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iPad?

post #1 of 4
1/2/02 at 12:56pm
Thread Starter 
Yes, I know this has been discussed at length on these boards before, but just wanted to bring it up again to see where people sit given the hype for MWSF. I honestly don't see a tablet or super-PDA device making its way in the product line, but I could be wrong.

I have however, mused about what a tablet would consist of if it was produced. Here is my best guess taking into account cost of production, UMA, features, and across the line integration:

12.1" Touchscreen Display (the most expensive component)
G3 (low mhz maybe 500 tops, and small die to decrease power consumption...Sahara?)
66 mhz bus
lithium Ion Battery
Integrated Airport (i.e. part of the new UMA)
5 Gig HD (a la iPod style...price is high, but used in two products may reduce OEM cost)
128 Soldered Ram (no upgrade)
No removable media device
1 Firewire Port
1 USb Port
1 Ethernet Port
Integrated Speakers
HeadPhone Port
Running OS X 10.2
1/2" thin
iBook style Plastics

About $600 ($500 would be my buy-point, but you can't have it all..and this is Apple).

They could easily crank these things out using almost entirely recycled R&D from previous iBooks. Maybe use a reduced screen size to keep it even smaller than 12.1"...10.4"?

But I still don't think they would do it. What demand would it fill that isn't met in features and cost by a lowend iBook (or even cheaper, a lowend USED iBook)?
There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in - Cohen
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There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in - Cohen
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post #2 of 4
1/2/02 at 1:25pm

I like your guess, although a tablet seems a bit too fragile, as the screen is exposed and prone to scratches unlike that of a laptop which can be closed. But should it be produced, i agree with your specs, except maybe for the ram. I would hope that it is expandable as mac os x eats up 128 megs ram easily.
And the priest goes to the man and asks, "do you take this lovely ibook as your lawfully wedded computer--to have and to hold, through crashes and upgrades?"
And the man said, "iDo."
And so the...
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And the priest goes to the man and asks, "do you take this lovely ibook as your lawfully wedded computer--to have and to hold, through crashes and upgrades?"
And the man said, "iDo."
And so the...
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post #3 of 4
1/2/02 at 1:32pm
Um how about 256 MB, with a fliptop lid to protect the screen?

Rosetta Stone handwriting recognition almost calls for the Apollo G4, but a G3 might do it as well, depends on the resolution and RAM.

Still don't think they'd do it for the price though.
J.C. Corbin, Apple Certified Technical Coordinator
Member, Apple Consultants Network
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J.C. Corbin, Apple Certified Technical Coordinator
Member, Apple Consultants Network
www.ro3.com
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post #4 of 4
1/2/02 at 1:49pm
Thread Starter 
Yes, I agree that 256 is better, but seems to me they would try to cripple the machine in some instrumental way so as to force upgrades in short cycles or force people to ALSO own a desktop unit.

So yes 256 could be soldered in place of 128 at a very small cost, but I think they would cripple the system in some way, and the most typical is in the memory.

Also, I think $600 is too cheap for Apple, they would price something like this at $700.

The Touchscreen could be protected by a plate of hard transparent material just like current PDA's. Not sure how the size of the screen would limit the rigidity of the material however (its a longer span from edge to edge than in a palm).

But when all is said and done...I still don't think they'd make one.

final thought:
When does a device stop being a PDA and start being a Computer? What is the dividing line?
There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in - Cohen
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There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in - Cohen
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