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John Gruber: No Camera on Apple Tablet

the more i read about this, the more it looks like its going to be just an oversized iphone/ipod touch with some nice features for niche markets of ebook/emagazine readers..

this is apple's chance to take the netbook market by storm, but with all these supposed features missing it seems like they are targeting this to a niche market instead of mass market.
 
How many people seriously use the web cam on their laptops? Of those who actually do, how many use it if their laptop was now laying flat. I think this is one of those situations where an accessory would actually be better. Simply have a web cam that plugs into the dock connector and you could lie the tablet flat and still have the camera facing you.
 
lilo777 said:
It's just because people have failed to find any use for this device so far. Video chat was one of the candidates and now it's gone.
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i have enough use for a device like this every day. videoskype is one of them, websurfing, web apps, mail and such are other. it's probably just you that hasn't found any use for the tablet. many others have. no reason to be smug or negative.
 
If it doesn't have a camera that really kills the augmented reality market. I think it would be pretty awesome to hold a tablet up and have the camera give me details about where I am, restaurant reviews, etc.
 
Sekots said:
I really doubt Apple would fail to put a camera on the new tablet. Apple . . . loves cramming a camera into anything. Hell, even the iPod nano has a camera.
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This is an excellent point and bolsters my own belief that Apple would not be "being Apple" without a camera.

bz
 
OllyW said:
A lot of people thought the original iPhone was a bit disappointing. Most came on board with the launch of the 3G with iPhone OS2 and the App Store.
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Dumb phones had more functionality than the original iPhone. All the iPhone had going for it was a pretty UI. It definitely was not a smartphone ( despite Apple comparing it against other smartphones on the market at that time ).

paradox00 said:
How many people seriously use the web cam on their laptops? Of those who actually do, how many use it if their laptop was now laying flat. I think this is one of those situations where an accessory would actually be better. Simply have a web cam that plugs into the dock connector and you could lie the tablet flat and still have the camera facing you.
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Most definitely, for video conferencing - skype, on a regular basis.

What if the tablet had a leg that you could stand the Tablet up like a picture frame, or the ability to tilt the camera.
 
cvaldes said:
Again, Apple's design decisions have nothing to do with an given individual's needs...
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agreed (but why "again")

cvaldes said:
They select features that have bring value to the overall marketplace, likely consumers in this place..
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agreed

cvaldes said:
While you are certainly free to state your case, ..
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agreed

cvaldes said:
my hunch is that the functionality you desire would not be used by most users for the reasons I mentioned..
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don't agree. my hunch is that a lot of people want it. even if it's just for the first five minutes for the show effect (see camera in ipod nano or nintendo)

cvaldes said:
I guess you won't be buying the tablet. That's too bad..
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i would buy it if the tablet is really good even if apple decides against the web camera. other features would make it still useful.


cvaldes said:
As an AAPL stockholder, I want them to make very careful decisions about which features to install on this device and to keep a watchful eye on costs. I want this thing priced attractively with fat margins so they increase shareholder value.
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agreed. i'm stockholder too.
 
Hunabku said:
Jobs finishes his presentation on gesturing in a 3d space. The crowd is in awe - the software and the ui represents the new frontier of computing. Then Job says . . . and one more thing . . .

"Some of you may have noticed that the tablet doesn't have a camera", then he looks at the screen seeing/hearing phil say - "hi steve". Their video conferencing!

"The reason we don't need a camera is because the whole screen is a camera!"
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I remember reading that rumor here a few years ago. Maybe you are right.
 
jsnuff1 said:
the more i read about this, the more it looks like its going to be just an oversized iphone/ipod touch with some nice features for niche markets of ebook/emagazine readers..

this is apple's chance to take the netbook market by storm, but with all these supposed features missing it seems like they are targeting this to a niche market instead of mass market.
Click to expand...

What do most people use netbooks for? I think even an "oversized iPod touch" would cover most of those uses. "Big/oversized iPhone touch" is also short for "I heard the OS was going be based on iPhone OS but I lack any imagination so it must just be a big iPod touch". iPhone OS is an ever evolving product, the tablet would either be running iPhone OS 4.0 with a custom UI or its own variant of iPhone OS. We have seen neither one, so it couldn't be an over sized version of the iPhone/iPod touch we know today.

Remember that the iPhone was just going to be a phone with an iPod clickwheel... Some people were also surprised that Apple was working on a multitouch version of iWork, presumably for the tablet, and I have no idea why (people were/are surprised).
 
A tablet is the perfect form factor for the business traveller, and the business traveller would likely appreciate a webcam more than most (to conference with the kids back home, teleconferences with the home office, etc.)

I don't believe the rumor.
 
cmaier said:
A tablet is the perfect form factor for the business traveller, and the business traveller would likely appreciate a webcam more than most (to conference with the kids back home, teleconferences with the home office, etc.)

I don't believe the rumor.
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you really think a tablet is the perfect form factor for a business traveller?

It all depends on what this rumored device is actually capable of doing, but my gut tells me I would still have to travel with my notebook for business and work stuff.
 
topmounter said:
The Newton didn't need a camera. Besides who wants to see me laying around the hotel room in my undies on a business trip?
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Times have changed since the Newton was around, cellular networks couldn't do much data with very poor bandwidth, dial up networking sucked with video conferencing - too slow. The quality of cameras also sucked.

Today, its much easier, cheaper, nicer to achieve decent web conferencing.

We are talking 1990s vs 2010!!
 
jb1280 said:
you really think a tablet is the perfect form factor for a business traveller?

It all depends on what this rumored device is actually capable of doing, but my gut tells me I would still have to travel with my notebook for business and work stuff.
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that is exactly the point.

you need you work computer with you all the time. for you private stuff you can either do it on your work machine (dumb idea, against company policy, no privacy , often not possible) or you bring a second notebook (heavy, clunky) or you bring a sleek tablet (would be my choice) assuming it has enough functionality.
 
jb1280 said:
you really think a tablet is the perfect form factor for a business traveller?

It all depends on what this rumored device is actually capable of doing, but my gut tells me I would still have to travel with my notebook for business and work stuff.
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I may be projecting, but when I travel I mostly need to:

1) read and respond to emails
2) view office documents and pdfs. sometimes light editing/annotation.
3) web access
4) entertainment for plane/airport (ebooks, movies, music, slingplayer)
5) present keynote or powerpoint

I'd rather ditch the bulk/weight of the keyboard and accoutrements and a tablet is perfect for that.
 
No camera? I just sent a thousand dollars to some guy in Nigeria who e-mailed me saying he'd send me an Apple tablet if I gave him my credit card number. Now I want my money back. (He must be sending me more than one tablet 'cause my credit card statement shows a $10,000 charge!) :eek:

The only reason I can think of why Apple wouldn't include a camera on tablet 1.0 is because the designers are going for "sleek". But just like the iPhone, expect upgrades each year (year 2 gives you a camera, year 3 gives 3G, year 4 gives you a house in the Hamptons, etc.).

Honestly, the tablet, to be successful, will be all about the interface (just as the iPhone was) and what you can do with it, all packaged beautifully. The media world wants this thing to blow people away with its ability to showcase media, so it has to be full color, with outstanding video display capability, communications for uploading (Bluetooth, WiFi and possibly 3G), etc.

A camera would be nice, but not essential.
 
andiwm2003 said:
that is exactly the point.

you need you work computer with you all the time. for you private stuff you can either do it on your work machine (dumb idea, against company policy, no privacy , often not possible) or you bring a second notebook (heavy, clunky) or you bring a sleek tablet (would be my choice) assuming it has enough functionality.
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OK - that's a fair point.
 
But will it support firewire :eek:

Unless it is a forward facing camera for user videoconferencing, would a back camera make ANY sense? I already feel weird holding up the iPhone to take a picture. Holding up a tablet could be misconstrued as a threatening gesture.
 
cmaier said:
I may be projecting, but when I travel I mostly need to:

1) read and respond to emails
2) view office documents and pdfs. sometimes light editing/annotation.
3) web access
4) entertainment for plane/airport (ebooks, movies, music, slingplayer)
5) present keynote or powerpoint

I'd rather ditch the bulk/weight of the keyboard and accoutrements and a tablet is perfect for that.
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Absolutely. That's why there are some trips where I can dump the laptop and only take my iPhone. A tablet would be even better for business trips, but you'd still need your phone unless the tablet would have that (optional) capability, as well.
 
DipDog3 said:
Gruber didn't believe that the "mousepad" was real...so I won't count that one against him.
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I think it'll still come: "multitouch gadget" = "Magic Slate" = Apple version of Fingerworks iGesture = steep learning curve

iSlate = same input technology on a tablet

Everything is coming together. They probably didn't release the Magic Slate back then so they wouldn't leak the advanced input method.
 
paradox00 said:
What do most people use netbooks for? I think even an "oversized iPod touch" would cover most of those uses. "Big/oversized iPhone touch" is also short for "I heard the OS was going be based on iPhone OS but I lack any imagination so it must just be a big iPod touch". iPhone OS is an ever evolving product, the tablet would either be running iPhone OS 4.0 with a custom UI or its own variant of iPhone OS. We have seen neither one, so it couldn't be an over sized version of the iPhone/iPod touch we know today.

Remember that the iPhone was just going to be a phone with an iPod clickwheel... Some people were also surprised that Apple was working on a multitouch version of iWork, presumably for the tablet, and I have no idea why (people were/are surprised).
Click to expand...
Yeah. Those who thought beyond a simple enlargement of the iPod touch weren't surprised by that rumor (especially after the report of upcoming "full-size" iPhone apps), I think they expected something like that (I know I predicted mobile iLife/iWork).

That's in addition to those other rumors about features of the tablet that aren't in the iPhone and iPod touch (at least not right now).
 
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