Engadget

Bluetooth Thumb Keyboard apes Backflip, may or may not be shipping now

Terrence O'Brien — Thu, 05 May 2011 16:06:00 EST

iTablet has found itself on the pages of Engadget before, primarily for vaporware slates and cheap attempts to garner attention with its iMoniker. Now its parent company AHX Global is back with an actual product -- a thumb-friendly Bluetooth keyboard. That's right, no capacitive touch screens here, just backlit QWERTY keys and a "patented rear-facing touchpad" (oh, you mean like the Backflip). You can order the inventively named Thumb Keyboard now at the source link for £79.99 (about $132) but, having only seen renders and considering the company's track record, we're hedging our bets on whether this thing is actually shipping yet. Full PR is after the break.

Continue reading Bluetooth Thumb Keyboard apes Backflip, may or may not be shipping now

Bluetooth Thumb Keyboard apes Backflip, may or may not be shipping now originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 May 2011 16:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X2 promises a clutch of elusive iTablets for Computex

Joseph L. Flatley — Fri, 28 May 2010 10:50:00 EST

We're gearing up for Computex, and so is X2, apparently. The iTablet (which has been announced and then failed to materialize in the past) will be making an appearance at the show with not one but five variants. Seems like they're throwing the kitchen sink at us to see what will stick, eh? According to JKK Mobile we can, look forward to no less than three Intel-sportin' devices (including the iTablet Lite, which features a 10.1-inch display and 1.6GHz Atom CPU and both the T23A and T23X tablets with Core 2 Duo 743 1.30GHz CPU and 12.1-inch display) as well as a pair of 10.1-inch bad boys including the iTablet Speed-Lite (Nvidia Tegra 2 1GHz, 1GB RAM, 512MB NAND Flash storage) and the iTablet Ex-Lite II, which is pretty much the same but for the Freescale 800MHz CPU. The latter two will rock either Windows CE 6 or Android 2.0, apparently. We'll hold out for prices and actual product before passing judgement, but until then you can hit the source link -- you know, if you've never seen rendered images of vaporware tablets.

X2 promises a clutch of elusive iTablets for Computex originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 May 2010 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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X2 brings the Amtek iTablet back from the abyss, forgets that no one cared the first time

Nilay Patel — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:36:00 EST

Apple might have surprised everyone -- including us -- by naming its tablet the "iPad," but the UK's X2 isn't letting this opportunity pass it by: it's managed to drum up some cheap attention today by announcing an "iTablet" powered by a "1.6GHz Intel processor" and running whatever flavor of Windows from XP to 7 your heart desires. Of course, what X2 isn't telling anyone is that it's actually not doing anything more than simply reselling the Amtek iTablet, a product that's been out for ages and that we've covered in the past -- you might recognize this early post by one Mr. Joshua Topolsky in which he said the resistive touchscreen looked "quite frisky." How dramatically things change. Anyway, we don't have a detailed spec list right now, but the Amtek iTablet has a 1.6GHz Pentium M, not an Atom, so this thing could potentially be a serious dog. Feel like making with the goods, X2?

Update: X2 tells Register Hardware that its iTablet will go on sale in April in both 10 and 12-inch sizes, but declined to say what kind of Intel chip is powering this thing. If we had to guess, we'd say they're using the name and pictures of the older Amtek device to cash in on iPad hype right now while they get their actual product in order -- and hey, it seems to be working. We'll let you know if we see the real deal anytime soon.

X2 brings the Amtek iTablet back from the abyss, forgets that no one cared the first time originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple iPad first hands-on! (update: video!)

Joshua Topolsky — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:48:00 EST

Here it is folks, the Apple iPad. The screen is gorgeous, tilting is responsive, and the thing is super thin. Still, if you've used the iPhone before -- and you can see the two devices side-by-side here -- there's not a lot of surprises here so far. Here are some initial thoughts on the iPad:

It's not light. It feels pretty weighty in your hand.
The screen is stunning, and it's 1024 x 768. Feels just like a huge iPhone in your hands.
The speed of the CPU is something to be marveled at. It is blazingly fast from what we can tell. Webpages loaded up super fast, and scrolling was without a hiccup. Moving into and out of apps was a breeze. Everything flew.
There's no multitasking at all. It's a real disappointment. All this power and very little you can do with it at once. No multitasking means no streaming Pandora when you're working in Pages... you can figure it out. It's a real setback for this device.
The ebook implementation is about as close as you can get to reading without a stack of bound paper in your hand. The visual stuff really helps flesh out the experience. It may be just for show, but it counts here.
No camera. None, nada. Zip. No video conferencing here folks. Hell, it doesn't have an SMS app!
It's running iPhone OS 3.2.
The keyboard is good, not great. Not quite as responsive as it looked in the demos.
No Flash confirmed. So Hulu is out for you, folks!

Update: We've got video, head after the break to check it out!

Gallery: Apple iPad hands-on

Gallery: Apple iPad hands-on, part 2

Continue reading Apple iPad first hands-on! (update: video!)

Apple iPad first hands-on! (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Apple iPad: starting at $499

Nilay Patel — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:19:00 EST

After nearly a decade of rumors and speculation, Apple's finally unveiled the iPad. It's a half-inch thick and weighs just 1.5 pounds, with a 9.7-inch capacitive touchscreen IPS LCD display, and it's running a custom 1GHz Apple "A4" chip developed by the P.A. Semi team, with a 10-hour battery life and a month of standby. It'll come in 16, 32, and 64GB sizes, and it's got the expected connectivity: very little. There's a 30-pin Dock connector, a speaker, a microphone, Bluetooth, 802.11n WiFi and optional 3G, as well as an accelerometer and a compass. There's also a keyboard dock, which connects underneath in the portrait orientation, support for up to 1024x768 VGA out and 480p composite out through new dock adapter cables, and a camera attachment kit that lets you import photos from your camera over USB or directly through an SD reader. The device is managed by iTunes, just like the iPhone -- you sync everything over to your Mac. As expected, it can run iPhone apps -- either pixel-for-pixel in a window, or pixel-doubled fullscreen -- but developers can also target the new screen size using the updated iPhone OS SDK, which is available today. The 3G version runs on AT&T and comes with new data plans: 250MB for $14.99 and an unlimited plan for $29.99 a month contract-free. Activations are handled on the iPad, so you can activate and cancel whenever you want. Every iPad is unlocked and comes with a GSM "micro-SIM," so you can use it abroad, but there aren't any international deals in place right now -- Steve says they'll be back "this summer" with news on that front.

It starts at $499 for 16GB, 32GB for $599, and $699 64GB. Adding 3G costs a $130 per model, so the most expensive model (64GB / 3G) is $829. The WiFi-only model will ship in 60 days, and the 3G models will come in 90.

Hey, check out our first hands-on right here, and here's all our additional coverage:

Live from the Apple 'latest creation' event
iPad powered by custom 1GHz Apple A4 chip
iPad can run all iPhone apps unmodified, new iPhone SDK out today lets developers tweak apps for iPad use
Apple's iPad keeping Adobe Flash away from your couch
Apple reveals iBookstore and app for the iPad
Apple announces iWork for iPad
Apple iPad 3G service plans on AT&T, $30 for unlimited data
iPad has optional keyboard dock, camera connection kit and Apple-designed case
iPad vs. iPhone... fight!
Apple iPad first hands-on!
iPad vs. iPhone: what does 3G cost you?

Gallery: The Apple iPad

Gallery: The Apple iPad introduction

Gallery: Apple iPad accessories

Continue reading The Apple iPad: starting at $499

The Apple iPad: starting at $499 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 14:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live from the Apple 'latest creation' event

Joshua Topolsky — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:40:00 EST

Will the Apple tablet finally, really be unveiled? We're at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco (see above) patiently waiting to get inside and get this thing underway! Keep reading after the break for the minute by minute coverage!

Continue reading Live from the Apple 'latest creation' event

Live from the Apple 'latest creation' event originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Our live coverage of the Apple 'latest creation' event starts tomorrow at 10:00AM PT / 1:00PM ET

Joshua Topolsky — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:20:00 EST

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that Apple is supposedly set to introduce a tablet device (AKA the Apple Tablet, iSlate, etc.) at its latest event that will change the lives of every man, woman, and child on the planet. Sure, it could just be a fresh version of iLife and an 8GB iPhone 3GS, but we kinda doubt that. If you know what's best for you, you'll tune in for our minute-by-minute, live coverage of the event. There won't be a better seat in the house... well, except for wherever Steve Jobs is sitting.

The show gets going on Wednesday, January 27th at 10AM PT.

You can follow updates on Twitter or Facebook as well.

Here's the URL where you should park your browser, and below are starting times around the globe:

08:00AM - Hawaii
10:00AM - Pacific
11:00AM - Mountain
12:00PM - Central
01:00PM - Eastern
06:00PM - London
07:00PM - Paris
09:00PM - Moscow
03:00AM - Tokyo (January 28th)

Our live coverage of the Apple 'latest creation' event starts tomorrow at 10:00AM PT / 1:00PM ET originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple iTablet: the obvious name? (updated)

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:41:00 EST

With all the recent talk about the iSlate, iPad, iSlab, whatever... doesn't it seem like the obvious candidate for the name of Apple's rumored tablet computer is being completely overlooked? Like Apple's first phone that later came to be called the iPhone, isn't the most obvious name for an Apple tablet the iTablet? To support the theory we decided to share the above image that we received from a trusted source and believe to be authentic. It's a picture taken of an Apple Store employee's corporate email after receiving information about the time and place of Wednesday's Apple event. While the content of the email wasn't very enlightening, note the word used in the filename of the second attachment: "itablet." Now this doesn't prove a thing. The administrative assistant who sent the mass email could have been using "itablet' much in the same way that we've been using the term for years as a generic placeholder for the rumored device. Then again, maybe we should heed the wisdom of Occam's Razor when speculating about Apple's naming preference for a 10-inch tablet computer?

P.S. Amtek currently holds the US trademark (and itablet.com domain) for "iTablet" and continues to sell products under that name as it has for years. Not that a silly thing like trademark ownership could stop Apple from announcing its iPhone at a time when Cisco owned the rights.

Update: Looks like the attached image name above, while authentic, likely originated in a post from Pocket-lint (look at the properties). For what it's worth, the invite image we received was embedded with a name "top.jpg." Regardless, this is probably not Apple revealing its product name in a sloppy pre-event slip-up. [Thanks, MarkNewby]

Apple iTablet: the obvious name? (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 04:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Our live coverage of the Apple 'latest creation' event starts Wednesday, January 27th

Joshua Topolsky — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:15:00 EST

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that Apple is supposedly set to introduce a tablet device (AKA the Apple Tablet, iSlate, etc.) at its latest event that will change the lives of every man, woman, and child on the planet. Sure, it could just be a fresh version of iLife and an 8GB iPhone 3GS, but we kinda doubt that. If you know what's best for you, you'll tune in for our minute-by-minute, live coverage of the event. There won't be a better seat in the house... well, except for wherever Steve Jobs is sitting.

The show gets going on Wednesday, January 27th at 10AM PT.

Here's the URL where you should park your browser, and below are starting times around the globe:

08:00AM - Hawaii
10:00AM - Pacific
11:00AM - Mountain
12:00PM - Central
01:00PM - Eastern
06:00PM - London
07:00PM - Paris
09:00PM - Moscow
03:00AM - Tokyo (January 28th)

Our live coverage of the Apple 'latest creation' event starts Wednesday, January 27th originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Tablet rumors evolve into Zen koans: 'it's a big iPhone, but it's not a big iPhone'

Tim Stevens — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:04:00 EST

Can you hear it? It's the sound of wishful thinking, of hopeful optimism, of more Apple Tablet rumors. The competition is certainly not holding back in releasing theirs, so what's up with Apple? According to rumor one, from an "industry source" who has seen the OS, the software is "a big iPhone, but it's not just a big iPhone," and it's "pretty." Moving on, rumor two indicates that the device itself will have the internal hardware to work with multiple wireless providers, with Verizon apparently getting priority but there being no single-carrier tie here. Finally, the device is said to be going on sale in March, which sounds reasonable enough if that unveil on 26th comes to fruition. What does Apple have to say about it? "We are not going to comment on rumors and speculation." You can feel free, though -- that's what comments are for.

Apple Tablet rumors evolve into Zen koans: 'it's a big iPhone, but it's not a big iPhone' originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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3D UI patent snapped up by Apple in 2008: could be bases-covering, could be life-changing

Paul Miller — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:03:00 EST

We've seen this done badly so many time that it's hard to imagine anyone so self serious as Apple taking a crack at it (even if they've already done so in the desktop space), but for whatever reason the company picked up this 3D UI patent back in 2008 under the guise of a few French employees. The patent was just released in December, and describes in some detail a method of zooming around in 3D using multitouch. Of course, this picture seems to imply that it's for jumping through some representative icons on a 3D plane, but the patent seems more concerned with the core mechanics of using multiple fingers at once to get around in 3D space and manipulate 3D objects -- and then going to great lengths to cover Apple's back in regards to multitouch, capacitive touch, and "multifunction" devices. So, this could be something we see in "the tablet," the next iPhone or even never, but at least we can rest assured that pinch to zoom won't be the only multitouch game in town forever.

3D UI patent snapped up by Apple in 2008: could be bases-covering, could be life-changing originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Major' Apple announcement coming January 27th, devs already working with beta SDK (update: shipping in March)

Joshua Topolsky — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:45:00 EST

According John Paczkowski over at All Things D, Apple is planning a "major product announcement" for Wednesday, January 27th -- not the 26th as we've heard in previous reports. Additionally, the French site Mac4Ever says developers have been given a beta of the iPhone OS 4 SDK which includes a "simulator" for reformatting / scaling applications to a new, tablet-sized screens. Here at Engadget, we can confirm that sources very familiar with the situation over in Cupertino have been given info about a tablet heading for launch at the end of January, which will -- in fact -- require reformatting and resizing for (we assume)... yep, its new screen size and resolution. As far as details, they're pretty scarce right now, but you can probably begin preliminary salivating and / or player hatin' as it relates to new Apple hardware. We'll have more info as it becomes available, but for now, stay tuned.

Update: The Wall Street Journal just added its support for the rumor by saying that Apple will unveil its "new multimedia tablet device later this month" with a "10- to 11-inch touch screen" with plans to ship it in March. The WSJ's sources claim that Apple believes it can "redefine the way consumers interact with a variety of content" as we've been hearing all along. [Thanks, David]

'Major' Apple announcement coming January 27th, devs already working with beta SDK (update: shipping in March) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jan 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple tablet terrorized by component rumors

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 03:34:00 EST

Took some time off for the holidays, did you? Well, things haven't changed much since you've been gone. The world is still afraid of terrorists and Apple's still rumored to be working on a tablet. Regarding the latter, two rumors have coalesced this morning from component suppliers. First, Taiwan's Economic Daily is reporting via the Wall Street Journal that Cheng Uei Precision has landed "connector" orders for a "new flat-panel Apple Tablet PC" expected to begin shipping in Q3. Then DigiTimes piles on with its claims that Innolux (not WinTek) will be the initial supplier of 10-inch glass "touch panels" for Apple's new tablet. DigiTimes then muddles things by claiming that the tablet will begin mass shipments (presumably to consumers) in March or April based on its analysis of shipping schedules from Apple's upstream component suppliers. One thing's for sure: if Apple does ever announce an iSlate or whatever they decide to call it, you won't be using it during the last hour of your flight into the US.

Apple tablet terrorized by component rumors originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 03:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wired shows off an Apple tablet-formatted copy of Wired on a fake Apple tablet

Paul Miller — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:05:00 EST

It's a wild land of imagination over at Wired and Condé Nast these days. The pair have managed not only to dream up a colorful, animated copy of Wired magazine for the so-far imaginary Apple tablet, but actually whipped up a concept of a Apple tablet to go with it. The Willy Wonka-style pairing are being shown off at the Wired Store in New York, and go along with word the other day that Condé Nast was taking the development of "iTablet" versions of its publications very seriously. Perhaps a bit too seriously? We're not ones to judge. Video of the tablet is after the break.

Continue reading Wired shows off an Apple tablet-formatted copy of Wired on a fake Apple tablet

Wired shows off an Apple tablet-formatted copy of Wired on a fake Apple tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple Tablet rumor roundup: NYT speaks of 'impending Apple slate,' new SIM tray leaks (video)

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:14:00 EST

Bear with us as we bring you the latest rumors related to the most important product that never was: the Apple tablet. Today we have a pair of rumors bubbling to the surface of a delicious tattle brew. First, the SIM card tray pictured above said to be procured from Foxconn (the rumored Apple tablet manufacturer) and available for $14.05 starting October 23rd for the 4th generation iPhone / iTablet... whatever the mythical host device might ultimately be named. It's certainly different than the tray found in previous gen iPhones and its chunkier appearance would be suitable for a larger GSM device. Plausible yes, though really, such a SIM tray could be used anywhere.

There's also a pretty big fuss being made this morning over remarks made by Bill Keller, executive editor at the New York Times responsible for the NYT's web presence. Speaking at an all-hands meeting with the Times' digital staff, the supposedly off-the-record speech somehow made its way to Vimeo. Here's the quote that has Apple fanatics and old-media revivalists in a tizzy:

"I'm hoping we can get the newsroom more actively involved in the challenge of delivering our best journalism in the form of Times Reader, iPhone apps, WAP, or the impending Apple slate, or whatever comes after that."

Now, it's hard to tell if Keller is speaking from insider information or if he's just another member of the media convinced that Apple's tablet will be launched in the New Year. Then again, as Keller himself points out, Apple has always had a special relationship with his paper as routinely demonstrated in Apple's ads that use the New York Times landing page as proof of the "real internet" browsing capabilities of the iPod touch and iPhone. And with Apple supposedly in content delivery talks with the nation's newspaper of record, well, the remarks that begin at about 8:15 are certainly suspicious. Listen for yourself after the break.

[Via Gawker, thanks Robert S.]

Read -- SIM Tray
Read -- NYT 'impending Apple slate'

Continue reading Apple Tablet rumor roundup: NYT speaks of 'impending Apple slate,' new SIM tray leaks (video)

Filed under: Handhelds, Tablet PCs

Apple Tablet rumor roundup: NYT speaks of 'impending Apple slate,' new SIM tray leaks (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple tablet pic 'leaked': this is the real one, we can feel it

Paul Miller — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:33:00 EST

Throw away everything you thought you knew about the truth. This is the one. We can't wait to stuff one awkwardly into the fake keyboard tray of our fake MacBook Micro and live life just how Apple rumor sites have always wanted us to live it. Granted, Nowhere Else has gotten some pretty great scoops in the past, so we won't rule anything out just now. The pic above lines up pretty well with all the rumors we've heard so far -- which sort of helps and sort of hinders its veracity in our eyes. Nowhere Else isn't calling it either way, if that helps you in your soul search for the truth. Another pic is after the break.

Update: Eagle-eyed tipster Terry points out that the "Welcome" graphic is an easy spot on Google Image Search, with that exact configuration and timing of converging letters from Leopard's intro video showing up in the very first result. Try it for yourself! Not a good sign, folks.

Update 2: Definitely faked.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Continue reading Apple tablet pic 'leaked': this is the real one, we can feel it

Filed under: Tablet PCs

Apple tablet pic 'leaked': this is the real one, we can feel it originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple might be planning keynote for week of September 7th, might have new products on offer

Laura June — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:53:00 EST

We're hearing "multiple sources" are now reporting that Apple is most likely planning a keynote event -- possibly for the week of September 7th. There's also the requisite murmuring that one Steve Jobs may make an appearance -- though of course, there's also nothing more solid than wishes and fairy dust to back that one up. As far as possible product launches go, well, there have been significant whisperings about upcoming iPod / iTunes developments as of late, including the company's reported dealings with major record labels. This would fall in line with Apple's habit of releasing iPods every fall, and we've heard plenty about upcoming iPod touches which boast, among other things -- a camera and microphone. Daring Fireball has also reported that these bad boys will come in 16, 32 and 64GB varieties running $199, $299, and $399, respectively. In more salacious gossip, there's the possible Apple tablet we've been hearing about, but there's no solid word on any products for now. We'll be watching this one closely, we assure you.

Read - Here it Comes. But what is it, exactly?
Read - Daring Fireball on Zune HD and new iPod touch

Filed under: Portable Audio, Tablet PCs

Apple might be planning keynote for week of September 7th, might have new products on offer originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barron's: Analyst handled Apple tablet, says competitors have paused production lines until launch

Joshua Topolsky — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:15:00 EST

According to a report in Barron's, a phantom "veteran analyst" has actually handled Apple's heavily rumored tablet-device-thing. If you believe what the report is laying down (and honestly, that's a big if -- analysts have a funny habit of making things up) the tablet is still on for a September unveiling, with a shelf life beginning somewhere in November. What's also interesting about the report is that the analyst claims the device will be marketed somewhere in the $699-$799 range -- as was previously rumored -- and will be aimed at uses as a media player (with some kind of potential Apple TV tie-in) and gaming device. The analyst, who obviously declined to be named, said that the tablet is simply awaiting Steve Jobs' final blessing, and claimed that other ODMs have paused new products until they see the finished version of what Apple has in store. That last bit is potentially the most interesting of all, as we've recently heard reports of device-makers freezing new production until 2010, which definitely raises the possibility that the industry is holding its breath to see what kind of new trick Apple has up its sleeve. Yeah -- things are about to get fun. [Warning: read link requires subscription]

[Via 9to5mac]

Filed under: Handhelds

Barron's: Analyst handled Apple tablet, says competitors have paused production lines until launch originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple tablet rumored for launch early next year, for serious this time: seriously

Paul Miller — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:34:00 EST

After what AppleInsider claims has been four years of development "riddled with setbacks," Apple is purportedly finalizing its long-rumored tablet for an early 2010 launch. AppleInsider claims to have been tracking the device get bounced back to the drawing board repeatedly over the past few years, but says that Steve Jobs is finally happy with the product and there's an internal go-ahead to get this thing ready for next year, barring any other setbacks. Purported specs include a 10-inch screen, 3G data and a custom ARM processor courtesy of its P.A. Semi purchase -- after previously considering Intel's Atom, as the story goes. Rumors elsewhere point to Verizon data instead of AT&T, but that might just be wishful thinking. While AppleInsider still claims the device is positioned somewhere between an iPhone and a laptop, its inside sources apparently didn't give the thumbs up to early artist renditions of the handheld, and so AI's new and "improved" render is above -- striking fear in the heart of aesthetes everywhere.

Sure, we've heard so many iterations of Apple tablet rumors over the years, with varying degrees of confidence behind them, that it's really hard to latch onto yet another promise of this supposedly inevitable device. Still, this is what it is: a decent rumor with some reasonable excuses for "delays" and a glorious promise of tablet nirvana right around the corner. What more could an Apple rumorphile want?

Filed under: Handhelds, Tablet PCs

Apple tablet rumored for launch early next year, for serious this time: seriously originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Axiotron's Modbook Pro: when the Modbook just isn't enough

Jacob Schulman — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:39:00 EST

While we sit around twiddling our thumbs waiting for Apple's rumored resurrection of the Newton, we'll occupy ourselves with the latest 3rd party Mac tablet -- the Modbook Pro. Based off a 15-inch unibody MacBook Pro, the Modbook Pro has all the same ports as the standard model (including the ExpressCard/34 slot), supports both pen and touch input, and has a glossy black shell. Axiotron pre-installs Quicktouch software to aid those with fat fingers, and the screen is totally flush. However, nobody said that function came cheap -- the Modbook Pro starts at $5k, but there's a $400 discount available for Macworld.

[Via Boy Genius Report]

Filed under: Laptops

Axiotron's Modbook Pro: when the Modbook just isn't enough originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amtek intros the iTablet T221 UMPC

Joshua Topolsky — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:08:00 EST

For those of you lusting after a UMPC or tablet solution, you may want to pause and take a look at the new Amtek iTablet T221. The stylish, thin slate looks like a dream come true for Gatesian types who are after something a little more natural for their day to day computing. The system features a 12.1-inch XGA display, an active digitizer, resistive touchscreen, a 1.2GHz Intel Core Duo CPU, up to 2GB of RAM, a 60GB hard drive, 802.11a/b/g, and a GMA 950 graphics chipset. We don't know when this baby is due in the States, or what it will be selling for, but we can tell you that the touch response looks quite frisky, and Vista seems to perform well on the tablet. Don't believe us? Check the video after the break and see for yourself.

Update: Price? €1,552, or about $2,237. Ouch.

[Via TodoUMPC, thanks Nicolas]

Continue reading Amtek intros the iTablet T221 UMPC

Filed under: Laptops

Amtek intros the iTablet T221 UMPC originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here we go again: Mac tablet claimed for mid-2007 launch

Ryan Block — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 22:14:00 EST

It's been a while since we reported on the long unfulfilled Mac tablet rumor, but apparently "sources in Taiwan" have informed Smarthouse that Apple has units in the works for education and enterprise verticals -- two areas they've mildly backed away from in the past couple of years. If the rumor is to believed, the device will launch mid-2007 and would be designed also to take advantage of home automation processes and be integrated with a new wireless version of Apple's Hi-Fi, as well as being supposedly dockable with HDMI out. Now, we're never ones to take these rumors at face value, but we kind of think this particular rumor is a little overboard on the kind of mid to long-range details that Apple is known to protect at all costs. Like the iPhone (until it launches), we'll be tucking this one away for reference and little else.

[Thanks, CoreyTheGent]

Filed under: Tablet PCs

Here we go again: Mac tablet claimed for mid-2007 launch originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 26 Nov 2006 22:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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