"Apple researchers have built a full working prototype of a Mac tablet PC and three Companies in Taiwan are now costing a product for a potential launch in mid 2007. Sources in Taiwan have said that the focus has been more on the home and the education environment than the enterprise marketplace. Several months ago I was told that Apple was exploring a neat new device that is basically a touch screen that links to various source devices including a brand new media centre that Apple is planning to launch next year. The Mac tablet has been designed to handle third party applications such as home automation software that will allow users to control lighting, audio, entertainment devices and security feeds. It also acts as a full blown PC has wireless linking for a new generation of Wireless Hi Fi speakers that are currently being tested by Apple."
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Member since:
2005-07-06
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Ink hand-writing recognition in OS X is pretty good, I've had the pleasure of using it several times. Some very nice tools for use with tablets.
If this is a full-blown laptop/tablet PC, and it uses the Wacom Penabled stuff, I'll buy one. I've been waiting for something like this for a long time.
Member since:2005-08-19
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Member since:2005-07-21
Assuming text only. Even then that only applies to the more computer literate crowd and a few others.
Try taking any other kind of note and you'll find tablets are useful. Consider diagrams. Sure you could switch back and forth between Visio and Word, but I assure you that it's easier just to through down the doodle in Journal. Math notes are especially painful with just a keyboard. I recall being thankful for hand-writing features when taking down history, psychology, and philosophy notes.
When I wanted to code I'd just turn the keyboard around and ssh and start coding. And yes, I do mean SSH since I generally found tablets a little anemic in terms of horsepower, but mine is a 1st gen (Acer TravelMate).
While what you said was strictly true, I find that argument fallacious.
PS- I found the handwriting recognition excellent
Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-07-16
Ink hand-writing recognition in OS X is pretty good, I've had the pleasure of using it several times. Some very nice tools for use with tablets.
It's actually a descendant of the HWR on the Newton, which contrary to the legend, was actually fairly incredible (seriously, that's the only HWR that really worked for me). [note that the problems with the Newton were actually true... on the first newton, and for a stupid reason: a combination of low ram and a bug rendered the HWR nearly unusable. But later versions were really, really good, and you need to try Newton OS 2 to see what's a PDA is supposed to be].
I would love to have a Newton-like OS, but I doubt it will happen... Anyway this tablet certainly won't be a PDA, more a kind of remote control/media center thingy (although nothing prevent Apple to extend it to the mp3/video player / pda world, and I expect them to do so later on !)
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Give us a break, it's WinXP Home all over the place, MCE a small minority. Just check those manufacturers' websites.
The E520 range. All have MCE 2005.
http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/cto_dimene520?c=...
E521. 3 out of 4 have MCE 2005.
http://www.dell.com/content/products/features.aspx/cto_dimene521?c=...
XPS. All have MCE 2005
http://www.dell.com/content/products/category.aspx/xpsdt?c=us&c...
Shall I go on?
Member since:2006-07-25
Member since:2005-11-16
>Media centers have been flops for microsoft,
(Sigh)..
According to http://news.com.com/2061-10792_3-6136873.html
"In July, both Live and Viiv accounted for 8 percent of the desktop U.S. retail market each. In August, Live moved up to 9 percent while Viiv stayed at 8 percent. In September, Live moved up to 12 percent while Live accounted for 11 percent. In October, Live jumped to 17 percent and Live moved to 15 percent."
Media Centres PCs are in the growth stage.
Edited 2006-11-27 07:34
Member since:
2006-02-12
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2006-07-08
I am sure that many of you remember the combination laptop/desktop computer that Apple once made. Essentially, the laptop would plug into the tower, and when you wanted to do work on the road, you just removed the laptop and off you went. I believe the tower hosted such things as an additional hard drive (or nowadays a DVD burner), the math co-processor, or some such things. I wonder if Apple would ever consider creating such a device again with the rumored tablet?
Member since:
2005-06-29
There's just no market for a tablet outside the geek crowd. Apple's crazy about communication so even if video and audio chats are nice, very many people type each other messages. There's no way it's going to be quick with a handwriting recognition. And having an external keyboard means it essentially turns into a notebook. So while it might look cool, home users will not approve of this, think of all the learning and confusion they'll have to face.
Member since:
2006-03-06
.
There will be no need for keyboards or character typing as there will be two extra buttons on the remote control, which also happens to contain the numeric keypad:
Button 1: Buy: AAPL - _enter amount_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ -,00
Button 2: Sell: MSFT - _enter amount_ _ ALL: - OK
go to -> TV
.
.
Edited 2006-11-27 00:44
Member since:
2006-03-17
Ohh Apple Apple Apple, what are you doing to me, all this cool stuff you will be releasing is just what ive been waiting for, first i started with the MacBook, Then the Ipod and Apple HiFi, Next will have to be the iTV and as an addition, wireless speakers and this nice new tablet to power it all with ... Your gonna bankrupt me if you keep this up ... ohh go on then keep it up, who needs money to live anyway :-)
EDIT :- Spelling !
Edited 2006-11-27 00:43
Member since:
2006-01-14
I'm looking forward to the next great leap for Apple, and that's ERP. Why ERP? Because right now ERP applications suck, suck just like you would'nt believe. Apple is going to build a series of ERP apps that will blow away anything available, and sell a ton of hardware in the process. I truly expect to see a full blooded Financial Suite this summer running on the XServer, a suite so good looking, easy to use, and incredibly easy to maintain, it will have company sponsors salivating.
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2005-09-27
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2006-08-04
There is some demand for tablets amongst digital artists. However the current crop of tablet pcs are pretty anaemic.
Part of this is the tradeoff in price for the screen, battery life etc.
It seems that current tablets are more targetted at the business crowd than the average consumer. I've seen them used in retail, logistics, upper management and a little in education but thats about it.
Member since:
2005-07-26
Member since:
2006-01-03
I would love to see the docking station used to make the tablet available as a display to a Mac Mini. Sync the two, grab your tablet and go. Include iTunes support and you've got a portable media centre as well. This seems to be really good marketing positioning by Apple.
Member since:
2005-07-06
First the device should pass a panel of highly experienced, somehow sissy, fashion-conscious and design geniuses if it is to be passed as a production product.
If Apple feels that the product is not PRACTICAL it would kill it.
Apple philosophy is to choose easy to use, highly practical and useful devices even if the functions or features supplied are not many. (5-10 features but very well done features).
Good Luck for Apple anyway.
Member since:2005-07-06
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2006-02-27
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2006-01-06
As MS has learned, these devices are really just niche products. People tend to buy them for very specific purposes (ie. medical charting, manufacturing inventory control, etc), rather than broad market usage. It's kind of a shame, really. I mean, these kinds of devices can be used in a dual role -- keyboard for word processing, stylus for more interactive tasks.
Member since:2005-06-29
