New York Times preparing for 'impending Apple slate'

It's no secret that newspapers in the U.S. are having their share of difficulties during this economic downturn, but New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller is looking to the future and that future includes an Apple tablet.

Keller's remarks came during a presentation earlier this month to the digital staff at The New York Times. Video of the "off-the-record" meeting was obtained by the Nieman Journalism Lab and posted on its site. At the meeting, Keller addressed some of the things the newspaper needs to do to succeed, including preparing for platforms of the future.

"We need to figure out the right journalistic product to deliver to mobile platforms and devices," said Keller. "I'm hoping we can get the newsroom more actively involved in the challenge of delivering our best journalism in the form of Times Reader, iPhone apps, WAP, or the impending Apple slate, or whatever comes after that."

It's not clear whether Keller has inside knowledge of an Apple tablet or if he was just assuming the existence of the device based on the rumors and speculation that have been around for months.

However, Keller could know more than the average person. Apple has reportedly been talking to several high-profile media companies, negotiating to get its content ready for a new device the company is preparing to launch, according to Gizmodo.

Attracting companies like The New York Times could be a win-win for both companies--Apple would have reputable content for its device and companies like The New York Times would have a new revenue source for its business.

[davidmcelroy_dotmac]

This headline is badly misleading. It leads people to believe that the story is going to reveal that we now know that the NYT has knowledge of an Apple tablet of some kind. It's not until the fourth graf (of six) that it's made plain that this is NOT necessarily the confirmation that the headline leads us to believe it is. (Reading the actual quote makes it sound as though Keller is speaking in theoretical terms.) I don't know whether the writer or a copy editor wrote the headline, but it's shoddy journalism to mislead readers in this way.

[scrubbingbubbles]

I dont feel as though that headline is misleading at all.<br />This "dotmac" hand job should cool his jets.

[PandaSage1221]

I don't think it's misleading. Impending Apple slate is in quotes.. because it was a quote.<br /><br />Without the quotes, it would be misleading, but not with them. Maybe NYT is giving wrong information, but the title clearly states that the info is coming from NYT, not asserting itself that a tablet is coming.

[davidmcelroy_dotmac]

@PandaSage1221: When you use a PARTIAL quote out of context, it doesn't matter that it's a quote, particularly when the words that you add to it create an impression that is false. I wrote newspaper headlines and edited newspaper stories for years. I can assure you that somebody writing that headline in a basic sophomore-level editing class (for this particular story) would have had the error explained to him. If you can't understand why the headline states something as a certainty -- implying that the story is going to reveal that the NYT is SPECIFICALLY preparing for a an Apple tablet -- and that the story later revels that we DON'T know that, I don't know how to make it any more plain to you.<br /><br />As for scrubbingbubbles, he communicates so poorly that it's not even clear what the basis of his statement is, so he's not worth responding to.

[bblande]

Agreed, David...a novice attempt at clickthroughs, no doubt.

[corelogik]

There is no Apple Tablet, until Apple says there is. Apple has repeatedly and historically NOT played in that end of the computer pool. Too low margins and too low demand to make it profitable for them.<br /><br />Same reason they don't and likely will continue to NOT have a "netbook". They aren't in that business. They are in the "premium" end of the computer market and are perfectly happy to remain there. There quarterly profit results, speak to this quite plainly.<br /><br />Anyone speculating anything else, is just projecting their desires onto a company with which they have no say. You also have no right to blame Apple or to deride them, when they don't bring out a device that you want, but which makes little to no sense for them at this point in time.

[Super2online]

Slates (or tablets) created on the Windows side were fairly expensive, and didn't use an OS that was created from the ground up to be really intuitive. My guess is that Apple is working on a slate or tablet as it might be called, that will boast an intuitive user interface compatible with OSX where it counts, and might even sync data with the iPhone. Should this machine exist in early stages, my guess is that it would command a premium price. However, the question remains- can Apple generate demand for this type of mobile device based upon perceived uses that other systems can't provide. And will that excite the imagination of those that would buy it. If that happens, the Apple faithful will pony up to own it no matter how expensive it is. They have proven that time and time again. As for me, I will wait to see what Microsoft does with the Courier machine.

[fgsdfgdsfgdsfg]

Apple has no place or market share in the business world, and I don't think they want it. Their laptops don't run 90% of the business apps out there, nor will it work with much of the hardware used in the workplace. For example; What good would a fancy apple tablet PC be to a CAD guy if it doesn't run AutoCAD, Solid Works, or work with their plotter? What good would an Apple tablet PC be to a banker when it doesn't run the bank's specifically developed in house apps?<br />Macs are great for their cult following: College students and tree hugging hippies. However once you get into the real world, you know, the place WHERE YOU HAVE TO HOLD A JOB, you had better be proficient in WINDOWS!<br />I think some schools do their students a real dis-service by encouraging them to buy Macs, and providing instruction on Macs. They aren't preparing them for what they will see in the work place.

[Perry_Clease]

Right no market share at in the business world. On the other hand I run AutoCAD on my $299 netbook.

[solitare_pax]

I disagree - Schools that use Macs are teaching kids to learn how to think and figure out the similarities and differences between Macs and PCs - and face it, that is something we all need to learn, as operating systems are upgraded every few years, and what worked in Windows XP may not work in Windows 7 - or Mac OS 9.2 vs Mac OS 10.6. <br /> <br />In any case, by the time kids get out of school and into the work force, the entire dynamic of computing will be different. Some will find themselves using Windows 95 or 2000 in some outdfit that won't upgrade, or they will be using some unique home-brewed program none of us have ever heard of. You can't predict what kids will face any more than I could predict that those courses in MS-DOS, BASIC, UNIX, Warp OS, OS/2 and PASCAL would be useless when I got out of school - despite what the teachers said. Learning how to deal with the differences though - that helped a lot.

[setgo]

You have no idea what your talking about and it's sad. That's ok though, stay on paTroll... you'll find something.

[ccazz]

FGSD.............<br />I reply to your comment from my corporate 17" MBP. We develop apps for the banks you speak of, ours run cross platform. Are you bitter that your employer has been sold on the PC platform? Not every business needs CAD and not every bank creates single platform solutions. Some people understand the world is changing. Don't worry we wont develop any applications that exclude haters of non Windows environments. Unless of course IE refuses to conform to HTML5 standards. Enjoy Silverlight.

[ezeq22]

Macs will run windows so they can/ could run CAD, but CAD users are a limited market that Apple is not trying to sell to. Many companies these days use cloud or web based computing with servers (which is the future for CAD software and many others) so the individual brand of the computer used doesn't matter much as long as it can get online.

[scrubbingbubbles]

I am at work....and as i write this on my 24 inch iMac i wonder how if you are lying or just ignorant....im guessing ignorant.<br />The IT department here fought tooth and nail a few years back for the switch to Macs. I didnt complain at all.<br />Businesses cant get over the initial install price of Mac. But as it turns out in the long run Macs last longer (hardware AND software wise)....cost less...and are much more energy efficient. <br />So the higher ups in the company get iMacs and the cubicle farm downstairs is full of Mac Mini's.

[baconstang]

Maybe now I can cash in on my Fortran 4 background????

[missingxtension2]

WOW, let give them an applause every body.<br />We have 3 mac users here! YAY<br />let me ask you a question, all three of you.<br />We are not saying that macs are not pc clones, we are saying that macos10 does not run win32/64 code.<br />You understand that??<br />Yeah booting into or running a virtual machine is fun, but whats the point if it has to run in win?<br />There are two things i deal with that mac will never ever be able to work with,<br />Mechanic shops run Mitchell and ALLDATA, guess what? There is no os10 equivalent.<br />What about finalcial software? tax software? how about running an incometax service of intelitax?<br />oh yeah those small businesses have no use for mac, at least *nix have wine and cedega to run win32 binaries.<br />Im sure you mac people know even more scenarios in wish mac just wont cut the mustard.<br />If you have to run windows then mac won cut it, its that simple.

[PandaSage1221]

I read the title as "impending Apple state."<br /><br />I like slate a lot better. Please don't take over the world, Apple.

[SactoGuy018]

I think right now Apple has pretty much finalized the shape of its tablet computer. The question right now comes to this: will it be based on the latest ARM-compatible CPU (based on the PA Semiconductor design Apple now owns) or Intel's upcoming Atom N450 CPU with the "Pine Trail" chipset. I would actually favor the Atom CPU version, since the N450 with its "Pine Trail" chipset is said to VERY efficient in terms of power usage. And programmers could easily prototype applications for this tablet PC in MacOS X 10.6 and quickly port it to the tablet PC, since the tablet PC will likely run a specially-written version of MacOS X 10.6.

[baconstang]

The choice of CPU, while important to the designers, will be of no importance to those who buy it.

[alan_06]

Even if Apple doesn't have such a product, from the kind of publicity these media guys are giving, they would get an idea to create such a gadget.There are sites that goes to the limit of guessing how the gadget looks (their own creativity) making Apple their work lot easier. <br /> <br />If there is much expectation and demand based on rumour, you could sell easily :) What's stopping you Apple?!

[Gold_Storm_Mac]

SJ wont be happy about this. way to keep a secret.

[ron_thompson]

NYTimes is right to be rethinking its model. There are only 2 apps that I use daily NY Times reader and NeuroMobile. I no longer get my local or any other papers delivered to my home, after 20 years of delivery service. This trend will continue. Traditional print media will need to innovate in order to stay relevant (in business).

[OldManCoyote1]

Mr. Dalrymple:<br /><br />Want a hot blog topic? Locate Apple's video concept for an Apple Slate from the days Scully was Apple's President. Run with it!<br /><br />Good luck

[jabberwolf]

Wait...<br />So apple comes out with a Tablet after YEARS of PCs having them....<br /><br />But Apple will call it a "slate" which will be "new" and "innovative"<br />Seriosly are apple tards THAT dumb to fall for that propaganda? <br />Really?!?!

[krosafcheg]

I cant wait for the Apple Tablet. <br /> <br />For people looking for one place to find all the up-to-date info on the Apple tablet, check out http://appletouchtablet.blogspot.com/