I think a heap of people have a crystal clear idea what the tablet will be like.
Each of them different. Each of them right
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What is the Ultimate Role of the Apple Tablet?
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I think a heap of people have a crystal clear idea what the tablet will be like.
Each of them different. Each of them right
You won't, but it would be far more convenient. And people pay for convenience.
An iPhone screen is too small and too limiting to really enjoy full-page content, and a laptop is too bulky (and always in landscape mode) to take places and just enjoy. The tablet fixes both of these problems.
No, but what about the internet? I use Safari on my iPhone now just as much (if not more) than I do on my home computer(s), because it's always with me and super convenient. The only thing that sucks about it is that I have to read pages on a 3" screen and squint my eyes.
I think having an always-connected web surfing device is a big deal... and while one could do this with a laptop/3g connection, again, it's bulky and not always appropriate to take out and use. A single-surface design with a very user-friendly UI addresses these problems.
For me, i'm not (planning) buying them to replace laptops. They will be replacing desktop use. Like i mentioned, my oldest is using my old iBook. Most of the time the keyboard is in her way for what she does on it until she is ready to type a story. My Touch would work for what she needs to do 98% of the time for school stuff, except the screen is too small for long term use day in and day out. Hence something bigger, with the Apps i have now would work for her.
It would work for the other 2 also.
But cost IS a factor. Anything over $700 educational - i might as well get her a Macbook. She can then do the other stuff she enjoys on it (garage band, photoshop and all that stuff) - less fighting for the emac.
Sure i could do this all right now. My 17" MBP isn't exactly something i want the kids using. It's mine.
Her iBook can't be upgraded, so i'm limited in what i can run on it. Some things i'd like use need Leopard - and it's not happening..... I'd venture to say, with all we don't know, that at this point, you are NOT the target market for the thing.
it's ALL about convenience. ALL.
And cost.
I just can't get over how many people here apparently still read magazines. Other than religious mags, I gave them all up when the internet became saturated with such content, and that was over 10 years ago. Why should I wait til a March issue of MacWorld when I can get the same info here at MacRumors in December? (or even at macworld.com) And fun rumors months before that?
I understand for people who don't use the internet like me. But everyone here at MR is obviously on the net.
I understand for people who don't use the internet like me. But everyone here at MR is obviously on the net.
Besides technology and gossip information to which this definitely applies there are many magazines that publish insightful articles that would span multiple screens and took months if not years to research and write. These articles are still relevant at a later time as opposed to news and gossip. You will not see these types of articles on the net.
In addition many magazines simply do not specialize such as Macworld or others. The breadth and depth offered by these magazines cannot be financed by clicks on google ads.
Besides some very good technology sites (dpreview or Arstechnica as KnightWRX pointed out) there are very few sites that spend more than 500 words on an article, which is a bit short for a real and quality article.
That's why I personally subscribe to magazines, and I would love to have them on a tablet or on my laptop (for which there actually are some US examples that are not available in Europe. These are however simple digitizations of the printed version that do not make use of the electronic medium).
Religious mags? For up to the minute news on religion? Are they still inventing new ones?
I know the forum rules forbid this but: LOL
It depends on the content.
I love the idea of a National Geographic magazine on my iSlate. But I'd never buy it in dead tree form - because that would mean going into the store.
I love the idea of Wired or EDGE - but damn, I hate the magazine paper.
I'd love to buy my Sailing mags on the Tablet rather than getting them through the post.
Oh, it's not the exercise. It's the people.
And then the searching. National Geographic is actually a top shelf mag here (due to being an import).
Why do we do anything on t'internet?
Why wait for a tablet ?
http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/ngs/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=1076014
Again, books/magazines/comics and tablets don't have anything to do with one or another.
Because:
Reading on a widescreen (landscape) laptop screen is not fun. A portrait display will be more usable.
The other screen I have which can take a full page vertically...can't be taken into the can, up to bed, to the couch....
You don't need an Apple tablet then, you just need a tablet. Look at the market, what you want is already out there. In many different forms.
And no, for most people, the problem is not the aspect ratio of the screen, it's the fact that reading from a backlit display is hard on the eyes (after all, a book is landscape when you consider that 2 pages side by side is larger than the height of the book). That's why there's e-ink.
Again, Books, magazines, comics can be sold and are already for devices other than tablets. An iTunes book store would probably see most of its business go to laptop owners and iPhone/iPod Touch owners than tablet owners.
Are you being obtuse?
I've played with HP/Tosh tablets. They're pants (they run Windows, you know).
I've used an Archos 5. That's awful. Truly truly awful.
So...JooJoo? Notion Ink? Freescale Smartbooks? The Camangi Webthingy? So when all of them have shipped, I can take my pick.
Or yeah, I could wait for the Apple one which will work with the multitude of other Apple-branded equipment I have lying around the house.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Now that a price ($1000) from a more reputable name has been attached to it, look what kind of responses this wonder-device is getting: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/843890/
I believe the $1000 is a rumor, and still expect it to come in at $799 or so unsubsidized, maybe half that subsidized (with a 3G contract). But still, once you put price to it, the crowd seems to sway the other way. In this thread with no price, there are a lot of people ready to buy what isn't even shown yet. In that thread with a price, the crowd is imagining a lot NOT to like about it.
And already, my own hangup- why not use a laptop or iPhone/Touch instead- is also showing up in that thread.
My guess is the $1000 leak might be a real leak from Apple... to make $799 seem like a bargain.
I believe the $1000 is a rumor, and still expect it to come in at $799 or so unsubsidized, maybe half that subsidized (with a 3G contract). But still, once you put price to it, the crowd seems to sway the other way. In this thread with no price, there are a lot of people ready to buy what isn't even shown yet. In that thread with a price, the crowd is imagining a lot NOT to like about it.
And already, my own hangup- why not use a laptop or iPhone/Touch instead- is also showing up in that thread.
My guess is the $1000 leak might be a real leak from Apple... to make $799 seem like a bargain.
I agree... but my natural inclination would be to say "because a tablet is way cheaper."
If the tablet does show up at a $1,000 price point (I don't believe that will happen), then you're right... I wouldn't be interested.
I already have a laptop. And a wife who says I can buy the new Tablet. w00t
A 1000$ pricepoint makes no sense. Why buy an "almost laptop" when you can buy the real thing for the same price ?
Netbooks work because they are cheap. A 10" tablet at the price of a Macbook brings nothing to the table.
Netbooks work because they are cheap. A 10" tablet at the price of a Macbook brings nothing to the table.
I was thinking more 7" (paperback book sized.) In a large coat pocket or "incognito" in a brown paper lunch bag. Or in with whatever else you're carrying.
Only if you flash it around ostentatiously - but self-control and a brown paper lunch bag prevents that. Hey, you could even pop it in the same internal mailing envelope as your macbook Air
Couldn't agree more, but I was thinking of $300-$500. Above that and I'm not buying (well, not on impulse anyway). Listening, are we, SJ?
Both (provided it's a compact 7"). I prefer to keep personal stuff off my corporate laptop, and vice versa
My imaginary tablet is 7", remember?
Anyway, it's not the screen size, it's the fact that I can hold it on one hand and easily move it around to keep the nosey parkers at bay. I can put it up to my face (!), angle it away from them, sit with my back sort-of against the window, etc. Just like a real paperback book or a magazine.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
OK Arran,
If I am interested in one, I too think it is the rumored 7". But only if it can double as a bigger iPhone (which I don't have). Then, I retire the iPod, and the travel bag gets a laptop and this 7" super iPhone. No iPhone functionality and my interest plunges significantly (without even seeing what else it might do... because much of what else it probably can do will also be available to the laptop I already have).
7" with a thin bezel is really quite small, assuming widescreen format measured diagonally. It's a fair amount smaller than a DVD case, which for me would make it very pocketable in my (ab?)normal sized pockets.
If I am interested in one, I too think it is the rumored 7". But only if it can double as a bigger iPhone (which I don't have). Then, I retire the iPod, and the travel bag gets a laptop and this 7" super iPhone. No iPhone functionality and my interest plunges significantly (without even seeing what else it might do... because much of what else it probably can do will also be available to the laptop I already have).
7" with a thin bezel is really quite small, assuming widescreen format measured diagonally. It's a fair amount smaller than a DVD case, which for me would make it very pocketable in my (ab?)normal sized pockets.
You know the software already, it's on the iPod Touch. It's one big compromise after another.
At 999$, the 13" Macbook makes much more sense. This tells me Apple won't sell a 999$ 10" Tablet.
I don't have a single pocket where I can put a DVD jewel case.