- January 8, 2010
- Posted by: admin
- Category: Blog
Peace, guys.
This is the biggest ‘rumor’ since the iPhone was getting ready to launch in 2007. January 27th, 2010 or so they say, is the day when the world shall see Apple tablets – and i’m not talking about ones with vitamins.
Before we go searching for a price tag, lets get the facts together.
Apple owns P.A. Semi, a microprocessor design firm it paid $278 million in cash for in April of 2008, so using an ARM-based chip of its own design(goodbye atom) might make more sense. Apple might just opt for Light Peak, an optical interconnect technology it suggested Intel create. Intel unveiled Light Peak at its developer forum in San Francisco in September of 2009.
News on Thursday that the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office had published an application from Apple that seems to relate to multi-touch screen technology added more grist to the rumor mill. The patent, unearthed by Patently Apple, focuses on capacitive technology, which is particularly useful for multitouch.
The patent is titled “Next Generation Touch Screen for iPhone and MacBook-Tablet.” Last month, Apple tablet watchers began referring to the assumed product as the “iSlate,” based on a report that Apple owns a Web site by that name.
Coming to the question – Do you think this is really gonna happen? If so, would you get yourself one? How do you see this impacting microprocessor/hardware/ software markets over the globe. Is this just another publicity stunt, or will Apple once again change the way we live our lives?
Feedback appreciated.
Source Link: http://www.technewsworld.com/story/Connecting-the-Dots-on-the-Apple-Tablet-69055.html
z
15 Comments
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I think that Apple will launch this tablet PC. I will not buy it becouse a tablet pc has a restricted usage/users and i’m not one of them.
Today the marketing experts divide the cellphone story in two parts: before and after the iPhone, but i don’t know ( and don’t believe that ) if a tablet PC can have a succes equal to the iPhone.
Haven’t seen anything here at CES, which if it were to be released, it would be…
Links:
* http://www.mindtaffy.com
have seen this all over the place lately. There was a funny discussion about it on CodeProject (www.codeproject.com) related to all the apps that would be going onto it like iCant – iball – iStrain – and such…
http://www.codeproject.com/Lounge.aspx?msg=3325278#xx3325278xx
Very funny discussion indeed… I added mine to the list:
iMindlessFollowers – Users that buy one just because it starts with an ‘I’ and has an apple on the front.
But I digress.
Will Apple put out a tablet PC? Sure. They would be stupid NOT to at this point I think.
While I am not a HUGE fan of touch interfaces for PCs as you will find on my latest blog entry (http://tinyurl.com/yd4bupz) if Apple was to not continue their progression into this line of business I think they would loose some market share, and peoples confidence in their position that touch is the next wave of innovation would slip a bit.
Regardless of weather or not touch is REALLY the wave of the future as the next ubiquitous interface technology is really still open for debate I think, but to NOT move in that direction would be a mistake on Apples part.
Would I get one? No, because I am not an Apple lover. I don’t even own a touch based Windows PC. Heck, I JUST recently convinced myself that I finally NEEDED a laptop after being a staunch desktop powerhouse owner for the last 15 years.
As far as the statement about Apple having ‘changed the way we live our lives’ I think that may be going a bit far. Yes, they have altered the PC landscape over the years, but most competitive products do that. IBM did it too, so did MS. Each company has had their impact on how we have come into the home PC age over the years. Apple has had an impact on the way we view personal use technology I think (ie: portable entertainment and such) but I don’t think that they are going to end up having to much more impact on the PC market just by coming out with a touch based notebook. It’s not like they would be the first, and I don’t think they would be the last.
Links:
* http://www.codeproject.com/Lounge.aspx?msg=3325278#xx3325278xx
* http://tinyurl.com/yd4bupz)
Given the consistency of the current rumors, coupled with the story at WSJ of how Apple “leaks” info w/out leaking info, there is a high probability that there is a tablet/slate/MID device in the works. The fact that Apple has announced a date for a “special event” brings more credibility to this.
Apple has never made any announcements at CES. 1st. it had MacWorld usually during the same time,. so it had its own showcase event 2nd. Apple is famously/notoriously known to exact strict control of how its products are announce. Often wanting undiluted or distracting events to maximize the press and PR bounce.
The key is to take 90% of the rumors w/ a grain of salt. For example, one entity (iSuppli) has already claimed to know how much the cost to manufacture the device w/out knowing the exact specs of the device and assuming Apple is using off the shelf, lowest cost parts. So now they are primed to say how overpriced the device is if it is more than $500 dollars. It has already been said Apple is being quite particular about the glass for the device and is known to be exacting on certain components (some of Intel CPU’s)
Now with that being said and given Apple’s experience w/ the iTouch, I expect it to be a well-designed multi-purpose device for about $800. It will be hailed by manyas the standard-bearer for “tablet internet devices” derided as overpriced, underfeatured niche device by others.
I heard that it will be released this month…
Yes, it’s the biggest news since Moses came down from Mount Sinai.
Yes, but please be patient.
What is the point of all these
rumors and speculations?
Just to try to get a scoop.
When a company is ready to
announce something it will
announce.
Until then …
They are, it was about time for such products to surface on market.
The tablet is for real. I think it’s debuting in March.
most rumours about apple tend to be true. they are in my opinion one true believer of rumour as a pr tool.
as far as changing the way we live is concerned, i prefer to see technology as a tool to extend the way i work and interact. and this will be more true in times to come (as meaningful use takes over cutting edge).
I won’t be surprised if it comes and does wonders like its predecessors. No wonder Apple is the one that changed Adam’s life, and now his children’s. The “Micro-organisms” can get ready to imitate 🙂
I think so–Steve Jobs return and commitment of no pay unless profitable impact on the company has created the environment to go with an advance and this is the most likely suspected result.
The biggest problem will be to recoup the investment and still bring the product to market within a viable unit cost. Is the technology worth the investment to the customer? Apple products are notoriously expensive. A Sansa 2 gig Sandisc is a 40 dollar investment verses $120 for an Apple I-Pod with comparable functions. The Apple Laptop is half again as expensive as laptops with a Windows operating system.
That being said, Apple products are great. Would I purchase them? No. For the very reasons I stated. But there are people who will not care about the expense, so undoubtedly there is a market.
I would also wait for useful software that has no compatibility issues…
Zohaib,
I do believe it will be here soon. Although product development with Apple is under tight control, when the rumor chorus gets loud enough, we are close to seeing something. It happened when the iPod got video, and it happened with the iPhone.
What will be truly interesting is what happens 1 year past the point of introduction. As with the iPod and the iPhone, it will become something much more than anyone envisioned when it comes out. Yes, there will be some cool interface tech, but like other Apple interfaces; it quickly goes to the background. What will become important is how we take the next step in interfacing with media. I work for a publishing company, and I see this device putting another nail in the print media coffin. Kindel and other ereaders have not done that yet your say. Well, before the iPod there were MP3 players, and before the iPhone there where smartphones. But Apple came in and changed the game. It scares me, but I am also eager to see. Apply the iTunes model for book/magazine/newspaper buying. And then have publishers start making books and mags in electronic form that are more than just transposed ink-on-paper versions, and you will have something ground breaking.
Will I buy it? Well, I am crazy this way, but yes. Of course, I have been a long time fan of Apple products (bought the Apple MessagePad (Newton) 100 when it first came out). Expectations are high. But I see some things changing big with this device. Again, it is a matter of seeing 1 year from now that will really tell the tale.
Links:
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Apple_Newton_MP100.jpg
Newton 2. Cratering soon in a marketplace near you.