Apple to unveil new product, amid swirl of speculation

[AMDFTW]

tablet should be good,they seem to have masterd the ipod touch

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8480063.stm

 

[JN]

I predict its going to be the iPhone 3GST with a bit of a faster processor and a new mobile contract

 

[FarFarAway]

I predict its going to be the iPhone 3GST with a bit of a faster processor and a new mobile contract

lol. The 3G was what the iPhone should have been in the first place and I knew it wouldn't be replaced yet.

Anyway, it's the 'iPad'.

Telegraph:

The iPad, which resembles a giant iPhone, has a 9.7in full-colour touch-screen, and can be used to watch movies, surf the internet, listen to music, view photos, and read ebooks and digital versions of newspapers and magazines. Jobs described the device as a "truly magical and revolutionary product".

And more importantly....

The iPad, which weighs 680g and is 1.3cm thick, has a 10 hour battery life and can surf the internet over Wi-Fi. It is available with 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of flash storage. Wi-Fi-only models will be available in UK in 60 days. In the US the WiFi-only models will be priced at $499 for 16GB model, $599 for 32GB model, $699 for 64GB model. 3G models will hopefully be available in the US in 90 days and in the UK later this year, when carrier deals are struck. These models will cost $629 (16GB), $729 (32GB), $829 (64GB)

For me it's too expensive, especially at a time when I could actually do with replacing my 'browse and facebook' only laptop. What are we saying in the UK? £400 at least?? I don't care a jot about 3G, but the missus's biggest complaint was the touch screen keyboard. Personally I could deal with it as I like my iPhone's on-screen keyboard, but she won't do.

It also wasn't mentioned if it supported flash. If not, what happens to the millions of websites that you need flash support to view properly??

 

[Bungral]

If it supports flash, I could do with it as a music player to plug into my cinema system as well as a handy lil device just to pick up and browse on around the front room.

If it doesn't support flash, then that's a big let down and I'd probably give it a miss at that price.

 

[MikeEnIke]

$499, eh they should have just made a touch screen macbook with a turnable screen. Locked down to SDK apps for it, doesn't run OSX. Doesn't compete well with the kindle, too big for an ipod, looks pretty stupid to me. I think it'll be a failed mac product. Watch me be wrong though.

EDIT: Pretty sure it doesn't support flash.

 

[JN]

I'll take a netbook with a touchscreen mod instead thanks!

 

[siravarice]

I bet this will sell millions, simply because the iPhone was so well done. Problem is, all it is, is a big iPhone...

 

[IanM]

Did anyone see this on Newsnight? Stephen Fry loves it: http://www.stephenfry.com/2010/01/28/ipad-about/ I don't think Jeremy Paxman was too impressed (probably not something newsworthy)

I quite like the concept as a nice electronic book reader / web browser. But surely the screen needs more resolution to really comfortable as a book reader? and will a lack of Flash cripple it as a web browser? I'm not too thrilled about Apple and their price gouge system when it comes to replacing batteries either.

 

[FarFarAway]

Lack of flash is a killer. How can Jobs claim it's the worlds best web experience when 50% of the web pages in the world can't be displayed?

 

[Bungral]

Oh yeah, read today that it's 1GHz Apple A4 CPU is basically just an ARM Cortex 8.

Basically it has the same power as the Google / HTX Nexus One mobile phone.

Little bit disappointing.

 

[MikeEnIke]

That's weird, I heard praise for how fast the new CPU is. I just don't know who will buy this besides fanboys.

 

[Bungral]

Well it might still be fast as the Nexus One is meant to be able to handle something like 10 apps open before it starts struggling whereas this iPad won't be supporing multi tasking I believe.

If it could output 1080p, It would be a cool little toy to have about the house for all types of media.

If it did that then I would have been tempted, but a it is, I don't see what I'd use it for over my iPhone.

 

[VonBlade]

I'm well known for not being the biggest Apple guy in the world. Mainly the price-gouging thing.

But hells teeth this thing is funny.

"What shall our big world-shattering product be?"

"How about a big iPhone"

"Sorted. Golf then?"

 

[AMDFTW]

LOL at above

 

[siravarice]

I actually hope this thing plummets, not everything they do is golden.