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Apple Tablet Seen by Analyst While Competitors Hold Off to Wait for Details?
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This is a product where Apple's marketing power will be at full display. I myself can't see how this would be a hit unless it comes with some sort of mini-stand and a wireless keyboard bundled in (so that it could technically function as a netbook).
I guess Jobs will come back to the keynote in a big way with the announcement of this new gadget.
September launch probably means that Apple will market it as more of a multimedia gadget than a computer.
I guess Jobs will come back to the keynote in a big way with the announcement of this new gadget.
September launch probably means that Apple will market it as more of a multimedia gadget than a computer.
Something needs to be done with those 10.4 inch displays that Apple was rumored (maybe confirmed) to have purchased.
That sized tablet, er. multimedia computer would be nice for many uses. If it can run iPhone/touch apps that would be nice. If it can run full Mac OS X apps, then that would be great.
That sized tablet, er. multimedia computer would be nice for many uses. If it can run iPhone/touch apps that would be nice. If it can run full Mac OS X apps, then that would be great.
Um, actually, I'd say it's a rather big difference in experience. The Macbook Air's functionality is how light it is. It sacrificed several features in favor of less weight and size, like a built-in removable media drive, a FireWire port, ethernet port, line-in, media card slots, etc. Just to name a few.
As for the Apple Tablet, it obviously will not be on par with the MBP or Macbook, but it carries the unique and interesting feature of being a tablet itself.
The Tablet would be relatively light, like a MacbookAir, but it provides the functionality of a laptop without a physically attached keyboard, like lying down, standing up and typing, low lighting from a light screen source, etc.
You'd also be able to draw diagrams, drawings, etc., which the Macbook Air cannot do without opening up a different program with a mouse.
End result: Different functions, different needs, different people.
been waiting for this
this is the thing i've been waiting for.
wish list...
can buy and use anything from the app store.
advanced multi-touch.
an os smaller than leopard but more advanced than the iphone.
the ability to run real apps like iwork, ilife.
at least 120GB HD
actual phone function, though i just bought a new iphone. i carry a "man purse" so 10 or 8 inch will fit easy.
front and back camera for photos and vid-chat.
metal back like the original iphone
NO KEYBOARD
wifi, blutooth, and 3g data.
if it has even most of those things it will be a bargin at 700/800
this is the thing i've been waiting for.
wish list...
can buy and use anything from the app store.
advanced multi-touch.
an os smaller than leopard but more advanced than the iphone.
the ability to run real apps like iwork, ilife.
at least 120GB HD
actual phone function, though i just bought a new iphone. i carry a "man purse" so 10 or 8 inch will fit easy.
front and back camera for photos and vid-chat.
metal back like the original iphone
NO KEYBOARD
wifi, blutooth, and 3g data.
if it has even most of those things it will be a bargin at 700/800
I would assume that if he did see a prototype, it was shown by the mfr. and not Apple. Wouldn't put it past analysts to bribe CHinese mfrs. to see unreleased products.
Any chance of this thing being the next gen AppleTV? Tablet in form factor, multimedia capable, can hook up to your HDTV or use it on the go... I don't know, just thinking out loud here, but wouldn't make more sense, or at least create a higher demand? Could run an iphone like OS, apps, basically an iTunes Tablet...
I wonder if they'll announce it in September (iPod refreshes) or in October (laptop refresh?)
And I guess this product will establish a new line of products, then? Computer, iPods, iPhones, Tablets?
Wonder what this is going to be called. iTouch?
And I guess this product will establish a new line of products, then? Computer, iPods, iPhones, Tablets?
Wonder what this is going to be called. iTouch?
Not necessarily. There have been reports of unidentified [iPhone class] devices recently connecting to the Internet. At some point in the development process, new products emerge from the labs for:
-- home use by selected employees
-- real world testing around town
-- seeding to select 3rd-party hardware/software developers to create first day accessories/apps/content
-- release to marketing for creation of announcement videos & promotional material
It's a rather dated, but I had at several experiences of this:
-- I borrowed (took home for a weekend) a Disk ][ (the first Apple ][ floppy disk drive) from the brother of an Apple employee. It was announced several weeks later.
-- Friends and former co-workers demoed the (unannounced) Lisa to me-- they were developing special software for Apple to interface IBM mainframes using SNA (IBM's new packet/data exchange technology at that time)
-- Our Sunnyvale store was used to film promotionals for the original Mac in November 1983 (2 months before announce). Bill Atkinson and Andy Hertzfeld demoed the machine to our staff. I got to play with the Mac for about 15 minutes. AIR, they used the original Mac case (soft carrying bag) as part of the promos.
-- The comptroller of Adobe walked into our San Jose store, one day, with a (unannounced) Apple LaserWriter under his arm and Bob Brown in tow. Bob sat at a Mac and typed PostScript into a text editor, then transmitted this over the ADB connection to the LaserWriter where magical things were printed.
Dick
Thats a really cool idea.
Seeing that they sort of abandoned the older AppleTVs, it'll be interesting to see that they release a portable, touch screen version.
And if you could watch TV too, that would be pretty slick.
Veteran analyst? Sounds familiar.
According to Wired magazine online Walt Mossberg "got his hands on an early test unit of the original iPhone in June 2007, weeks before its official release."
What's to say he or someone else hasn't seen this new device whatever it is?
Also, assuming this is a consumer product it would make more sense to launch it in Sept/Nov than Q1/2010 to maximise early sales.
According to Wired magazine online Walt Mossberg "got his hands on an early test unit of the original iPhone in June 2007, weeks before its official release."
What's to say he or someone else hasn't seen this new device whatever it is?
Also, assuming this is a consumer product it would make more sense to launch it in Sept/Nov than Q1/2010 to maximise early sales.
I could have sworn I posted this earlier...
Oh yea: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/758031/
hmm..
Oh yea: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/758031/
hmm..
The key is whatever killer app Apple lines up for it. Stuff like "enhanced album booklet" isn't going to compel me to spend $800 (plus if there is a verizon service contract). If they use an ARM chip inside and they still don't allow for multi-tasking, there isn't much more they can offer. I would have rather seen an Atom chip inside (my Dell Mini9 runs fine) but it wouldn't surprise me if Apple had a hard time keeping battery life over 4 hours with heavy use or movie watching. The Atom chip might be good, but Intel's platform support has been awful - even the new Atom platform has to use a third party broadcom chip for video decoding instead of something inside the PCH.
The only "killer app" I can think of that would make me want one is that if Apple releases another type of "fat binary" where devs could compile their apps for ARM and OSX. No backwards compatibility emulation on the ARM platform, and probably some reduced functionality, but enough to allow stuff like Adium and some other basic apps to run - and without Apple being the gatekeeper.
Still, maybe in 2012 when Intel can get the Atom down another fabrication level to 22nm and we see battery tech up to allow for a super-slim tablet with an Intel chip inside that allows a full OSX experience.
The only "killer app" I can think of that would make me want one is that if Apple releases another type of "fat binary" where devs could compile their apps for ARM and OSX. No backwards compatibility emulation on the ARM platform, and probably some reduced functionality, but enough to allow stuff like Adium and some other basic apps to run - and without Apple being the gatekeeper.
Still, maybe in 2012 when Intel can get the Atom down another fabrication level to 22nm and we see battery tech up to allow for a super-slim tablet with an Intel chip inside that allows a full OSX experience.
Seriously. It would essentially be a fancy $800 remote. If this doesn't run the full OS X (albeit modified for touch), I'm not interested. Especially considering Apple's recent control-freak attitude with the App Store.
Not true...
This isn't true. A lot of big-name companies brief industry analysts under NDAs all the time, often showcasing upcoming products or disclosing specs and/or brand positioning.
So, it is entirely possible. But then again - it is Apple.
B.S.
Like Apple is going to show an analyst anything before launch. Give me a break.
This isn't true. A lot of big-name companies brief industry analysts under NDAs all the time, often showcasing upcoming products or disclosing specs and/or brand positioning.
So, it is entirely possible. But then again - it is Apple.
I hope this rumored tablet/netbook/macbook touch? is just not a giant media pad. At a $700-$800 price range I hope it does more than run iPhone apps, iTunes, HD video, and play new games designed for it. Having some type of iLife and iWork lite (stripped down versions) would be nice and make this more functional without eating into 13" MBP sales.
I agree with most, except:
--Doesn't need HD. 64 GB Flash is probably enough as it will (mainly) stream content from the Internet, as needed
-- iWork and iLife apps will need to be rewritten for touch (think of the handles on a Pages Shape or Bezier Path). Alternatively, the tablet could recognize the presence of a stylus and go into more precise (less than the current 10
pixel) touch.
HD on a 9" or 10" display is a little different than HD on a 3 or 4" display, no? Besides, neither probably does HD for the built-in display, but rather an external display. HDMI for the Zune HD, MDP for the tablet.