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

[THX1139]

I'm continually surprised by those who claim there is no practical use for this kind of product. Just at a baseline this thing has to appeal to students. Online, easy access to text books, class notes, video, audio lecture recording, sketching, etc. Then think businesses where carrying around a full-fledged laptop is cumbersome but a thin tablet would work great for light typing/data-entry (like me in healthcare). Add bluetooth keyboard capability and video out and you have everything you need for most business operations in the field in a form factor that is much easier to use than either a smartphone or a laptop.

I agree. People who see no need for a product like this can't see beyond their own little world. I'd buy one just for the convenience of being able to show videos and comps to clients out of my office. Quite often I'm tired of having to haul my $2K+ MacbookPro out into the field just to use it as a viewing device. I only want to take the laptop when I have work that needs done, not as an expensive way to view stuff or surf the web. For client review process, or just taking general notes, I'd love to have something to throw in my saddlebag without worrying about damage or loss. On a personal level, I'd much rather have this to watch movies on than the rather small screen iPod.

 

[ticklemonster]

I would like one of these if they don't have to be tied to AT&T or any other subscription.

 

[MacTheSpoon]

I'm sure it will be the best tablet ever, but I imagine the market for it will be pretty small. I doubt many people will opt for it instead of a netbook.

 

[Amdahl]

It isn't x86...

Interesting idea that they buy a PowerPC chip designer to create an ARM, especially considering PA Semi's big product at time of purchase was a lower-power 2Ghz PPC for embedded applications.

But I guess they want binary compatibility to iPhone, rather than binary compatibility to Mac OS X. Or maybe Steve just hates PowerPC, even though Apple probably gets free licensing. Then again, Steve gets 30% of the revenue for ARM software sales, and 0% of the revenue for PPC or x86 software sales.

 

[MacMini2009]

Wow, I want one.

 

[RumorHasIt....]

I'm continually surprised by those who claim there is no practical use for this kind of product. Just at a baseline this thing has to appeal to students. Online, easy access to text books, class notes, video, audio lecture recording, sketching, etc. Then think businesses where carrying around a full-fledged laptop is cumbersome but a thin tablet would work great for light typing/data-entry (like me in healthcare). Add bluetooth keyboard capability and video out and you have everything you need for most business operations in the field in a form factor that is much easier to use than either a smartphone or a laptop.

I agree. In meetings, laptops are cumbersome and noisy. This would fit in perfect. Also, Office apps, with editing capabilities, would be very useful. Get a kindle-like cover and it would look very professional.

 

[dagamer34]

It's sad when people talk about buying a product they've never seen. That's when expectations suddenly rise disproportionately and people are saddened when Apple doesn't release what they expected.

There are very important factors Apple needs to solve:

1) Keyboard? Since it's unlikely that the device will have a keyboard by default, how will one enter text input? With such a large device, the iPhone method is quite cumbersome and likely to have even worse WPM.

2) Battery life? Netbooks these days average 2-3 hours because their batteries are so small, and often some manufacturers bend the truth when reporting their numbers.

3) Operating system? With an ARM chip, it probably won't be running OS X. That means no Mac software. Most likely it'll be the iPhone OS "on steroids". I also expect to see some Snow Leopard tech to creep in (as Leopard tech was in iPhone OS 1.0).

We'll see what Apple comes up with. All I know is that I am NOT onboard for another data plan, as one contract is enough for me. They better sell this device unsubsidized at a reasonable price or I'll sit out on the sidelines.

 

[Doctor Q]

if people wanted tablets, they would've took off long ago

Perhaps, in Apple's view, the market doesn't take off until the product is done right. There were MP3s online and MP3 players before the iPod and the iTunes Store, but it took Apple to turn it into the Next Big Thing.

Perhaps a tablet with the right design will become the product that consumers need but never knew they needed.

Will I have to buy yet another copy of all of my favorite Mac OS or iPhone apps?

 

[FrenzyBanana]

portable apple TV with games and applications?

 

[bnp]

Where will it fit in?

I will be getting one.

So what will the Netbook do for you that the iPhone and MBP does not already do?
I can see the purpose for people with desk top Macs who want something portable but do not need/want a full fledged second computer.
But for someone who already is portable with a MacBook (pro), and an iPhone what will this goody do for you?

 

[MovieCutter]

Somebody check on Alex Lindsay and make sure he didn't collapse from excitement...

 

[Wingsy]

Flexible OLED?

I've read where OLED displays can be made quite flexible. What if this thing folded in the middle so you could at least get it stuffed into a pocket?

What if it had 2 LCDs, one at the top for the "display" and another at the bottom for the touch-screen/keyboard, and that folded in the middle?

I agree with other posters in that if it can't fit in your pocket you may as well carry a Macbook. I can't see all that much advantage in going from a 13" screen to a 10", just so you can have an Apple netbook.

 

[colmaclean]

I agree. People who see no need for a product like this can't see beyond their own little world. I'd buy one just for the convenience of being able to show videos and comps to clients out of my office. Quite often I'm tired of having to haul my $2K+ MacbookPro out into the field just to use it as a viewing device. I only want to take the laptop when I have work that needs done, not as an expensive way to view stuff or surf the web. For client review process, or just taking general notes, I'd love to have something to throw in my saddlebag without worrying about damage or loss. On a personal level, I'd much rather have this to watch movies on than the rather small screen iPod.

The advantage of a laptop is that you can watch movies or whatever hands-free. You couldn't do that with this tablet concept, unless it came with some kind of stand or levitation device.

 

[WLS]

So much for the October 2009 debut that was rumored here a week or 2 ago. Ha ha!

And what about the last 10 years worth of Apple's rumors to release something like this?

The arist's rendition is cool, but so are the devices on Star Trek.

I think whatever tablet/netbook/thingy that Apple releases will likely be late to the market unless it opens up a whole new world of usability...if Apple is targeting Feb 2010 that's still 7+ months from now and I'm sure it's going to be $800+.

I gotta think this will be announced at CES - where Apple goes now and that would be the first full week in Jan with availability by the end of the month but who knows for sure. Yea I was working myself up to expecting something this Fall but It looks like a Touch upgrade instead.

 

[alent1234]

So what will the Netbook do for you that the iPhone and MBP does not already do?
I can see the purpose for people with desk top Macs who want something portable but do not need/want a full fledged second computer.
But for someone who already is portable with a MacBook (pro), and an iPhone what will this goody do for you?

it will make the hard core apple fanboys feel more superior. since wal mart is selling apple products the superiority was lost. this will bring it back since it won't be sold in wal mart to people with no teeth who argue over whether Coppenhagen or the other snuff's taste better

 

[chstr]

So what will the Netbook do for you that the iPhone and MBP does not already do?
I can see the purpose for people with desk top Macs who want something portable but do not need/want a full fledged second computer.
But for someone who already is portable with a MacBook (pro), and an iPhone what will this goody do for you?

again, I reiterate, for clarity's sake. Its a big iphone without the phone. people have been wanting this since the iphone was introduced. this will sell big time in the business/education worlds wait and see. I'm back to being an apple fan again. I would even sign back on with att

 

[FSMBP]

The advantage of a laptop is that you can watch movies or whatever hands-free. You couldn't do that with this tablet concept, unless it came with some kind of stand or levitation device.

Good point.

The thing I love about Apple was they made products that served a great purpose - but this is downright gimmicky to the bone.

We got another "Apple TV" on our hands.

 

[Detektiv-Pinky]

I'm sure it will be the best tablet ever, but I imagine the market for it will be pretty small. I doubt many people will opt for it instead of a netbook.

Especially as it will likely have a price tag (possibly subscription based) that simply does not make it easy to it justify as a 'secondary' computing device...

 

[Compile 'em all]

Really, because it just looks like another iteration in the same line of products. Not that I have a problem with that...

You guys are talking talking talking and NO ONE has seen so far the software that will run on said device. Running a new full-blown multitouch OS X IS huge.

 

[alent1234]

Interesting idea that they buy a PowerPC chip designer to create an ARM, especially considering PA Semi's big product at time of purchase was a lower-power 2Ghz PPC for embedded applications.

But I guess they want binary compatibility to iPhone, rather than binary compatibility to Mac OS X. Or maybe Steve just hates PowerPC, even though Apple probably gets free licensing. Then again, Steve gets 30% of the revenue for ARM software sales, and 0% of the revenue for PPC or x86 software sales.

it's not that big a deal to change the instruction set on a CPU these days. Intel CPU's still support instructions from the 1970's but it's all virtualized in the CPU. they are more RISC than the original CISC roots. Transmeta did some nice work in this area as well and who ever bought them just licenses out their patents.

 

[jeznav]

The only thing I can see something like this being useful for is a digital sketchbook. That would be awesome for all the artists and designers. But it would really need a wacom digitizer and more powerful processor if it is to run Photoshop.

As is, I don't see the point of this thing. There has to be some details missing that would make this desirable.

I love to use ZBrush/Sketchbook on that thing. Having an ARM based processor, probably Cortex-A9 MP, native OSX apps wouldn't work directly but it would be more powerful than the Atom.


When this comes out, I guess there will be another OSX derivative like iPhone OS or perhaps it will use the same CocoaTouch frameworks and kernel as the iPhone but with Finder or a simple file manager something SpringBoard doesn't have.

There will be another SDK section for developers targeting this device. It could be easy to port existing OSX apps to this. Perhaps it might include an AppStore. But then again, Applications are sand-boxed like the iPhone. If it were to behave like OSX, the OS must work in such as installing apps are associated with file types and no sand-boxing. I just hope its not like the iPhoneOS front-end.


I need more information....

 

[SFStateStudent]

I'll take two b/c I can.....lol

 

[dam0dred]

Aside from using this as an e-Book reader I'm not sure that this form is particularly practical for much else.

However, I'd love to be proven wrong. Interesting nonetheless.

 

[iMacmatician]

The 10-inch, 3G-enabled tablet, akin to a jumbo iPod touch,

It isn't x86...

So I'm assuming some form of iPhone OS (or at most a hybrid)?

3) Operating system? With an ARM chip, it probably won't be running OS X. That means no Mac software. Most likely it'll be the iPhone OS "on steroids". I also expect to see some Snow Leopard tech to creep in (as Leopard tech was in iPhone OS 1.0).

I also expect additional features such as iLife and iWork.

 

[spaz8]

This would be the ultimate sketchbook if it supports a stylus and can run Photoshop and Zbrush (which even the lowest end macbook can)