Tablet rumors: 3G, dual dock connectors, user interface

OMG! Jordan, we actually AGREE on something! Is the world ending ;)

If the iPod teaches us anything, it is that it's really easy to use a purpose-built user interface OFF the screen. While there is likely to be a touch screen interface, there may also be off-screen elements for video/audio playback, Web navigation, email and ereader. The area between the border of the display and the edge of the device could be touch sensitive. E.g., drag along the right edge to scroll; drag along the top edge to turn the page or navigate through a video or audio.

Under the title "Remember, you heard it here firstâ„¢", I find it interesting that no one seems to be taking into account Apple's MobileMe "cloud storage/connectivity" service when speculating how the iPadâ„¢ fits into Apple's "ecosystem".

Jobs obviously believes in "cloud computing" (even more so than his customers!). Also note that Apple has been perfecting their remote-viewing system, which they dubbed "Back To My Mac", for about 2 or 3 years. Also note that it (totally unnecessarily) REQUIRES a MobileMe account.

Apple also obviously has their "multitouch" software and hardware down pat; much, much more so than anyone else in the mobile market.

Both people and software developers generally love the iPhone, but both would enjoy a device with more screen real estate and a bit more CPU power, and battery power.

Apple just tried to wrest the trademark "iPad" from Toshiba...

So, the nexus of all these clues would be an ARM-based (or PASemi-based) tablet product called iPadâ„¢. It would run an OS that was closer to the iPhone/iPod Touch OS than the desktop version of OS X. iPadâ„¢ would natively run iPhone/iPod Touch apps, likely in a window, and probably allowing for a "Double Size" mode that would use most of the screen area, but would still look pretty good. iPhone OS 4.0 would be announced at the same time, which will allow for resolution independence. Apps that support the new resolution independence would look great both on the iPhone/iPod Touch as well as the iPadâ„¢.

Now, here's where MobileMeâ„¢ comes in: Of course the iPadâ„¢ will support 3G or better + 802.11n networking (no guesses as to which carrier). But the kicker will be that the iPadâ„¢ will be able to use an advanced version of "Back To My Macâ„¢" to both make up for the relatively small amount of local flash storage (probably 64 to 128GB), and to make it so you can run your desktop apps on the go.

Finally, the larger form factor allows for more battery, and more heatsink area, so that the iPadâ„¢ will perform at a level closer to what people expect out of a laptop, rather than what people expect out of a modern smartphone.

Anyway, that's how I read the tea leaves. Discuss.

All I can say is that SatNav on a 10" screen would be just wicked!

Um, can someone please make a keyboard + trackpad combo like the one in the mockup? I would pay. In blood.

the iMac and MacBook Pro followed industrial design cues from the 1st gen iPhone and iPod Touch. it might have been coincidence, but i think aluminum+black bezel was the direction they were headed.

I'd like to see a hybrid approach for the iTablet. It uses the iPhone navigaton and app use, but also have the ability to access the file directory locally and when connected to a computer.

This allows the basic user to keep the simple and allow power users (read: us geeks) to more fully utilize the system and programs.

I watched the introductory video and it is indeed interesting, but third-party software allows me to arrange windows and single paned apps with my keyboard. Most of us could easily learn a new system like this but it's difficult for me to imagine 'Joe Blow' utilizing this. ANd considering that this interface is the primary (in not only) way of interfacing I cannot see this being widely adopted due to well... uh ... [censored].


It's certainly possible that I'm being short sighted and that the concept has not quite resonated with me yet. Regardless, thanks for the link; I'd not heard of 10/gui.

Sorry, I'm not a computer engineer, but just based on the straw poll conducted amongst iPhone/iPod Touch aficionados around my office, an extended sized iPod touch is exactly what's called for. We're seeking an end to the need to squint to watch videos during long flights from Chicago to Los Angeles; We're seeking a simple device for the Sunday jaunts to Starbucks, where we sip overpriced coffee and take advantage of AT&T WiFi (assuming you're an AT&T customer) by reading online newspapers or eBooks or playing games on the device; We want to do things as simple as responding to emails, updating Facebook, and checking sports scores from remote areas of the house (like the bathroom) without dragging around an awkward notebook. Honestly, I don't really need the 3g - this device won't fit in my pocket like my iPhone and I already have a computer for work - make the next version of the MacBook a tablet computer and put a 3g device in that. But I'd be perfectly happy with an iPod touch that had a 7" screen.

We have been hearing too much about Apple talking to eBook content providers for the tablet to run osX. There is no way Apple is going to let this thing run the impending osX version of the Kindle Reader software from Amazon. That being said, we are definitely looking at a blown up iPhone interface in the worst case, and an extremely limited desktop environment in the best case. I don't see the silver lining, but I suspect I will come the unveiling. =)