iTablet
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The history of the mythical iTablet
Stefan Constantinescu of IntoMobile has written a lengthy piece dissecting the long, tortuous history of the Newton II/Apple Tablet/iTablet/Tablet Mac. It's a pretty comprehensive look at seven years worth of speculation, rumor, outlandish analyst claims, more speculation, more rumor, and event after event with no release of what's become Apple's most infamous vaporware product. The article is definitely worth a read (as long as you're not sensitive to its occasionally salty language), but the conclusion Constantinescu reaches at the end of the article is perhaps most interesting of all: "The Apple Tablet does not exist. What do I believe will happen? [...] I believe what will be announced at the end of this year, or early next year, is a new MacBook with a 10 or 11.6 inch screen. The screen may or may not be touch enabled. This will be the first Mac portable with a 16:9 aspect ratio LCD. Why wide? One reason: foot print. With a wide LCD, a laptop in the open/closed position can house a wider keyboard." While that certainly sounds plausible, there's one thing I have to wonder: aside from a slightly wider keyboard and a possible touch screen, what distinguishes that theoretical miniature MacBook from the glut of netbooks made by other manufacturers, products that Apple has derided as underpowered machines that provide a dismal user experience? While Apple does have a history of taking existing products, putting their own spin on them, and gaining industry laurels for innovation as a result (iMac, iPod), the introduction of a product like the one Constantinescu is talking about seems a little bit too much "Me too!" even for Apple. Such a device would also heavily cannibalize sales of the MacBook Air, to the point of making that device largely irrelevant. After reading this piece, our own Aron Trimble noted, "I don't think it makes any more sense to speculate on what Apple will not do than to speculate on what Apple will do." Despite the fact that I pretty much did just the same thing, I agree with him. The only thing that's certain about all of this: until Apple releases something like an iTablet, or definitively says "We will never, ever make this product, and we mean it, pinky swear!" the speculation will never end. What do you think? Do you agree with Constantinescu that the long-rumored Tablet Mac will never see the light of day? Let us know in the comments. (Picture by Adam Benton for MacFormat magazine)
Barron's: Analyst handled Apple tablet, says competitors have paused production lines until launch
tweetmeme_url = 'http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/02/barrons-analyst-handled-apple-tablet-says-competitors-have-pa/'; tweetmeme_source = 'engadget'; 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]
Hackintosh netbook compatibility updated
Boing Boing's gadget blog has updated the list of potential hackintosh netbooks. You can ponder the whole thing or cut to the chase: "...get a HP Mini 1000 or a Dell Mini 9/Vostro A90." While the Mini 9 has been discontinued, the Vostro A90 is apparently a rebadged version of the highly hackable Dell and it works just as well as the original.The Eee 1000H also scored highly. There are 21 machines on the chart, each scored across 10 items like working Wi-Fi, Ethernet, sound board and so on.Our own Steven Sande wrote about his experiences with turning a Dell Mini 9 into a hackintosh. His experience was less than optimal, but your own may differ (those Windows and Intel stickers sure do look sweet).In related news, the fabled and still non-existent "iTablet" is rumored to be coming this year or next, depending on whom you choose to believe. As for me, I'd be happy enough to pick up a 13" MacBook Pro and call it a day. It's small enough for a daily ride in my backpack and is a genuine Mac. But as my hacker friends would say, "Where's the fun in that?"[Via Gizmodo]
AppleInsider: Apple tablet finally coming next year
So, apparently the Apple netbook/tablet is coming. No, don't stop reading. According to AppleInsider, after four years, the long-awaited successor to the Newton is on its way. No, really, they're not kidding. The supposed netbook, which appears to be an iPod touch on steroids, is part of Apple's 2010 lineup, AppleInsider claims. Most of the article details the ebb and flow of stories regarding an Apple tablet for the past four years. Will there finally be an iTablet? We're not quite sure. Like the rest of you, we'll have to wait and see what 2010 brings. As discussed around the TUAW water cooler today, there are so many similar devices now on the market that Apple is perfectly poised to make a grand entrance and revolutionize the industry -- just like with cell phones. As pointed out, "2010" could easily translate into October 2009 or December 21, 2012. Part of me wants to check with Chicken Little to see if the sky is falling. But, another part really, really, wants to believe.
Apple tablet rumored for launch early next year, for serious this time: seriously
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?
TUAW Watercooler: Apple's next big thing
The internal email list for all the TUAW bloggers is a busy place. Some of the best conversations from the list, including musings, rants and raves, don't ever appear on the site. Today we wanted to give you a taste of one of those conversations, about Apple's 'next big thing.'There has been plenty of discussion lately about Apple's next category-defining product. For months, I've dismissed tablet rumors. I know that Windows-based tablets are plentiful, but I've never used one, and don't know what the most useful applications are. I immediately think of a guy conducting inventory in a warehouse, but I know that's only because I have no experience with these machines. Some suggest something that's essentially a laptop inside a touch screen, much like the iMac is a computer within its display; of course, Axiotron already makes a MacBook-based tablet. I don't see the practicality. I certainly enjoy the internet and email on my iPhone, but the amount of typing I do on the iPhone is a small percentage of what I do on my MacBook Pro.Still, I think a similar device is coming.
Axiotron's Modbook Pro: when the Modbook just isn't enough
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]
Mahalo Daily visits the ModBook folks
Our good friends at Mahalo Daily took this short look at the Axiotron ModBook, which (you've probably seen) is a modified MacBook that's been turned into a tablet computer. I learned a couple of interesting things about the device -- first of all, it's not a touchscreen, it's really a tablet, which means you need a stylus to use it. Also, Apple is approving, if not actually supportive, of these things. They're supplying the MacBook bases to Axiotron as an "Apple Proprietary Solution Provider." One could infer from this that Apple doesn't think there's a big enough market for these to make it worth Apple's making an iTablet anytime soon.The lovely and talented Veronica Belmont also runs through a few practical applications of the device, which I'd imagine are pretty standard on any Tablet PC -- the big draw here, obviously, is that it's a Mac, and you get all the software and UI-shininess contained therein. I don't know that I'm any more inclined to buy one after watching this (I kind of like my keyboard-laden PowerBook, to be quite honest), but it's cool to get a fun look at them in action.
Amtek intros the iTablet T221 UMPC
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]
Due diligence on the Asus/Apple tablet rumor
We should probably have some due diligence on the latest rumors streaming around the Apple blogosphere, so here you go: CNET is claiming that Asus is helping Apple build a sweet new Tablet PC. This is just the latest in a long line of rumors about an ultraportable, and we've heard this so much by now that even if it isn't true, there are probably engineers at Apple right now working on how to make it a reality anyway.I tend to agree with Macenstein: what do we need an Apple Tablet for, anyway? The whole ultraportable idea seems to be based on the fact that people want to see it made, not necessarily that anyone is walking around with an iPhone and a MacBook and still asking for yet another computer to carry around. Don't get me wrong-- if anyone can find a hidden niche for beautiful, usable products, Apple can, but I just don't see where an iTablet would fit in the hierarchy.Now, the last time I speculated on Apple releases (I said we wouldn't see new MacBooks for a while), Apple decided to release MacBook updates just hours later, so for everyone out there hoping to see a new Apple Tablet, try this on: my guess is that Apple won't release an iTablet in January. Now, when I'm dead wrong (as usual), I'll just be able to claim that I predicted the opposite of what I thought so we'd get the product we wanted.
Here we go again: Mac tablet claimed for mid-2007 launch
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]
Original i-Tablet being sold on eBay
I don't know if I should be sharing this with you (because I kind of want it myself) but Joseph DeRuvo Jr.'s i-Tablet, built in 2004, is up for sale on eBay. If you don't remember, TUAW and Engadget covered the i-Tablet when it was released. Since 2004, the i-Tablet has become a sort of holy grail of mods for Apple fans. The i-Tablet is a modded iBook with a Troll Touch attached to the iBook screen which has been flipped and attached to the top surface. Extra firewire ports and a snazzy black leather cover have been added as well. Apparently Mr. DeRuvo is revving up for a new project and needs to fund his compulsion for hardware hacking (wait, so do I, my Eastern European hackable electronics collection keeps growing) and therefore is selling the coveted i-Tablet. I guess I'll be seeing you in the eBay auction. [thanks Joseph for emailing the hack a day tip line, posted here with Eliot's permission]
