Apple tablet (Newton); iPhone voice memos; UK launch info
A prominent gadget blog on Tuesday cited manufacturing sources as saying that Apple is indeed working on some kind of tablet handheld. Meanwhile, references to an iPhone voice memo feature are making the rounds (again). And iPhone will be available at over 1,300 retail locations in the UK this Friday, Apple says.
Asustek lending hand with Apple tablet?
Editors for the UK edition of CNet's Crave blog are throwing their weight behind rumors that Apple is working on some kind of Mac OS X-based tablet computer to be introduced in the not too distant future.
Citing sources at a recent dinner party, the publication claims that Taiwanese contract manufacturer Asustek -- which is already responsible a large slice of Apple's notebook production -- is helping the Cupertino-based company build its new handheld.
"We checked back with our source at Asus on a different day and they confirmed that the Apple Tablet will not be based on existing Asus designs such as the R1," the report states. "It will come from a completely new blueprint, possibly based on the patent Apple filed back in May 2005."
The remainder of the Crave report is speculative, though it should be noted that AppleInsider believes the design in question is one and the same with the Netwon reincarnation detailed earlier this year.
iPhone voice memos
When Apple releases a new version of iTunes, most folks tend to install the software and move on. There are, however, those few who instead rifle through the application's resource files for the greater good of the Apple rumor community.
This was again the case with this week's release of iTunes 7.5, in which one MacRumors forum member discovered some curious text strings related to iPhone disk use and iPhone voice memos -- two features not yet available on the handset.
"4320.073" = "Enabling the iPhone for disk use requires manually ejecting the iPhone before each disconnect, even when automatically syncing music.";
"4320.082" = "The iPhone ?^1? contains new voice memos. Would you like to move these voice memos to your iTunes library?";
The findings have received considerable attention on some of the more prominent gadget blogs, though it should be noted that AppleInsider forum members had previously discovered the same strings alongside the release of iTunes 7.3. So while such features may still be forthcoming, references to them have been lingering in iTunes for a few months now.
UK iPhone at 1300 locations this Friday
Meanwhile, Apple on Tuesday issued a formal press release hyping this Friday's impending iPhone launch in the UK.
"iPhone will go on sale this Friday, November 9 at 6:02 p.m. at Apple, O2 and Carphone Warehouse retail and online stores," the company said. "iPhones will be available at more than 1,300 Apple, O2 and Carphone Warehouse retail locations across the UK, giving customers their first chance to get their hands on this revolutionary new product."
As part of the release, O2's sales director Mark Stansfeld also confirmed the retail staff expansion reported Monday night.
"O2 stores are fully geared up for what will be the year?s biggest product launch," he said. "We?ve hired and trained hundreds of new iPhone specialists who will be in all 450 O2 stores giving live demos and showing customers how to get the most out of their iPhone."
Asustek lending hand with Apple tablet?
Editors for the UK edition of CNet's Crave blog are throwing their weight behind rumors that Apple is working on some kind of Mac OS X-based tablet computer to be introduced in the not too distant future.
Citing sources at a recent dinner party, the publication claims that Taiwanese contract manufacturer Asustek -- which is already responsible a large slice of Apple's notebook production -- is helping the Cupertino-based company build its new handheld.
"We checked back with our source at Asus on a different day and they confirmed that the Apple Tablet will not be based on existing Asus designs such as the R1," the report states. "It will come from a completely new blueprint, possibly based on the patent Apple filed back in May 2005."
The remainder of the Crave report is speculative, though it should be noted that AppleInsider believes the design in question is one and the same with the Netwon reincarnation detailed earlier this year.
iPhone voice memos
When Apple releases a new version of iTunes, most folks tend to install the software and move on. There are, however, those few who instead rifle through the application's resource files for the greater good of the Apple rumor community.
This was again the case with this week's release of iTunes 7.5, in which one MacRumors forum member discovered some curious text strings related to iPhone disk use and iPhone voice memos -- two features not yet available on the handset.
"4320.073" = "Enabling the iPhone for disk use requires manually ejecting the iPhone before each disconnect, even when automatically syncing music.";
"4320.082" = "The iPhone ?^1? contains new voice memos. Would you like to move these voice memos to your iTunes library?";
The findings have received considerable attention on some of the more prominent gadget blogs, though it should be noted that AppleInsider forum members had previously discovered the same strings alongside the release of iTunes 7.3. So while such features may still be forthcoming, references to them have been lingering in iTunes for a few months now.
UK iPhone at 1300 locations this Friday
Meanwhile, Apple on Tuesday issued a formal press release hyping this Friday's impending iPhone launch in the UK.
"iPhone will go on sale this Friday, November 9 at 6:02 p.m. at Apple, O2 and Carphone Warehouse retail and online stores," the company said. "iPhones will be available at more than 1,300 Apple, O2 and Carphone Warehouse retail locations across the UK, giving customers their first chance to get their hands on this revolutionary new product."
As part of the release, O2's sales director Mark Stansfeld also confirmed the retail staff expansion reported Monday night.
"O2 stores are fully geared up for what will be the year?s biggest product launch," he said. "We?ve hired and trained hundreds of new iPhone specialists who will be in all 450 O2 stores giving live demos and showing customers how to get the most out of their iPhone."
Comments
Yay for tablet rumors!!
It would finally make the idea of WiFi at home, something useful.
Citing sources at a recent dinner party, the publication claims that Taiwanese contract manufacturer Ausustek -- which is already responsible a large slice of Apple's notebook production -- is helping the Cupertino-based company build its new handheld.
"We checked back with our source at Asus on a different day and they confirmed that the Apple Tablet will not be based on existing Asus designs such as the R1," the report states. "It will come from a completely new blueprint, possibly based on the patent Apple filed back in May 2005."
How often does Apple base their product on an existing third (party) product like that? At the very least, they make significant changes such that the lineage is not recognizable.
News-flash, the iPhone is the Newton. This tablet will be a Mac we hope.
I hope it will be more of a combination.
I'm not so sure that even Apple can do too well with a full size tablet.
I really believe that the future for tablets will be something fairly small, and easy to carry around, without carrying it by hand, or in a case over one's shoulder.
Something about the size of the original Newton, but with modern (boy, how fast the term changes meaning!) technology, so that it will be thinner, and lighter, seems about the biggest that people will want to take with them.
How often does Apple base their product on an existing third product like that? At the very least, they make significant changes such that the lineage is not recognizable.
The whole story makes one wonder what those people were thinking when they discussed this in the first place. Whatever happened to NDA's?
It better be.
News-flash, the iPhone is the Newton. This tablet will be a Mac we hope.
Hey, I full-heartedly agree with Ireland for once.
If anyone here tries to convince me that there's room for an iPhone with a bigger screen, I'll push them down an elevator shaft.
Apple's computing devices from least powerful to most powerful (on a CPU level):
PDA Level: iTouch / iPhone,
Ultra-Portable Mobile Computing Level: Tablet / MacBook Mini
Low to Medium-Low-End Computing Level: MacBook / MacMini
Medium-Low to Medium Computing Level: MacBook Pro / iMac
Medium to Medium-High-End Computing Level: (huge gap [hmm... what goes here...])
Medium-High to High-End Computing Level: MacPro / Xserve
It interesting that for each tier of processing power, there's a slightly more portable model and a less portable model.
-Clive
This medium level should be a beefed-up Mac mini combined with Apple TV with one PCI-type slot, eSata out, 4 gigs Ram, faster bus, DVI and HDMI out, huge hard drives, and slightly larger airflow encloser.
2008 is the 'real' year of HD with Blu Ray and HD DVD coming way down in price (as well as big screen TVs.
I want to finally set up a living room media instead of letting my kids scratch up all my movies so they won't play anymore! But I don't want a Apple hobby toy (Apple TV) in my living room, I want the whole computer! surf web, watch HD movies, buy music, play online games on bigscreen with my kids, etc.
If Apple would produce an ultra portable as well as a beefy cute home media center computer, the world would be theirs!!!! And so would the money in my wallet!
Mail needs voice features, period.
It just makes sense.
Medium to Medium-High-End Computing Level: (huge gap [hmm... what goes here...])
This medium level should be a beefed-up Mac mini combined with Apple TV with one PCI-type slot, eSata out, 4 gigs Ram, faster bus, DVI and HDMI out, huge hard drives, and slightly larger airflow encloser.
I'll meet you at the PCI slot, faster bus, and DVI out... but as soon as we start treading on HDMI, you tread on the AppleTV... which is okay by me, but not okay be Apple. Apple wanted every single one of its products to be uni-taskers.
A reasonable machine that I could see Apple no having a problem with is as follows:
- Desktop-Class processor (and appropriate bus-speed)
- 2 PCI slots (one for graphics)
- 2 optical bays (one loaded w/ Superdrive)
- 2 3.5" HDD bays (one loaded @ ~500GB)
- up to 8GB RAM
*sigh* Will Apple ever listen? I don't want an overgrown Laptop (iMac). I want a DESKTOP. Good grief, Charlie Brown.And I want a tablet to go with it. That's my killer-combo.
-Clive
With the new standard sidebar in Leopard, Mail should be the application that receives voice memos, not iTunes, when using a Mac.... wouldn't it be great to have a "Devices" section in the Mail sidebar that shows the iPhone when its connected (wirelessly or wired)?
Mail needs voice features, period.
It just makes sense.
Interesting....So what I think I hear you describing is some sort of voice...mail feature.
Sounds revolutionary!
You heard it here first!
kcd
With the new standard sidebar in Leopard, Mail should be the application that receives voice memos, not iTunes, when using a Mac.... wouldn't it be great to have a "Devices" section in the Mail sidebar that shows the iPhone when its connected (wirelessly or wired)?
Mail needs voice features, period.
It just makes sense.
Only if Mail were offered as a download for our PC friends as well, which it won't be. Apple has to manage all iPod/iPhone functions/content from iTunes because the experience needs to be similar cross platform. Now an interesting idea would be for Mail to automatically have access to voice memos just like notes/todos are system-wide.
It would finally make the idea of WiFi at home, something useful.
I couldn't let that one slip by...
I am certainly interested in seeing what dem at Apple are working on tablet wise, but I think it is a stretch to imply that it will take a new product to make home WiFi useful! 4.5 years with WiFi now, and I would just as soon go with out refrigeration or indoor plumbing as give up my wireless...