Apple Promises Epic Press Event on January 27th! Tablet Possibly on the Way
Jan 18, 2010 Apple Tablet
Apple has finally come clean regarding the event scheduled on January 27th, the supposed debut date for the Cupertino-produced tablet. The event will take place on Wednesday, January 27th, at 10 am PST and there’s a pretty cool teaser/poster/invitation for the event pictured below.
We’ll keep you posted regarding the debut of the device, step by step and probably we’ll witness a keynote of Steve Jobs, showcasing the 10 inch device and its iPhone apps with an improved resolution for the tablet.
[via slashgear]
Tags: Apple Tablet launch date, Cupertino, keynote, press event, Steve Jobs
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
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 Tablet Confirmed by Kids Magazine?!
Nov 26, 2009 Apple Tablet
Of all the places to get the confirmation of the long awaited Apple Tablet, a German kids magazine is the last place we would have counted on. Said teenie mag includes the photo below, most likely a Photoshop work messing with some iPhones and claims that this is in fact the new tablet from Cupertino.
Apparently, it sports a 10.2 inch display and it should be called the iPad. Also, the magazine mentions a launch date scheduled for January, but it’s all irrelevant, considering the poor quality of this photo edit. If we start following kids magazines, next thing you know, we’ll be switching on the Disney channel for gadget reviews.
Clearly a fake!
[via umpcportal]
Apple Tablet to Kill Other Devices?
Nov 18, 2009 Apple Tablet
A recent article on CNN states why the upcoming Apple Tablet will be a game changer, killing most of the devices that have limited features on the modern market. Aside from being very cool, the fresh gadget from Cupertino could make a big splash by being priced the right way ($600 lowest price tag, but it can also go to $800 or $1000).
If we follow the latest rumours, this tablet will be able to do basically anything a portable console, e-reader, music and video player can do. Thousands of third party apps will make the gadget even more appealing and we wonder if it’ll be running Mac OS X or not. Specialists say that the tablet might sport a 10 inch to 12 inch screen and pack a high end graphics card that will provide a great multimedia and gaming experience.
Experts also expect Apple’s brainchild to be well connected via WiFi or 3G, maybe through an AT&T contract. A cool webcam should also make the cut and if we’re to take into account all the speculations, this device might as well replace your iPod, Kindle, PSP, Nintendo DS, portable video player and laptop. A full list of arguments can be found here.
[via CNN]
Tags: 10 inch screen, Apple Tablet price, Cupertino, speculations
Apple Job Listing Revealed Tablet Feature?
Nov 17, 2009 Apple Tablet
Apple has gaming-related plans for its devices and it’s not only the iPhone and iPod Touch we’re talking about, but also the seemingly mythical tablet we’re waiting for. A recent job listing on the company’s site claims that the Cupertino giant is looking for a full time “Game/Media Software Engineer”, that knows his way around “C / C++ / Objective-C / iPhone” and has a passion for gaming.
While this may only prove to be a job related to gaming titles on the iPod, it could also mean that Apple is looking for a skilled software engineer to develop the needed gaming platform for the Apple Tablet. The Apple Blog mentions a rumour, saying that the new employee will be developing an in-house demo of the gaming feature on the tablet.
We could also see some porting work, done to take the most famous titles from the iPod Touch, iPhone and emulate them to the new platform. We also expect some love for other emulators, like NES, Gameboy or even PSP to be seen on said tablet, but we’re just dreaming, right?
[via slashgear]
Tags: Apple job listing, Cupertino, gaming tablet, iPhone gaming, iPod gaming
Apple Patent Mentions Pen-based Technology, Heading for Tablet?
Nov 13, 2009 Apple Tablet
The folks of 9 to 5 Mac have come across an Apple patent for a “pen based input tablet”, that you can see below and obviously you’ll get excited over the new device of the Cupertino giant. This patent application was filed back on July 17 2009 and it was published today in the US Patent & Trademark Office, revealing part of Apple’s future intentions.
Last we heard, the Apple Tablet was a touch-sensitive device that takes input from the user’s finger, just like the iPod touch and the iPhone, via a touchscreen panel. This patent changes the approach, bringing a pen or stylus in the mix, rather than the touch interface of the iPhone. If you remember, back in 2007 Steve Jobs criticized the stylus, before launching the iPhone, so we can’t imagine that he changed his mind so fast.
However, Apple’s new patent is less about hardware and more about the software, since the pen-based input tablet will focus on “acquiring and organising ink information”. Handwriting recognition is also on board, via an engine that uses an ink phrase termination. Mac OS X shipped with handwriting recognition, a service called Ink Services, present on the Jaguar (aka Mac OS 10.2), so could this mean that they’re preparing for a graphics tablet with a stylus attached?
[via zdnet]
Tags: Cupertino, handwriting recognition, pen based technology, pen input, stylus
Apple Engineers Travelling to China; Working on Tablet?
Oct 30, 2009 Apple Tablet
It turns out that Apple’s employees have taken lots of trips to manufacturing plants in China recently and they also have similar visits scheduled for this winter and the holiday season. Could this be related to the Apple Tablet rumours? The Business Insider quoted an anonymous source, saying that the Cupertino engineers have visited Asians manufacturing plants, with the clear favourite being Foxconn, Apple’s long time partner.
This could indeed mean that Foxconn is involved in the making of the tablet, as speculated previously, plus the fact that the engineers will also be working on Christmas time means that Apple is trying hard to meet a certain deadline. Could it be the launch in Q1 2010 that everyone is talking about?
Early reports show that the initial run of the product might include the production of 300,000 to 400,000 devices, ready for sale.
[via appleinsider]
Tags: Apple engineers, Apple Tablet production, Cupertino, Foxconn
Apple Tablet Also Coming to Australia; Cupertino in Talks with Local Partners
Oct 28, 2009 Apple Tablet
The launch of Apple’s tablet is now hinted by the Sydney Morning Herald in their article over here, where they detail Apple’s talks with media companies and the evolution of the launch process. Everything we have right now are speculations, rumours and various partners of the Cupertino giant, saying they’ve been approached to provide content for the new device.
Said tablet is expected to be a bigger iPhone, but still small enough to carry in handbag, however too big for your pocket. Of course, it’ll sport a touchscren and allow its users to read newspapers, watch movies, read books and surf the web. New York Times executive editor Bill Keller has recently let some info slip during an official meeting with NY Times digital staff, mentioned the name of the future product, Apple Slate, although this is not 100% confirmed.
Meanwhile, Apple is working with music studios, trying to develop a new format for iTunes, meant to pack albums so that they’ll include notes, ringtones, music video, artwork and more, aside from audio tracks. We’re really curious to see if the Apple Tablet will hit the market before Christmas time, a crucial point of the year, as far as sales are concerned.
[via Sydney Morning Herald]
Tags: Apple Tablet launch, Bill Keller, Cupertino, iTunes new format
Apple Users Ready to Pay Up for Cupertino Tablet; PC Users… Not so Much
Oct 28, 2009 Apple Tablet
A recent study published by Retrevo shows that Mac users are willing to pay more for an Apple tablet than PC users. This info may seem a bit useless, specially since the device is yet to be announced, confirmed or specced. If you’re into numbers, 68% of respondents claimed that they’ll pay over $600 for the tablet, while a mere 36% PC owners said the same.
One shouldn’t be puzzled by the generosity of the Mac owners, since statistics have shown that they’re people with high incomes, plus they own and use more than one device. Apple has surely seen this study, so they might capitalize on the public’s desire for its new gadget and charge more than the Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook.
The problem is that the Cupertino brains should rush to launch the product, since the studies have shown that 37% of Mac owners already own or intend to buy a netbook in 2009.
[via mashable]
Tags: Apple Tablet price, Cupertino, Mac owners, Retrevo study, survey
