[NTLK] Safari Pad - Apple's Tablet Computer

Hello:

If we take the reporting of sources such as the Commercial Times as accurate, a Tablet or netbook with touchscreen from Apple looks imminent, since they apparently will be receiving a batch of 10" touchscreens later this year. The tablet, dubbed "Safari Pad" has been in the works since 2004, upon which the iPhone OS is based. Apple's own Chief Engineer I believe made some comments about it, but you won't find the New York Times article quoting him discussing he Safari Pad anywhere on the web now, because it has been taken down... obviously Apple was the impetus.

Just wanted to ping the list, do you think it will be a tablet or a netbook?

I will say this, if Apple does not offer a tablet, I will throw up the chessboard.

Steve Jobs and his stubbornness when it comes to pen computing... that is, there is no way a slate/tablet computer will be as useful without a digitizer and stylus. If Steve's stubbornness wins out, then pen computing is unlikely, and we will be likely stuck with a hybrid tablet (a keyboard/screen combo). Or, while very unlikely, we could also be stuck with a giant iPhone with only finger input (sigh).

I just don't understand why pretty much every computer maker, even Apple, aren't jumping on what I predict to be a coming of the resurgence of pen computing: where processors, designs, materials, batteries, screens and software have finally come far enough that a slate/tablet computer can truly be a no compromise device. That the keyboard and mouse will finally be married to the screen: a total convergence, and we can drop the whole era of using pseudo-typewriters.

Well, I know laptops will still stick around, but...

Tonight my MacBook Pro was sliding all over my lap, and I just wonder, "Why are we still doing this? Where is the fabled "Apple Tablet"?"

Sure, I could go buy a swizel screen tablet, but they are so horribly designed, I laugh every time I go to Future Shop to look at them. And interestingly, while Future Shop used to carry a large array of them, just last year, they now only carry 1 model. Are tablets still a failed concept? No, but cheap, poorly designed products are.

Rant over...

Ryan

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Received on Tue Apr 21 04:33:07 2009