Happy iTablet Day -- Final Pre-Launch Rumor Roundup Ever!
Today's "Come see our latest creation event" almost assuredly sees Apple reveal their long in development, long anticipated iTablet/iSlate/iPad, and along with finding out the name so I never have to type that again, we should finally put to rest all the rumors, leaks, and fakes -- for this first version at least!
So while we all wait in anticipation, here's a final roundup to help pass the time:
- Engadget has pictures (see top of post) of what may be a prototype iTablet bolted to a desk (like the key to the Fortress of Solitude, only Super Steve Jobs is strong enough to lift it!).
- Fray publisher Derek Powazek has an excellent post up outlining how he hopes Apple releases a device that makes consuming premium media fun enough that people will buy formerly print content from iTunes and the industry can finally monetize their work in the digital age.
- Former Apple employee and current Palm developer relations man-about-web, Chuq Von Rospach follows up, saying that if Apple truly nails the "content consumption" device, makes it easy to get and enjoy media, they'll cannibalize some laptop sales but will sell "zillions" of iTablets.
- Wired goes so far as to say Apple isn't going to re-invent the up-until-now failed tablet form factor but is going to re-invent content. Using an HTML5 (WebKit) platform like iTunes LP and iTunes Extras, it's going to be as much about letting artists create for the iTablet as it is letting users consume on it.
- The Wall Street Journal [Google search link] says Apple is still negotiating last-minute deals, trying to frame a 70/30 split with book publishers the way they do with music and apps. This would lead to higher prices, $12.99 and $14.99 for current hard-cover best-sellers, but would mean Apple wouldn't lose $4.50 per book the way Amazon is willing to on the Kindle to push device sales.
- Patently Apple reveals that Apple has just won iChat and "major" iTablet proximity detection patents, and a bunch of others.
- Director of photography Rodney Charters says that the iTablet will get some screen time on the TV show 24, in episode 20 or more likely 22. Hey, why not have it save Jack and the World in the season finale?
We've crossed the rubicon here TiPb-verse, and are way through the looking glass and down the rabbit hole. Steve Jobs is coming in just over 4 hours, and we can't wait to see what's coming with him!
Editor-in-Chief of iMore, Executive Producer at Mobile Nations, co-host of Iterate and ZEN and TECH, cook, grappler, photon wrangler.
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If this thing overheats the way the 3GS did what are the chances of using it to make pancakes?
Can't wait....
woooo iTablet!
It's a big iPhone -_-
@Adam you can still use your 3gs to make those little silver dollar pancakes. Here's hoping the tablet gets hot!?!?
That crap is seriously ugly just a big arse iphone u have got to be kidding me
I think we got a glimpse of it in the last 24 episode (ep 5), while Jack is driving the car and receiving an upload into it from CTU HQ.
Looks like we're being forced to the bandwidth intensive full TiPB pages instead of the iPhone friendly formatted pages during launch day. Is there anyway to toggle back to the iPhone pages now, or do we have to wait a day or so to get that option back?
David, Chloe is still sending info to Jack's "PDA". I had to laugh when he said that in the last episode.
Wake me when Apple gets in the business of selling Cybernetic Life-form Nodes.
The "No Service" with full WIFI bar might suggest optional wireless service. I really hope its optional!! If this is it of course!!
And by the way Derek Powazek is wrong. There is no difference between print and digital - they're both content. What is different is their business models. Print is ad subsidized which lowers the cost of entry but does not eliminate the cost to the end user. Online is free with a degree of ad subsidy but the ad subsidy does not allow the content delivery to be sustainable.
What Apple needs to do to allow this to succeed is to convince the reader that there is enough value in the content to warrant a subscription. Now, there always a value in the content but the online views always felt that if you're going to clutter a site up with ads then the content is paid for.
The other element is a hard sell to the advertising community. Apple needs to make a statement that there are going to be 1) plenty of eyeballs to view this content to get their word out and more importantly 2) it's worth more to advertise in this medium than it is to simply put a print ad on paper.
My prediction is that Jobs will be making a hard sell to both communities - reader and advertiser. Both are required to make this model work. Attracting only one is a fail even on an elegant device as I expect this to be. So, expect to see something for consumers and advertising and watch Steve grin as he makes the most of his Quattro purchase.
Um is this the tablet right here if so put this pic up http://blog.dreamhost.com/2010/01/27/the-happy-dreamhost-apple-a-day-tablet-contest/#comments
I wonder if that is PlaceBAse(aka apple maps) or Google Maps
im a very big fan of the iphone OS but not a giant version ughhhh did 3.1 just eat a mushroom?
I'm staying in downtown SF. There's a convention at the Moscone Center, the Apple event, and last night they were shooting a movie down the street. I'm glad I am not driving around town...
I don't know that I can get down with the reported $15/book. I got a Nook reader for Christmas and those book tend to range between $4 and $10, even for very new and popular stuff.
I got news for you - it was already on 24! This past Monday, Jack had it in disguise in his car. Rewind fellas!