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Transcript of Jobs at All Things Digital

Steve sez: "There are no plans to make a tablet. It turns out people want keyboards. When Apple first started out, People couldn't type. We realized: Death would eventually take care of this." "We look at the tablet and we think it's going to fail."

I agree 100%... I hope this stops the tablet rumors.
 
the only reason i reckon apple might do well out of a tablet where the others won't is their traditional relationship to the graphic arts.

but i think he's right: tablets are for rich geeks. not for normal people.
 
im all for the tablet failing. i think its a product thats just too expensive and flawed. BUT, its already gaining ground. it doesnt look like its going to fail. the construction guys at my company love their tablets. they use em like laptops, but they are generally sturdier and easier to use. i think alot of companies are finding that the tablet has some definite advantages.
 
apple shouldn't waste their time on something that won't do tthat well like the tablet. It's a waste of too much time, money and resources when other parts of the company need help. I say good job to jobs.
 
Not really a tablet.

What Steve doesn't like is the tablet in the PC-industry sense (I don't either), but when I talk about an Apple Mini-Tablet I mean something completely different.

Think along the lines of a hybrid iPod. Probably bigger than the current iPod in screen size, but definitely without keyboard. It's not a computer. It's a DLD. That's Apple.

The tablet PC - as an actual computer in tablet form - probably won't fail, but it'll never really catch on. We'll still be using laptops 10 years down the line (although a sub-notebook would be nice, Steve...).

I'd keep an eye on Think Secret's rumors relating to Apple's use of an OLED screen. That's what this mini-tablet - or rather iPod/DLD/MiniTablet/Coffee Grinder - will be. At least the one I'm thinking of. No, Apple isn't making a Tablet Mac (that's something completely different).
 
Something bigger than a palm...smaller than a 12in powerbook? I sense something is out there but I don't know what. I do agree that tablets are not useful in the consumer sector, however, a portible device that runs OS X, plays music, views video, keeps me organized, and is wirelessly connected to the internet VIA WiFi in Hot Spots and GPRS outside of hot spots would be sweet. Not to mention it has to have outpus so I can watch the digital tv shows I record on a TV or monitor later. Oh, I almost forgot, it still has to fit in the palm of my hand.

Probably not but wishful thinking never hurts. Don't OLED's use less power therefore incresing iPods battery life. That is probably the actual, not glamorous use for them. But I don't know what I am talking about.
 
Originally posted by Macette
the only reason i reckon apple might do well out of a tablet where the others won't is their traditional relationship to the graphic arts.

but i think he's right: tablets are for rich geeks. not for normal people.
Click to expand...
agreed,but if you look at Wacom's Cintiq tablet (more or less) there are limitations. It seems like if Wacom, which is somewhat integral to development in tablet/stylus technologies on both the Mac and PC side of the pen input technology, would have been the first to truly make a portable tablet. They haven't. They haven't even gone the dumb terminal with a video card route.
There is also the aspect that the levels of sensitivity on a PC tablet and the Cintiq. The ways one can use a pen are about 50% less sensitive and less versatile than the best tablet Wacom offers.
Graphic artists will stick with the best until drawing on a screen becomes the best. Right now it isn't.
 
ok so no pda and no tablet but..

the signs are there though, remember when Steve previewed inkwell a few macworlds ago..thats what started this all off. What was that all about? I still think a thin client tablet(as some rumors have suggested) is the most feasible.
What happened to Inkwell? its not in osX that i can see..any info is appreciated.
 
Sony's got a device like the one you are talking about. But it's expensive. And it runs WinXP. ( there's no smilie for :eecchh: )
 
Originally posted by sparkleytone
the construction guys at my company love their tablets. they use em like laptops, but they are generally sturdier and easier to use.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't construction guys be using things like saws and hammers?

I'd love to see someone use a PC laptop as a hammer... :D
 
Originally posted by hayesk
Hmmm... sounds like a Newton. ;)
Click to expand...

I still don't regret ditching my Sony Clie N710c and getting a Messagepad 2100 a few months ago. I like the way it feels when I hold it, its solid, unlike a palm, which feels flimsy now that I have used the Newton. The larger screen is also a big bonus. But one thing wrong with it is that the digitizer becomes misaligned, and I have to re-setup the digitizer (a mere 60 seconds or less).

Not to mention that there is OS X support now (by third-parties), so I can upload packages, and synchronize my Newt with iCal and the Address Book.
 
Re: ok so no pda and no tablet but..

Originally posted by boobers
What happened to Inkwell? its not in osX that i can see..any info is appreciated.
Click to expand...

plug a graphics table in and the preference pane appears.

it's cool, and one of the nicer interfaces I've seen for pen based input at an OS level, but it didn't set me on fire....

spent a day or two trying to use it and went "who am I kidding? I type 80wpm...." :D
 
Originally posted by hayesk
Hmmm... sounds like a Newton. ;)
Click to expand...

I almost bought a Newton, but decided to wait to see if Apple made anything new because of lack of OS X support. I've only used one once, and loved it. So, now I sit here and hope for 970s and a new Newton, but I seriously doubt a new Newton will be announced at least until after whe 970 rollout as that probably is occupying most of apple's hardware resources at the moment.
 
Newtons Rock

I have an emate (Newton w Keyboard) which is the closest thing to a Tablet that Apple ever put out and still use it every day. 6 years later it is still my favorite Apple product of all time - it is amazing. I wish Jobs would re-consider his decision not to continue this product line.
 
If all you do is type all day, then a tablet is just about as useful as a rock (not even as useful as a nail really...)

But like sparkleytone's example, people who do things other than type all day still have to resort to pen and paper - anyone used that recently?

There are so many uses for a tablet. All you nay-sayers need to get outside more often; stretch your backs and legs a bit. The huge adavantage in mobility they offer soon becomes apparent.

It's not a rich man's toy. They are so many industries where people don't sit at their desks all day using a keyboard. So many of these could use a tablet, instead of the notebooks (yes - paper ones) and photocopies and folders to store all those little bits of paper...

As for using a laptop instead - has anyone here ever tried to stand up, holding a laptop in one hand and operating it in the other? Trust me, it's far from useful.

Teamed up with properly designed software (i.e. not a word processor) a tablet could in may ways replace the huge wads of paper that many of us are still forced to carry around when we need to scribble or present something.

And if anyone can do this right, it's Apple.

<edit: I'll just qualify the above by saying it's got to be priced better. The reason no-one is buying them now is largely to do with their price - often more expensive than a laptop :rolleyes: )
 
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