Apple Tablet Reportedly Causing Shortage of 10.1-Inch LCD and OLED Screens

[martint84]

So much hype over a product category that has been a complete and utter failure for many years.

I don't really understand what the purpose of this Newton II is. What niche is it expected to fill?

Is it a really big iPhone for those fashionable folks with really baggy pants and giant pockets or is it a PC replacement for those who are keyboard phobic or who want to communicate r e a l l y s l o o o o o o w l y?

I'm totally guessing here (as we all are), but what if Apple releases several versions over the range of $400-$800 (7"-10"). I can imagine Apple wants as many people as possible getting into the app store for apps, games, books, mags, tv shows, etc. To do that, they will come up with a tablet for everyone (just like the iPod product line). Think iPod nano, iPod touch, and iPhone. I really think they want to get the low-end model as far down in price as possible to make it a no-brainer when people are deciding between the tablet, kindle, nook, sony e-reader, even a digital photo frame. E-readers are certainly not a niche market and having a low-end model at a similar price to the Kindle would be HUGE! 6" Kindle currently costs $259, 10" $489

I could definitely see the low-end 7" tablet (iPod touch) targeted at young children, grandparents, and students as a simple way to email, web surf, read books, etc as an alternative to netbooks. Less features, but a low price point. $400 is the current price of the maxed out iPod touch.

The more expensive models will start at $600 for a 10" screen. If you want the model with a SIM card, and a few extra features, it'll be a little more. Apple will also sell the really expensive OLED model through their website only for those that also bought the MacBook Air with a SSD. As far as OLED screen lifespan, I don't think anyone is going to be using the tablet for more than 3 or 4 years before upgrading, especially those that can afford the expensive OLED tablet to begin with. Just my 2 cents.

 

[batchtaster]

Yaknow, after all this, it would be really funny if Apple didn't come out with a tablet after all, but simply stated on the 26th, that they think Tablets are still a waste of time.

I would be bummed, but I would also laugh a little.

I would laugh a lot. I think that'd probably make my whole year. Talk about the best misdirection, best use of misinformation ever.

As far as any kind of shortage goes though, whether it's true or not, I can't help but sit back and marvel at comments about....

Apple speculated to be about the only company capable of demanding such quantities.

where it is actually being proposed that one single company (that Michael Dull suggested turning off the lights giving back the money -- which is right up there with a long list of Bill Gates dumbass quotes), has sufficient enough need for any one specific component as to cause a world-wide dearth.

That's seriously awesome.

 

[excalibur313]

Has apple even announced any sort of media event? It seems like we are getting close to a deadline if apple wants to give people enough time to come to their meeting. Isn't it usually a few weeks in advance?

 

[jb1280]

...

This would be the most un-Apple release in recent memory, so highly doubtful.

One device. Maybe two skus. One message.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

So it's not possible that the shortage of 10" LCD screens comes from the fact that Asus, Acer, Compaq, Dell, Gateway, HP, Lonovo, Nokia, Samsung, and Toshiba all make 10" Netbooks?

 

[smeagol]

For Apple's stocks sake, and all of your sakes, I really hope they announce the imminent release of their fabled tablet on Jan 27th, or the world as we know it will end As for me, I'm waiting for their fabled 12-core Mac Pro.

 

[str1f3]

Has apple even announced any sort of media event? It seems like we are getting close to a deadline if apple wants to give people enough time to come to their meeting. Isn't it usually a few weeks in advance?

They usually give a week's notice.

 

[ctdonath]

A $1,000 tablet just won't fly in my opinion.

...yet the MacBook Air, ranging from $1000-2000, is selling well despite being little different component-wise from the rumored iSlate. Take an MBA, remove the keyboard & touchpad, put all the electronics in the screen's half, shrink the screen to 10", and put a touchscreen over it - iSlate. Want a keyboard and/or mouse? bluetooth wireless (maybe introduce "mobile" versions of those devices).

I don't see what the opposition to a slick >$1K tablet is. My main computer is a 10"-screen ultraportable Sony which I paid $2200 for, worth every penny. Just dump the hinge & keyboard and I'll shell out just as much so long as I get MBA-level processing power and full OS X.

 

[Prof.]

OLED would be sweet!

Isn't OLED still rather expensive?

I'd think about getting a tablet, but if it is more than $800 or needs to have a wireless plan with a mobile carrier, I will not get it. It should work with Wi-Fi and nothing else.

 

[merlyn412]

I'm holding out for the OCD screen. You just can't stop touching it.

some coffee just came out my nose.

 

[Flavioparentiq]

...yet the MacBook Air, ranging from $1000-2000, is selling well despite being little different component-wise from the rumored iSlate. Take an MBA, remove the keyboard & touchpad, put all the electronics in the screen's half, shrink the screen to 10", and put a touchscreen over it - iSlate. Want a keyboard and/or mouse? bluetooth wireless (maybe introduce "mobile" versions of those devices).

I don't see what the opposition to a slick >$1K tablet is. My main computer is a 10"-screen ultraportable Sony which I paid $2200 for, worth every penny. Just dump the hinge & keyboard and I'll shell out just as much so long as I get MBA-level processing power and full OS X.

Are you kidding? check the specs of the macbook air:

# 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB on-chip shared L2 cache running 1:1 with processor speed
# 1066MHz frontside bus
# 2GB of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM onboard
# 128GB of SSD drive
# NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory3

THis specifications (that are the same of the macbook pro 13") are NOWHERE near the islate ones.

 

[MrCrowbar]

Gee, who has the time machine to go forward and share some news???

...they make you sign an NDA before using it and if you spill any news or even just think about telling anyone, they send someone back to change your past where you never made the time travel.

 

[MacFly123]

I really have my doubts about Apple using OLED, ESPECIALLY in the iSlate with a 10" screen. The thing would be way expensive!

Personally I think the LCD tech that PixelQi is developing is much more promising and practical than OLED. There are some cool things about OLED but there are also some major draw backs still!

 

[MrCrowbar]

I don't see what the opposition to a slick >$1K tablet is. My main computer is a 10"-screen ultraportable Sony which I paid $2200 for, worth every penny. Just dump the hinge & keyboard and I'll shell out just as much so long as I get MBA-level processing power and full OS X.

I'd take a Macbook Air with an e-Ink multi-touch display on the backside of the display lid any day.

 

[Prof.]

My mind was blown when i saw that laptop at the CES that had a translucent screen. You can see your hand thru it!!!

 

[hobbbz]

Has apple even announced any sort of media event? It seems like we are getting close to a deadline if apple wants to give people enough time to come to their meeting. Isn't it usually a few weeks in advance?

They usually send an invite 1 week out, so around the 19th or 20th press will get notified.

 

[Lesser Evets]

- It will run iPhone OS 4.0 (this much is certain)

I love how THIS is certain.

The only certain thing we have is that people believe Apple is making a tablet. Everything else is total speculation.

If this tablet runs on an enlarged architecture, I really doubt iPhone OS4 will be made for tablet and iPhone: either one is getting the shaft or one is getting bogged down with useless OS data. The tablet might be a stand alone, like a notebook, so the OS will be unique and downloaded. If the tablet is dependent on another computer, like an iPod, it could have an OS that peels off of an iPhone OS package or peels off of an OSX program.

Personally I would doubt this has an iPhone OS or a full OSX. We'll see.

 

[Prof.]

I love how THIS is certain.

Is OS X touch compatible? I know W7 is, but I don't think OS X is. If it isn't, then it makes sense the tablet will be iPhone OS. Unless Apple optimizes OS X to be touch compatible.

 

[babboxy]

Actually, there's a huge shortage of 120" screens--can't be had anywhere at any price. The only reason I can think of is that Apple bought them all for a coffee table tablet.

the latest rumor is that it's probabbly 120" foldable ...

 

[sevimli]

why OLED and LCD at the same time??? Nonsense to me?

 

[Eidorian]

So it's not possible that the shortage of 10" LCD screens comes from the fact that Asus, Acer, Compaq, Dell, Gateway, HP, Lonovo, Nokia, Samsung, and Toshiba all make 10" Netbooks?

Everyone is rushing for 10.1" displays for Pineview based hardware.

Also, remember when the Zune HD got an OLED screen?

 

[muskratboy]

My mind was blown when i saw that laptop at the CES that had a translucent screen. You can see your hand thru it!!!

LOL... you realize that ALL laptops have translucent LCD screens, right?

in fact, i think all lcd screens everywhere are translucent. that's how they work.

 

[Yixian]

I agree. I have a hard time, however, believing something made by Apple would permeate the medical industry. I feel like we'd be more likely to see this coming from some medical device company or someone already established in the industry - especially in the US where we have this massive medical industry bureaucracy and corporate structure controlling everything.

You're right, and trust me it's not just the US with a bureaucracy problem. here in the UK for example whilst we don't suffer the corporate structure nonsense, when it comes to electronics and computing our health service is more or less completely and utterly inept - they recently spent something like a billion quid on developing a system to view digital patient records and it still isn't any good.

But if Apple can provide a tablet good enough to make this kind of computer take off, and if it can make sure that these medical record apps are ported to it, then plenty of doctors will opt for the iSlate even if there are other more proprietary devices around.

The software they use in the UK is called the Spine, I seriously hope they port Spine to the iSlate.

The only issue I can see is patient confidentiality, Apple would have to make sure that the tablet wouldn't store any of the patients clinical info locally so that once you've closed the record it's completely gone from that computer.

 

[Yixian]

Is OS X touch compatible? I know W7 is, but I don't think OS X is. If it isn't, then it makes sense the tablet will be iPhone OS. Unless Apple optimizes OS X to be touch compatible.

Rumors seem to be solidfying now that the tablet will have neither OS X or iPhone OS but a hybrid of the two designed specifically for the machine.

It'll have to be, the size of the screen, the way you hold it and the data creation (rather than just data consumption) functions of the tablet require a slightly different kind of interface than iPhone OS. It will probably look a little similar but it's going to be much more complex and have a fully fledged file navigation system, maybe spotlight style.

 

[a6rnh]

psssst....

ok, keep it quiet....apple do not refer to this product as a tablet....it is 10 inches but there is more to it, it is not just a large ipod touch.....oh, and it is dockable....think powerbook duo meets air......and why do you think apple keep pushing 'apps'?.....available end of feb 2010