Hardware makers plan preemptive strike against Apple tablet at CES
As CES kicks off this week, a great deal of focus will be on touchscreen tablet devices, which many companies plan to release in anticipation of Apple's own take on the mobile computing format.
Highlighted by BusinessWeek was the Notion Ink, a new 10.1-inch touchscreen tablet set to debut at CES 2010 in Las Vegas. A prototype of the device will reportedly be shown, and the company's CEO said he hopes to launch the product before Apple's own tablet debuts.
As the Jan. 7 start for CES approaches, many hardware makers seem to have the same philosophy, hoping to steal some of Apple's thunder before it announces its long-awaited, still unconfirmed tablet. Reports have said Apple has scheduled an event for Jan. 26 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco to debut new products. Rumored to appear is an Apple tablet, perhaps called the iSlate.
Another possible product debut could come from Apple's rival to the north, Microsoft. Last summer, concept art of a dual-screen book-like device known as the Courier leaked to the Internet. The Redmond, Wash., company has not publicly commented on the rumored hardware.
PC maker Dell also reportedly plans to unveil its own tablet at CES. The Texas company is said to have plans for a touchscreen device with a 5-inch screen based on the Google Android mobile operating system.
Monday, Austin, Tex.-based company Freescale Semiconductor announced a new 7-inch reference design for touchscreen tablets. The company hopes that devices less than $200 utilizing ARM processors could be created from its plans. A hardware prototype based on the form factor will be shown at CES this week.
Freescale Semiconductor's proposed tablet reference design will debut this week.
"Freescale?s new tablet opens the door to an exciting new world of compelling form factors specifically designed and optimized to support common online activities including social media, high-quality audio/video playback and light gaming," said Henri Richard, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing for Freescale.
"We believe the tablet will emerge as a popular form factor for the next generation of smartbooks. By introducing this prototype reference design, Freescale intends to play a vital role in propelling the mainstream adoption of smartbooks.?"
In recent weeks, rumors over Apple's tablet have once again picked up steam. Last week, the former president of Google China, Lee Kai-fu said that the device combines the functions of a netbook, the Amazon Kindle, and an e-book reader. Citing an unnamed source, he claims Apple has high hopes for the device, expecting it to sell 10 million in its first year at a price under $1,000.
Last July, AppleInsider first reported that Apple's tablet would debut in the first quarter of 2010. The 10-inch, 3G-enabled device is said to be the brainchild of chief executive Steve Jobs.
Highlighted by BusinessWeek was the Notion Ink, a new 10.1-inch touchscreen tablet set to debut at CES 2010 in Las Vegas. A prototype of the device will reportedly be shown, and the company's CEO said he hopes to launch the product before Apple's own tablet debuts.
As the Jan. 7 start for CES approaches, many hardware makers seem to have the same philosophy, hoping to steal some of Apple's thunder before it announces its long-awaited, still unconfirmed tablet. Reports have said Apple has scheduled an event for Jan. 26 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco to debut new products. Rumored to appear is an Apple tablet, perhaps called the iSlate.
Another possible product debut could come from Apple's rival to the north, Microsoft. Last summer, concept art of a dual-screen book-like device known as the Courier leaked to the Internet. The Redmond, Wash., company has not publicly commented on the rumored hardware.
PC maker Dell also reportedly plans to unveil its own tablet at CES. The Texas company is said to have plans for a touchscreen device with a 5-inch screen based on the Google Android mobile operating system.
Monday, Austin, Tex.-based company Freescale Semiconductor announced a new 7-inch reference design for touchscreen tablets. The company hopes that devices less than $200 utilizing ARM processors could be created from its plans. A hardware prototype based on the form factor will be shown at CES this week.
Freescale Semiconductor's proposed tablet reference design will debut this week.
"Freescale?s new tablet opens the door to an exciting new world of compelling form factors specifically designed and optimized to support common online activities including social media, high-quality audio/video playback and light gaming," said Henri Richard, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing for Freescale.
"We believe the tablet will emerge as a popular form factor for the next generation of smartbooks. By introducing this prototype reference design, Freescale intends to play a vital role in propelling the mainstream adoption of smartbooks.?"
In recent weeks, rumors over Apple's tablet have once again picked up steam. Last week, the former president of Google China, Lee Kai-fu said that the device combines the functions of a netbook, the Amazon Kindle, and an e-book reader. Citing an unnamed source, he claims Apple has high hopes for the device, expecting it to sell 10 million in its first year at a price under $1,000.
Last July, AppleInsider first reported that Apple's tablet would debut in the first quarter of 2010. The 10-inch, 3G-enabled device is said to be the brainchild of chief executive Steve Jobs.
Comments
...a great deal of focus will be on touchscreen tablet devices, which many companies plan to release in anticipation of Apple's own take on the mobile computing format.
It's more like the entire industry is looking to release a tablet device and Apple's will be better than everyone's else's.
Apple's device will cater to the eye candy loving home consumer better, the rest of the industry will make more serious looking and better functional devices that cater to the business market.
Same approach, different product, same story.
Mac/PC iPhone/Blackberry iTablet/TabletPC's
No. Actually, not puke. I just find it very drab and boring. Like, the "reference design" photos. What is up with that?
Thank God Apple makes the personal computing industry fun and exciting.
Apple was a latecomer to the MP3 player and smartphone markets and now look at where they are. Being first to market is not all that it's cracked up to be.
At least that's the opinion of one Apple shareholder.
Something about the PC industry makes me want to puke.
No. Actually, not puke. I just find it very drab and boring. Like, the "reference design" photos. What is up with that?
Thank God Apple makes the personal computing industry fun and exciting.
Different markets.
Apple caters to the home consumers, that's their market and they fight hard against any competition in that area. Their products are designed with a high lust factor and invoke impulsive purchases and even theft. Some people even buy Apple's hardware with no real need for the device itself, rather just to buy a new toy.
The iPods in their various forms and price points are high on the list of impulsive purchases. Many people bought them not even knowing it required a computer to use them. (reports are this holiday season iPods sold extremely well)
Apple cares less about the drab market, businesses like drab because it's serious and employees don't steal the hardware.
Businesses look at computer and software purchases with a critical eye for the bottom line, getting the most value for their money, looks are not really important, except in their creative departments. Businesses are in business to make money, not spend it on a whim if a device changes color or gets a new feature like emotional appealing consumer would.
Apple changed their name from Apple Computer for a reason, they are planing on exiting the computer industry and focusing on being a consumer products company that makes devices people can easily use, not much anymore on real computers that require a lot of thought and a steep learning curve.
The iPhone and the App Store are just the beginning. The iTablet/iSlate is next...
OS X UI is going to be shown the door as soon as the bulk of people start buying these new 'iPhone like' closed UI devices from Apple.
I am waiting to see what Apple's price point will be. I think a tablet will be great, and knowing Apple their product will be awesome but I do not want to spend a fortune on it. If the competition can come in well under Apple on price, I will forgo a few bells and whistles to save a few hundred bucks. On the other hand if the gap is very small then Apple all the way.
The $200 tablet with the 7 inch screen looks great. Archos makes a 7 inch internet/media tablet running Android. I bought the pre-Android 5 inch model, which has an 800x480 screen and which outputs 720p to the TV. It is great for surfing the net and plugging into the Home Theater system. It has a 60 Gig drive, and is available with a 500 Gig drive. It uses the same CPU as the iPhone 3GS, so it is very fast.
I have wanted a cheap device for surfing in bed or on the couch for a long time, and the Archos comes close to being perfect. I am happy to see that the category is heating up. I hope Apple and all the rest put resources into this sort of form factor, even if it is not a full-power computer, but instead, a purpose-built internet/media device.
It doesn't matter that others might launch their tablets first. They've been launching them for years anyhow.
Apple was a latecomer to the MP3 player and smartphone markets and now look at where they are. Being first to market is not all that it's cracked up to be.
At least that's the opinion of one Apple shareholder.
I agree. Apple was not first in the MP3 player market, but came
to dominate it. Same thing might happen in the tablet space.
They are not dominating the phone space, however, but instead are in third place.
And on the desktop, their sales are dwarfed by alternative choices.
But all they really care about is the bottom line, and at this point, they are doing well there.
But all they really care about is the bottom line, and at this point, they are doing well there.
Wow, you sound like you're complaining that, in the process, Apple may have let down the consumer! Surely that's not what you mean?
Going out on a limb - It will not be called iSlate. In fact it won't be called "i" anything.
Interesting. Any reason why you think that might be? (I am still sticking with iTab).
Many people bought them not even knowing it required a computer to use them...
Sadly I know one of these people. I was all I could do not to laugh in the poor dudes face when he said: "I bought this iPod, where is all the music?"
He freaked out when I told him he had to install iTunes on his PC, buy the music and then put it on the iPod.
I wish I were joking.
I am waiting to see what Apple's price point will be. I think a tablet will be great, and knowing Apple their product will be awesome but I do not want to spend a fortune on it. If the competition can come in well under Apple on price, I will forgo a few bells and whistles to save a few hundred bucks. On the other hand if the gap is very small then Apple all the way.
I predict the price point will be over a thousand bucks. We are talking about the same company that made the MacBook Air. $1800 bucks, no DVD drive, no ethernet, no firewire, etc. But sexy as hell.
And lest we forget the original iPhone. $500 bucks, no physical keyboard, no 3G, no GPS, no video. But sexy as hell.
The iTab (my favorite name) will retail for $1500 bucks, be missing features other tablets have and will probably be tied to AT&T for it's content. I hope not, but probably so.
Now what happens if there is no Apple's tablet at all??
I am waiting to see what Apple's price point will be. I think a tablet will be great, and knowing Apple their product will be awesome but I do not want to spend a fortune on it. If the competition can come in well under Apple on price, I will forgo a few bells and whistles to save a few hundred bucks. On the other hand if the gap is very small then Apple all the way.
or just wait until you can install a hackin-touch OS on your non-apple tablet...
http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home...et-at-the-door
If there is one thing that may work against Apple, it is the price point. We'll have to see Apple comes out with. I'm hoping all the wait and delays were due to getting the price (as well as the functionality) right. Hopefully, we'll be shocked about the price as indicated in the article below:
http://www.alltabletnews.com/2009/12...ckingly-cheap/
The Courier doesn't exist.
Sadly I know one of these people. I was all I could do not to laugh in the poor dudes face when he said: "I bought this iPod, where is all the music?"
He freaked out when I told him he had to install iTunes on his PC, buy the music and then put it on the iPod.
I wish I were joking.
I had a guy who bought 5 iPods, one for each of his four daughters (must been trying hard for a son) and one for his wife.
His only computer (and sanctuary) was a PC in his private home office and at that time iTune's required a separate Windows account for each iPod user.
Poor guy.