Rumor – Media Pad Could be Apple’s Newest Device Hit
8:41 am, April 30th, 2009, Lonnie Lazar
About a week ago, MacFormat posted a partial image of a mysterious Apple device “without comment”, saying it had been submitted anonymously by email.
It was just a tease, though, as MacFormat Illustrator Adam Benton had submitted via email his case for what you see here, a full-fledged Apple Media Pad, Cupertino’s answer to the world of netbooks.
In Benton’s conception, “Your entire Home folder – all docs, photos, movies and music – would live ‘in the cloud’ on Apple’s servers. Regularly used files would be cached locally, but the system would enable you to keep files in sync between the tablet and your desktop Macs, whilst getting away with a smaller SSD.”
Benton’s idea calls for a that dock would support USB and FireWire, plus Mini DisplayPort, and Bluetooth to be used for peripherals like headsets and keyboards. The OS would be the iPhone and iPod touch OS, scaled up to support the larger display, with integrated 3G connectivity – proper 7.2Mb/sec HSUPA – to keep users connected to Apple’s servers at all times.
See more details at MacFormat and start checking that secondary market for WWDC keynote tickets.
Posted by Lonnie Lazar in Apple, Hardware, Rumors | Comment on this article
Very nice designs. I think we’re looking at an iMac circa 2010/11 will look like.
rdas7, on April 30th, 2009 at 9:12 am
apple had a newsreader/netbook project back in the early 90’s (internal project name: sweatpea), that was the screen half of a duo notebook. very cool project at the time … light years ahead of the market.
johnc, on April 30th, 2009 at 10:02 am
Count me in. I want one of these.
Sabon, on April 30th, 2009 at 11:20 am
This is a gorgeous concept.
But from a product standpoint, it doesn’t make a lot of sense — at least, not right now.
What niche does it fill? How does it supplement the product line?
I have an iPhone for portable, on-the-go communication, internet browsing, email, and small apps. It fits into my pocket.
I have a MacBook Pro for portable, on-the-go browsing, email, and hard-core computing applications such as Photoshop or Final Cut Pro. It doesn’t fit into my pocket, but fits into my backpack.
So, the media pad has the functions of the iPhone but doesn’t fit in my pocket. It is smaller than the MacBook, but doesn’t have the flexibility and power.
This is the dilemma when it comes to tablet computing. That middle ground is a wasteland that very few people can justify spending money in.
ItsGene, on April 30th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Looking for the new Apple iSweatPea…winner of the worst product name ever.
JonA, on April 30th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
But this would definitely fill a niche.
The beauty of this thing is that it’s for curling up and reading a good pdf document. making notes on the margins. Or curling up and reading a webpage.
The iphone can start to do that, but it strains the eyes!
That’s the niche this would fill. and fill beautifully.
k, on April 30th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
I L O A T H E it ….
1] What purpose *does* it serve ?
DeskTop/LapTop/PalmTop — that’s the heirachy.
To have something between a laptop & a palmtop logistically ridiculous.
And aren’t these already proven to be failures ?
UMPCs, I’m looking at you ….
What about socalled “NetBooks” ?
Smaller-Than-Usual laptops: big friggin’ deal ….
2] What is this fascination people have with the
glass/steel look of the iPhone & iMac ?
It stinks!
The iPhone should have a durable plastic [like skateboard wheels, for example], primarycolored [Red/Yellow/Green/Blue/Black White] back, not steel.
It looks so …. I dunno. lol
I suppose “ugly” is the word I want.
CaryMG, on April 30th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
I’m more excited about the keyboard with the multi-touch trackpad in that concept. I have a hard time using my beautiful 24″ iMac these days because I’ve fallen in love with the trackpad on my 13″ MacBook. I really hope they release a multi-touch peripheral for desktops (an idea that doesn’t strike me as being all that radical).
As for the slate-style form-factor, I think it has some potential applications, but ultimately would be most useful if it had a stylus with an improved version of inkwell as a method of input (I hate to admit it, but handwriting recognition is one area where Microsoft has an edge over Apple). Nobody’s going to want to type in copious amounts of text on a virtual keyboard, and relying on a dock will keep you shackled to the desk and that kind-of defeats the purpose imo. The virtual keyboard works fine for short entries, but I would hate to try to write this comment on my iPhone.
With inkwell 2.0, iPhone touch-screen and stylus input, I think this could be a really useful device for a variety of applications. One that immediately comes to mind is Electronic Medical Records (i.e. the Doctor carries around this as his virtual chart). I could also see this as an e-reader/portable web browser for lying on the couch and reading blogs, news, wikipedia, etc.
Scott, on May 1st, 2009 at 4:57 am
Got to say I agree with ItsGene on this. Stylistically, it’s neat. Would I want one? Absolutely not. When I’m travelling, I want two things.
One: something I can slip in my pocket for music/video playback to while away the travel time during commuting.
Two: A laptop that I can take on holiday use to load photos I take onto sites like Flickr, keep my blog up to date for friends & family, do emails, surf, etc. (keyboard intensive stuff).
Something in-between has no appeal. It’s too big for general day to day commuting, not featured enough for longer trips, and I don’t want to pay through the nose for all my music/movies/tv shows to be permanently stored in the cloud when I can get all my music onto an iPod Touch with room to spare for 8 hours of video…
Fearless Fred, on May 1st, 2009 at 5:00 am
Is that merely an enlarged iphone in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?
ged, on May 1st, 2009 at 5:31 am
If i can remote login to my hospital servers with this and bring it while rounding. It would be the ultimate medical device.
Vinay, on May 1st, 2009 at 10:34 am
I kinda also agree with ItsGene.
What would make more sense is to have a device *like* this that has a flip up screen on one side and a transparent touch screen on the other. Like this:
http://www.electronista.com/articles/08/03/17/apple.dual.side.touchpad/
Tablet + Laptop = Yay
Church of Apple, on May 1st, 2009 at 11:43 am
iPod mega?
Maybe the iPod “large print edition” for older customers. My mother could use this.
imajoebob, on May 2nd, 2009 at 10:06 am
Are all of you people on here crazy? A decade ago a device like this wouldn’t even have been capable of creating. This is such innovation. You guys haven’t even given it a try or had the opportunity to experience the capabilities it may have in various industries.
Just because it may not be a device for every single consumer doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any valid qualities. Come on people! Put aside your conventional thinking of tradition, this is technology. Not all of it will fail and not all of it will succeed. But we are fools to judge anything without a critically and physically analyzing it first.
Robert, on May 2nd, 2009 at 1:35 pm
As someone who switched from a slate PC to a MacBook I have to say I’ve got mixed feelings. I love the slate concept- it was great for meetings, annotating files, etc. because handwriting is more intuitive to me (plus you can use you’re own shorthand…). To have something like a slate, but without handwriting just doesn’t really cut it. I’d rather Apple re-invent the tablet PC. But, maybe they are and we just haven’t caught onto to that yet.
Also, I’ve never tried one- but what about incorporating a virtual keyboard (e.g., http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/keyboards-mice/8193/) into the unit? Just get some clear desk space and you’ve got your keyboard for heavy duty typing. Have it built into the charging stand (that would swivel) and you can take your docking station with you.
Rich, on May 3rd, 2009 at 11:29 am
I want the ability to import and edit photos from my camera while on motorcycle trips and post them. I want to log on and post on forums and blogs. I want a real keyboard. I have an iphone and a macbook, I don’t need a big screen iPhone, I need a netbook.
Dan-A, on May 4th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
I think this is a return of the iBook, (they already have the name). An eReader to compete with Kindle and Sony eReader which doesn’t sync with Mac directly.
Would I want one heck yeah!
I would pay $500 bucks (Price of Kindle DX), for a larger iPhone/iPod Touch that could could take apps plus my music, movies, videos and pdf docs and ebooks, web browser, video chat.
Jarrod, on May 9th, 2009 at 10:45 am
wow for those of you asking “what purpose” does it fill?! Are you all morons?
have you all seen netbooks that are out in the market place?
This would be the coolest nettablet out there.
Can you all say “KINDLE”?
God some of you are absolute idiots. I bet you all drive GMs and think Segways are the future…
dennis, on May 21st, 2009 at 10:06 am