Remember what a slate really was: a small chalkboard that students used to use in school
Now add video, web, books, wireless, gestures, and god-knows what else to its abilities. It really could be the beginning of something big and revolutionary.
I agree! Apple observes a need and lends its design skills to coming up with an innovative solution which incorporates computer technology in easy-to-control ways that lets people use computers to enhance their lives.
We've already seen various "science fiction" in recent films with various computer effects like in "Minority Report" and TV shows. Now Apple will be most likely bridging a gap or two between fiction and reality.
Hmmmm - This article puts the brakes on every name I thought about that didn't have "Slate" as part of the name.
MacSlate - Sounds too much like a McDonalds product
AppleSlate - Sounds dumb
I'm tired of guessing. I think I'll just monitor the thread for a while because the only thing I can come up with, given the info in this article, is iSlate. And that one is definitely not original with me.
The biggest problem with this story is that the domain was registered nearly four years ago. It's difficult to believe that Apple chose a name for this product in 2006. Normally, you'd think this would be virtually the last thing they'd do. Surely, not before it was even designed.
Oh yeah, right. They spend millions working on the product for years and then don't get to use a given name simply because they waited a little too long to reserve it.
A name is a conceptual thing and therefore belongs at the BEGINNING of the product development cycle which would serve also to keep its developing design channeled close to its design concept.
Even if I'm wrong on this, there's no good reason not to reserve names sooner than later.
Oh yeah, right. They spend millions working on the product for years and then don't get to use a given name simply because they waited a little too long to reserve it.
A name is a conceptual thing and therefore belongs at the BEGINNING of the product development cycle which would serve also to keep its developing design channeled close to its design concept.
Even if I'm wrong on this, there's no good reason not to reserve names sooner than later.
You'd think Apple would be reserving domain names for anything even remotely close to ideas of upcoming products as a preemptive measure.
I hope you don't think I hate the name. I don't. Right now, I'm ambivalent towards it. If the tablet is a worthy product and is given the name iSlate, said name will probably eventually grow on most everyone except the most diehard Apple-haters.
It is truly "just speculation" but there is a twitter post from December 2nd under the username: justspeculation
where it says that it's possible Apple retired the name iBook a few years ago so that it could be repurposed for... a more book-like tablet computer! This makes a lot of sense, no?
iDont like the iSlate name. Really. Hopefully they won't use it.
If the information in the article is correct and Slate Computing, LLC is a shell company owned by Apple, it stands to reason that Slate will probably be part of the name in one fashion or another.
It is truly "just speculation" but there is a twitter post from December 2nd under the username: justspeculation
where it says that it's possible Apple retired the name iBook a few years ago so that it could be repurposed for... a more book-like tablet computer! This makes a lot of sense, no?
It?s not the worst idea I?ve heard but it?s also not that great, either. They also retired the PowerBook name and PowerMac names, too. The only Mac name that kept with their transition to x86 was the iMac.
As previously pointed out there are likely still millions of iBooks still in use, while I doubt there is a single Newton still actively being used. There are Newtons that work but the tech is so obsolete that its usefulness would be extremely limited, unlike a PPC Mac which is still viable with 802.11b/g, Ethernet, 10.5, etc still widely used today, even if it?s not very fast by today?s standards.
I hope you don't think I hate the name. I don't. Right now, I'm ambivalent towards it. If the tablet is a worthy product and is given the name iSlate, said name will probably eventually grow on most everyone except the most diehard Apple-haters.
No, I don't think you hate the name. I hate it because it falls down on so many counts... difficult to pronounce quickly in a casual conversation (try saying "iSlate" five times fast vs. "iPod"), it's far too generic and uninspiring. Steve can and should demand better... if indeed iSlate is the chosen name.
When this iSlate rumor began I was surprised to see how many people disliked the name. There were all of these comments about rocks and some funny Flintstones references. Then it occurred to me that most of the posters here were probably born in the US, are under age 110, and never used a slate at school. Reading a few of the posts above, it's good to finally see some discussion of how a slate could inspire the name of Apple's device, and even a picture of a slate. Anyone who has ever used a slate probably feels quite good about the possibilities conjured up by this name.
When the New York Times editor referred to Apple's rumored tablet as "the Apple Slate", I assumed that he used the term "slate" to meet a thin, flat, rectangular, tablet-like object that you could write on. I still suspect this may be the case, but not nearly as I strongly as I did when I initially heard the comment.
This presumably thin, flat, rectangular, tablet-like object seems to be generating more anticipation than the original iPhone. January should be an interesting month.
No, I don't think you hate the name. I hate it because it falls down on so many counts... difficult to pronounce quickly in a casual conversation (try saying "iSlate" five times fast vs. "iPod"), it's far too generic and uninspiring. Steve can and should demand better... if indeed iSlate is the chosen name.
Oh yeah, right. They spend millions working on the product for years and then don't get to use a given name simply because they waited a little too long to reserve it.
A name is a conceptual thing and therefore belongs at the BEGINNING of the product development cycle which would serve also to keep its developing design channeled close to its design concept.
Even if I'm wrong on this, there's no good reason not to reserve names sooner than later.
Pardon? I am quite certain that Apple has reserved many such names for products that have never appeared. The simple fact that the name is owned by them is not very meaningful.
Be that as it may, I am also quite certain that Apple doesn't decide on a product name first and then design a product to conform to it, no matter how long it takes. It would be as if they selected the name iPod in 1997 and then went about designing a pod.
Apple has been working on handhelds since many years back, so I am sure that the marketing department had would have wanted to gobble up every possible name along the way.
Personally, I am holding out for some kind of Pen input (perfect for note taking and art making) along with OSX Finder/Desktop for a truly professional portable machine, what I am afraid is that Apple is going to go over board with finger gesture input and the dumbed down iPhone OS.
Agreed.
Also I want to know how or if it will connect to other computers? If it does will it be managed through iTunes like the iPod and iPhone? Will it have it's own power supply like a Mac or like an iPod? If it only has a 7-inch screen, I'd also like the ability to connect an external keyboard to it, because the width will be even smaller. That's not much of a typing surface, and it's too big for thumb typing. Also, what about other input or output devices?
Comments
Remember what a slate really was: a small chalkboard that students used to use in school
Now add video, web, books, wireless, gestures, and god-knows what else to its abilities. It really could be the beginning of something big and revolutionary.
I agree! Apple observes a need and lends its design skills to coming up with an innovative solution which incorporates computer technology in easy-to-control ways that lets people use computers to enhance their lives.
We've already seen various "science fiction" in recent films with various computer effects like in "Minority Report" and TV shows. Now Apple will be most likely bridging a gap or two between fiction and reality.
I like it.
Hmmmm - This article puts the brakes on every name I thought about that didn't have "Slate" as part of the name.
MacSlate - Sounds too much like a McDonalds product
AppleSlate - Sounds dumb
I'm tired of guessing. I think I'll just monitor the thread for a while because the only thing I can come up with, given the info in this article, is iSlate. And that one is definitely not original with me.
iSlate is so... so...... feh! Hate it.
The biggest problem with this story is that the domain was registered nearly four years ago. It's difficult to believe that Apple chose a name for this product in 2006. Normally, you'd think this would be virtually the last thing they'd do. Surely, not before it was even designed.
Oh yeah, right. They spend millions working on the product for years and then don't get to use a given name simply because they waited a little too long to reserve it.
A name is a conceptual thing and therefore belongs at the BEGINNING of the product development cycle which would serve also to keep its developing design channeled close to its design concept.
Even if I'm wrong on this, there's no good reason not to reserve names sooner than later.
Oh yeah, right. They spend millions working on the product for years and then don't get to use a given name simply because they waited a little too long to reserve it.
A name is a conceptual thing and therefore belongs at the BEGINNING of the product development cycle which would serve also to keep its developing design channeled close to its design concept.
Even if I'm wrong on this, there's no good reason not to reserve names sooner than later.
You'd think Apple would be reserving domain names for anything even remotely close to ideas of upcoming products as a preemptive measure.
iSlate is so... so...... feh! Hate it.
I hope you don't think I hate the name. I don't. Right now, I'm ambivalent towards it. If the tablet is a worthy product and is given the name iSlate, said name will probably eventually grow on most everyone except the most diehard Apple-haters.
where it says that it's possible Apple retired the name iBook a few years ago so that it could be repurposed for... a more book-like tablet computer! This makes a lot of sense, no?
iDont like the iSlate name. Really.
If the information in the article is correct and Slate Computing, LLC is a shell company owned by Apple, it stands to reason that Slate will probably be part of the name in one fashion or another.
It is truly "just speculation" but there is a twitter post from December 2nd under the username: justspeculation
where it says that it's possible Apple retired the name iBook a few years ago so that it could be repurposed for... a more book-like tablet computer! This makes a lot of sense, no?
It?s not the worst idea I?ve heard but it?s also not that great, either. They also retired the PowerBook name and PowerMac names, too. The only Mac name that kept with their transition to x86 was the iMac.
As previously pointed out there are likely still millions of iBooks still in use, while I doubt there is a single Newton still actively being used. There are Newtons that work but the tech is so obsolete that its usefulness would be extremely limited, unlike a PPC Mac which is still viable with 802.11b/g, Ethernet, 10.5, etc still widely used today, even if it?s not very fast by today?s standards.
image: http://www.penciltalk.org/images/pen...rg.slate.1.jpg
I?d like to see a pic of that board with OS X written in chalk all over it. Can that be faked in Photoshop?
I hope you don't think I hate the name. I don't. Right now, I'm ambivalent towards it. If the tablet is a worthy product and is given the name iSlate, said name will probably eventually grow on most everyone except the most diehard Apple-haters.
No, I don't think you hate the name. I hate it because it falls down on so many counts... difficult to pronounce quickly in a casual conversation (try saying "iSlate" five times fast vs. "iPod"), it's far too generic and uninspiring. Steve can and should demand better... if indeed iSlate is the chosen name.
When the New York Times editor referred to Apple's rumored tablet as "the Apple Slate", I assumed that he used the term "slate" to meet a thin, flat, rectangular, tablet-like object that you could write on. I still suspect this may be the case, but not nearly as I strongly as I did when I initially heard the comment.
This presumably thin, flat, rectangular, tablet-like object seems to be generating more anticipation than the original iPhone. January should be an interesting month.
No, I don't think you hate the name. I hate it because it falls down on so many counts... difficult to pronounce quickly in a casual conversation (try saying "iSlate" five times fast vs. "iPod"), it's far too generic and uninspiring. Steve can and should demand better... if indeed iSlate is the chosen name.
It does sound like ?isolate? when spoken quickly.
The only Mac name that kept with their transition to x86 was the iMac.
I've got a G4 MacMini.
I've got a G4 MacMini.
Mea culpa. I forgot about the Mac Mini.
Oh yeah, right. They spend millions working on the product for years and then don't get to use a given name simply because they waited a little too long to reserve it.
A name is a conceptual thing and therefore belongs at the BEGINNING of the product development cycle which would serve also to keep its developing design channeled close to its design concept.
Even if I'm wrong on this, there's no good reason not to reserve names sooner than later.
Pardon? I am quite certain that Apple has reserved many such names for products that have never appeared. The simple fact that the name is owned by them is not very meaningful.
Be that as it may, I am also quite certain that Apple doesn't decide on a product name first and then design a product to conform to it, no matter how long it takes. It would be as if they selected the name iPod in 1997 and then went about designing a pod.
I’d like to see a pic of that board with OS X written in chalk all over it. Can that be faked in Photoshop?
Hmm...
Apple has been working on handhelds since many years back, so I am sure that the marketing department had would have wanted to gobble up every possible name along the way.
Personally, I am holding out for some kind of Pen input (perfect for note taking and art making) along with OSX Finder/Desktop for a truly professional portable machine, what I am afraid is that Apple is going to go over board with finger gesture input and the dumbed down iPhone OS.
Agreed.
Also I want to know how or if it will connect to other computers? If it does will it be managed through iTunes like the iPod and iPhone? Will it have it's own power supply like a Mac or like an iPod? If it only has a 7-inch screen, I'd also like the ability to connect an external keyboard to it, because the width will be even smaller. That's not much of a typing surface, and it's too big for thumb typing. Also, what about other input or output devices?