Multiple sized tablets under development for new home portable market
A variety of information suggests that Apple is developing tablet-based systems utilizing a range of screen sizes.
The rumor follows Spymac's report that Apple will soon be tackling the new 'home portable' market, a demographic that will apparently be targeted with more than one product. Both 8" and 15" tablet systems are reportedly being prepared, says a previously reliable contact.
I'm sorry, but has SpyMac been right yet? I mean they've been around for what, a little over a year now? I don't have a recollection of them ever being right? Have they been? If not, then why do people keep quoting their predictions and why do they keep predicting? Is it because of their free mail accounts?
I'm sorry, but has SpyMac been right yet? I mean they've been around for what, a little over a year now? I don't have a recollection of them ever being right? Have they been? If not, then why do people keep quoting their predictions and why do they keep predicting? Is it because of their free mail accounts?
Hmmmm ... why ain't there a "scorecard" conference on this here board?
Spymac has been right several times. they were only way wrong with the whole iwolk pda thing.
What they are saying is only been said by like 3 different places, yes apple is making more than one.
I reported the pda last year with the exact same specs that everybody is reporting now. I can also confirm their is a 15' web tablet. Everyone told me I was on crack back then and apple would never develop anything like this. But it's funny now how a year later the rumor sites caught up with the information I have.
Spymac has been right several times. they were only way wrong with the whole iwolk pda thing.
What they are saying is only been said by like 3 different places, yes apple is making more than one.
I reported the pda last year with the exact same specs that everybody is reporting now. I can also confirm their is a 15' web tablet. Everyone told me I was on crack back then and apple would never develop anything like this. But it's funny now how a year later the rumor sites caught up with the information I have.
1. On which exact occasions has spymac been right?
2. It was called the iWalk
3. If Apple is indeed developing more than one tablet (I personally doubt it), they are probably at different stages of development and would not be released at the same time. Say one this year and one next year.
4. What, you have had all this information for a whole year and you didn't mail MOSR
Are you implying a less expensive player? How to make it more affordable? What other storage options other than a hard drive are there? Any new technology around?
I think he was referring to the fact that people were saying the original iPods were very expensive: then they held one and realised how cool they were....
This new device is most likely the "wireless" interface that will send the screen to another display. Kinda of like the viewsonic airo or whatever only elegant.
I know they've been working on these types of things for a while and this is the only thing I can think of...
inkhead I think you may have a small part of the puzzle. There is clearly a number of things going on here and the rumours have become all mixed up (as per usual)
The one area that we know Apple is interested in is the nebulous 'Home Network'. ie the use of a central media server and various satellite devices to provide an integrated audio/video/photo/internet system for the home. (large American homes that is, not the pokey Victorian piles that us Brits tend to live in ).
The Japanese giants have started to move with a few examples of real product, all using their own proprietry protocols of course (the usual Japanese method of business battle, pitching kuiretsu against each other to see which technology survives)
So, what does the concept need?
Powerful media server: 970 Xserve/PowerMac variants
Simultaneous Multiuser OS: Panther (Microsoft for example has a licensing problem with this in XP Home whereas Apple doesn't care about that sort of thing)
Networks: Giganet (and 10 Giganet as soon as possible), Firewire, Airport Extreme, Bluetooth
Large tablet iThing for hanging on Kitchen wall, bedroom, walking around etc. - TV, remote control, surfing, photos etc.
Small tablet iThing for individual remote control of fixed devices, emails, PDA etc. And perhaps...communications. Is it possible that the small iThing is designed for every individual in a house to carry as home 'radio style' telephone as opposed to a cellular phone (a concept I still have problems with)?
How about the 20, 23 and rumoured 30 inch LCD monitors as dumb TV/Computer screens (which is where the display comms device rumour comes in)?
Software The Apple music service of course plus tie ups with TiVO and others for the broadcast stuff.
Questions remain however; most people into this kind of gear will have very, very expensive DVD players, audio amps, DLP projectors etc. for their main room and there is no way Apple is going to get into these sorts of devices. Some sort of control 'bridge' is required. There are simple serial protocols used at the moment but the more ambitious digital control protocols (most using firewire) are all over the place in terms of compatible standards. Whether some sort of standard protocol (HaVI?) can be agreed remains to be seen.
Actually, I think all of that is far too complicated, and that's the reason why home networking has gone nowhere. AAC audio is bandwidth-light, and ARD is apparently about to become much more efficient. (Part of me is wondering why Apple took a sudden interest in releasing a highly optimized X11, but that really could just be to make OS X a more attractive UNIX).
Airport = no wires or ethernet hubs. You can set up a network in an old house as easily as a new one without running cat 5 everywhere, or wiring the whole building.
Servers = whatever (capable) Macs are currently lying around. OS X does multitasking really well, most home server needs are pretty lightweight, and so are most tasks that people use computers for at home. Nothing here has to be scalable, and uptime is not mission critical, so there's no reason the iMac in the living room can't serve something, or even the PowerBook on the porch.
The thing to remember is that the classic Apple network has never required a tech. You plug things in, turn on sharing, and boom, you have a network. Well, Apple has technology and services in place to make even the old serial AppleTalk network look difficult and arcane. The goal is that you buy whatever computers you want, set them up wherever you want in whatever building you want (unless it's metal ), maybe get a Base Station, and blam, you have all this capability. Every Mac currently for sale is powerful enough to function as a server for these purposes, and handle typical needs besides. They can piggyback on Apple's .Mac servers for some things. They can advertize their services via Rendezvous, and deliver them over AirPort Extreme. They can link up with a lot of digital hub devices over Bluetooth, and FireWire can handle anything that needs more bandwidth.
With this setup, the home network is dead simple. It requires AirPort hardware and maybe a few button clicks in a Preferences pane to set up. It automagically embraces any (relatively new) Macs you already have, and even Windows and Linux boxen and your TiVo, because it's built around standards. It scales transparently with the hardware available to it.
Comments
Originally posted by MacsRGood4U
From Spymac, for what it's worth:
Multiple sized tablets under development for new home portable market
A variety of information suggests that Apple is developing tablet-based systems utilizing a range of screen sizes.
The rumor follows Spymac's report that Apple will soon be tackling the new 'home portable' market, a demographic that will apparently be targeted with more than one product. Both 8" and 15" tablet systems are reportedly being prepared, says a previously reliable contact.
I'm sorry, but has SpyMac been right yet? I mean they've been around for what, a little over a year now? I don't have a recollection of them ever being right? Have they been? If not, then why do people keep quoting their predictions and why do they keep predicting? Is it because of their free mail accounts?
Originally posted by KidRed
I'm sorry, but has SpyMac been right yet? I mean they've been around for what, a little over a year now? I don't have a recollection of them ever being right? Have they been? If not, then why do people keep quoting their predictions and why do they keep predicting? Is it because of their free mail accounts?
Hmmmm ... why ain't there a "scorecard" conference on this here board?
What they are saying is only been said by like 3 different places, yes apple is making more than one.
I reported the pda last year with the exact same specs that everybody is reporting now. I can also confirm their is a 15' web tablet. Everyone told me I was on crack back then and apple would never develop anything like this. But it's funny now how a year later the rumor sites caught up with the information I have.
Originally posted by inkhead
Spymac has been right several times. they were only way wrong with the whole iwolk pda thing.
What they are saying is only been said by like 3 different places, yes apple is making more than one.
I reported the pda last year with the exact same specs that everybody is reporting now. I can also confirm their is a 15' web tablet. Everyone told me I was on crack back then and apple would never develop anything like this. But it's funny now how a year later the rumor sites caught up with the information I have.
1. On which exact occasions has spymac been right?
2. It was called the iWalk
3. If Apple is indeed developing more than one tablet (I personally doubt it), they are probably at different stages of development and would not be released at the same time. Say one this year and one next year.
4. What, you have had all this information for a whole year and you didn't mail MOSR
Originally posted by inkhead
I can also confirm their is a 15' web tablet.
A fifteen foot web tablet?
</spinal tap>
Originally posted by rickag
Are you implying a less expensive player? How to make it more affordable? What other storage options other than a hard drive are there? Any new technology around?
I think he was referring to the fact that people were saying the original iPods were very expensive: then they held one and realised how cool they were....
low-fi
when i first checked out the ipod, i had to have it.
i think this is apple's marketing strategy for everything!
it's the devil's work!
Originally posted by Amorph
A fifteen foot web tablet?
</spinal tap>
Ten? No, this one goes to fifteen.
('there's too much Dolby')
no one knows about the new ipods actually...and they may have some sort of webcam in it...
u know? ipod is a multifunctional device...u got a mac..and u got an ipod
a base and something to take with you...
an ipod could do more than a p800...even the price makes it...
Originally posted by vinney57
Actually I think it was a reference to the model of Stonehenge
('there's too much Dolby')
Yes, and the 15' tablet will be introduced in a new commercial starring Mini Me, dancing 'round said tablet.
Panther will give a lot of new functionality that a tablet could use:
- Multiuser GUI
You have n tablets/users for one server.(Airport
driven)
- I read that it will enhance syncing between mobyle
devices like your user folder.
- Piles could be very important for such devices with
gestures to better control the UI
- and much more.
For me it's sure that apple will sell such device but not before Panther release.
I know they've been working on these types of things for a while and this is the only thing I can think of...
The one area that we know Apple is interested in is the nebulous 'Home Network'. ie the use of a central media server and various satellite devices to provide an integrated audio/video/photo/internet system for the home. (large American homes that is, not the pokey Victorian piles that us Brits tend to live in
The Japanese giants have started to move with a few examples of real product, all using their own proprietry protocols of course (the usual Japanese method of business battle, pitching kuiretsu against each other to see which technology survives)
So, what does the concept need?
Powerful media server: 970 Xserve/PowerMac variants
Simultaneous Multiuser OS: Panther (Microsoft for example has a licensing problem with this in XP Home whereas Apple doesn't care about that sort of thing)
Networks: Giganet (and 10 Giganet as soon as possible), Firewire, Airport Extreme, Bluetooth
Satellite Devices: iMacs, iBooks, PBooks naturally, and:
Large tablet iThing for hanging on Kitchen wall, bedroom, walking around etc. - TV, remote control, surfing, photos etc.
Small tablet iThing for individual remote control of fixed devices, emails, PDA etc. And perhaps...communications. Is it possible that the small iThing is designed for every individual in a house to carry as home 'radio style' telephone as opposed to a cellular phone (a concept I still have problems with)?
How about the 20, 23 and rumoured 30 inch LCD monitors as dumb TV/Computer screens (which is where the display comms device rumour comes in)?
Software The Apple music service of course plus tie ups with TiVO and others for the broadcast stuff.
Questions remain however; most people into this kind of gear will have very, very expensive DVD players, audio amps, DLP projectors etc. for their main room and there is no way Apple is going to get into these sorts of devices. Some sort of control 'bridge' is required. There are simple serial protocols used at the moment but the more ambitious digital control protocols (most using firewire) are all over the place in terms of compatible standards. Whether some sort of standard protocol (HaVI?) can be agreed remains to be seen.
Airport = no wires or ethernet hubs. You can set up a network in an old house as easily as a new one without running cat 5 everywhere, or wiring the whole building.
Servers = whatever (capable) Macs are currently lying around. OS X does multitasking really well, most home server needs are pretty lightweight, and so are most tasks that people use computers for at home. Nothing here has to be scalable, and uptime is not mission critical, so there's no reason the iMac in the living room can't serve something, or even the PowerBook on the porch.
The thing to remember is that the classic Apple network has never required a tech. You plug things in, turn on sharing, and boom, you have a network. Well, Apple has technology and services in place to make even the old serial AppleTalk network look difficult and arcane. The goal is that you buy whatever computers you want, set them up wherever you want in whatever building you want (unless it's metal
With this setup, the home network is dead simple. It requires AirPort hardware and maybe a few button clicks in a Preferences pane to set up. It automagically embraces any (relatively new) Macs you already have, and even Windows and Linux boxen and your TiVo, because it's built around standards. It scales transparently with the hardware available to it.
What could be simpler than that?
Cheers
Scott
Originally posted by Rmh1572
How is ARD supposedly going to get way more efficient Amorph?
More efficient compression. That's all I've heard.
Something like a universal Matrix convertor