08.05.08
The iPhone Tablet
In a call a couple of weeks ago Apple’s CFO, Peter Oppenheimer, had a call with financial analysts in which he mentioned a “product transition” seven times. Of course, in typical Apple fashion - details were sketchy (as in NONE provided) - but I was thinking about it today in the shower and I have some speculation of my own.
I think it’s going to be a tablet PC.
Yep, you heard right - a tablet PC. It’s really not caught on all that much (except for vertical industry uses) - but I think if Apple just “super-sized” the iPhone - it would make one helluva a computer.
Add in a USB or FireWire port, keep the GPS chip, add a SuperDrive and a dual core Intel chip - done. This baby would run OS X (natch) - but, at least in theory, could run Winblows XP or even Ubuntu. But the version of OS X should be the “full” version - not some cut down iPhone-like OS.
It could also be offered in a couple of sizes - like a super compact 8 inch - a 10 and a 12 inch version. It would have the highly debated on-screen keyboard, but with a USB connector (and some sort of kick stand) it could have the ability to have an external keyboard and prop itself up as a horizontal or vertical monitor.
They have the handwriting technology left over from the doomed Newton - so throwing that into the OS might be a good idea as well.
It would ideally have a replaceable battery (HELLO!) - a padded carrying case (like those wetsuit-style material “condoms” for the MacBook) - and the ability to “dock” to something. I’m thinking an iMac sort of screen with a place to “pop in” the thing.
And price - yeah, well if it were < $800 (starter) - I bet a bunch of people would buy them.
Including me…
