Report: Hon Hai to build Apple tablets as soon as September - Page 2

Originally Posted by GQB

As much as I've been looking forward to it, I have to admit I've had the same thought.
No doubt Apple has done tons of usability testing on it, but I'm trying to envision a comfortable use position for a 10" device.
If you multiply the weight of the iPhone by about 3 (which is what 10" seems to come out to) it feels a bit heavy to hold in one hand.
Laying flat on a table would seem to require that your eyes be pretty much right above it, which doesn't sound too ergonomic for the neck.
I can see bluetooth keyboard and some sort of built in stand, but at that point, what's the purpose? You just have a tiny desktop system.
I really am curious to see how they've approached this. Should be interesting.

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

I don't believe it. If this imaginary device is to run App Store apps, none of them will work because they're all written for the wrong display size. If it is to run regular old OSX, then maybe.

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

Totally agree. 7" or so would be a better choice. Then it can be comfortably thumb-typed on just like the iPhone but be big enough to actually do work on and see whole web pages. Personally, I'm still hoping that they are making a new "MacBook" at the same time as the tablet and that the 10" screens are for that project, not the tablet.

I just want a decent portable writing and drawing device. I've been waiting since I saw my first Commodore 64 and it still hasn't happened yet. I wish they'd get their fingers out and do it already.

Originally Posted by macosxp

Apple schedules a conference hall for September 25, 2009.

*The meeting starts*

"Announcing your insanely great CEO, Steve Jobs!"

Steve Jobs walks on stage.

"Hello."

*crowd cheers*

"Snow Leopard is the next great thing. And it goes on sale, today."

WOOOOOOOOO

"One more thing."

*cheers*

"We have been looking at the iPhone, and we've been looking at the MacBook, and we've been wondering, 'People are taking these two portable devices with them everywhere. Is there some way we can put them together?' So we thought about it, and this is what we came up with. It's called the Apple MacBook Wave."

*cheers*

"It comes pre-loaded with Snow Leopard, and built-in GPS and 4G cellular capabilities. And it's going on sale today, for just $799. The most inexpensive MacBook ever."

BOOM

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOO

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

I don't believe it. If this imaginary device is to run App Store apps, none of them will work because they're all written for the wrong display size. If it is to run regular old OSX, then maybe.

Originally Posted by samurai1999

You could be right
- they could introduce the new ipods in September, which would sell well for xmas

- a new product category introduced at the start of their peak season might confuse the customers - as most people would be trying to figure out what to do with it (myself included)

- so a January infroduction might allow for a smoother, less disruptive introduction.

BTW, anyone else think that 10" seems a little on the large side?

Originally Posted by isaidso

I agree waiting for CSS makes sense (not that I wouldn't like one in my hand, yesterday)

As far as 10" too big... I really wonder what is meant by the 10" reports (rumors). If 10" is the diagonal measurement of the entire unit; then that's perfect. A single sheet of paper, folded in half (try it). Still small enough to be held in one hand with the standard hand grasp by most average sized hands.
If 10" is the "screen size", then the overall unit size is too big, in my opinion.

Originally Posted by wally626

A 9.7 or 10-inch screen in 1280 x 720 or so would be perfect for Apple's preferred HD format. Having about the same pixel density as the current iPhone but not having to drop any data for full screen movies. That size would also be great for a book reader, especially if the bezel was small, at least compared to the Kindle. I would expect 3G wireless but it may be only WiFi. It is possible if it is 3G apple would allow for multiple modem cards to be available so you are not tied to one carrier. There should be lots more room for this approach than in the iPhone. Current iPhone apps could be letter-boxed or zoomed to fit the screen. Future apps could be allowed to take into account different screen sizes.

Originally Posted by isaidso

I agree waiting for CSS makes sense (not that I wouldn't like one in my hand, yesterday)

As far as 10" too big... I really wonder what is meant by the 10" reports (rumors). If 10" is the diagonal measurement of the entire unit; then that's perfect. A single sheet of paper, folded in half (try it). Still small enough to be held in one hand with the standard hand grasp by most average sized hands.
If 10" is the "screen size", then the overall unit size is too big, in my opinion.

Originally Posted by cmf2

There is no rule stating that keyboards must span the entire screen. If they wanted to include the ability to easily thumb type on 10" screen they could split the keyboard down the middle and align the split keyboard with the right and left edges of the screen.

Originally Posted by cmf2

It would work best in landscape mode as portrait mode would be so tall that holding the computer by the botton edge would be an invitation to drop it.

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

It's pretty clear that we have absolutely no idea how Apple will implement this or what form it will take.

Legions of people doubted Apple's iPhone idea before release. No one would have believed you could pull off typing on a multitouch screen. Yet look where we are now. Same goes for so many of Apple's other products.

For all of you who are saying "I don't see how . . ", "this won't work", etc., don't worry. Apple engineers and designers are probably MILES ahead of you at this point, if in fact Apple will release a tablet-like device in the near future.

This is 2009. Not 1994. Rule of thumb: Always bet on Apple, and then let the chips fall where they may. It's the safst bet from the get-go. After all, who else do you think is going to pull it off??

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

That's a neat idea. I'm not so sure I would like it personally, as I never quite got the hang of those Microsoft keyboards that are similarly separated.

I was more concerned about being able to type on it while it's actually in your hands.

There have long been solutions for typing on a tablet if you assume it's on your lap or on a table. Lots of tablets also have stands and external keyboards already also. The chief drawback ergonomically speaking IMO is that you can't hold it in one hand or even two hands and operate it. A truly mobile computer you should be able to use standing up on the bus or train and no tablet I've ever seen can do that.

The iPhone is excellent for that, but it suffers from a tiny screen and keyboard and the fact that no one has seen fit to write a proper word processor for it yet.* A bigger device is needed, but if it's too big to thumb type on or, as you say, so big as to be heavy to hold that way, it seems like a loser to me, (at least as a portable writing tablet.) It may be that they are just thinking of a movie playing device and not a writing tablet at all.


* As an aside, I find it amazingly stupid that with all the talk about the app store and how great the apps are for iPhone that no one has written a basic word processor that works or even a decent integrated contact manager or daytimer. A thousand fart apps does not a platform make and the quality and quantity of actual apps (once the silly games and dreck is removed) in the app store is in reality quite low IMO, despite media reports to the contrary.

Originally Posted by monstermac77

I have a beautiful idea for an interface for Apple Tablet. It's been done by Apple, and suits this type of device. Imagine a full screen frontrow interface, where you can flip through giant icons and select the application you would like you use. It launches the applications full screen as if you were on a mac. No dock, No dropdown menus, no desktop, no multitasking (although I would like multitasking with this OS, apple wouldn't allow it). Portrait, lanscape however you like it. They would have a word processing document, safari, itunes as manifested in frontrow, a preferences application which allowed you to change what was on the main menu, a word document application (not sure how they would solve the keyboard issue), a fullscreen camera application. It's essentially the normal iPod interface (classic, nano) turned sidways with giant icons. Depending on what you tap, you're brought to another menu with this same interface. A full screen coverflow if you will. Imagine flipping threw your albums, pictures, documents with your hand rather than your finger. Remember when Steve was so exciting with coverflow? Both the iPhone and in iTunes. Soon after they released a similar interface in safari (history 4.0), finder, everything! The entire basis of this OS is full screen flipping. It's much like the iPhone interface, but fits the screen size perfectly. "It's all display."

I'm not sure if anyone else has thought of this, but it seems very fitting for a tablet. If you don't know what frontrow is and you're using a mac, press: apple, esc. And let your mac show you for itself.

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

I was more concerned about being able to type on it while it's actually in your hands.

Originally Posted by MyopiaRocks

A.I./Kasper: Your sources said 1st Quarter of 2010. Apple's marketing year has its first quarter in October, doesn't it?

Reading the articles about Apple's quarterly financial reports (the last one was the 21st) there was repeated mention of Apple's 3rd Q results (through June). That would make 4th Q through September.

1st Q 2010 would then be October-December, making your sources tie with this report. Were your sources *explicitly clear* that it was CY2010, and not FY2010?

I'm just curious - I do take all of these with a grain of salt but there's an awful lot of smoke around this 10" device.

Originally Posted by Hattig

Very good observation. Might be worth messaging AI to see what they think, I don't think they read threads beyond the first few comments.

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

The iPhone is excellent for that, but it suffers from a tiny screen and keyboard and the fact that no one has seen fit to write a proper word processor for it yet.* A bigger device is needed, but if it's too big to thumb type on or, as you say, so big as to be heavy to hold that way, it seems like a loser to me, (at least as a portable writing tablet.) It may be that they are just thinking of a movie playing device and not a writing tablet at all.

Originally Posted by Virgil-TB2

* As an aside, I find it amazingly stupid that with all the talk about the app store and how great the apps are for iPhone that no one has written a basic word processor that works or even a decent integrated contact manager or daytimer. A thousand fart apps does not a platform make and the quality and quantity of actual apps (once the silly games and dreck is removed) in the app store is in reality quite low IMO, despite media reports to the contrary.

Originally Posted by Ireland

There'll be an App Store specific for this device guys.

Originally Posted by AjitMD

The current IPod Touch has approximately an external diagonal of 5" (2.5"x4.5")and a screen diagonal of 3.5 inches. If the device size got tripled 10" the device would measure something like 7.5"x13.5". It could be 9x heavier. Too big to carry in a lab coat pocket. The aspect ratio of the pixels would be messed up and existing apps would not utilize the screen area optimally. The 50,000 apps is what would drive the demand for this kind of device in addition to other apps like electronic books, education and apps that need more processing power and display.

What would make sense would be for the device to double the area to 7" diagonal, use multiple core version of the low battery consumption chips from Samsung, may with a higher clock speed, video processors, etc. The virtual keyboard would have double the size keys and the device could easily be held with one hand. Easier to type with larger keys. Not the best way to type a long paper... any laptop or a desktop would be better. Bluetooth keyboard would be an option.

SJ is into details and I doubt he would design brick that is too heavy, or cumbersome to carry. He is not into duds anymore like into old days.

Originally Posted by Logisticaldron

Itll be a larger display on both the x and y planes so giving the same relative pixels or size is possible. There is nothing wrong with windowing an app designed for the iPod Touch of iPhone, like with the iPhone Simulator in the SDK, within OS X. There are many iPhone apps Id love to use on my Mac that way.

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

Never gonna happen.

Originally Posted by AjitMD

The current IPod Touch has approximately an external diagonal of 5" (2.5"x4.5")and a screen diagonal of 3.5 inches. If the device size got tripled 10" the device would measure something like 7.5"x13.5". It could be 9x heavier. Too big to carry in a lab coat pocket. The aspect ratio of the pixels would be messed up and existing apps would not utilize the screen area optimally. The 50,000 apps is what would drive the demand for this kind of device in addition to other apps like electronic books, education and apps that need more processing power and display.

What would make sense would be for the device to double the area to 7" diagonal, use multiple core version of the low battery consumption chips from Samsung, may with a higher clock speed, video processors, etc. The virtual keyboard would have double the size keys and the device could easily be held with one hand. Easier to type with larger keys. Not the best way to type a long paper... any laptop or a desktop would be better. Bluetooth keyboard would be an option.

SJ is into details and I doubt he would design brick that is too heavy, or cumbersome to carry. He is not into duds anymore like into old days.

Originally Posted by GQB

As much as I've been looking forward to it, I have to admit I've had the same thought.
No doubt Apple has done tons of usability testing on it, but I'm trying to envision a comfortable use position for a 10" device.
If you multiply the weight of the iPhone by about 3 (which is what 10" seems to come out to) it feels a bit heavy to hold in one hand.
Laying flat on a table would seem to require that your eyes be pretty much right above it, which doesn't sound too ergonomic for the neck.
I can see bluetooth keyboard and some sort of built in stand, but at that point, what's the purpose? You just have a tiny desktop system.
I really am curious to see how they've approached this. Should be interesting.

Originally Posted by Olternaut

Hey Ireland, (and maybe wizard69, teckstud and a few others)

do y'all remember when the tablet was a crazy insane idea and it was only us in a future hardware section thread that would discuss it?
Every once in a while the occasional naysayer would stop by the thread just to make fun of us weird kooks talking about a product Apple would never....ever consider producing? For two long years this has been going on.

Now look. Now everybody and their grandmother can't wait to buy it. Who's da man now hmm naysayers? PWNED!

EDIT: I'm not sure about techstud now that I think about it. Weren't you one of the naysayers techstud?

Originally Posted by SpamSandwich

I don't believe it. If this imaginary device is to run App Store apps, none of them will work because they're all written for the wrong display size. If it is to run regular old OSX, then maybe.

Originally Posted by Ireland


Real production model might have a 'slight' bezel-size increase on both sides. But basically if the screen is 10.1", and I believe it will be, the device will be roughly this tall and wide. 14/15 mm thickness in the center, tapering outward slightly, with tough smooth rubber-ish grips on the rear right and left.

Originally Posted by stonefree

Rubberish grips? There's no way Steve would allow that. Instead it will be smooth and slippery like the iPhone. Imaging how much money they'll make replacing all the broken glass on dropped units, like they do with iPhones!

Originally Posted by tundraboy

Let's suppose this Tablet device runs on circuitry that is pretty much the same as an iPhone or iPod Touch. Then the rest of the real estate underneath the screen will be battery space. Even with a larger screen, battery duration on this device should be significantly longer than an iPhone. Any techies care to guesstimate?

Originally Posted by Olternaut

Hey spam were you one of the naysayers? I can't remember. I'm trying to figure out who will be the new elite leaders of this forum. We're taking over!

Originally Posted by MacGui

An Apple tablet with WiFi would be worth my consideration. With WiFi and with or without 3G, if the data plan is optional, it would be worth my consideration.

If a data plan is mandatory, then I'll pass.

Originally Posted by wizard69

more BS.

1.
The iPhone OS supports different resolutions and screen sizes.
2.
Apple has advised its developer to not rely on the current screen resolutions.
3.
An upgraded iPhone OS could easily window current iPhone OS apps. A solution here is obviously needed to support multitasking.
4.
Regular old Mac OS is really to bulky to run on this sort of device especially considering all the legacy APIs in Leopard. A hybrid OS is the most likely course of development at Apple.


The worries about iPhone apps on the new device are unfounded. There will certainly be poorly written apps that have their problems but enough of the current crop will work well enough thatthe Tablet will have a reasonable amount of apps right out of the starting blocks.


Dave