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eWeek: Apple Tablet?

iPad

iPad (xPad)

700MHZ G3
256MB RAM
60GB HD
8" LCD
Firewire (Giga)
USB
Airport (G)
Bluetooth
Ethernet??
PCCard??
Composite Video/Audio Out??

Jaguar X (Lite?)
TouchScreen
InkWell
iApps
Rendezvous
Runs most or all Mac apps.
Remote Desktop Software:
Control you desktop remotely. Think not as consumer but from professional POV. In the office or other network environment this technology could be really amazing. We can't forget Apple is now really pushing towards enterprise and office environments. This might be a great way to work with an Xserve, or a whole rack of 'em. Couple this with X running on Xserve via Rendezvous & Airport (G) and you have quite a nifty little remote access device.

Becomes extension of your Mac, while connected or not.

Attach to Desktop:
Sync Music, Address Book, Email, Calendar, iWeb
Grab Photo Library, grab Digital Video
Or simply use as extremely advanced USB Tablet.


Disconnect:
Surf Web, Display Pics / Video, Listen to Music (w/ iTunes 4 & Rendezvous), Cut DV, connect DigiCam, works like subcompact powerbook.

WiFi Connect: (Airport / Bluetooth)
Sync, remote control, grab resources, Rendezvous other Macs & Peripherals.
It would be fantastic.


Think of all the software possibilities that haven't yet been thought of. Great for Database management & Productivity in Office environment or Warehouse. With Rendezvous enabled it could be really amazing. Print to local printers, access local servers, connect to Rendezvous enabled devices like scanners or stuff that hasn't yet come to market, whatever. It is in many ways the next logical step.

Because of the cheap parts, and less need for small parts, the thing could be relatively cheap. If they can make and sell an iBook for $999, this thing could feasibly hit the market at $599 - $699, depending on the feature set and Apple's greedy Profit Margins.

Think about it, all of the above technologies are currently available. The hardware is older, relatively cheap stuff. All of the software Apple has already implemented in jaguar, even the Remote Desktop and Rendezvous. This isn't really far fetched stuff. In fact I'd be really surprised if they aren't already designing, even if it doesn't make its debut at Macworld SanFran.


I think any of this is possible, but I guess we'll have to wait and see.


Matthew
 
Cool lineup. Just one more thing: Tell me--no, SHOW me-- that it can be dropped without shattering and I'll whip out my credit card faster than you can say, "black turtleneck strikes again".
 
Anyone think that Apple might be sending us a hint?

"New Year's Resolutions ... Get Organized. Stay in Sync."

Sounds like an Apple PDA to me. They just launched this new ad on the 1st promoting iCal and iSync. I think Dell's Axim Pocket PC got to them... to me this would be another great reason to switch. The Pocket PC (which is way cooler than my Clie) is incompatible. Also, when Steve canned the Newton in '98 after the MP2100 didn't sell to expectations he said that he'd rather produce a PDA that ran the Mac OS instead of the Newton OS. Apple still has a license to use the Palm OS which they got from good 'ol 3Com (even though it is inferior to the Newton OS).

Sorry Tungsten T ... you suck! Gimme the iNewt Steve!!!!! :)
 
it's too big

many of the descriptions of an "iTablet" seem (to me) to be very nearly laptops with touch-screens instead of keyboards. Now, that's all well and good, but I ask you, why would Apple introduce a third laptop-sized device (iBook, TiBook) to essentially compete with its current models and yet do nothing more or better than a laptop? No, I think that, as with the iPod, Apple will go ultra-portable or not at all.
 
But iBooks go for $999, so they should be able to make a reasonable tablet for less than that or around the same. I think the $600 estimate is probably too low, but remember that the iPod is only $499 because of the high price of the HD. I'm assuming a slightly larger form factor would allow apple to get much cheaper HD's (2.5" vs. 1.8").

I'm not saying we'll see a tablet on the 7th, but I do think they could do it relatively cheaply. Maybe this is why Apple hasn't been more hostile to Motorola - they need those low power G3's to keep coming.
 
A rose by any other name...

Anybody remember their Shakespeare?

Jobs said Apple would not make a PDA. Isn't a limited-function Mac tablet just that? A PDA?

If it's cheap -- $700 -- and limited-function it's a PDA. If it's a full-blown Tablet Mac, you aren't going to see any $700 price tag.
 
also....

as a result of keeping it small they wouldn't try to make it a full-featured PC....just like they didn't try to make the iPod more than it is. It worked once, it could work again.
 
um...

can anyone say archos jukebox on crack....finally a portable divx player worth owning!!!
 
simple is best

I thought to myself, "what might Apple have up it's sleeve for the 7th?"
Then I thought, "what did they do last time?" Did they try to jam a bizillion weird and wonderful technologies together and create the digital device of the year?
No, they made a little device that played music. That's it. It played music, and it's being still being talked about now over a year later.

So, will their next DLD be something they tried to jam a bizillion weird and wonderful technologies together into to create the digital device of the year?

I think it will a little device that displays pictures. just that simple.
 
Too simple...

Originally posted by macmatt

I think it will a little device that displays pictures. just that simple.
Click to expand...

I liked your point on keeping things simple, but that's too simple. There's been far too much talk about this being revolutionary for it to be that simple.
 
i think it's going to be something geared towards an entertainment-certer-type-thing. the windows media center is making apple look behind the times. that is the true maturity of "digital hub". It's going to be something that works with airport, and ties your computer, stereo and television together.

a tablet computer?

i would be utterly shocked.

after all, my frend works on apple's point of sale displays, and he's mentioned on numerous occasions that apple thinks they can take the home theatre / home audio market.
 
iApps...two down, one to go

What do I do with my computer (besides the internet)?

1: Listen to music

2: Organize my digital photos

3: Make home movies

This is how I see it, Apple saw these three things as the most important features the average consumer should be able to do easily on their computer. What did they do? They made their iApps. iTunes for music ... iPhoto for pics ... and iMovie for video editing And they are things of beauty.

Apple says to itself, "Stage 1 complete".

Next they introduce the digital hub strategy.

They look at their iApps and wonder which is the easiest to make a portable for?

Music is the obvious answer: They do it by extending iTunes with the iPod.

Photos are what I say is next: They will extend iPhoto, (which is the next easiest thing to do) with a portable viewing device.

Then, when the technology catches up, will be on-the-fly video.
 
Re: Too simple...

Originally posted by pyrotoaster


I liked your point on keeping things simple, but that's too simple. There's been far too much talk about this being revolutionary for it to be that simple.
Click to expand...

who says it's going to be revolutionary?.... not Apple, it's people like us who may have gotten a bit carried away :)
 
least we forget

if you ever read cnet, they had a video interview with someone from intel a few months ago showing a pocket sized video player.
probably a 4-5" screen, for watching video....
they were showing it saying it would be coming soon (i think like 6+ months).

i'm guessing apple wants to do something like this. imagine being able to take the video with you. watching seinfeld on the train...
 
It'll be revolutionary, alright.

Originally posted by macmatt

who says it's going to be revolutionary?.... not Apple, it's people like us who may have gotten a bit carried away
Click to expand...

Three reasons it'll be revolutionary.

1. All the legal and financial people who have seen it and commented on it say that it is.

2. The Apple Store's showing the keynote with those mysterious shipments they can't open until halfway through SJ's speech.

3. We're talking about Apple here. SJ knows we don't expect anything less than amazing.
 
Re: It'll be revolutionary, alright.

Originally posted by pyrotoaster


Three reasons it'll be revolutionary.

1. All the legal and financial people who have seen it and commented on it say that it is.

2. The Apple Store's showing the keynote with those mysterious shipments they can't open until halfway through SJ's speech.

3. We're talking about Apple here. SJ knows we don't expect anything less than amazing.
Click to expand...

if i may play devil's advocate for a moment...

1. You'll pardon me if I ask for some specifics, I personally haven't heard of any.

2. You have to admit that's a pretty weak one.

3. As for that, i guess that depends on your definition of revolutionary. Was the iPod revolutionary then?
 
eBooks, eBooks, eBooks!!!

If Apple makes an iPad that is roughly 4x6 and doesn't inlcude some sort of eBook management software they're nuts. People a couple of months back were talking about an ILibrary app and that makes a lot of sense to me. And by eBook, I don't just mean novels. But also textbooks and news. Imagine being able to carry all your college textbooks in one iPad. Or pluggin it in overnight and when you pick it up in the morning, your news is waiting for you organized the way you like it (like a clipping service)(this could involve .Mac integration giving people another incentive to get .Mac).

If they do release an iPad, my money for the rumored new iApp is on iReader!
 
One word

I've got one word for you people GOBI. If you read ThinkSecret it was rumored to be the next predicessor to the Sahara (750FX) G3 chip. I give this product a 40% chance of materializing at or released @ MWSF. I think it may be postponed until the gobi chips are ready. Just my thoughts :)

A@ron
 
blah

It's very simple Macmatt: lack of interest. A simple toy that displays digital pictures on the go would hold people's attention about as long as a jiggling jello mold would. Sure, it's fun for a minute, then it gets boring because it does the same thing over and over again...and it does things your nice, full-sized computer over in the corner could do, only its so small everyone has to crowd around it. That's no fun. Especially if the older people in your family have a funny smell...I know mine do. BUT! What if gramma lives somewhere else? That's what email is for. Apple's only going to do something if it's innovative, different, and better than what's on the market (see: iPod). Apple also has a habit of making its moves based on market trends...and not the sudden one-offs and chance hits (PDAs, and so far, tablets). Steve knows what's going to sell and what isn't...and what he brings us on Tuesday will be a direct reflection of his intuition. Of course I could be completely wrong, but...digital picture frame!? cmon...ask yourself why these things aren't already on the market in large numbers, and you'll see why people here are having a hard time understanding your logic.

-- smashedapart
 
the tablet, what it should be... what we want

ok, the tablet... i agree in some regards that the whole hand writing thing to be a pain. however, let's take a gander at some of the PC laptops that have those monitors that flip to be a touch-screen/pen tablet... now that's got some promise - thus taking the GUI and making it into a solid user interface. We all know that the graphical user interface is one step away from being a real USER INTERFACE. the user has to use a mouse and a keyboard. i want to be able to take a pen and draw straight on the screen. i want it to add effects to my marks and pen strokes. we want to be able to have a pen tablet that give the graphic design market caligraphic lines when we want them. heck, what do we need a keyboard for? think of this. the tablet could be a 15" flat screen with a titanium cover for transporting... no keyboard... hey, it's been done... look at your old palm pilots.. now you have a place on the bottom corner or a hot spot on the touch screen that pops up an on-screen keyboard.... you could have little nobules where the "F" & "J" keys are. but beyond that the keyboard only appears when you want it to... the only think i can't figure out is the ability to have key board commands.. which i think will be the downfall of this little pipe dream of mine... the keyboard is much faster for most. my wife doesn't seem to agree, but who cares. i'm not sure the itablet or ipad would be a great thing... i think we should all just buy laptops, then you get a DVD player, CD burner, jukebox, work station.. all in one! all the rest is just stuff to litter the desk with!

now, what most of us are waiting for: I WANT MY FRIGGIN G5! Or, let's make BMW look dumb... we had a G3, they have a Z3, we got a G4, they came out with a Z4... hey, conspiracy theory, huh? how about calling it the X2 and put a terabyte drive in it.. let's get 6GB of ram and a 62" Hi-Def. display with surround sound. now that's a computer! could you include the BOSE system with that too...

oh, and could i get fries with that?
 
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