Asus confirms Apple slate tablet on the way?
While debate rages on in regards to the death of the slate UMPC, the rumors of an Apple slate Tablet continue on as well. Only this time, there’s actually a source that’s credible: Asus. That’s what Crave is suggesting based on conversations with Asus, who is a large manufacturer for Apple.
“We checked back with our source at Asus on a different day and they confirmed that the Apple Tablet will not be based on existing Asus designs such as the R1. It will come from a completely new blueprint, possibly based on the patent Apple filed back in May 2005. We’re guessing it’ll be based on Intel Core architecture, a tweaked version of Leopard, and have all the multi-touch, CoverFlow goodness we’ve seen in the iPhone and iPod touch.”
It certainly wouldn’t surprise me when a large portion of the hardware and software components are out there; not to mention the various patents waiting to see light of day. The unanswered questions then are: will it have a virtual, on-screen keyboard like the iPhone? Maybe, but what works on a handheld device doesn’t always equate perfectly on a larger device. Will Inkwell rise again or is there some new handwriting recognition project going on in Cupertino. For that matter, will there even be handwriting recognition on such a device?
If an Apple slate is as good as my iPhone with Inkwell, my Samsunq Q1 and his crapy Windows interface will be good for ebay or charity center.
Actually, i’m always in tne moove with the iPhone and less with the Q1.
If it comes with a 6-7 inch screen, an OS that is designed for inking, good ink to text, is light, is powerful, an active digitizer, Office compatibility, a Onenote type program, a Journal type program, is a good price, has excellent battery life – then I might consider it (as long as I don’t have to become a Steve Jobs droid). Otherwise I’ll stick with my OQO which is already here and does almost everything I want.
Crap that would be right – I just got a new laptop…
Oh well, this thing is more of a desktop replacement – so I’ll just end up using it as this if Apple puts something out like this…
If they do it soon – they’ll sell their first device to me
In it’s 2nd iteration of course.
This may be an old article, dating back to November 2007, but this brings up the point I’m about to make:
We’ve been waiting on an Apple tablet for about two years, probably much longer ever since the Newton MessagePads were canned in 1998.
Is all this speculation for naught, given how long it’s happened and how long it’s been fruitless?
It doesn’t need to have a fold-out or slide-out keyboard if it lets me use a bluetooth keyboard, unlike the current iPhone™ and iPod Touch™. I’ll bring the keyboard along if I have room and expect to write a lot. I’ll put up with an on-screen keyboard for short notes and web browsing.
The iPhone on-screen keyboard works for me for what it is and would be tolerable for similar uses on a tablet. (iSlate ?) An intermediate device such as this needs to cater to both options. Perhaps (built-in or 3rd party) there could be a way to attach the wireless keyboard to the back for easy carrying. Detach the keyboard to type, or to leave it home. Of course, then it would be nice if the iSlate had a kickstand for when it’s “just a display”.
The more I think about an apple tablet, the more in motivates me to invest in moving to an apple based computer. I have an iphone and I prefer to use the iMacs in my university library over the PC’s they have. But I have never had the spare cash to actually buy a mac computer. If the price is right and I can sync my iphone with itunes on it, type efficently enough on the move, check emails, browse the internet an watch movies then Im sold. I hope the iphone will be able to sync via bluetooth with it – with maximum portability being a big factor for any tablet it would make sense to make it as wireless as possible.
Unfortunalty solak, although nice ideas, Apple would not include a clip on keyboard or a kickstand as they are very fond of simplicity. A clip on keyboard would be an optional extra (or not exist at all) and a kickstand would be classed as clutter to Apple and probably be made by an unrelated accessory company. They like smooth lines and clean cut appearance and an in-built kick stand would detract from this image. Think of the islate as an enlarged iphone (almost no visible screws, practically seamless case etc) and your on the right track to how it will be.
Anyone considered that the apple tablet may be released instead of a new next gen iphone in 2010?