Apple's tablet interface said to 'surprise,' Jobs pleased
As a rumored Jan. 26 media event approaches, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs is said to be "extremely happy" with the company's unannounced tablet device, which is hinted to be more than just a large iPod touch.
Calling 2010 "The Year of the Tablet," Nick Bilton of The New York Times offers some alleged inside information on the device many expect will be announced in just over one month. He and a colleague spoke with a handful of current and former Apple employees, who gave cryptic responses about the rumored device.
One current senior employee at Apple would only say that Jobs is "extremely happy with the new tablet." Someone else who recently left Apple reportedly said that users will be "surprised how you interact with the new tablet."
Bilton also reiterates what sources have told AppleInsider and others: The development of the hardware was reset years ago, as it just wasn't coming together. However, some of the technological breakthroughs accomplished by Apple as it worked on the first iteration of the tablet hardware five years ago made it into other products, like the iPhone.
"If you have an iPhone, for example, you?re carrying around a mini version of an early Apple tablet," the report said. "He also says that one of the barriers to producing the early tablets was the lack of software. The success of the App Store and the eagerness of the publishers show that this won?t be a problem for any new devices."
Bilton goes on to mention other contenders for the tablet crown in 2010, most notably Microsoft's also-rumored concept touchscreen Courier. Microsoft has not confirmed whether the dual-screen device, which would fold out like a book, will ever come to market.
Apple developers were allegedly asked to prepare full-screen demos of their App Store software for an event next month. This has led to speculation that the forthcoming tablet runs a version of the iPhone OS, as it is implied to be compatible with existing iPhone and iPod touch apps at a higher resolution. Developers say they were told that the tablet will not be sold in January, but only demoed.
Reports have said the device could enter into mass production as early as February, with a spring release of the tablet. Analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray has predicted a March launch with an average selling price of $600.
Calling 2010 "The Year of the Tablet," Nick Bilton of The New York Times offers some alleged inside information on the device many expect will be announced in just over one month. He and a colleague spoke with a handful of current and former Apple employees, who gave cryptic responses about the rumored device.
One current senior employee at Apple would only say that Jobs is "extremely happy with the new tablet." Someone else who recently left Apple reportedly said that users will be "surprised how you interact with the new tablet."
Bilton also reiterates what sources have told AppleInsider and others: The development of the hardware was reset years ago, as it just wasn't coming together. However, some of the technological breakthroughs accomplished by Apple as it worked on the first iteration of the tablet hardware five years ago made it into other products, like the iPhone.
"If you have an iPhone, for example, you?re carrying around a mini version of an early Apple tablet," the report said. "He also says that one of the barriers to producing the early tablets was the lack of software. The success of the App Store and the eagerness of the publishers show that this won?t be a problem for any new devices."
Bilton goes on to mention other contenders for the tablet crown in 2010, most notably Microsoft's also-rumored concept touchscreen Courier. Microsoft has not confirmed whether the dual-screen device, which would fold out like a book, will ever come to market.
Apple developers were allegedly asked to prepare full-screen demos of their App Store software for an event next month. This has led to speculation that the forthcoming tablet runs a version of the iPhone OS, as it is implied to be compatible with existing iPhone and iPod touch apps at a higher resolution. Developers say they were told that the tablet will not be sold in January, but only demoed.
Reports have said the device could enter into mass production as early as February, with a spring release of the tablet. Analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray has predicted a March launch with an average selling price of $600.
Comments
Oh, and "5 years ahead" of what anyone else has.
I predict Apples tablet will be "Insanely Great" and superior by several "orders of magnitude".
Oh, and "5 years ahead" of what anyone else has.
I think you are absolutely right.
I would bet this device is going to be head and shoulders above whatever any of the so-called "experts" have rumored it to be.
If Jobs is pleased, i can safely bet that we all will be very pleased...
Wait and see...
I assume Jobs was pleased with the hockey puck mouse at one time to...
I think you are absolutely right.
I would bet this device is going to be head and shoulders above whatever any of the so-called "experts" have rumored it to be.
Yaa, "experts" cant even predict Apple's profits accurately so if its about predicting a future device, just forget about them.
- the ebook reader / netbook is next I reckon. Just add apps and magazine subscriptions online and we're set.
I was playing Duke Nuken on the iPhone the other day. Sweet game. I was thinking the only thing that would make it better was some more screen real estate.
I think you will be correct. Using the iPhone OS will quickly m
I predict Apples tablet will be "Insanely Great" and superior by several "orders of magnitude".
Oh, and "5 years ahead" of what anyone else has.
1) Will it run a full version of OS X, iPhone/iPod Touch OS or a hybrid.
I can see advantages to all of them, but for my use, an iPhone/iPod Touch only only would be rather limited. But who knows.
2) Price
If it is an amazing piece of hardware, but the price is $1799 (like the MacBook Air was when it came out), it will have a very slow adoption rate regardless of how amazing it is. I would love to see a tablet, but like all Apple hardware, beware of the first version.
3) Handwriting
Hopefully they have nailed the handwriting recognition or at least closed the gap. The Newton was an great piece of hardware towards the end, but in the initial versions, the handwriting recognition was off and it was crucified because of it.
I would LOVE to see Apple really hit a home run with this device. I could see a $799 tablet that is a slimmed down MacBook really amaze, but worry that the device will become a niche item if it is priced in the same ballpark as a MacBook Pro.
Wait and see...
I assume Jobs was pleased with the hockey puck mouse at one time to...
Good call Dave
Hello.
Yes, it is I, the Apple Tapplet.
I look forward to bringing years of joy to millions of citizens around the world!
Steve is a very kind and brilliant man, and I thank him for giving me life --
Alas, most of you have demanded it, but gotten nowhere.
But that's no reason to be left out of what could easily be the most useful, most used, most you-gotta-have-this device, anywhere, at anytime, maybe, in the history of man -- the start of a new decade will usher in the beginning of a new, exciting era of mobility --
me, the Apple Tapplet
I will see you all soon --
With Love,
:-)
Tapplet
...the rumored iTablet device needs to be a device that SOLVES A NEED and NOT JUST A FAD DEVICE!
If it's a fad device, short on features and dependent upon consumers and media content solely, it's not going to fly far.
If it's a device that everyone can use, it saves businesses time and money, it's going to be a raving success.
The object this time is not to piddle on features over time, but to make a device that has a lot of good hardware features and let the software developers run mad with it. In fact perhaps there should be two or three levels of features, so people can save money not buying the features they are going to need or businesses don't want for security reasons.
The iTablet NEEDS a video camera on the screen side so people can use a iChat device, also a video camera on the reverse side. A GPS, wifi etc like the iPhone.
However there should be two versions, like the iPod Touch and iPhone, one can be on cell networks and another not. Perhaps one device that a 3G or better can be added or removed by Apple later for a fee.
It's obvious with the iTablet that Mac's/OS X are headed towards the graveyard.
It's very sad that the App Store has a lot of third party development, but OS X is rapidly being forgotten.
It's also sad the security and privacy on the iPhone/iPod Touch is terrible, at least with OS X, the many years of Unix goes into it.
Bilton goes on to mention other contenders for the tablet crown in 2010, most notably Microsoft's also-rumored concept touchscreen Courier.
Yeah, the Zune of tablets.
[b]
but OS X is rapidly being forgotten.
When did this happen??
When did this happen??
When Apple didn't allow Apps on OS X.
Apple can easily make a dual compiler, they did it with PPC and Intel processors, it's because they don't want Apps running on OS X.
You would think the advantage of having Apps on both the iPhone and their home computer would boost Mac sales, so they could sync and all, Apple makes more sales of Mac hardware in the process.
They are not doing that because they are going to let OS X die as the new iTablet/App OS takes over.
Apple is trending towards a new OS and a simpler interface with new hardware devices.
Play chess enough, you begin to see 20 or 30 moves ahead.
Wait and see...
I assume Jobs was pleased with the hockey puck mouse at one time to...
Touché!
One this is for sure, in a year from now many other companies will have Apple iTablet killer's coming to market ... once they have seen one and reversed engineered it and copied all the new concepts from Apple of course. Google for sure but I wonder who else since it will require an OS?
It seems that the whole concept of a "<product> killer" is spurious. I?m sick of the term. How about pundits letting a products actual destroy another product before we title it a killer? Just a thought. (early morning crankiness
It's obvious with the iTablet that Mac's/OS X are headed towards the graveyard.
It's very sad that the App Store has a lot of third party development, but OS X is rapidly being forgotten.
Mac OS X 10.6 and iPhone OS 3.0 both updated this year. Oh yeah, completely forgotten.
When Apple didn't allow Apps on OS X.
Apple is trending towards a new OS and a simpler interface with new hardware devices.
Mac OS: I have 60 3rd party apps, not including plug-ins, launch daemons, pref panes, etc.
iPhone OS: 65 apps, not including ones that I?ve removed from iTunes but have chosen not remove delete.
If Jobs is pleased, i can safely bet that we all will be very pleased...
Me too. Buy a few things. Will their be flash for viewing tv shows like we do on a mac, or tied in with purchasing them, that would be a bummer, especially at
home plugged in, will it, with the no wifi available, be tied in with newer 4G, wil it be sold contract free, will you be forced to but a
subscription, and by the sounds of the article, it sounds like a large iPhone. I thought that Jib's goal was not to build a large iPhone??
Merry Christmas to those that celebrate and Happ Hanukkah.