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Apple's Tablet: The Story So Far

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MrBlahBlah
05/13/09

In reply to Apple's Tablet: The Story So Far
At first thought, a tablet like this seemed useless. But then i realized that it would really be designed for media (watching movies/TV on something portable but larger than the iphone, as well las music, pictures, etc), and constant internet connectivity. No one would buy this to do any actual "work".

I won't be crunching excel models on this thing. It's a toy. So it better be cheap.
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soggy_cheerio
05/13/09

In reply to Apple's Tablet: The Story So Far
I'd settle for something similar to an iPod Touch with a 7.5" screen at a decent widescreen resolution for watching movies and high def content, and 4.5-5hrs of battery life for watching said movies.

Make it the size of a dvd case and price it under $600 and you could sell me three.
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Kaiser-Machead
05/13/09

In reply to Apple's Tablet: The Story So Far
There's a reason tablet computers fail time and time again. For one, the touchscreen is nigh useless for virtually all of the regular computing people actually do. If you're an artist looking for something portable to do quick work on, you're going to find yourself sorely disappointed when it doesn't even come close to matching the accuracy and pressure levels of a Wacom. Typing on a touch screen is fine for something like the iPhone, but I can only imagine the strain of doing away with all of the tactile feedback from a full two-handed keyboard. It's a nifty gimmick that doesn't get off the ground because it continuously fails to find itself in many situations where portable computing is greatly improved.

Considering how small a niche these things actually provide for, multitouch, for something this size, is even more useless.
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TheWerewolf - Sotto voce
05/13/09

@Kaiser-Machead: Uh.. I use my Tosh M700 to draw and paint. It's no different than using my Wacom tablet.

I don't know what YOU'RE doing - but my experience is nothing like yours. Perhaps you've got the wrong driver installed. For some reason, Microsoft ships the 'tablet PC' version of the Wacom driver, which essentially reduces the pressure sensitivity to two levels - on and off. If you go over to Wacom's site and get the PenEnabled driver, it gives you full Wacom pressure support.

On the other hand, yes, typing on a screen sucks. That's why most current tablet PCs are convertables.
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Electric-Sheep
05/13/09

@Kaiser-Machead: I could easily see myself taking notes and drawing diagrams during my advanced mathematics and ICT lectures.. A laptop is unfit for such a task, where everyone still uses pen and paper. Besides I have no way to draw diagrams digitally on a laptop.. the only solution is to whip out my nokia n95 and snap a picture of the whiteboard.. Last time I did that I got a bunch of bull from the lecturer bitching about his data protection
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Kaiser-Machead
05/13/09

@TheWerewolf: I know about the tablet PC driver software, and even with that, a tpc is inferior to a real Intuous. Pen rotation and tilt is not supported, so is not an option.
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Kaiser-Machead
05/13/09

@Kaiser-Machead: That said, being able to get a TPC that DOES have all of that would sell me in an instant. If ever a tablet can get the exact same feel of an actual Wacom tablet, then I'll jump on it. Until then, I just can't.
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Kaiser-Machead
05/13/09

@Electric-Sheep: As a doodler, I just can't do the laptop thing for notes :P
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weatherman
05/13/09

In reply to Apple's Tablet: The Story So Far
While I'm increasingly inclined to think that Apple might be coming out with such a device, I'm also inclined to think that it's going to be a big failure. Not everything that Apple touches turns to gold - they've had some great success, but they've also had some pretty hair-brained ideas that haven't worked out, and I think this may be one of them.

Ultimately I think this device isn't going to be something that is widely popular with the general public, but more attractive to Macheads. Which begs the question - do people who already have an iPhone and a Macbook really need a device that sits between the two? I don't think so.
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Hello Mister Walrus
05/13/09

@weatherman: I envision a Mac tablet as a substitute for PC tablets, rather than a replacement for iPhones and normal laptops.
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Xeno
05/13/09

@weatherman: Isn't everything Apple makes apealing to Macheads?
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weatherman
05/13/09

@Xeno wishes there was a preview button: Almost everything. I guess what I'm saying is that it's not going to be appealing to that many macheads because it doesn't really fill a need beyond what they already get from their macbooks and iPhones, and it doesn't really create a new market for people who aren't macheads.
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Sora57 is OK
05/13/09

In reply to Apple's Tablet: The Story So Far
I'd be very interested in this, if the price is right.

Come on down!
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Software_Goddess
05/13/09

In reply to Apple's Tablet: The Story So Far
Well… if apple won't market it, someone else will. If they want to be first they had better hurry up. Microsoft has been chomping at the bit to do something big with Zune!!!
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
05/13/09

@Software_Goddess: Like lay the development team off to stem losses?
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egyptomix
05/13/09

In reply to Apple's Tablet: The Story So Far
All 4 top stories are about apple. I love this blog but in the past few months it's been extremely apple centric. I like getting apple news but I like to hear from the multitude of other companies too.
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Nick
05/13/09

@egyptomix: would you say they're taking the "apple a day . . ." a bit too far? cause with swine flu out there you can't be too careful.
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
05/13/09

@egyptomix: Maybe the multitude of other companies should release something worth talking about?

Giz has generally been very pro-apple gear. However there are not any more apple articles now than there were 6, 9, or even 12 months ago.
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Kaiser-Machead
05/13/09

@Lite: Also, it's been the pattern that Apple news increases as the time draws closer to any Apple keynote/conference.
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TheSonOfKrypton
05/13/09

In reply to Apple's Tablet: The Story So Far
Dude, what the HELL is wrong with that guys fingers!?!?
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bosskev
05/13/09

@TheSonOfKrypton: Nothing. This patent is not for a tablet, it's for a crablet and those are the attached claws.
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Kaiser-Machead
05/13/09

@TheSonOfKrypton: Is it a guy, or is it the superintelligent amphibioids that take over the earth before Apple finally comes out with a tablet?
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bornonbord
05/13/09

In reply to Apple's Tablet: The Story So Far
I'm gonna have to call a fake on all of these pictures. When I took them into photoshop, there were many artifacts that show up when you show only the blue channel and crank the Levels. Sorry guys, this just isn't going to happen.
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Wilson Rothman
05/13/09

@bornonbord: Banned for not reading the article before writing a lengthy holier-than-thou comment.
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ALT
05/13/09

@bornonbord: hahah that was hilarious! He WAS KIDDING.

@Wilson Rothman: Unban him immediately!

@bornonbord: You WERE joking.... right?
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Hello Mister Walrus
05/13/09

@ALT: Hmm... it actually does seem like he was joking.
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Lite: hates Illinois Nazis
05/13/09

@Wilson Rothman: I'm pretty sure his comment was meant to be a joke. :)
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Monty
05/13/09

@Wilson Rothman: Um, I hope you were joking, too.
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Kaiser-Machead
05/13/09

@Wilson Rothman: I do, I say I do believe that boy had his tongue tucked firmly against his cheek.
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