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What is the Ultimate Role of the Apple Tablet?

albusseverus said:
What's wrong with having a better device for bathroomreading? Get rid of the magazine rack and make a toilet roll holder/tablet dock. Fact is, iPhone gets a lot of bathroom use and something more suited to all other media would change the game once again and create a market that no one thought existed, but now can't live without...

...Seriously expect an excellent bathroom reader/viewer/surfer, and just hope Apple squeeze better than iPhone functionality in for good measure. Maybe that's what the fireball is saying, it's so hard to read his vague-quote punctuated drivel.
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"The iPhone gets a lot of bathroom use". This has to be one of the silliest things I have read on here. You can't justify a product like the tablet just because people use a similar one in the bathroom!

Whats wrong with it is that Steve has panned tablets for being just that, a bathroom reader.
 
albusseverus said:
Seriously expect an excellent bathroom reader/viewer/surfer, and just hope Apple squeeze better than iPhone functionality in for good measure. Maybe that's what the fireball is saying, it's so hard to read his vague-quote punctuated drivel.
Click to expand...

While I'm afraid you are probably closer to what it will be than many, what's the right price of this thing? How much does a big market want to pay for a great bathroom reader, etc? We know what Kindle's cost, iPod Touch, iPhone. It seems reasonable to assume a bigger screen Tablet should cost more than those devices. My guess at pricing is $799. Would you want a bathroom reader for anywhere near that price?

For example, these people who think this is their new magazine subscription medium could subscribe to their 2 favorite $25/yr magazines for about 16 years for that $799. And if they mostly read them in the bathroom, the paper in the pages could offer a backup for "ahem" when you run out.;)

Joking aside, I'm still a bit hung up on paying up for the tablet, then paying up again for the (print industry) content that we are going to want so bad after we have this thing in our hands. Why again? Especially if we already have a laptop that can serve up that same content via iTunes?
 
D 5 said:
Jan 26, 2010 KEYNOTE

SJ: Hi, Im Steve Jobs and we have some great products for you Today.
Audience : clapping, cheering.
SJ: Let me show you some stats_
Audience :*Ohhhhhh, Uhhhhhhh,*Ahhhhh
SJ :*We have some new updates to our products and services, New OS, apps, games_
SJ : We have some new partners for our future products (Verizon, T-Moble, Sprint) others
Audience :*Ohhhhhh, Uhhhhhhh,*Ahhhhh, Yeahhhhh, one geek faints.
Audience :*Thats it?
SJ : I have one more thing to show you_
Audience :*clapping, cheering,*Ohhhhhh,*Ahhhhh, Yeahhhhh
SJ : Takes out the New MacBook /(tablet)*
SJ : BOOM!!!!
Audience :*Faints, crying,*clapping, cheering, WOW! Ooooooooohhhhhhh, Yeaaaahhhhh
Internet : Twitter crashes again, over Apple news.
SJ: We have a great Super Bowl Ad I think you will enjoy.
Audience :*Yes, Yes, Please, Please,
SJ : Lets take a look.
Audience :*OMG! clapping, cheering,*Ohhhhhh,*Ahhhhh,
SJ : I think you will enjoy this new line up, thank you for coming.
Audience : Geeks walk out and start blogging on their iPhones.:D
Click to expand...

hahah :D
this is what i expected :p
 
Bye Bye Baby said:
That is simply just false.

If you limit businesses to bean counting. But the whole world is full of creative professionals and lots of them are using a MAC.
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I should have been more clearer. None of Apple's products are specifically and solely business oriented like for example part of the HP, Dell and Lenovo lineups. Apple lately is actually moving more towards the consumer market. Therefore a tablet will also not be oriented towards the business market, and will most likely be more consumer oriented.
 
HobeSoundDarryl said:
While I'm afraid you are probably closer to what it will be than many, what's the right price of this thing? How much does a big market want to pay for a great bathroom reader, etc? We know what Kindle's cost, iPod Touch, iPhone. It seems reasonable to assume a bigger screen Tablet should cost more than those devices. My guess at pricing is $799. Would you want a bathroom reader for anywhere near that price?

For example, these people who think this is their new magazine subscription medium could subscribe to their 2 favorite $25/yr magazines for about 16 years for that $799. And if they mostly read them in the bathroom, the paper in the pages could offer a backup for "ahem" when you run out.;)

Joking aside, I'm still a bit hung up on paying up for the tablet, then paying up again for the (print industry) content that we are going to want so bad after we have this thing in our hands. Why again? Especially if we already have a laptop that can serve up that same content via iTunes?
Click to expand...

If a bathroom reader is all it was going to be, I would say it better be $300-350 or not too many would buy it. I highly doubt that, that's all it will be capable of. This is Apple we are talking about.
 
We have heard about the hype that the tablet will have an amazing way to interact with the device. That set me in this mode of thinking as to what a tablet is good for.

Apple tablet's role irrespective of its relationship to the low end mac mobility products can be:

More touchable enabled surfaces.

a) The sides of the tablet can be touch sensitive too.
b) Simultaneous touch of the two surfaces give you the ability to operate in 3 dimensions.

iGuide - The modern day finder but much much more.

a) This will be the equivalent of an intelligent agent who manages your communication, events as well as data. Sort of like the concept video that have been around for around 20+ years of a professor interacting with a machine. Out of the box, it may not have all the knowledge-base that was assumed in that concept video but that is where the third party apps can play a huge role.

b)Basic Command and control through touch or voice or video gestures

Transform communications

a) Wi-Fi or 3G video conferencing. At a mundane level It will have a stand so it can be placed at an angle. It will have little swivel camera. That stand will be some kind of a dock which is a charger plus additional connectivities to the external world like today's charging dock is.

b) More importantly, it has to support an easy to way set up a video conferencing call. MobileMe can be used for that purpose as a global registration service to know where a particular user is. It is not just to address the device but but also to address a user.

Cloud Service for Communication - Presence Management

a) One of the biggest chalenge to innovative communications applications is Presence Management, especially when devices are located behind NAT firewalls.
b) Every communication today implements their own registration and presence management whether it is IM or VoIP. That is incredibly regressive.
c) If Apple can provide a standard solution/implementation for presence using MobileMe ( or something like that and works with Wi-Fi ), third party app writers can build incredible applications on top of that. That will transform how people communicate.

So it is a combination of hardware innovations ( iSlate ) and more significantly software innovations ( iGuide ) and some foundational Cloud Service for communications which will set itself apart from any other mobile computing platform. That is the role of the tablet and not necessarily a substitute for a low end general purpose computing platform. Apple had all the ingredients for quite a while and the upcoming announcement is the finished dish version 1.0

That is my hype.
 
eastcoastsurfer said:
Many people keep saying they want something to replace their MB. I was more addressing them

Really? This says that the app store market is 2.4B/year (and I would assume growing as more iphones/touches are sold). 30% of 2.4B is is 720M. Divide that into quarters and you're seeing 180M/quarter that isn't exactly chump change when you're posting profits about about 1.6B each quarter. Now you start adding in new content like magazines subscriptions, etc... and that number can grow further. Don't be confused, it is ALWAYS about money.
Click to expand...

What you are confusing is that the 30% cut isn't profits, if you factor in apples costs in maintaining the app store and the app application process, let alone the whole iphone OS, these number which are not profits but revenues, are driven considerably down. The numbers you quoted presuppose that apple somehow is miraculously handed over the iphone os, and the application frameworks, and the ui with no money spent on their part for r&d and support, and somehow maintains and oversees the whole app store at no cost either. So think again before misquoting a number.

eastcoastsurfer said:
What's funny is that MS has tried this a few times and has been ridiculed every time. It wasn't long ago that they suggested all apps simply be signed by MS and they were blasted for it.
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They were not ridiculed or blasted for their requiring digital signatures for a more secure platform, they were blasted for wanting to charge an enormous annual license to developers, that expired and had to be renewed regardless of profits or sales. As per usual their main focus was to turn the extra buck at all costs, apple is indeed interested at turning in the extra profit but not at all costs, not at the cost of being stupid and irrelevant as so often MS does, as they did with their proposed drm rights trying to screw both the record companies AND the consumer.

It's no wonder in this day and age apple charge $30 for an upgrade to an excellent OS in their desktops and notebooks, while MS charges $400 (or so) for an upgrade to their failed vista OS that was universally panned, while it should have been the other way around, those that failed offering the next os for close to nothing and those that succeeded offering it for a hefty price. But it's not that way because one company is more interested in building a reliable well established platform in snow leopard, strengthening their reputation first and foremost, and the other company is again after the easy quick buck with little consideration as to what their customers have paid over the years for their sub par operating systems.
 
skinnylegs said:
Question...do you feel *really* stupid when you make a statement such as that? Are you implying that you can't edit a Word document with iPhone OS? LMAO Dude...do your homework *before* you make strong statements.
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Answer: Your a thick idiot here my friend, I suggest you don't jump half way into conversations that you clearly have not fully read. That way you'll save yourself some embarrassment ;)

Let me enlighten you, I was basically speaking to SOMEONE ELSE who seemed to be implying it does not matter if this tablet thing can't edit Word docs etc. So you see, if you did your homework and read a few pages instead of jumping in you'd understand. :rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
HobeSoundDarryl said:
Joking aside, I'm still a bit hung up on paying up for the tablet, then paying up again for the (print industry) content that we are going to want so bad after we have this thing in our hands. Why again? Especially if we already have a laptop that can serve up that same content via iTunes?
Click to expand...

I am a firm supporter in the publishing industry giving a free electronic copy for EVERY book/magazine we purchase, and I consider the current scheme of amazon, absolutely unacceptable. I will never pay for an ebook unless I get the print book too and vice versa, they should at the very least add a nominal fee on top of each for both. Forcing me to buy separately is something you have to be a fool to do.

And I will keep pressing with this point regardless of what most ignorant folk do, carry along blindly being forced to pay twice for electronic copies of the very same book they own. How unacceptable, and how infuriating you see people getting conned here and not demanding more.

That said, the tablet doesn't really need to subscribe to anything since the free internet magazines are arguably better and more complete, they are just lacking the form factor of a book, and there's where the tablet's browser comes in. Why pay for a newspaper when you can read it for free over the internet on the tablet?
 
Come on, this is last year's post!

I like the idea of a smallish, but capable computer that I can check and write email, watch videos and browse the web with. However, unless Apple waits for the appropriate screens, becoming available in the second half of the year to my knowledge; this tablet-like device will be inferior to read books and newspapers/magazines and raises the question that whether a slightly souped-up e-reader or an iPod Touch/iPhone combo would be a safer choice until the second dev. Or a netbook.

Even a MacBook Pro update makes me anxious. With a brand new product, you have to want that tablet really badly to ignore the obvious risks. Firstly, it will have several unnecessary features whilst some functions we'll just have to do without. Secondly, with so much media attention, Apple will be in the position to aim for maximum price; perhaps making the tablet more expensive than reasonable. Meanwhile, other manufacturers are catching up. Companies with experience in the smartphone, e-reader and netbook segments. Companies without any serious pressure to integrate a lot of proprietary services and features, such as iTunes or an OS X/iPhone-like OS. Ironically, Windows 7 is already integrates touch-screen. How long will it take, before netbooks start to utilise foldable designs and touch-screens? Let's not forget that there are very good tablet devices on the market, they just haven't met serious commercial interest.

Some people want to see gaming capability, some want Adobe suits to run, some just want a basic computer. For reading outdoors, glossy screens are not great. For emailing and editing text, keyboards are needed. Whatever screen the tablet will have, a larger screen needs protection against breaking. In the end, that tablet will become a glorified mix of a netbook and an iPod Touch. Personally, I would prefer having them separately.

Just one last thing... what if there will be two tablets? One for basic users and another one with decent performance, nice screen/graphics and plenty of storage? $699 and $899 perhaps? Nevertheless, I am more interested in the iPod Touch with a camera.
 
Eidorian said:
I don't see a reason to pay for content I can get for free.
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I'm not sure if you mean that a lot of books are out of copyright and so freely available, or maybe you're hinting at piracy?

Content isn't free to create, and so it's not going to be free to us endusers. If Apple can create a device that helps publishers produce good content and get fair prices for it, that's a very good thing.

A good example is the textbook industry. College textbooks are very expensive to develop and need to be frequently updated. If Apple makes an ebook reader that can handle color, video, and still be easy to read (like a Kindle), then this is an incredible opportunity for textbook publishers. But they are still not going to be cheap. Creating that content, new content, especially, means that the electronic editions are going to be very close to the cost of the paper editions--just better and more portable.
 
nastebu said:
A good example is the textbook industry. College textbooks are very expensive to develop and need to be frequently updated. If Apple makes an ebook reader that can handle color, video, and still be easy to read (like a Kindle), then this is an incredible opportunity for textbook publishers. But they are still not going to be cheap. Creating that content, new content, especially, means that the electronic editions are going to be very close to the cost of the paper editions--just better and more portable.
Click to expand...

Not trying to disagree with you or anything remotely close (just adding something in relation to the topic of this thread) but if this thing can't replace a laptop it will be a flop or very niche product. Period.

While it may be extremely useful for textbooks, no college kid is going to buy this in addition to a laptop when they're in financial aid debt as soon as they attend their first class.

As of right now, contrary to others that may disagree, Apple has to give a reason why consumers need this product. An e-reading media player is simply not good enough no matter how pretty it is. This was the main theme of the Gruber article.
 
think wider

So strange to see so many restricted views about what is possible...

For obvious ergonomical reasons, the software can't just be an enlarged iPod with overstretched apps (but resizable apps is possible) nor a downsized Mac.

If Apple launches a tablet, they will have thought hard about an answer for some reasons that keep tablets into niche markets: overheating processors or holding it with two hands whilst using it with two hands as well... They can't release something that doesn't contain a clever trick or two to cover some of that. Like a power efficient ARM CPU enabling a large battery capacity.

Think about smthg more like a desktop-ised version of the iPhone. With tablet-specific apps and plain iphone apps, multitasking. All of them being general computing apps. Why seeing such a computer only as an e-book reader, a PMP or an iTunes jukebox?

With no need to unfold it, no need to look for a flat surface to use it safely or being annoyed by the heat dissipation on your lap. Connect an external BT keyboard when really necessary (and only then). And, as a netbook, no need for its own laptop bag. If they achieve that, full-sized Mac OS notebooks might just become irrelevant in many situations, i.e. reserved for heavy-duty creative work.
 
If this is supposed to fit between my macbook and my iphone, please tell me what I'm getting? My macbook has two things that my iphone doesn't have that I need: it is self-supporting and has a keyboard. Now you want me to buy a big tablet that I have t hold up with both hands?

It seems like this product is a lot of buzz while very few people have thought about it's practicality.
 
I think that this is the way it'll roll...

Well, I am hoping and I am pretty sure that the Tablet will be introduced January 26, this is how I see the presentation rolling out:

Audience: (Begins to enter the presentation area)
*Everybody is sitting, anxiously for the Tablet device. The lights dim.
SJ: (Walks on stage with large Apple logo behind him)
Audience: 'Claping', 'cheering', 'fanatics fainting'.
SJ: Thank you! Thank you!
Audience: 'Shuts up'
SJ: It's so good to be up here again! I'm so excited to show you what we have today!
Audience: (Guy screaming: Steve! Steve I love you!)
SJ: Ahaha, thanks. Anyways! We have a number of things that we are going to present today. First, let's talk about the iPod/iPhone/iTunes statistics...blah, blah, blah
Audience: (Grumbles and becomes in patient)
SJ: Blah, blah, blah, $80,000,000! Isn't that great!?
Audience: *Cheering*
SJ: *Put's his hands in his pocket, and quickly pulls out an iPhone* BAM!
Audience: *Cheering, yet confused*
SJ: This my friends, is the beginning of an 8GB iPhone 4GEFTS (4G-even-faster-then-speed)! It's so fast, light can't even catch up!
Audience: *Ooooh!* *Ahhh!*
Secret MS employee hidden in audience: *Stands up, screams and throws a Zune at Steve Jobs*
Audience: *Gasp*
SJ: *Runs off stage*
The presentation in delayed while the area is being decontaminated.
SJ: There has been a lot of rumors about a 'Tablet' being released by Apple...
Audience: *Becomes excited*
SJ: Well, there fake.
Audience: *Quiet*, *People Faint and are carried to hospital*
SJ: Kidding! You guys, you are to funny! Starting yesterday, Apple will be releasing the 'iTablet' all around the world!
Audience: BUT WHAT IS IT!?
SJ: It's me! (Steve begins to transform and becomes a 10" tablet)
Audience: GASP!
SJ: It can do everything from holograms to carrying out to your bedroom! AND TRANSFORM INTO ME!
Audience: *To mesmerized to clap*

Apple has done it again!

Anyways, LOL, that's just what I think, I am really hoping for this Tablet!
 
Let me enlighten you, I was basically speaking to SOMEONE ELSE who seemed to be implying it does not matter if this tablet thing can't edit Word docs etc. So you see, if you did your homework and read a few pages instead of jumping in
Click to expand...
Once again, do you feel *really* stupid when you make uninformed statements? LMAO

There is OS X and iPhone OS (a variation thereof); both of which can edit Word documents. It's pretty obvious that this device will be either/or...or a combination of both. So, do the math Mr. Wizard. LMAO

If you're not smart enough to figure it out, don't bring it to the boards.
 
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