“Apple’s anticipated press event later this month is widely expected to debut a new tabled-sized device as a sibling to the company’s Mac, iPod and iPhone product lines. Here’s what has led up to the launch, and why the futuristic tablet hasn’t taken off so far,” Prince McLean reports for AppleInsider.
“The new “iSlate” or perhaps “iBook” product that observers hope to see from Apple is thought to include a new graphical interface based on the multitouch foundation of the iPhone, and is anticipated to physically fit between the pocket-sized form factor of the iPhone and iPod touch and the 13-inch notebooks of Apple’s Mac lineup,” McLean reports.
“A variety of vendors have tried to deliver tablet-like products over the past two decades, but none have been a standout success,” McLean reports. “This has the tech world watching with bated breath to see if Apple can apply its aura of desirability to the tablet segment in the same way that it has managed to do in desktops, notebooks, MP3 players and smartphones.”
McLean reports, “Looking at the history of tablet products of the past provides some clues as to why they haven’t taken off yet, and what new potential they might have this year, given the new advances in hardware technology and the platform advancements that have stoked a software market capable of supporting users’ interest in such a device.”
Full article here.
OMG enough with the ultra-lame iSlate name already!!!
#1 reason why the tablet computer hasn’t taken off so far:
Windows!
@ TomL
Lol I’m sure CRAPPLE tablet PC wouldn’t be any different from a Windows based tablet. Too bad they can’t fit a real OS in their toy instead of a stripped down version of OSX as for Windows based tablet I’m getting the “real” entire version of Windows 7.
http://www.bing.com When it comes to decisions that matter, Bing & Decide
heh, “I’m A PC”: you sure are.
Hey, look! It’s ZuneTang! Except he’s not funny and he’s serious!
Lol.
@I’m a PC
Nice sig, ya fag…
“…and the platform advancements that have stoked a software market capable of supporting users’ interest in such a device.”
Translation: “and Apple’s platform advancements (OS X and iPhone OS, plus the associated Mac, iPhone, and iPod touch hardware) leading to the App Store that have created a software market capable of generating user interest in such a device (if it actually exists outside of rumor).”
I know this probably sounds nuts to a lot of you, but I move around in my work a lot, and am very accustomed to writing one thought while watching some other activity.
I can do it with a stylus, but have more trouble keeping my train of thought while typing and observing.
It sounds old fashioned, but I want a stylus/handwriting recognition option.
No, I won’t write with my fingers.
Wow… “a tabled-sized device”
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Didn’t Microcrap already try that?
BTW, that was a great summary article.
I can’t imagine that it will be called “iBook” unless Apple starts recycling names. I still own two working iBooks.
Just so folks know:
‘Prince McLean’ at AppleInsider, the guy who wrote this article, is a pen name of Daniel Dilger of RoughlyDrafted.com fame. For those interested in Mac OS X Server, Daniel recently wrote the current best book on the subject: ‘Snow Leopard Server (Developer Reference)’.
TommyL, I believe your assumption to be correct. After using one of these thing for a week, I can’t believe how primitive they are, and it can only be the operating system that is limiting the functionality of the thing.
So, can anyone tell me how to hold a 10″ tablet?
It would seem too large for one-handed use, and would one need to hold it in both hands, to read? But if it is a glass-screen, as in the iPhone, how about weight then?
Somehow, I can’t quite imagine the way this form-factor could be comfortable.
I am truly eager to see what Apple have come up with …. if anything at all.
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@I’m a PC
Its got to be fun for you to be wrong all the time and getting our attention. We just hate ignorant PC losers.
The tablet or as you call it CRAPPLE tablet PC, which has nothing
to do with a PC, Will be to mobile computing as iPod was to MP3 Players and iPhone was to smart phones. Wait a few weeks to cry.
http://www.dogpile.com When it comes to decisions that matter, look for the steaming dogpile.
The news Apple releases on the 27th is about a 4th generation iPhone for the T-Mobile network. ATnT gets it in June.
this guy can see the effing future, must have a crystal ball… he’s amazing etc!
know what, I’m going to become a tech writer. tomorrow. maybe next week. then maybe right before Apple releases their next rumoured game-changer that everyone knows about — iPhone/iSlab or whatever — I’ll magically predict that that particular market segment is ready to fncking explode!!!
it’s my plan. I’ll make millions.
MDN MWord: “served” bitches.
“I’m a PC” is a zuntang wannbe. He doe not repeat himself every day like zuntang but he has a bit of a hard time getting his grammar and punctuation correct. This has been pointed out to him a number of times and yet he does not bother to proof read or perhaps simply does not know how. Either way, I can only assume he actually is a m$ fan as he does not show any underlying signs of intelligence.
So Mr. I’m a PC; if you want to be a real funny guy like zungtan you first must be a Mac fan, not a real PC weenie.
This guys writes like somebody who grew up with the name “Prince”, whether it’s Dilger or not. Waaanker.
Fix the new iMac! No more flickering, yellow screens, no more silence.
@I’m a PC
You are a bad copy of Zune Tang, and bad copies suck.
Just look a Windows.
(Can’t believe I’m defending Zune Tang!)
@DX: You sound just like JW, one of my all time favorite Waaaaaankers.
As for “Fix the new iMac!” Happened last week. Do please try to keep up.
derek, it was most certainly not fixed last week. You should keep up… the firmware update (aside from not applying to 21.5″ owners) didn’t really work. My latest replacement came with it pre-installed and it flickers even worse than the last two.
A 10″ slate that detaches from a keyboard would fit nicely in apples product line. Initial price point $100 more than I-Touch with the price and performance increasing that would not compete with the i-book.
That would be a game-changer.