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Apple Working on a Tablet Since At Least 2003?
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jimmyg
10/05/09

In reply to Apple Working on a Tablet Since At Least 2003?
Here's something for all the "my iPhone/Touch does all these things and it's small enough to keep in my pocket" to consider. Right now the largest market for eBook readers are "older" consumers. Not necessarily senior citizens, but not exactly those who text and Twitter their way through life, either. After a certain age, one's eyesight begins to wane a bit, and trying to focus on a palm-sized screen to read a book or web page gets to be difficult. Tablet-sized devices can display larger type and are easier to hold and go from page to page than a printed book for those with mobility issues. Plus there are a lot of post 20-30-year-olds who have only modest needs for a computer in their homes–-mostly email, web surfing and the kind of fluff the app store supplies--that an ultra-portable tablet can more than fulfill. Not everyone wants or needs a shirt-pocket sized computer or a big honkin' full-speed video-editing laptop. I see this as something that sits in a dock on an end table in the livingroom with a Bluetooth keyboard for when its needed.
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Dave J.
10/05/09

@jimmyg: Not to mention that cloud-based applications like Google's word processing and spreadsheet apps mean you can do all the same stuff with a web-only computer. It used to be when you'd buy a computer you'd say "well, can it run [insert application here]?" Now that question is moot--a good browser and the ability to get online, and you're set.
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Knowitallguytherevenge
10/05/09

In reply to Apple Working on a Tablet Since At Least 2003?
It's a good point. I love the idea, but where does it in fact fit into anyone's life? It's bizarre, we'll just invent a NEED for it like all the other infantile titty replacement tech that is so big now. Got your baby bottle & your babbling cellphone - now you'll have your totally unneeded iTablet too. You won't need it, but you'll have it anyway. The thing that MS is working on at least seems practical for work. If you choose to text instead of talking directly to people you're an asshole.
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nerve11
10/05/09

@Knowitallguytherevenge: I've been saying from the begining that tablets seem like a niche thing to use in every-day lives. Its not exactly portable, its not exactly a phone, but it does some stuff. Rather just have a laptop and Cellphone at that point. But people will still call that BS because they think they can squeeze the tablet into their lives somehow. Once again, I only say tablets have a purpose in business/artists lives, and even for that, what MS has seems will blow the itablet out of the water. I don't think Apple really knows what they want with the itablet. (I'm just assuming that because of no information yet and just rumors, which seem dry and don't do anything cool).
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Noobs-R-Us
10/05/09

@nerve11: Actually, you’re both wrong. The tablet, as Apple is about to implement, is more useful than you know. In fact, you will discover it will fit 95% of what you do now on a notebook/pc/desktop. E-mail, word processing, spreadsheets, surfing, reading, notes, etc… they all work even better on a tablet when you can manipulate items with your fingers. A mouse is 30 years old. It’s not that great of a navigation device. It was nice in the past but in the future, it’s useless.

Having a dedicated keyboard just sitting there is dumb. It’s a waste of space because most of the time you can just manipulate items on screen and then, if necessary, type or write right on the screen. Keyboards are also from the past 100 years. Old technology that will be replaced.

So, if you bother to actually think about it, it’s hard to see that this new tablet won’t become future computing. It’s how computers will look in the next 50 years. Desktops will disappear and so will notebooks.
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Scott Lee
10/05/09

@Noobs-R-Us: What are you talking about? I seriously can't do any of those you listed above except for reading and taking notes on a touch screen for a long time or something serious.

You are seriously calling the mouse and keyboard unnecessary? I doubt we will ever find something as good as mouse and keyboard to replace desktop inputs in the near future.
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MarcusMaximus
10/05/09

@Noobs-R-Us: "The tablet, as Apple is about to implement, is more useful than you know."

This coming from what information, exactly? Random rumors from the likes of AppleInsider? I get that you really like Apple and all, but making broad declarations about a product that you know nothing about(and may not ever exist/come to market) is ridiculous.
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zaghy2zy
10/05/09

@Scott Lee: I agree with you... maybe he's just thinking too much sci-fi already... and honestly, on sci-fi flims, the keyboard and mouseless things are because they don't actually use it for everyday use of a computer... or that because the use has already been made for specific command...

how would you write a 100page document without a keyboard?? I don't think a multi-touch on-screen keyboard is very convenient compared to an actual keyboard, especially for touch typing people who rely on the actual feel of the keys to type.

I also don't think voice input would even be as much convenient either... even if they perfect the voice aspect, I don;t think talking all day to "write" a 100 page document is very convenient in anyway.
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nerve11
10/05/09

@Noobs-R-Us: With physical keyboards, its soooo much easier to write with, and with mice, heh, think what your arm will feel like after moving it across the screen for even 15 minutes. Your statements are rather broad and just compliment Apple on things they haven't even done yet. Look at the wheel, its more then 100 years old.
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Noobs-R-Us
10/05/09

@zaghy2zy: Some of you are clearly not thinking. I said 95%. Yes, writing a 100 page novel is probably best done on a desktop or notebook at this point but how many people need to do that everyday? I stand by my original assertion. Most people do some light typing for e-mails, blogs, chat, etc. Those can easily be handled by a tablet. Hell, most people are doing that on an iPhone. Imagine having the screen at 10". You can do much more comfortably.

Also, make no mistake that Apple will bring all of their technology to bare on the tablet. The speech recognition that you see on their shuffle and 3GS will be included. Imagine just pointing at your iPod app on the tablet and saying, "play Beatles Let it Be." Or taping on a phone app and saying, "call home". How about tap on the calendar and say, "schedule meeting on Tues. Oct 10th at 4pm." These are not my fantasies but things that already exist. They don’t exist on desktops of notebooks but they do on smaller devices. You will see it on the tablet.

Further out, I see tablets actually replacing notebooks because notebooks occupy a space not very needed. They’re too big to carry everywhere and don’t have the power larger desktops and towers have. So they will occupy a much smaller slice of the market at some point as tablets get more and more powerful. In a few years you’ll even be able to do processor intensive things like Photoshop on a tablet.
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Edited by Noobs-R-Us at 10/05/09 1:01 PM Noobs-R-Us was starred Noobs-R-Us was unstarred

Noobs-R-Us
10/05/09

@Scott Lee: You do realize that the mouse was invented for simulating your fingers on a none touch screen right? So why not go directly to the source? Why stick something between you and what you actually want to so? Just use your fingers and point on the screen. It’s much faster.
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Noobs-R-Us
10/05/09

@MarcusMaximus: This coming from common sense. Imagine a large screen iPhone. Think of how much more usefull it would be if it had a 10" screen.
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Edited by Noobs-R-Us at 10/05/09 1:09 PM Noobs-R-Us was starred Noobs-R-Us was unstarred

zaghy2zy
10/07/09

@Noobs-R-Us: I have a tablet/laptop convertible, and for several times that I used my laptop as a tablet and intentionally using only the touchscreen and on screen keyboard, it was fun, yet frustrating. Not to mention it is hard.

I did chats, webbrowsing and ALL of the stuff you actually mentioned, and a few you didn't. NONE of those are very much convenient being used on a tablet touchscreen. not even with the stylus and handwritting recognition.

FYI, I have a HP Touchsmart TX2 with Windows 7 Professional (no, not a prirate copy, it is an early release from msdn)

I always revert back to laptop mode after 30 minutes or so.

But, probably because the apps aren't actually designed for that use. So in the near future that those functions for apps are available, I still don't think a tablet will replace a netbook/notebook anytime soon or will they get a bigger slice of teh market than the notebook. Still, I don't see any actual use for a tablet aside from writing notes using my own hand writing and to draw stuff.

I don't even see a future where everyone has a tablet. I doubt that.
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phoomp
10/05/09

In reply to Apple Working on a Tablet Since At Least 2003?
Dear Apple,

Rather than try to figure out a way to fit an iTablet into our lives, try something you've never done before. Ask *us*, your customers, how we might fit an iTablet into our lives.

Sure, Steve won't be able to *boom* us when he reveals it on stage, but you just might get a few ideas that you hadn't considered.
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AkkiRonin
10/05/09

In reply to Apple Working on a Tablet Since At Least 2003?
Are the endless fluff tablet rumors/leaks boring others to tears too?
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Barry99705
10/05/09

@AkkiRonin: Yes, and I'd be one of the first people in line to get one if it ever comes out. Though that micorsoft dual screen tablet thingy is cooler at the moment.
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Ninety-9
10/05/09

@Barry99705: They'll also be the ones to hold their breath for 7 years while there are plenty of tablets and multitouch screen devices on the market already, which are probably more functional and robust than a giant iPhone.
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Eulatos
10/05/09

@Ninety-9: The tablets that exist today are just laptops, with a crappy interface stuffed on top of a non MT OS. Woohoo.
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AkkiRonin
10/05/09

@Barry99705: Yes, I think that's what's bothering me about it. I'm actually interested in the product so all the rumors catch my eye but the rehashed content isn't doing anything for me.
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Xeno
10/05/09

@Eulatos: Well that changes this month with Win 7 being multi touch and all.
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cobaltage
10/05/09

In reply to Apple Working on a Tablet Since At Least 2003?
In reference to the article, Apple is in a better position manufacturing-wise to pull this off now.

Apple has to clean up its home entertainment scenario before an Apple tablet would make sense, IMO.
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Kaiser-Machead
10/05/09

In reply to Apple Working on a Tablet Since At Least 2003?
An Archos-like Apple tablet sounds interesting, but the iPod touch and iPhone are perfect because they can be handled with just one hand to access most functions and are small enough to pocket and thumb around on the virtual keypad with. This thing will be too big to do that, will cost a great deal more, and despite having greater display real estate, will not be as versatile. I'd still rather see Apple try and break into this netbook market with something that can possibly kick the crap out of the better examples, but I guess we'll just have to live with the freaking Air.
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Adriano Vittorio
10/05/09

In reply to Apple Working on a Tablet Since At Least 2003?
haha bathroom surfing is good enough with my macbook pro... i was thinking about mounting it to the wall right in front of the toilet as a permanent fixture... it's the only place i really use it these days! lol
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Homerjay is utterly alone. promoted this comment Adriano Vittorio was starred Adriano Vittorio was unstarred

Homerjay is utterly alone.
10/05/09

@Adriano Vittorio: I'm sorry. We can't take this computer back. It's been flagged. It's been in the bathroom. :)
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cletar
10/05/09

@Homerjay is utterly alone.: "Get your toilet computer out of here, or I will punch you in the brain."
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DemanRisu
10/05/09

In reply to Apple Working on a Tablet Since At Least 2003?
I'd most likely drop mine if it didn't have carrying handles or something :S
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SysRq
10/05/09

@FaRReR: That's why I can't use Apple products: no handles. Panasonic Toughbook plz!
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donfun
10/05/09

In reply to Apple Working on a Tablet Since At Least 2003?
So true! who really needs a tablet PC? and for what? is it much more compact than a netbook? - No! Is it more comfy to use? No! do we need it?
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Xeno
10/05/09

@donfun: I need one. I use one. It is WAY more powerful than a netbook and WAY easier to use one handed.
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yogibimbi
10/05/09

In reply to Apple Working on a Tablet Since At Least 2003?
I know why we still don't have an iTablet: Rosa ate them all!
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OMG! Ponies!
10/05/09

@yogibimbi: Untrue. There were some chocolate iTablets at the GizGallery. Joanna Stern was kind enough to share the Apply goodness.

And, because it's an Apple product, on the outside it was all flash and shiny, but it was actually the same mediocre milk chocolate that you could get much cheaper without the Apple logo being on it. I did not find eating a piece to be intuitive or a revolutionary chocolate-eating experience.
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OMG! Ponies!
10/05/09

In reply to Apple Working on a Tablet Since At Least 2003?
As a netbook owner and a meat-lover who eats leafy greens and fiber supplements, I see nothing wrong with bathroom surfing.
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Patrick Van
10/05/09

In reply to Apple Working on a Tablet Since At Least 2003?
Are people just hyped about a large version of the iphone? In reality how many people use a tablet pc? very few people do, outside of business. without an "attached" keyboard you'll be holding the device in one hand and "pecking" at the screen with your fingers with another. Or,using your thumbs to type and while holding it

I just see this as a gimmick for die hard apple/iphone fans that will purchase anything apple related.
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Eulatos
10/05/09

@Patrick Van: People dont use tablet PC's because they are not really tablet PC's, they are laptops with tablet functions thrown on top.
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Xeno promoted this comment Eulatos was starred Eulatos was unstarred

Xeno
10/05/09

@Eulatos: You have a weird definition of what a tablet is.
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Eulatos
10/05/09

@Xeno: Not really. Most tablet pc's are laptops with a screen that turns and covers up they keyboard. Then from there you have a limited set of touch tools. Its just the facts man. We have had 4 companies come and demo them for our Project Managers to use during final job site walk throughs.

The most impressive one was Motion, but it was still just a single program that did fairly good handwriting recognition, on top of xp. Just like winmo, drill down 3 steps and there is the regular old OS not made for touching at all.

In the end it didnt work out with any of the companies because seeing as how about 50% of our PM's are mexican and none of the HW recog programs they were selling work with spanish, they all promised it as a coming feature but none have delivered.
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Julius Seizure - Canuck
10/05/09

In reply to Apple Working on a Tablet Since At Least 2003?
bathroom web surfing? Hands up for "Eeeewww"
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fanboy.took.my.star
07/22/09

In reply to Duros 8404 Tablet Upgraded With Atom, Daylight-Viewable LCD
dont even post news about new atom pcs....unless they are dual core...
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PurpleMonkeyDishwasher:
07/22/09

In reply to Duros 8404 Tablet Upgraded With Atom, Daylight-Viewable LCD
I'm curious as to how you make a touchscreen more rugged.
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jimbob6
07/22/09

@Purple Monkey Dishwasher: My sentiments exactly
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bornonbord
07/22/09

@Purple Monkey Dishwasher: With windows? You make it fist-through-screen proof.
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PurpleMonkeyDishwasher:
07/22/09

@jimbob6: I guess they could add a strong lid that you could flip over or something but if anything falls on this screen I don't see it surviving.
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