Jobs "Extremely Happy" with Upcoming Apple Tablet and a Surprise?

[kdarling]

Wild guess: Wii Air Gegstures, captured with camera.

Could be. Air gestures seem to be the Next Big Thing.

Microsoft has been doing R&D on handhelds that use a ring of camera chips placed around the case for a few years now. Gestures are recognized not only from the front, but the sides as well.

As someone mentioned above, cameras following your head and eyes could also be used.

Another possiblity is multi-touch pressure sensitivity. There was a company last year who came up with a multi-touch resistive screen that was so sensitive, you could use a small paintbrush and it would track each bristle.

 

[clownie]

Air Gestures...

I work in a place where various people take turns putting their iPods (often nanos) in a dock. The music plays, the nanos fall asleep, but if I look at the nanos, or walk by within about 8 feet, the nanos wake up. Is that normal, or explainable?

 

[MacbookSwitcher]

Apple filed a patent on controlling a touch screen interface from the rear of the device. Perhaps this is what is meant by "surprising"?

 

[eawmp1]

 

[peterdevries]

It will have a rectal microphone attachment so all the fanboys can speak louder.

Yep, and for you a vaginal attachment, so we can hear you think inside the box

 

[psingh01]

I hope it doubles as a phone where I can just place my current 3G's sim card in it and go. No way I'm paying for another contract just to get on the internet. I'm sure companies would want their customers to pay $60/mo for each device but one contract is enough.

 

[gnasher729]

Assuming it can make phone calls and has > 32G of memory, then it would be stupid. But the rumor is "shockingly" low prices so I would expect a stripped down version for around $300.

I wonder how you would make phone calls with say a 10 inch tablet. Does it come with a headset to plug in? Or do you just hold it in front of you, with microphone and tiny speakers? I'm quite sure I wouldn't want to hold it to my ears.

 

[kmiahali]

I can't wait to see what kind of new tech Apple has up their sleeve. Afterall, they have never failed to surprise customers.

 

[Peter Harrison]

This is all pure speculation, and based entirely on all the wild rumours in here... but how does this sound:

Cameras under the screen recognize and follow your eyes. The back of the tablet can sense you tapping. You look at something on the screen, tap the back of the tablet and it selects what you are looking at. I think that could be very cool indeed, and still allow touch gestures and a virtual keyboard etc.

OK, that's the really wild thing out of the way. This is what I predict:

- Either 7 inch or 10 inch. I don't think there will be a choice.

- Virtual keyboard.

- New Book Store for ebooks and the ability for anyone to submit ebooks like we can currently with apps and podcasts etc.

That's all I can feel confident about. Now, what I would LIKE to see in January:

- The eye-tracking idea above.

- A virtual keyboard, but the ability to optionally use the bluetooth apple keyboard.

- Completely new native apps made by Apple which use the new system and its features. This includes a much-improved app for taking notes (sketching or typing).

- A microphone. Even if it doesn't have a phone. Hopefully some voice-recognition on-board.

- The ability to run iPhone apps you have already purchased, and not only new tablet-friendly higher resolution versions. The OS would recognize an app is older (a bit like Classic we used to have to run OS9 apps etc) and would run the app properly. Apple will get bad press if people have to re-purchase apps.

- I'd like there to be two versions: Both have wireless capabilities for use at home or in wifi hotspot... but one has 3G activated and the other doesn't. So people can pay monthly for 3G, or can opt out if they want to. So it's not really two versions. It's just that you can purchase it and not have to activate 3G and have a carrier. You could still get online in wifi areas like the iPod Touch.

- Even if the back doesn't get used alongside the eye-tracking, I still like the idea of the back being used in some way. Not 100% of the time, otherwise you will accidentally select things just by holding the thing. But apps can activate the touch sensor on the back. So a driving game may activate the back of the device, and you hold it like a steering wheel. You could turn it to steer (accelerometer), but tapping certain fingers or making other gestures on the back would change gears, brake, change camera angles etc.

I've got loads of ideas going around my head at the moment. These are just some of the things I'm half expecting, some I really want, and one that probably won't happen but would be very cool.

 

[Mk2]

It will run OS X and you will control the mouse with the accelerometer. You'll be working and playing Labyrinth at the same time! Just think of the hours of fun you'll have!

 

[Peter Harrison]

It will run OS X and you will control the mouse with the accelerometer. You'll be working and playing Labyrinth at the same time! Just think of the hours of fun you'll have!

Accelerometer to control a cursor is a terrible idea and I hope we don't see it. OS X would be very cool, but just not practical. OS X works perfectly for computers. iPhone OS works perfectly for iPhones. I'm expecting a more advanced (simply meaning it has more features) version of iPhone OS specifically for the tablet. It makes most sense for them to have it run something similar to iPhone OS that has extras to make use of the new hardware features.

 

[DakotaGuy]

Get ready for some spotty 3G coverage.

 

[Mk2]

Accelerometer to control a cursor is a terrible idea and I hope we don't see it. OS X would be very cool, but just not practical. OS X works perfectly for computers. iPhone OS works perfectly for iPhones. I'm expecting a more advanced (simply meaning it has more features) version of iPhone OS specifically for the tablet. It makes most sense for them to have it run something similar to iPhone OS that has extras to make use of the new hardware features.

I guess I should have put the </sarcasm> tag at the end of my post.. oh well

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Also, I think your Apple TV prediction is right on. It might not be announced with this iTablet thingy, but that's definitely the future for Apple TV and TV in general. No more commercials. Just on-demand, subscription-based content. It makes sense and would be WAY more convenient. Apple would be smart to start such a service . . .

Except that the public happily(?) pays for a subscription to cable/satt now that also includes over $43 BILLION in (U.S. alone) commercial revenues on top of those subscription fees. While your suggestion would be great for the end user (the consumer), big business doesn't just dump $43 BILLION overnight for a "better way." The dream of this is exciting, but the reality doesn't appear to work from a business standpoint, especially when Apple's solution will apparently have to be pumped through the same broadband pipes owned by the dominant cable/satt players.

Let's summarize the new TV subscription service rumors:
1. Commercial free favorite programming all available via one cheap subscription
2. About $30/month, which is generally much cheaper than most anyones cable/satt bill now
3. So that it can be a cable/satt replacement, it will somehow address the live programming (like sports) and local programming (like local news) issue
4. Apparently, the public will be happy with minimal 720p at best compared to the 1080i/1080p options via cable/satt subscriptions for years now
5. The companies that control the broadband pipes through which this will work just happen to be the same companies that would take the revenue hit if the masses switched from cable/satt to this new Apple option
6. The companies that collect over $43 Billion in ad revenues (U.S. only) will just let that money evaporate for this new, better way.

As should be obvious, something has to give here.

 

[Peter Harrison]

Yep, lost on me. Sounds similar to some ideas that have been posted in all seriousness.

 

[eawmp1]

I wonder how you would make phone calls with say a 10 inch tablet. Does it come with a headset to plug in? Or do you just hold it in front of you, with microphone and tiny speakers? I'm quite sure I wouldn't want to hold it to my ears.

Direct cortical plugin:

 

[sishaw]

I'd bet you're right. No more screen smudges. Maybe it uses the camera to triangulate your actions, be great for sign language. Heck, it could even incorporate Pixel Qi's screen and Amimon's just announced WHDI technology to send uncompressed 1080 to your TV.

http://www.amimon.com/

Heck with that. It uses the camera to see where you are and follow you around!

 

[flopticalcube]

I wonder how you would make phone calls with say a 10 inch tablet. Does it come with a headset to plug in? Or do you just hold it in front of you, with microphone and tiny speakers? I'm quite sure I wouldn't want to hold it to my ears.

Exactly. iPhone is a phone. touch is a PDA. <new tablet> is a tablet. It will have 3g data but hopefully that is an option.

 

[Bubba Satori]

The same as a $1600 tablet Windows-based touch-screen thing.

You're only about 4x off but keep fighting the good fight. Some new netbooks are coming out with touch screens.

 

[igazza]

7 inch would be to small....

 

[Banyan Bruce]

...not too dainty

I'll probably get one just because Apple made it. The thinner the better.

If this is going to be a really useful tool rather than a wafer thin ornament, it will need to be robust enough to take a few knocks, especially if it's used by kids and engineers. Life just isn't gentle and table/hand to floor and gravity can't be ignored.

7 inch screen is too small...10 inch min.

May be it has a motion sensor that deploys an air bag if it's dropped.

 

[talkingnewmedia]

Wow, ten pages of comments -- is this because it is close to Christmas and people have nothing to do, or because people are genuinely excited.

aristotle: I have not used my MBP since I got my iMac and I noticed that I was no longer taking my MBP with me on trips after I got my iPhone 3G even before I bought the iMac.

Exactly -- this is what has made the iPhone a revolutionary new product. I also have stopped using my laptop on trips since its main function was to get e-mail while out of the office, or to do presentations -- all of which can be done with the iPhone or through other mediums.

My guess is that the tablet will be a revolutionary new product if it is not simply perceived to be either a new computer or an enlarged iPhone -- it has to stand on its own as a product that is in a different category.

Publishers are anxious for this launch because they see the product as a new reader -- only this time created by a company they know can truly innovate. (Stories here: Folio: and TNM.) So for them, this product is not to be compared with a computer or a phone but with the Kindle -- and don't you think Apple can create something better than a Kindle?

(Oh, and Merry Christmas everyone -- almost forgot to add that.)

 

[Thomas2006]

Microsoft Bob, "done right"

I am more curious about the default look of the GUI, and the individual applications, than I am about its technical specifications.

As far as how people will interact with it, I think Apple will allow us to use touch, keyboard, and pens. I am sure there are plenty of people that would love to use this as a Wacom tablet.

 

[iMacmatician]

Would people be really happy with an oversized iPod touch running the OS w/a remarkable processor (i wouldn't be too excited)?

For me it will be dependent on the new apps and how the larger display is used to the device's advantage.

Why is everyone speculating what it's target market is?

It runs App Store apps. Pick a category and leave it at that.

As the strapline goes, "There's an app for that"

I want one so I can play games on a bigger screen. I want one so I can design more useful productivity apps. I want one so I can read emails without having to scroll up and down so much.

And yeah, I probably want one just because it's 'more', and I'm most definitely not alone. This is going to be great fun.

This.

 

[Tamara]

At $202 a share?

Would you repeat the question, please?