Old Apple Tablet concept would make for a great accessory idea

10:40 am, February 5th, 2010, John Brownlee

Now that we all know what the iPad is going to look like, the library of concept designs we used to illustrate the old “Apple Tablet” rumor posts look pretty silly, but they’re occasionally worth examining for ideas just not on what Apple could do with the iPad next… but what accessory makers might do.

This Yanko concept for the “MacView” tablet seemed like a pipe-dream even a few weeks ago, but what I particularly like is the iMac-like display shell it slides into in desktop mode.

Really, there’s no reason an accessory maker couldn’t make that work. Since the iPad can be paired with any Bluetooth keyboard, all this really is is a stand: design a free app that automatically pairs your keyboard with your iPad and you’ve got a pretty decent, touch-controlled iMac Mini.

Posted by John Brownlee in News, iPad | Comment on this article

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About the author

John Brownlee has written about a lot of things for a lot of different places, including Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, Gizmodo, Kotaku, Lifehacker, AMC, Geek and the Consumerist. He lives in Berlin with a charming girlfriend against whom he is currently enjoying a thirteen game cribbage winning streak, and a tiny budgerigar punningly christened after Nabokov's most famous pervert. You can follow him here on Twitter.

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11 comments

So am I to assume that Bluetooth will also allow for magic mouse connection to the iPad? Love this idea of the iPad stand.

Jarman, on February 5th, 2010 at 10:44 am

does that not do the same as the keyboard dock that Apple will be shipping?

Jim, on February 5th, 2010 at 11:00 am

this is much more elegant than the stand and keyboard that apple are toting!

Ben, on February 5th, 2010 at 11:01 am

A stand like this would look great but would need to allow for portrait and landscape views to be efficient. It would also need to be able to rotate back and forth for game play.

This landscape concept would not allow for docking without a cord. Maybe they could modify the design for portrait mode with a dock that could rotate to landscape as well.

Gary, on February 5th, 2010 at 12:18 pm

How about a dock like this with a iChat camera built in.

No, to the Bluetooth mouse, the interface does not support a mouse, you don’t need one, just use your finger.

Gary, on February 5th, 2010 at 12:57 pm

I like it, I want it …..

Poppa, on February 5th, 2010 at 2:13 pm

Why do the old designs look silly? Some did, sure, but many were much cooler looking than what Apple actually went with.

Brian Hogg, on February 5th, 2010 at 3:30 pm

That is actually really cool, and if something like that were to go to market, id definitely be in line to buy one.

Andrew Macdonald, on February 5th, 2010 at 3:59 pm

You just need a stand that is similar to stands that are currently available for the iphone and ipod touch. iMac style, spin between horizontal and portrait.

The one in the apple store for the iphone is £25ish, and if there was one of a similar price for the ipad, it’d be worth getting.

Simon Landon, on February 5th, 2010 at 5:26 pm

I’d love that as a night stand dock / charging dock / alarm clock display (I’m of course assuming that someone is going to design an awesome alarm clock APP for the iPad . . . )

Scott, on February 5th, 2010 at 11:50 pm

This is a very, very stupid idea, the iPad it’s a tablet PC, I can take it anywere I want, why should I use a static dock….

…what an asshole who think in this crap !!!

Jake, on February 6th, 2010 at 12:44 am