Apple Working on a Tablet Mac?

[wizard]

we already have seen the birth of the ultimate gadget: the iphone. it needs some more space for music, photos, and video and improved connectivity.

A birth of a premature gadget if you ask me. Don't get me wrong the iPhone is impressive but there are many things about it that are of issue. The state of the software is one thing. The screen size another.

i was an idiot and sold my 30GB ipod and then was a bit disappointed with the touch and didn't buy it.

So what disappointed you about the Touch? I ask because I was dismayed also as the Touch came very close to being the perfect device in my eyes.

let's get excited about iphone 2 instead that is worth the 175$ verizon termination fee.

Well iPhone 2 could be it. On the other hand I really believe that Apple has the potential here for a whole family of devices. Items that can meet many needs, in many cases differentiated by screen size and the whether or not it has cell capability. I could easily see one more pocketable device and a larger screeen device for example


Dave

 

[farmboy]

What, no cold fusion?

MACBOOK TOUCH NECESSITIES
------------------------------
1. It should come in 9 inch, 13 inch & 17 inch
2. Reversible/2-sided camera so you could shoot at other people while looking at your MacBook Touch.
3. Black
4. Express card support might not be necessary anymore because AirCard work on USB now
5. Ability to touch anything on screen like iPhone, however have a pop-out keyboard if you want to use a regular keyboard.
6. USB, Firewire, SD Card Support
7. Bluetooth
8. Airport
9. 200 GB HD mininum
10. 4 GB ram maximum
11. It would be awesome if it could scan. Not a "necessity" though
12. Speakers (quality)
13. Multi-touch pad
14. 8 hour plus battery life
15. GPS would be nice. Not a "necessity" though
16. Much improved screen over current MacBook Pro
17. SuperDrive with Bluray and HD capability. Bluray/HD Not a "necessity" though
18. 360˚ turning screen
19. One piece, not two. What I mean is the screen is the whole MacBook Touch, like iPhone. It would be cool though if there was a slide-out/pop-out credit-card- thin manual keyboard.
20. If whole device could be no thicker than iPhone, bravo Apple.
21. Universal iPod/iPhone Docking Station (maybe as a pop-out like keyboard)
22. Lastly, obviously an attached stand with a few height/positioning choices.

Get serious. Even if it could be done, it would cost a fortune. Besides, "360° turning screen..."One piece, not two" What am I missing here?

 

[cbrain]

It seems possible, but if we are going to see it, it'll probably be unveiled at Macworld.

 

[sinisterdesign]

There's already a tablet Mac. It's called the iPhone. There's also the iPod touch.

Tablets have been something of a failure. There are a very small niches where they make sense (warehousing, hospitals) but none of these fall into Apple's typical use profiles. Everything Apple has done over the last 10 years has focussed on the multimedia-enabled home user.

Bear in mind that Nokia has recently ADDED a keyboard to its latest small Internet tablet (the N810). So Internet tablets have had their five minutes to make their claim to fame, and are now evolving away from the original tablet concept into more of a hybrid device.

Additionally, knowing Apple as we do, I don't see what they could bring to tablets to make them better. Apple focus on "just works" simplicity. What could they possibly add to the tablet concept to enable this? The concept is fundamentally flawed for most users.

i agree 100%. i was going to share my opinions, but you nailed them already...

 

[surferuke]

dave,

i live in tennessee. there aren't even any apple stores nearby. when i was finally able to compare the iphone and the touch, my 'anxiety' ended. the touch was not what i dreamed it up to be. it doesn't have the same feel and the iphone has some really impressive perks, like the visual voice mail and ability to get on anywhere. i met another student with the touch who cannot even access our university LEAP network to get internet. another student has the iphone which kicks into the edge network.

i am still in shock since march. i am not a techie in the true sense, but if you ask me, the apple people really hit the bullseye of all bullseyes with the iphone. the touch, give me a free and i'll take it, but blah, blah.

i am not too thrilled about ATT, but apparently, apple had the freedom to design the device that THEY envisioned instead of a stupid company saying "do this do that" and "take that feature off..."

i am really hoping for a 32gb iphone. I WILL BE WILLING TO SLEEP OUT FOR THAT ONE.

 

[Cloudane]

This old chestnut again?!

Not that optimism isn't a bad thing. People were speculating over an iPod Touch since the day the iPhone was unveiled, and it happened eventually.

Needless to say, sometime next year when my G4 Powerbook is paid off this would be very very attractive. Though it's been given a new lease of life with Leopard!

 

[surferuke]

dave

don't get me wrong, our jaws will drop if there is a tablet, but the whole ease of transport all-encompassing device would not be possible. bear with me, it would be a sort of european purse for men.

 

[Derwood]

Hmmm... 1.5 x iPhone dimensions, eh?

I would think that if this appears it will be marketed as an extension of the iPhone product line, rather than as an entirely new tablet PC from Apple.

"Love your iPhone? Well, this time there's more of it to love..."

It would vastly improve the usability and applications of the soft keyboard, bring in the possibility of almost fully functional office applications (.doc, .xls, .ppt, Keynote, Pages, Numbers et al.) and even stripped down versions of iLife suite (editing photo's, videos on the move, field recordings through Garageband lite).

I think this could be a real hit.

 

[Virgil-TB2]

touch screen possibilities

... Tablets have been something of a failure. There are a very small niches where they make sense (warehousing, hospitals) but none of these fall into Apple's typical use profiles. Everything Apple has done over the last 10 years has focussed on the multimedia-enabled home user. ...

Agreed.

For this reason, I think that any tablet Apple comes out with is likely to be aimed directly at the "multimedia enabled home user." I am thinking it might be a living room computer for the kids and your mom, interfaces with the TV, the web, etc. Kind of like a portable screen for your TV or your computer as well as serving as a kind of remote control for both.

Incorporate some telephone functionality and this one device will give you access and control over your whole multimedia enabled home.

Whether this happens or not ... in terms of tablet hardware, I would love to see Apple come out with a combination of the multi-touch and the traditional touch screens.

Moving virtual documents around with your fingers, but still being able to pull out a stylus and draw on the virtual paper would be an excellent and highly-efficient division of labour. Neither input method would recognise the other but both would work together cooperatively, each in their own "realm" sort of speak.

 

[wizard]

i live in tennessee. there aren't even any apple stores nearby. when i was finally able to compare the iphone and the touch, my 'anxiety' ended. the touch was not what i dreamed it up to be. it doesn't have the same feel and the iphone has some really impressive perks, like the visual voice mail and ability to get on anywhere. i met another student with the touch who cannot even access our university LEAP network to get internet. another student has the iphone which kicks into the edge network.

This is why I expressed the opinion that the tablet needs to at least have the option of cell access. While you describe it as a perk it is really a necessity for devices of this nature. WiFi just isn't there enough of the time.

The thing with iPhone that bothers me is the screen. It is just to small to handle the internet access part of the equation on a regular basis. The browser needs work also but that is another discussion. When comparing the Touch and the iPhone side beside it is noticeable.

i am still in shock since march. i am not a techie in the true sense, but if you ask me, the apple people really hit the bullseye of all bullseyes with the iphone. the touch, give me a free and i'll take it, but blah, blah.

I believe the iPhone is a good first effort but I don't see it as the final product and I don't think Apple sees it this way either. The iPhone did hit the bullseye but that is simply because the target was wide open with no competition. Apple needs to firm up the iPhones software suite quick. I think that was in the plans already though.

The Touch is an interesting device to be sure and has its place at the bottom of this device category. I do see potential for a device with more features though.

i am not too thrilled about ATT, but apparently, apple had the freedom to design the device that THEY envisioned instead of a stupid company saying "do this do that" and "take that feature off..."

I'm not to sure how free Apple is with the iPhone. In any event their relationship with ATT is what makes the possibility of cell free devices a reality.

i am really hoping for a 32gb iphone. I WILL BE WILLING TO SLEEP OUT FOR THAT ONE.

It is sure to be coming, I expect by spring. It is likely to be a rev of the current iPhone. I expect iPhone 2 to provide more features.

dave

 

[Crike .40]

I think there is a trend that is forming around this discussion (as has happened almost countless times in the past at this point). There are three camps of people. 1) People who think this device has a large enough niche to do well. 2) People who think this device is already covered by existing products. 3) People who have not yet logically gotten to the question about niche because they believe Apple should be developing existing products first.

I fall into all three categories. So here is how I feel about it, follow by the ideal solution (for me). Treat this new tablet as an extension of your iPhone and laptop teams. Employees working on it's software/OS should be the same as those developers working on software/OS for iphone/touch. Employees working on the hardware should be from the same team as those designing MB/MBPs. This use of existing teams prevents Apple from removing resources from existing projects by simply incorporating this product into existing lines. Next, Apple should be very sure to include features that are unique to the product. Creating this feature set allows for differentiation from existing product lines. As people have said before high performance / low cost would be a great place for Apple to be. Finally, Apple needs to differentiate the product a great deal. It needs to have a clear design goal in mind. People should immediately think, "wow, I never thought of that, but now that I have, I need it." So, that being said, here's what I want.

1) Give me my 12" PB back. There are plenty of people clammoring for this, and regardless of similarities to the MB, there needs to be a new small MBP.
2) This new MBP (12) should not be the table, it's too big, and the tablet feature would seem like a gimmick.
3)It should support at least 720 resolution. More is better (especially with increased RI). The screen needs to be significantly larger than the size of the iPhone, but no bigger than 8" diagonal.
4) It should support all apps that run on OSX (maybe this means intel proc, but I don't doubt ARM can do this).
5) No need for moving parts or optical drives, optional dock would be nice, or the ability to use an existing computer as a dock of sorts.
6) Back to my Mac needs to be flushed out as it is essential for this machine.
7) It should use both multi-touch (for typical OS control) as well as stylus based (for artist desiring a built-in Wacom).
8) It should support keyboard and mouse, but not come with them. The idea of the pop-out keyboard is nice, but it seems like a waste of space.
9) At over US$800 it would compete to closely with MB, at under US$600 it would compete too closely with iPhone.

10) 5 Products:
$600 - wifi/BT/OSX, small flash HD
$700 - wifi/BT/OSX, bigger flash HD + storage bay - option for edge
$800 - wifi/BT/OSX/EDGE, large flash HD + bay for more storage,
dock with keyboard/mouse
$100 - Dock/keyboard/mouse
$50 - edge add-on


(just what I would like to see)

 

[macmike47]

And besides, Jobs himself admited that Apple was working on a tablet Mac. Then he rejected because people don't want to handwrite all their emails.

Surely, having debunked the stylus with iPhone, Apple wouldn't expect people to use one to hand-write emails. I'd bet quite a lot that all the tactile-keys-on-touch-screen patent stuff we've seen will make it's way into the 'iTab' D).

 

[wizard]

Agreed.

I don't know how you can agree with this as Apple is selling a lot fo tablet computer right now in the form of Touch and iPhone

For this reason, I think that any tablet Apple comes out with is likely to be aimed directly at the "multimedia enabled home user." I am thinking it might be a living room computer for the kids and your mom, interfaces with the TV, the web, etc. Kind of like a portable screen for your TV or your computer as well as serving as a kind of remote control for both.

Not the market I'm thinking about at all.

Incorporate some telephone functionality and this one device will give you access and control over your whole multimedia enabled home.

Still not what I'm thinking about. Portability is the number one thing here.

Whether this happens or not ... in terms of tablet hardware, I would love to see Apple come out with a combination of the multi-touch and the traditional touch screens.

Which wouldn't be of much use unless they are in the form of a tablet computer.

Moving virtual documents around with your fingers, but still being able to pull out a stylus and draw on the virtual paper would be an excellent and highly-efficient division of labour. Neither input method would recognise the other but both would work together cooperatively, each in their own "realm" sort of speak.

Seems like you are on a wholly different track then the rest of us. We are talking about a portable device or rather a family of such devices, where at least a couple of them fit into your pocket. The idea being to provide iPhone like functionality with support for a high resolution screen preferably sized right. The larger screen would provide a platform for the enhanced deliver of apps and multimedia especially movies.

Dave

 

[MattInOz]

tablets won't happen.

Jobs has always said that people want to use a keyboard and a mouse/similar input device.

Imagine typing out a document on a touch screen. I'm not sure the technology is there yet to provide a decent solution to a keyboardless computer.

from 2003: http://www.macobserver.com/article/2003/06/05.9.shtml

M [Walt Mossberg]: A lot of people think given the success you've had with portable devices, you should be making a tablet or a PDA.
J [Steve Jobs]: There are no plans to make a tablet. It turns out people want keyboards. When Apple first started out, "People couldn't type. We realized: Death would eventually take care of this." "We look at the tablet and we think it's going to fail." Tablets appeal to rich guys with plenty of other PCs and devices already. "And people accuse us of niche markets." I get a lot of pressure to do a PDA. What people really seem to want to do with these is get the data out . We believe cell phones are going to carry this information. We didn't think we'd do well in the cell phone business. What we've done instead is we've written what we think is some of the best software in the world to start syncing information between devices. We believe that mode is what cell phones need to get to. We chose to do the iPod instead of a PDA.

from the link this was mid way through 2003, and steve had fairly detailed reasoning why the tablet wasn't right then.
We are 4 years on, and alot of the problems are close to being answered.
Even in the part you quote Steve says the ideal device is a phone for getting info out.

 

[MacPhilosopher]

Just give me an ultra-portable...

As much as I would like to have an Apple Tablet, I would just be happy if Apple produces an ultra-portable MacBook. People walk up to me all the time and tell me that they love my 12" Al G4 PowerBook. I still think it is the best portable Apple ever made. Just think of what they could squeeze into a 12" ultra-thin today. Just forgo the optical drive, give me a dock-able. Just get it done. Every time I see someone carting around these ridiculously huge Dell and HP laptops, I begin to wonder if anyone understands the concept of "portable"? Easy to carry around. Just big enough to manage your needs on the road, but not so big that it makes moving it around tiresome or uncomfortable. If it were to be a tablet, well, all the better for those of us that use our Macs for artistic/design endeavors. Really, don't those Dell and HP behemoths just crack you up?

 

[EagerDragon]

But that is kind of the point: WE have to think of some reason to use it. With the iPod its pretty much a given as to what the product is for, how to use it, etc. WHen the consumer has to come up with ideas as to how to use a product, usually the consumer goes looking elsewhere. This is why the Origami project was a non-starter. The producers were never able to convincingly show what niche the idea fit into. Sure it has nice characteristics for the medical community or warehouse workers etc. But those don't translate into consumer products very well. Its actually worse than consumer-beta testing. Your asking the consumers to come up with a reason to buy your product instead of providing one to them.

Maybe Apple (if this rumor is 'true') will come up with a compelling reason for buying an iTablet, but don't expect them to make one and then have us come up with a reason to buy it.

The product has not been released and does not exist in the market yet. When it is out Apple will show you how to use it. Just like the iPhone, nobody knew how to use something they have not seen and had no idea how to put a multitouch interface to use. Just like the new email under Leopard, before it was released people had no idea how to get bits of data in the emails to create ToDo lists, to add some bits to AddressBook and to add other bits to Calendar.

Until you see it and see how it works and what the possible interactions are, how can you "value" it?

We are speaking of a "virtual device" aka vaporware whose function and implementation we do not know and are only taking not-so-educated guesses at.

 

[lazyrighteye]

Maybe our ultra portable is this device.
Not a phone.
Not a PDA.
Not a laptop.
But all three?
Maybe this is iPhone v2?
The evolution of the device. Something between a phone and laptop.

I could see it.

 

[Orng]

... time I see someone carting around these ridiculously huge Dell and HP laptops, I begin to wonder if anyone understands the concept of "portable"? Easy to carry around. Just big enough to manage your needs on the road, but not so big that it makes moving it around tiresome or uncomfortable... Really, don't those Dell and HP behemoths just crack you up?

My wife's 15" Dell seems absurdly big, but my moms 17" HP is like a paving stone. It's bigger than a cafeteria tray! Jeebus H. Crickets, I just don't get why people want to carry a huge monitor around with them. And my Mom especially... she takes it from her art table at home and parks it on her desk at work. She could have bought a 12" something or other and two nice flat panel monitors and been just as happy.

For me, anything I need a huge monitor for (video) I ALSO need an External HD for, and I will park both on my desk. So ya, count me in with the folks who want a 12 inch MBP; I can surf the net on the couch and then haul it downstairs for video, flash and photoshop. If I need to edit on the road, i can suffer the small screen for a day or two, it doesn't happen that often.

 

[cubist]

The oldest rumor in MacRumors world...

I remember long discussions of the Mac Tablet as long ago as 2000, and I think it was an old rumor then. One feature we discussed was that, if you pack a thin keyboard (and those new iMac keyboards are amazingly thin), you've got your ultraportable.

Always loved the way the 12" powerbook opened and closed, its solid feel. Make that thinner (with a more powerful cpu and more memory), make the keyboard detachable (but it comes with it), make the screen touch-sensitive, and you've got a dreamy convertible laptop/tablet. (Call it a "laplet"?)

P.S. That said, I don't believe this rumor, this time, either.

 

[EagerDragon]

Maybe Apple (if this rumor is 'true') will come up with a compelling reason for buying an iTablet, but don't expect them to make one and then have us come up with a reason to buy it.

Apple always does. They come up with solutions to problems you did not know you had. They are genious at marketing, at showing people why they need the product. Have faith.

Look at the iPhone, we had browsers in computers, we have millions of phones, we have music players, sounds like nothing new. The trick is making them work together and provide you an interface that makes it easy to manage all of those capabilities. Apple provide:
a) Kool factor
b) New easy interface
c) convergence of the devices.

Now those iPhones (which are not needed, and do not solve world hunger) can't rest 5 minutes on the shelves.

They will show you and make you want it until you are ready to sell your first born to get it.

 

[goldenlotus]

Good lord, this again?

I wish it would just go away.

Haha! Greatest post ever!

 

[happydude]

wow

Your hands and fingers are a lot more accurate than a mouse.
Organizing items in your folders, editing photos, editing video, taking the good old note, writting comments on a document including what corrections should be made, browsing the web, you name it. Set aside the mouse, wash your hands and just imagine actualy interacting with the Mac in one of the most natural ways. Distord a picture by pulling/pushing on the nose, wipe a background like you wipe something on a blackboard (no eraser handy) with your hands, etc. Add stars, pull the moon like in one of those "All Mighty" movies.

Imagination is the key, Apple is full of it, now we need to use ours.

now, that's a pie-eyed apple fanboy wetdream of a description if i've ever heard one!! such an romantic as you surely are on SJ's speed dial.

 

[Clive At Five]

Not at all! The technology for 32 Gb should be available next year or Apple could simply use multiple flash devices now. Understand that that is only doubling the current Touches memory foot print. As to the small HD displays I think if you search around with the sites of the LCD manufactures you will see that is a possibility but then there are options coming on line with respect to LCD screens. Nothing suggested here is impossible and given Apples track record with solid state storage very doable...

Okay, it's becoming clear to me that you're still thinking within the iPhone box. You're actually looking for a next-gen iPhone... Not a tablet as I'm sure most of us are thinking.

That being said, iPhone doesn't (physically) have that much room to grow, therefore you'll have to use the existing form-factor. 720 X 480 resolution on a 3.5" display = 250 PPI. Even, if anyone has developed a 250 PPI display, it sure as hell isn't in production, much less anywhere near affordable to the average consumer.

Sure the vision you described for your iPhone Plus *could* be realized within two years, it won't be even remotely affordable for twice that time.

Can we go back to talking about tablets again, now?

-Clive

 

[72930]

now, that's a pie-eyed apple fanboy wetdream of a description if i've ever heard one!! such an romantic as you surely are on SJ's speed dial.

From seeing Jeff Han's work, this does not seem so unfeasible for Apple...

 

[happydude]

iphone 2

Likewise the iPhones cell feature. This is why I think any device that Apple offers up must have either or both of these features.

I tend to agree and rather like how you expressed the above. I will state though that net access and E-Mail access are now becoming consumer needs in and of themselves. Apple has been very smart in this respect as they focused on these features.

I do not believe however that most consumers will be happy with a device that only does E-Mail and net access in their pocket, It needs the functionality of other devices specifically mp3 playing or cell capability.

Dave

isn't that what we already have - the iphone. i'm in the camp (as someone else said - too lazy to copy and paste their quote in here) that the iphone in its current form was a premature release. i'd guess the iphone 2 is the rumored tablet. it already has the multi touch, can call, play mp3, take really low res pictures, etc. but if they just add document reading and editing, hard disk mode and some sort of drawing application (could be a 3rd party dev) we're in tablet land. i can't imagine it getting any bigger than it already is as people without cargo pockets will still want to carry it around in their pockets. any bigger than slightly bigger begs the question of just why not a 12" MB/MBP with a touch screen interface?