrs
Video playback: Up to 10 hours : (10-50%)*2.5= 12.5hrs

Features where screen is irrelevant:

Talk time:
Up to 12 hours on 2G : 12*2.5= 30hrs
Up to 5 hours on 3G : 5*2.5= 12.5hrs
Standby time: Up to 300 hours : 300*2.5= 750hrs!
Audio playback: Up to 30 hours : 30*2.5= 75hrs!

None of these features require any extra processing power, so 3 unused cores could be shut down. Apps like word processing and spreadsheets take even less power than surfing the 'net. When you want to do heavier duty processing like iPhoto, iMovie or GarageBand, you're likely going to have it docked anyway - touch is great, and complimentary, but doesn't replace a good keyboard & mouse.

As for your response about applications, Apple has already brought multi-touch to MacOS, they just don't make any Macs with a touch screen, yet. The only trick left here is to get apps to run on ARM.

Don't count Rosetta out - people never thought something like it would be possible in the first place. And as for LLVM, that in conjunction with GCD has provided Apple with a good INCREASE in performance.

Now, you did notice that I said developers would have to recompile, and release a new version to something like the App Store, right? One would presume you'd have to buy a new copy.

Companies the likes of MS & Adobe were told to get their butts on XCode 8 years ago. Not Apple's problem if they didn't listen. Another developer will come along and fill the gap. Case in point - I no longer use Photoshop, instead I've switched to Pixelmator, which has all the features I've ever needed from Photoshop, and runs better.

The iPhone platform already runs MacOS X, Apple has just left a lot of features out. They need to port the rest of it over for the tablet. Developers would need to port apps (or write new ones) just like they have done for iPhone/Touch.

 

[mytdave]

Yes

That could be possible but there it would be very complicated if it's just a recompile. If an osx application that relies on a specific osx framework or libraries even it it managed to recompile for the arm architecture it will break unless Tablet OS provide the app's dependancies. What can happen is there will be a new tablet os dev center with Apple providing APIs and specific guidelines for creating apps. Who knows, Apple can reveal this dev tool as an extension to XCode this WWDC then release the tablet mid 2010 with apps ready to be published.

Thank you! Some great points, and it's good to see another person thinking of ways it could be done instead of just saying "it'll never happen." Let me add, that part of the solution could be Apple porting the remaining parts of MacOS X over to the tablet that they didn't port for the iPhone/Touch. That would help a lot.

 

[Thomas Davie]

My wife just started talking last night about an e-book. I said Apple might be doing one and perhaps look that one over. However, the price points I keep seeing and that it may always be a rumor have me thinking elsewhere....

she said the B&N Nook and there is the Kindle and Sony. Also with iPod Touch having a Reader App, how would that be different?

The difference is that I haven't had to charge my Sony Reader in over a month

Tom

 

[wolfpackfan]

Well this new rumor makes me think that I won't be getting a tablet. I've held off long enough. I really needed a laptop for a trip I'm taking next month, but held off thinking a Tablet might be coming in January and I refuse to pay the ridiculous prices Apple charges for MB's. So I think I'll just go ahead and get the HP Pavilion dm3. I'm tired of fooling with Apple. It seems like every product they update or introduce lately is a disappointment. Plus I really hate the Apple TV ads. Windows is no where near as bad as their ads show. It's too much like negative politicking IMO.

 

[slu]

There is a tiny market for this device at a reasonable price point.

At those price points, there is no market at all.

 

[Povilas]

You're going to force me to be specific aren't you? From Apple.com:

iPhone -

Talk time:
Up to 12 hours on 2G
Up to 5 hours on 3G
Standby time: Up to 300 hours

Internet use:
Up to 5 hours on 3G
Up to 9 hours on Wi-Fi
Video playback: Up to 10 hours
Audio playback: Up to 30 hours

Now, think about a tablet with the physical space for a battery 2-3 times the size of the one in the iPhone. A generic ~48hrs sounds pretty reasonable now, does it not?

Thats in theory. Try to think harder

 

[WardC]

No tablet - I want a pocket-sized iPhone-like device with a fullsize usable keyboard and pointing device, essentially an Apple netbook. I see the tablet right now as an oversized iPhone with handwriting recognition that MIGHT run a flavor of OS X instead of iPhone OS...it's still not a power machine for surfing the web while on the run. That's what I want. Something you can put in your pocket, but it's gotta have a keyboard.

 

[LagunaSol]

Well this new rumor makes me think that I won't be getting a tablet. I've held off long enough. I really needed a laptop for a trip I'm taking next month, but held off thinking a Tablet might be coming in January and I refuse to pay the ridiculous prices Apple charges for MB's. So I think I'll just go ahead and get the HP Pavilion dm3. I'm tired of fooling with Apple. It seems like every product they update or introduce lately is a disappointment.

Wow, all this about an Apple product that doesn't even exist yet, based on wild rumors???

Plus I really hate the Apple TV ads. Windows is no where near as bad as their ads show.

As a Windows user since 1992, I beg to differ.

 

[slu]

There are a lot of people out there just like me who sketch every day. It's our job. We carry a sketchbook with us everywhere we go. These sketchbooks are &10-20 a pop. we fill these up a couple times a month. And they start piling up, filling up space. An iSlate like this would be a Godsend. Thin, light, I can sketch, check email, listen to tunes, make iCal appointments without having to have a hulking laptop? Sign me up. It'd be the ideal bridge between the iPhone I don't have and my MP.

Here's where you are wrong. There are not a lot of people just like you who sketch every day. Not a lot of people in the sense that Apple will mass produce a product that meets your exact needs.

I am not saying that a tablet is not coming and I am not saying you won't be able to sketch on it, although I am skeptical on both. But if there is a tablet, sketching will be an afterthought feature and in no way will be a primary selling point of the device. In fact, it would surprise me if the Apple even provided a stylus and software for this feature and did not leave it up a 3rd party. Assuming 3rd party software is allowed on the device.

 

[5630745]

Based on these rumors? It alters what I was planning to do. There has been a nagging thought in the back of my head something like this might pop up.

 

[akjs2396]

MBP's are already underpowered and overpriced. Due to the sizing, the tablet will be even worse. It would be even less popular than the Air.

interesting reply, but my MBP is not underpowered, i run a small business with a turnover of approx £750k PA, and handle everything from my MBP, accountancy etc. it may be underpowered for a design engineer etc, but i would imagine anyone fitting that category would use a fully blown desktop.

as for the price, i don't think they are over priced either. before i made the switch i was a dell man, and always buying the 'updated' model, i'd go through 3/4 laptops a year. i've had this thing since the first alui models came out and see no reason to buy a new one, so in fact i have much better value for money with my Mac.

 

[peterdevries]

I can read books on my MBP
I can listen to music on my MBP
I can watch video on my MBP
I can access the internet on the go with my MBP

So what is my compelling reason to buy this thing? Long battery life and the ability to read newspapers and magazines (for me). But I ain't gonna shell out $2000 just to read the newspaper on my daily commute. I also just do not see that the battery life on this thign is going to be as long as my Sony 505 e-reader.

Still puzzled at this whole tablet thing, and becoming more pessimistic as time goes by, and less like to fall under the effects of the reality distortion field.

Tom

If I ever need someone to think INSIDE the box, I will be sure to send you a PM..

 

[slu]

I hated reading ebooks on the monitor so what I do personaly is print them off as paper and bind them together even it's around hundreds of pages but it feels more natural and I can read them as I commute on a subway or a bus standing/leaning against the wall.

Really?!?!? If I were you, I'd stop buying ebooks. You can get books that are already printed on paper, you know.

 

[bsamcash]

This is the start of my dream Apple notebook, OLED display, Light Peak internals and expansions, and SSD drive. Super energy efficient, and minimal bottlenecking.

 

[Eric S.]

Well this new rumor makes me think that I won't be getting a tablet. I've held off long enough. I really needed a laptop for a trip I'm taking next month, but held off thinking a Tablet might be coming in January and I refuse to pay the ridiculous prices Apple charges for MB's.

If you refuse to pay Apple's "ridiculous" laptop prices, what makes you think they'll offer a reasonable price for a tablet?

 

[Bregalad]

Digitimes claims that Apple is planning on postponing the launch of their long rumored tablet device from March to the second half of 2010 as they make some final adjustments to the device's components.

Why does anyone believe a word that comes out of Digitimes? They have a poorer record of predicting new Apple product than I do and I suck at it.

Talk of a $2000 price tag is absolutely insane.

 

[ddTaylor]

I still see no reason for an iTablet. Especially when I have an MBP and 3GS.

So? If not you that is interested there are hundreds of thousands more who are...so why even make a comment like that? That point has been hashed and re-hashed for terabytes of bandwidth and it accomplishes not.

I am sorry you feel the tablet is a waste for you - but I can't wait for mine.

D

 

[kernkraft]

Will that thing ever come out?

Er... so, will that thing ever come out?

Personally, I stopped caring. However, to me, at least, it is more important that now I cannot install OS X on a netbook. THAT sucks. That is a real annoyance.