Maybe you’ve heard. But if you haven’t, Apple is set to announce today its “latest creation,” rumored to be some sort of tablet-sized computing device.
I can’t help but wonder if this device will finally be the one that seals the doom of the printed page. Below could be just the beginning of what this rumored Apple Tablet might be able to do:
Sports Illustrated – Tablet Demo 1.5 from The Wonderfactory on Vimeo.
The mind reels at the possibilities this device could hold for other media. And really, if a device can do this, why would you ever pick up another static, paper-based information object ever again?
The Apple Tablet also could very well be the medium for the survival of publishing companies. Those companies, though, can no longer get away with just electronic copies of their paper product. They’ll have to utilize the capabilities of things like the Apple Tablet to add value to their online content so it’s worth paying money for.
I also have a few requests for this mythical device:
- Don’t require 3G connectivity. It would be a shameless money grab to do so. I already pay to access AT&T’s 3G network with my phone. I won’t pay even more money for something I already have access to. This is the big dealbreaker, in my opinion.
- Allow for removable batteries. If this device really is to be the ultimate media appliance (at least until the next Killer Device arrives), it’s going to be a battery hog, and even the best rechargeable batteries wear out and need replaced.
- Let me plug in a keyboard. I’m pretty good at thumbing my phone’s virtual keyboard. This tablet, though, is supposed to be 10 inches wide, roughly the size of a standard keyboard. Virtual typing could get very messy.
That’s it. I’m a cheap date when it comes to Apple products.
That tablet is half as cool as it should be. Horrible name, no memory, no replaceable battery.
Agreed. And no camera, no multitasking…
I’m not standing in line to buy one. There are traditionalists who’ll still want the printed page. One of my pleasures is reading the paper at the table with my cup(s) of coffee every morning, turning the pages, etc. Dawn’s parents and I have talked about that; how it’s comfortable, enjoyable, etc. Then you have people like Aunt Carol, who COULDN’T use it due to lack of electronic skills. Every time the power goes out, she has to call her cable company to tell her how to reset her VCR. She still has a dial phone, for Pete’s sake. Not everybody is on the electronics bandwagon. You still have a job for a while.
Wait a minute- is that ALL it does? It’s an electronic reader?! I thought it was an actual “computer” [that has lots of drawbacks, from the sounds of it]. If all it is is a $400-$900 electronic reader, I think you have nothing to worry about.
I will fight until my dying day to preserve my ability to sit back with my newspaper and my cup of coffee. Reading it online just isn’t the same. Especially since not all the content is online, or at least it’s somewhat hard to track down at times.
Like I said the other day… sometimes there really IS such thing as too much technology. The i-whatever-it-is sounds like an example.
[...] me, the biggest letdown was the lack of content to showcase what the device could do. I’m on record as saying that the device could change the way we consume paper media, and I still believe that. [...]