“Apple’s lips are sealed about its widely rumored tablet computer, but technology experts are giddy about the device, already exclaiming it will be the gadget to end all gadgets,” David Goldman reports for CNNMoney.com
“Executives at Apple never discuss products that are in the works, so there’s no confirmation that the thing even exists,” Goldman reports. “But rumors are circulating that Steve Jobs and Co. have designed a magazine-sized, touch-screen, hand-held, all-in-one device that is half-iPhone, half-Macintosh computer.”
“If the rumors are true, the tablet will be able to do basically everything a gadget could possibly do. It’s an e-reader, a gaming device, and a music player. You can watch TV and movies on it and surf the Internet (or so we’ve heard). And it will have thousands of third-party apps available for it … or maybe it will run Mac OS X,” Goldman reports. “That’s all still unknown.”
Goldman reports, “‘This will be the next big thing,’ said Laura DiDio, principal analyst at ITIC. ‘Apple is going to wow everybody with the tablet.'”
Full article here.
Well, yes, but remember the 1st couple years Apple is cautious and feels its way forward. The iPhone by next June will be leagues beyond its initial launch, when the AppStore did not even exist.
The iTab will revolutionize computing and will take a couple years to hit its full stride — and then it will indeed do everything, absolutely everything, tasks undreamed of now.
Brand new year, brand new decade, brand new era of true Apple domination.
“If the rumors are true, the tablet will be able to do basically everything a gadget could possibly do. It’s an e-reader, a gaming device, and a music player. You can watch TV and movies on it and surf the Internet (or so we’ve heard). And it will have thousands of third-party apps available for it … or maybe it will run Mac OS X,”
And no one will buy it because it will cost $1000 and really does nothing that a $1000 MacBook that you already know and love can’t do.
This is what the Mayans were talking about the dawning of a new era, ushered in by a new codec(x).
98.3% of the “pundits” will be underwhelmed, so much is guaranteed.
so we’ll have lots to laugh at in the near future…
I need glasses. At first glance I read that “Laura DiDio” as Laura Dildo! LOL!!!!
There is no reason to think that it COULDN’T run OS X and iPhone/iTouch apps at the same time. Remember that Apple can easily enable a setting in Xcode to add ARM support to Mac Apps. And Apple did set up the foundation to the Tablet with the Core Animation stuff……..so…….
I’d say that with rather simple interface modifications, a lot of programs could be make to run on a Tablet. And Apple could provide a lot of the work with Xcode, translating a lot of the Menu/Mouse Clicks to pop up windows and gestures.
Dallasm,
Of course. Just like a $200 iPhone does nothing that an ordinary $0 (with plan) LG Incite Windows Mobile 6.1 phone (that everyone knows and “loves”) can’t do…
Jubei,
I don’t know how old you are, but is it possible that you don’t need glasses, but need a woman instead…?
My god, sights are set very high for this rumor.
I don’t know if anything release can live up this hype.
Sell on announcement, then buy back on the bounce.
Can the hype for this product get any higher? I don’t recall this amount of interest leading up to the iPhone.
I do have faith, but Apple better wow them, or the blogosphere will have a frickin’ field day.
So much hype is never good, it only leads to disappointment. This thing has gotten so hyped, I don’t think there’s any way Apple can deliver what’s expected and still give us an affordable price point.
So clever! Anyone who sees something sexual by accident and jokes about it MUST need a woman!
Man, if only we were all so awesome.
If it can also kill every mthrfsckin speculative patent vulture that’s going to try and make a buck out of it if (and only if) it’s successful, that’d be great.
What I am looking forward to most is seeing the fruits of PA Semi work. IF the new device features a new Apple-exclusive processor, we should see some presentation of its capabilities at this event. I CAN’T BELIEVE ITS STILL A WEEK AWAY!!!
From the article:
Similarly, only 3% of people whose cell phones can play music say they use their phone as their primary music player, according to a Yankee Group study. Even if it means carrying around two devices, an MP3 player is bound to have a better user experience than a multi-function cell phone.
I say bullshit.
Obviously iPhone owners were not in this study.
Does any body know if Laura Goldman es putting a “sell” on apple again just like she did with the iphone?
Walt Mossberg hasn’t said a damn thing about the iSlate.
I bet the bastard already has one. Bitch!
I love comments like Dallasm… you act like you have a clue what this possible product is… you don’t. Nobody but Apple does. So how do you know if the price – which again, you don’t know – is justified compared to a Macbook? You’re basing your analysis on what? Until you see a product and know what it can do, only then can you make a comment like that.
It still does not make a lot of sense that the iSlate or what ever is another stand alone device. If it is a stand alone device it’s going to have to be some amazing innovative knock-out ass kicking product like the iPhone but better. I just don’t see a big enough market in a cell data connected device that requires a data contract and cost $700 to $1000.00. A device that sells for $200 to $500.00 that enhancing your iPhone and iPod touch with enhanced graphics, a larger screen, extra battery life, and other added features. Then has the ability to plug into a Mac and give you a small USB fully multi-touch screen and navigation pad.
That would be innovative and a killer product that would leverage iPhone and iPod touch sells without cannibalizing sells of one of Apple’s biggest selling products.
A tablet that could cannibalize iPhone and iPod touch sales just does not make any sense. It made sense for Apple to cannibalize some iPod sales with the iPhone. But the iPhone is not yet in the leader position that the iPod was in when Apple introduced the iPhone and then iPod touch. Apple needs a killer innovative add-on to the iPhone to cement it’s strong position in the market. While showing all the other Smart phone makers that they are just spinning their wheels waiting for the light to be turned off. A tablet or slate is just going to detract from the iPhone and iPod touch. But an accessory that extends the functionality and increases the market share is bound to cause more then a little stir in the market.
How much potential do I believe an Apple tablet may have? How pervasive could its intended and unintended effects could be? What Steve Jobs may unveil in a week’s time could be someday viewed as fundamental a change as that brought about by Guttenberg’s invention of movable type, which made mass publishing possible. With an announcement that could only be delivered by Steve Jobs, we may see the birth of mass adoption of electronic publications, and the end of media delivered by the printing press.
If you are a newspaper or magazine publisher, this cannot come soon enough. Both industries are threatened by economics. The cost of printing today is staggering. And consider this: 2/3rds of the carbon released into the atmosphere is from trees being cut from equatorial rain forests. Bringing about the death of printed newspapers, magazines, even junk mail and flyers that clog your mailbox could do much to save the equatorial rain forests on which our world depends.
If Apple succeeds, and I believe that the company will, other companies will join the fray to compete. I will cheer for Apple of course, but more important, I will cheer for our world. If you fast forward 20-30, even 50 years from now, I think we will look back and realize what Apple brought about. Pundits and fanboys will sneer and say that Microsoft came up with tablet computing years ago. True. (I might even be wrong, and discover that someone else actually was first. But I digress.) But it will be Apple that will make a tablet practical, pave the way to mass adoption, and in the process, start yet another revolution. It won’t be perfect at first. No version 1.0 of anything ever is. But I believe the revolution will start next week. In the process, we might not just change how we read or view content. We might save the world from global warming and loss of our forests too.
I can’t wait.
i think the inverse of the quote, “The lady doth protest too much, methinks” is applicable here. i think some in the media and some well-known bloggers are purposely trying to hype this thing beyond possibility in the hopes of sinking it before it even sets sail.
trying to set expectations of a competitors product to the unachievable is a cheap, but risky trick. i thinks it’s realistic to expect a nicely-designed piece of hardware, an iphone-inspired and innovative UI, enhanced publication reader, itunes-appletv tie-in device that costs about $100 more than we’d like to pay.
@Bullshit Detectorama:
That would depend. I’m planning on getting an iPhone once my current contract is up, but it will not replace my current iPod. My current iPod is a “Classic” model with 60gb of storage. I currently use about 50gb of that space. The highest capacity iPhone (so far) is 32gb. So if I wanted to use the phone as my media player, I’d have to remove something like 20gb of media from the device.
I find it convenient to have all that media with me, and absolutely don’t mind having a separate media player in order to do so.
The Everything Speculator… let’s just wait and see what Steve wants to release this month.
$1000 less carrier subsidy. My guess? iPhone = $99, $199, $299. The Mac Slate = $499 and $599.
Much more revolutionary will be the announcement of iTunes in the Cloud and iTunes TV Subscriptions. Possibly even ad-supported free content or reduced pricing. This will begin the accelerated demise of broadcast TV.