More Apple Tablet Rumblings

[Daveway]

I think all of our heads are going to explode before WWDC gets here.

Agreed. Well, I'm going to have to go to a Cyber cafe' to explode as I will be in TN for vacation on the 6th.

BTW: I think abrooks deserves some credit on this story as he reported on it early this morning in this thread.

 

[Toe]

why do they need to go to intel when a mac mini type unit could be reworked into a tablet. unless they are going to be inovating again.

If they are using an Intel chip, then I would guess that the tablet would run a version of Darwin, not necessarily OS X. Or some intermediate.

This would make sense if it is to be a terminal, and not a computer. Think of it not as a small Mac you write on, but rather a remote terminal to your main computer (iServe?).

When you're sittin' around the house, yuou can just grab any ol iTablet and change the music playing on iTunes. Or select a different channel or movie to play on the TV. Or do a web search.

All of these (and a heck of a lot more) could be accomplished with a relatively dumb terminal, logging into a nice robust server in the closet (or in the den or whatnot). Ideally, wirelessly.

 

[Oryan]

I would love to see an Apple designed tablet. I'm not exactly sure if I would buy one or even how well they would do but I would still like to see what Apple could do with one and the price range they would put it at.

Same here. I've liked the tablet design since I first saw a working model but I'm not sure how I would use it, esp for editing. I'll keep waiting for the G5 PB.

 

[suntzu]

I think the Tablet Mac will be released aimed towards the professional/education crowd more than any other group. For example, I'd buy one to use as a digital sketch pad. Alias makes a program called Alias Sketchbook Pro that is amazing.

If they can make it cheaper than a Tablet PC and a Wacom Cintiq then I'm totally in. All I need is a Tablet Mac that can run Sketchbook Pro, connected to my network, and has a card reader.

 

[Stella]

Any Apple tablet better be able to run existing Apple software.

Apple will be starting from a base of zero software which is never good.

PC Tablets have never really taken off, so Apple better pull something out of the hat for an Apple tablet to work.

 

[SiliconAddict]

why do they need to go to intel when a mac mini type unit could be reworked into a tablet. unless they are going to be inovating again.

Reworked is one thing. To make it small and thin enough that it isn't a burden to carry around while maintaining a good battery life is another matter altogether. The only thing that comes close on the PC side are slate devices that either use the craptastic Transmeta or Intel’s ultra low voltage Pentium M’s that I think range from 900Mhz to 1.2Ghz. (Which is pretty much the equivalent of a 1.5 on the desktop.)
If Apple releases a tablet it isn’t going to be a reworked mini.

 

[AlmostThere]

Apple are going to rip the keyboard of an iBook stick the screen in it's place and call that the new tablet.

OK, not exactly, but why not recycle the older iB technology into a new form factor with new features ... especially considering the truly frightening and awe-inspiring rate at which Apple are developing their current laptop ranges (what with all those mobile, dual core G45 processors, the 1 Ghz FSB and HD screens found on all current models).

 

[gfox25]

That's incredible!! I had no idea it was there. And once you do it, the Rotate menu disappears from the Displays screen. You have to navigate around fairly awkwardly because the trackpad DOES NOT CHANGE ORIENTATION!!! This is a sure sign of on-screen cursor control.... like on a TABLET!!!

WOW!!!!

Or maybe just maybe... just bare with me on this.....
its for displays that can be rotated...

oh, man my ATI x700 pro can do this to... can't wait for the tablet verison to come out.

sorry for sounding like such an as_ but people are looking way to hard into this.

 

[agreenster]

This
Has
To
Happen

 

[the_ki]

In the System Preferences, try "option-click" of "Displays". (in Tiger)
Then you will see "Rotate" menu in there. You can rotate your screen orientation with it.
I believe this is an implication of coming Tablet Mac. Other than that, it is just an useless feature.

As the owner of a Samsung 710T monitor which can rotate, I certainly don't think it's a useless feature at all.

 

[Lepton]

A Tablet that only runs ARA

Apple won't put OSX on an Intel CPU. But it might use one in a non OSX device like a video iPod, or... my vision of an Apple tablet:

My idea on an Apple tablet is that it will _only_ run a version of Apple Remote Access. Over AirPort and the Internet, it will be able to connect to another computer and mirror, take over the screen, or work as a second monitor. The stylus works like a mouse whch is fine, and since the controlled Mac has Inkwell, you're in business even without plugging a keyboard into the tablet's USB!

This lets you have a lean, light, long-battery-life tablet that can be anything from an iTunes remote to an enterprise-wide device. It's a great idea and if I was a hardware guy I'd make the thing myself!

 

[rosalindavenue]

Yeah those tablet PCs have become such a colossol hit! I mean you can't go anywhere without seeing one.

I hope Apple doesn't waste its money developing a tablet PC when there is so much work to be done on making good value, fast ibooks and powerbooks. [...].

My sentiments exactly.

Additionally, if Apple is just talking to Intel about processors for a tablet, it seems very doubtful that the release of the tablet would be "imminent"-- seems more like it would be a year away, at least.

 

[puckhead193]

why a tablet, why not a PDA

 

[slffl]

In the System Preferences, try "option-click" of "Displays". (in Tiger)
Then you will see "Rotate" menu in there. You can rotate your screen orientation with it.
I believe this is an implication of coming Tablet Mac. Other than that, it is just an useless feature.

Does this not work with a rotating monitor?

EDIT: Nevermind, the_ki answered it for me. It does work and it's not useless.

 

[dibabear]

Tablets and iPods and Bears Oh My!

If I connect the dots of rumored talks with Intel, the tablet patent application and WWDC starting in two weeks...nah.

I'd like to see an Apple tablet if for no other reason than I'm starting to get frustrated with my Palm Tungsten and am considering changing. The only thing that keeps me loyal to Palm is that I don't want to run WinCE. Or buy anything from HPaq.

Hell, I even considered buying a Newton on eBay until my meds kicked in.

In spite of what I'd like to believe, it's still rumorware. And if luck is any indicator, the day after the return policy on my Tungsten replacement expires will be the day Apple announces the tablet.

 

[Buggy]

I disagree re: not enough market. My work bought a tablet for almost every employee (education). We are buying new ones this year for new staff.

I think even more people would buy them , the disadvantage right now is Tablets are either fully capable and poorly designed behemoths or they have a good form factor but are limited.

I think if anyone could make a fully functional Tablet, it would be apple.

 

[ioinc]

Yeah those tablet PCs have become such a colossol hit! I mean you can't go anywhere without seeing one.

I hope Apple doesn't waste its money developing a tablet PC when there is so much work to be done on making good value, fast ibooks and powerbooks. Something they apparently no longer have an interest in.

There is very little doubt in my mind that there is a market there.

As many meetings that I have been to where the boss asked for sum unexpected numbers only to hear "I don't have the numbers in front of me, but..."

Imagine a tablet that contains all the documents you use at work that you can carry around from meeting to meeting.

Less than a laptop, but more than a pad of paper (or hard copy of reports).....

Build one thin enough and elegant enough (and powerful enough) and there is a huge market for this.

The PC world (in true PC fashion) came out with clunky junk that never fit the role.

I would love to see what apple could produce with their design team.

 

[ZeeG]

Does this not work with a rotating monitor?

EDIT: Nevermind, the_ki answered it for me. It does work and it's not useless.

For the pivot monitor, you just need "portrait" and "landscape" option.
Why do we need 90, 180, 270 degree settings?

 

[Yvan256]

Any Apple tablet better be able to run existing Apple software.

Apple will be starting from a base of zero software which is never good.

PC Tablets have never really taken off, so Apple better pull something out of the hat for an Apple tablet to work.

One word: widgets. Add Quicktime/H.264, MP3/AAC, PDF, JPEG/PNG/etc and perhaps even Keynote playback capatibility and that'd make a kick-ass laptop replacement!

 

[Thanatoast]

This would make sense if it is to be a terminal, and not a computer. Think of it not as a small Mac you write on, but rather a remote terminal to your main computer (iServe?).

When you're sittin' around the house, yuou can just grab any ol iTablet and change the music playing on iTunes. Or select a different channel or movie to play on the TV. Or do a web search.

All of these (and a heck of a lot more) could be accomplished with a relatively dumb terminal, logging into a nice robust server in the closet (or in the den or whatnot). Ideally, wirelessly.

Now, that's an idea I like. It would keep the cost down to a reasonable level (assuming you already own a mac) and does everything you need it to (well, your computer does it, but what's the effective difference?)

 

[dibabear]

Now that I'm thinking about it...

A tablet that runs only Remote Access? Yeah, I'd buy one of those...not. Ditto with anything that needs to be plugged in to operate. I know PDA is a dirty word these days but something that melds the iPod to a PDA with some real computer functionality, I believe, would sell. The only reason the PDA market is nearly dead is because Palm is the only player. The stopped innovating sometime after the Pilot was introduced.

As for names...how about the iScratch?!?!

 

[Yvan256]

As the owner of a Samsung 710T monitor which can rotate, I certainly don't think it's a useless feature at all.

Way cool with MAME for vertical games (Pac-Man, Dig-Dug, etc)

 

[slffl]

For the pivot monitor, you just need "portrait" and "landscape" option.
Why do we need 90, 180, 270 degree settings?

Maybe different monitors rotate different ways. I do hope it's a sign of something though.

 

[dibabear]

Now, that's an idea I like. It would keep the cost down to a reasonable level (assuming you already own a mac) and does everything you need it to (well, your computer does it, but what's the effective difference?)

The "effective difference" is that you have to be in range of your computer. Or punch a hole through your firewall to reach it via the 'net. Which requires you to have 'net access. Which, at 19.2kbps, sucks rocks when running graphics even on thin clients. Not to mention it makes the client about as useful as a rock on airplanes or anywhere else 'net access isn't available.

 

[SiliconAddict]

O gosh here we go again...

Please spare another 20 page thread. We don't need this again.
The market for tablet is not yet big enough for Apple to enter it.

The same thing could be said of the portable music market and the uber cheap PC market. Apple makes markets they don't just invade them.