Posts tagged with apple-tablet

Apple tablet delayed again

Posted on November 19, 2009 6:09 AM

Could the rumored Apple tablet actually end up as vaporware? Word has it that the tablet will come in a choice of either LCD or OLED displays, but bad news accompanies such nuggets of information - this would most probably push the tablet's release date back until the end of next year as Apple attempts to lower the final price. Sources point towards a $2,000 price tag even then, which is just crazy expensive for a device that runs on the iPhone OS (although that might change in the future). What do you think - is the Apple tablet a viable device?

Apple tablet could feature high-end graphics card

Posted on November 16, 2009 9:50 AM

There doesn't seem to be a shortage of rumors where Apple's tablet device is concerned, and the latest one includes a high-end graphics card which is capable of producing images with "stunning resolution." Touted to debut sometime in Q1 next year, it seems that the said "stunning resolution" will be greater than that of the iPhone and iPod touch. Apart from that, the device is slated to come in "several different models" which point towards a 3G-enabled version that will most probably be tied to a contract with a wireless carrier, AT&T included.

Apple Slate tablet mentioned by NY Times, creates new wave of rumors

Posted on October 26, 2009 9:12 AM

Bill Keller of the NY Times has dropped the bomb by mentioning the upcoming Apple Slate tablet computer. Here's what he says in his speech to the digital group at the New York Times:

Sixth, we need to figure out the right journalistic product to deliver to mobile platforms. I’m hoping we can get the newsroom more actively involved in delivering our best journalistic product..
… times reader, iPhone apps, impending apple slate or whatever comes after that.

The video is in the full post. Now, remember that it doesn't mean that Bill Keller has inside information or has unintentionally pre-announced a product. He might just be expecting Apple to launch such a device soon. In the past, the NY Times has been one of the few outlets to have an early access to Apple's products, and if such a tablet was to exist, you can bet that Apple is talking to media partners right now - including the NYT, to figure out how to make it economically viable for the newspapers. Search previous Apple Tablet stories.

Foxconn to manufacture Apple tablet PC

Posted on October 7, 2009 8:59 AM

Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) has been selected to be the manufacturing partner for the much awaited tablet PC from Apple, where it is tipped to arrive in the market sometime in the first quarter of next year. Foxconn estimates that they will move around 300,000 to 400,000 of such units then considering the almost-certain mad demand for Apple's tablet PC. Apparently, it will come with a 10.6" display, with folks speculating Foxconn to use such panels from its subsidiary Innolux Display. Word also has it that the Apple tablet PC will focus more on ebook functionality compared to music, alongside a decent battery life, speedy Internet connectivity (Wi-Fi N hopefully) and an easy-to-use user interface.

Contact Tracking and Identification Module for Touch Sensing

Posted on October 2, 2009 8:07 AM

One of Apple's patents have surfaced, where it will feature a technology known as "Contact Tracking and Identification Module for Touch Sensing", making it seem as though it will be an extension of the exiting Multi-Touch system, albeit one will see integrated elements from two hands instead of just a few fingers. Those who find typing, pointing and scrolling functions to be old hat, this patent offers methods for 3D manipulation and handwriting which is definitely new and unheard of, bypassing the standard limitations of traditional input systems found in the market today.

More details on Apple tablet

Posted on September 29, 2009 5:53 PM

The same source who was right about the iPod nano 5G, iPhone 3GS and Chinese iPhone 3G way before those devices were made official has released more information about the future tablet known as "iPad" (sounds like some sort of sanitary napkin, but guess that is another can of worms altogether). Apparently, there will be at least three prototypes, where the first model came with a 7" display and was touted to be too small, hence leading to the latest version which has a whopping 10.7" display to put it nearly on par with other netbooks in the market. It will run on the iPhone OS, and will feature 3G as well as 3G-less capability, making us wonder whether this is more or less a bigger screen iPhone 3G. It is meant to be an iPhone OS media player and a light communication device, although no doubt people will pit it against netbooks in reviews, but do you think that there is a niche market for this?

Apple Tablet in 13 and 15 inches? Unlikely

Posted on August 28, 2009 11:21 AM

New unnamed sources from China's industrial city Shenzen, where a lot of electronic stuff is produced, claims to have seen aluminum Apple Tablets, including one that runs Mac OS 10.5. The source doesn't say if the units were concept prototypes or pre-production samples. 'it's not FoxConn', apparently (Foxconn is one of the several contract manufacturers that Apple hires to actually build its products)

Most rumors put the Apple tablet size at around 10", so a 13 or 15 inches model is rather surprising. Plus, running a full Mac OS that is not built for touch-displays is even weirder. Without a doubt, it would suck as much as the Tablet Edition of Windows.

We think that the 10" rumor is more credible because Apple won't launch a full line of products without battle-testing a new concept. Plus there are costs and practicality elements to take into consideration. A tablet is a companion device at best, so it needs to be light, small and (relatively) cheap.

iTab Mini mod

Posted on August 27, 2009 9:52 AM

The not-so-secret Apple tablet might not be out anytime soon and we still don't have a blurry spyshot to refer to, but if the iTab Mini is anything to go by, you can consider our appetites more than hungry for the real thing. This mod project sees a 12.1" resistive touchscreen display being melded with salvaged parts of an aged PowerBook, although it will run on an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.16GHz processor that is accompanied by 2GB RAM and a 160GB hard drive among others.

Is NVIDIA's Tegra the platform for Apple's Tablet?

Posted on August 24, 2009 10:53 AM

Nvidia's Mike Rayfield has confirmed that his company is working with an unnamed partner on a Tegra-powered "Media Pad". A Media pad is defined by Mike Rayfield as being a touch tablet ranging from 7-13 inches in size, with 3G capability.

So here's the burning question: is Nvidia in the rumored Apple Tablet? Quite frankly, nobody knows, but it seems surprising to me that an official from the company would even remotely say something that would hint at an upcoming Apple product. Usually Apple's suppliers are scared to death about unintentionally leaking something out.

Would it make sense for Apple to use Nvidia's platform? Yes, because the iPhone's platform might not have the horsepower to drive a much larger display. Ideally, Apple might try to make something that is binary-compatible with the iPod Touch (but faster). It might have been working on its own faster SoC (system on a chip) based on a PowerVR design. With a larger device, Apple has a lot more room for thermal management and could crank up the speed. That said, anything is possible.

Real Apple Tablet Photo? Possibly!

Posted on August 15, 2009 10:27 AM

French website nowhereelse.fr (now down, crushed by traffic) has published what look like the first legit photos of the Apple Tablet. The construction is seems a bit sub-par for an Apple product, but these are the best photos that we've seen to date.

From the screen content, it looks like it is running (desktop) OS X, which is weird because the Tablet is supposedly a big iPod Touch. Or may be it runs the iPod Touch Os with that OS X movie... go figure. It might also be a good fake. So, what do you think, is this hot or not?

The inside scoop about the Apple Tablet (well, maybe)

Posted on August 13, 2009 2:14 PM

Brian Lam has received an enigmatic call from someone who claims to be an iPhone insider. After a lengthy discussion that lasted over one hour, Brian believes to "a high level of certainty" that the information is legitimate. Here are the highlights:

• The Tablet is basically a 10" iPod Touch that comes with or without webcam (education version).
• It can be used as a touchpad for Macs
• It will most likely be launched for the holiday season
• The price will be around 700 to $900 (!!)

If that's true, the Tablet would instantly benefit from a flurry of applications, provided that developers handled multiple screen resolution properly. If it is not really compatible, we can at least expect apps to arrive very quickly, as it will use the same SDK than the iPhone. I would also expect the overall performance to be higher because Apple now has more options for cooling (even active cooling). Obviously, this is unconfirmed speculation, but it's really fun to discuss it.

Apple plans keynote in September 2009. Apple Tablet anyone?

Posted on August 13, 2009 12:32 PM

According to AllthingsD, Apple is planning a keynote during the week of September 7. However, the exact date and the subject of the keynote is still a secret. Pretty much everyone expects to see the Apple line-up for the holiday season, but the only possible "star of the show" (if any) is the mythical Apple Tablet / iTablet. This could also the a good opportunity for Steve Jobs to get back on the stage and present a groundbreaking product - he has not made a public appearance for almost a year now. Stay tuned!

Apple tablet prototype is real (rumor)

Posted on August 3, 2009 8:21 AM

Guess nobody's high on mushrooms as someone has claimed to seeing the real Apple tablet prototype - but rumors being rumors, we can but speculate until an official statement is released from Apple themselves. According to a "veteran analyst", the person(s) involved have actually held an actual prototype of Apple's upcoming tablet, where the final design ought to be ready within 6 weeks followed by a September announcement and a launch two months from then. Apparently, like most stuff from Apple, this rumored tablet will cost around $699 to $799, although you do benefit from a video quality that is said to be better than the average movie experience. What do you make of this piece of rumor?

Verizon Apple Tablet Rumor

Posted on July 22, 2009 5:30 AM

Word on the street has it that Verizon could possibly launch a new Apple tablet computer sometime before the year is over, where this tablet will come with a touchscreen display that is no larger than 10" with the possibility of a keyboard as well. Apparently, the “initial version” of the Apple tablet will be available as a subsidized device from Verizon Wireless, and the carrier won't have the advantage of exclusivity as AT&T has with the iPhone. Waht do you think - does this fly in the face of Apple execs pooh-poohing rumors of an Apple netbook?

What would a Macbook Touch look like?

Posted on July 21, 2009 4:37 PM

Some folks at the Georgia State University have thought about what an Apple tablet would look like, and here's a video that shows their concept. Just to be clear, this was done for a product management class (video credit: John Fudge). What do you think? [via the raw feed]

Apple Will Use Its Own Chips: Is Anyone Surprised?

Posted on July 13, 2009 4:43 PM

Note: this is not an Apple Product

The news that Apple might be using its own chips to power an upcoming tablet device is sweeping the Internet today. Is anyone surprised that Apple would actually use its chips? Err… it's quite obvious that if Apple builds something that would be a “big iPhone” and that would run on the same OS, they might use something that's similar (but beefier) to what an iPhone is... Anyway, we already know that the iPhone CPU can go much faster, but the casing can't really take the heat. A bigger tablet will have a better cooling system. Apple will also need a new graphics core because the pixels count on the tablet would 6x bigger than the iPhone’s (assuming a 1280x720 resolution).

Analyst: Apple Tablet Coming in Early 2010, a Kindle Killer?

Posted on May 22, 2009 10:00 AM

We've seen the Apple tablet rumor go by, and we've been following this since the patent was filed, including the recent rumors. However, some are saying that Apple’s tablet could be a "kindle" (or kindle dx) killer, and that's a little bit more curious. For sure, a tablet computer would have many advantages over an eBook and Apple can probably put up a good fight on the distribution side, but the real question is the battery life and the display.

Such a tablet probably won't last for more than 3-4 hours of continuous use, so one has to wonder if that's good enough to act as an efficient eBook. For some users, naybe, but for hardcore readers it is not so certain. Also, reading on an LCD display arguably strains the eyes more than reading on an eBook.

We think that it will take an eBook (with color e-Ink) and a great distribution system to Kill the Kindle.

Wintek Is Apple Tablet Supplier

Posted on May 22, 2009 6:33 AM

Guess we know who will be providing touchscreen display panels for Apple's upcoming tablet - Wintek. Well, at least that's what the good people at DigiTimes claim, reporting that "those IC designers are optimistic about demand for notebook-related products in the second half of this year given that a more diversified array of products are expected to come to market around that time." Do you think an Apple tablet will really take off in a way that the iPhone did, or will it be another modern Newton in the making?