The Evidence for the Mac Tablet
Scattered rumors of Apple PDAs and Tablets have littered the rumor scene before, but have always fallen short.
The last official word we heard was from Steve Jobs in September 2002, when he was questioned directly about Tablet PC's. His response seemed to dismiss the likelyhood of such an Apple device: "We're not sure the tablet PC will be successful. It's turned into a notebook that you can write on. Do you want to handwrite all your e-mail? We have all the technology ourselves to do that - we just don't know whether it will be successful."
Matthew Rothenberg, however, rekindled this topic when he posted a speculative article in November 2002, feeling that Apple would likely pursue a tablet-based computer. This speculation was apparently based on more than just his own personal thoughts -- since on January 5th, 2003, he wrote an eWeek article which suggested that the Apple Tablet may make its appearance at MacWorld San Francisco:
My sources sketch the following picture: A device that superficially resembles a large iPod with an 8-inch diagonal screen, lacks a keyboard, packs USB and FireWire ports, and runs Mac OS X along with a variety of multimedia goodies.
While this did not come to pass, ThinkSecret also claimed it a possibility in their roundup (though Rothenberg and ThinkSecret historically appear to have similar sources).
Even CNet posted an item reporting that Apple was planning on introducing something portable aimed towards home entertainment... ranging from tablet to portable video pod.
A final tidbit of interest is a rumor that had come to us in late December -- well before the above articles... that Apple would be releasing a 17" Powerbook at MacWorld Expo, as well as an Apple Tablet Mac. At that time, the 17" Powerbook was dismissed as fanciful speculation... but turned out to be true, which now draws interest in the possibility that an Apple Tablet was in the works...
While it appears that only 21% of readers feel that the Apple Tablet rumors were based on truth, we feel that this consistent information from a number of typically reliable sources points towards the existence of an Apple Tablet project.
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Bill Gates
still here!
cheers!
hey! kool aid!
but it has to be widescreen! imagine a little DVD drive that plug into the firewire port...that could be fun! i'll regress to my corner and dream....already dreaming possibilities....
It is so much faster to type than to write, although being able to handwrite has some advantages, such as adding human touch, scribbling or drawing, being able to write in random locations for thought organization, etc. Still, I think efficiency is the most important issue when it comes to communication and typing is the best way to go. Even PDA devices that support handwriting recognition sell separate portable keyboards, and that's saying something about consumers' tendencies.
However, because tablet functionality is not entirely without merit, I think it would be interesting if Apple introduced a LAPTOP with screen that can be used as a tablet. Perhaps something similar to one of PC laptop that can twist its display around and be used as a tablet.
Or (it just occurred to me)
Maybe a tablet with touch screen keyboard as part of the display? But it would probably require large screen to accomodate the touch screen keyboard. I don't know. But whatever tablet device it might be, I strongly believe keyboard needs to be integrated.
Originally posted by PyroTurtle
bring on the tablet....just give it a nice carying case like the iPod, and look like the iPod and i'll get one, or make it cooler looking....i'd love to replace my powerbook as i do have a tower and just use my powerbook for notes and stuff now...i have cargo pockets, i'm a big guy, at 8" diag it might just fit....
but it has to be widescreen! imagine a little DVD drive that plug into the firewire port...that could be fun! i'll regress to my corner and dream....already dreaming possibilities....
I hear ya'! Now it also needs to cost less than $1500, with at least an 867MHz G4, and 256 MB of DDR. Now that would be really nice!
edit: However, some things would not be as nice. Low res. screens, graphics cards may be lack luster, and the GUI effects (animations and suchs, assuming that Apple used OS X, and not an adapted version) would be lesser. No dock magnifcation, if a dock at all, right?
This tablet-device will most likely have a completely different form factor than that of Table-PCs and PDAs.
Think something along the lines of iPod meets MessagePad 2000/2100.
Bigger than a PDA, with a real hard drive, but smaller than a tablet-PC. Some people refer to the Newton as the first PDA, others call it the first tablet. In actuality, it was a bit of both (although the MP100s were very PDA-ish compared to the MP2x00s and the eMate).
One of the coolest features of the later Newton devices was the ability to switch the screen from vertical to horizontal. In today's era of widescreen everything, that would be a pretty cool feature.
I also doubt that this device would run Mac OS X.
Apple would have to compromise the OS too much to make functional on a small device like this. Instead, I think we should expect an OS X-lite, perhaps with a name all its own, like the Newton OS, which many people, myself included, still think was a great system.
Also, Think Secret talked about new G3s, that have yet to materialize in anything. How much do we really know about these chips? I'm just speculating here, but what they aren't for new iBooks, but instead for a fully loaded portable device?
All I really know, is that whatever this thing is, it's the biggest thing keeping my cash away from a new iBook. The sooner the better, Apple! ;)
unless apple can get the price down.
Imagine sitting on the sofa and surfing and using the touch screen for the links and if there's need to input a new address or something it can be typed in with a virtual keyboard on the screen or with hand writting recongnition.
I have no use for hand writting my e-mails (my hand writting is terrible anyways) or any other docs.
That's the only tablet I would like to see come out from Apple.
Originally posted by scem0
It still seems like a bad idea to me... I just don't think it will sell, unless apple can get the price down.
Originally posted by howard
it would have to cost a lot less than 1500...and its a tablet? why a large processor? all your doing is writing and stuff, not like your gonna edit video or even play games, give it a g3 to make it cheap...but ah whatever, i don't really care i would never buy one
But we're talking about Apple here. We should expect something new and different, or maybe something a little retro (in computer terms, about five to seven years back), or a mix of both.
What really sucks is that we'll have to wait and see.
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