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Jobs "Extremely Happy" with Upcoming Apple Tablet and a Surprise?
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A computer that isn't a Hellraiser puzzle box to open is now high end.
Apart from Alienware!
Now this is obviously just a matter of opinion, it doesn't matter what apologists from each side says. I just prefer hardware keyboards, and believe it's a shame that every cellphone is now going to touch screen keyboard way. I really just don't like it, I cannot get used to it. Maybe I'm just too used to a thumb qwerty keyboard, dunno, but I love it.
So let's try again.. between my iPhone and MacBook Air.. why exactly do I need to drop $800 on another device? And this time you don't need to write "War and Peace" to answer that
This question has been asked and answered a thousand times in the comments sections of the past 5 articles only. Many people have given great explanations of what would be the realistic possibilities of such a device.
You don't need to drop $800 (if that is even the price) on any device if it doesn't suit you. You can bet that there is a market for it if and when Apple releases it.
But just for the sake of argument here is my take:
I would gladly pay $800 for a device that can download magazine subscriptions, books, watch movies, surf the internet, write emails, etc. Sure your iPhone and Macbook Air can do these things to. But can they do what is showed in this link?: http://gizmodo.com/5428619/mag%2B-c...lishers-shows-thinking-outside-the-tablet-box
The markets for all these devices overlap to a certain extent, as do the functionalities. But who cares? Many people carry phones around that have MP3 capabilities and still carry an iPod. I would buy this thing, since it would most likely be lighter than my MBP, and I have some money to spend.
Many people here seem to think that this thing should introduce a whole new way of computing and address a totally new market. I don't think this is true. This is basically an evolution of what is already there. If you don't like the thing than don't buy it. Don't expect it to cure cancer and respond to you waving in front of the screen. Expect a touchscreen device without a keyboard, dedicated apps, some new reader functionality ad increased portability and I think you won't be disappointed.
weslobombs, I'm amazed you could type out such a very long post on this board just using an iPhone--I've played with an iPhone and it's a bit tricky to even type a reasonably short message.
But I do agree that thanks to Jobs' surprisingly good "design sense," the iPod, iPhone (and the related iPod touch) are surprisingly easy-to-master devices. I do see that Jobs probably has spent at least 2-3 years working on this tablet computer, and thanks to what was pioneered on with the iPhone OS, device navigation could be quite easy and we'll get quite a great multimedia experience using this device.
Time, Incorporated's recent "fantasy demo" of how a multimedia version of Sports Illustrated works on a tablet computer is only the beginning of the huge potential of this device--a device that once Organic LED displays become reasonably priced could even eventually overtake the Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook e-book readers.
But I do agree that thanks to Jobs' surprisingly good "design sense," the iPod, iPhone (and the related iPod touch) are surprisingly easy-to-master devices. I do see that Jobs probably has spent at least 2-3 years working on this tablet computer, and thanks to what was pioneered on with the iPhone OS, device navigation could be quite easy and we'll get quite a great multimedia experience using this device.
Time, Incorporated's recent "fantasy demo" of how a multimedia version of Sports Illustrated works on a tablet computer is only the beginning of the huge potential of this device--a device that once Organic LED displays become reasonably priced could even eventually overtake the Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook e-book readers.
I stopped caring after word 300 for him, too.So let's try again.. between my iPhone and MacBook Air.. why exactly do I need to drop $800 on another device? And this time you don't need to write "War and Peace" to answer that
I don't know why YOU would want to drop $800 on this, especially if you've already got an MBA and an iPhone but me I'd like a more portable media player than a MacBook Pro (i.e. not a laptop and bigger than my iPod) that might, potentially, be used as a good-enough graphics tablet when I'm on the road or, at the very least let me doodle things in some version of Photoshop or a compatible image program, jot down notes or highlight items directly onto a PDF (like how that useless "Pencil" tool that Acrobat Pro should work but doesn't).
Apple has surprised us with their product visions in the past, so IF this tablet is finally real it will be interesting to see what they've come up with. But I just can't see myself lugging around a 7-10" tablet in place of (or in addition to) my Macbook, especially if it doesn't run full OS X. To attract me it would have to have some entirely new application that can't be done with a laptop.
Exactly what I'm looking for. Document review, annotation and editing (including MS Word), something like pixelmator, full featured web browser, and an email client that doesn't suck half as bad as iPhone mail.app. Hopefully some sort of shared storage and not as locked down as iPhone.
While you make some reasonable predictions as to what the upcoming Apple tablet will ultimately do.. and I am sure it will be a cool toy to some with extra disposable cash on their hands.. Ultimately, I think the tablet will fail to take off in a MAJOR way (let's say like iPhone did).
In order for a tablet to become a true hit - as someone mentioned earlier in the thread - it has to REPLACE a device.. rather than just add yet another to our already long list of gadgets. And I fail to see what device the tablet is capable of replacing. It certainly won't replace my Air, nor will it replace my iPhone.
I think the best way to market or justify this thing is to look at it as kind of a "Kindle Plus". There is a healthy market for eReaders, and if people can view the tablet as a reasonable replacement for Kindle/Nook - it has a shot.
But once all the hype and Apple "must have" factor dies down - I still don't see the Tablet successfully competing with (comparatively) low-cost eReaders like Kindle/Nook with multi-day battery and eInk capabilities. As it stands - I see Apple Tablet to be mostly a solution in search of a problem.. But I would be happy if the history proves me wrong
Comparing to iPhone isn't quite fair - cellphones was, at least, an established category, and most people have one. Thus, since Apple made a very good one, it could take a nice percentage of that market. Tablets are a tiny category. A successful tablet would sell a ton less than a successful cellphone.
In other highly-related news....some of us would rather have a new office chair, instead.
I have no doubt that Apple Tablet will easily capture "the tablet market".. because as you said - said market barely exists (so not much of an accomplishment by definition).
However, unless Apple is able to sell them in large numbers (at least 1 million in the first year) and capture hearts & minds of customers/developers/publishers - it will remain a niche category.. Possibly something like an Apple TV - a neat product for some, but very much of a "hobby".
I agree on the tablet and believe it will be a continuation in Apple's efforts of advancing and dominating the digital entertainment markets. I think this new device or the tablet will be highly related to a broadcast / TV streaming deals.
Read more about my opinion on that at http://bit.ly/7TtWUL.
Read more about my opinion on that at http://bit.ly/7TtWUL.
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)
eBook readers are a healthy market? What are you on dude?!
That sector is slowly emerging at best, far from healthy. The type of people wasting money on kindles and nooks are those with too much money and a false sense of tech saviness. I've seen it first hand. eInk technology is not that revolutionary. It only displays grayscale and is single purpose. The only advantage is prolonged battery life, but the tradeoff is any kind of functionality beyond reading text. It's ****ing retarded! If you are looking for the definition of niche, these are it.
THOSE are the hobby products.
Why does everyone doubt this tablet so hard? We don't even know what it does yet!
Why in the world do you think Apple wants to make another hobby product? They admitted that appleTV was a hobby for the company. The same vibes are not coming from Cupertino this time around, and you'd be a fool to think that this product is going to simply be apple's version of the ****** tablet PCs of the last ten years. What in apple's history makes youthink that they'd not find a way to make this the next gadget that everybody needs?
There is some seriously idiotic **** being said in this thread. Jan 25 cannot come soon enough.
eBook readers are a healthy market? What are you on dude?!
That sector is slowly emerging at best, far from healthy. The type of people wasting money on kindles and nooks are those with too much money and a false sense of tech saviness. I've seen it first hand. eInk technology is not that revolutionary. It only displays grayscale and is single purpose. The only advantage is prolonged battery life, but the tradeoff is any kind of functionality beyond reading text. It's ****ing retarded! If you are looking for the definition of niche, these are it.
THOSE are the hobby products.
Why does everyone doubt this tablet so hard? We don't even know what it does yet!
Why in the world do you think Apple wants to make another hobby product? They admitted that appleTV was a hobby for the company. The same vibes are not coming from Cupertino this time around, and you'd be a fool to think that this product is going to simply be apple's version of the ****** tablet PCs of the last ten years. What in apple's history makes youthink that they'd not find a way to make this the next gadget that everybody needs?
There is some seriously idiotic **** being said in this thread. Jan 25 cannot come soon enough.
So let's try again.. between my iPhone and MacBook Air.. why exactly do I need to drop $800 on another device? And this time you don't need to write "War and Peace" to answer that
Short answer: It's not for you. It's for people for whom an iPod Touch or iPhone is too small, but otherwise very close to what they need. The idea is to try to expand the customer base beyond those who already spend big money on Apple devices.
How many adults need reading glasses? Lots. How many people want to read something larger than post-it note (web content, magazine article, app content, album notes, etc.), but don't want to sit down and unfold something with a keyboard. Time will tell.
Believe it or not, I would seriously consider replacing my iPhone with a 7" screen (but still highly portable) device. 98% of the time, I use my iPhone as "data tablet".. and maybe 2% for making phone calls. 7" screen can do wonders to data/Internet usability, as compared to iPhone 480x320 resolution.. And I could potentially live with making my occasional calls via BT headset.
Unfortunately.. I do not believe the upcoming Tablet will have 3G data/phone capabilities, at least initially. It will be WiFi device only, which will make it unsuitable as an iPhone replacement. Including 3G/voice capabilities comes will all sorts of complications (carrier agreements, subsidies, monthly fees), which Apple will want to avoid for the initial Tablet release. And which sticks the Tablet into a sort of an odd place between a smartphone and an ultra-portable notebook. Again, just my prediction.
I think it's gotta have some sort of 3G data capabilities. Given the number of book/magazine/periodical rumors, Apple isn't going to want to cede 3G capabilities to nook and kindle. 3G data + VOIP = good enough for me.
As it stands - I see Apple Tablet to be mostly a solution in search of a problem.. But I would be happy if the history proves me wrong
What's the last dud that Apple released? The
TV probably. It's not so much of a dud as it is restricted by the insecurities of the media emperors. Do you really think that Steve just pulled this out of a hat and decided he'd take a chance? I really doubt it. This is something that's been in progress for a decade at least and like all things Apple, Steve wouldn't release it until the product is ripe.
Uhmm.. Maybe from the fact that Amazon already sold probably over 1 million of Kindles.. B&N Nook has been sold out for the Holidays.. Analysts predicting eBook market exceeding $1B in 2010. So yeah I would say the eReader market is already healthy to say the least, and likely to continue growing.
Actually, the most idiotic things in this thread have come from a couple of your posts. "Oh it'll have Apple logo.. therefore it's going to be the grrreaaat.. I can't explain why I need the Tablet or what it is.. but Steve surely knows what we need.. it's just going to be wonderful". Puh-lease.
Yeah then we have rampant "last minute" rumors and corresponding 1000-post long threads.
What's the last dud that Apple released? The
Mobile Me? The new iPod shuffle?
Source?
Well give me one example of what this product might do that would make me think I have to have it.
"You will be very surprised how you interact with the new tablet."
Article Link: Jobs "Extremely Happy" with Upcoming Apple Tablet and a Surprise?
I strongly believe that Apple is about to re-invent how we view the keyboard, and how we type/input information into our devices.
I heard a former apple insider speak not too long ago about how archaic and unintuitive our keyboards are, how they are not really condusive to touch screens, and how our hand positions during typing causes strain, fatique and repetitive stress injuries.
The solution he was advocating at the time is akin to predictive text in cell phones, but even more intuitive. Imagine if you are typing a word, if you get to 'APP' then the next letter possibilities are limited - you don't need a full keyboard. He proposed something like a pair of hexagons on the screen, with vowels on one side, and consenants on the other. Along the sides of the hexagon would be likely next letters or letter combinations (or complete words).
The motion of typing would be replaced with smooth brushing motions, and be more pleasant and less stressful, and much, much faster than our current speed of inputting words.
It seemed like a lot of thought, and possibly study, had gone into his descriptions, so I rather suspect that Apple has been at the very least investigating this.
So with the comment above about surprising interaction - I think they may be rolling out a new interation/input method. Oldies like me may never get on with it, but I am sure that 12 year olds who started to learn on such a device would out pace my typing by dozens, if not hundreds of words a minute. If it was proprietary, and got through to enough people, apple would have another way to own information delivery.
B
Agreed. The eye doesn't work in a way that makes this possible in such a low cost system. The eye scans around constantly. What you perceive as "focusing" on one point is actually your brain focusing on that spot, your eye is constantly scanning around the area. The camera on a laptop or tablet could not possibly know what part of the screen you are focusing on. Any brain experts out there that can explain this process? I believe the sighting systems in fighter jets use head position as well as eye movement to target objects. Not to mention a very specialized dedicated computer to process the data.