More Grist for Tablet Rumor Mill: A Feb. 2010 Launch for $800-$1,000

Nicole Martinelli ()

Our favorite tablet mock-up to date. CC-licensed, thanks to Sean (perfect pixel) on Flickr.

Our favorite tablet mock-up to date. CC-licensed, thanks to Sean (perfect pixel) on Flickr.

If you follow the Apple rumor mill, you know that most of the interesting leads come from China or Taiwan where case and parts manufacturers are way ahead of the game.

Here’s another one: Taiwan Economics News, a website specialized in giving the skinny on who is making what in Taiwan, reports that a couple of PC parts and component suppliers have won the Apple tablet contract.

What will they be making?

A tablet PC with a 9.6-inch screen, finger-touch function and built-in HSPDA (high speed download packet access) module with a a P.A. SEMI processor chip and long lasting battery pack, selling for between US$799 and US$999.

Apple insider speculates that HSDPA means the device would work with the AT&T 3G network in the U.S., much like the current iPhone, debunking earlier speculation that the device would run on Verizon’s network.

DON'T MISS
Analyst: Apple Tablet to have P.A. Semi ARM processor. CoM: Duh.

I dunno. Having once worked as an entertainment reporter, gossip can be fun for awhile, but show me the tablet, people.

12 comments »

About the author

nicole_martinelli

Nicole Martinelli is a San Francisco native who has lived in Milan and Florence, Italy. She's written for Wired.com, The New York Times and Newsweek. You can find her on Twitter , Facebook and Google+.

If you're doing something new/cool that's Apple related, email her about it.

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  • Steven

    All this tablet speculation is like tearing open corners of Christmas gifts 10 or 15 days before Christmas……you know its coming but you still can’t have it.

    Another point, I really hope Apple doesn’t sell this as a “contract only” device as the iPhone is sold—especially with a lame provider as AT&T. I will probably be buying this devise the day it’s made available but who knows what will happen if it’s tied to a contract. God…I hope that doesn’t happen.

  • Chris

    Um, Verizon is switching to GSM in 2010 when they roll out their 4G network, so it WILL run on Verizon next year, or T-Mobile, or whatever else is GSM…

  • Greg

    Yea are these the same sources that assured us the new ipod touch would have a camera? I’m with you. Show me the money.

  • Church of Apple

    Yeah, awesome. $30 for iPhone data, $30 for iTablet data, $5 for iPhone texting, $5 for iTablet texting, $35 for iPhone voice, $35 for iTablet voice… God, I can’t wait to pay AT&T all that money!

  • http://www.cultofmac.com Leigh McMullen

    @Chris,

    All GSM ain’t the same, 3g networks between AT&T and TMobile are incompatible (they use different spectrum) which is why its essentially useless to pwn and iphone 3g/s — if you do, you’re stuck with edge trying to use them on TMobile.

  • http://www.energystrain.com Zach Hudson

    Not to be practical or anything but, I wonder if this would be able to be used as a notes taker. If I could use a “pen” to take notes on this thing in class instead of paper, that would be amazing. I would have all my notes digitized and searchable….now this would make this a must have for me.

  • http://aerto.com Andrew W.

    Like this concept even more (especially the keyboard/trackpad)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/ndevil/3716352885/

  • SDurnin

    I’m not sure the camera would always be facing the right way for iChat.

  • OlsonBW

    If I can also plug in an external monitor and use my Bluetooth wireless keyboard and mouse I’m in line.

  • Jay

    granted the picture is a mock up, but to me it is exactly what is wrong with the tablet.. How in the world can you chat and type on something that’s flat and touch screen? if you put it flat on the desk, the person you are video chatting with is looking up your nose. If you angle it, you are unable to properly type.

    If they can solve that problem, they have my vote.

  • CaryMG

    Boy oh boy — that estimated retail price just keeps on inchin’ up, dunnit ….

  • http://www.docmurdock.com Michael Murdock

    Why would Apple want to anger every iPhone user by making its Tablet only work on the Verizon network. Think about that for a minute…you buy the tablet, you own an iphone running on AT&T, now you have to open a Verizon account, hope your credit is good enough and pay $49.99 or more per month to another vendor for an additional account. So that’s $175.00 for the iPhone per month, plus $49.99 for the tablet (not counting any additional bandwidth charges, or deposits required to open the account), and there’s probably a 2 year commitment on the account. OUCH.

    Doubful that they’d do that. Am seeing this staying with AT&T as they’ve both invested heavily in the partnership and AT&T is expanding its services to help offset the huge demand for these phones that CNET in the UK claims are the worst phones on the planet. If they’re so bad, why are so many people rushing out to buy them? Think about that!

    When the tablet comes out, I will buy one. I will use it and my clients will be amazed by it. can’t wait gang!

    Michael Murdock, CEO
    DocMurdock.com