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Details on Apple's Portable Mini-Tablet Device?

desenso said:
It would have to be seriously cheap. Like, $200 to $300 cheap, in order to work. And since Apple is charging $300 for the AppleTV, I'm not sure I see that happening.
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If they can bring it in around $500-$600, I think it would sell.

For one thing, the Kindle from Amazon is priced at $399 and is nowhere near as capable as the device gr8ful described. Yet it seems to be doing well.

Moreover, people denigrated the IPhone because of its price. It seems to be doing well also.

The key to selling well isn't cost but value. If people are getting enough value for their money (real or perceived), they'll buy whatever it is you're selling. Apple has long recognized this.
 
Yawn

I've played with the iPhone and that's about all it is to me, a toy.
I find it unbelievably annoying to surf the web on it, and frankly,
I've had about as much Youtube as I need in my life. The maps
and mobile email are about the only worthwhile things about it.
Computers are for making things, and, while maybe
a cheap tablet, like Amazon's book might be useful for a writer,
these low-resoultion micro-devices are worthless to someone
who uses their computer to make movies, animations, or use
heavier-duty audio programs where you want a big screen.
These things are great for travelling, but the hype is tedious.
Meanwhile, powerusers are stuck with the same old prices on
Apple's real hardware, an over-priced, oversized tower,
an over-priced iMac, and a hobbled affordable near-death mini.
Apple is turning into a toy company, because the people who
kept it alive are pretty much ignored.
 
desenso said:
PLEASE do not release such a piece of garbage. Not a useful device.
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I agree entirely.

desenso said:
For the third time: because Apple don't have the manpower to add lots of new products to their lineup. I don't want it to delay more important, more universal things like laptops and operating systems.
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This is it. Post on any Mac forum that you'd like a consumer upgradable desktop Mac & you'll get plenty of "it's a niche product" "it won't sell" "buy a PC if you want to upgrade", etc. But start a rumour about Apple releasing some very niche, mostly useless & predictably over-priced gadget, & they think it's cool. Odd behaviour, to say the least.
 
desenso said:
So what are some uses for this that an iPod Touch is not suited for?
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Installing third party applications, for instance... (I know that Apple is preparing a SDK, but I'll only believe it when I see it).
 
desenso said:
For the third time: because Apple don't have the manpower to add lots of new products to their lineup. I don't want it to delay more important, more universal things like laptops and operating systems.
Click to expand...

To keep repeating the same stupidity does not automatically make it a reality. Apple's staffing is fine and right now they could higher anybody they wanted. The reality is that after the core work has been done, that is we have Touch based devices shipping, the effort required to get products out the door is greatly reduced.

Using your logic the effort required to get each new Intel Mac out the door is the same as the effort required to make the transition. Obviously it isn't, the core effort is pass Apple in that respect. It doesn't take any more effort to produce a new Intel Mac then it did before the transition. Like wise, with Touch up and running and Mobile OS/X functional, the effort to produce new tablets is greatly reduced.

Personally I think something like this could ship into the tens of millions in the first year if it had the right feature set.

Dave
 
Yes & Yes - It will be a fantastic product!

There have been a lot of negative comments in this thread and frankly I think people need to sit back a bit and think about where Apple, and the available technology is going. Frankly there are multiple reasons for Apple needing the device in its line up. I will highlight a few below.

1.
It could be an iPod Touch on steroids. The current Touch is fantastic for what it does, the problem is if Apple gets serious about movie distribution they need a device optimized for that. The alleged screen resolution is perfect for movies and the physical size makes the device much more competitive with devices already on the market. In essence this would give Apple two portable platforms for movies, one low resolution and the other a more standard resolution.

2.
As a Newton replacement. If such a device has the communications skills required, ie. Cell, WiFi and possibly WiMax it could be a very very popular device. It would need to be an open platform for development so that users would have their choice of applications. In this case the goal is to deliver apps that people need on the go and to support connectivity. Connectivity being voice communications in various modes, E-Mail and the web. This could be taken to be a iPhone on steroids as opposed to the Touch. The big advantage here is a better screen that allows the delivery of more advanced apps.

3.
As an alternative to a clam shell laptop. The focus here would be to provide a machine with the ability to run common desktop apps, some modified for Touch and also the mobile productivity core apps. The goal with this machine would be code compatibility with the desktop machines on an extremely portable machine. The unit would also be provided with a suite of Touch apps that would keep it competitive with the iPod Touch and iPhone.

Now that is three perspectives with respect to a larger tablet device. A product to support items one or two could be delivered today, it is a simple matter of a new ARM board and the associated LCD hardware and software. Item 3 could be delivered by mid to late 2008.

But here is the real kicker, if Apple really wanted to they could deliver a suitable machine that can handle all three perspectives described above. That is a machine that is x86 compatible with the rest of Apples line up, that can perform well as a Video iPod and have the connectivity features of an iPhone. Modern chips sets will be here to do so relatively soon to do so.

The problem is the i86 platform is likely to take to long! Apple will need a tablet product to take care of the video segment not long after they announce the rumored iTunes feature. So I expect a tablet / iPod in a size close to this early next year. It is a simple requirement considering the product they want to market. This device might also come in two models much like the iPhone and Touch of today.

In any event you can look at the potential for this sort of product by looking at demand. Here are some of the demands:

1.
Itunes video rentals and down loads. The potential here is unknown but they will need more that the Touch platform to deliver such on. In other words a video iPod, designed to deliver videos primarily.

2.
iPhone on Steroids. The demand here is simply for a larger screen and hopefully better communications.

3.
Newton like device. The demand here is pretty obvious and again the advantage over current devices would be the larger screen. In many ways Newton has been replaced by iPhone, what I think many people want here is more openness and a better applications suite.

4.
A better machine than a clam shell notebook emulator. In other words a machine that is truly designed for mobile as opposed to transportable computing.

In any event wrap those 4 items up into a machine and it will sell like hot cakes. The current Touch highlights the demand that is out there for such hardware. Sure people are playing music on them but they are being used for much more than that. Given a more open platform for third party apps and the non musical usage will sky rocket.

Dave
 
I've said it before. I'll say it again.

It will primarily be a media device.

It'll play music. It'll play video. And it will display book content (in an attempt to compete with the Kindle). In addition, it will have wireless internet access and include iTunes, Safari, and Mail.

It will have a semi-mirrored screen, so it can be viewed clearly in sunlight or with an overhead light.

It will feature the multi-touch capabilities of the iPhone.

The screen will be about the size of a sheet of 8.5x11 paper. And 1/2in. thick.

And it will be priced as a high-end iPod. Around $699.
 
I can imagine the new threads of the 'tablet mac' ..


When will it be updated 6 months or 8 months..

Should i buy or wait ...

When will it have Quad-core mobile processor in it ...

When do you guys think it'll support my 4 GB's of ram..

I could go on, but hopefully you get the idea.. :rolleyes:
Being a member of this site is like being on endless roller coaster which you can't get out of the car....
 
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