Cali, here we come. ‘Sync’ is en route to Apple briefing

As many Sync readers know by now, Apple is about to unveil what’s expected to be a digital tablet – dubbed the iPad, iSlate or iTablet (depending on whom you ask) – and we’re en route to San Francisco for the big news. Here’s the latest from the rumour mill.

Perhaps it’s because Apple, Inc. has unveiled some of the biggest consumer electronics products over the past decade – the iPod and iPhone – not to mention the company keeps its cards close to its chest, but every hour there’s a new rumour circulating through cyberspace surrounding tomorrow’s much-hyped announcement.
 
What industry analysts are predicting – in part due to leaked patent filings and slips from computer parts manufacturers – is Apple will unveil a touch-sensitive tablet. This 10- or 11-inch flat, wireless and portable device can be used for watching videos (check out Simon’s post), reading electronic books, surfing the web, accessing your music collection and playing games – all with your fingertips instead of a mouse and keyboard interface.

Again, this is all speculation. But at least we know it’s not going to be a new iPod, iPhone or Mac. “The new products we are planning to release this year are very strong, starting this week with a major new product that we’re really excited about,” Apple’s Steve Jobs said in a company statement.

A recent article from the Wall Street Journal goes so far to predict it could “reshape businesses like textbooks, newspapers and television much the way his iPod revamped the music industry.” The Hindu Times writes: “It could be the best thing for publishing since the invention of the Guttenberg Press.”

Much of the online chatter, if you care to believe the hype, includes the following features for such an “iPad” device from Apple:

• It will run a modified version of the Mac OS X

• A “virtual” keyboard – a.k.a. a “soft” or “onscreen” keyboard – not unlike the iPhone and iPod touch

• The tablet will be a gateway to iTunes for downloadable applications, including a new electronic book (e-book) channel for best-sellers, classics, textbooks, newspapers and magazines

• Integrated Wi-Fi (or perhaps 3G connectivity) for online access, checking email, surfing the web, social networking, and so on

• A webcam that would allow for facial recognition (for added security), video chats and augmented reality applications (hold up the tablet to, say, a structure like Toronto’s CN Tower and you’ll see onscreen factoids related to it)

• A TV subscription service (U.S. only), letting you choose, a la cart, what stations you want to stream to the tablet

• Games from the likes of Electronic Arts, the world’s largest game publisher, rumoured to give a demonstration of some games at the tablet unveiling

• The ability to leave “sticky notes,” such as reminders, for other members of the family

• Tablet connectivity with a television or computer to extend the content to a bigger screen (and with better audio)

• Pricing could be somewhere between US $800 and US $1000 range (yikes) and available as early as March (one report) or as late as June (another report) to work out battery kinks

What are you hoping this tablet will offer? Do you even care? Tell us what you think in the Comments section below.

Filed Under: Breaking News > Featured Posts > Sync > Tech Explained
Tags: Apple, francisco, ipad, islate, iTablet, rumor, rumour, san, tablet