I hope you're right. I never said my solution was elegant but it works for the MacBooks so why not this? I still think offering a WiFi only version with a 3G card would be the most consumer friendly version, that way the consumer would be able to choose whichever service works for them. That would also broaden the consumer base that would actually purchase this device. Seemed to work for the iPod Touch and the iPhone.
One of the best business models is "Subscription Based." A customer locked into paying $'s every month.
I know Apple is reluctant to tie their laptops to one carrier for true wireless connectivity but with the success of the iPhone and boatloads of money coming to Apple via ATT, I have a sneaky suspicion this may change with the advent of a tablet.
The dongle will not do it for Steve. I could see a tablet with the "bits" inside for Verizon and/or ATT and pay for a data plan where the upfront 2 year contract price for a tablet would be $299.
I have to believe Apple is considering this with the MBA...."bits" inside and $999 for a 2yr contract. It's kind of the Tech industry's "sub-prime" solution to bolster sales!
<After four years of meticulous of developmental riddled with setbacks, Apple is now racing toward an early 2010 launch of a device that may see the electronics maker redefine the portable computing market for the second time in twice as many years.
>
A 42 word sentence that contains the phrase "for the second time in twice as many years" is pretty much common for articles on AppleInside HapplessInsider but it sure would be nice if someone with some editing skills was involved. (I tried really hard but could only come up with a rambling 40 word sentence of my own)
I won't mention leading of with "After four years of meticulous of development..." (Oops, just did)
Come on guys, we're interested in what is being said here but saying it so badly is painful to watch.
At least the original sentence didn't contain typos and missing punctuation.
People in glass houses...
You may feel that the author's choice of language is a bit overblown, but I would much rather put up with a little extra verbosity than deal with the crap that passes for writing on some sites. I'm tired of reading so-called 'journalism" written by hacks raised in the era of text messaging who can't even put two words together without sounding like an annoying teenager.
Every time I see text message abbreviations ("u," "ur," etc.) or the blissfully clueless misuse of heterographs (their/there, it's/its) I want to reach through my computer screen and strangle the "author" who is responsible.
--some sort of interface to RFID and Home Power Line
--comes with GPS
--WiFi Synching
I can see variations of this all over the house:
--Intercom, monitoring camera in the baby's room
--home theater control on the couch/coffee table
--on the wall in the kitchen as a "sous chef" recipe/cooking instructions/food inventory/shopping list
-- Personal augmented reality video: education, travelogue, trip planning, personal TV
-- Personal School Buddy: textbooks, videos, lesson plans, homework, learning aids, drill & practice
-- on the wall as security monitor & home control (lights, HVAC, etc.)
Then for trips in the car (over and above navigation), plane, train:
-- personal TV for each kid
-- mutiplayer games among the kids
-- trip progress & points of interest
I don't see it being 3G and tied into Telcos.
I can see it incorporating WiMax along with the usual GigE, 802.11n, USB and Firewire 800 with a miniDisplayPort adaptor in it and a SSD keeping it as thin as possible while being thicker than an iPhone 3GS but not as thick as a MacBook.
From all the rumors I've read, it does seem that this iTablet will be a media device like the iPod Touch. I can't wait. This will only draw more excitement about Multi-Touch control.
I personally hope that Apple will make a Mac-Like Multi-Touch device. Maybe something with this interface design:
I think the Edge to Screen edge width is something Steve has been working on to find a happy medium. A bit wider and with a unibody reinforced frame would allow one to hold it in one hand and have greater control of the pad without resorting to putting it on your lap or table.
If you track the history of Apple's "ground breaking" products, you'll notice that they've always been late to the game. When it comes down to it, they just learn from everyone else and then create a product that is similar, but so earth-shatteringly better that you can't help but want one. Look at the MP3 player vs. iPod, the smartphone vs. iPhone, Windows Media Center vs. iTunes...they all were around in some form way before Apple made it so much better. That's not a bad thing, just learning from everyone else. Conservative but smart.
I think the Edge to Screen edge width is something Steve has been working on to find a happy medium. A bit wider and with a unibody reinforced frame would allow one to hold it in one hand and have greater control of the pad without resorting to putting it on your lap or table.
Pretty. But I think it will be a lot thinner and will have style features akin to the iPod/touch.
As far as the looks of the device it likely won't look like the iphone does now. Apple's new product lines tend to be a new look but I would guess that the iphone they deliver later in 2010 or maybe the following year will then resemble the same look.
I just hope it's a tablet device that still will let you use a stylus as well if needed.
I see this device being marketed a lot different from the macbooks. Apple has stated that they can't make anything good for under $500, yet it appears this device is supposed to compete against netbooks. If that is the case, Apple needs the subsidy that a 3G plan could provide to get the price down into the high end of the netbook range.
You are probably right about there basically being a WiFi only version and WiFi + 3G version (if the device actually appears). I'm honestly not sure what you mean by 3G card. Do you mean something like an express card/usb dongle (which I don't see happening), or an internal chip (like how the iPod Touch lacks a 3G radio)?
Personally I would like to see one model with the 3G chip disabled if you purchase it without a data plan as opposed to two separate models like the iPhone and iPod Touch. Assuming of course that it wouldn't increase the cost too much. That way you don't need to buy a new device if your situation changes. I don't think this device would gain the same benefits as the touch did from shedding the 3G radio (mostly thinking of how much thinner and lighter the touch is) due to the overall size of the device.
yes, i meant like a Broadband card or a USB card that ATT and Verizon currently carry. That way if you purchase the device you can plug in any card you like; as you would on the MacBooks.
yes, i meant like a PC card or a USB card that ATT and Verizon currently carry. That way if you purchase the device you can plug in any card you like; as you would on the MacBooks.
I was pretty sure that was what you meant. Thanks for clarifying. I don't believe they will go that route now that they have gotten the taste of wireless subsidies with the iPhone.
As far as the looks of the device it likely won't look like the iphone does now. Apple's new product lines tend to be a new look but I would guess that the iphone they deliver later in 2010 or maybe the following year will then resemble the same look.
I just hope it's a tablet device that still will let you use a stylus as well if needed.
I have seen some styli that work on capacitive screens, I don't know how well they work though.
Three years ago, Apple filed a patent for a display with an integrated dock for a portable computing device. It would be interesting to see a small tablet that could be docked within a larger display that supported additional storage, bluetooth for keyboard/mouse support, enhanced connectivity options, etc. See a rendering here: http://www.macdailynews.com/gfx/arti...nitor_dock.gif
I think the Edge to Screen edge width is something Steve has been working on to find a happy medium. A bit wider and with a unibody reinforced frame would allow one to hold it in one hand and have greater control of the pad without resorting to putting it on your lap or table.
This is a bad design for a variety of reasons.
It would be far more useable if it ran mobile OS-X rather than desktop OS-X. The edge to edge screen makes picking it up without setting off some UI element difficult, and the unibody frame would make it needlessly heavy, and give it poor reception. The curve on the front edge serves no purpose but makes it more difficult both to put in a glass touchscreen as well as to use one if it's in there. It also makes it harder to put in a dock connector (which is left out of this design in favour of what looks like a USB port? And to top it all off it uses a stylus which is easily lost and would have to be specially engineered to work with the capacitive screen.
There is a big difference between making a cool looking render, and designing a product.
The edge to edge screen makes picking it up without setting off some UI element difficult, and the unibody frame would make it needlessly heavy, and give it poor reception. The curve on the front edge serves no purpose but makes it more difficult both to put in a glass touchscreen as well as to use one if it's in there.
Let's assume AAPL is completely revising the iPhone design for a July '10 release when millions of iP 3G users will go off their ATT contract en masse. I believe the tablet will be predicated on the same design.
One has to wonder (assuming this story is right in the particulars) why this device had to go back to the drawing board so many times if it's "just" an iPod touch with a much better screen.
you make an assumption that it is just an iPod Touch. I see that as a mistake, while it seems highly likely that it will run an OS derived from iPhone that should not infer little will be changed. Indeed a few libraries added to the current iPhone would lead to an explosion in capability.
The flip side is that people underestimate just how powerful iPhone OS is. It is really the same OS at a lower level that we see on Macs, Apple just swapped out the APIs for user apps with something better tailored to the handset.
Quote:
Actually, that probably pretty easy to answer: I would assume that this thing would need to be a bit more like the Mac OS while still keeping the features of the iPhone OS.
could be but it could also simply be an evolution of iPhone OS. But we are spliting hairs because there really isn't that much low level differences between the two.
Quote:
I mean, you at least need a Finder, right? And the ability to edit iWork files.
Actually I would like something like Finder on the iPhone now. Realize though this won't be the Finder you currently know, but rather something suitable to the environment. Apple will call it Finder of course.
As to iWork it still amazes me that people think this will be a platform for that sort of app. I don't care what sort of magic Apple uses (less than voice transcription) you will not be writing the next great novel on this device. There likely will be support for casual usage of such files but it is not something that will generate user satisfaction.
I'd be interested to know why you even think this is something that would be important for the platform?
I highly doubt Apple will launch a 10" multitouch device. Why?
-A 10" inch capacitive multitouch screen of 1024x600 moreless resolution in expensive.
-To last an acceptable time, it have to have a good battery so it adds weigth to the device
-Working with a tablet it's the epitome of poor ergonomy. You must to hold it with the two hands so to write (in a virtual keyboard) you have to hold with one hand (tired) and write with the other, or hold it flat and look at it vertically and write.
I have never understood why everyone is willing to have an iTablet.
Please, make a 10"-11" Macbook and then yes, this can be the answer to netbooks, but an iTablet is not the answer to netbooks.
The biggest problem with the ultra-small laptops, i.e. netbooks, is that such small dimensions force computer makers to produce excessively small keyboards. I'm typing this reply on just such a device and while I think this little computer is a fine product and well worth what I paid for it, typing on this thing is a pain in the rear. I also find the fairly short battery life to be an irritant.
If Apple released a 10-inch laptop, i.e. a netbook, they'd wind up with a $900 laptop that offers up the worst of both worlds. Priced like full-size laptop but with less power, a more difficult-to-use keyboard, a more restrictive screen with such small dimensions, and so on and so on.
I bought a netbook, sure, but it was because it was cheaper than buying enough SDHC cards for an upcoming trip. Now that I have the machine, I surf the net, check e-mails, etc. For that, the computer is fine. It's no powerhouse but then I never paid for one or need power to do what I do.
Apple gains nothing from bringing to market a product that is more expensive than competitors' netbooks yet offers so little beyond the chance to run Apple software. Seems to me that Apple needs to offer something that addresses the shortfalls of just building a computer with a smaller screen, otherwise why bother? A smaller Macbook Air isn't the answer. Apple could have brought such a device to market months ago. It's to Apple's credit that it has chosen to do otherwise.
what exactly is the point of this tablet except as a complementary device?
There are many uses that are ligitimate and many of those are not in the home.
I suspect a biggie here would be in the medical industry. Personally the size does not agree with me but I'd consider one if the secondary store allowed for massive amounts of space. The reason for that large store would be to store movies and media, books and magazines and to buffer rented media.
In understand your concern though for the most part tablets of this size have never been successful. Apples risk here is the same as everybody elses. That is why I believe this tablet has to have an iPod play as part of the plan. It might be seen as the first true video iPod. Like todays Touch though people will quickly realize that there are other valuable features in the device. Let's also not forget games. These two features ought to drive enough volume to allow businesses to take the device seriously, much like todays Touch and iPhone. I actually think it will do better than AIR, maybe half the sales of Touch in the first year.
Unlike some I won't commit to buying site unseen. Right know I worry that the unit will be to nuetered to be useful. Let's hope that is not the case.
Comments
I hope you're right. I never said my solution was elegant but it works for the MacBooks so why not this? I still think offering a WiFi only version with a 3G card would be the most consumer friendly version, that way the consumer would be able to choose whichever service works for them. That would also broaden the consumer base that would actually purchase this device. Seemed to work for the iPod Touch and the iPhone.
One of the best business models is "Subscription Based." A customer locked into paying $'s every month.
I know Apple is reluctant to tie their laptops to one carrier for true wireless connectivity but with the success of the iPhone and boatloads of money coming to Apple via ATT, I have a sneaky suspicion this may change with the advent of a tablet.
The dongle will not do it for Steve. I could see a tablet with the "bits" inside for Verizon and/or ATT and pay for a data plan where the upfront 2 year contract price for a tablet would be $299.
I have to believe Apple is considering this with the MBA...."bits" inside and $999 for a 2yr contract. It's kind of the Tech industry's "sub-prime" solution to bolster sales!
<After four years of meticulous of developmental riddled with setbacks, Apple is now racing toward an early 2010 launch of a device that may see the electronics maker redefine the portable computing market for the second time in twice as many years.
>
A 42 word sentence that contains the phrase "for the second time in twice as many years" is pretty much common for articles on AppleInside HapplessInsider but it sure would be nice if someone with some editing skills was involved. (I tried really hard but could only come up with a rambling 40 word sentence of my own)
I won't mention leading of with "After four years of meticulous of development..." (Oops, just did)
Come on guys, we're interested in what is being said here but saying it so badly is painful to watch.
At least the original sentence didn't contain typos and missing punctuation.
People in glass houses...
You may feel that the author's choice of language is a bit overblown, but I would much rather put up with a little extra verbosity than deal with the crap that passes for writing on some sites. I'm tired of reading so-called 'journalism" written by hacks raised in the era of text messaging who can't even put two words together without sounding like an annoying teenager.
Every time I see text message abbreviations ("u," "ur," etc.) or the blissfully clueless misuse of heterographs (their/there, it's/its) I want to reach through my computer screen and strangle the "author" who is responsible.
I would add:
--some sort of interface to RFID and Home Power Line
--comes with GPS
--WiFi Synching
I can see variations of this all over the house:
--Intercom, monitoring camera in the baby's room
--home theater control on the couch/coffee table
--on the wall in the kitchen as a "sous chef" recipe/cooking instructions/food inventory/shopping list
-- Personal augmented reality video: education, travelogue, trip planning, personal TV
-- Personal School Buddy: textbooks, videos, lesson plans, homework, learning aids, drill & practice
-- on the wall as security monitor & home control (lights, HVAC, etc.)
Then for trips in the car (over and above navigation), plane, train:
-- personal TV for each kid
-- mutiplayer games among the kids
-- trip progress & points of interest
I don't see it being 3G and tied into Telcos.
I can see it incorporating WiMax along with the usual GigE, 802.11n, USB and Firewire 800 with a miniDisplayPort adaptor in it and a SSD keeping it as thin as possible while being thicker than an iPhone 3GS but not as thick as a MacBook.
From all the rumors I've read, it does seem that this iTablet will be a media device like the iPod Touch. I can't wait. This will only draw more excitement about Multi-Touch control.
I personally hope that Apple will make a Mac-Like Multi-Touch device. Maybe something with this interface design:
http://macslate.blogspot.com/
Of Course I might be a little biased since I made these concept designs
Picture from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thenewtouch/
I think the Edge to Screen edge width is something Steve has been working on to find a happy medium. A bit wider and with a unibody reinforced frame would allow one to hold it in one hand and have greater control of the pad without resorting to putting it on your lap or table.
If you track the history of Apple's "ground breaking" products, you'll notice that they've always been late to the game. When it comes down to it, they just learn from everyone else and then create a product that is similar, but so earth-shatteringly better that you can't help but want one. Look at the MP3 player vs. iPod, the smartphone vs. iPhone, Windows Media Center vs. iTunes...they all were around in some form way before Apple made it so much better. That's not a bad thing, just learning from everyone else. Conservative but smart.
Yep, well said!
I think the Edge to Screen edge width is something Steve has been working on to find a happy medium. A bit wider and with a unibody reinforced frame would allow one to hold it in one hand and have greater control of the pad without resorting to putting it on your lap or table.
Pretty. But I think it will be a lot thinner and will have style features akin to the iPod/touch.
I just hope it's a tablet device that still will let you use a stylus as well if needed.
I see this device being marketed a lot different from the macbooks. Apple has stated that they can't make anything good for under $500, yet it appears this device is supposed to compete against netbooks. If that is the case, Apple needs the subsidy that a 3G plan could provide to get the price down into the high end of the netbook range.
You are probably right about there basically being a WiFi only version and WiFi + 3G version (if the device actually appears). I'm honestly not sure what you mean by 3G card. Do you mean something like an express card/usb dongle (which I don't see happening), or an internal chip (like how the iPod Touch lacks a 3G radio)?
Personally I would like to see one model with the 3G chip disabled if you purchase it without a data plan as opposed to two separate models like the iPhone and iPod Touch. Assuming of course that it wouldn't increase the cost too much. That way you don't need to buy a new device if your situation changes. I don't think this device would gain the same benefits as the touch did from shedding the 3G radio (mostly thinking of how much thinner and lighter the touch is) due to the overall size of the device.
yes, i meant like a Broadband card or a USB card that ATT and Verizon currently carry. That way if you purchase the device you can plug in any card you like; as you would on the MacBooks.
yes, i meant like a PC card or a USB card that ATT and Verizon currently carry. That way if you purchase the device you can plug in any card you like; as you would on the MacBooks.
I was pretty sure that was what you meant. Thanks for clarifying. I don't believe they will go that route now that they have gotten the taste of wireless subsidies with the iPhone.
As far as the looks of the device it likely won't look like the iphone does now. Apple's new product lines tend to be a new look but I would guess that the iphone they deliver later in 2010 or maybe the following year will then resemble the same look.
I just hope it's a tablet device that still will let you use a stylus as well if needed.
I have seen some styli that work on capacitive screens, I don't know how well they work though.
Not really....
I think the Edge to Screen edge width is something Steve has been working on to find a happy medium. A bit wider and with a unibody reinforced frame would allow one to hold it in one hand and have greater control of the pad without resorting to putting it on your lap or table.
This is a bad design for a variety of reasons.
It would be far more useable if it ran mobile OS-X rather than desktop OS-X. The edge to edge screen makes picking it up without setting off some UI element difficult, and the unibody frame would make it needlessly heavy, and give it poor reception. The curve on the front edge serves no purpose but makes it more difficult both to put in a glass touchscreen as well as to use one if it's in there. It also makes it harder to put in a dock connector (which is left out of this design in favour of what looks like a USB port? And to top it all off it uses a stylus which is easily lost and would have to be specially engineered to work with the capacitive screen.
There is a big difference between making a cool looking render, and designing a product.
I think drawing would be difficult without the feedback you get from the contact between whatever you're drawing with and whatever you're drawing on.
True. Even if this works, it's hard to see how it could be pressure sensitive.
It might be okay for signing waybills though.
This is a bad design for a variety of reasons.
The edge to edge screen makes picking it up without setting off some UI element difficult, and the unibody frame would make it needlessly heavy, and give it poor reception. The curve on the front edge serves no purpose but makes it more difficult both to put in a glass touchscreen as well as to use one if it's in there.
Let's assume AAPL is completely revising the iPhone design for a July '10 release when millions of iP 3G users will go off their ATT contract en masse. I believe the tablet will be predicated on the same design.
One has to wonder (assuming this story is right in the particulars) why this device had to go back to the drawing board so many times if it's "just" an iPod touch with a much better screen.
you make an assumption that it is just an iPod Touch. I see that as a mistake, while it seems highly likely that it will run an OS derived from iPhone that should not infer little will be changed. Indeed a few libraries added to the current iPhone would lead to an explosion in capability.
The flip side is that people underestimate just how powerful iPhone OS is. It is really the same OS at a lower level that we see on Macs, Apple just swapped out the APIs for user apps with something better tailored to the handset.
Actually, that probably pretty easy to answer: I would assume that this thing would need to be a bit more like the Mac OS while still keeping the features of the iPhone OS.
could be but it could also simply be an evolution of iPhone OS. But we are spliting hairs because there really isn't that much low level differences between the two.
I mean, you at least need a Finder, right? And the ability to edit iWork files.
Actually I would like something like Finder on the iPhone now. Realize though this won't be the Finder you currently know, but rather something suitable to the environment. Apple will call it Finder of course.
As to iWork it still amazes me that people think this will be a platform for that sort of app. I don't care what sort of magic Apple uses (less than voice transcription) you will not be writing the next great novel on this device. There likely will be support for casual usage of such files but it is not something that will generate user satisfaction.
I'd be interested to know why you even think this is something that would be important for the platform?
Dave
I highly doubt Apple will launch a 10" multitouch device. Why?
-A 10" inch capacitive multitouch screen of 1024x600 moreless resolution in expensive.
-To last an acceptable time, it have to have a good battery so it adds weigth to the device
-Working with a tablet it's the epitome of poor ergonomy. You must to hold it with the two hands so to write (in a virtual keyboard) you have to hold with one hand (tired) and write with the other, or hold it flat and look at it vertically and write.
I have never understood why everyone is willing to have an iTablet.
Please, make a 10"-11" Macbook and then yes, this can be the answer to netbooks, but an iTablet is not the answer to netbooks.
The biggest problem with the ultra-small laptops, i.e. netbooks, is that such small dimensions force computer makers to produce excessively small keyboards. I'm typing this reply on just such a device and while I think this little computer is a fine product and well worth what I paid for it, typing on this thing is a pain in the rear. I also find the fairly short battery life to be an irritant.
If Apple released a 10-inch laptop, i.e. a netbook, they'd wind up with a $900 laptop that offers up the worst of both worlds. Priced like full-size laptop but with less power, a more difficult-to-use keyboard, a more restrictive screen with such small dimensions, and so on and so on.
I bought a netbook, sure, but it was because it was cheaper than buying enough SDHC cards for an upcoming trip. Now that I have the machine, I surf the net, check e-mails, etc. For that, the computer is fine. It's no powerhouse but then I never paid for one or need power to do what I do.
Apple gains nothing from bringing to market a product that is more expensive than competitors' netbooks yet offers so little beyond the chance to run Apple software. Seems to me that Apple needs to offer something that addresses the shortfalls of just building a computer with a smaller screen, otherwise why bother? A smaller Macbook Air isn't the answer. Apple could have brought such a device to market months ago. It's to Apple's credit that it has chosen to do otherwise.
.........
what exactly is the point of this tablet except as a complementary device?
There are many uses that are ligitimate and many of those are not in the home.
I suspect a biggie here would be in the medical industry. Personally the size does not agree with me but I'd consider one if the secondary store allowed for massive amounts of space. The reason for that large store would be to store movies and media, books and magazines and to buffer rented media.
In understand your concern though for the most part tablets of this size have never been successful. Apples risk here is the same as everybody elses. That is why I believe this tablet has to have an iPod play as part of the plan. It might be seen as the first true video iPod. Like todays Touch though people will quickly realize that there are other valuable features in the device. Let's also not forget games. These two features ought to drive enough volume to allow businesses to take the device seriously, much like todays Touch and iPhone. I actually think it will do better than AIR, maybe half the sales of Touch in the first year.
Unlike some I won't commit to buying site unseen. Right know I worry that the unit will be to nuetered to be useful. Let's hope that is not the case.
Dave