2 MacTablets + Multitouch + Magnets =
= Mock up (if I had the time and graphic skills 
)
But seriously, consider the following scenario-
1. Apple releases a slick, iPodTouch like mac tablet (sans keyboard, CD, buttons) with robust magnets along their long edges (concealed in housing, of course)
2. Users can either affix a keyboard base or another mactablet at the long edges by magnets.
3. When joined the mactablets automatically become one computer with one screen becoming a softkeyboad/gesturepad/multitouch control of the other.
4. Turned 90 degrees and laid flat the accelerometers change combined computers to book/notepad/ use.
Anticipated objections-
A. Magnet connection not strong enough to support connected tablet in upright orientation.
B. No ones going to buy two tablets.
C. Softkeyboards suck.
D. Tablets suck.
E. I suck
Possible counters-
A. Apple Engineering magic
B. They do if they are cheap
C. Not with multitouch chording/gesturing capability
D. As done so far
E. You suck
)But seriously, consider the following scenario-
1. Apple releases a slick, iPodTouch like mac tablet (sans keyboard, CD, buttons) with robust magnets along their long edges (concealed in housing, of course)
2. Users can either affix a keyboard base or another mactablet at the long edges by magnets.
3. When joined the mactablets automatically become one computer with one screen becoming a softkeyboad/gesturepad/multitouch control of the other.
4. Turned 90 degrees and laid flat the accelerometers change combined computers to book/notepad/ use.
Anticipated objections-
A. Magnet connection not strong enough to support connected tablet in upright orientation.
B. No ones going to buy two tablets.
C. Softkeyboards suck.
D. Tablets suck.
E. I suck
Possible counters-
A. Apple Engineering magic
B. They do if they are cheap
C. Not with multitouch chording/gesturing capability
D. As done so far
E. You suck
Comments
Sorry I was in a rush at the time, if they made this magnetically attached keyboard it would be a hardware based keyboard, not software based, why use soft-keys when the first screen could to that? The whole idea is so you can type on the main screen without the magnet keyboard with you, that would be an add-on and could "even" be sold separately.
The only way I would agree with this extra hardware keyboard, is if it was specially designed for the Mac touch itself, and was designed to be able to be detached from it in a cool way, like the magnets idea you suggest. Also, the Mac touch would have to have a full soft-keyboard too, designed to be the main input. This keyboard would be for writing papers etc. It's actually a very interesting idea, but the way it is pulled off (as in designed) would be so crucial to it's success or failure. Magnets, no moving hinge-parts, and power traveling though the magnetic hinges (like the way an electric shaver is charged) sounds like one of the most interesting propositions I've heard of for a while.
Magnets are not that reliable a way to connect an expensive, moving part. A simple slide or snap-on hinge would be structurally much more reliable.
Yeah, but the magnet idea sound like the coolest thing ever!!!
A. Magnet connection not strong enough to support connected tablet in upright orientation.
B. No ones going to buy two tablets.
C. Softkeyboards suck.
D. Tablets suck.
E. I suck
F. All of the above
Apart from maybe C, I don't mind soft keyboards.
I don't think magnets need to be involved. We have bluetooth after all. A touch pad could easily sit closer to you and you just prop the display against something.
I really doubt you'd want a keyboard the same size/dimenions as the tablet anyway. It would probably be cheaper to build a low resolution multitouch display to act as a gesture based controller and people could use it with standard computers.
If it's to replicate the functionality of a wacom tablet, you'd just use the main multitouch display for that. I actually don't see why you wouldn't use the controls on the main tablet display. Apple could just build a 15" model so you have more room to work.