How The 'Apple Tablet' Could Revolutionize Media

Apple's Tabula Rasa :

Apple's tablet has the potential to change the way we consume and pay for media--many different types of media--as substantially as the company revolutionized the computing business with the original Macintosh, the music business with the iPod and iTunes and telephony and handheld computing with the iPhone. Probably more so, in fact.

Read the whole story: Apple's Tabula Rasa

Comments

[Russycle]

02:53 PM on 01/04/2010

I seriously doubt this will be the game-changer that the article predicts. I've owned a tablet for several years, and I don't see Apple overcoming the limitations inherent in the tablet design. Unless it uses e-ink, like the Kindle, it will be heavy with limited battery life. And if it does use e-ink, it won't be color, and forget about watching movies or even YouTube on it.

No keyboard? Try writing an email with the hunt-and-peck on screen keyboard. Sure you can try handwriting recognition, Microsft's Tablet OS is actually pretty good at it. But it still sucks compared to a keyboard. So you have device too big to carry around all the time and too limited for doing serious work. What's the point?

Built-in 3G internet connectivity might put this over the top, but it's too big to replace the iPhone and it will sure be an expensive supplement.

Of course, Steve Jobs is a smart guy with a hell of a track record, so I wouldn't bet my portfolio against him. But until I see this thing, I'm not getting excited about it.

[Fabini]

02:33 PM on 01/04/2010

Great article. It is important to aim high in our thinking about the future of computing. I'm excited. I loved the Newton when it came out, however I didn't do much with it. Unlike the Newton, the iSlate will have content providers lined up. Every money losing magazine and newspaper is excited about this product.

A tangental aspect of this shift in medium is how it will affect writers, photographers, and videographers. I sincerely hope we have a creative renaissance for artists.

[Tom95134]

12:48 PM on 01/04/2010

The only thing I have to ask is, "Where's the power?" The kind of technology described in the article requires a fair amount of power to operate.

[Fabini]

02:34 PM on 01/04/2010

Yes, good question. And what about storage? I think the Apple engineers have been thinking about this too.