Its difficult for me to see Apple creating a third version of OS X and a second version of OS X with a touch UI. Apple likes to keep a simplicity and cohesion across its products. I do agree a 10" touch screen device will require some slightly different UI elements than a 3" screen. But I think the tablet will be based on the iPhone OS.
A third version of OS X already exists. There is Mac OS X, iPhone OS X and AppleTV OS X. Each have the same underlying core OS features and application frameworks but each has a very unique UI and primary I/O for the way interact with the user. Adding Tablet OS X UI that is essentially halfway between iPhone OS X and Mac OS X seems like a walk in the park by comparison.
I don’t see how you think it can be the iPhone OS on such a large display. is that 120 app icons per page or just really big app buttons? What about the the GPU that can now push more processor heavy videos? Will those still be stunted to just SD video like the iPhone OS?
I’m not saying that a new touch framework ahs to be created. If they use the same tech they can use any and all foundations that work with the iPhone and Mac on the tablet, but it will have HW and therefore drivers that iPhone OS does not have. Likely even a mDP port for connecting to a display that isn’t going through USB. There may also be a way to connect a mouse and keyboard, if only through Bluetooth. But the UI is what will have to be drastically different making it nothing like the iPhone OS. I’d also expect an app for accessing the file system.
As we all know, you have to have an Intel based Mac to write iPhone apps. My prediction is that you'll be able to write both Tablet and iPhone apps using the new Tablet as your development platform.
That's simply not going to happen. There is a reason developers use large displays and often have multiple displays. And development requires running multiple apps at the same time (including being able to actually see the debugger and the app being run at the same time (just one reason for large monitors/multiple displays)
Will all due respect to everyone's powers of prognostication, there are reasonable statutes of limitation on tech predictions. This particular bit of soothsaying has been going on for 5 years plus now, which sort of diminishes the impact. I don't think anyone didn't expect some kind of tablet/slate/pad thing at some point, just not at THE NEXT MACWORLD!, or the one after that, or the one after that...... It was bound to show up eventually.
I admit I was very much in the camp saying for years that it wasn?t likely to happen, but in my defense the only mockups and ideas that I was given were showing Mac OS X on a tablet similar to the way Windows works on a tablet. That simply made no sense me? still doesn?t. Just as the iPhone OS UI on a 10? tablet makes no sense to me.
My imagination was lacking. I even asked many times over the years when this rumour cropped up for idea of how it would work, but received no practical answers. Until earlier this year when the idea of a subscription model and text book with annotation features were offered up. Then I finally saw how this could be viable.
Maybe those won?t happen, but at this point the tablet itself seems very likely as this buzz is pretty similar to the iPhone right before the announcement.
Tablets will likely replace notebooks entirely . . .
About 5-7 years from now. By that time we get there, you'll have barely noticed the transition.
Apple is the kind of company that runs full steam ahead with ALL of its products. Every product gets love. From OS X right down to the iPod Nano.
Not sure that will be the case. Tablets have been around for a while now and they only make up 2-4% of the current market. HP, Dell, Asus and fujitsu all make tablets and have for some time now. People were saying that same thing about notebooks replacing desktops and that isn't the case. Even if we just look at Apple the iMac is still rather popular.
Also when you are looking to get real work done a multi touch only tablet just isn't giong to cut it.
Not sure that will be the case. Tablets have been around for a while now and they only make up 2-4% of the current market. HP, Dell, Asus and fujitsu all make tablets and have for some time now.
While I disagree with Quadra?s statement about tablets replacing notebooks, the problem with tablets to date have been a lack of consideration for a tablet UI. Cramming Windows into a tablet is not going to make a viable product. If Apple can create a UI with I/O that revolutionizes the way tablets work then their could be a new market for them.
Quote:
People were saying that same thing about notebooks replacing desktops and that isn't the case. Even if we just look at Apple the iMac is still rather popular.
Every year we see notebook interest increasing with desktop interest stagnating. The iMac seems to be the only desktop that seems to have any real growth, despite it being virtually non-upgradable.
Quote:
Also when you are looking to get real work done a multi touch only tablet just isn't giong to cut it.
I agree, to a point. I see this as a complementary device (perhaps even synced through iTunes). More like a netbook than a full fledged computer. I can see a lot of uses for it but I can?t see it replacing a Mac and therefor can?t see it having ?Mac? in the name.
While I disagree with Quadra?s statement about tablets replacing notebooks, the problem with tablets to date have been a lack of consideration for a tablet UI. Cramming Windows into a tablet is not going to make a viable product. If Apple can create a UI with I/O that revolutionizes the way tablets work then their could be a new market for them.
Every year we see notebook interest increasing with desktop interest stagnating. The iMac seems to be the only desktop that seems to have any real growth, despite it being virtually non-upgradable.
I agree, to a point. I see this as a complementary device (perhaps even synced through iTunes). More like a netbook than a full fledged computer. I can see a lot of uses for it but I can?t see it replacing a Mac and therefor can?t see it having ?Mac? in the name.
I agree with all your points. The fact non of use know what the Tablet is going to offer or look like for that matter but I don't see Tablets in general replacing notebooks. Even more so if they lack a physical keyboard.
With that being said a multi touch tablet at least for my needs would be great. I am looking forward to see what Apple has to offer in this area. I would have even like a Macbook or MBP in tablet form.
I assume by this comment, that you know what Apple's tablet will be capable of doing, and also what constitutes "real work" for everyone.
Real work lets see. How about trying to work on an Excel spreadsheet using only a multi touch tablet with now keyboard. That would be fun. Or creating a powerpoint presentation. Or for that matter a large word document.
Could the table run a full version of Photoshop? Could you install printer drivers on this tablet? How would you backup your work?
I guess if surfing the internet is real work for you then a tablet would be fine.
Fact is non of us know what it has to offer so talking about a tablet that hasn't even come out yet replacing notebooks and desktops seems a bit of a stretch.
This new Tablet could range from a fairly powerful system to nothing more then Apple version of an e-reader.
Fact is non of us know what it has to offer so talking about a tablet that hasn't even come out yet replacing notebooks and desktops seems a bit of a stretch.
This new Tablet could range from a fairly powerful system to nothing more then Apple version of an e-reader.
I agree with the first half of the first point, which is why I think it's somewhat ridiculous to be making any broad, sweeping generalizations about something we haven't seen yet. For some it could replace a laptop, for others not. One thing we do know: if Apple wanted to release just an e-reader, this product could have been out a year ago. Or more. We're talking about Apple here, so I think we should know better.
FWIW, "real work" for me would be e-mail, web surfing, and basic productivity. If this thing runs Keynote, even just as a player, count me in. An e-reader and video would be a plus (and are almost certain to be included), but would not my main purpose for owning one, or so I'd anticipate.
I am curious to see how Apple will resolve the possibility of having two different iTunes apps... One for the iPhone/iPod Touch and the other for the Tablet... Even a third version is possible (especially, if the AppleTV receives apps too)..
help! I just cut the skin off the tip of my finger! It's just the skin without any flesh. after bleeding profusely I put the skin on top of the finger and after some pressure the bleeding finally stopped. I put the skin exactly as it was before so it's acting like a bandage of sorts. I also put a couple bandages on tightly. I'm hoping my finger will heal with the skin like that on there.
this ruins my Christmas weekend as i was hoping to type on the tech blogs about apple rumors. right now I'm touch typing with one finger on my left hand veryyyy slowly.
... the UI is what will have to be drastically different making it nothing like the iPhone OS. I?d also expect an app for accessing the file system.
It will have to have a different UI from the iPhone if one can make or store documents on it, but i'm not so sure it has to be that different.
IMO the most obvious way to add a file system or document access is to have a couple of stacks on the dock, just like in the desktop variant of OS X. One for downloads, one for documents, and each synced to the home computer or the cloud. This would also eliminate the need for save and open dialogue boxes, or navigating to anywhere in the file system other than opening those two folders.
I would also expect that while some apps might run in the background, that all apps would be full-screen on such a small device by necessity, so there is no window management required, and no app management required. The only "app management" is arranging the icons.
Maybe, Maybe, maybe, we might see a "desktop" in the sense of a space or opening home-screen or wallpaper that draws all the widget updates together and/or provides a notification system similar to WinMobile's "today" screen, but it could be that only a minor evolution of the iPhone UI is necessary for the tablet to work.
Who are these noobs coming here to these latest threads acting like they've been here all along?
It's been me, Ireland, spamsandwich, wizard, and a few others who have been here from the very beginning talking about the tablet while the rest of you guys were calling us idiots and it would never happen. Heck, we were talking about this back even before you naysayers even had a twinkling in your eye about the tablet.
Now it's "omg I can't wait to buy one"...."omg do you think it will match my purse...teehee....derrrrrrr!"
You guys should be bowing before us begging our forgiveness for being so doubtful and foolish. And furthermore, the admins should give our little group like...I dunno....rewards or something. Make our forums names red or something with shiny stars and logos that say "forum prophet"!
I agree with the first half of the first point, which is why I think it's somewhat ridiculous to be making any broad, sweeping generalizations about something we haven't seen yet. For some it could replace a laptop, for others not. One thing we do know: if Apple wanted to release just an e-reader, this product could have been out a year ago. Or more. We're talking about Apple here, so I think we should know better.
FWIW, "real work" for me would be e-mail, web surfing, and basic productivity. If this thing runs Keynote, even just as a player, count me in. An e-reader and video would be a plus (and are almost certain to be included), but would not my main purpose for owning one, or so I'd anticipate.
Well Apple did try this before. In fact you can get a Newton for 56.05 plus tax if you want one.
It will have to have a different UI from the iPhone if one can make or store documents on it, but i'm not so sure it has to be that different.
IMO the most obvious way to add a file system or document access is to have a couple of stacks on the dock, just like in the desktop variant of OS X. One for downloads, one for documents, and each synced to the home computer or the cloud. This would also eliminate the need for save and open dialogue boxes, or navigating to anywhere in the file system other than opening those two folders.
I would also expect that while some apps might run in the background, that all apps would be full-screen on such a small device by necessity, so there is no window management required, and no app management required. The only "app management" is arranging the icons.
Maybe, Maybe, maybe, we might see a "desktop" in the sense of a space or opening home-screen or wallpaper that draws all the widget updates together and/or provides a notification system similar to WinMobile's "today" screen, but it could be that only a minor evolution of the iPhone UI is necessary for the tablet to work.
What you’re proposing is a lot more than “only a minor evolution of iPhone UI”. Does your minor change of the Ui still retain 16 apps per Home Screen page or do the apps retain their same pixel size with many dozen more apps residing on each Home Screen? Does the Bluetooth stack still only connect to headphones and a few other things, with no option to use a mouse or keyboard? How is adding a Finder or any sort a minor change that is only within the UI when the iPhone OS has none? Do you think AppleScript will not be an option with a tablet? What about all the other frameworks and foundations that Apple removed from the iPhone OS (or never put in, depending on your PoV) from Mac OS?
Will the iPod app mean that all video will only be full screen when a 10” in front of me would play video windowed quite well while I have other apps running. What about a Dashboard-like app that allows me to see many Widgets all at once very quickly with an Exposé like feature? With a 10” display I want to double-tap the Home button to get the iPod controls in the center of the display, I want them to be designed for the device in question, which may mean having them easily accessible at all times from the Touch UI without reentering the app. Perhaps even visible at all times. I don’t need Shazam or Dictionary or a Units conversion app to take up my enter display when doing some trivial task. Can yo imagine running AIM or Beejive in a full 10” display then having to rest the device on your person or grip with the opposite hand to hit the Home Button to access another app. It simply doesn’t make any sense to port 3.5” display logistics to a 10” display.
What about the inherent similarities between a 10” and larger display that allows for two full hands to use with multiple options for input and a clearly superior option for output contrasted with a 3.5” pocketable device whose best option for typing is two thumbs? Besides the Darwin kernel, some basic foundations and frameworks, including Cocoa Touch, the best option I see for Apple to truly make a tablet is to start from the ground up, just they did with the iPhone OS.
They didn’t shove as much of Mac OS X into the iPhone and then remove stuff until it ran, they tailored it to be ideal for the iPhone. Anything less than that that sounds like a a failure to me.
edit: If Apple wants to get it into the enterprise out of the gate then I’d think that at a supposed 10” such a device wouldn’t have to resend files as attachments to PCs in order to have them printed out. I’d think that it would likely have printing capabilities over a network or perhaps even USB with Printer drivers installed. Directory Utility seems like it might be a possibility if they want it to connect with Windows Domains for file sharing instead of just have WiFi and Active Sync, like iPhone OS. How about having network access via Ethernet through the USB dongle so that more secure facilities without WiFi can allow a tablet to connect. None of these are possible with iPhone OS.
edit2: How people refer to the tablet OS’s closest OS X relative may depend on some minor things. For instance, Mac OS X has Finder as the app that always running to access the file system, while the AppleTV replaced that with BackRow a version of FrontRow that is tuned specifically for a “ten foot user interface”, while iPhone OS uses SpringBoard. I suppose a new version of Springboard could be used but does that seem like the best option for a 10” tablet? I don’t think so.
Another seemingly innocuous aspect that may sway the Tablet into the “this is more iPhone OS than Mac OS” could be a lack of a /Users folder. The iPhone has no /Users folder since there is only one user per device. Personally I hope there is a way to start a simple Guest account with v4.0 but that is for another thread. For a tablet I think that users could be useful, especially if the focus is to replace newspapers and magazines for a family, but I’d wager that Apple will not add /Users at the launch.
Right now Apple is supporting two operating systems in a period of transition along with hardware transition.
What is stealing laptop and desktop sales right now on PC's?, netbooks.
What will steal Apple sales of Mac laptops in the future? A iTablet.
What will the iTablet run?
OS X and it's limited supply of applications and heat being a heavy OS?
Or a lighter and easier interface with over 100,000 Apps from the App Store that Apple gets a slice of the revenue?
It's obvious.
Also let me remind you just a few years back, that Apple advertised and hailed the PowerMac G5 Dual processor as the bad ass machine of the future from IBM. Third party 3D game programmers took out dozens of ads in Mac magazines, it's was looking like the beginning of something great from Apple.
Then the rug was pulled out and Apple switched to cooler, bus hobbled Intel processors and Apple already had OS X running on Intel long before that. Knowing that they were going to have to switch and conned customers and developers along to keep hardware sales going.
So you see Apple could very well, with the iTablet announcement, tell the world Snow Leopard is going to be the last we see of OS X and everyone should just buy a iTablet and develop iPhone OS from now on.
There are some real kernels of truth in what you say. I was intrigued by your posts. Going forwards, you could well be right. I think iPhone OS is the OS of the future. Didn't Mac OS X slim down mightily from its PPC days? Into the trim, lean fighting machine for portable computing? iPhone is lighter, fitter, portable, simpler. OS X is modular and will bolt the necessaries on to become a multi-gesture slate.
Sure, the Mac isn't going anywhere in the interim.
But if the iTab is anything like what it could potentially be...we could have the end game in sight for 1984 style computing for the masses. Leaving the traditional computing paradigm for 'serious' work?
A 100 million ipod/iphone/islates sold a year vs 12 million Macs?
Computing, OS have become and been rather complex. It is refreshing that Apple are going back to the light with an OS for the 'rest of us.'
Can't wait for the iTab. Hope we get it in 7 and 10 inches.
Mozilla has been working on mobile Firefox for a long time. They really need to get that on Android or risk losing everything in the mobile market.
You just reinforced my point. Mobile Firefox is not just Firefox recompiled for a different processor, is it? It's something written basically from the ground up for mobile OSs and devices, and if it's been in the works for "a long time" as you write, then it demonstrates the difficulty since it has never been released to the public in all that time. As I wrote, a simple recompilation simply won't do and most developers of Mac apps will not go to the trouble of rewriting and simplifying complex apps for a new, relatively low-speed device. Hence, no point in the tablet running full OS X since it can't run any regular OS X apps.
Comments
Its difficult for me to see Apple creating a third version of OS X and a second version of OS X with a touch UI. Apple likes to keep a simplicity and cohesion across its products. I do agree a 10" touch screen device will require some slightly different UI elements than a 3" screen. But I think the tablet will be based on the iPhone OS.
A third version of OS X already exists. There is Mac OS X, iPhone OS X and AppleTV OS X. Each have the same underlying core OS features and application frameworks but each has a very unique UI and primary I/O for the way interact with the user. Adding Tablet OS X UI that is essentially halfway between iPhone OS X and Mac OS X seems like a walk in the park by comparison.
I don’t see how you think it can be the iPhone OS on such a large display. is that 120 app icons per page or just really big app buttons? What about the the GPU that can now push more processor heavy videos? Will those still be stunted to just SD video like the iPhone OS?
I’m not saying that a new touch framework ahs to be created. If they use the same tech they can use any and all foundations that work with the iPhone and Mac on the tablet, but it will have HW and therefore drivers that iPhone OS does not have. Likely even a mDP port for connecting to a display that isn’t going through USB. There may also be a way to connect a mouse and keyboard, if only through Bluetooth. But the UI is what will have to be drastically different making it nothing like the iPhone OS. I’d also expect an app for accessing the file system.
As we all know, you have to have an Intel based Mac to write iPhone apps. My prediction is that you'll be able to write both Tablet and iPhone apps using the new Tablet as your development platform.
That's simply not going to happen. There is a reason developers use large displays and often have multiple displays. And development requires running multiple apps at the same time (including being able to actually see the debugger and the app being run at the same time (just one reason for large monitors/multiple displays)
Will all due respect to everyone's powers of prognostication, there are reasonable statutes of limitation on tech predictions. This particular bit of soothsaying has been going on for 5 years plus now, which sort of diminishes the impact. I don't think anyone didn't expect some kind of tablet/slate/pad thing at some point, just not at THE NEXT MACWORLD!, or the one after that, or the one after that...... It was bound to show up eventually.
I admit I was very much in the camp saying for years that it wasn?t likely to happen, but in my defense the only mockups and ideas that I was given were showing Mac OS X on a tablet similar to the way Windows works on a tablet. That simply made no sense me? still doesn?t. Just as the iPhone OS UI on a 10? tablet makes no sense to me.
My imagination was lacking. I even asked many times over the years when this rumour cropped up for idea of how it would work, but received no practical answers. Until earlier this year when the idea of a subscription model and text book with annotation features were offered up. Then I finally saw how this could be viable.
Maybe those won?t happen, but at this point the tablet itself seems very likely as this buzz is pretty similar to the iPhone right before the announcement.
Will all due respect to everyone's powers of prognostication, there are reasonable statutes of limitation .....
Heh heh. Exactly.
Btw, in case anyone is interested, I am predicting a recession. (Just don't ask me when).
I'm starting to believe that you aren't serious and just trolling at this point.
You think?
The only flaw with the ignore feature is it doesn't hide the trolls that get quoted by those who fall for the bait
Tablets will likely replace notebooks entirely . . .
About 5-7 years from now. By that time we get there, you'll have barely noticed the transition.
Apple is the kind of company that runs full steam ahead with ALL of its products. Every product gets love. From OS X right down to the iPod Nano.
Not sure that will be the case. Tablets have been around for a while now and they only make up 2-4% of the current market. HP, Dell, Asus and fujitsu all make tablets and have for some time now. People were saying that same thing about notebooks replacing desktops and that isn't the case. Even if we just look at Apple the iMac is still rather popular.
Also when you are looking to get real work done a multi touch only tablet just isn't giong to cut it.
Also when you are looking to get real work done a multi touch only tablet just isn't giong to cut it.
I assume by this comment, that you know what Apple's tablet will be capable of doing, and also what constitutes "real work" for everyone.
Not sure that will be the case. Tablets have been around for a while now and they only make up 2-4% of the current market. HP, Dell, Asus and fujitsu all make tablets and have for some time now.
While I disagree with Quadra?s statement about tablets replacing notebooks, the problem with tablets to date have been a lack of consideration for a tablet UI. Cramming Windows into a tablet is not going to make a viable product. If Apple can create a UI with I/O that revolutionizes the way tablets work then their could be a new market for them.
People were saying that same thing about notebooks replacing desktops and that isn't the case. Even if we just look at Apple the iMac is still rather popular.
Every year we see notebook interest increasing with desktop interest stagnating. The iMac seems to be the only desktop that seems to have any real growth, despite it being virtually non-upgradable.
Also when you are looking to get real work done a multi touch only tablet just isn't giong to cut it.
I agree, to a point. I see this as a complementary device (perhaps even synced through iTunes). More like a netbook than a full fledged computer. I can see a lot of uses for it but I can?t see it replacing a Mac and therefor can?t see it having ?Mac? in the name.
While I disagree with Quadra?s statement about tablets replacing notebooks, the problem with tablets to date have been a lack of consideration for a tablet UI. Cramming Windows into a tablet is not going to make a viable product. If Apple can create a UI with I/O that revolutionizes the way tablets work then their could be a new market for them.
Every year we see notebook interest increasing with desktop interest stagnating. The iMac seems to be the only desktop that seems to have any real growth, despite it being virtually non-upgradable.
I agree, to a point. I see this as a complementary device (perhaps even synced through iTunes). More like a netbook than a full fledged computer. I can see a lot of uses for it but I can?t see it replacing a Mac and therefor can?t see it having ?Mac? in the name.
I agree with all your points. The fact non of use know what the Tablet is going to offer or look like for that matter but I don't see Tablets in general replacing notebooks. Even more so if they lack a physical keyboard.
With that being said a multi touch tablet at least for my needs would be great. I am looking forward to see what Apple has to offer in this area. I would have even like a Macbook or MBP in tablet form.
I assume by this comment, that you know what Apple's tablet will be capable of doing, and also what constitutes "real work" for everyone.
Real work lets see. How about trying to work on an Excel spreadsheet using only a multi touch tablet with now keyboard. That would be fun. Or creating a powerpoint presentation. Or for that matter a large word document.
Could the table run a full version of Photoshop? Could you install printer drivers on this tablet? How would you backup your work?
I guess if surfing the internet is real work for you then a tablet would be fine.
Fact is non of us know what it has to offer so talking about a tablet that hasn't even come out yet replacing notebooks and desktops seems a bit of a stretch.
This new Tablet could range from a fairly powerful system to nothing more then Apple version of an e-reader.
Fact is non of us know what it has to offer so talking about a tablet that hasn't even come out yet replacing notebooks and desktops seems a bit of a stretch.
This new Tablet could range from a fairly powerful system to nothing more then Apple version of an e-reader.
I agree with the first half of the first point, which is why I think it's somewhat ridiculous to be making any broad, sweeping generalizations about something we haven't seen yet. For some it could replace a laptop, for others not. One thing we do know: if Apple wanted to release just an e-reader, this product could have been out a year ago. Or more. We're talking about Apple here, so I think we should know better.
FWIW, "real work" for me would be e-mail, web surfing, and basic productivity. If this thing runs Keynote, even just as a player, count me in. An e-reader and video would be a plus (and are almost certain to be included), but would not my main purpose for owning one, or so I'd anticipate.
this ruins my Christmas weekend as i was hoping to type on the tech blogs about apple rumors. right now I'm touch typing with one finger on my left hand veryyyy slowly.
Merry Christmas.
... the UI is what will have to be drastically different making it nothing like the iPhone OS. I?d also expect an app for accessing the file system.
It will have to have a different UI from the iPhone if one can make or store documents on it, but i'm not so sure it has to be that different.
IMO the most obvious way to add a file system or document access is to have a couple of stacks on the dock, just like in the desktop variant of OS X. One for downloads, one for documents, and each synced to the home computer or the cloud. This would also eliminate the need for save and open dialogue boxes, or navigating to anywhere in the file system other than opening those two folders.
I would also expect that while some apps might run in the background, that all apps would be full-screen on such a small device by necessity, so there is no window management required, and no app management required. The only "app management" is arranging the icons.
Maybe, Maybe, maybe, we might see a "desktop" in the sense of a space or opening home-screen or wallpaper that draws all the widget updates together and/or provides a notification system similar to WinMobile's "today" screen, but it could be that only a minor evolution of the iPhone UI is necessary for the tablet to work.
Ireland, who are these people????
Who are these noobs coming here to these latest threads acting like they've been here all along?
It's been me, Ireland, spamsandwich, wizard, and a few others who have been here from the very beginning talking about the tablet while the rest of you guys were calling us idiots and it would never happen. Heck, we were talking about this back even before you naysayers even had a twinkling in your eye about the tablet.
Now it's "omg I can't wait to buy one"...."omg do you think it will match my purse...teehee....derrrrrrr!"
You guys should be bowing before us begging our forgiveness for being so doubtful and foolish. And furthermore, the admins should give our little group like...I dunno....rewards or something. Make our forums names red or something with shiny stars and logos that say "forum prophet"!
Agreed.
I agree with the first half of the first point, which is why I think it's somewhat ridiculous to be making any broad, sweeping generalizations about something we haven't seen yet. For some it could replace a laptop, for others not. One thing we do know: if Apple wanted to release just an e-reader, this product could have been out a year ago. Or more. We're talking about Apple here, so I think we should know better.
FWIW, "real work" for me would be e-mail, web surfing, and basic productivity. If this thing runs Keynote, even just as a player, count me in. An e-reader and video would be a plus (and are almost certain to be included), but would not my main purpose for owning one, or so I'd anticipate.
Well Apple did try this before. In fact you can get a Newton for 56.05 plus tax if you want one.
http://www.recycledgoods.com/27030_A...0OS%202.0.html
Don't wait too long they are shipping the nicest ones first....
I am not sure Apple wanted to jump back into the market with a Tablet until they were sure they could at least make a good one this time around.
It will have to have a different UI from the iPhone if one can make or store documents on it, but i'm not so sure it has to be that different.
IMO the most obvious way to add a file system or document access is to have a couple of stacks on the dock, just like in the desktop variant of OS X. One for downloads, one for documents, and each synced to the home computer or the cloud. This would also eliminate the need for save and open dialogue boxes, or navigating to anywhere in the file system other than opening those two folders.
I would also expect that while some apps might run in the background, that all apps would be full-screen on such a small device by necessity, so there is no window management required, and no app management required. The only "app management" is arranging the icons.
Maybe, Maybe, maybe, we might see a "desktop" in the sense of a space or opening home-screen or wallpaper that draws all the widget updates together and/or provides a notification system similar to WinMobile's "today" screen, but it could be that only a minor evolution of the iPhone UI is necessary for the tablet to work.
What you’re proposing is a lot more than “only a minor evolution of iPhone UI”. Does your minor change of the Ui still retain 16 apps per Home Screen page or do the apps retain their same pixel size with many dozen more apps residing on each Home Screen? Does the Bluetooth stack still only connect to headphones and a few other things, with no option to use a mouse or keyboard? How is adding a Finder or any sort a minor change that is only within the UI when the iPhone OS has none? Do you think AppleScript will not be an option with a tablet? What about all the other frameworks and foundations that Apple removed from the iPhone OS (or never put in, depending on your PoV) from Mac OS?
Will the iPod app mean that all video will only be full screen when a 10” in front of me would play video windowed quite well while I have other apps running. What about a Dashboard-like app that allows me to see many Widgets all at once very quickly with an Exposé like feature? With a 10” display I want to double-tap the Home button to get the iPod controls in the center of the display, I want them to be designed for the device in question, which may mean having them easily accessible at all times from the Touch UI without reentering the app. Perhaps even visible at all times. I don’t need Shazam or Dictionary or a Units conversion app to take up my enter display when doing some trivial task. Can yo imagine running AIM or Beejive in a full 10” display then having to rest the device on your person or grip with the opposite hand to hit the Home Button to access another app. It simply doesn’t make any sense to port 3.5” display logistics to a 10” display.
What about the inherent similarities between a 10” and larger display that allows for two full hands to use with multiple options for input and a clearly superior option for output contrasted with a 3.5” pocketable device whose best option for typing is two thumbs? Besides the Darwin kernel, some basic foundations and frameworks, including Cocoa Touch, the best option I see for Apple to truly make a tablet is to start from the ground up, just they did with the iPhone OS.
They didn’t shove as much of Mac OS X into the iPhone and then remove stuff until it ran, they tailored it to be ideal for the iPhone. Anything less than that that sounds like a a failure to me.
edit: If Apple wants to get it into the enterprise out of the gate then I’d think that at a supposed 10” such a device wouldn’t have to resend files as attachments to PCs in order to have them printed out. I’d think that it would likely have printing capabilities over a network or perhaps even USB with Printer drivers installed. Directory Utility seems like it might be a possibility if they want it to connect with Windows Domains for file sharing instead of just have WiFi and Active Sync, like iPhone OS. How about having network access via Ethernet through the USB dongle so that more secure facilities without WiFi can allow a tablet to connect. None of these are possible with iPhone OS.
edit2: How people refer to the tablet OS’s closest OS X relative may depend on some minor things. For instance, Mac OS X has Finder as the app that always running to access the file system, while the AppleTV replaced that with BackRow a version of FrontRow that is tuned specifically for a “ten foot user interface”, while iPhone OS uses SpringBoard. I suppose a new version of Springboard could be used but does that seem like the best option for a 10” tablet? I don’t think so.
Another seemingly innocuous aspect that may sway the Tablet into the “this is more iPhone OS than Mac OS” could be a lack of a /Users folder. The iPhone has no /Users folder since there is only one user per device. Personally I hope there is a way to start a simple Guest account with v4.0 but that is for another thread. For a tablet I think that users could be useful, especially if the focus is to replace newspapers and magazines for a family, but I’d wager that Apple will not add /Users at the launch.
Look ahead, not in the present.
Right now Apple is supporting two operating systems in a period of transition along with hardware transition.
What is stealing laptop and desktop sales right now on PC's?, netbooks.
What will steal Apple sales of Mac laptops in the future? A iTablet.
What will the iTablet run?
OS X and it's limited supply of applications and heat being a heavy OS?
Or a lighter and easier interface with over 100,000 Apps from the App Store that Apple gets a slice of the revenue?
It's obvious.
Also let me remind you just a few years back, that Apple advertised and hailed the PowerMac G5 Dual processor as the bad ass machine of the future from IBM. Third party 3D game programmers took out dozens of ads in Mac magazines, it's was looking like the beginning of something great from Apple.
Then the rug was pulled out and Apple switched to cooler, bus hobbled Intel processors and Apple already had OS X running on Intel long before that. Knowing that they were going to have to switch and conned customers and developers along to keep hardware sales going.
So you see Apple could very well, with the iTablet announcement, tell the world Snow Leopard is going to be the last we see of OS X and everyone should just buy a iTablet and develop iPhone OS from now on.
There are some real kernels of truth in what you say. I was intrigued by your posts. Going forwards, you could well be right. I think iPhone OS is the OS of the future. Didn't Mac OS X slim down mightily from its PPC days? Into the trim, lean fighting machine for portable computing? iPhone is lighter, fitter, portable, simpler. OS X is modular and will bolt the necessaries on to become a multi-gesture slate.
Sure, the Mac isn't going anywhere in the interim.
But if the iTab is anything like what it could potentially be...we could have the end game in sight for 1984 style computing for the masses. Leaving the traditional computing paradigm for 'serious' work?
A 100 million ipod/iphone/islates sold a year vs 12 million Macs?
Computing, OS have become and been rather complex. It is refreshing that Apple are going back to the light with an OS for the 'rest of us.'
Can't wait for the iTab. Hope we get it in 7 and 10 inches.
Lemon Bon Bon.
Mozilla has been working on mobile Firefox for a long time. They really need to get that on Android or risk losing everything in the mobile market.
You just reinforced my point. Mobile Firefox is not just Firefox recompiled for a different processor, is it? It's something written basically from the ground up for mobile OSs and devices, and if it's been in the works for "a long time" as you write, then it demonstrates the difficulty since it has never been released to the public in all that time. As I wrote, a simple recompilation simply won't do and most developers of Mac apps will not go to the trouble of rewriting and simplifying complex apps for a new, relatively low-speed device. Hence, no point in the tablet running full OS X since it can't run any regular OS X apps.