Apple Tablet to Launch in Early 2010 Using Chip Platform From P.A. Semi?

[str1f3]

If this will run iPhone OS (or something like that) and not full Snow Leopard = FAIL!

If it will run full Snow Leopard = Could be interesting. (And of course it just gotta have built in 3G).

I think it's more interesting than that. If it does run the iPhone OS (which it probably will) it will probably serve as the underpinnings of the iPhone OS. Multitasking, API for developers to talk to other apps, and file structure.

I don't see a reason yet for me to buy it, but I am excited to see what they can do and how this will influence the iPhone. Any serious change to OS Touch would be held off in order to introduce this product with all the new featurers.

 

[Heijtink]

I'm a little preoccupied this morning, otherwise I'd do some research. Can anyone say what the approximate screen size could be?

Display:
Size: 9.7" multi-touch screen
Resolution: 1366 x768

Processor:
Self-developed ARM processor in cooperation with PA Semi ip.
1,5 Ghz
1024 KB L2 Cache
128 L Cache
128 D Cache

RAM:
1024 MB
133 Mhz

Connectivity:
3G HSPDA 7.2 mbps
AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n)
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
USB 2.0
30 Pin connector

Storage:
64 GB or 128 GB

Battery:
Integrated Battery. Non removable.
30-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery

Extra:
GPS
Compass
Motion sensor
Light sensor

No camera and no proximity sensor

Price:
$699 and $799

 

[colmaclean]

Someone asked how you would use a 10" tablet when a notebook can do the same thing. Well, the notebook can't. Can you hold a notebook in one arm and coherently use the keyboard, mouse, etc. with your free hand? Not really. You're stuck with putting the unwieldy thing down on some surface and try to type on it, hoping it doesn't slip off your hand, bench, table, lap or wherever you've put it. This is the greatest advantage for a tablet-type device.

Very good, but it's a lot more comfortable to use a laptop if sitting down.

A MBP with a touchscreen. Now, there's an idea...

 

[SHOlover]

Yes, I want you and ONLY you to buy one of these.

That was Apple's plan. To sell only one.

You all are forgetting all the older people I've met who like my iPhone but say the screen is too small for them to see. Should they have to buy a full laptop? Or might they prefer to buy this instead?

LOL

I love your posts!

 

[rumplestiltskin]

1st Qtr - 2010 is October-December 2009...

Apple fiscal year 2009 ends September 30th, 2009. First quarter, 2010 begins October 1st, 2009.

Releasing this device AFTER Christmas leaves about...oh, maybe $100 million on the table?

 

[dubhe]

Considering the amount of time I spend surfing the web in bed, watching tv or on the can on my iPhone, I think I would use this quite a bit. Remember not all of us use laptops at home

 

[dparri526]

Reading books.

Reading books on a backlit screen? Ugh.

I read books all the time on my ipod touch. But, I would also like to watch movies and TV shows on a slightly bigger screen. For that reason I would buy this. However, I will not buy anything where I have to pay a monthly fee. I have heard that rumor floating around as well. The latest is this will be a Verizon Device and will require a monthly fee from them.

That is a deal breaker for me. I love the Iphone, but cannot justify spending an extra $40 a month over what I pay now. In reality we are being nickeled and dimed to death by various service providers. WiFi would be perfect for me.

 

[slfare]

This is something I would probably highly consider being that I don't really need a powerful laptop, yet I want something big enough to work on at home. Very interesting. You can never go wrong with more options!

That is a deal breaker for me. I love the Iphone, but cannot justify spending an extra $40 a month over what I pay now. In reality we are being nickeled and dimed to death by various service providers. WiFi would be perfect for me.

I forgot about this catch; this would definitely NOT make me want to buy it. Already paying the $30 a month for the iPhone. They should make this like an iPod Touch which has WiFi, then I am game.

Think of the possibilities; stream movies, music, etc. to your tablet from your media center in the living room to your bedroom. Awesomeness!

By the way, what game is that featured on both devices?

 

[frjonah]

I hope that's not it...

I know with all the talk about "tablet" that the "oversized iPod Touch" concept seems to be prevailing as most likely vs. a more traditional "Netbook" type of design... I, for one, hope that the mini-laptop style of design is used rather than the tablet as it complicates a lot of functional issues for me such as:

1. Input method
2. How to "rest" the screen to view it (and the design implications this would have)
3. Screen safety (3 kids will make you think about such things)
4. Originality - the oversize iPod Touch concept just seems non-breakthrough to me... -- Ok... I know this is technically not a functional issue, but I am an devotee

Anyway, we'll see how it turns out.

 

[frjonah]

Cromag Rally

By the way, what game is that featured on both devices?

Cromag Rally

 

[Johnpartridge]

"WTF Who on earth would ever want to carry 1000 MP3's in there pocket?!?!? this device is going to fail"

Remember those? I Do.

People just wait and see, this will change things just like the iPod did, and the iPhone is currently doing.

 

[lookoverthere]

!!!

From all the rumors I've read, it does seem that this iTablet will be a media device like the iPod Touch. I can't wait. This will only draw more excitement about Multi-Touch control.

I personally hope that Apple will make a Mac-Like Multi-Touch device. Maybe something with this interface design:

http://macslate.blogspot.com/

Of Course I might be a little biased since I made these concept designs

Pictures from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thenewtouch/

 

[jouster]

"WTF Who on earth would ever want to carry 1000 MP3's in there pocket?!?!? this device is going to fail"

Remember those? I Do.

I don't. I remember complaints about the price, though.

Edit: the guy in the pic 3 above must have extraordinarily strong fingers.

 

[reactions]

I hope it has a built in stand.

Arm = failure

well let's hope it works out

 

[Justinf79]

Display:
Size: 9.7" multi-touch screen
Resolution: 1366 x768

Processor:
Self-developed ARM processor in cooperation with PA Semi ip.
1,5 Ghz
1024 KB L2 Cache
128 L Cache
128 D Cache

RAM:
1024 MB
133 Mhz

Connectivity:
3G HSPDA 7.2 mbps
AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n)
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
USB 2.0
30 Pin connector

Storage:
64 GB or 128 GB

Battery:
Integrated Battery. Non removable.
30-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery

Extra:
GPS
Compass
Motion sensor
Light sensor

No camera and no proximity sensor

Price:
$699 and $799

I think it could have a dual-core ARM CPU. It should have some USB/miniUSB/firewire, and a miniDisplay port as well. Wouldn't surprise me if it had a front-facing camera either.

I'm just hoping it's not too heavy, with it being a 10 inch screen and all.

 

[slackpacker]

with all the Art programs that are out for the iPhone this will be cool if its running the iPod Touch OS. Do iPhone programs scale well if run in an emulator that could support a larger work surface? Does the OS support larger resolutions?

 

[windywoo]

Apple have an uphill struggle if this is true. The markets they have gone into before (MP3 players, mobile phone) were established, if not as stylish as Apple's presence made them.

Tablet PCs barely register in the PC market, so the Apple brand will really be stretching itself if it wants to bring new life there.

 

[MVApple]

People who buy the iPod Touch and mainly use it for web browsing, book reading, and watching movies.

If those are your 3 main iPod uses, this thing would be WAY better for you than an iPod.

I suspect there's a lot of folks like that. Who is buying all those Kindles? Might this catch their eye instead since it does all that and more?

It would attract an insignificant number of Kindle users. The biggest reason people are attracted to e-readers is the because the e-ink looks very close to paper. People who buy kindles are heavy readers, and heavy readers do not like backlit displays because it tires your eyes faster.

Not to mention the fact that the font rendering in OS X is not optomized for readability the way it is in Windows.

 

[branjosef]

ugly!!!! I'll pass.

 

[Shake 'n' Bake]

And when has Apple cared for "general consumer markets"? Without built in 3G it will be a fail.

Oh and it should be aluminum design, that thing needs to be robust! Plastic = yuck!!!

iMac, iBook, Macintosh LC, etc.

$1099.

More like $2499. This is Apple.

Display:
Size: 9.7" multi-touch screen
Resolution: 1366 x768

Processor:
Self-developed ARM processor in cooperation with PA Semi ip.
1,5 Ghz
1024 KB L2 Cache
128 L Cache
128 D Cache

RAM:
1024 MB
133 Mhz

Connectivity:
3G HSPDA 7.2 mbps
AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n)
Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
USB 2.0
30 Pin connector

Storage:
64 GB or 128 GB

Battery:
Integrated Battery. Non removable.
30-watt-hour lithium-polymer battery

Extra:
GPS
Compass
Motion sensor
Light sensor

No camera and no proximity sensor

Price:
$699 and $799

Does ARM have anything that gets to 1.5 GHz? Why not get a 1.6 GHz C2D? SL can't run on a ARM.

RAM is a bit too little for SL. RAM is way, way too slow.

Nobody uses a or b. Keep is simple: g/n. 3G as an option.

NO dock connector. Absolutely not. And why would an iPod have USB? If you're thinking SL and iPhone OS dual boot, not gonna happen.

SSDs are still too expensive. More like 1.8'' HDD.

Motion sensor and ambient light sensor standard. There has been an ambient light sensor on practically everything Apple since the iMac G5. iSight standard, obviously. 8 MP general-purpose camera optional.

Too cheap for Apple. Think more like $999 and up.

I know with all the talk about "tablet" that the "oversized iPod Touch" concept seems to be prevailing as most likely vs. a more traditional "Netbook" type of design... I, for one, hope that the mini-laptop style of design is used rather than the tablet as it complicates a lot of functional issues for me such as:

1. Input method
2. How to "rest" the screen to view it (and the design implications this would have)
3. Screen safety (3 kids will make you think about such things)
4. Originality - the oversize iPod Touch concept just seems non-breakthrough to me... -- Ok... I know this is technically not a functional issue, but I am an devotee

Anyway, we'll see how it turns out.

1. Really? You've obviously never used a tablet. You use a virtual keyboard, handwriting recognition, or a just write in text boxes. There is also a paper simulator that leaves your handwriting alone.

2. Stand that matches iMac and Cinema displays.

3. Keep it away from children or buy a case.

 

[jouster]

Apple have an uphill struggle if this is true. The markets they have gone into before (MP3 players [...] ) were established [...]

I disagree. MP3 players existed, but they were very far from established. They were awful, clunky, poorly-designed geek devices; they attracted virtually no mainstream consumer interest.

In fact, it was *Apple* that established this market.

 

[Amdahl]

i
Does ARM have anything that gets to 1.5 GHz? Why not get a 1.6 GHz C2D? SL can't run on a ARM.

Exactly, but PA Semi does make 2.0 Ghz PPC chips, and SL does run on that. We may discover that the tablet is going to be running PPC, and will be an OS X device, rather than ARM and an iPhoneOS device.

 

[Dr.Buzz]

Who it works for (not number 2)

What is it for?

iPhone/iPod Touch = Small
MB/MBP = Good size

Who wants something too big for a pocket? If you are going to carry a bag, use your MB/MBP.

Can someone explain how it fits in and who the target market is?

Gamers = buy a laptop w/ full keys.

Business people who work on the road a lot = laptop for same reason

At home/personal = desktop plus the tablet w/o keyboard because 90% of why we are on computers these days is reading, status checking, video viewing or something similar that does not need a full keyboard to be efficient. I write emails on my iphone without concern.

I have a laptop at home that might as well not have a keyboard already. If I really want to do some work I get on the desktop. But I also hate having to lug around a laptop with ****** battery life and too much weight. Unless they come up with a clever way to type or write on it, this is not so much a business device as it is a home/travel PERSONAL media device like an ipod, but bigger. Everybody likes stuff that's super-sized.

It's hard having an iphone because I almost don't need this device unless they can give it functions that are really attractive beyond the full internet experience that an iphone provides. Will be exciting to see the marketing magic they use for this thing.

 

[puffnstuff]

I think it's going to be released in september

 

[mac*jedi*g]

I guess all those here who had predicted that an "oversize", or "Huge" iPhone would be suffice in entering in the Netbook race were correct.

It would be advantageous if Apple could use this as a test bed for developing a viable open face notebook with similar functions, but with a laptop architecture - robust enough to use as a central educational device that will replace (or substitute) hard and heavy textbooks and binders. (Only for Senior High/College students, of course).