I have it on good authority that in the first half of 2009 (and likely during Macworld San Francisco 2009), Apple will present a tablet device with a 10″ screen — approximate — that runs the full Mac OS X. (Which doesn’t mean it won’t be tailored to touch — but it won’t be iPhone OS either. You now know why Snow Leopard put Mac OS X on a diet.)
Additionally, during MWSF, the iPhone will adopt a new manufacturing process; there will also be new models of the Mac mini, iMac, Mac Pro and MacBook Pro 17″ before February is over, and at least two of those will feature in the MWSF keynote. I only say February here because I’ve never seen Apple launch all these things in January, which is what the source information triangulates to.
I know there are a lot of tablet rumors, because there’s always been tablet rumors. However, I’ve never personally bought into them. I am reporting this because of my trust in the source, not because I necessarily secretly wish for a tablet.
In other words: this post in particular is not me wishing “gee, wouldn’t it be great”, nor is it speculating, when-an-analyst-flaps-his-lips–like, that “because the release cycle stars converge, it’d make sense for the Mac mini to adopt a Mini DisplayPort, Blu-Ray and a tasteful and timely Obama sticker”. This is me reporting that I’ve heard from believable sources that all this is coming on roughly this timetable, and I don’t believe them to be speculating.
Moreover, I advise that the iPhone software platform must be opened.
I secretly wished for a tablet until I got a 2133. Now, I’m not so sure I would want to go without the keyboard for any purpose. It only adds a few millimeters depth, and I can type code or copy into it all day long. But for the record, “full Mac OS X” means it would have none of the software restrictions specific to the iPod touch and iPhone, correct?
By n8 · 2008.12.18 21:02
I assume so. Otherwise it wouldn’t be full Mac OS X. But then again, the primary use was as a distinction from iPhone OS, and it’s probably going to need largely custom software, so I guess all bets are off.
(Beyond this line lies speculation, and I must stress this. This is not proclaimed to be an Apple or other product by anyone, although I wish it were.)
Ever since I started using whiteboards in my job and debating component design and architecture, I’ve noticed that there’s a gigantic gap for the sweetest multi-touch editor killer app, if that makes any sense. (Things like maps and web browsing and deep zoom are the viewer killer apps.)
Imagine a big multi-touch screen – either hanging from a wall or embedded in a surface-like table, or even in a tablet, which wouldn’t make it quite as big, but whatever. Several times bigger than the iPhone. In this application, you can draw, and you can zoom in and draw on deeper levels, and you can select things and move them around and even make them bigger or smaller.
This is the 21st century whiteboard. Start with a high-level block diagram and sketch as usual. When you want to delve deeper, just zoom in and draw – the lines will be thinner relative to what you just drew, but it’s fully zoomable and you can see it all. If you need space, just move stuff out of the way. Save to a PDF, work simultaneously with others on the same surface.
It really bugs me that this isn’t a product yet. Why hasn’t anyone connected the dots or realized this potential? I love doodling up things like state charts, but Visio/OmniGraffle is a rigid chore, whiteboards are volatile and cumbersome, paper’s fiddly and small and easy to use up…
By Jesper · 2008.12.18 23:26