Charlie Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Forgive my ignorance, but what's actually the point in this? I mean, what are you meant to do with it? We all saw the video MS released in September about their tablet which looked pretty cool but apart from what they showed in that video I can't think of any reasons to buy one? I've got an iPhone already and have a laptop too... Will be paying close attention on Wednesday though!
Jon Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Also, I really don't agree with what you're saying. It's going to be at least 10" but that's not important. The fact is, what is lookig likely it will be is more than enough and very different to the iphone. Although you CAN watch video and go on the internet etc with the iphone, it's not incredible. A bigger tablet which is pretty much the middle ground between an iphone and a macbook is a huge thing and they can easily charge more for it. And of course they can charge more than the kindle. It does insane amounts more, it's touch screen, it's colour, it goes on the internet, can play games and apps, will be able to play programmes etc. It'll be a touch screen notebook pretty much. It's more likely to put the macbook irrelevant than the iphone. Though I hope you're right about OS4...with multitasking!! And the ability to put apps into folders.... Forgive my ignorance, but what's actually the point in this? I mean, what are you meant to do with it? We all saw the video MS released in September about their tablet which looked pretty cool but apart from what they showed in that video I can't think of any reasons to buy one? I've got an iPhone already and have a laptop too... Will be paying close attention on Wednesday though! It won't touch the Macbook. I'm sure it will sell well as it's by Apple, but I see it as nothing more than a gimmick. I won't judge it on it's first release as Apple will always take a few revisions to get something right. By all means I'd love to be wrong but I don't want to see a glorified etch-a-sketch.
dazzybee Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Your thinking of it in too simplistic terms. It's not an iphone or a macbook, it's both. The portability of it is what makes it great (laptops aren't there yet). People by MP4 players to watch films on planes... this is an uber one of them. People buy kindles to read books, this is an uber one of them; iphones are okay for surfing the net etc but this will do it so much better; games and apps are pretty good on the iphone. Incredible actually, but this will take the gaming platform further forward and give us other opporutnities for apps. It will also act as a lower specced laptop for that too. I think it's going to be great...
Grazza Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Forgive my ignorance, but what's actually the point in this? I mean, what are you meant to do with it? We all saw the video MS released in September about their tablet which looked pretty cool but apart from what they showed in that video I can't think of any reasons to buy one? Good points, but it really depends on what the functionality actually is. If it's just a tablet PC, I agree with you. However, if it's an eReader that really looks like ink and paper, that's a big advantage. Same goes for if there's an iTunes style shop for magazines and such. Maybe I'm expecting too much? At the very least, a big touchscreen is appealing (being able to draw on it directly would be good for artwork, for example), although if that's all it is, I agree with you it's no more appealing than a non-Apple tablet PC.
Emasher Posted January 25, 2010 Author Posted January 25, 2010 They're not going to call an event like this for anything less than amazing. I also very much doubt its just going to be the tablet revealed at this event, seeing as this is basically replacing their Mac World keynote. Anyway, 10" screen is the current rumor (There was a rumor that Apple ordered a bunch of 10" screens a few months ago). Apple also patented a new video format not that long ago that was basically half the resolution of 1080p (either that or a quarter) making upscaling, and more importantly in this case, downscaling much simpler. Just thought I'd point that out. The reason I don't think this is going to be able to run any .app file (BTW, thats the Mac equivalent of a .exe file, I'm not talking about iPhone/iPod apps) is the simple fact that it will open up the system. Apple has been telling people since the iPhone SKD came out to make sure all apps are scaleable in terms of resolution, making it almost certain that this is going to be running some form of iPhone OS, meaning it will have access to the App store, ect. Opening up the system is something Apple really isn't going to want to do. (Thats the main reason, I have some others that I'm not going to get into now). Not only that, but Aqua is designed to be used with a mouse and keyboard, not a touch screen. One of the things Apple dose really well is making sure GUIs match up with the interface you're using to control it with (Click wheel iPods had an interface designed to use that, Front row is designed to be used with an Apple remote, ect.). having all OS X applications compatible just really seems like a very un-Apple like thing to do. That said, its always possible they find a way of getting it all to work, but I really doubt it. Unless this thing is part of the Mac line, and runs Snow Leopard, don't expect all Mac Applications to work.
Ashley Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Forgive my ignorance, but what's actually the point in this? I mean, what are you meant to do with it? We all saw the video MS released in September about their tablet which looked pretty cool but apart from what they showed in that video I can't think of any reasons to buy one? I've got an iPhone already and have a laptop too... Will be paying close attention on Wednesday though! I'm curious about this. How many people who buy it will really need it, or will just be buying it because its new. Depending what it is it could have uses to some people (such as client-based design companies like advertising, web designers etc who can use it as a fancy way of showing their ideas). If its like a smaller macbook then perhaps more people could use it (as like the world's most expensive notebook) but if it's 'locked' in the same kind of sense that the iPhone is...its quite niche.
Caris Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Well, if it has a much better browser and it can play video files like AVI's etc I would rather have one that a Macbook.
Wesley Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Really? Despite the fact that you can't even use it to... I dunno, do anything? I don't think I want a device that is just... a screen for browsing the web and watching movies. It'll have more than that. Anyway I'm going to wait until Wednesday.
Jon Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Really? Despite the fact that you can't even use it to... I dunno, do anything? I don't think I want a device that is just... a screen for browsing the web and watching movies. It'll have more than that. Anyway I'm going to wait until Wednesday. Exactly, I could do that on my phone 3 years ago. I shall wait and see, I would like to be surprised.
Emasher Posted January 25, 2010 Author Posted January 25, 2010 Its pretty much been confirmed to be using some form of iPhone OS now. Websites are getting hits from devices located in Cupertino, running iPhone OS 3.2 (Which isn't out yet), that aren't identifying themselves as iPhones, or iPod Touches. There have also been some hits from Cupertino from iPhones running iPhone OS 4.0, as well as Macs, running Mac OS X 10.7.
Nintendohnut Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 Its pretty much been confirmed to be using some form of iPhone OS now. Websites are getting hits from devices located in Cupertino, running iPhone OS 3.2 (Which isn't out yet), that aren't identifying themselves as iPhones, or iPod Touches. There have also been some hits from Cupertino from iPhones running iPhone OS 4.0, as well as Macs, running Mac OS X 10.7. Now that is interesting - where did you hear that? I may have missed this on certain websites due to the massive amount of rumours and shit based around the tablet.
Wesley Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 I heard it on Gizmodo and Engadget. I'm hugely disappointed if this is true... it really does piss on my dreams of having a tablet that could be used for something more than a play thing.
Wesley Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 iPad it is then? That name also brings about a more casual, cheapy gaming device... iSlate feels very classy and expensive... Shame.
Ashley Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 Really? iSlate just makes me think of... So what, this may just end up being a bigger screen to use apps on? Lame.
Wesley Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 Haha, I love how we turn on it before it's actually announced. But no, I'll keep my peelers... peeled? Wait, peelers are hands. I'll keep my peepers peeled! And iSlate just makes me think of a sexy bit of tech that could one day replace my vital organs.
Caris Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 Pretty much confirms a more deluxe version of the iPhone OS, but we still know nothing really. Rumour has it there is a version of iWork being made for the tablet which is great news. But I've also heard that the browser wont support flash which is a really bad move imo. We will have to see!
Wesley Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 If this really is just a bigger iPhone, minus the phone... If this really is the 'i' then I think they might try and re-re-boot the Apple TV that connects wirelessly with the 'i'. In essence you'd have a portable media device that you'd... Wait, that sounds rubbish.
Ashley Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 Well we'll have to wait to find out tomorrow from one man...
Caris Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 iPhone OS pretty much confirmed. http://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/26/mcgraw-hill-ceo-confirms-apple-tablet-iphone-os-based-going-to-be-terrific/
Emasher Posted January 26, 2010 Author Posted January 26, 2010 Even if its running iPhone OS, there's no reason to just forget about it. There are not only a huge number of Apps that would work much better with a larger screen, but there are tons more functions something like this might have. Its not necessarily just going to be a big iPod Touch. Adding functionality you'd expect from a personal computer, but also keeping the more simplified user interface of a handheld device is most likely what this is going to be all about. There are tons of people who would easily be able to stop carrying a laptop and just bring around one of these to meetings and on business trips with the simple inclusion of an office suite, but think about all the other things that could be done with a 10" screen that couldn't be done on a 3.5" screen. While I've never expected this to be a Mac, I do expect it to let users do a lot of what they would have done on a MacBook while on the go (just not with the same applications).
Wesley Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 Yeah I don't think anyone is just going to ignore it, we'll obviously watch the press event and what have you... I was just hoping for something which I could install Photoshop/zBrush on. I wouldn't imagine I'd get that if everything was through an App store...
Ashley Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 There are tons of people who would easily be able to stop carrying a laptop and just bring around one of these to meetings and on business trips with the simple inclusion of an office suite Ever tried to type on a touch screen? Really not comfortable after a few minutes. (granted for showing things yes an office suite would be great)
Daft Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 Typing with a touch screen isn't a problem providing the face buttons are big enough. That's a big problem I find with the iPod Touch/iPhone, the buttons are too small. As it is, I only type with my index fingers anyway. I suspect whatever this is will already be too expensive for me. I'd rather have a good book reader thing that I can download all my books onto (uni books and all). Which I can annotate.
Cube Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 I was just hoping for something which I could install Photoshop/zBrush on. You could always get a Windows 7 tablet.
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