Comments on: From Newton to Bathroom Web Surfing: The History of the Fabled iTablet

By: robinson

robinson — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:26:21 +0000

I would really like one (for newspaper reading, ebook, casual surfing and e-mailing, etc.), but my biggest concern is screen protection. I’m hardly going to toss the tablet into my briefcase unprotected!

How about a smaller, lighter MacBook Air type product, with a removable screen? The best of both worlds (tablet and netbook–free floating independent screen plus keyboard) with the case providing the protection for the screen.

Or, to keep the minimalist approach, every iTablet is sold with a nice thin protective case. Or, at least, on launch day, there are gobs of 3rd party cases available (but that would ruin the secrecy).

The other issue is synching… if the device is going to be used for e-mailing and surfin’ we’d want a way to keep our desktop or laptop Macs in the loop, too!

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:48:06 +0000

First, I prefer handwritten notes. Second, I have to do some sketches. A finger is too big. And I have never thought about recording it with a mic.
When you do that, how do you learn afterwards? Do you listen to it a second time and make notes? That’s no fun question.

By: LanceLink

LanceLink — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:44:16 +0000

I can see myself curling up on the couch with this device. I can read a book, surf the web, remote control my TV, AirTunes. I could even browse the new LP format stuff found in iTunes while I’m listening to music.

A notebook is too cumbersome for that and the form factor is all wrong. I don’t need to touch type when I’m in relax mode. The iPhone is too small for some of these tasks.

It’s the device I am going to use sitting in the lounge. It will sit on the coffee table. It will be my magazine reader, book reader, music browser, picture browser, web browser, idea pad – when I want to lounge and relax.

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:22:41 +0000

And Really guys if you’re telling me that a Macbook Pro is “too bulky” for travel. You really need an MRI because you should be living in fantasyland where you want small size and huge power, you have the 13″ model, and the macbook air, for portability a tablet sounds really cool but I really don’t see the advantage other than a big screen size. But that doesn’t mean i’m going to buy it only for that attribute, if i want to comfortably read a web page i use my laptop. if i’m in a hurry who cares about size i have my iphone. Lets not get overwhelmed. It would be like buying a 24 Karat gold Etch-a-sketch yes its cool but its still an etch-a-sketch

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:04:05 +0000

Why in the world would you want to write on this with a pen, having the ability to a) use your finger b) use an onscreen keyboard or c) record the whole class with a mic.

By: Bram

Bram — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:56:54 +0000

In terms of that middle space in the author’s “personal computing ecosystem,” it sounds like you want a netbook running Mac OS. I recently picked up a Dell Mini 10 v, which I converted to running Mac OS. I updated it to Snow Leopard and 2GB of RAM and a 160GB hard drive. Using Dropbox, the computer is a perfect little workhorse for weekend trips, and long days out and around NYC. Whatever work I do gets automatically synced to my main laptop.

And all this for only $400.

The one thing that would really make the netbook perfect is some sort of 3G wireless card, but I can’t really justify the cost of it.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:53:54 +0000

I’m also feeling uncomfortable with the iPhone OS used in a much bigger device. The same UI in that size would look awful. So I hope it looks different.

What’s this device good for? Well, I hope it supports pen input. I would like to write my notes during lectures in a device like this. That’s why I like the presentation of Microsofts Courier project.

Reading books in pdf format would also be very useful. As you can see, I’m looking for a tablet which helps me to do my work.

Can Apple deliver that?

By: Greg

Greg — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:39:00 +0000

iPhone OS would be a deal breaker for me. I hope this turns out to be an inaccurate portion of the rumor.

By: Ictus75

Ictus75 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:38:14 +0000

Even with all the guessing going on, no one but Apple really knows what this will turn out to be. I suspect they will surprise us just as they did with the iphone & ipod touch. Apple doesn’t just release products, they perfect ideas and then show us a new way to interact with the world.

By: rwahrens

rwahrens — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:11:03 +0000

“I wonder though, after all this time, after all this speculation and analysis and hype… will the product Apple finally announces early next year have any chance of living up to our expectations?”

VERY good question! If it doesn’t do the laundry, feed the dog, put out the cat AND bring me a beer, what the heck good is it?