Why a 10" Apple iTablet Makes Sense

[Kaido]

Whoa...Business Week is now reporting on a tablet too:

http://gizmodo.com/5230376/bus...e-lite-to-verizon-soon

Where there's smoke... Time to start pinching pennies! June is sooooooon!

 

[Kaido]

MacBook Mini computer ID spotted in Adium stats:

http://www.tuaw.com/2009/04/28...-found-in-adium-stats/

Of course, as they mention, you can easily edit your computer ID to change the name of your computer. Although, this is the same way the Macbook Air first appeared, so either it's true, or someone is capitalizing on history (or just wanted to have a fun name for their netbook with OS X ).

 

[LtPage1]

I can't imagine wanting something like this. Everything you claim it'll do, a laptop does better- and there's no way this thing will be substantially smaller than a closed Macbook Air. The only advantage would be the price, but downgrading a few components and adding a $30 monthly fee does not bring a $1700 laptop down to $100.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: LtPage1
I can't imagine wanting something like this. Everything you claim it'll do, a laptop does better- and there's no way this thing will be substantially smaller than a closed Macbook Air. The only advantage would be the price, but downgrading a few components and adding a $30 monthly fee does not bring a $1700 laptop down to $100.

That's the point, I think - it wouldn't be a laptop, it would just be an oversized iPhone. That way they can run an ARM processor or whatever they're using, have a long battery life, and create a new niche - a giant MID, more or less. Think netbook screen size (10"), not Macbook Air screen size (13"). This is all just speculation, but I think it makes sense. I didn't think I'd want one either, but the more I think about it, the more I think I'd use it. Plus I could ditch my cursed giant iPhone bill

The CrunchTablet looks really nifty, but it's far too big at 12":

http://www.crunchgear.com/2009...he-net-a-little-early/

And 7" is too small - I have a 7" Lilliput touchscreen and it really doesn't feel a whole lot bigger than my iPhone. I think that a 10" ultra-thin all-screen unit would be the ideal fit. It could be a competitor to the Kindle (E-Ink vs. LED LCD screen discussion aside), a killer GPS unit, a new gaming platform, all kinds of neato things.

I'd definitely like to see one

 

[Kaido]

Gizmodo: What an Apple Tablet won't look like -

http://gizmodo.com/5231239/wha...-tablet-wont-look-like

haha

 

[Kaido]

A good overview of recent rumors:

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/48295

 

[Kaido]

CNN has picked up the story and is running it front-page on their website:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/p...le.computer/index.html

 

[Kaido]

Moar:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/0...ng-netbook-competitor/

 

[DanK414]

It won't happen until Steve dies. The man really hates tablets from some videos and articles quoting him. I don't know how long I've been waiting for a tablet to come out from Apple and not a third party vendor... All I know is I won't holding my breath for it.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I broke down and bought a refurbished Latitude XT and put W 7 on it, it's pretty slick...

 

[Kaido]

Apple is looking for 3G "Macbook" testers:

http://gizmodo.com/5240967/app...cbook-3g-testers-hmmmm

Hmmmmmmmmm

 

[Kaido]

Here's a 7" Internet Tablet from SmartQ:

http://www.engadget.com/2009/0...let-with-dedicated-fn/

I have a 7" Lilliput touchscreen and it's much too small. A 10" touchscreen is definitely the way to go

 

[Kaido]

Apple Adds Chinese Handwriting for Multi-Touch Capable Macs in New Snow Leopard:

http://www.macrumors.com/2009/...s-in-new-snow-leopard/

Multi-touch capable Macs, eh? Although it's probably just for the Macbook's multi-touch trackpad.

I sure hope Apple releases a multi-touch trackpad for desktops!

 

[Kaido]

Snow Leopard to support native 3G Wireless WAN hardware:

http://www.appleinsider.com/ar...less_wan_hardware.html

Now what could they possibly want with WWAN hardware?

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: Kaido
Snow Leopard to support native 3G Wireless WAN hardware:

http://www.appleinsider.com/ar...less_wan_hardware.html

Now what could they possibly want with WWAN hardware?

Native support for 3G ExpressCard and USB adapters so that you don't need drivers and lousy 3rd party utilities when you want to use such a device on your MacBook?

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: ViRGE

Originally posted by: Kaido
Snow Leopard to support native 3G Wireless WAN hardware:

http://www.appleinsider.com/ar...less_wan_hardware.html

Now what could they possibly want with WWAN hardware?

Native support for 3G ExpressCard and USB adapters so that you don't need drivers and lousy 3rd party utilities when you want to use such a device on your MacBook?

Shhh, stop being logical

 

[Kaido]

Good article on Gizmodo with a roundup of rumors, patents, and leaks:

http://gizmodo.com/5249808/app...ablet-the-story-so-far

 

[Pliablemoose]

I enjoyed reading that article a lot, and it mirrors my train of thought...

A couple of other tidbits.

OSX 10.5.7 is strangely battery friendly to the hackintosh netbooks...

Verizon insiders are leaking they'll have an iPhone lite and a net enabled device sourced from Apple by the end of the year.



Also, after putting Windows 7 on my Dell Latitude XT, I'm sort of on the fence about tablets, the interface is sort of cool, but for any data input, it's a pain in the ass, if you're browsing only, it's slick as whale shit, but to even type this entry is painful and labor intensive, I think a tablet only device is not going to be as popular as I originally thought.

I find myself converting to the notebook/keyboard on my XT when I want to actually interact with anything...

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
I enjoyed reading that article a lot, and it mirrors my train of thought...

A couple of other tidbits.

OSX 10.5.7 is strangely battery friendly to the hackintosh netbooks...

Verizon insiders are leaking they'll have an iPhone lite and a net enabled device sourced from Apple by the end of the year.



Also, after putting Windows 7 on my Dell Latitude XT, I'm sort of on the fence about tablets, the interface is sort of cool, but for any data input, it's a pain in the ass, if you're browsing only, it's slick as whale shit, but to even type this entry is painful and labor intensive, I think a tablet only device is not going to be as popular as I originally thought.

I find myself converting to the notebook/keyboard on my XT when I want to actually interact with anything...

Yeah 1-2 more hours of battery life, that's pretty insane for just a software tweak!

If anyone could pull off a tablet, it would be Apple. I would LOVE to see multi-touch Safari, iPhone-style, on a 10" touchscreen. That would be the perfect device to carry around just to look stuff up or read the news. Add in the Kindle software and some fun games, a movie and music player...it'd be pretty neat!

They definitely would need a new GUI...the iPhone's GUI wouldn't work (who wants 100 buttons on their homescreen, bleh! you'd never find anything!) and OS X isn't really suited for portable use like that. So it'd have to be some kind of new twist on the interface.

Yeah, I'd buy one