From what we can glean from these guesses, this is going to be device that is locked into an app store, running the iPhone OS.
So you cant even call this a tablet PC in the true sense of the word. It's a slightly advanced version of those internet appliances from the late 90s. Except in this case, you can get widgets to calculate tips, fart digitally, or play DS-esque games.
But we keep hearing that tablets, that actually run full-blown OSs with the ability to run existing applications as well as any desktop, will be completely blown away? Do people remember that Apple doesnt allow for things like "duplication of features" on the iPhone? So no Firefox, Chrome, alternate media players or other such things? Not to mention no removable battery, expansion slots, god knows if there is even 2 USB ports.
I mean, how great will this possibly be if it is just a portable "iTunes purchases holder"?
@LAY Not even the most die hard fanboys can argue that the iPhone OS is better than Windows 7 or real OS X...app store may be relevant on phones, but compared to windows, it has nothing.
@B3astofthe3ast while i agree with you completely, one thing to consider is that we have no idea what changes are coming in iphone os4, it may end up more like android, which has already found its way onto tablet devices (i doubt it, but its something to consider)
@B3astofthe3ast I imagine Apple is beefing up iPhone OS to be more of a general purpose platform with multi-tasking, file management, etc. Running applications that aren't designed for a multi-touch interface is just stupid. No one wants that. That's why tablet PCs have been a failure.
I imagine Apple is beefing up iPhone OS to be more of a general purpose platform with multi-tasking, file management, etc. Running applications that aren't designed for a multi-touch interface is just stupid. No one wants that. That's why tablet PCs have been a failure.
You obviously know nothing about tablet PCs.
Tablet PC are a billion-dollar business. They are used in workplaces, offices, schools, factories, and by average people all of the world.
Ok, maybe their main function isnt to play multimedia from iTunes or read NY Times articles, but you know, they do those perfectly fine, with or without multi-touch or pretty transition animations. Seriously, what are you going to do with multi-touch other than pinch zoom anyway?
I have one, I run anything I want, and you know what the dirty little secret is?
99.9% of existing applications run perfectly fine.
Photoshop/Gimp/PSP Google Maps Firefox VLC
And after mapping hardware buttons to it, I can also play some game emulators.
The problem is that too many Apple folks have no clue what tablet PCs are about, likely because they never even seen one, even more likely because they need to just plain trash them so as to make Apple's internet appliance seem like the great savor of a bunch of "failures".
@LAY The same could have been said about smartphones before the iPhone came out, though. I had Palm, WinMo, BBerry devices and enjoyed using them. You can install whatever you wanted on them, etc. But the iPhone came out and now the market for smartphones REALLY took off and became something EVERYONE lusted for, not just geeks. Apple isn't here to sell devices to geeks and nerds. They're here to sell them to every day average people that want to be hip and cool and promote an image, while still doing a very good job at it. The sooner everyone realizes this, the better. I'm sure Apple would rather lose the 3% of the market that is tech nerds, and pick up the 97% that is regular people that just want a device that works without them having to do anything than click Go.
But see here is the issue. What is this suppose to be then?
Is this a tablet PC or is it a large iPod touch?
If it is a larger iPod touch, with all of the locked-down goodness that people apparently know and love, then that is what it is.
However, what I getting from articles and from fanatics is that "OMG this gonna totally own those crap tablet PCs because this is innovative and revolutionary", when all it seems to be is a paid content delivery and storage appliance. Great if you dreamed of buying a subscription to Time magazine to read on an LCD screen, or need to yank out a 700.00 device to check the weather, but as far as being this "revolution"? I've yet to see what the revolution is or how Tablet PCs, that are the realm of "geeks and nerds", even though it runs exactly the same as a desktop, are somehow been deemed completely inadequate.
What I'm actually hoping for (well, not really "hoping" as such - I live my life independant of whatever may or may not come from rumours) is a skinned or semi-skinned version of OSX - finger-friendly UI (a la iPhone), full robust OSX underneath (WITH the ability to access the vanilla UI)
As I said in the WSJ rumour post yesterday, I fail to see the merit of a mobile OS on anything bigger than, say, 5 inches.
It's not released yet. It's a surprise. All of your serious opinions are just speculation. Why don't all just wait and see? And how hilarious would it be if they don't unveil an apple tablet?
Well, if the rumors are to be believed, its supposed to be a merging of a Kindle, iPod Touch and iPhone. Being able to browse the web with good resolution (1366x720), IM, email, read e-books, watch movies and listen to music and thats all it needs to do. Most people get by with low end laptops and netbooks because all they wanna do is browse the web, email, and IM. If this does that in a form factor more conducive to the way web pages are layed out (ie not needing pinch zoom, etc, because of the resolution) the this would very easily replace most peoples PCs.
Keep deluding yourself in believing that tablets are a billion dollar busines. Tablets are failure for a reason, tacking a desktop OS onto a tablet is a receipe for disaster which is the reason why tablets have failed. But keep telling yourself they are successful.
The phone has 256MB of RAM and a 1GHz processor, which do the job reasonably well, though the Anna interface will likely leave something to be desired for many smartphone users.
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If the tablet is running the iphone OS, it'll be next to useless....at least give it full blown OS X...
@B3astofthe3ast
This is the thing that is a total head-scratcher.
From what we can glean from these guesses, this is going to be device that is locked into an app store, running the iPhone OS.
So you cant even call this a tablet PC in the true sense of the word. It's a slightly advanced version of those internet appliances from the late 90s. Except in this case, you can get widgets to calculate tips, fart digitally, or play DS-esque games.
But we keep hearing that tablets, that actually run full-blown OSs with the ability to run existing applications as well as any desktop, will be completely blown away? Do people remember that Apple doesnt allow for things like "duplication of features" on the iPhone? So no Firefox, Chrome, alternate media players or other such things? Not to mention no removable battery, expansion slots, god knows if there is even 2 USB ports.
I mean, how great will this possibly be if it is just a portable "iTunes purchases holder"?
@LAY Not even the most die hard fanboys can argue that the iPhone OS is better than Windows 7 or real OS X...app store may be relevant on phones, but compared to windows, it has nothing.
@B3astofthe3ast
while i agree with you completely, one thing to consider is that we have no idea what changes are coming in iphone os4, it may end up more like android, which has already found its way onto tablet devices (i doubt it, but its something to consider)
@B3astofthe3ast
I imagine Apple is beefing up iPhone OS to be more of a general purpose platform with multi-tasking, file management, etc. Running applications that aren't designed for a multi-touch interface is just stupid. No one wants that. That's why tablet PCs have been a failure.
@(Unverified)
I imagine Apple is beefing up iPhone OS to be more of a general purpose platform with multi-tasking, file management, etc. Running applications that aren't designed for a multi-touch interface is just stupid. No one wants that. That's why tablet PCs have been a failure.
You obviously know nothing about tablet PCs.
Tablet PC are a billion-dollar business. They are used in workplaces, offices, schools, factories, and by average people all of the world.
Ok, maybe their main function isnt to play multimedia from iTunes or read NY Times articles, but you know, they do those perfectly fine, with or without multi-touch or pretty transition animations. Seriously, what are you going to do with multi-touch other than pinch zoom anyway?
I have one, I run anything I want, and you know what the dirty little secret is?
99.9% of existing applications run perfectly fine.
Photoshop/Gimp/PSP
Google Maps
Firefox
VLC
And after mapping hardware buttons to it, I can also play some game emulators.
The problem is that too many Apple folks have no clue what tablet PCs are about, likely because they never even seen one, even more likely because they need to just plain trash them so as to make Apple's internet appliance seem like the great savor of a bunch of "failures".
@LAY
The same could have been said about smartphones before the iPhone came out, though. I had Palm, WinMo, BBerry devices and enjoyed using them. You can install whatever you wanted on them, etc. But the iPhone came out and now the market for smartphones REALLY took off and became something EVERYONE lusted for, not just geeks. Apple isn't here to sell devices to geeks and nerds. They're here to sell them to every day average people that want to be hip and cool and promote an image, while still doing a very good job at it. The sooner everyone realizes this, the better. I'm sure Apple would rather lose the 3% of the market that is tech nerds, and pick up the 97% that is regular people that just want a device that works without them having to do anything than click Go.
@icase81
But see here is the issue. What is this suppose to be then?
Is this a tablet PC or is it a large iPod touch?
If it is a larger iPod touch, with all of the locked-down goodness that people apparently know and love, then that is what it is.
However, what I getting from articles and from fanatics is that "OMG this gonna totally own those crap tablet PCs because this is innovative and revolutionary", when all it seems to be is a paid content delivery and storage appliance. Great if you dreamed of buying a subscription to Time magazine to read on an LCD screen, or need to yank out a 700.00 device to check the weather, but as far as being this "revolution"? I've yet to see what the revolution is or how Tablet PCs, that are the realm of "geeks and nerds", even though it runs exactly the same as a desktop, are somehow been deemed completely inadequate.
@LAY
What I'm actually hoping for (well, not really "hoping" as such - I live my life independant of whatever may or may not come from rumours) is a skinned or semi-skinned version of OSX - finger-friendly UI (a la iPhone), full robust OSX underneath (WITH the ability to access the vanilla UI)
As I said in the WSJ rumour post yesterday, I fail to see the merit of a mobile OS on anything bigger than, say, 5 inches.
@everyone
It's not released yet. It's a surprise. All of your serious opinions are just speculation. Why don't all just wait and see? And how hilarious would it be if they don't unveil an apple tablet?
Engadget would sure have some explaining to do
@LAY
Well, if the rumors are to be believed, its supposed to be a merging of a Kindle, iPod Touch and iPhone. Being able to browse the web with good resolution (1366x720), IM, email, read e-books, watch movies and listen to music and thats all it needs to do. Most people get by with low end laptops and netbooks because all they wanna do is browse the web, email, and IM. If this does that in a form factor more conducive to the way web pages are layed out (ie not needing pinch zoom, etc, because of the resolution) the this would very easily replace most peoples PCs.
@LAY
Keep deluding yourself in believing that tablets are a billion dollar busines. Tablets are failure for a reason, tacking a desktop OS onto a tablet is a receipe for disaster which is the reason why tablets have failed. But keep telling yourself they are successful.