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What is the Ultimate Role of the Apple Tablet?
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I predict one of two things- a completely spectacular device that will do things we have not as yet contemplated or another cube.
I think the article misses the point that Apple products tend to select what functions its devices will have on the basis of the user experience and not on fad/trend or PC function cramming.
However, the tablet will have to be some kind of low end laptop replacement that integrates insanely well with the iMac and can be used on the road for something serious as well as the wow and fun factors.
I think the article misses the point that Apple products tend to select what functions its devices will have on the basis of the user experience and not on fad/trend or PC function cramming.
However, the tablet will have to be some kind of low end laptop replacement that integrates insanely well with the iMac and can be used on the road for something serious as well as the wow and fun factors.
IMHO it will not be something crazy but something that we need to do everyday but done in a way that just makes it insanely easy and fun.
I am thinking of data entry- that would be far more useful than some of the things that have popped up in the forum. Imagine some kind of keyboard/input device that you could use (real keys and some kind of a dock) that students could take to the library and classroom/ business people on the road. That would be awesome plus some the multimedia experience.
That device would blow people's minds. And my budget.
This apple tablet has to do more than be a big bloody iPod. It has to be useful and beuatiful and fun. And cheap.
While we normally avoid purely speculative pieces here on MacRumors, John Gruber has posted a particularly interesting opinion piece on what void or need the Apple Tablet might fill. Gruber acknowledges that this is not based on inside knowledge, but he is certain that a Tablet project is in the works and describes a "cone of silence" surrounding all those involved in the project.
Sorry but I fail to see how "It's gonna do some (unspecified) core functionality well and replace low-end Macbook" provides particularly interesting insight to answer the question what purpose an Apple tablet is going to serve.
Waste of time that piece of opinion.
I think a clue might lie in this post...
http://www.picoprojector-info.com/light-blue-optics-launch-their-first-touch-pico-projector-product-ces
Substitute this kind of module for a MacBook's screen and keyboard and you're starting to look at a revolutionary device.
The MacBook's shape is limited by needing a fixed screen and keyboard just as a "tablet" is limited by needing a screen. Eliminate the need for both with this touch screen projector tech and you can start talking about "mobility space".
Imagine the Macbook innards in a small cylindrical tower style set-up with the projection module at the top. The important thing about the projection apart from its touch capability is that it can be projected at the wall or switched to project down onto the desk with perspective correction applied.
Of course the device can be practically any shape, not necessarily cylindrical.
http://www.picoprojector-info.com/light-blue-optics-launch-their-first-touch-pico-projector-product-ces
Substitute this kind of module for a MacBook's screen and keyboard and you're starting to look at a revolutionary device.
The MacBook's shape is limited by needing a fixed screen and keyboard just as a "tablet" is limited by needing a screen. Eliminate the need for both with this touch screen projector tech and you can start talking about "mobility space".
Imagine the Macbook innards in a small cylindrical tower style set-up with the projection module at the top. The important thing about the projection apart from its touch capability is that it can be projected at the wall or switched to project down onto the desk with perspective correction applied.
Of course the device can be practically any shape, not necessarily cylindrical.
Theremin Control Tablet. That's the prediction: we will be waving hands over the left and right to navigate a 3D desktop...
Ok, maybe not.
I doubt it will be powerful enough to run PS or Painter as they stand. What I am hoping is that there are scaled down versions that run on the tablet: stuff for basic drawing, coloring, vectoring, but without a lot of the processor clogging work like effects.
If the tablet can allow much basic illo work that can be later run off to a larger machine for tweaking and finishing, it would be great. Let's hope. If there is no illustration function, it's going to be sad.
I doubt it will be a CUBE, no matter what. Even if it is just a large iPT with a few extra functions, it will still be better than an iPT due to better internet navigation with the larger screen.
Internet navigation and function will undoubtedly be a far step up from the iPT/iPhones.
My hope is that it can be used with a stylus or regular pencil/pen/stick to allow handwriting and note, illustration, and such. Along with other function, naturally. Even if this tablet can just expand on an iPT and allow iWork function on-the-go, it's a good step in the right direction. ANYTHING to break away from the crap design of laptop computers.
Ok, maybe not.
I doubt it will be powerful enough to run PS or Painter as they stand. What I am hoping is that there are scaled down versions that run on the tablet: stuff for basic drawing, coloring, vectoring, but without a lot of the processor clogging work like effects.
If the tablet can allow much basic illo work that can be later run off to a larger machine for tweaking and finishing, it would be great. Let's hope. If there is no illustration function, it's going to be sad.
I doubt it will be a CUBE, no matter what. Even if it is just a large iPT with a few extra functions, it will still be better than an iPT due to better internet navigation with the larger screen.
Internet navigation and function will undoubtedly be a far step up from the iPT/iPhones.
My hope is that it can be used with a stylus or regular pencil/pen/stick to allow handwriting and note, illustration, and such. Along with other function, naturally. Even if this tablet can just expand on an iPT and allow iWork function on-the-go, it's a good step in the right direction. ANYTHING to break away from the crap design of laptop computers.
Bit of a cop out considering that Xmas day everyone who got one was opening their Kindles and downloading eBooks.
Who was surfing Amazon for new books?
This is why Amazon doesn't report Kindle sales numbers.
Again this is Amazon spin.
More gifted than a brand coffeemaker? Sure.
More gifted than the novel "Hunt for Red October" by Tom Clancy? Sure.
Actually, not.
I own two NetBooks and use a MacBook Air. I also have an iPhone and a Nokia N800.
These are not the only hardware in my house (iMacs, MacBooks, MacBook Pros) but they're the most relevant here
The Air is my business machine. Great keyboard, small size, great portability, average battery life. It's portable. I port it from one location to the other. The NetBooks - well - they're just not inspiring. The eee710 is awful hardware and the mini9 has to be the most awkward piece of kit I've ever used. NetBooks have poor keyboards. The user experience on NetBooks is generally awful. And every time someone tells me I'm wrong, I have to look at their
For mobility, my iPhone gets more use. Despite the N800 having a bigger screen, it's an awful user experience.
But I can see a use, a need for a Tablet. Using a laptop on the couch is a pain. And sometimes the iPhone is simply too small.
No, it is designed to be used with a means of text input and a means of coordinate-based control. Means of text input is available for example on the iPhone, and a means of coordinate-based control is available there as well. And gesture-based controls are supported in MacOS X already.
I hope it gets released as a gaming platform. Obviously it would do a lot more than play games...
But playing an RTS on a tablet would be immense. Im sure its been done before, but I would really like that
But playing an RTS on a tablet would be immense. Im sure its been done before, but I would really like that
What most people are missing here (including the flawed analysis of Gruber) is that this is not just a piece of technology. There's a business model here for monetising written media. All the large newspapers and magazine publishers are looking for a way to make money. They've failed to do this via the web and need another model. Apple can provide that. This isn't completely driven by Apple either. (See this for a nice illustration of a concept http://vimeo.com/8217311)
Some hit the nail on the head with talk of what most average people need. This won't be a laptop replacement but an additional device based on something like mobile OSX. We can all identify problems with the tablet as a form factor and Apple have clearly canned several projects where they can provide a compelling use case for the device. Seems Apple (Jobs) is happy that they've managed that now...
I'm not really a fanboi as such but I think this tablet could be a game changer. Maybe even more so than the iPod - again people didn't see that being revolutionary either.
Some hit the nail on the head with talk of what most average people need. This won't be a laptop replacement but an additional device based on something like mobile OSX. We can all identify problems with the tablet as a form factor and Apple have clearly canned several projects where they can provide a compelling use case for the device. Seems Apple (Jobs) is happy that they've managed that now...
I'm not really a fanboi as such but I think this tablet could be a game changer. Maybe even more so than the iPod - again people didn't see that being revolutionary either.
Probably not BloatoShop or Painter... agreed. But how about something like Artrage on the Apple Tablet for illustration. Or SketchBook Pro perhaps. There already is an iPhone version available for it, so I wouldn't rule it out. Autodesk appear to be very interested in porting their apps over to OSX these days.
And Silo, SketchUp or Wings3D for 3D modeling on the go. These are all relatively "lightweight" apps compared to their bigger brothers.
Interesting problem with some of these apps on a Tablet would be how to solve the lack of a keyboard to hit those vital Key+Mouse combinations for something like viewport navigation (Tumble, Track, Dolly) or brush modification (interactive brush scaling and pressure setting).
One point of concern I have is the 'feel' of drawing with a Stylus on a smooth glassy surface like the iPhone. It would be uncomfortably slippery. The current generation Intuos tablets from Wacom are pretty decent in that respect. But how do you make a surface have more traction without losing the glossiness (I can't see Apple give the Tablet a Matte screen unfortunately).
That said, I dearly hope the Apple Tablet will be capable of this because I believe this to be a case where 'If you build it (Apple), they will come (2D/3D apps).
And Silo, SketchUp or Wings3D for 3D modeling on the go. These are all relatively "lightweight" apps compared to their bigger brothers.
Interesting problem with some of these apps on a Tablet would be how to solve the lack of a keyboard to hit those vital Key+Mouse combinations for something like viewport navigation (Tumble, Track, Dolly) or brush modification (interactive brush scaling and pressure setting).
One point of concern I have is the 'feel' of drawing with a Stylus on a smooth glassy surface like the iPhone. It would be uncomfortably slippery. The current generation Intuos tablets from Wacom are pretty decent in that respect. But how do you make a surface have more traction without losing the glossiness (I can't see Apple give the Tablet a Matte screen unfortunately).
That said, I dearly hope the Apple Tablet will be capable of this because I believe this to be a case where 'If you build it (Apple), they will come (2D/3D apps).
I doubt that it will replace a MacBook. Even the entry level MacBook is an incredibly powerful machine, surpassing high end 3D workstations and million dollar supercomputers from less than two decades ago.
However, for every content producer who can use the full power of a MacBook, there are ten content consumers, who don't need all these features, who barely use a keyboard for more than entering their facebook login and maybe a few one line tweets.
Any hypothetical device optimal for surfing the web in the bathroom would also be great for surfing and reading on the couch, on a park bench, riding the bus, walking around doing factory inspections, and a whole bunch of other non-desk-like settings.
Perhaps the magazine racks, by my couch... (and in my bathroom, will soon become obsolete relics.
imho.
However, for every content producer who can use the full power of a MacBook, there are ten content consumers, who don't need all these features, who barely use a keyboard for more than entering their facebook login and maybe a few one line tweets.
Any hypothetical device optimal for surfing the web in the bathroom would also be great for surfing and reading on the couch, on a park bench, riding the bus, walking around doing factory inspections, and a whole bunch of other non-desk-like settings.
Perhaps the magazine racks, by my couch... (and in my bathroom
, will soon become obsolete relics.imho.
No, it's not enough for a device that will probably cost a lot. You won't pay for an amazing display, awesome WiFi capabilities, a good processor, advanced multi-touch technologies and stable software just to read a book or a magazine. It simply has to do way more than that. If you want to read books, buy a book, or make a device that has some cheap black and white LCD display, with 10MB of memory and you're done! No need for all the advanced Apple technologies.
I highly doubt the tablet, if it exists, will replace the MacBook. It will probably be priced somewhere between the iPhone and the MacBook, and will be more useful than an iPhone, but less useful than a full fledged macbook. I'd be very wowed if Apple came out with a revolutionary product, though, since we haven't had one of those since the original iPhone!
Dude- exactly why it will be a cube. Offers design but no compelling reason to own one.
Wirelessly posted (iPhone: 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)
It will be very interesting to see how a device like this will work for Apple. I still can't see it doing well since it seems more like a novelty item or an item that traditionally has been geared for a specific and very small market. The only thing that I can think of that will make it a success is to make it a gaming platform type device. This would directly compete with the PSP and Nintendo DS. It would be done the "Apple Way" and have the potential to sell the rumored goal of 10 million units in the first year. We will see.
It will be very interesting to see how a device like this will work for Apple. I still can't see it doing well since it seems more like a novelty item or an item that traditionally has been geared for a specific and very small market. The only thing that I can think of that will make it a success is to make it a gaming platform type device. This would directly compete with the PSP and Nintendo DS. It would be done the "Apple Way" and have the potential to sell the rumored goal of 10 million units in the first year. We will see.
I doubt that it will replace a MacBook. Even the entry level MacBook is an incredibly powerful machine, surpassing high end 3D workstations and million dollar supercomputers from less than two decades ago.
However, for every content producer who can use the full power of a MacBook, there are ten content consumers, who don't need all these features, who barely use a keyboard for more than entering their facebook login and maybe a few one line tweets.
Any hypothetical device optimal for surfing the web in the bathroom would also be great for surfing and reading on the couch, on a park bench, riding the bus, walking around doing factory inspections, and a whole bunch of other non-desk-like settings.
Perhaps the magazine racks, by my couch... (and in my bathroom
imho.
Wouldnt it be fun if steve walks up and say: "You might have heard a rumor about me saying that no one wants a device for reading in the bathroom. This is true, so we made a device you can read on in both the bathroom and living room and even more places! no more do you need magazine racks, just this new nice piece of tech."
A fine example is seeing sketchbook pro develop an iphone express version.
Not so much photoshop with there limited PS mobile version for iphone, but it does go to show that these developers are very aware of the current market and what kind of app they will adapt to meet the tablet.
Anyway, I also hope that Apple aren't leaving the creative users out in the cold. lets hope this new iSlate has a pressure sensitivity screen option rather than a brittle gloss glass screen with MS paint like functionality...sighs...
I would of "oooohed" and "ahhed" a little more with the MBA if it were a little smaller. Whats the use of buying a dearer version of the MBs when all it is is a little thinner? Yeah, it's that same ol' netbook rant. I'm not talking uber-small, even 11 would of been good. I would of bought one then...