What Will be the Killer Feature of an Apple Tablet?

[Jagadis]

Watch the video Steve Jobs created in the late 80s showcasing a device called the Apple Knowledge Navigator. Here is the video on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WdS4TscWH8

He has been stewing on this idea for 20 years or more. The only pieces missing are voice recognition, a personal agent and video conferencing. Include a bundled high speed (HPSA) wireless data contract from one of the telcos (like Amazon does with the Kindle) with these new features and you have your game changing product. Anything else is now possible including streaming videos, ebooks, etc.

Thoughts?

Jagadis.

 

[Lone Deranger]

I would like to try ZBrush on it. A 10" all in one ZBrush sculpt 'n sketch pad would be any CG-geek's wet dream!

It would have to support a good stylus and pressure sensitivity though..... and doubt that would be the case.

 

[trip1ex]

The Apple tablet will take the Touch and super size the experience.

The killer app will be the consumer electronics nature of the device.

Current netbooks are still "traditional" pcs. They still have Windows and all its warts. They don't have instant on. There's too much exposure to the O/S for the average consumer.

Apple will take those headaches out of the equation.

 

[akira2501]

killer app

multiple apps at once, hand writng recognition, multi language recognition, oled, clear windows so you can see what you are doing in the background, spaces, 12 hr battery, mic, ssd, awesomeness

 

[akira2501]

super killer app

(.)(.)

 

[audio_inside]

Handwriting and voice recognition

Even though this might be expected to Steve's most successful grab at manifesting the Dynabook concept, most people seem to be assuming that this device will be configured without a physical keyboard.

If that's the case, to make it a successful general purpose computing platform (and I don't buy the theory that this product will be remotely successful as a "bigger iPhone") it will have to make up for that absence by truly flawless handwriting AND voice recognition integrated deeply into the operating system.

With an iChat capable camera built-in, the voice recognition system would surely be enhanced by using the camera to enable lip reading and facial recognition algorithms. Is no one doing this yet on a commercial platform? Steve would love to pitch this as a "first".

Given that the Newton's raison d'etre was to live (and then to die) by its (in)ability to do handwriting recognition, I think Steve may have always wanted another shot at this - and now may be the time that the synergies of display technologies and computing power have reached critical mass.

 

[Thex1138]

Not a Pretty Picture...

Ok... Here's what's gonna go down.
It will have a physical keyboard. This is a touchscreen notebook. Like a convertible laptop, the extremely thin keyboard will tuck away behind the screen, if you want to use it like a tablet..

It's a tablet not a blown up Palm Pre lol...

If you want keyboard tablet thingy's then Gigabyte or MSI have what you want... then funnel OSX onto it...

None of the patent applications thus far have ever mentioned or described physical keyboards. The patents that have been spruked have diagrams of on-screen keyboards only.

The whole point of a tablet is not to have a keyboard and be totally interactive via touch input alone...

 

[dkovalev]

Delete

 

[LagunaSol]

Im going to go with hand writing recognition.

Shape writing would still blow handwriting recognition away in speed (and accuracy).

 

[E.Lizardo]

Ok... Here's what's gonna go down.
It will have a physical keyboard. This is a touchscreen notebook. Like a convertible laptop, the extremely thin keyboard will tuck away behind the screen, if you want to use it like a tablet.

Physical keyboard?
LOLLOL!
Not from his Steveness.

 

[chill99]

Tablet Gaming

Few people anticipated the iphones application as gaming device, a tablet could take iphone gaming to a new level, it would be fantastic for strategy games like CIV.

 

[E.Lizardo]

Instead of dragging a 30 LB backpack of books and stuff to and from school each day, the student will carry a Tablet that:

-- contains all their text books, workbooks
-- acts as an Ebook reader with annotation capability
-- contains and/or streams educational AV material
-- electronically receives homework assignments
-- student prepares homework on device
-- homework turned in automatically
-- communicates school bulletins to students and parents
-- provides AV tutorials, arts, languages, etc.
-- AR tours, e.g. museums, Machu Picchu, white water rafting
-- note taking: handwritten, drawing, typing
-- remedial and drill & practice focused to areas needing attention
-- maintains personal & health emergency information
-- individual safety/locator via GPS
-- musical instrument fretboard keyboard fretboard
-- painting, mechanical drawing, flowcharting and doodling
-- emergency phone calls

supported by iTunes student bookstore

and much, much more.

This will be one in the same device that the student uses for personal entertainment: watching movies, listening/creating music, texting, gaming, recording audio and video, taking pictures, chatting, surfing.

It will be friendly and familiar, interactive and connected-- the student will take it everywhere!

Dick

Makes me want to be a kid again!Well...almost.

 

[DCBass]

Multitasking

multiple apps at once, hand writng recognition, multi language recognition, oled, clear windows so you can see what you are doing in the background, spaces, 12 hr battery, mic, ssd, awesomeness

12 pages of responses, and you just barely beat me to it

1. This thing will run the full Mac OS X. The touch interface is already implemeted, just look at everything you can do on the laptop trackpads.

2. This thing will run an iPhone OS emulator. This will certainly be a mobile device, and it would be stupid to not have all of the functionality that the iPod touch has, and perhaps the iPhone if it has a 3/4G data connection, though I doubt it will have a 'phone' app. This can easily be done, as developers already do this in Leopard.

3. There better be more than album pics. This thing should also give a reason for it's existence in the first place. I suspect publishing will come onto play here. Distribution through iTunes. Will most likely be some form of DRM for publishing houses. I also expect significant beefing up of iTunes U, distributing PDFs or other course materials that are available right alongside the lectures.

4. Regarding an e book reader, is it possible to have a very-low-power setting for the backlight, assuming that this will be a LED backlit LCD screen? I think only a small amt of power would be necessary to make it readable in sunlight.

5. Should have an iPod 30 pin connector, an sd card slot, and USB.

6. Should have bluetooth that allows wireless keyboards.

7. Should make the green window button maximize a window to full screen if that is not the default for every app like in the iPhone os.

That's all I can think of for what should happen. I'm the end, I don't think it will be a killer app, but rather a unique killer implementation of several functions that aren't easily possible with current products.

Cheers,

DCBass

 

[DCBass]

One mote thing...

Forgot to mention, I would kill for a version of onenote in the next iWork that would easily work across all platforms: mac, iPhone, tablet, and web.

 

[E.Lizardo]

I take it you never opened your iMac up and enjoyed the puck mouse? I don't think many people shared your excitement for the original iPod.

Waiting for Apple's third or fourth revision is becoming a running joke. If it isn't already.

It was bad because of the mouse??The first thing I do when I get a mac is chuck the mouse.I don't relate that to the quality of the computer.

What specifically didn't people like about the iPod?This is the first I've heard of it.

 

[Saladinos]

lol @ kickstand comment

Why does it have to have a "killer feature"? The Macbook/Pro, iMac, MacPro have no "killer features"... They are high quality, the laptops are thin, and sleek looking. That's enough to bring in the dough for apple. they dont need to have killer features... the same audiencee will flock to it because it is high quality, thin, and nice looking.

Apple's laptops have lots of 'killer features' in that they differentiate the products from the competition:
- Aluminium chassis
- Thin and light
- Glass Multitouch trackpads
- Backlit keyboards
- OSX

A tablet that was 'just a tablet' wouldn't offer anything new. It has to solve a new problem or solve an old problem in a better way, or it isn't useful.

There are lots of different roads Apple could take:
1. Make it a barebones cheap internet tablet
2. Make it an ultimate communications machine with an ultra-thin form factor, 802.11n+3G networking and high resolution webcam
3. Make it for creative professionals with pen input and an OLED screen
4. etc

 

[E.Lizardo]

In defense of those guys, there were many people who thought the iPhone would flop. Apple had dabbled in the phone market before with Motorola's terrible RCKR (or however it was spelled), the cell phone market was huge and evolved and a new player was almost sure to fail, and the thing was very expensive out of the gate.

They ended up completely wrong, the iPhone has not only been a huge hit but has also transformed the cell phone market so that regular consumers are regularly buying smart phones, but nobody saw it being as successful as it is today.

Except Apple.

 

[ianz]

Pvr

What ever else it has add an HD tuner with built in touch screen PVR and HDMI out. Almost every home has a PVR / VHS recorder and almost no one can use them!! They are too awkward to program. Touch screen could fix this. Record anywhere on the device and playback on your TV later.

 

[E.Lizardo]

Could it out-computer a computer (or at least a netbook)?

It won't be just a 'tablet', or a big iPod Touch. A bigger iPod Touch in itself is not enough, that by itself doesn't add anything you can't already do on an iPod Touch or iPhone. It will basically be a computer that runs on the Touch OS.

I think they want to develop something that addresses the needs and desires of netbook users/potential buyers, but without the overhead of a full desktop operating system. Take that saved overhead, and put it into snappier performance and better design/user experience (and a little bit for Apple's profit margin.) Because if you look at the majority of netbook users, you're mainly looking at web, email, and light productivity work- does that require a full desktop OS? No. You can really address most potential netbook users with a Touch OS-based device, and gain some nice advantages in the process.

Let's say they add an even faster processor with that ~10" display, with video hardware capable of at least 720p as well. It runs slightly modified Touch OS (and runs it REALLY fast) with some extras. Some sort of iWork type suite, as well as enhanced iLife type apps. And a built-in keyboard, or perhaps a keyboard attachment that can connect or be disconnected from the tablet. And failing that, at least bluetooth keyboard support. Also throw in some sort of synchronization of files with your regular Mac Windows PC, and an iSight camera with iChat. It's Touch OS-based, but is designed to give almost desktop functionality. Any sort of specialized device for movies, digital music albums, home media centers, etc. is not enough- those are niche applications- solutions in search of a real customer base. Computers are Swiss knives, and they sell in the many millions. And this will be a really, really sharp Swiss knife.

So now it does not fit in a pocket, but neither does a netbook or small notebook and those sell pretty well. And the hardware will run very well because even though its souped up compared to an iPod Touch or iPhone 3GS, it doesn't have the overhead of a Windows or Mac OSX.

So basically, this is a device that does what netbooks are used for, but is not a netbook. The big thing here is price- can they do something like this for under $600? Anything more and most people will just pick a real notebook/netbook computer. The new 32GB iPod Touch will probably be $299 or $349, so maybe they can intro a 16GB tablet for $449 and a 32GB version for $549. You might be able to buy a netbook for cheaper, but keep in mind this device is designed to be a big improvement over the netbook experience (for 80-90% of netbook users.)

I don't want what you described.I want Snow Leopard.

 

[DMann]

Watch the video Steve Jobs created in the late 80s showcasing a device called the Apple Knowledge Navigator. Here is the video on Youtube:

FutureShock

He has been stewing on this idea for 20 years or more. The only pieces missing are voice recognition, a personal agent and video conferencing. Include a bundled high speed (HPSA) wireless data contract from one of the telcos (like Amazon does with the Kindle) with these new features and you have your game changing product. Anything else is now possible including streaming videos, ebooks, etc.

Thoughts?

Jagadis.

Been waiting for this since the FutureShock video came out in '87! This tablet could potentially bring the entire concept to fruition - and sooooooo much more...

 

[dangleheart]

Watch the video Steve Jobs created in the late 80s showcasing a device called the Apple Knowledge Navigator. Here is the video on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WdS4TscWH8

He has been stewing on this idea for 20 years or more. The only pieces missing are voice recognition, a personal agent and video conferencing. Include a bundled high speed (HPSA) wireless data contract from one of the telcos (like Amazon does with the Kindle) with these new features and you have your game changing product. Anything else is now possible including streaming videos, ebooks, etc.

Thoughts?

Jagadis.

very nice and timely Jadadis. Google Waves will provide that kind of colloboration. We are probably a few more years off in getting there though if Apple truly opens this up, 1000 different developers may put together a compelling software product to do this kind of stuff. Voice recognition is already mature to do this kind of thing. It is more about reasoning and machine understanding now.

Phone call handling instructions for different callers, that is a cool idea and it can be done today.

 

[E.Lizardo]

One day, all Apple products will be running the iPhone OS and all applications will be purchased from the App Store (ie iTunes).

No.
And I don't want to have to buy two versions of all my apps.I seriously doubt there will be both versions of everything I want to run.Ever.

 

[Cougarcat]

The "killer feature" of the tablet will be how you interact with it. With the iPhone it was multitouch. With the tablet, it will be next-gen haptic technology that Apple has been working on: http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/312419/haptics_feel-good_technology_year

 

[jouster]

The killer feature of the iPhone was its multitouch screen. Precise, responsive, and smooth. All other phones at the time had either clunky keyboards, or you had to use a stylus.

The iPhone didn't sell because of "Mobile Safari".

Sure did to me.

 

[Michael CM1]

I would love to see it with a Kindle application and all of the iPod capabilities. I would like a Kindle but don't want to pay $300 for a one-trick pony. I'd rather pay $600 or $700 for a pony with many more tricks.

But it needs to incorporate a lot of PC functions to not be an oversided iPod flop. Most of the people who would buy one probably already own a notebook, iPod, or iPhone. What holes are there to fill in? I don't expect it to have an optical drive, but that would be a nice feature to play movies or music without the need to sync. But I doubt that a device like this would even be thick enough. Apple loves thin, and I'm betting it rivals the MBA for slendacity.

I like the kickstand idea, whether it was serious or not. But it may be an accessory because you would need one to go horizontal and vertical to change functions. If you're reading an eBook, you'd want it vertical. If you're watching a movie, you'd want it horizontal.

I honestly can't name a killer function for such a device. I don't want to pay for new software that's already on my MBP, but I'd love to have some of it (Photoshop) on such a device. It needs to have at least 2 USB ports (14 would be better), an SD card slot (CF as well?), audio out, possibly Mini DisplayPort, 64GB or more of flash storage, all the wireless goodies.

Working a deal with Amazon to play Kindle eBooks would be killer, as would working with other eBook vendors. I still think Amazon's future in that realm is providing the books, not the devices. They're selling well, but I'd be hesitant to drop the money without ever touching the device beforehand. The only way you can now is by knowing a user.