The Apple Tablet
Discussion
Keep guessing. Any of the mentions of it that I've seen, have all been towards the latter end of 2010, which is par for the course as that's when Apple rolls out new portable hardware for the students, in time for returning/entering school.
Since Apple's not really in the business market (by comparative numbers of laptops sold in both market segments) then I see little point in hoping or expecting anything for March (after a January Expo reveal).
Since Apple's not really in the business market (by comparative numbers of laptops sold in both market segments) then I see little point in hoping or expecting anything for March (after a January Expo reveal).
Edited by PJ S on Thursday 24th December 13:04
FT ran a piece yesterday claiming its announcement, and Apple have booked an event at the end of January, probably for some announcement.
I agree business is the obvious market, although (done right) it can have a good home market as well. Those who claim to have seen it have described it as game-changing (has anyone actually devised the game yet?), and if anyone is going to do that it's Apple. The floor is now open for "guess the critical flaw" that Apple always build in.
I agree business is the obvious market, although (done right) it can have a good home market as well. Those who claim to have seen it have described it as game-changing (has anyone actually devised the game yet?), and if anyone is going to do that it's Apple. The floor is now open for "guess the critical flaw" that Apple always build in.
evrything i've heard about it in the last 6 months has been that its a ipod touch/iphone with a big screen. So it runs the same OS as Iphone and has the appstore etc, but it isn't a general purpose computer and isnt running OSX. Not a laptop 
(Still want one lol)
To add a little credence to this, apple have sent out a mail to some select iphone developers asking them to do some apps which have a "full screen", and no other changes would be needed. This would imply its not running OSX etc.
(Still want one lol)To add a little credence to this, apple have sent out a mail to some select iphone developers asking them to do some apps which have a "full screen", and no other changes would be needed. This would imply its not running OSX etc.
mikeh501 said:
evrything i've heard about it in the last 6 months has been that its a ipod touch/iphone with a big screen. So it runs the same OS as Iphone and has the appstore etc, but it isn't a general purpose computer and isnt running OSX. Not a laptop (Still want one lol)
To add a little credence to this, apple have sent out a mail to some select iphone developers asking them to do some apps which have a "full screen", and no other changes would be needed. This would imply its not running OSX etc.
Except that would be a "bit rubbish" so Apple won't make it. 90% of Mobile apps scaled up just look silly on a big screen, and that starts about 5". So on a 7-10" screen they will be really silly. (Still want one lol)To add a little credence to this, apple have sent out a mail to some select iphone developers asking them to do some apps which have a "full screen", and no other changes would be needed. This would imply its not running OSX etc.
Same goes for existing apps on new hardware platforms. As Microsoft found with the TabletPC, unless you embed the new input paradigms at a cellular level, it just seems like an afterthought. A "touchscreen Air" would be interesting, but hardly game changing.
$999 of Personal Media Player won't sell *that* well, no matter how cool. However, consumption of media must be at the heart of the iSlate, surely ?
As Jobs has reportedly said "It needs to be more than something to look at the internet on the bog with" (or words to that effect).
The key will be if Apple have found a way to make text input possible on a slate device, without just using handwriting recognition (which is pretty damn good, but again, hardly game changing).
On screen keyboard is the obvious choice. But even with haptic feedback, they fall short. Yes, it is possible that an Apple onscreen haptic keyboard might work, but I think it needs more to actually be workable in the mainstream. Perhaps this patent for the "tactile feedback" screen is the thing ? Sounds like SciFi to me.
Will be a shame if there is no stylus input. People find jotting things down pretty natural and interacting with handwriting this way is rather fun. The idea of the "virtual blotter" is not new, MS Labs produced the little known InkSeine as a proof of concept. Scribbling quick notes down, and then using that to search/email/add diary etc seemed a very neat idea. And it isn't new to Apple. Scribble "Meet John at 8am today" in the right place on an Apple Newton and you would get a Dates application entry.
Will be interesting, for sure, if it ever gets made.
Just read something that suggests the "iSlate" will be an eBook reader...!
Linky - http://www.quickpwn.com/2009/12/islate-ebook-reade...
Linky - http://www.quickpwn.com/2009/12/islate-ebook-reade...
Edited by Podie on Saturday 2nd January 18:01
Podie said:
Just read something that suggests the "iSlate" will be an eBook reader...!
Linky - http://www.quickpwn.com/2009/12/islate-ebook-reade...
I've heard it being suggested that it is a Kindle killer. Dunno if I can see Apple releasing a greyscale e-ink device as they do like the eye candy. Although they may be thinking of a low power normal touch display as many people are used to charging phones/laptops every day anyway.Linky - http://www.quickpwn.com/2009/12/islate-ebook-reade...
Edited by Podie on Saturday 2nd January 18:01
I was personally looking for something I could use for marking up PDFs - i.e. a work machine.
By the sounds of things, it's going to be more of a media consumption device. Shame.
Anyway, Gruber put together a really nice discussion piece on what it will have to do to be accepted: http://daringfireball.net/2009/12/the_tablet
I guess we'll all find out on the 26th...
By the sounds of things, it's going to be more of a media consumption device. Shame.
Anyway, Gruber put together a really nice discussion piece on what it will have to do to be accepted: http://daringfireball.net/2009/12/the_tablet
I guess we'll all find out on the 26th...
Tycho said:
Podie said:
Just read something that suggests the "iSlate" will be an eBook reader...!
Linky - http://www.quickpwn.com/2009/12/islate-ebook-reade...
I've heard it being suggested that it is a Kindle killer. Dunno if I can see Apple releasing a greyscale e-ink device as they do like the eye candy. Although they may be thinking of a low power normal touch display as many people are used to charging phones/laptops every day anyway.Linky - http://www.quickpwn.com/2009/12/islate-ebook-reade...
Edited by Podie on Saturday 2nd January 18:01
Don't think it was ever intended to be a netbook killer. Although apparently Netbooks are being killed by powerful but cheap Notebooks - according to the BBC.
Will be interesting to see the pricing of the pricing of the Atom/NVidia Ion netbooks that are coming out.
Will also be interesting to see where the iSlablet fits in the Apple line up too. Is it going to take market from the MacBook ?
Will be interesting to see the pricing of the pricing of the Atom/NVidia Ion netbooks that are coming out.
Will also be interesting to see where the iSlablet fits in the Apple line up too. Is it going to take market from the MacBook ?
Gruber thinks so.
The trouble is that even though the 'Macbook' as in the base consumer laptop has started to decay in favour of the Pro models, the Macbook Pro machines are big-ass serious portable computers. I've got the smallest one and on certain tasks it's as quick as my 8-core Mac Pro. I use it as a do-everything machine (including running two operating systems and heavy duty financial software) when I'm on client sites doing consultancy. No 'tablet' type machine could substitute for this, the thermodynamics don't add up.
I'm thinking of a 'tablet' like the top half of a Macbook Air, which I have. The Air got too hot when pushed hard doing real work and slowed down, and it had another half of the clamshell... just the top bit with some computer crammed in, plus a battery? Well yeah, if anyone can do it Apple can, but it won't be high performance and won't be able to get anywhere near the functionality you can achieve with a Macbook.
I can see Apple deprecating the Macbook line for the Tablet, and leaving the MBP - the entry level MBP is still affordable - but I still can't see how the Tablet offers a *full* computing experience - the iPhone has shown pretty comprehensively that tablet-like interfaces can offer a *consumption* experience without problem, but interactivity and entering text? Still sub-optimal on the iPhone and would be similarly tricky on the Tablet.
If Apple see the Macbook as a device mainly purchased by 'consumers' to 'consume content' then the Tablet will be a good replacement as it fits the same sort of requirements. However I've always done stuff with my machines. Even heavy use of internet forums (which is just playing, really) requires convenient text input. And as everyone knows, I'm not known for terseness when it comes to posts
An Apple Tablet and a bluetooth keyboard wouldn't sell to me, too fiddly, may as well carry a Macbook Air around, no?
The trouble is that even though the 'Macbook' as in the base consumer laptop has started to decay in favour of the Pro models, the Macbook Pro machines are big-ass serious portable computers. I've got the smallest one and on certain tasks it's as quick as my 8-core Mac Pro. I use it as a do-everything machine (including running two operating systems and heavy duty financial software) when I'm on client sites doing consultancy. No 'tablet' type machine could substitute for this, the thermodynamics don't add up.
I'm thinking of a 'tablet' like the top half of a Macbook Air, which I have. The Air got too hot when pushed hard doing real work and slowed down, and it had another half of the clamshell... just the top bit with some computer crammed in, plus a battery? Well yeah, if anyone can do it Apple can, but it won't be high performance and won't be able to get anywhere near the functionality you can achieve with a Macbook.
I can see Apple deprecating the Macbook line for the Tablet, and leaving the MBP - the entry level MBP is still affordable - but I still can't see how the Tablet offers a *full* computing experience - the iPhone has shown pretty comprehensively that tablet-like interfaces can offer a *consumption* experience without problem, but interactivity and entering text? Still sub-optimal on the iPhone and would be similarly tricky on the Tablet.
If Apple see the Macbook as a device mainly purchased by 'consumers' to 'consume content' then the Tablet will be a good replacement as it fits the same sort of requirements. However I've always done stuff with my machines. Even heavy use of internet forums (which is just playing, really) requires convenient text input. And as everyone knows, I'm not known for terseness when it comes to posts
An Apple Tablet and a bluetooth keyboard wouldn't sell to me, too fiddly, may as well carry a Macbook Air around, no?
cyberface said:
Gruber thinks so.
The trouble is that even though the 'Macbook' as in the base consumer laptop has started to decay in favour of the Pro models, the Macbook Pro machines are big-ass serious portable computers. I've got the smallest one and on certain tasks it's as quick as my 8-core Mac Pro. I use it as a do-everything machine (including running two operating systems and heavy duty financial software) when I'm on client sites doing consultancy. No 'tablet' type machine could substitute for this, the thermodynamics don't add up.
I'm thinking of a 'tablet' like the top half of a Macbook Air, which I have. The Air got too hot when pushed hard doing real work and slowed down, and it had another half of the clamshell... just the top bit with some computer crammed in, plus a battery? Well yeah, if anyone can do it Apple can, but it won't be high performance and won't be able to get anywhere near the functionality you can achieve with a Macbook.
I can see Apple deprecating the Macbook line for the Tablet, and leaving the MBP - the entry level MBP is still affordable - but I still can't see how the Tablet offers a *full* computing experience - the iPhone has shown pretty comprehensively that tablet-like interfaces can offer a *consumption* experience without problem, but interactivity and entering text? Still sub-optimal on the iPhone and would be similarly tricky on the Tablet.
If Apple see the Macbook as a device mainly purchased by 'consumers' to 'consume content' then the Tablet will be a good replacement as it fits the same sort of requirements. However I've always done stuff with my machines. Even heavy use of internet forums (which is just playing, really) requires convenient text input. And as everyone knows, I'm not known for terseness when it comes to posts
An Apple Tablet and a bluetooth keyboard wouldn't sell to me, too fiddly, may as well carry a Macbook Air around, no?
Terse - no, but pithy and epigrammatic? The trouble is that even though the 'Macbook' as in the base consumer laptop has started to decay in favour of the Pro models, the Macbook Pro machines are big-ass serious portable computers. I've got the smallest one and on certain tasks it's as quick as my 8-core Mac Pro. I use it as a do-everything machine (including running two operating systems and heavy duty financial software) when I'm on client sites doing consultancy. No 'tablet' type machine could substitute for this, the thermodynamics don't add up.
I'm thinking of a 'tablet' like the top half of a Macbook Air, which I have. The Air got too hot when pushed hard doing real work and slowed down, and it had another half of the clamshell... just the top bit with some computer crammed in, plus a battery? Well yeah, if anyone can do it Apple can, but it won't be high performance and won't be able to get anywhere near the functionality you can achieve with a Macbook.
I can see Apple deprecating the Macbook line for the Tablet, and leaving the MBP - the entry level MBP is still affordable - but I still can't see how the Tablet offers a *full* computing experience - the iPhone has shown pretty comprehensively that tablet-like interfaces can offer a *consumption* experience without problem, but interactivity and entering text? Still sub-optimal on the iPhone and would be similarly tricky on the Tablet.
If Apple see the Macbook as a device mainly purchased by 'consumers' to 'consume content' then the Tablet will be a good replacement as it fits the same sort of requirements. However I've always done stuff with my machines. Even heavy use of internet forums (which is just playing, really) requires convenient text input. And as everyone knows, I'm not known for terseness when it comes to posts
An Apple Tablet and a bluetooth keyboard wouldn't sell to me, too fiddly, may as well carry a Macbook Air around, no?
Can't see them relying on a BT keyboard though - what would be the point then? Either hand recognition or a larger version of what's provided on the iPhone.
Don't really see any reason why either wouldn't be fully acceptable and functional.
PJ S said:
cyberface said:
Gruber thinks so.
The trouble is that even though the 'Macbook' as in the base consumer laptop has started to decay in favour of the Pro models, the Macbook Pro machines are big-ass serious portable computers. I've got the smallest one and on certain tasks it's as quick as my 8-core Mac Pro. I use it as a do-everything machine (including running two operating systems and heavy duty financial software) when I'm on client sites doing consultancy. No 'tablet' type machine could substitute for this, the thermodynamics don't add up.
I'm thinking of a 'tablet' like the top half of a Macbook Air, which I have. The Air got too hot when pushed hard doing real work and slowed down, and it had another half of the clamshell... just the top bit with some computer crammed in, plus a battery? Well yeah, if anyone can do it Apple can, but it won't be high performance and won't be able to get anywhere near the functionality you can achieve with a Macbook.
I can see Apple deprecating the Macbook line for the Tablet, and leaving the MBP - the entry level MBP is still affordable - but I still can't see how the Tablet offers a *full* computing experience - the iPhone has shown pretty comprehensively that tablet-like interfaces can offer a *consumption* experience without problem, but interactivity and entering text? Still sub-optimal on the iPhone and would be similarly tricky on the Tablet.
If Apple see the Macbook as a device mainly purchased by 'consumers' to 'consume content' then the Tablet will be a good replacement as it fits the same sort of requirements. However I've always done stuff with my machines. Even heavy use of internet forums (which is just playing, really) requires convenient text input. And as everyone knows, I'm not known for terseness when it comes to posts
An Apple Tablet and a bluetooth keyboard wouldn't sell to me, too fiddly, may as well carry a Macbook Air around, no?
Terse - no, but pithy and epigrammatic? The trouble is that even though the 'Macbook' as in the base consumer laptop has started to decay in favour of the Pro models, the Macbook Pro machines are big-ass serious portable computers. I've got the smallest one and on certain tasks it's as quick as my 8-core Mac Pro. I use it as a do-everything machine (including running two operating systems and heavy duty financial software) when I'm on client sites doing consultancy. No 'tablet' type machine could substitute for this, the thermodynamics don't add up.
I'm thinking of a 'tablet' like the top half of a Macbook Air, which I have. The Air got too hot when pushed hard doing real work and slowed down, and it had another half of the clamshell... just the top bit with some computer crammed in, plus a battery? Well yeah, if anyone can do it Apple can, but it won't be high performance and won't be able to get anywhere near the functionality you can achieve with a Macbook.
I can see Apple deprecating the Macbook line for the Tablet, and leaving the MBP - the entry level MBP is still affordable - but I still can't see how the Tablet offers a *full* computing experience - the iPhone has shown pretty comprehensively that tablet-like interfaces can offer a *consumption* experience without problem, but interactivity and entering text? Still sub-optimal on the iPhone and would be similarly tricky on the Tablet.
If Apple see the Macbook as a device mainly purchased by 'consumers' to 'consume content' then the Tablet will be a good replacement as it fits the same sort of requirements. However I've always done stuff with my machines. Even heavy use of internet forums (which is just playing, really) requires convenient text input. And as everyone knows, I'm not known for terseness when it comes to posts
An Apple Tablet and a bluetooth keyboard wouldn't sell to me, too fiddly, may as well carry a Macbook Air around, no?
Can't see them relying on a BT keyboard though - what would be the point then? Either hand recognition or a larger version of what's provided on the iPhone.
Don't really see any reason why either wouldn't be fully acceptable and functional.
The other option would be to have the tablet as a 'consumption' device with the ability to dock it to 'the bottom half of a laptop' to provide a 'creation' solution. There is an Apple patent that shows a similar concept, but sees a tablet being inserted into the side of an imac.
Mclovin said:
its led screen so wont be jan and wont be under 1k....
i hope the battery tech gets better i'm fed up with carrying a charger around for my iphone...
ha ha i was right, apple dont release stuff and let the customers do the product testing...it will be a year at least before theres an apple tablet...i hope the battery tech gets better i'm fed up with carrying a charger around for my iphone...
ereader market is going to be big for the one that gets it right i.e. a4 screen, eink, lots of formats, long battery and durable....at the moment the screens are way too small....
it would be great if plastic logic sold their que reader here seeing that the tech was invented in cambridge and its made in germany, why should it only be sold in the US....
Edited by Mclovin on Sunday 10th January 19:04
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