More evidence of the Apple Tablet surfaced today. We first wrote about the device at the end of last year when OEMs in China started hearing about the device. Details are still thin, although probably not because of a lack of leaks. Rather, Apple may still be locking down important specs like screen size.
We’d heard 7 – 9 inch screen size late last year, but today’s reports range up to 10 inches, which we’ve also heard from our sources as a possible size.
We don’t know what the final price point will be, but somewhere between $500 and $1,000 makes sense. We’ve also heard that the launch date was pushed from this Fall to early next year, and we’ve confirmed that significant human assets from the iPod and iPhone team have been dedicated to the project.
In other words, the project is very real.
The operating system is likely to be based on the iPhone OS, which is a derivative of the standard Mac OS X. Some app developers have seen underlying code that suggests a larger screen device is on the way.
That means the App Store is a big part of the Apple Tablet, and the device will be particularly useful for gaming.
What we don’t know – the final screen size or the core CPU, although 10 inches is likely as we said, and it wouldn’t be surprising for Apple to launch with the Samsung ARM11 chip in the iPhone or their own proprietary chip from P.A. Semi, a company they acquired in 2008.
It’s not inconceivable that Apple would build around an Intel dual core that is common in most laptops, although the power usage of those chips would mean adding so much battery weight that the tradeoff may be unacceptable.
But if you look at the Macbook Air, which is a dual core machine that’s just an inch thick, you can imaging a dual core Apple Tablet. The only problem there would be cost – that is a $2,000 machine.
Most of the discussion today around CPUs is power usage, not core computing horsepower. ARM and Atom chips compete in low end devices like mobile phones and netbooks. Neither are great for Internet browsing – Flash, particularly video, still doesn’t work properly on ARM. Intel’s Atom isn’t much better because it can’t handle full screen or HD Flash video without skipping. Atom chips are also 2-3x the cost of ARM 11 chips and use significantly more power. Apple actually underclocks their ARM11 chip to get more battery life out of the iPhone, which hurts performance.
This Will Be A Huge Hit
Our posts about the CrunchPad show how seriously consumers want a device like this. It is the perfect couch computing device and will create a whole new category of computers. Everyone so far has blundered along with tiny screens. Apple is going to get it right. The price point and production capacity in China will be the only limiting factors in the number of units they can sell, in my opinion.
I want one…..now!
me too.
Me three.
Me four.
Crunchpad = deadpool.
Me 3.5!
I’ve wanted one since I was 12, come on apple! Do it for the reals!
a flexible half side(screen side) leather cover with leather handle attached to tablet – instead of bag.
so that back side of tablet will remain coverless while u carry around. hows my idea?
Please please. Dont patent my idea.
*hello* says the girl who can hook you up with the largest Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer and their network of factories.
this is better than fox conn in that they’re expanding into US market (i.e. mutually beneficial business arrangement)
…and when it comes time for Crunchpad to launch in China you’ve got nationwide distribution with a flip of a switch.
ask dave, i keep yammering about this b/c i see the potential. their office is in seattle and just let me know when you want to make a phone call.
besides, i told you. i want a pink crunchpad. like now.
Larger than HonHai? I doubt that…
I’ll be interested!
Hey Christine,
I really appreciate you offering, but the fact is, I already know everyone you know plus about 1 million other people. The fact is miss Lu, I’m worth a couple of billion dollars and making money is what I’ve been focusing on with Apple computer for the past 30 years.
I can see the headlines now… Apple tablet a success thanks to the hook-up from Christine Lu.
If I want to bring a product to the market place I already have people that I pay full time salaries to make the phone call(s) for me.
You already have your TC Tablet. Why would you want an Apple one when yours looks so much nicer?
Well this scares me, I hate to get all excited about awesome products and then they never come out..
Is this is the end of CrunchGear Reader?
Yes you get it nooowwwww, Only to regret in a year’s time, coz apple gonna ‘upgrade’ it with 1000 new features and oh, the so amazing wheel keyboard.
Jealousy?
How do I pre-order one, here are my info
Paul N. Hardman, DOB 1-29-53, SSN: 559-98-5086
why not just run the full OSX lepord/ Snow Lepord on the iPhone 3GS? its Prety capable to do that!
Can’t put it in my pocket, can’t use it like a real computer – iPhone OS
Definitely wouldn’t buy one.
yes you will.
I would prefer a techcrunch tablet.
Yeah, and despite the selflessness of MA’s post here, I think most people would prefer a CrunchPad. It comes down to price and flexibility. If Apple is working on this, it’s likely to be priced between $600 and $800. Thats just too much for most folks to pay for something that has the power of a netbook or CrunchPad, but at 2-3 times the cost.
These devices fill a niche that most don’t need filled, which is fine if the economy is good and the price is reasonable. Neither is true about the timing or pricing of such a device from Apple. It’ll fail like other prideful products from Apple. When they start thinking they can sell ice cream to an Eskimo*, that’s when you have to start worrying about them.
*it should be noted that I use this analogy in a very particular way – first, Alaskans as a people (white and native) eat more ice cream per capita than almost any other state. So obviously “selling ice cream to an Eskimo” doesn’t mean selling them your usual cream and sugar concoction. This expression actually refers to the fact that the Eskimo people make a variety of foods that combine fish fat (lard, blubber, etc), berries and other ingredients called Akutaq that is much tastier than any Ben & Jerry’s that you’ve ever had. So obviously it would be very hard to “sell ice cream to an Eskimo” if they already had Akytaq to eat, becuase they’d be very happy with that. Get it? Got it? Good.
If you had a techcrunch tablet, the only app you would need would involve twitter.
Why? Why would you use it on the couch? Everyone uses laptops on the couch? Why would the lack of a keyboard/screen stand make it better? How would you hold it? Netbooks are dirt cheap now. Why would anyone buy a tablet?
“Why would anyone buy a tablet?”
Exactly because they are not a netbook.
They are color portrait format e book readers and instructional video viewers with a full operating system and handwriting recognition.
I use mine everyday, everywhere.
A keyboard is surprisingly unnecessary for most tasks.
Yes I will
I think it’ll be one of those devices that some people don’t realize they want until it hits. Then demand for the market will be created and everyone will start making one. That size is perfect for taking around the house or going to a cafe to just browse the web. It’s what a lot of people are using netbooks for, but those try to be too much of a computer. Browse the web, browse your media, screw the physical keyboard that just adds size/weight – sell that as an add-on for those who will bitch about it. This is something people want even if some don’t realize it yet. But like Mike says, price will be very key here.
sorta like the iPhone.
That should be the slogan: “Sorta like the iPhone — but bigger”
Or “Sorta like the CrunchPad – but shiny”
Total waste of money if it does not have the real OS X. Why would anyone pay $1000 for a iPhone OS running on a huge iPhone device than buy a $400 netbook PC running real Windows 7?
I like the CrunchPad better, you guys need to get moving on that opertunity quick, you do know MS and Apple read you guys daily and know your working on CrunchPad right?
I was actually holding off buying a nutbook, I think whoever moves into this space will do well because as you said, the nutbooks try to do too much. This smaller tablet is perfect.
Btw, when can I get my hands on a Crunchpad? or did you guys do that just to light a fire under apples ass? Either way I’d buy one.
Here is your keyboard for the tablet….
http://www.thin...ards-mice/8193/
Yeah, the market really took off when Nokia released their tablet.
What going on with the techcrunch tablet ?
no comment
No comment? Or vaporware?
that’s nice.
Nice? Or true?
Sometimes the best comment is releasing a unique computing platform that includes sample documents such as this one:
http://www.cook...-243206,00.html
How is the “user experience” typing on a virtual keyboard on a Tablet ?
From your testing with the Crunchpad, does it fit with email use?
Maybe you can share your experience with us, when you use the Crunchpad, how do you hold it ?
As I write this comment, my laptop is on my legs. So I am wondering how would I type on a Tablet.
Anyone else, feel free to share your ideas on that, I have read a lot about possible table hardwares but not so much about the user experience for the end users: us !
Crunchpad sounds more like a practical product.
Apple may be nice, but the bluetooth in it wont work with any other keyboard, it’s just for monaural headphone.
i honestly think that if they apple will want you to write email with their tablet, they will come up with something smart to make it easier.
deadpool
I’m sorry for you mike, I think you put in a lot of work in your tablet thingy and it started to look pretty awesome! Perhaps it’s gonna work out anyway.
Screw that. If all Arrington did was jumpstart Apple into finally building an iTablet I’ll love him forever.
A tablet done right is going to be a huge hit. It has to do things “right”, like wake up from sleep fast.
HP had done one once (5+years ago) and it was even near perfect (handwriting recognition THAT WORKED, gestures with a stilo, etc.).
Didn’t take off though.
Then again, with a 3G it can become a video-phone form factor (you actually need to have a ‘natural scale’ image of the person you talk to to make it ‘immersive’ ).
It would be interesting to see.
I am not a gamer but I want one. I use everything Apple except the IPhone only because of AT&T.
Can we give the ifellatio a rest. It is a webpad, just like the ten other webpads that failed between 2000 and 2008
right. except not.
Michael, you are a patient man. I like your response.
You seem pretty passionate about this post Michael.
I thought it would have more of a frustrated, pissed off tone to it considering you were/are creating your own tablet device.
I was really looking forward to that, hope you’re not scrapping it.
If you read my original post, what drives me is the desire to have a tablet in my hands. I have one of the four crunchpads today. I’ll buy the Apple Tablet too. What matters is innovation and driving technology forward. It’s a beautiful thing.
A year ago all our sources said Apple had put the tablet idea on hold bc testing showed people didn’t want one. That’s all changed now. Which is awesome.
Michael, there is going to be physical keyboard that slides out of apple’s phone tabelet.
3 year contract, only $7999 and get the iTablet from apple phreeeeee
If you have a Tablet “In your hands”, how do you type on it? The whole idea of a Tablet PC makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. That’s why they’ve all failed. The *only* use I can see, is hanging on the wall in the kitchen to look up recipes.
Seriously. Tablet PCs are so not the future.
How the hell do you know. If 2 years ago you would have told me I’d be tickling glass to text, I would have pointed at the miniscule physical keyboard on my Tréo and told you where to stick your prophecy. It’s the UI experience stupid…. Apple gets it.
ON a lighter note… I think a release of an Apple tablet would HELP the CrunchPad, It would open the publics mind to the idea of making a pad an everyday part of life…. and clearly the CrunchPad could be delivered at much lower price point to help fill the need for those who don’t wanna spend in the upper tier for theirs. Michael Arringtons support of an Apple branded pad isn’t a succession to the market… It’s a brilliant move to endorse a product that may catapult a segment in which Crunch has a bit of a head start… Michael, you clever little monkey.
>> A year ago all our sources said Apple had put the tablet idea on hold bc testing showed people didn’t want one. That’s all changed now. Which is awesome.
Yeah I think you’re going to have to point to slightly better market research than 40 people ‘liking’ the post on the crunchpad :/
Yes, please. right now, I’m watching an old West Wing and browsing techcrunch. the tablet would be awesome. is anyone predicting what the hardware will be like? because if that’s “like an iphone but bigger” then that sucks. But if it’s on the lower end of the macbook type processing – that could be great for games and other really smart productivity apps for various professions.
Yes I want it super now!
That would be a bitchin remote for my eyetv and 30″
Hmm.. guess I’ll need to port http://www.poke-eye.com/ to it
If Apple makes this based off the iphone OS instead of Mac OS, in that it runs app store apps and not Mac OS apps, its gonna suck balls as most of the utility of a netbook/laptop is in its applications
-r-
I’m an Apple user and mostly a fan of their products but I agree with this post. iPhone apps are designed for a tiny screen and big fingers whereas Mac OSX apps are designed for mice and keyboards. It would confuse the heck out of developers to write an app for this tablet, considering all the effort Apple is making to change the way desktop developers design their apps to think on the iPhone paradigm.
Apple is not a fan of complexity so it’s hard to think that they would release a tablet that runs iPhone apps.
“Our posts about the CrunchPad show how seriously consumers want a device like this.”
No, no, and no.
Techcrunch readers are not typical consumers. Techcrunch readers are not mass-market.
I want one with Windows XP on it too. Never used MAC OS, I am scared.
If your scared go to Church.
And I was going to say, please don’t put Windows on it. Will ruin the experience.. go Ubuntu
Oh my god, SO want one. There is no reason at all to run windows on a little netbook, you simply don’t need it.
Sad to see the date was pushed, though, I was waiting until after WWDC to pull the trigger on buying a netbook (want one by end of july, when I’m traveling), it looks like I’m buying a dell or asus. Oh well.
Early next year? You mean 2010?
Can you provide me a link, Michael? Please? My buying plan of a laptop depends of it.
Here’s your “link”:
http://www.busi..._hold_your.html
But here’s a better one:
http://www.tech...-tablet-so-far/
Would be cool if this device had a vertical docking / charging station so that it could act as a wifi picture frame when not in use, then you could pluck it out of the dock to use apps.
Be great if they got the price under $500 so you could sprinkle them around the house.
Hmmm, is the iPhone OS really the ideal brain for a device like this? I mean, I can get by without multitasking and Flash on an iPhone, but not on my bigger Web pad. Additionally, won’t this “break” the App Store? I suppose they could just have devs port their apps over to the larger size and resolution.
You guys all do realize that tablets already exist and have for quite some time, here is one example:
http://www.tabl...ra/i400s_pp.asp
Ohh that’s right, they run Windows so that is why they don’t get any attention. Sorry, almost forgot I was on Techcrunch.
Except that’s NOT what we’re talking about. We’re not talking about full featured computers, we’re talking about something inexpensive that is designed for web access. $1700 is cost prohibitive if all you want to do is check GMail, watch YouTube, and look at blogs. $500 on the otherhand is doable.
Think of this like a tablet Netbook, not a traditional tablet.
Even if that is the case, it will slowly turn into a full tablet. Apple will release this Tablet Netbook and people are going to be happy with it for a while, then people will realize that they want it to do more, so Apple will add in features. This will happen over and over again until it is a typical tablet.
The problem is that Apple fans will buy each new version that comes out, because Apple won’t add the new features to the exisiting tablet, so you will fork out another $500+ on it. This will happen over and over again, just look at the Iphone.
Besides, when is price an issue for Apple fans? Everything Apple has released has been expensive, if Apple releases this product for $2000 people would still flock to it and buy it, I don’t think price has anything to do with it, it’s all in the name.
My other question then is why does it need to be a tablet then? If all you are going to do is look at websites, write some emails. Why not just go out and by a nice cheap Netbook that already exists? They clearly do the same type of thing you are looking for, they are lowcost, small, easy to use, etc.
I’m sure if they release it, it will be a success, simply because it’s Apple and everyone loves Apple for whatever reason.
But I still think there are plenty of exisiting pieces of hardware out there (and have been out for a while) that will do what Apple’s tablet will do, plus a lot more.
I really hate comments like this. It’s like they try to make a joke of the success of the iPhone, instead of admitting it’s a bloody good product.
I mean, that’s not even true. People don’t buy everything Apple makes. There are loads of Apple products which were basically failures, or not very successful. Their speaker thing comes to mind.
“Their speaker thing comes to mind”… As does The Cube. People who bad mouth Apple, just because they it’s an Apple product usually fall into 1 of 2 categories: 1) Those who have never used one 2)Those who can’t afford one. The iPhone is Kick Ass. And a tablet made by them would be also… stop Hatin’ Zebb… you ignorant weenie.
Ignorant weenie? ha. I don’t think I was bad mouthing Apple, I was just stating valid questions. What will Apple’s tablet do that doesn’t already exist today? Why aren’t existing products today getting any recognition for the hard work they have put into making tablets?
I have/do use Apple products, so I know what I like and don’t like, I am currently typing this from my Macbook.
Granted I’m running Win 7 at the moment in bootcamp since I can’t stand OS X, it’s clunky to use in my opinion.
I’d say that most people can’t afford Apple products, which is exactly the problem with Apple, their is a cost that most people don’t want to spend, nor can they justify to spend.
I think Apple hardware is some of the best you can get, hence why I bought my Macbook. I can justify the cost for good hardware because I use a lot of software that needs good hardware (Adobe Suite, Maya, Visual Studio, etc.) As a designer I need a quality screen as well.
Most people, do not need the power that a Apple computer provides, which is exactly why netbooks have taken off so fast, most people need something that can do email, internet, very basic photo editing (cropping, resizing), and can write a few documents if needed.
I am guessing you are more techy than most, so you probably wouldn’t be part of the “Most” people category.
I never said the Iphone wasn’t kick ass, I never said it was a bad product and I never said I hate Apple. Don’t put words in my mouth.
You have to admit though that Apple has had it’s own fair share of failures, as has every single company out there.
Take some time and actually answer the questions from my second post.
Not to mention there’s one thing missing:
\
Multi-touch
There was a lot of speculation about the leaked device IDs from a few months back, specially the iFPGA device ID. Many geeks guessed “field programmable gate array.” Sorry geeks, but Mr Oblivious wants his cape back: it’s Flat Panel Gaming Appliance.
BTW @Mike Arrington: where’s your Linux tablet. I’d so buy it if it was $200 – 250. I don’t care how it runs, I just want to buy the hardware. I can hack Android on it myself.
What problem does this solve? I wish I could be so confident that ‘Apple will get it right’.
The fanboys will buy anything Apple makes. But for this to go mass market, it has to fill a need. Netbooks succeeded because they were the classic disruptive technology: laptops had become too complex and expensive, and consumers needed something simple and cheap.
I can’t see Apple doing simple and cheap. The other gap in the market is for a truly portable mini computing device- something between a phone and a laptop, that is small, thin and light enough to fit into a pocket and be truly portable, but large enough for serious work on the road. think the kind of thing a mobile blogger would need.
10 inches is too large for this device. There’s no burning need for a ‘couch computing device’. 7 inches, maybe. THAT would be the killer product- the niche UMPCs and mini notebooks have been trying to hit but failing, because they’re either too small or too big.
“laptops had become too complex and expensive, and consumers needed something simple and cheap.”
Wrong. They’re cheap but not simple.
“I can’t see Apple doing simple and cheap.”
They will do something simple. And yeah, i know…
we ALSO know that apple is currently searching privately for an enterprise executive from the medical/health market to architect a more powerful strategy to bring such tablets into the healthcare market (e.g. hospital et al)
I have been eagerly awaiting one of these.
Recently bought a MacBook and must say I am enjoying it so far (I’d never used a Mac before..although I still bought up a VM for .NET development).
I was expecting it to be based on the IPhone OS as the app store seems like a good fit for the way you would use it (and it gives Apple a way of controlling what goes on it and make some $$$ along the way).
What would really be great is if they added some extra enhancements:
1) Allow the tablet to become a second screen for your MacBook/MacBook Pro. If I take both on a trip it would be great to make use of the extra screen space when using my laptop for development. It would also help promote buying a MacBook/MacBook Pro over another laptop if you already own the tablet and in the market for a new machine.
2) Allow the tablet to work with Apple Workstations/Laptops as a tablet (e.g. the Mac OS detects the laptop and allows you to use it for e.g. Photoshop etc).
Those two extra features would be icing on the cake!
John
Does that mean you’re abandoning the CrunchPad?
I’d rather have the CrunchPad….
Yep, ‘fraid I want one, and so sad they’re putting it off. I had suspected a release in time for back-to-school this fall. Awww.
Perfect for travel, and a vast improvement in size over my iPod Touch for what a “netbook” means to me: just simple-minded internet access. Browsing and email with a screen and keyboard just large enough to see comfortably.
No need for heavy-duty apps like Photoshop or through-the-roof gaming: maybe just a little photo retouch at most. A decent word-processor, perhaps, but maybe this could be SAAS.
Lightweight, ready to sync with my home computer, easy to pack and go, good battery life, easy to use: that’s the ticket!
I think Apple is waiting for this new system on a chip from Intel due out next year. This will allow their tablet to be much more robust than just a web tablet but it would also be light weight.
http://www.toms...field,6671.html
I am so annoyed that, just because Apple was going to do this, everyone else has stopped. “Apple will prove the concept.”
What sheep are we. Of course its time for such a device. I just want it to happen so 6 months later we can get the same deal from other then Apple, at 1/3 the price.
And really, App store is great and all, but this device is not going to be doing much more then what is available on a netbook.. Do you need to spent 3 times what you could get 80% of functionality for?
James
yet again mike shows his lack of knowledge of anything technical. most devices don’t play video well because the graphics chipset does not support the video format and resolution. if the apple tablet actually exists, graphics functions will probably be handled by either nvidia/ati/imagination. the cpu or app processor has very little to do with video rendering…
this will only work at a low price point, to be mainstream it needs to hit a price point equal to a gaming hand held. Nintendo should think about this
CrunchPad please
“http://www.tabletkiosk.com/pro…..00s_pp.asp
Ohh that’s right, they run Windows so that is why they don’t get any attention. Sorry, almost forgot I was on Techcrunch. ”
Are you kidding me? When Apple enters the space they move the market in the traditional Applesque way. Sure the fanboys will buy anything, but they only start the wave. The masses will soon follow. It won’t take long for Apple to totally revolutionize this space—one that, let’s face it, kind of sucks right now. The Sahara Slate Tablet PC? Really? That’s the best thing on the market? Wow.
Apple is going to use the same strategy once again. Think of crappy MP3 players before the iPod/iTunes, or (gasp) smartphones before the iPhone/app store. Apple is a master at launching entire platforms, not just products. Brace yourself.
First off I never said the Sahara tablet was the best thing on the market, I have never even used a tablet. I’m saying that there are already options out there.
I wouldn’t say Apple revolutinized anything, changed things, yes. But that is the way technology works.
Think about it. First we had huge clunky cell phones, then it switched to smaller ones taht could fit in your pocket, then we got flip phones, then we got blackberries, then we got iphones.
Each one of those periods changed the game for cell phones, currently Iphone is changing the game for touchscreen phones.
What did the Iphone bring that didn’t exist? Touchscreen? nope, camera? nope, headphone jack? nope, etc. etc.
The same scenerio happened in the mp3 world.
I’m sure they will change the game again with Tablets, but I still think there are options out there that already exist and should be mentioned. People here are acting as if a tablet is a new thing, I’m saying it’s not.
You are right, but I guess what I’m saying is that Apple has an uncanny way of putting all the right pieces together and shaking up an entire category. Now we all take it for granted, but two years ago, no single smartphone manufacturer had included features like WiFi connectivity, accelerometers, an intuitive and practical way of browsing the internet with a touchscreen, an app store with tens of thousands of apps, etc. etc. Soon we’re going to see a magnetometer and suddenly millions of people are going to wonder how they survived without this feature in their devices…
Again, no one is as good as Apple at putting it all together, making easy for the average human to use, packaging in a really cool design and getting the consumer to say, “shit, that’s really cool— I want it now”.
“What did the Iphone bring that didn’t exist?”
A computer in my pocket that I use to stay connected when I’m away from my actual computer. The iPhone isn’t a phone, it’s a platform. That’s what they brought. You can see it as an iteration if you like, but there’s a point at which micro-evolution leads to a new species, and that’s the relationship between the iPhone and other mobile devices that came before it.
Well said Kubrik
Sorry but Blackberries and WinMo phones have been doing this for years, hence why they have been the standard for businesses, because it allows you to edit documents, use the interent, send emails, etc. etc. The iphone still doesn’t allow you to do a bunch of things that have been standard in other platforms for years.
You are telling me that WinMo isn’t a platform? You are kidding right? I have a WinMo dev kit on cd if you would like me to send it to you.
The iphone for the most part took existing things and made them better, plain and simple. To say that Apple was basically the first to bring “real computer” technology and platforms to the phone is ridiculous.
What they brought was the app store. None of the devices that went before had anything of the same scope and quality (and I had most of them). The app store was the game changer. Will it work for the tablet? Don’t know but I would sure like to find out.
I think cPad is very cool. This Apple Tablet on the other hand is very cool in a different ball park. I don’t see it rolling out this year though. There’s still a lot of growth in other areas for Apple.
Call it an iPad perhaps?
If this is true there will be apps for two portable systems, iPhone OS and iPhone OS…XL, in the app store. I sure hope they sort out the app store until then.
I have to agree with the doubters. I just don’t get it. I was really eager to learn about an Apple phone because basically phones totally sucked before the iPhone arrived. However what exactly would I use a tablet for?
For random net access, reading news etc, the iPhone is great. It’s small, light and fits in my pocket. Anything bigger will be extra weight in my already too heavy bag. And why? It can’t replace my laptop unless it has an actual keyboard at the very least. Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to do any serious work with it. Maybe, maybe if it was netbook cheap, but it’s hard seeing Apple doing that.
Nokia tried going down the Internet tablet road as well, but so far has shown only limited success. Mind you, the usability was terrible.
The big deal about this is going to be the use of gestures. My friends at Apple tell me that it’s like Minority Report.
the future is here*
As always, excellent information, but the writing seemed a bit clunky. This is the first time I’ve actually been aware of the writing (and not just the content) when reading Tech Crunch.
Much prefer the Crunchpad… I see it being more useful than a tablet from Apple (especially since I have a MBP and an iPhone).
did no one wonder why there is a better life for hackintosh’s running on atom processors? Also what about nvidia ion being used too…
I would buy 2 of these if they come out, my only hope is they have a cool keyboard.
While I think that this type of device has the potential to be a homerun, the projected timing (vs. this year) isn’t shocking for two reasons:
1. Partitioning the platform between open PC-like layers (i.e., download apps from anywhere) and managed/closed runtime layers (App Store is THE marketplace with a singular SDK, APIs, etc.) is a potential hornet’s nest of technical, user experience and ecosystem decisions.
2. Such a device is a logical point for Apple to define forking decisions between abstractions and uniformity, relative to supporting all sorts of different form factors under this platform (e.g., Macs, Apple TV, iPhone, iPod touch, Tablet, keyboard, touch/tilt only, camera, video, TV tuner).
For more fodder on the topic, check out the post:
Apple, TV and the Smart Connected Living Room
http://bit.ly/FBEk
Cheers,
Mark
I really hope it has an internal 3g modem. Unfortunately, there’s not really any standard (I’d want a CDMA one for Sprint / Verizon). Otherwise it’ll need an Express Card slot so I can put in my own.
This device will succeed for the same reason all of Apple’s other personal electronic devices have succeeded: they will find a way to marry the OS and the form. Think back to the introduction of the clickwheel and the hierarchical iPod menus; then the iPhone and its touch and gesture-based UI.
I agree with Michael: this is real and it will be huge.
I’ve got my own thoughts as well:
http://preview....yurl.com/qvg6ct
I still want the Crunchpad…it’ll be $300 cheaper than the iPad…right? Please?
iWas a macUSER who came back to Windows Just for Service, Support & Low Cost hardware.
Wow, us PC users have been using Tablets for years now… Where was apple???
I can putgether an AMD rig with 8 gigs, 1 gig video, 2 hd’s, dvd RW, and so on for around $1,000! The Mother Board is by Asus! WOW, I would say it louder 8}
Wow, this sounds really amazing. I’m sure the user interface experience is awesome. Clearly the Apple device will pale in comparison with your ‘FrankenTablet’. What is Apple thinking? With all the great PC tablets on the market, I’m sure they’ll only sell 100 or so devices.
… OR …
They’ll totally redefine the category and soon become the dominant player in this entire industry!
Who gives a fuck where Apple was? Same place they were when MP3 players were clunky pieces of shit.
iPod changed that. Maybe this thing’ll change tablets.
No no, PC Tablets are absolutely brillant, that’s why they have such a great success. Who care about the user experience anyway ? Only the components matter.
And did you read that ? The motherboard is made by Asus ! OMFG !
Hell I may get both the crunch pad and apple pad (eventually).
I’d probably invest in the crunchpad first *if* the pricepoint is less than the apple pad (don’t have the attitude of palm!)
It looks great. I want one!
Well I can see everyones excitment through this comments, but as an ethical hacker I am looking forword for its security flaws and its stealth capacity