[flamesbball84]

Apple is working with the four largest record labels to stimulate digital sales of albums by bundling a new interactive booklet, sleeve notes and other interactive features with music downloads, in a move it hopes will change buying trends on its online iTunes store.

The talks come as Apple is separately racing to offer a portable, full-featured, tablet-sized computer in time for the Christmas shopping season, in what the entertainment industry hopes will be a new revolution. The device could be launched alongside the new content deals, including those aimed at stimulating sales of CD-length music, according to people briefed on the project.

expect new ipods to come out before christmas as well - all signs are pointing towards the iPod touch and nano having cameras built into them...

[Sly Fox]

Not so fast, my friend ...

The Apple Tablet Is Dead

Ian Paul
Nov 19, 2009 7:05 am

Apple tablet rumors started verging into the ridiculous Thursday morning with reports that Apple has pushed back the project's launch date yet again. Those same sources are saying Apple is developing a high-end tablet that could retail for as much as $2000, according to Digitimes.



Even more preposterous is the news that major magazine publisher, Conde Nast, has decided to develop products for the tablet, according to Peter Kafka over at All Things D. There's only one snag to the publisher's plan: the company doesn't know whether the Apple tablet is real or not.

These rumors are getting so ridiculous that I think it's time we accepted the truth: the Apple tablet is dead; in fact it probably never existed.

Click Here for Full Story

[RubberMallet]

"its impossible to build a book reader that isn't crap for under *insert insane dollar amount*" - steve jobs.

[flamesbball84]

the iPod touch/iPhone can be used as a book reader. don't need to make a separate device just for books.

[Sly Fox]

While I get that, the book-reading experience on a small screen like a handheld is not very strong. Most of us find it less than satisfying in comparison to an actual hardcover. Tablets and readers are closer to the true reading experience IMHO.

[RubberMallet]

the iPod touch/iPhone can be used as a book reader. don't need to make a separate device just for books.

this statement makes optometrists tight in the pants.

[El Scorcho]

I don't know anything about delays, except that they're not typical of Apple. I read the same story all over the place today and if it's really the case, I'm not sure what to make of it.

If Apple goes $800+ on this device and the screen isn't bigger than 10 inches, it's dead in the water. (And if either of those things are true, I don't get what they're doing yet.) It'll be the Cube all over again. I thought them missing their price points was a thing of the past. Guess we'll see.

I don't care too much as long as they don't gamble the entire company on it.

[Sly Fox]

Approaching January, Apple Tablet Rumors Run Wild

* By Brian X. Chen Email Author
* December 23, 2009 |
* 4:17 pm |



Apple plans to demonstrate its touchscreen tablet at a January event, multiple independent reports suggest.

Sources have told Financial Times, Business Insider and Boy Genius Report different pieces of information that, when added together, indicate Apple is preparing a special event to show off the tablet next month.

The most detailed report comes from Financial Times, whose sources claim Apple will hold an event Tuesday, Jan. 26 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco — a venue where Apple has held its previous iPod events. The topic of the event is unknown, but Financial Times speculates it will center on the tablet.

The Silicon Alley Insider’s Dan Frommer cites a “plugged-in source in the mobile industry” who said Apple has contacted select developers to ready a higher-resolution version of their apps for a demonstration of the tablet in January.

Click Here for Full Story

[flamesbball84]

Approaching January, Apple Tablet Rumors Run Wild

* By Brian X. Chen Email Author
* December 23, 2009 |
* 4:17 pm |



Apple plans to demonstrate its touchscreen tablet at a January event, multiple independent reports suggest.

Sources have told Financial Times, Business Insider and Boy Genius Report different pieces of information that, when added together, indicate Apple is preparing a special event to show off the tablet next month.

The most detailed report comes from Financial Times, whose sources claim Apple will hold an event Tuesday, Jan. 26 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco — a venue where Apple has held its previous iPod events. The topic of the event is unknown, but Financial Times speculates it will center on the tablet.

The Silicon Alley Insider’s Dan Frommer cites a “plugged-in source in the mobile industry” who said Apple has contacted select developers to ready a higher-resolution version of their apps for a demonstration of the tablet in January.

Click Here for Full Story

Speculation at the beginning of the thread apparently was just off a couple months. Regardless, this was an inevitability, I'm just surprised it has taken them this long to potentially introduce it.

[El Scorcho]

...I'm just surprised it has taken them this long to potentially introduce it.

They didn't introduce any new products during Steve Jobs' absence, which was substantial as people so important to a company go. On top of that, he has supposedly sent the entire project back the drawing board a few times. So, I think it was a double whammy for the development cycle.

I'm still on board with everything I said earlier in this thread. I'm curious to see what happens here. Currently I can't think of a reason why I'd want a tablet (or tablet-like) device. I hope they have something interesting to bring to the tablet table.

[flamesbball84]

...I'm just surprised it has taken them this long to potentially introduce it.

They didn't introduce any new products during Steve Jobs' absence, which was substantial as people so important to a company go. On top of that, he has supposedly sent the entire project back the drawing board a few times. So, I think it was a double whammy for the development cycle.

I'm still on board with everything I said earlier in this thread. I'm curious to see what happens here. Currently I can't think of a reason why I'd want a tablet (or tablet-like) device. I hope they have something interesting to bring to the tablet table.

Same here, unless something groundbreaking, I don't really see needing one - a smart phone would more than do the trick. If I needed more than a smart phone, I'd just take my laptop.

[phoenix]

I''m just a bit upset that the CrunchPad got totally shanghai'd right before rollout. That was something I could see myself buying, at a pricepoint I could afford. I don't know how much the Apple Tablet will cost, but I can already tell you I won't be able to afford it; it's an Apple product. I wouldn't have my Touch if it hadn't been offered through a promotion with work and I got it free.

[Sly Fox]

I could see this being a fun on the go toy for graphically-inclined designers. Otherwise touchscreen keyboards simply aren't as good as actual keyboards IMHO. I would expect a retail of $1099. Anything higher in this economy would be sheer lunacy from a broad perspective even though there are those who would buy $300 toasters (and no, that's not an Amiga reset) if it had the apple logo on the side.

[El Scorcho]

Otherwise touchscreen keyboards simply aren't as good as actual keyboards IMHO.

I think that will change when they get some good tactile feedback happening on them. We'll see.

$1099 would be a huge mistake, IMHO. Like I said, I don't see anything above $800 doing well in that product sector but I could certainly be wrong.

[Sly Fox]

Much of the talk this weekend coming out of Cali seems to indicate that this tablet may be nothing more than a souped up, 10" iPod Touch. If that turns out to be the case after all the hype and discussion it will be very disappointing. But even that would likely sell like crazy.

[flamesbball84]

Much of the talk this weekend coming out of Cali seems to indicate that this tablet may be nothing more than a souped up, 10" iPod Touch. If that turns out to be the case after all the hype and discussion it will be very disappointing. But even that would likely sell like crazy.

If apple put their logo on a pop-tart and sold each individual pastry for $10 it would sell like crazy - especially amongst the apple fanboys, and then the fanboys will herald it as the greatest pop-tart ever invented.

[Hold My Own]

The newest rumors make me think it's going to be around the $700-800 mark

[rueful]

also rumor has it it will be called the islate, or something to that effect

[El Scorcho]

If apple put their logo on a pop-tart and sold each individual pastry for $10 it would sell like crazy - especially amongst the apple fanboys, and then the fanboys will herald it as the greatest pop-tart ever invented.

That's not true. Apple has had plenty of product failures, even in the modern Jobs era. The Cube was big miss for them and the Apple TV isn't really selling gangbusters either.

[rueful]

Islate has competition already. But without the multi touch touch screen, it really would be far inferior. That really does make a huge difference for me.

HTC, who has been working closely with Google for the past 18 months have several working models of a touch screen tablet including one model which is based on the new Google Chrome Operating System. An Android based device which is set to be shown privately to core HTC customers at the CES Show will incorporate new Qualcomm processors, touch technology and new software from Adobe. Only time will tell if Google and the other rumored tablet’s will be able to stand up to the Apple iSlate. One big technical obstical that these tablet’s will have to get around is the touchscreen patent Apple holds. The touchscreen alone would give Apple a advantage because of the sensitivity and scratch Resistance. The iPhone’s touchscreen is what has keep it Superior to any other touch phone on the market.

http://www.islate.org/?p=369

[rueful]

also on that site they have about 20 different pictures of mainly the same 2 or 3 designs. The one that looks like a book , picture 7, seems like it could do really well

[phoenix]

If Freescale can get their product to market at the price they're talking about, Apple may as well not bother: http://blogs.zdnet.com/gadgetreviews/?p=10400 http://www.pcworld.com/article/185764/a ... apple.html

It's a bit underpowered, but 1080p resolution for $200?! I'd probably buy one -- especially if they could offer some handwriting recognition stuff so I can write in my ebooks.

[Sly Fox]

Me likey. Anxious to see how use friendly it can be.

I have to admit at that size that a slide out keyboard would still be an option that would interest me.

[El Scorcho]

If Freescale can get their product to market at the price they're talking about, Apple may as well not bother: http://blogs.zdnet.com/gadgetreviews/?p=10400 http://www.pcworld.com/article/185764/a ... apple.html

It's a bit underpowered, but 1080p resolution for $200?! I'd probably buy one -- especially if they could offer some handwriting recognition stuff so I can write in my ebooks.

$200 for what, exactly? If it runs on a proprietary platform it's dead in the water, no matter what the price is. You need developers, applications and high usability. I'd certainly prefer a lower price point but there are too many questions about that product.

On the other hand, the "big iPod touch" rumors about Apple's tablet seem to be getting a boost in credibility today: http://www.electronista.com/articles/10 ... hone.os.4/

Certain developers being given access to an SDK to ramp up resolution on their apps sounds very much like Apple. That's how they've operated in the past with the iPhone before it was released and again with the 3GS hardware. I sure hope there's more to it than that. If it's just up-res'ed iPhone apps, meh. I don't want a bigger one.

[flamesbball84]

so if it's just going to be a giant iPod touch, i'm guessing a minimum price of $800 since the 64GB iPod touch is $400.