Apple iPad and related items

[Kid_Eternity]

Apple 'iSlate'

Something that makes me wonder if it's gonna have 3G is the heavy focus on games in the rumours. Reminds me of the iPod touch...

Anyway, can't help but wonder if this will be the touch version of the MacBook air? Great looking, cool as hell but basically a premium edition of the iPhone for the luxury apple owning types...I guess we ain't got long now till we see the new Jobs toy.

 

[Crispy]

1st gen ipod, iphone and (i betcha million bucks) islate: all overpriced at launch. that's the point. it is an expensive, highly desirable shiny toy. if the people who spend $1000 on shiny toys buy them in sufficient numbers, then we'll see versions 2 and 3 for cheaper (and most likely with the bugs ironed out too)

 

[editor]

1st gen ipod, iphone and (i betcha million bucks) islate: all overpriced at launch. that's the point. it is an expensive, highly desirable shiny toy. if the people who spend $1000 on shiny toys buy them in sufficient numbers, then we'll see versions 2 and 3 for cheaper (and most likely with the bugs ironed out too)

I'm not sure that the MacBook Air has reached sufficient velocity to escape out of the 'rich git' bracket yet. I don't know anyone who owns one.

 

[Crispy]

nope. the G4 cube never made it either.

but the ipod and the iphone did. maybe the slate will too...

 

[Sunray]

At 400 quid and its desirable then I want one and you want one and rest of the world will want one and Apple will be struggling to make enough.
Priced at more than 500 and it has to be better than a 500 quid laptop because 500 quid gets me quite a nice laptop which can do most everything I want.

It also has to be thin, if its not thin and I am having to heft it in anyway, then its not so interesting.

It might not even be a Tablet. The new 4th generation iPhone. That would be classic.

I'm looking forward to Mobile OSX ver 4 if thats released. There has been a noticeable lack of updates to the iPhone over the last few months, so there is definitely something going on there.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Apple 'iSlate'

I'm not sure that the MacBook Air has reached sufficient velocity to escape out of the 'rich git' bracket yet. I don't know anyone who owns one.

I've known one out of all the mac owners I've known...

 

[editor]

Has to be thin *and* strong seeing as it won't have a lid to protect all that glass.

 

[paolo]

OK, I've been trying to guess a price.

Factors...
1) Cheapest Macbook: $999. It surely has to be at least a little cheaper than that.
2) iPhone (real) price. I've not done enough digging to quantify this one. I'll hazard a guess at $500-$600 for the 32Gb 3GS unlocked. Maybe this is less of a factor, because most people don't know the real price.
3) Assuming, like the iPhone, there will be two SKUs, differing only in storage.... The premium on the iPhone is £90 for an extra 16Gb

So, in the urban sweepstake, my punt:

iThingy 32Gb: $699 - £549
iThingy 64Gb: $899 - £699

 

[paolo]

Has to be thin *and* strong seeing as it won't have a lid to protect all that glass.

One of the "chatter" reports I was listening to last night was saying there's a story about it taking them a year or more to sort out that issue. True or not, you're right, a big challenge.

 

[Gromit]

At launch it will be pricey.

Thereby granting it that its soo cool mere mortals can't purchase it status.

Rich twats buy it and lord it over the rest smug in the fact they can afford the swankiest exclusive gadget.

Once its cool factor has been well and truly established by the above and they gauge the demand for it they release the version 2. Which is now priced for the masses of course. Who swarm out to buy it because their must have gadget glands have gone into overdrive now that they realise they too can afford the latest cool showy gadget. Not realising that the exclusive element that made them think it was soo cool no longer exists.

Its the marketing strategy Hagan Das are lauded for using to create a high priced ice cream brand that sold in buckets and that Apple have transferred to electronics.

 

[Gromit]

Has to be thin *and* strong seeing as it won't have a lid to protect all that glass.

Thats got to be a big worry for anyone purchasing. With a laptop the lid protects the glass and yet screens still sometimes crack.

With no lid? I'd be scared to death of breaking the screen.

 

[hendo]

I can still see how it'll work. Absolutely.

People are used to reading papers on their phones now, but I'd much rather read my morning paper on a larger slate than my phone. I'd even be happy to pay for a daily digital newspaper delivery and Apple are perfectly positioned to offer such a service.

There's such a lot riding on this thing now. My friend in publishing thinks it will save her business. And so do the newspaper people. It had better not suck! I'm sure it won't.

I sort of want one, even though I don't know anything about it, so positive has been my experience of the iphone. And my next computer will be a Mac, I have decided, even though it doesn't play nicely with Total War.

In the meantime Apple has begun the process of getting the content companies sorted:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fa35a512-09fb-11df-8b23-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=rss&nclick_check=1

 

[Kanda]

It's not just me, you know:
I imagine Kanda will buy it if it tuns out to be just a glowing inflatable Apple iPillow.

I'll buy it if it lives up to the hype and it's a good product. Not just cos it's Apple..!!

didn't buy an Air did I?!

Notice Metro Newspaper has released a reader app for it's publication. Allows offline reading, keeping back issues, searching back issues etc...

 

[Pie 1]

didn't buy an Air did I?!

You came very fucking close IIRC

 

[Kanda]

You came very fucking close IIRC

I bought a Macbook Pro instead

This was when I made the switch from PC to Mac though. I now have 2 Mac's, compared to 3 desktop PC's and a Laptop... downsizing

 

[Sunray]

Fear not about its breakability. It will be sporting gorilla glass. The Adamo from Dell has it.

http://www.corning.com/gorillaglass/index.aspx

Wow check out that cheezy video, there is a proper breakability test in there, and what they seem to have made is flexible glass.

 

[editor]

I sort of want one, even though I don't know anything about it, so positive has been my experience of the iphone.

How can you want something when you don't even know what it is?!!

 

[Crispy]

How can you want something when you don't even know what it is?!!

You must have had very deprived childhood Chistmasses

 

[editor]

You must have had very deprived childhood Chistmasses

Err, I wasn't paying for my own surprise presents.

 

[Crispy]

You wouldn't get a joke if it was delivered by hand

 

[editor]

You wouldn't get a joke if it was delivered by hand

With 'jokes' like that you should be on the stage.

It leaves in five minutes.

 

[skyscraper101]

Times were harder back then...

 

[gabi]

Seems to be a cert it'll be called the iPad now on that rumour site. A german retailer's already advertising it at 500 euros, so i guess about the same in quid. Not that bad...

 

[skyscraper101]

Seems to be a cert it'll be called the iPad now on that rumour site. A german retailer's already advertising it at 500 euros, so i guess about the same in quid. Not that bad...

It was a tweet that was deleted. Speculation is at fever pitch!

 

[ChrisFilter]

iPad? That's awful. Still, iSlate wasn't much better.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

iPad is a stupid name, don't like iSlate much but prefer it...

 

[ChrisFilter]

Seems to be a cert it'll be called the iPad now on that rumour site. A german retailer's already advertising it at 500 euros, so i guess about the same in quid. Not that bad...

€499 with a data contract from T-Mobile. €899 without.

That's fucking pricey.

 

[editor]

This whole 'i' malarkey sounds well cheesy now. I wouldn't be surprised if they dumped it altogether and called it something like the MacPad or summat.

Or the 'Messiah Tablet' (TM) (c), editor 2009.

 

[gabi]

Looks like it'll be colourful too..

 

[Kanda]

€499 with a data contract from T-Mobile. €899 without.

That's fucking pricey.

Is it really?

I guess you could get a dongle and free Netbook deal but that's just your bog standard netbook deal. They're £30/month for 24 months???

Depends what the contract deal is with the Network Operator I suppose.