Thread: Apple iSlate

Been reading with interest the reports leading to the (possible) release of said tablet at the end of the month.

Admittedly, I'm an Apple fan (please can this not degenerate into an Apple vs PC slagging match?), but if this can do half of what people seem to think it can:

- eBooks/comics/newspapers
- Gaming (albeit not the most up-to-date ones, due to lack of 'oomph')
- Internet browsing
- Music/movies

then it should be a top-seller, not least because it has the Apple name behind it. The question is, what does it do that a laptop/netbook cannot? Prices reported have varied from $400 - $1000, and at that price you can buy a lower-end Macbook.

Opinions?

I am hoping to buy one as a control interface for my mac pro, to replace the keyboard and mouse.

Originally Posted by therealbigdizzle

I am hoping to buy one as a control interface for my mac pro, to replace the keyboard and mouse.

Really? I'd think that unless the tablet had some kind of haptic feedback (like the iPhone doesn't), then it wouldn't feel 'right' in comparison to a normal keyboard. In my opinion, of course.

Old idea, been done over 30 years ago :D

Originally Posted by leveller

Old idea, been done over 30 years ago :D

I like it!

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/12...ontrol_decade/

I've read a few articles (yes, I'm sad) about Apple's iron-fist-like control over the iTunes store/iPhone (here in particular), however, I can understand why this would be necessary.

Allowing full control of non-Jailbreak(ed?) iPhones would inevitably lead to exploitation of people's data/phones, not meaning to sound paranoid, but it would happen. If you really want to modify your phone/iTunes, you have the ability, but it won't be official.

Apple's products (again, in my slightly-nerdish Apple-fan opinion) tend to work just fine, with additional functionality added following a strict quality-control regime, why let people bugger around with them?

edited to sound slightly less rabid about Apple products.

Originally Posted by Tango

I've read a few articles (yes, I'm sad) about Apple's iron-fist-like control over the iTunes store/iPhone (here in particular), however, I can understand why this would be necessary.

Allowing full control of non-Jailbreak(ed?) iPhones would inevitably lead to exploitation of people's data/phones, not meaning to sound paranoid, but it would happen. If you really want to modify your phone/iTunes, you have the ability, but it won't be official.

Apple's products (again, in my slightly-nerdish Apple-fan opinion) tend to work perfectly, with additional functionality added following a strict quality-control regime, why let people bugger around with them?

Ask those who had their e-books deleted by Amazon from their Kindles...

Originally Posted by msr

Ask those who had their e-books deleted by Amazon from their Kindles...

Yeessss, but that was a one-off happening, which has been settled in a lawsuit.

Under terms of the settlement, Amazon will not delete such works unless the consumer agrees, unless a refund is requested or unless the work contains some harmful embedded code that would hurt operation of the Kindle.

(Source: Reuters, here)

If intellectual rights had been claimed over someone's work, or
their documents had been deleted, then it might be a different story.

Originally Posted by Tango

Originally Posted by therealbigdizzle

I am hoping to buy one as a control interface for my mac pro, to replace the keyboard and mouse.

Really? I'd think that unless the tablet had some kind of haptic feedback (like the iPhone doesn't), then it wouldn't feel 'right' in comparison to a normal keyboard. In my opinion, of course.

the kind of work that I do means that I don't exactly need to touch type. I probably punch in 200 letters over the whole day.

I have my MacBook Pro for all my day-to-day stuff, the tablet would just be for the work machine where a touch screen would work really well.

In the same application, most PC users are doing it already where they can afford it.

I'm interested in the device and the rumor is that a 10" display model is coming out in late Jan or Feb. I have an iPod touch that I use now and it covers me just fine on trips & cruises where I can find a WiFi set-up. I'm hoping that this new device just isn't a large version of the iPod touch.

There is also a rumor that the device will be able to hook-up with some of the major Mobile phone services here in the USA like Verizon, etc. (Along with WiFi.) That would be handy as well.

Double post!

Originally Posted by Trip_Wire

I'm interested in the device and the rumor is that a 10" display model is coming out in late Jan or Feb. I have an iPod touch that I use now and it covers me just fine on trips & cruises where I can find a WiFi set-up. I'm hoping that this new device just isn't a large version of the iPod touch.

There is also a rumor that the device will be able to hook-up with some of the major Mobile phone services here in the USA like Verizon, etc. (Along with WiFi.) That would be handy as well.

Don't tell me you'll be able to hold it up to your ear during a phone call as well...

Will I be able to roof my iHouse with it?

Originally Posted by Trip_Wire

I'm interested in the device and the rumor is that a 10" display model is coming out in late Jan or Feb. I have an iPod touch that I use now and it covers me just fine on trips & cruises where I can find a WiFi set-up. I'm hoping that this new device just isn't a large version of the iPod touch.

There is also a rumor that the device will be able to hook-up with some of the major Mobile phone services here in the USA like Verizon, etc. (Along with WiFi.) That would be handy as well.

There's been duty rumours coming out of Cupertino, among other places, that it'll be stuffed to the gills with 3G, wi-fi, Bluetooth etc. A good article I read the other day on TUAW covers this subject quite well:
TUAW Article