You couldn't be more wrong. The average buyer of the slate/tablet/whatever has never heard of Fingerworks, the Wayback machine, google cache, etc. (but then again, having never seen the device, who am I to say who the average buyer will be....) But you get my point.....
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Fingerworks.com Content Pulled Ahead of Apple Tablet Announcement
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You couldn't be more wrong. The average buyer of the slate/tablet/whatever has never heard of Fingerworks, the Wayback machine, google cache, etc. (but then again, having never seen the device, who am I to say who the average buyer will be....) But you get my point.....
Congrats. You got a real collector's item right there. Keep it as it's part of true history of the story behind Apple's iphone and multi-touch endeavors. I believe you when you mentioned about reduction of RSI. That's exactly why this is one benefit of having a tablet even Wacom's as they're wonderful tools.
Whatever multi-touch techniques you've learned, you can tell other Apple fans that you were there BEFORE Apple went 'multi-touch'
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Whatever multi-touch techniques you've learned, you can tell other Apple fans that you were there BEFORE Apple went 'multi-touch'
.I own the fingerworks gesture pad you see there in the second picture. There is no way I will ever....EVER give that device up. It has helped reduce my repetitve stress injuries from using all those old fashioned, primitive input devices over the years. I'm sure many other owners would agree. In fact, since fingerworks has been acquired and effectively been put out of business, the only way to obtain one of the original fingerworks pads is to buy them from ebay. But even the used ones are fetching for over $500.00 for what was originally a $99 product.
Multi-Touch on the iphone is NOTHING compared to what can be done if we had a product with a larger surface area.
As for me, who cares about any learning curve? I've BEEN prepared. Bring on the gestures!
Trust me, any "learning curve" will be totally worth it to gain the ease of usability that such devices provide.
The google phone launch is over. CES is over.
Now it's time for the REAL show!!
They did indeed sold the products for real. A friend of mine, a former IBM worker in VT, has one of them. The ultimate TouchStream for his PC. Why did you think Apple bought them out?
They got scared.
They got scared
.As for the Gesture Pad, the closest thing you might get is Wacom's new Bamboo Touch. Look into it. They're not that expensive costing close to $150-$200.
Content, content, content
One of the major "killer functions" of the tablet will be CONTENT.
It's clear that Apple are targeting media consumption (and, hopefully, the ability for some content generation) as one of the main purposes of this device. And with all of Apple's media connections (not to mention their technology), they are uniquely poised to deliver something that right out of the gate people will wonder how they ever did without.
Why have other tablets failed? No vision. No vision in terms of interacting with the device and no vision on how one might use such a tablet. Historically, tablets have tried to be a laptop replacement both in terms of what they expected people to do with it and in terms of how one would interact with it. There's never been anything tailor-made for it.
Apple has a different vision for the form factor, one that will appeal to everyone for what it is; it won't be a laptop replacement. At least not yet.
While I would love to have a tablet that would allow me to install any app at will (I would LOVE stylus input and Painter ported to it, for example), I do not think that that will be part of the initial launch. I definitely see it in the future, but not yet. I mean think about it: Already there are malicious Android apps in the Android Marketplace or whatever it's called. This is a new form factor that I'm sure Apple thinks is the way of future computing. They cannot afford an initial bad experience. So, I fully expect an iPhone-type app store with Apple-vetted apps as the only option. I think that's a good thing. I'm sure it will change in the future, but not for a while yet.
I also think that this tablet will be able to be used as an input device for other macs. Think, for example, about Logic Studio...or Garageband, for that matter. You have software synthesizers with all sorts of controls that up 'til now you've had to control with your mouse (or an external MIDI controller). Imagine a fully user-customizable UI for software running on your desktop/laptop. Think about all the possibilities.
One of the major "killer functions" of the tablet will be CONTENT.
It's clear that Apple are targeting media consumption (and, hopefully, the ability for some content generation) as one of the main purposes of this device. And with all of Apple's media connections (not to mention their technology), they are uniquely poised to deliver something that right out of the gate people will wonder how they ever did without.
Why have other tablets failed? No vision. No vision in terms of interacting with the device and no vision on how one might use such a tablet. Historically, tablets have tried to be a laptop replacement both in terms of what they expected people to do with it and in terms of how one would interact with it. There's never been anything tailor-made for it.
Apple has a different vision for the form factor, one that will appeal to everyone for what it is; it won't be a laptop replacement. At least not yet.
While I would love to have a tablet that would allow me to install any app at will (I would LOVE stylus input and Painter ported to it, for example), I do not think that that will be part of the initial launch. I definitely see it in the future, but not yet. I mean think about it: Already there are malicious Android apps in the Android Marketplace or whatever it's called. This is a new form factor that I'm sure Apple thinks is the way of future computing. They cannot afford an initial bad experience. So, I fully expect an iPhone-type app store with Apple-vetted apps as the only option. I think that's a good thing. I'm sure it will change in the future, but not for a while yet.
I also think that this tablet will be able to be used as an input device for other macs. Think, for example, about Logic Studio...or Garageband, for that matter. You have software synthesizers with all sorts of controls that up 'til now you've had to control with your mouse (or an external MIDI controller). Imagine a fully user-customizable UI for software running on your desktop/laptop. Think about all the possibilities.
I don't think so, Mac is often the brand used to describe the full Mac OS X experience, if the tablet isn't running the full Mac OS X, its not going to have the name on it. Not to mention, there will be confusion between Macbook and Macbook Touch, its two completely different devices.
Apple don't tend to use the word Mac in order to push the device to mass market for both Windows and Mac users.
I never really thought of it.. I always thought of the Apple Tablet as a dream sort of thing, but when you think about it, it's announcement is right around the corner.
The Steve: Shut it down, someone will notice, someone else will write about it, someone else will link to cached version, everyone else will see it and get excited about all the multi touch possibilities.
Clean out your office. You have one hour to leave campus. Next.
AMMG: Why?
Steve: For questioning me. Now you have 30 minutes, Mr. Two-Question. Next.
I love imagining that type of management style and Steve is the perfect subject.
points taken, don't know what i was thinking...
I should have said I wish we can get a macbook touch.
I don't think "people" pay much if any attention to anything you say.. Every one of your posts on MR amounts to nothing more than a puddle of fanboy drool
Thanks for the honest chuckle over original way you phrased that.
I don't think "people" pay much if any attention to anything you say.. Every one of your posts on MR amounts to nothing more than a puddle of fanboy drool
boy you really did add a lot to this discussion.
dumb question?
After all the slates that where introduced at the CES, just to get a leg up on Apple.
What would happen DOES NOT release their slate and the product is something else entirely. I am we been hearing rumors about this thing for about 3 years? now. Not to mention the rumors that this thing was going to be released twice in 2009 (Summer along with SL, and then in October which both came and went...No slate).
I think every one is getting ready for a real let down here. Apple has said any thing about this device, and I don't expect till intro of it. I mean look at the iPod launch back in Sept..... Every one one was expecting a camera on the iPod Touch. Didn't happen and every one was let down. Same thing can happen here too. :/
If the 'iSlate' (or what ever it's called) doesn't come out, a lot of people are going to be upset. With all the hype leaning to the 26 or 27. :/
Hugh
After all the slates that where introduced at the CES, just to get a leg up on Apple.
What would happen DOES NOT release their slate and the product is something else entirely. I am we been hearing rumors about this thing for about 3 years? now. Not to mention the rumors that this thing was going to be released twice in 2009 (Summer along with SL, and then in October which both came and went...No slate).
I think every one is getting ready for a real let down here. Apple has said any thing about this device, and I don't expect till intro of it. I mean look at the iPod launch back in Sept..... Every one one was expecting a camera on the iPod Touch. Didn't happen and every one was let down. Same thing can happen here too. :/
If the 'iSlate' (or what ever it's called) doesn't come out, a lot of people are going to be upset. With all the hype leaning to the 26 or 27. :/
Hugh
Congrats. You got a real collector's item right there. Keep it as it's part of true history of the story behind Apple's iphone and multi-touch endeavors. I believe you when you mentioned about reduction of RSI. That's exactly why this is one benefit of having a tablet even Wacom's as they're wonderful tools.
Whatever multi-touch techniques you've learned, you can tell other Apple fans that you were there BEFORE Apple went 'multi-touch'
You've got that right!
The keyboard, as a standard, has long outlasted its original function and hangs on only awaiting a new standard. Its design has been squeezed and distorted to try and continue on mobile devices, but its utility in that environment is very marginal and I think Apple is going to offer a paradym shift to a more natural, but revolutionary, was of physically communicating with a small mobile form-factor device.
It will require re-learning how to "type" but the gain will be worth the effort. I could see Apple including a "typing Tutor" type of application on the new device to aid in that transformation. Imagine being able to use one had to follow printed text and the other hand to input that text into a tablet or other electronic device.
Of all the input devices of the early last century...the rotary dial, the full key adders, telegraph keys and others; the typewriter keyboard is the last to be faced with retirement.
I totally agree! And what I find exciting about all this is that APPLE will own the gestures interface and can lead the demand for it. It likely will be licensed out to other companies, but Apple will further their image as being the innovative one.
It is possible we could get Macbook Touch, a convertible tablet replacing the macbook or a macbook with detachable tablet.
It's not a "book" though. Macbooks fold shut. If it doesn't fold, I doubt they'll call it anything with "book" in it.
Not sure if you saw my post, but nobody knows if the upcoming device from Apple is a slate or a tablet, a slate is the screen only with no keyboard attached whereas the tablet can be a laptop with a touchscreen that can be reversed folded to act as a slate.
No Way!
I will never buy Toyota.
Enzo
Amen. And let me add to that, "Ferrari buying Toyota".
I will never buy Toyota.
Enzo
EDIT: removed post.
I know what you're talking about now. It's the pricing which is $99. I thought you meant about the user experience comparison of the Bamboo Touch and Gesture Pad. I think I got confused with the other Wacom tablets that were a bit more expensive.
Many already know this except that it's meant for both creating and consuming content. You're thinking too small. The problem is that Apple has no deals in place for this device with the exception of books, newspapers & magazines (probably). There are no significant deals for subscriptions in place (there will be) for music, TV & movies.
This announcement in late January will be monumental but you won't see the true effects until 5-10 years from now. There is no immediate payoff in being an early adopter. Why:
-this is a 1.0 of the OS and it will eventually replace OSX as we know it. Apple will be basically rebuilding the Mac OS creating an end-around Windows to be the dominant OS through iDevices. The iPhone & touch is just the beginning.
-no subscriptions
-it is a closed system for now