On the oft-rumored Apple tablet
Provided that the product is real, a highly probably scenario at this point, I am probably going to get the iSlate or whatever Apple calls their tablet. I don't expect it to be the savior for the tablet concept which has struggled for 4 years to gain a following. It would join three other tablet PCs in my arsenal and should make for an interesting head-to-head comparison piece. Should I ever get one, it will square off against an Always Innovating Touch Book convertible tablet running a custom Linux operating system, a Viliv S5 MID running Windows XP, and an Archos 5 Internet Tablet with Android.
Rumors are plentiful concerning the not-yet-official device, but there is enough common ground so that certain details are likely to be confirmed next week.
What we are pretty sure of:
10-inch capacitive multi-touch display
Custom operating system based on iPhone OS
No physical keyboard or mouse
What is likely:
Integrated mobile broadband (through Verizon)
Custom in-house chipset
Cost in the realm of $1000
Name of iSlate
Compatibility with iTunes App Store
Can't be called one way or another:
Carrier subsidy
Cross-platform integration (iWork, Office)
What is not likely:
Cost comparable to Mac Mini ($600-800) before carrier discount
External display outputs (without a dock or proprietary cable)
What we're sure isn't true:
AM-OLED display (nobody makes 10" OLEDs enough for mass market devices)
User-replaceable battery (Apple has trended towards integrated batteries)
Runs Mac OS X (Not usable with touch-only control; lack of hardware support for non-Intel chips)
From where I'm standing, the device is too large to be considered "portable", won't run a full (or at least customizable/replaceable) operating system, and may be priced too high to have a meaningful impact on the market. At the $1000 price point you can get a well-equipped notebook (the new 11" Alienware is cheaper!) and a 10-inch netbook is only a third of that cost.
The iSlate is going to sell, of course, thanks mainly to Apple's well-funded base of devotees who buy every new object with their logo on it. I'm just not sure who else this device is going to be geared towards. Enterprise use will be too limited if the sole source of programs is the App Store. Perhaps artists, though a stylus would be absolutely necessary and it would need to compete in terms of tablet accuracy and comfort as well as editing/post-processing with established graphics tablets like those from Wacom. There is talk of an extensive eBook market on it, but that overlooks a critical component of mainstream eBook readers: reflectivity. The reason e-Ink is so popular is that it is easy on the eyes in most lighting conditions; typical LCD displays require backlighting and can cause considerable eyestrain over time. Were it poised as a gaming device, the awkwardness of touch-only control schemes has caused something of a schism amongst gamers ("casual" versus "hardcore").
The biggest question Apple will need to answer with their slate is why anybody should buy one over a smartphone, netbook, or notebook. Especially if it is priced to match their base MacBook, why wouldn't someone opt for the [presumably] more powerful computer that can run most software (through VM/boot camp)? If it doesn't offer much over the current iPhone OS, why would anyone want a bulkier device at twice the price or more? If you want an ultraportable computer, why not spend a third of the cost on a netbook (some now even have touch support)? To make a splash, a tablet has to distinguish itself not just in styling, but in function, too. Many tablets try to do too much with too little with inevitably poor results. Others are stifled by conservative design and fail to live up to expectations. From the details available, I'm going to give Apple the benefit of the doubt and say the latter option is more likely, the slate being bound to a crippling, restrictive platform that inspires more could-have-been's than oohs and ahs.
Apple is hold an event on Wednesday that promises a look at their latest creation, almost certainly their tablet. Hopefully then we will see what the fuss has been about.
Rumors are plentiful concerning the not-yet-official device, but there is enough common ground so that certain details are likely to be confirmed next week.
What we are pretty sure of:
10-inch capacitive multi-touch display
Custom operating system based on iPhone OS
No physical keyboard or mouse
What is likely:
Integrated mobile broadband (through Verizon)
Custom in-house chipset
Cost in the realm of $1000
Name of iSlate
Compatibility with iTunes App Store
Can't be called one way or another:
Carrier subsidy
Cross-platform integration (iWork, Office)
What is not likely:
Cost comparable to Mac Mini ($600-800) before carrier discount
External display outputs (without a dock or proprietary cable)
What we're sure isn't true:
AM-OLED display (nobody makes 10" OLEDs enough for mass market devices)
User-replaceable battery (Apple has trended towards integrated batteries)
Runs Mac OS X (Not usable with touch-only control; lack of hardware support for non-Intel chips)
From where I'm standing, the device is too large to be considered "portable", won't run a full (or at least customizable/replaceable) operating system, and may be priced too high to have a meaningful impact on the market. At the $1000 price point you can get a well-equipped notebook (the new 11" Alienware is cheaper!) and a 10-inch netbook is only a third of that cost.
The iSlate is going to sell, of course, thanks mainly to Apple's well-funded base of devotees who buy every new object with their logo on it. I'm just not sure who else this device is going to be geared towards. Enterprise use will be too limited if the sole source of programs is the App Store. Perhaps artists, though a stylus would be absolutely necessary and it would need to compete in terms of tablet accuracy and comfort as well as editing/post-processing with established graphics tablets like those from Wacom. There is talk of an extensive eBook market on it, but that overlooks a critical component of mainstream eBook readers: reflectivity. The reason e-Ink is so popular is that it is easy on the eyes in most lighting conditions; typical LCD displays require backlighting and can cause considerable eyestrain over time. Were it poised as a gaming device, the awkwardness of touch-only control schemes has caused something of a schism amongst gamers ("casual" versus "hardcore").
The biggest question Apple will need to answer with their slate is why anybody should buy one over a smartphone, netbook, or notebook. Especially if it is priced to match their base MacBook, why wouldn't someone opt for the [presumably] more powerful computer that can run most software (through VM/boot camp)? If it doesn't offer much over the current iPhone OS, why would anyone want a bulkier device at twice the price or more? If you want an ultraportable computer, why not spend a third of the cost on a netbook (some now even have touch support)? To make a splash, a tablet has to distinguish itself not just in styling, but in function, too. Many tablets try to do too much with too little with inevitably poor results. Others are stifled by conservative design and fail to live up to expectations. From the details available, I'm going to give Apple the benefit of the doubt and say the latter option is more likely, the slate being bound to a crippling, restrictive platform that inspires more could-have-been's than oohs and ahs.
Apple is hold an event on Wednesday that promises a look at their latest creation, almost certainly their tablet. Hopefully then we will see what the fuss has been about.