iPad: Wireless Tablet Mac with a Twist

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Here's an idea I've been tossing around in my head for a while: instead of a PDA style Mac, Apple needs to introduce a Tablet mac.



The tablet would be similar to the iBook, but without keyboard or Trackpad. Instead, it would be completely pen driven. Imagine the current 12" iBooks with the monitor where the keyboard is.



The iPad would come with an optional docking station that would allow you to connect devices to it. It would look much like the current iMac, and you would place the iPad into a holder where the current display is. This allows for ergonomic desk use. This, of course, would also recharge the iPad.



The tablet would come standard with AirPort, and the base would also be AirPort equipped, allowing the iPad to connect to attached devices wirelessly.



The killer feature for the iPad would be the ability to mirror and control any Mac within the AirPort range. You would select the computer you want to control, enter a password, and then, the iPad would become a wireless monitor and input device for that Mac. This would be perfect for situations where you need to show people something on your Desktop, but it's inconvenient to have them come to your computer.



Opinions?



Here's a sketch I made in AppleWorks. Anyone want to render a 3D model for me?





Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    iq78iq78 Posts: 256member
    [quote]Originally posted by graphiteman:

    <strong>Here's an idea I've been tossing around in my head for a while: instead of a PDA style Mac, Apple needs to introduce a Tablet mac.



    &lt;further description deleted&gt;



    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    Sorry, I don't like. Tablet Computers do not replace other computers, yet their price are equal to desktop machines. Keyboardless is a serious disadvantage that would only be tolerated by going super portable (ie Palm device), With the base station you are talking serious bucks.
  • Reply 2 of 8
    I would spend a hell of a lot of money on something like that. In fact, I would prefer that it didn't have any ports on it or speakers. Just a pen-sensitive LCD screen
  • Reply 3 of 8
    nijiniji Posts: 288member
    hi,

    i want one!

    i wonder if the modem would need to be in the tablet itself. possibly the modem on the airport base station could be just as easily accessed.

    all of the tablets today are too heavy!

    (for tablets) think light!

    i would also decrease the usb and firewire ports so that there are only 1 of each.

    i would add a stereo input.

    it needs to hook up to iPod somehow for sure!

    it needs to have better speakers in it than what is in iBook (for example).

    it needs to have a bluetooth built in,

    i'd make the screen taller than it is wide (an iBook monitor upright)

    lets hope we get one...
  • Reply 4 of 8
    brbr Posts: 8,395member
    Thinclient, 802.11b, yadda yadda yadda. Hasn't this thread been done a billion times? Someone find a previous thread so this one can be locked.
  • Reply 5 of 8
    mrbilldatamrbilldata Posts: 489member
    [quote]Originally posted by graphiteman:

    <strong>Here's an idea I've been tossing around in my head for a while: instead of a PDA style Mac, Apple needs to introduce a Tablet mac.

    ...deleted...

    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    Until Apple says it's a good idea, most of this forum will be hostile to such an idea.



    Personally I thought that the Cube would have been revolutionary if it had a wireless tablet type display and keyboard that could be taken anywhere within ~100 feet. Allowing the "Tablet" to be used independently or with the Cube. Even detaching the flatpanel from an iMac to walk around with would have been cutting edge.



    The "Tablet" should be all solidstate, 2 GB volatile memory and 1 GB non-volatile memory with minimal ports. You need to trade the cost(financial and physical) to have a super lite device and keep the heavy items (CD, harddrive, modem, etc) in the remote box. 802.11e would be an absolute must.



    Even though places like Hospitals are buying PC versions at $4-6K a piece, Apple just doesn't see them as a justifiable market. <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[No]" />



    [ 07-14-2002: Message edited by: MrBillData ]</p>
  • Reply 6 of 8
    I would buy a tablet . It would be nice if it had Lcars . Some sort of intelligent keyboard on the screen . Changes according to what you are doing .
  • Reply 7 of 8
    nitridenitride Posts: 100member
    [quote] It would be nice if it had Lcars . Some sort of intelligent keyboard on the screen . Changes according to what you are doing . <hr></blockquote>



    You already have that. Its called "software" - say it with me SOFT-WARE.
  • Reply 8 of 8
    digixdigix Posts: 109member
    What is possible is that... a new revision of the iBook will be able to transform into a tablet mode, much like on how the Vadem Clio / Sharp Tripad capable of transforming into three different modes (notebook, presentation, and tablet).



    That way, the iBook gained a lot of features without sacrificing a lot of essential features (like keyboard and trackpad). And the iBook after all, is once said to be the successor of the eMate (which had both keyboard and stylus as its inputs), the iBook gaining stylus input feature will made it a more complete succesor to the eMate.





    And speaking of stylus input.



    Now that Apple is planning for stylus input capability to its general personal pomputers with Mac OS X' Ink, will Apple also support handwritting made in a non-roman language, like Kanji characters?



    After all, Apple Macintosh computers were one of the first personal computers to display Kanji characters, that's why it's quite a hit in Japan. That and its compact form also play a part in its hit in Japan.
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