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Apple Tablet Rumblings (again)...
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i agree with fred, who is the tablet marked for? i teach in the field of design, my students would not get use out of these, nor would pros and wouldn't they just confuse the consumers? there needs to be a market for it and i can't see who that is.
has there been research published that shows who is buying the pc tablets? i thought that i had read that the pc tablets were not showing promise.
also, i don't know about everyone else but i am sick of add ons, such as add on keyboards. like did anyone even use the add on keyboard for the palms? did they work? or were they more of a hassle to take out and set up?
has there been research published that shows who is buying the pc tablets? i thought that i had read that the pc tablets were not showing promise.
also, i don't know about everyone else but i am sick of add ons, such as add on keyboards. like did anyone even use the add on keyboard for the palms? did they work? or were they more of a hassle to take out and set up?
"also, i don't know about everyone else but i am sick of add ons, such as add on keyboards. like did anyone even use the add on keyboard for the palms? did they work? or were they more of a hassle to take out and set up?"
I used a folding keyboard every day in highschool. My dad uses one for his job (when hes on break he likes to use it). If an add-on keyboard was designed right i think it would work wonderfully.
I used a folding keyboard every day in highschool. My dad uses one for his job (when hes on break he likes to use it). If an add-on keyboard was designed right i think it would work wonderfully.
Tablet PC's are not being marketed properly. Right now they are aimed at High-end business. The reason they are not selling is that they cost WAY too much for an item business people aren't familiar with.
If apple aimed this for the home user and blended it in with all of the consumer level apps (iPhoto, iTunes, safari, mail, ect.) they could make a killing making more homes tech savy. Add to this that panther can support multi user logins, the idea that this is a communication device that stays in close proximity to the home (more importantly, the main prossessing computer) and is used for the light stuff you dont want to sit at a desk (or table), this is perfect.
If I can could lean back on the couch and check my email, maybe do some surfing, even video chat in the kittchen, it could be the perfect home apliance that doesn't require you to be sitting anywhare particular (a laptop still needsto be resting on something to be typed into). It's not for everyone, but like the iPod, you don't know what your missing untill steve does a keynote.
If apple aimed this for the home user and blended it in with all of the consumer level apps (iPhoto, iTunes, safari, mail, ect.) they could make a killing making more homes tech savy. Add to this that panther can support multi user logins, the idea that this is a communication device that stays in close proximity to the home (more importantly, the main prossessing computer) and is used for the light stuff you dont want to sit at a desk (or table), this is perfect.
If I can could lean back on the couch and check my email, maybe do some surfing, even video chat in the kittchen, it could be the perfect home apliance that doesn't require you to be sitting anywhare particular (a laptop still needsto be resting on something to be typed into). It's not for everyone, but like the iPod, you don't know what your missing untill steve does a keynote.
i'd like apple to pump out a cheep little tablet thingi that is dependant on a desktop or notebook (itunes streaming and stuff). not like one of those stupid "windows powered remote displays" (mira) things that noone bought, but just an airport extention of yourdesktop. you could do ichat av video confrencing whereever you wanted to in your house. however, they would have to work on speach recognition, because typing w/o a keyboard is hellish
Apple could make Tablet sell if they think it out and it's done right. Personally I wished apple would have already released a Tablet because I want one.
They could make two different models.
10" Model:
15gig HD (The one the iPod uses)
128megs of Ram
700 MHz Processor
DVD Player
A slimmed down version of OS X
Airport Extreme, Bluetooth...etc..etc...
12" Model:
30gig HD(The one the iPod uses)
256megs of Ram
800 MHz Processor
DVD Player
A slimmed down version of OS X
Airport Extreme, Bluetooth...etc..etc...
Something like this could become really useful if you just think about all the possiblities.
They could make two different models.
10" Model:
15gig HD (The one the iPod uses)
128megs of Ram
700 MHz Processor
DVD Player
A slimmed down version of OS X
Airport Extreme, Bluetooth...etc..etc...
12" Model:
30gig HD(The one the iPod uses)
256megs of Ram
800 MHz Processor
DVD Player
A slimmed down version of OS X
Airport Extreme, Bluetooth...etc..etc...
Something like this could become really useful if you just think about all the possiblities.
Originally posted by fred
a market of one
Maybe but why the heck did they go to all that trouble of Ink? Also I appear to not be the only person here who would like to have it. Maybe you don't want one but there is a market for them. Specifically those who use wacom tablet technology. I'm getting a wacom tab for my eMac but it would be fantastic to have this feature already built in to the computer. Hell, tablets should ship with the computer so people would actually use the friggin technology provided in Jaguar. OLED would be nice but the reality behind that one is far far away. If it is cheaper and apple was able to do it first, they would be able to blast the market with ultra inexpensive PB's and iBooks and once again become rulers of the world...
Before they cart me off let me say one thing
G5 Super Book
I have been using wacom tablets for the last 5 years and I have yet to really use the Ink functionality. Not needed with a keyboard infront of you. However. the pen input has been absolutely indespensable. The stylus input has been shown in an odd light through PDA's. Using a tablet on something bigger than the size of a cassette tape is enough to make you want to throw your mouse against the wall. It's natural and it makes sense. If you havent tried it, your missing out. And it is SOOOO mush healthier for you. The tablet is the future, I'm just waiting for the present to catch up.
I, for one, sure could use a tablet. As a creative professional, the thought of sitting under a tree, or at a bench at the Emeryville Marina, and drawing a week of cartoons is very appealing to me. I'd rather not stay tethered to my desktop 18 hours per day, and I'd rather not have to tote a Wacom tablet along with a laptop everywhere I go.
I think the graphic arts market would be a substantial niche for a pressure-sensitive Apple tablet.
willing to bet that it is a rev of the 15" powerbook, maybe all 3. my guess is that we will see all 3 as g5 albooks with some kind of swivel touch/pressure sensitive screens. consider that the powerbooks are already thinner than most tablet pc's.
this could satisfy those of us who want a tablet and those who don't. aplle loves new stuff, and why not change the boring old standard portable computer into something more useful for everyone. having said that, don't expect anything like this at least until christmas
this could satisfy those of us who want a tablet and those who don't. aplle loves new stuff, and why not change the boring old standard portable computer into something more useful for everyone. having said that, don't expect anything like this at least until christmas
The Tablet Mac is the best thing Apple could ever build, and I will be first in line to buy one.
Anyone who used a later design of the Newton knows that Apple finally got handwriting recognition 'right', just before Steve axed the project. HW Recognition itself is something that has NEVER been done since.
For those who think the concept of a tablet is to allow you to enter text with a pen, that ain't it. It's everything else. That's why a 15" PowerBook that allowed you to write on the screen would be perfect.
I have $4,000 that I will GLADLY drop on a 15" PowerBook with the ability to draw on the screen.
For those who think it would be a bad idea, consider this-- I have no use for a 17" PowerBook. So should I consider the 17" PowerBook to be a bad idea? No, definitely not. It is obviously very good for a lot of people. Ditto with the G5, since I'm on the go more than I'm at a desk. Does that mean the G5 is a bad idea? Of course not. Both are excellent products that fit certain users' needs very well.
Now consider that most graphic artists are artists away from the computer as well. Some paint, some draw, many do both. The tablet, while a nice input device, is a world away from useful to many of them, as that immediate feedback under the pen is paramount to the work itself. The Cintiq is very appealing, for that very reason. But if the Cintiq's abilities were *in* a PowerBook, right there on the screen, that would be many artists' dream.
-Chilton
Anyone who used a later design of the Newton knows that Apple finally got handwriting recognition 'right', just before Steve axed the project. HW Recognition itself is something that has NEVER been done since.
For those who think the concept of a tablet is to allow you to enter text with a pen, that ain't it. It's everything else. That's why a 15" PowerBook that allowed you to write on the screen would be perfect.
I have $4,000 that I will GLADLY drop on a 15" PowerBook with the ability to draw on the screen.
For those who think it would be a bad idea, consider this-- I have no use for a 17" PowerBook. So should I consider the 17" PowerBook to be a bad idea? No, definitely not. It is obviously very good for a lot of people. Ditto with the G5, since I'm on the go more than I'm at a desk. Does that mean the G5 is a bad idea? Of course not. Both are excellent products that fit certain users' needs very well.
Now consider that most graphic artists are artists away from the computer as well. Some paint, some draw, many do both. The tablet, while a nice input device, is a world away from useful to many of them, as that immediate feedback under the pen is paramount to the work itself. The Cintiq is very appealing, for that very reason. But if the Cintiq's abilities were *in* a PowerBook, right there on the screen, that would be many artists' dream.
-Chilton
I told you so, or at least, my source told me so.
PB 15.4" laptop/tablet hybrid model. It might still be a special edition iBook though, that was likely and the PB wasn't due to the cost factor in these economic times. Do indeed look for it before Christmas.
I'm still skeptical nonetheless, after Steve bashed this industry so much, but as someone said, he also said it would be the death of the CRT display at Apple when the iMac 2nd generation was introduced, but the eMac is still here!
PB 15.4" laptop/tablet hybrid model. It might still be a special edition iBook though, that was likely and the PB wasn't due to the cost factor in these economic times. Do indeed look for it before Christmas.
I'm still skeptical nonetheless, after Steve bashed this industry so much, but as someone said, he also said it would be the death of the CRT display at Apple when the iMac 2nd generation was introduced, but the eMac is still here!
EXACTLY RIGHT! I'm amazed it took three pages before this point came up. The present tablet PCs would sell like hotcakes if they cost less than $1000. The busy manager who can read his email in the middle of a meeting, take notes, etc., he'd love this thing - but not at Motion Computing's price of over $2K. And, as another poster mentioned, the laptop-desktop syncing problem has to be addressed.
To sync a Palm, you put it in a cradle and you press one button. That's it. I couldn't believe it when I tried a PocketPC years ago and it wasn't like that. It was clunky and cumbersome. True, the Newton isn't one-button-sync either, and never was. The Newton is quirky and incompatible with everything on earth.
The tablet, to be successful, has to have one-button syncing, and it has to be cheap and simple. It doesn't need an optical drive or a G5. It needs to have very, very long battery life. It needs to have a USB connection for a keyboard and a Firewire or Ethernet connection for syncing. It should work as an MP3 player. It needs a small hard drive. It needs to run a standard OS, though, and standard applications. I suggest a G3 and Mac OS X, but sell it as a big iPod.
We've been through all of this before, though, haven't we?
what we DO need is a tablet type e-book reader. How great would it be to be able to dl the NY Times, the Tribune, some BBC headline stories, and the book you're reading to take on the train in the morning.
Seems like we should have this in 2003.
As it is, I would never cary two hulking newspapers and a book onto the subway every day. No way. A small device that served as a reader would sell like hot-cakes in urban areas.
Seems like we should have this in 2003.
As it is, I would never cary two hulking newspapers and a book onto the subway every day. No way. A small device that served as a reader would sell like hot-cakes in urban areas.
iServe
Here's a different take, though admittedly complete speculation.
What if Apple produced three (or more) new products:
- iServe: a server for the home. Just a nice little G5 that sits in the closet, connects to the net, and runs WiFi and Bluetooth.
- iTuner: a docking station for the iPod that has a big amplifier, nice speakers, a CD burner, and an iTunes-looking display. Basically just a stereo that plays MP3s, connects to the Music Store, burns CDs, etc..
- iTablet: a screen, a WiFi connection, and an iBook motherboard.
Now think of all these things together. Your home now contains ONE real computer, and it sits in the closet. When you want to look something up, grab a tablet and start surfing. If you need to type something, pull a bluetooth keyboard up next to it and start typing.
Keep thinking about it. With multiple GUI logins and/or netboot, why run multiple full computers? Why not one big mama in the closet and a bunch of specialized clients?
The tablet doesn't necessarily even need much of a motherboard... it just needs to have enough computer to be a client of the home server.
And of course, you can always use your PDA, cellphone, iPod, etc. to talk to the server. And if home appliances finally get brains (like from Sun's Jini), it could talk to them too.
Once you start thinking this way, it seems like a no-brainer. And it gives Apple a good reason to produce a tablet that has nothing to do with the PDA/TabletPC market.
Here's a different take, though admittedly complete speculation.
What if Apple produced three (or more) new products:
- iServe: a server for the home. Just a nice little G5 that sits in the closet, connects to the net, and runs WiFi and Bluetooth.
- iTuner: a docking station for the iPod that has a big amplifier, nice speakers, a CD burner, and an iTunes-looking display. Basically just a stereo that plays MP3s, connects to the Music Store, burns CDs, etc..
- iTablet: a screen, a WiFi connection, and an iBook motherboard.
Now think of all these things together. Your home now contains ONE real computer, and it sits in the closet. When you want to look something up, grab a tablet and start surfing. If you need to type something, pull a bluetooth keyboard up next to it and start typing.
Keep thinking about it. With multiple GUI logins and/or netboot, why run multiple full computers? Why not one big mama in the closet and a bunch of specialized clients?
The tablet doesn't necessarily even need much of a motherboard... it just needs to have enough computer to be a client of the home server.
And of course, you can always use your PDA, cellphone, iPod, etc. to talk to the server. And if home appliances finally get brains (like from Sun's Jini), it could talk to them too.
Once you start thinking this way, it seems like a no-brainer. And it gives Apple a good reason to produce a tablet that has nothing to do with the PDA/TabletPC market.
You mean like this?
http://www.franklin.com/ebookman/
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004WHFN/102-1813942-2779306
along with this...
http://www.ebooks.com/
Seems like for $100, plus some subscriptions/ebook purchases, you're set.
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I agree with this! Cheap, portable, & powerful. And Panther's multi-user switching already keeps running the other screens in the background... so can we take over one of those background screens? (has anyone ALREADY tried taking over a background screen running Timbuktu?).
It isn't just tablets necessarily either - there are several places where a remote device would be useful. A keyboard/screen/mouse in another room? web etc on your TV (via Tivo?)?
Yep... Apple could take something from history and redefine PCs... - one Xserve (without screen etc), a switch(airport?), and a bunch of low cost terminals (wired or wireless).
Back to tablet-terminals - the only thing I'd add to it would be an extended iPod functionality when away - music, iCal, emails?, pdfs & cached web.
edit: you beat me to it Toe!
The add-on keyboard for my newton MP2100 made it a laptop replacement. Even sticking 2 things in my bag was still less th carry aroud than even a ultra small laptop,like the sony vaio we use now (piece of crap that it is...).
The iPod, with a full-face LCD in horizontal mode, would have eenought real estate to do word processing. No, I dont use one on my palm ,cus it just isnt as good.
JS
Originally posted by iLilana
Here's my left hand.... just leave my writing hand and a ping pong paddle strapped to my left wrist stump so I can hold my new tablet while writing on it.
actually I was referring to one (or more) of the Admins. It's pretty obvious that there are a plenty of people craving this tablet/pda/iphone/TiVo/iWalk/thin-client/super-pod thing.
But seriously, Arn, why do we even bother with these tablet rumors? They have been so ALL OVER THE PLACE. I think the rumors have covered just about every imaginable iGadget angle there is. Now, a 15-incher? There's so much noise. Can you filter it out some?
jayscheuerle
macrumors 68020
I don't know... I've never "got" PDAs and only know 4 people who have them (1 of which carries it around with him). Most people who want one have gotten it.
Of course, I don't know anybody with an iPod...
Maybe it's just my friends!
There are those of us who find the laptop form factor less than desireable. Not everyone wants to compute in a keyboard centric universe. There are so many scenarios where a tablet is preferable to a laptop, it's just plain stupid not to develope it. Give me a Touchscreen Apple Tablet that is every bit as powerful as the PowerBook and I'll buy it and every update thereafter. This market is real and it is the future. If you must have your precious detacheable keyboard, okay, fine, but when detached, it must become the ultimate sleek form factor: a pure slate tablet.
I have cash to spend on an Apple tablet, Steve. No compromises please. Make it kick the ass of my Fujitsu TabletPC.
YEAH!
I have cash to spend on an Apple tablet, Steve. No compromises please. Make it kick the ass of my Fujitsu TabletPC.
YEAH!