I hope this hasn't been mentioned before, but I have been thinking about recent technologies coming together, and how Apple might react to them.
There is a new technology called the digital pen, which incorporates Bluetooth, digital imaging, and paper technology, that enables one to write notes on paper, and have them transmitted to a phone for e-mail or chat.
It just so happens that the first people to make these are SonyEricsson, Apple's new bosom buddy.
You can read about the technology here:
Digital Paper
And the pen, called the "Chatpen" here:
Chatpen
Let's consider that Apple would be very much interested in such a device.
Microsoft is propping up the Pad PC, where you write on a screen, or press a virtual keyboard with the pen.
I think Apple wants nothing to do with this Pad approach. The smarter thing to do is embrace a technology where you don't need an LCD screen, battery, ports, etc. to write text on a screen. All you will have to do is have a Bluetooth enabled digital pen, and write on a piece of paper, which can then be transferred to the mac as handwritten tex, or (better) translated through Inkwell into text.
This fits perfectly in their digital strategy, and they have the technology to be the first to incorporate it into OS X without much effort. Did anyone else notice how Steve glossed over Inkwell in his keynote? "Oh, that's just a little technology, don't pay much attention to it." It's just for fun. (Will people actually be writing on Wacom tablets?)
Imagine being able to take class notes, sketches, and letters, sending them as a personal handwritten e-mail, translating notes to text, and sending email from the check of a box from a notepad. The possibilities are amazing to think about.
Die iPad, Applepalm, and OSXNewton. Long live iPen!
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