only way i can see this working is with haptic feedback... and i don't think that is ready yet ,..
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Tablet Seen by Analyst While Competitors Hold Off to Wait for Details?
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Okay buddy. Yeah, I totally thought that was the real tablet. You got me.
This is a discussion forum. The purpose of this thread is to discuss the possible rumored tablet that may or may not be real. If your criteria for posting comments in this thread is that the device has to be real, then there would be zero posts in this thread.
I wasn't aware that you were in charge of the "Apple Tablet Seen by Analyst While Competitors Hold Off to Wait for Details?" thread.
I'm sure Apple is totally going for "not perfect" with this.
Steve: How's it looking?
Tablet Designer: Well, it's good, but it's not perfect.
Steve: Excellent! Start production!
No, the same thing does not happen with netbooks. It is far worse to be looking straight down for an extended period of time (as you would have to do with a tablet) than to be looking (almost) straight ahead. Both are bad, but the tablet would be worse.
i don't know how you guys are typing but for me a tablet is a lot more ergonomical with the screen down and so close to the keyboard than a laptop.
aside of that you wouldn't type more than a few lines at any given times anyway. it's not meant to write a book on it. it's meant to surf the web and read a few small emails.
it would have the perfect format for me to have it around the house and backyard or at work for private mail and surfing and watching a movie on the bus or in a car.
Okay buddy. Yeah, I totally thought that was the real tablet. You got me.
Except I never made any claim like that. I know that you didn't think it was a photo of the actual forthcoming product. However your criticisms come across as though you know how the real device will function. You sound pretty convinced that the device doesn't make sense - "I just don't see a need for this device". I was just emphasizing out how meaningless that statement really ends up being, since you don't know how "this device" even works yet.
And as you are keenly aware - in a discussion forum, anyone can comment. That includes not just you, but me too. I never asked you to stop posting, nor did I claim I could or would. All I've done is respond to your comments with counter-points, and in a demostrably friendlier fashion than you seem to be capable of, I might add. I suspect that I am not the only one who would like to see you post with a little more maturity.
I'm sure Apple is totally going for "not perfect" with this.
(rude sarcasm deleted)
So are you suggesting that the iPhone is perfect? I don't see how one could conclude such a thing given all the improvements they've made since the debut, and more on the way. The reality is that any portable device faces compromises, even those from Apple. Typing with your thumbs on a tablet would be no less perfect than it already is on an iPhone.
I do agree it will be worse on the tablet. But the tablet could offer other features that make the tradeoff worthwhile, just like the laptop offers features that make it a worthwhile tradeoff vs. a desktop machine. I listed some of those possible features earlier.
As I showed, the tech is right there for it. The iPod Nano has had that resolution for some time now, which maps perfectly into the 10" screen rumor for HD1080p.
...which presumably is growing ever closer to full-bore OS X, just a matter of how much horsepower they can cram into the given space (and an iTablet would have room to grow in).
Precisely: many/most users could chuck their computer outright. Heck, I've largely abandoned mine in favor of my 1Gen iPod Touch - and lack of keyboard is one of the few reasons I haven't completely. If I could just leave a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, and charging/viewing stand on my desk, going from on-the-run to on-the-desk would involve merely putting the iTablet in its stand. The bulky parts I don't need on the run are right there on my desk ready to use once merely in reach.
Actually, my computer IS a laptop - with a 10.5" screen at that - yet I've mostly given up on it as noted. It's still notably heavier than an iTablet would be, really does need some flat surface (I can't be sitting all the time to use it), must be unfolded into a larger shape, and lugs around parts (assorted connectors, DVD writer, rarely-used keyboard) I don't need most of the time.
If you have a stand you have to have something to put the stand on like a desk. Now you just have stationed your tablet like a desktop and a laptop would be much more practical for your on the go solution. Battery life could be decent like their notebooks hopefully, the iPhones and iPod touch battery life isn't very good.
The other tablets fail because they're still relatively weighty & bulky notebooks. I want to leave the keyboard and other stuff behind, save only for touchscreen and WiFi. The iPhone/iPod Touch is a big win because it puts most of your computing needs in your pocket; the only drawback is tiny size, which an iTablet would solve.
Hey, in the end it's simply a matter of whether there is a big enough demand for it. There IS a demand. If you're not part of that demand, there's plenty else for you to choose from.
Discussion forum. I was giving my opinion. And, as everyone knows, my opinion automatically becomes law for everyone. I still don't see a need (meaning a large market) for this device. Sure, there will be niche users, fan-boys and show-offs. You did not change my mind.
That's right. Anyone can comment. I never told you not to respond or comment. What are you talking about?
I'm quite capable of being friendly.... feel free to look up my other posts in these forums. Your response to my comment simply rubbed me the wrong way. Especially your opening comments in this post. If you notice, I did not get sarcastic with you until after that post.
I guess I missed the "Let's make Surely be more friendly and mature" petition that must be floating around.
Yes, I'm suggesting that the iPhone is perfect.
Typing with your thumbs on a tablet would be extremely cumbersome. I think we would see a spike in Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.
Yes, and everyone that has bought a laptop uses it with a separate keyboard and monitor (I know I do....oh, wait, no I don't). Obviously the options can be made, but that doesn't mean that people will use them. It all depends on how much more money people would want to spend after buying the tablet. I doubt that a large percentage of people would be buying a portable tablet so that they can carry a keyboard, a mouse, and a tablet stand with them as well. Might as well buy a laptop.
I don't see the need to continue with this off-topic back-and-forth. If you so desire to have the last word, feel free to respond to this post. You are no longer amusing to me.
I think YOU desire to have the last word.
You guys are talking about Apple's rumored tablet. Nothing off-topic about that. I can barely tell where your opinions split though, best you depart from the navel gazing.TOPIC: "Apple Tablet Seen by Analyst While Competitors Hold Off to Wait for Details?"
My prediction? Either the tablet will feature a built-in keyboard (flips out), Bluetooth support as an option, or Apple will continue to push hard for virtual keyboards on its MT platform. I think Jobs was very proud of his "finger" slide in January of 2007. I'd imagine they might finally go for Bluetooth keyboard support as a compromise while pushing the superiority of the soft-keyboard.
HP almost had me entranced with its Touch computer. VERY well done. Dell has successfully shipped the "first tablet PC featuring multi-touch", and charges megabucks for it. HP's tx2 is much more consumer friendly in price, but has less battery life, is heavier, and apparently runs hot.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/10/dell-latitude-xt2-multi-touch-tablet-with-11-hour-battery-now-of/
http://h30440.www3.hp.com/campaigns/tx2/demo/Model.html
DELL - $2,399
HP - $1099
APPLE - $799 (?)
So far the other offerings have fairly limited multi-touch options (zooming, scrolling). It will be interesting to see where Apple thinks this needs to go.
~ CB
I think YOU desire to have the last word.
TOPIC: "Apple Tablet Seen by Analyst While Competitors Hold Off to Wait for Details?"
My prediction? Either the tablet will feature a built-in keyboard (flips out), Bluetooth support as an option, or Apple will continue to push hard for virtual keyboards on its MT platform. I think Jobs was very proud of his "finger" slide in January of 2007. I'd imagine they might finally go for Bluetooth keyboard support as a compromise while pushing the superiority of the soft-keyboard.
HP almost had me entranced with its Touch computer. VERY well done. Dell has successfully shipped the "first tablet PC featuring multi-touch", and charges megabucks for it. HP's tx2 is much more consumer friendly in price, but has less battery life, is heavier, and apparently runs hot.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/10/dell-latitude-xt2-multi-touch-tablet-with-11-hour-battery-now-of/
http://h30440.www3.hp.com/campaigns/tx2/demo/Model.html
DELL - $2,399
HP - $1099
APPLE - $799 (?)
So far the other offerings have fairly limited multi-touch options (zooming, scrolling). It will be interesting to see where Apple thinks this needs to go.
~ CB
It depends though. The new Dell tablet pc is not a slate tablet, which is what I'm assuming Apple will be attempting to do. It's a convertible with an actual physical keyboard, just the multitouch screen is flippable.
Well in any case you made a big deal about my earlier reply, almost as if you were insulted that I even dared post a retort to something you wrote. You definitely appear to take this all real personally - way moreso than the average person, certainly. I guess maybe you think you should be able to say whatever you want however you want and never get challenged on it. That's the impression you give, anyway. Then when someone does post a counterpoint you get all sarcastic as if they are an idiot. You definitely don't acknowledge the possibility that your post might have been unclear, or perhaps just that your logic is not 100% sound. Its really anti-social behavior. And pretty ironic too. Oh well. I guess you'd rather a forum with lots of drama and conflict than just simply some like-minded people having a friendly discussion.
That's ok, I wasn't trying to.
So, what I was referring to was the tangent you went on with your wild theory about me being thinking I'm in charge of the thread even though there's zero evidence to support such a claim. You remember. Anyway, you definitely overreacted there. All I did was post a response to your comments, after all.
Well, but I've no time or desire to read any of your other posts outside this thread. One thing though - you posted a sarcastic comment way back in post #107. It wasn't directed at me specifically, but I happened to notice it when I was reading the forum. Like myself in the post you cite above, that guy also did nothing to provoke you, he just posted a reply with his opinion. So, if you are capable of being friendly, then at the very least you don't always take the time to be bothered with it. In fact you go out of your way to be unfriendly.
Yes, I'm suggesting that the iPhone is perfect.
You did very clearly imply that all Apple products are perfect with your little ficticious Jobs dialog.
Again, no worse than an iPhone.
The device may be more portable than a laptop though, and have other advantages as I mentioned previously. And few people carry the peripherals you mention around with them when they take their laptops. So the same applies here.
I agree the off-topic part is unfortunate. Perhaps you'll consider being more mature in the future so it needn't happen any more. At least now that you've decide to exit the discussion it won't drag out any further in this thread.
^Yikes!
I doubt that we'll see a built-in flip-out keyboard. I'd say yes on Bluetooth and yes on Apple continuing to push the virtual keyboard.
Your price-point guess is probably what we'll see if they go through with this. But perhaps we'll see 2-3 different models.
I think the real problem, as I was trying to say before, is where is the market for this? This is not a device that everyone would be able to make use of. When Apple designs a product like this (as opposed to a Mac Pro), they try to design it for everyone- not just for a small niche market. They would want to sell as many of them as they possibly can. If someone had a choice between a tablet and a laptop/desktop, I think that they would go with the laptop/desktop. If someone already had a laptop/desktop, perhaps they would buy the tablet. This device seems more like a toy than something that would be useful for day-to-day productivity. That is the problem with this device. As much as every Apple fanboy wants to see them make the legendary tablet, I think that they will have a hard time selling them. Sure, everyone will think that the new tablet is cool, everyone will go to the Apple Store to play with it, but in the end, especially in the economic environment we're in, I don't see this being a slam-dunk (like the iPhone). I don't think that the timing is right.
I doubt that we'll see a built-in flip-out keyboard. I'd say yes on Bluetooth and yes on Apple continuing to push the virtual keyboard.
Your price-point guess is probably what we'll see if they go through with this. But perhaps we'll see 2-3 different models.
I think the real problem, as I was trying to say before, is where is the market for this? This is not a device that everyone would be able to make use of. When Apple designs a product like this (as opposed to a Mac Pro), they try to design it for everyone- not just for a small niche market. They would want to sell as many of them as they possibly can. If someone had a choice between a tablet and a laptop/desktop, I think that they would go with the laptop/desktop. If someone already had a laptop/desktop, perhaps they would buy the tablet. This device seems more like a toy than something that would be useful for day-to-day productivity. That is the problem with this device. As much as every Apple fanboy wants to see them make the legendary tablet, I think that they will have a hard time selling them. Sure, everyone will think that the new tablet is cool, everyone will go to the Apple Store to play with it, but in the end, especially in the economic environment we're in, I don't see this being a slam-dunk (like the iPhone). I don't think that the timing is right.
I'm not sure whether Dell or HP debuted this form-factor (flippable screen) first, but it seems nice enough to preoccupy a decent audience. If I had a "flippable" as thin as my aluminum unibody MacBook, I'm not sure if that would fit the bill for me. If I had a flippable as thin as the MacBook AIR, I still think it's screen size would be somewhat unwieldy or inconvenient. Apple has definitely got to hit the "sweet spot" on the screen size and weight or its a loser.
They'll need to ditch the DVD (although a MacBookAir-type, remote DVD option would be excellent), abandon the keyboard, keep a USB and an SD card reader, have Bluetooth/WiFi, allow any stand/dock to be both portrait AND landscape, support the AppStore and iTunes, and have a formidable battery life (15+ hours).
Anyhow, feels like we're chasing rainbows. I'm not sure what Apple could do that wouldn't need to be absolute magic to gain critical mass. It seems like a niche product for now... but could easily be an iPod-level game changer if it comes together right. Nokia has been trafficking in this general arena for-EVER.
~ CB
Exactly. But, the only thing I can say is "don't count Apple out". Dell had the right idea (play the video), but had NO clear direction on how users can acquire software for the platform. --But without ALL the pieces, Dell's commercial is a engineer's pipe dream... hoping someone else will piece it together. If Apple keeps the "mix" of extensibility right, LOTS of developers are ready to join into the platform and empower it with solutions.
If Apple builds it, will they come? I firmly believe that if Apple would open the Apple TV up to 3rd party developers and an AppStore, it would become much more than it is. Outside of that? Niche. Apple has the developer momentum behind it. They just need to figure out the realistic market for the device.
~ CB
Oh really? It's a virtual keyboard? Thank you soooo much for clearing that up for me.
It will be really great being able to see less than half of the document you're typing while the keyboard is up. I mean, who wouldn't love that?
How quickly you forget that the first word processors were typewriters with two-line displays.
Are you saying they didn't do the same thing when they were writing on a clipboard? It may be digital now, but it's hardly any different, and a heck of a lot faster to transfer your notes into your desktop.
At about 7" across, that sounds like easy typing if you want to go two-handed. Much easier than trying to crowd your thumbs on a Palm Pre's keyboard.
In some ways, maybe you're right. But considering there's already a lot of medical software out there for the iPhone, it might not be as difficult as you think.
^ right. All Apple has to do is continue to offer the tools for the developers and with this added growth we'll see tons of apps and games.
I want details on the OS. I want it to be a computer... or have the right functions as a half ass laptop. At a point (around $800) I'll have to say I'd pop for an Air over a tablet. The Air has power... a lot more power I'm betting than what the tablet will have. Who knows, maybe an upscaled version of the iPhone OS will run plenty fast on an Atom processor. 1gb ram and 1ghz cpu with 1mb cache?
I want details on the OS. I want it to be a computer... or have the right functions as a half ass laptop. At a point (around $800) I'll have to say I'd pop for an Air over a tablet. The Air has power... a lot more power I'm betting than what the tablet will have. Who knows, maybe an upscaled version of the iPhone OS will run plenty fast on an Atom processor. 1gb ram and 1ghz cpu with 1mb cache?
What about the contract price?
Everyone seems to be balking at the $800 price for these things. But the iPhone 3Gs is priced at $700 (without a contract). So what's the big deal?
The killer app is going to be that you pay only $399 for the Apple tablet (a $100 premium over a netbook) BUT there will be a 2 year contract for the wireless data plan.
It checks all the right boxes:
* Netbook price--with Apple tax
* $800 worth of wow-factor technology
* Wireless connection everywhere
* The contract is how they make their money
Now...who will get exclusive rights to be the carrier?
Everyone seems to be balking at the $800 price for these things. But the iPhone 3Gs is priced at $700 (without a contract). So what's the big deal?
The killer app is going to be that you pay only $399 for the Apple tablet (a $100 premium over a netbook) BUT there will be a 2 year contract for the wireless data plan.
It checks all the right boxes:
* Netbook price--with Apple tax
* $800 worth of wow-factor technology
* Wireless connection everywhere
* The contract is how they make their money
Now...who will get exclusive rights to be the carrier?
therein lies the rub. assuming it is meant to use cell data and not just wifi. since we don't have access to the actual contract with ATT we can't speak as to whether the exclusivity includes all devices that can access cell data or just that device known as the iphone.
if it does not, then there will probably not be exclusive rights, just as they are not likely to sign over service to t-mobile for any exclusive time once ATT is done (t-mobile being the only company with the technology to handle the iphone right now). it is more likely the iphone will go unlock and anyone with the tech to handle it as Apple wishes to design it can go for it (ie, they won't be making a CDMA etc version just so Verizon and Sprint can have an iphone but if they pick up 3g or whatever comes next they can have at).
if it does, then it would be ATT if released before the contract is over. but I can't really see them releasing it before then if such is the case. i forsee them holding any other 3g/4g/whatever device until it can go no holds. so either the whole project waits until then or G1 is wifi only and cell data comes with G2
The assumption seems to be in this and other statements that Apple is simple a HARDWARE company. Rather, Apple is a complete concept company: Apple has not come out with a netbook because they knew they would just be following in the tracks of others -- they wanted to do something different that would distinguish WHATEVER they came out with from the herd; they wanted to create a who new kind of product.
It will hardly be just a device for watching movies, or a revamped Apple TV, or a doodle pad, or a 10" Macbook; it will do something that will blow all of our socks off -- and if it has mobile capacity, it WILL be on the Verizon network so Verizon can prove to Apple that they have better coverage and can deliver the good that AT&T cannot.
Whatever it does, no one here has nailed it down -- that is the beauty of the Apple ingenuity in product development.
Apple always seems to set the standard for what we all should be using. Everything they make just works and it works even better when you put them all together. Apple isn't just a hardware company, they've figured out how to take software and wrap it around the hardware to the point that it is pretty much one solid piece of machinery that works together magically. You go Apple.
What The Point Of An Apple Tablet For The Public. I Can See It Coming In Handy In The Commercial Sector, But Why Would Anyone Else Need It. a 200 Dollar Wacom Will Do Whatever You Want, Ya Know?
