Comments on: Fantasy features of an Apple tablet

Between smartphones and laptops lies a no-man's land for gadgets. If Apple does venture there, here's what it should pack.

[Dani210]

yah they definitely won't release it at wwdc, because steve jobs won't be there. he would have to be the one releasing it

[YM965]

i think it would be really amazing if they used an OLED screen like the new Zune's gona be... it would give it a sleeker look. I hope they apply the OLED screen on the iphone and itouch, and maybe laptops ;p

[koviea]

pjhenry1216,

I'm never going to buy a Kindle, because while it does what it's meant to do well, from what I've read, it only does these few things, and nothing else. I'm looking for a tablet that does what the Kindle does, albeit not quite as well, plus a whole lot more. I'm guessing that so are a lot of people, and until such a device comes out, tablets will continue to be a niche market, including the Kindle.

Most people, myself included, are much more interested in multiuse devices that might not necessarily do any one thing perfectly, but do a lot of things fairly well. And done right, such a device could actually do several things very well, e.g. video streaming and image viewing and retouching. If Apple or someone else can come out with such a device for under $500, it will sell like crazy and create a new market.

In the comments some people have mentioned that it would be nice if such a device had Bluetooth, to allow keyboards, headsets, etc. to be connected to it. I think that that's a great idea. SD slots would also be nice. Think of all the devices that this could mimic if done right:

--Digital streaming TV & radio
--Movie viewer
--Image viewer/retoucher
--MP3 player
--Video conference appliance
--eReader for books, newspapers, magazines, etc., with live updates
--Web browser
--Tablet computer
--Laptop
--Mini desktop

And so on. Ok, we're almost certainly not going to see a device that can do all of these, let alone do them well, for under $500, in the first couple of generations. But I think that within 2-3 years, these can all be done, with add-on accessories of course. Ideal places to use these things would be during flights, train trips or commuting, on vacation, in waiting rooms, during lectures or art class, in a cafe, at the park, etc. I.e. where people currently use laptops, or where it's possible but awkward to use laptops. And, of course, tons of professional uses.

It's going to happen and I want one NOW.

[dan1000]

If research shows that a 3G connection is a must in this category then I can see them offering a netbook through the wireless companies with a contract for unlimited data, just like the iphone. That would enable them to put all the best hardware in the unit, including their new battery technology and an OLED screen and keep the price lower through phone company subsidies.

[treytoups]

I would love to see a multi touch surfaced. Not just the pinch and spread method that we have on the iphone. I want to be able to manipulate multiple things at one time, much like in, (dare i say it) microsofts top secret project Milan...

[ScooterCommuter]

I think I'm still missing something, but here's some speculation on a new category Apple could create:

Multi-touch display sufficient to provide full 720p ?HD? resolution for watching video...
Built-in 3G voice + data support. New AT&T iPhone data plans will also be announced. These plans will help subsidize an affordable purchase price for the device.
Able to run Snow Leopard (Mac OS 10.6) which has been optimized for smaller memory footprint, and existing iPhone / iPod touch software. Compatibility with AppStore.
Built-in video camera and videoconferencing.
Geolocation and compass.
Solid state drive, like MacBook Air, but smaller. Ports similar to MacBook Air.
Optional stand for watching video or using it as a monitor. Able to serve as auxiliary monitor for a Mac, wirelessly.
Optional keyboard, multitouch trackpad and stand enable the traditional desktop computing experience. These parts are designed to fit together simply and elegantly so the whole thing ?converts? to a traditional notebook configuration in seconds and can easily be carried around in that configuration, with the ?lid? closed, at which point it resembles a smaller MacBook Air.

We will also soon see a new 30 inch LED monitor, new iPhone OS and new iPhone hardware.

[dtannenb]

I think it also needs to have wi-fi, stereo bl\uetooth and gps.

[bildan2]

Quit harping on a "text entry device" (Keyboard). It will have a USB port - if the user wants a keyboard let them plug in one of their choice. There are lots of thin, light ones.

Otherwise, right on.

[mrktm]

I think it would be nicer to have finally a modular product and not a piece of equipment with all the features included.
What about a little tablet you can use by them self a wireless keyboard for the times you need it a detachable camera a 3G network trough the cellular phone and so on ?