Apple Tablet Predictions
And what is Apple's latest creation? Well, obviously, it's some sort of tablet. TechCrunch revealed that the Apple execs are "giddy" about the tablet. Odds are, on Wednesday, Apple will reveal a tablet (and probably iPhone OS 4, but who cares about that? We want a revolution in tablet computing!)
Usually, I disagree with the mainstream press, but I do think the Apple Tablet is going to be big, and if it is just like a giant iPhone sans voice capability, than I think that'll be good. I don't know if it'll be popular enough to revolutionize tablet computing - it needs to be cheap enough subsidized to do that, and especially rugged enough to survive day to day work.
This post is not about whether or not the Apple Tablet will revolutionize the industry. This post is about predictions. For every prediction I get wrong...I'll do something. I'm not sure what, but I'll do something.
Name: iSlate.
Design: Similar to their current iMac line up, with glass to the edges of the device, with possibly a small bezel on the bottom. However, I'd rather bet there is no bezel at all, so that you can orient the device in any possible way.
Operating System: A version of the iPhone OS that will take advantage of the iSlate's increased size, and will also allow for multitasking.
Size: It'll be about diagonal 8 inches in a 16:9 aspect ratio. It'll also be a little thinner than the iPhone, probably more similar to the iPod Touch.
Buttons: No buttons, but probably some sort of heat touch sensor on the back, similar to the sensor that the Adamo uses.
Battery: No replaceable battery, but it will probably last for 6-8 hours on a charge.
Camera: If there is a camera, it'll be a front-facing camera. I don't think there will be a camera though.
Back Cover: It'll be aluminum similar to what is used on the MacBook Pro.
Processor: I think it'll actually be Atom based, especially the N450. Can you imagine the N450's battery life on the iPhone OS? It'll make Windows 7 look like Linux.
Apps: All the original iPhone apps (except Camera), plus a book store of some type, iChat and a drawing/painting app.
Price: They will probably release a 16 GB and a 32 GB model. The 16GB model will be $599, the 32GB will be $699, unsubsidized.
Cellular: I don't think that it'll be an exclusive device. If it is, I think it would go to Verizon rather than AT&T, which can probably spell bad news to AT&T if Verizon also gets the iPhone.
Take these predictions with a grain of salt. I don't claim to be from the future or anything, I just like to make predictions.
Lane S. Hill
Let's see...
Wrong on the name - it's iPad.
Wrong on the design: alumninum backing, but there is a bezel.
Wrong on the Size: 9.7 inches across. .5 inches thin. So, wrong there.
Wrong on the buttons: There is a button.
Right and wrong on the operating system: It is an iPhone-based OS, but it doesn't look like it'll support multitasking. Boo.
Wrong on the battery life: apparantly, it's 10 hours, with a month of stand by time.
Right on the camera: It doesn't look like there's a camera!
Dead Wrong on the Processor: It's an Apple A4, so their own proc.
Kinda wrong on the Apps: All iPhone apps work out of the box. Looks like there will be an iBook app. Looks like iWorks would be available too.
Wrong about price. Starts at $499.
Cellular: Deal with AT&T, but no contract. Prepaid. 3G models are unlocked, so that means they can work with T-Mobile too (assuming they're GSM and not CDMA. I guess they can be both?)
Punishment: Something to do with the number 10.
Lane S. Hill