The 'iSlate' - Reviving an Old Name?

[MacRumors]

Even with news that Apple has registered the iSlate trademark, we can't be certain that's the name the company will ultimately use. Of historic interest, however, is the fact that this is not the first time they used the "Slate" term in labeling one of their tablet projects. In the early 1990s, Apple had an unreleased tablet prototype called the "MessageSlate" based on the Newton technology.

Apple MessageSlate prototype - 1990s
The MessageSlate never went into production. Apple even applied for trademark protection for the MessageSlate name back in 1993.

Article Link: The 'iSlate' - Reviving an Old Name?

 

[GeekLawyer]

Another great find, arn! It's all coming together.

 

[gibbz]

sounds like fate for slate

 

[xlii]

iSlate just doesn't roll off the tongue. We need to name it for them.
My entry - iTab

 

[Compile 'em all]

iSlate will be the name. The evidence is overwhelming.

 

[kolax]

iSlate is starting to have a ring to it. Like when the iPod came out, it sounded daft.

 

[MacMalv]

i would still prefer it to be simply called "slate" and get rid of the i. it is so last decade!

 

[DTphonehome]

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)

Who says it's a prototype? Looks like it could be the new one

 

[fat phil]

That looks the business, for the era. Certainly looks better than the Kindle looks today.

 

[epo]

You've got it all wrong

It won't be January and it will be called "Is late".

Many years ago a DEC minicomputer necessary for a project of mine was somewhat late in arriving, when it finally did so I gave it the network name "Godot", I commend this name to My Jobs.

 

[Small White Car]

Remember how people howled when they announced "Macbook" and "Macbook Pro" as new names?

Remember how everyone said they were horrible? I don't know about you, but they seem perfectly normal to me now.

So I don't put much stock in the argument that "iSlate" sounds weird. That's never stopped Apple before and, honestly, whatever they come up with always sounds "normal" within a month or two anyway.

 

[obeygiant]

Call it the iMexpensive or the iMgunnacostya.

 

[hajime]

This photo reminds me of the Powerbook 280c.

 

[rdowns]

The picture looks like it's upside down.

 

[hikertommy]

My entry would be the iPad but maybe to close to iPod...

 

[tdream]

ie. before Steve Jobs came back to Apple. So the name does not come with his blessing.

 

[Cander]

I think MacSlate would sound better.

 

[talkingfuture]

Wow the image in the article shows just how far Apple's design has come!

 

[CEnTR4L]

I hope this alleged tablet never come out, Tablet computers suck.

 

[chickenninja]

Apple already has a tablet device which is the iphone, i dont see this islate being anything short of MAC-OSX, if it was based on iphone OS it would follow the iphones evolution. I think apple is itching to expand their product line, and take the reins on this emerging tablet market. My only hope is that somewhere in the mechanics of the device is a keyboard, i am so tired of my big floppy fingers in front of my screen and a touchscreen keyboard that infringes on my screen's real estate. I think this next device will have a stylus that doubles as a Wacom pen which can be used with other computers as a peripheral. and have trackpad multitouch capabilities so you can use both hands in a gesture. It would be nice to have a scanner on the bottom, so you could place it directly ontop of an 8.5"x11"

 

[Barbie]

The picture looks like it's upside down.

the MessageSlate is on a table facing away, so it looks upside down

 

[sjo]

It won't be January and it will be called "Is late".

indeed, this is late thing smells just like someone at apple making fun of the fanboys... (or possibly an operation by worldwide loyalty team, leaking misinformation to find out who leaks in the company)

 

[*LTD*]

I hope this alleged tablet never come out, Tablet computers suck.

They suck today, and before Apple releases theirs. Big difference.

Tablets will eventually replace notebooks. It'll take years, but that's where Apple is headed, and even at this early stage they'll release a tablet like none that has been seen or experienced before. Forget everything you know about tablets, all their shortcomings, all their problems. It's all about to change. Apple is excellent at redefining and popularizing current technological ideas and paradigms that aren't being exploited correctly.

 

[gwarth]

iSlate back made out of actual slate?

I'm don't know much about material science but what if Apple actually used slate as the material for the back of the device? You know, instead of plas… erh polycarbonate or aluminum. Would propably look awesome.

 

[Data]

I don't hink it will be a tablet at all, at least not in the sense as we know, it, like for drawing and stylusses and stuff, i think it will be a pure media/gaming device nothing more and nothing less.

But i'm still hoping that Apple will surprise us all with some funtionality that none of us have thought about.