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Apple Tablet Design Reportedly Akin to Flattened First-Generation iPhone

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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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AppleInsider reports that it has received information from sources detailing the appearance of Apple's much-rumored tablet device, noting that it is reminiscent of a "first-generation iPhone that's met its match with a rolling pin."


134137-apple_tablet_concept.jpg


Concept rendering said to closely resemble actual Apple tablet
According to the report, the device looks remarkably similar to a concept rendering published early last year but with even more similarities to the iPhone beyond those depicted in the rendering, offering buttons and other features nearly identical to the iPhone 3GS.
Nestled in an aluminum shell that leverages the Apple's expertise in unibody construction but thinner proportionality than the original iPhone, the tablet reportedly sports all of the same buttons found on the handset, right down to its iconic home button -- which, like the volume toggle, is missing from the rendering.

Similarly, the tablet is said to sport all the same in/out connectivity as the current iPhone 3GS, including a 3.5-mm stereo headphone jack, built-in speaker grills, a microphone, GPS, 3G connectivity and a 30-pin dock connector. Like the rendering, its 10-inch display is framed by a black border that bleeds into its wrap-around aluminum enclosure.
Click to expand...
Such proclaimed similarity to the iPhone 3GS may lend credibility to recently-published images claimed to be the tablet's front bezel. The images had been thought extremely suspect, in part due to their near exact likeness to the iPhone 3GS.

Other sources cited in today's report also claim that prototypes of the tablet have offered components making it compatible with CDMA wireless networks such as Verizon's, which would back up increasing claims, including some as recently as today, that Apple and Verizon have partnered on the new device. AppleInsider is careful to note, however, that it has been unable to confirm CDMA compatibility for the final shipping product.

Article Link: Apple Tablet Design Reportedly Akin to Flattened First-Generation iPhone
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/21/apple-tablet-design-reportedly-akin-to-flattened-first-generation-iphone/
iphones4evry1

iphones4evry1

macrumors 65816
Nov 26, 2008
1,197
0
California, USA
Bingo! MacBook Air without a fold-out keyboard! :)

NewSc2 said:
I hope they don't go with the 1st-generation iPhone tax. Or bundle 3G service with the tablet.
Click to expand...

Same here. I don't want 3G on my Tablet! I want Wi-Fi only. I have an iPhone if I need to look something up while walking through the park.
 
BryanLyle

BryanLyle

macrumors 6502a
Aug 2, 2005
727
43
Built in connectivity (ala Kindle) had better be there. The last thing I need is yet another $60 a month data plan. I have enough of those already.
 
CWallace

CWallace

macrumors G5
Aug 17, 2007
12,316
11,140
Seattle, WA
I suppose it depends on the OS and OS interface.

That mockup shows OS X as it looks on the Macintosh. A Home button would be pointless with such an interface, just as it is on your iMac or MacBook.

The latest slate of rumors seem to point to it actually using the iPhone OS and interface, so it would be a collection of "application buttons" like the iPhone. In such a scenario, a Home button would make sense and reinforce it being an "iPhone Plus" as opposed to a "MacBook Minus".
 
A

aca11811

macrumors newbie
Jul 26, 2008
3
0
"first-generation iPhone that's met its match with a rolling pin."

I really hope this is true, I think the thickness of this device will be crucial. I think a big reason why alot of tablets so far have failed is because of their thickness and weight (among other reasons, os etc.). Apples tablet needs to be light and thin so it is comfortable to hold for long durations. As its gonna be about 10 inches I feel it needs to be iPhone thickness (max) or less in order for it to be comfortable to hold. I'm sure there will be people that when they see it so thin will claim that Apple have put style over function, and that they should have put made it thicker & put a bigger battery etc. etc.

For this device to be great it needs to be thin.
 
ghostface147

ghostface147

macrumors 601
May 28, 2008
4,240
5,269
Pass. I see no use for this device for my needs. It doesn't do anything my phone or laptop can't do. I am sure it will find it's niche.
 
I

iamPro

macrumors regular
May 15, 2009
226
134
talkingfuture said:
I wonder if the 'black border that bleeds into the aluminium' will be like the edge of the new iMacs. I think that looks pretty cool.
Click to expand...

I too like that idea.

But, unfortunately, I don't think that will be the case with the tablet.

Really hope it looks better than a blown up 2G iPhone.
 
M

Marcusjlang

macrumors member
Jul 30, 2008
41
0
If it is a big iPod Touch with some new revolutionary features, I can read (pirate) interactive ebooks and magazines with it, and still watch tv and surf the net, and it's less than 800 dollars, this could be very very interesting.

Apple wants these things to sell like hot cakes which makes me wonder about the price. Maybe it will be like the first gen iPhone, very expensive just for the fanboy suckers, and in a matter of months a major price drop.
 
L

Legolover64

macrumors regular
Feb 24, 2008
149
0
Very interesting. As I've said before, I predict it will have Verizon AND AT&T built in, and you'll pay Apple monthly to get service. Why make iPhone users sign up with another company? Not a great idea.

I'm absolutely stoked to write some applications for this device! I only hope that there will be an awesome note-taking application; as a student and computer scientist, that is a "killer app" for me. That and eTextbooks.

What do people think about the "necessity" of syncing the device? That is, how much will it act as a computer, and how much will it act as a peripheral device such as an iPod or iPhone?

Really excited for Wednesday!
 
S

spice weasel

macrumors 65816
Jul 25, 2003
1,255
9
BryanLyle said:
Built in connectivity (ala Kindle) had better be there. The last thing I need is yet another $60 a month data plan. I have enough of those already.
Click to expand...

On this week's MacBreak Weekly, Leo and the gang were discussing this. Alex Lindsay said he thinks that the bandwidth cost of downloading whatever content would be included in the price of that content. So a couple of cents or whatever would go to the provider each time you downloaded something. This precludes, of course, the ability to send and receive data for regular surfing, email, etc., which would require WiFi.

Just speculation, but a cool model. Is this what the Kindle does?
 
M

metrobot

macrumors newbie
Apr 27, 2005
16
0
which applications?

so i won't be able to play Logic Pro on this? I'm fine if it's not a processing power house, but i wouldn't pay $800 or a grand not to be able to play basic mac applications.

If it's really just a kindle plus, it's a toy. A nice sexy toy. But I already have an iphone for that.
 
DipDog3

DipDog3

macrumors 65816
Sep 20, 2002
1,191
812
The 3G and 3GS casing is really easy to break. I doubt it would work on that large of a case.
 
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