The Apple Tablet, Not the Answer to Everyone’s Prayers
Dec 31, 2009 Apple Tablet
Apple’s upcoming tablet might prove not to be the gadget freak’s wet dreams, as it seemed a couple of months ago, when it was more of a rumour than it is now. James Brehm, Frost & Sullivan analyst claims that there will be a strong interest in the device, but the tablet won’t be the wave of the future. The problem with this product is that it’s stuck inbetween smaller gadgets and full blown PCs.
Basically, what we’re dealing with here is a bigger iPod Touch, but one that’s better equipped for movie viewing, graphic design and Internet browsing. While many already call 2010 “the year of the tablet”, things may look up for this segment of products, but only for a couple of months and not years from now.
Just look at the netbooks, that were a huge hit in 2008 and then their sales started dropping, because smartphones got better and bigger, while laptops got cheaper. Another problem with the Apple Tablet is the fact that it’ll be quite pricey, at around $800 a piece, making it a niche product. The same analyst quoted above reminds us that there have been tablets before and we don’t see them flourishing or making huge sales.
Things will probably go as Steve Jobs planned, at least in the beginning: you know, everyone will buy the new cool thing with the Apple logo on it and in mid 2010, sales will start going down, as will the price and then we’ll see if the tablet can survive or not.
[via CNN]
Tags: Apple Tablet price, James Brehm, tablet future, tablet market segment
Camangi Webstation First Impressions Revealed
Dec 31, 2009 Camangi
Camangi’s Webstation is a pretty cool Android tablet, that has finally reached the hands of the first folks who pre-ordered it. Thus, the device is ready for testing and the first impressions. You can have a look at the unboxing video and hands on experience after the break, if you’re curious.
Turns out that the tablet is very much like an Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble nook, as far as looks are weight are concerned. Build quality is pretty good, or so claim the folks who got hold of the device, that can be yours for a pretty reasonable amount of cash: $399. Its specs include WiFi, Bluetooth, a 7 inch WVGA touchscreen display and Camangi’s own download store (Camangi Market).
Real world performance and a couple of days of testing will reveal the true potential of this Android tablet, but CES 2010 is coming and we’ll see even more interesting devices there.
[via slashgear]
Tags: Camangi WebStation, hands on, price, specs, unboxing
Notion Ink’s Tablet to be Called Adam, Launched in June 2010
Dec 31, 2009 Tablet related
As we previously informed you in an older story, there’s a cool tablet coming from India, bearing the Notion Ink branding. Now, the device gets a name, Adam and a release date: June 2010. The product will have pretty incredible specs, like an impressive battery life, plus a Tegra and Pixel Qi combo.
At this point, Notion Ink is discussing a couple of tests in the 3G connectivity department, both with Indian and US operators. The device’s 3G bands are compatible with AT&T’s network, so this is a golden opportunity for the carrier to get a new cash cow, specially if they lose the iPhone to Verizon.
It’s possible that we’ll see a couple mode Pixel Qi devices getting launched till Adam hits the market, but its main appeal will remain the low price, about $321.
[via Engadget]
Tags: Adam, launch date, Notion Ink, Pixel Qi, price, Tegra
Apple, Ordering Tablet Components? Connectors and 10 Inch Screen Included
Dec 28, 2009 Apple Tablet
The Economic Daily paper from Taiwan has a piece on the fact that Cheng Uei Precision Industry has received a pretty important order from Apple. Apparently, we’re dealing with “connectors” for the the Cupertino company’s new Tablet PCs. The same report says that the tablet is likely to start shipping in Q3 2010.
Meanwhile, we learn via Digitimes that Innolux, a Foxconn subsidiary that makes panels will provide Apple with touch panels for its new product. Rumor has it that the deal will involve 10 inch panels, as previously speculated by major tech blogs. This is just another one of the huge series of rumours surfacing recently about the Apple Tablet.
The mystery will blow away on January 26th 2010, when Apple has scheduled a pretty important event in San Francisco, probably related to their new device.
[via macrumors]
Tags: Apple order, Cheng Uei Precision Industry, Foxconn, Innolux, tablet components
Apple Tablet/iSlate Rumours Increase Apple Stock Value for Xmas
Dec 28, 2009 Apple Tablet
In case Steve Jobs and his Cupertino folks wanted a Christmas gift related to their company, the surely got it. As shown in the graph below, Apple’s stock climbed quite a lot recently, during the Xmas period, as people started buying the company’s shares, while the rumours regarding the tablet are pouring in from everywhere.
Last we heard, the device was headed to an unveiling on January 26th, at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, California. As Cupertino refuses to comment on rumours, we also learn that the tablet might be called the “iSlate”, a brand that’s owned by Apple through some mystery company.
The iSlate.com domain was listed as belonging to Apple back in 2007 for a brief period of time, so it’s very likely that the Apple Tablet will be called the iSlate after all. Everyone seems to be cashing in on the recent tablet mania… Will this stop in January?
[via Engadget]
Tags: Cupertino, iSlate, iSlate.com, launch date, rumours, shares
Homemade iTablet/eBook is a DIY Work of Art
Dec 27, 2009 Apple Tablet
How can you tell that people have had enough with waiting for a product? It’s the moment when they start making their very own version of it… Case in point, the rumoured Apple Tablet, that’s been turned into a homemade project by the guy with the blog over here. He was sick of waiting for the device’s announcement and created the iTablet/eBook you can see below.
The self-titled hacker bought a cheap iBook 500 Mhz from Craigslist for $100, then a touchscreen display for $70, a couple of external buttons taken from an older USB joystick and… the process started. What you can see in the image above is the start of the dismantling, with the removal of the keyboard and mousepad from the iBook.
Software-wise, Mac OS X 10.4 was used and the hacker also added flash memory in the mix, instead of a hard drive. 640MB of RAM were on board, an Airport card, for wireless support and the prototype managed to boot the OS from a 5GB flash memory. The saga goes on an on from the first chapter (dismantling), to the finished product running like in the video below, over here.
[via underdesign]
Tags: custom tablet, DIY, Ebook, homemade tablet, iTablet
2010, Dominated by Tablet PCs?
Dec 27, 2009 Apple Tablet, Asus, Dell, JooJoo, Microsoft
We’re nearing the end of 2009 and with the arrival of 2010, we notice that more and more companies are getting ready to launch tablet PCs. From Apple to Dell and from Asus to Microsoft, every major player on the computer market is getting ready to enter the tablet segment with a cool new product. Will 2010 be the year of the tablet? Let’s check out the main products in this segment, that are bound to be launched soon.
The JooJoo
Formerly known as Crunchpad, the JooJoo tablet is very much real, unlike the models we’re about to discuss. It’s even been tested by most important gadget blogs, who found it very satisfying and it comes with a 12 inch touchscreen, with a 1366 x 768 pixel resolution. It’s able to play 720p videos and its processor is a 1.6 GHz Intel Atom CPU, while the specs list also includes 1GB RAM, 4GB SSD memory, an USB 2.0 port, webcam and microphone.
A headphone jack is also on board, together with Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, but the 3G is lacking. This device is already on sale and up for pre-orders, for $499 and things started off pretty weird for the product, with the whole TechCrunch – Fusion Garage scandal.
Dell Android Tablet
Dell also wants a piece of the tablet market, so it’s readying something cool to showcase at CES 2010. All we know right now is that the device will sport a 5 inch touchscreen, it’ll run Android and it’ll have cool multimedia features. Chances are that this is the Dell Streak we’re talking about, but the Moto Sholes tablet is also worth mentioning.
Expect the new product to debut in the UK first, followed by the States.
Asus Eee Pad
Asus wants to expand its Eee series of products by launching a tablet in 2010, dubbed the Eee Pad. This device will probably feature a display with a diagonal size between 4 and 7 inches (touchscreen).
It’ll also include PC and MID functions and the Eee Pad seems to be inspired by the rumoured Apple Tablet.
Microsoft Courier
First shown as a concept a couple of months ago, this hot looking device is very much real, but it caters more to the e-reader side of things. Microsoft Courier will feature two 7 inch displays, a built in camera and WiFi.
Multitouch and stylus are both supported and it seems that the Courier will be destined to be more of a paper day planner gone digital or a device for people into sketching and design.
Apple Tablet
We left the best for last, since the Apple Tablet is our daily rumour for the past couple of months. It’ll sport a 9 to 10 inch touchscreen, be priced as high as $1000 and probably get announced in January.
The latest rumours have it ready for sale in March/April and its design makes it look like a bigger iPod Touch-MacBook combo.
Which of these devices will get the best sales in 2010? What do you think?
[via pcworld]
Tags: CES 2010, launch date, specs, tablets of 2010
Apple’s Tablet to be Called the iSlate? Domain Name Already Purchased
Dec 27, 2009 Apple Tablet
As we wait for the supposed January 2010 unveiling of the Apple Tablet, we’ve just come across a new rumour regarding the device: Apple acquired the iSlate.com domain name back in 2007, probably preparing for its debut years afterwards. This domain was originally registered back in October 2004 by the Eurobox Ltd. company, being bought by Data Docket, Inc. in 2006 and MarkMonitor.com in 2007.
The latter handles domain name registrations for companies like Apple and many more.
Usually such companies are used to hide the real brand that purchases a certain domain, as found by the folks of MacRumors. Apple was present as the owner of iSlate.com for a few weeks in 2007, then being switched back to the other company. Right now, the site points nowhere, but we can bet that in a few months’ time, we’ll be seeing a pretty neat website at that address.
Is iSlate the real name of the upcoming tablet?
[via macrumors]
Tags: Apple domain name, Apple tablet site, iSlate, iSlate.com, MarkMonitor
Amazon to Acquire Netflix; Transaction Related to Apple Tablet Launch?
Dec 26, 2009 Apple Tablet
The latest news in the Apple Tablet universe is related to the acquisition of Netflix by Amazon, which seems like a strategic move, as the tablet is getting ready for launch. The Cupertino folks want a piece of the subscription streaming media business and there are even rumours regarding an Apple-Amazon acquisition.
The thing is that Apple and Amazon will be competing, at least in the multimedia reader business. The tablet launched by Cupertino will surely rival the Kindle and even surpass it, since it provides more functionality, being a combo between an iPod and a lower end MacBook. Some even call it the “Kindler killer” already…
Amazon wants to create a subscription-based video business, while Apple has great potential in this segment and Netflix fits the picture perfectly, since it’s a big player in the physical media section of the video retail market. Thus, online involvement is only a step away… Apple’s supposed 10.1 inch wonder device will probably go live in March/April (according to Yair Reiner, Oppenheimer analyst) and the video service will surely aid its maker conquer the portable media/service market.
Tags: Amazon, Apple Tablet rumour, Cupertino, Netflix, video streaming
Apple Special Event Scheduled for January 26, 2010; Tablet Debut?
Dec 24, 2009 Apple Tablet
The Apple Tablet might be closer than we think, if we take into account the fact that Apple has recently scheduled a media event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. It’ll take place on Tuesday, January 26, 2010 and it will involve an important product announcement. Odds are that this is finally the moment for the long awaited tablet…
Financial Times quotes a bunch of inside sources and claims that Apple has rented the stage for a couple of days at the end of next month. In other news, the same sources are also saying that mass production will debut in February. The controversy right now revolves around the screen size of the device: 7 or 10 inches.
It’s possible that Apple will release two versions of the tablet, sporting both screen sizes, but, as usual, nothing is confirmed. An interesting piece of info comes from Silicon Alley Insider, claiming that developers were asked to develop full screen version of the iPhone apps for a January demo, probably to fit the tablet’s screen.
We’re praying for a genuine image leak right now…
[via appleinsider]
Tags: 10 inch tablet, 7 inch tablet, Apple event, Apple Tablet launch, apps
