[ctbritt]

Apple WILL introduce a tablet device that will function as a full-fledged desktop/laptop replacement within a year.

Why? Because of the education market. Microsoft <http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/tabletpc/> is making a big push with their Tablet PC that hits the market Nov. 7, and they see corporate and schools (especially secondary schools) as their primary market. While Apple can choose not to compete in the corporate space, they can not afford NOT to compete in the educational space. With MSFT's muscle pushing these tablets on school districts, Apple will be forced to offer something similar since tablet-style PCs really ARE much better than laptops and desktops.

Plus, the technology in OS X 10.2 is already there. You have handwriting recognition, zero configuration networking, robust and secure operating system and remote management. Basically, a kid could come to school, boot up off a 802.11b-enabled iPad, have her home folder already there with assignments placed in it by the teacher overnight thanks to a remote server. She takes notes with a pen directly on the screen and emails the assignments back to the teacher.

MSFT's Tablet PC can do all this now (well, in a couple of months anyway). They have the manufacturers lined up (Acer, Fujitsu, NEC among others.) And it will be simple economics for Apple to do something similar, since i think these devices will be a big hit in schools. And Apple can't allow one of its traditional markets to be taken away like that.

thoughts?

[michaelb]

Agree.

At the very least, an iBook with a foldover, pen-sensitive screen.

Putting HWR into Jaguar seems like overkill for just giving the Photoshop'ers with tablets a neat feature.

[vsurfer]

Originally posted by ctbritt:
Apple WILL introduce a tablet device that will function as a full-fledged desktop/laptop replacement within a year.

Why? Because of the education market. Microsoft <http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/tabletpc/> is making a big push with their Tablet PC that hits the market Nov. 7, and they see corporate and schools (especially secondary schools) as their primary market. While Apple can choose not to compete in the corporate space, they can not afford NOT to compete in the educational space. With MSFT's muscle pushing these tablets on school districts, Apple will be forced to offer something similar since tablet-style PCs really ARE much better than laptops and desktops.

Plus, the technology in OS X 10.2 is already there. You have handwriting recognition, zero configuration networking, robust and secure operating system and remote management. Basically, a kid could come to school, boot up off a 802.11b-enabled iPad, have her home folder already there with assignments placed in it by the teacher overnight thanks to a remote server. She takes notes with a pen directly on the screen and emails the assignments back to the teacher.

MSFT's Tablet PC can do all this now (well, in a couple of months anyway). They have the manufacturers lined up (Acer, Fujitsu, NEC among others.) And it will be simple economics for Apple to do something similar, since i think these devices will be a big hit in schools. And Apple can't allow one of its traditional markets to be taken away like that.

thoughts?

Agree that Apple can't let this new competitive effort in the education market go by without an answer of their own.

Agree that it would also be an interesting consumer device for some and/or many people. A win-win situation pardon the pun. Not to mention a new digital hub. I just hope they stick cell-phone technology in there too -- and ally with someone like Verizon who has the widest possible coverage (can you say beaches and shorelines?).

Disagree with blanket statement that "tablet-style PCs really ARE much better than laptops and desktops."

The typewriter keyboard evolved in part because can be a faster input device than the pen in trained or keyboard habituated hands. Not to mention keyboard shortcuts which to my mind blow away mouse-menu selecting in applications like Quark.

(I try speakable commands from time to time, but it's not my style.)

But, when the mind-machine interface has fully evolved we'll need neither pen or keyboard-just a screen with maybe a slide-out vestigial keyboard, to keep us key-freaky, terminal, vi, & emacs hackers happy. You know like Billgatemon said "Business at the speed of thought." And we'll probably prefer to do it a little different, the Apple way, and keep at least some of our thoughts to ourselves.

[Enter]

[adheyes]

No need to integrate their own phone. With built-in Bluetooth and technology like iSync, they can make external devices work as easily as integrated technology, thus reducing cost/increasing margin by not having to produce many different versions of the same device (ie. GSM, GPRS, CDMA, 3G etc).

Either that or manufacture the phone as a PC Card like device that can easily be changed, a la AirPort or Nokia Card Phone.

[iamnid]

Inevitable? I think not -- mark my words... tablet pc's will fail miserably and I think apple knows that.

Honestly -- how many of you would actually buy a tablet pc? And if you would... why?

[davcomp]

I absolutely agree that Tablet PC's will fail miserably. All most of them are are laptops with flip/fold around screens that allow pen in put. Have any of you actually used handwriting recognition when you have the option of a keyboard as well? I have! I used to own a Vadem Clio (the ce device with tablet mode). While the handwriting recognition was cool and very accurate, the keyboard was MUCH faster AND my it doesn't make my hands hurt after awhile. Would you really like to have to write every intstant message you type? Or how about writing that 20 page term paper?

I think we forget that everything started out being handwritten, and we made computers to make that faster and easier. Now what are we doing? Going back to handwriting! Why? I have no freaking idea!? I can see in a few instances when all you need to do is manipulate menus, buttons, and write a few small notes that it could be useful. But on the scale that microsoft thinks, I seriously doubt it. People will still mostly be using their keyboards I bet.

Just my opinion...

[ZeroKoolNess1]

Lets look at this one step at a time. I would like to talk about Tablet-based computers in schools.

First.
ctbritt, I have no clue what kind of secondary education establishment you attended. But I know that most schools will not buy into a "a kid could come to school, boot up off a 802.11b-enabled iPad, have her home folder already there with assignments placed in it by the teacher overnight thanks to a remote server. She takes notes with a pen directly on the screen and emails the assignments back to the teacher" teaching style.

And here is my basic reason why I believe this.
The public school systems (I will use public because that what I attended) have more important neccessities for education. The cost of running a school is increasing faster than levies, taxes, and private donations can account for in the budget. I sat on my School Board, as a Student representative for the body of my peers (about 4 high schools, and 42 middle and elementary institutions) for 3 years. And there was not one year where technology ideas and plans were not denied based of cost/benefit analysis.
The basic principles dictating spending in any economy state that all spending must have return higher than the investment. I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Tablet-based computer do not have a valid benefit to the students of secondary education. Also, the cost of a tablet-based computer is not the only cost involved. Here is a short list of cost resulting from any technology based improvement policy in public education.

Teacher and Staff paid training
Support Staff Hiring
Support Staff Training
Technology Purchase
Technology Insurrance Policy
Teacher/Staff/Support Staff continued training and re-education (yearly investment)

The basic reasons why I believe that tablet-based computers will never enter the school market is because there is no benefits to the standard of education for the students.

I would like to hear your opinions on my thoughts