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Or iTablet or whatever it is going to be called. I'm pretty curious as to what it brings to the table. From where I live, the announcement is 9 hours away. Here's hoping to a semi competitive device at less than $800.

Edit: Here is Engadget's live feed for when the conference goes live.

From where I live, the announcement is 9 hours away

I dont think it matters where you live in this case...

I don't like Apple, but I still have an iphone since it's just too awesome. I'm afraid i'll have to buy this tablet thingy as well, so i'm actually hoping it will be crap

ztrand wrote:

I don't like Apple, but I still have an iphone since it's just too awesome. I'm afraid i'll have to buy this tablet thingy as well, so i'm actually hoping it will be crap

"don't like Apple" but still have an iPhone.....hmph. As for it being crap, well if they just build upon the great tech they have in the iPhone it wont be crap.

"don't like Apple" but still have an iPhone.....hmph

Exactly. I dont like them. I dont like the fact that they keep locks on their products, I dont like their sniveling fanboy toadies, I dont like that I have to use itunes for my phone, etc etc. However I can not deny that the iphone destroys all competition. I really want to buy an Android but they're just not good enough yet.

WTF! Could they not have called something else.......gawd.....the jokes will be endless. /sigh

It's a big iPod Touch. It's exactly what I hoped it was. But now I'm suddenly not interested.

Yeah. Name is so-so. Jury is still out on whether I have to buy it or not (Bezel is too thick imo). Interface looks pretty slick. I want specs!

I am pretty indifferent so far. I'd rather have a proper netbook than this. My HP Mini > this.

Hopefully they'll move to sync over wifi with this thing.

With a couple of iPod apps (like the Dropbox app + one of the office suites) this could be a really awesome way to do a little lite editing on the road without lugging your desktop or getting a laptop.

Of course that's sorta-kinda true right now.

axeman, the iPhone isn't bigger than the Nexus One or Palm Pre, at least according to some of the "how does the Nexus One compare to the iPhone, Blackberry, and Palm Pre" articles around the web. You're right, though, that aesthetically this thing sucks. The bezel is way too big.

by bezel I guess you mean the deadspace from screen to edge of gadget??? If that is it yeah it is too big at least on the slides I have seen. I am pretty disappointed with the movies in Widescreen too.

But for compactness I think its great. I always wished for a bigger iPhone w/o the phone.

Ok so hardware-wise it's pretty much what was excpected. Interesting but not revolutionary. It can still be awesome if they have integrated more stuff into itunes (or some other way). Movies, tv-shows, books, etc... would be quite convenient to have that as easily accessible as the AppStore is on iphone.

Yeah, that's what i mean. THe screen border on teh sides is way too wide.

The specs are at least kinda interesting. From Macrumors twitter:

Powered by custom Apple chip called A4. 1GHz, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB storage. 802.11n, WiFi, Bluetooth. 10 hours of battery life.

Since it can run unmodified apps from the iTunes store, my guess is the A4 is an ARM derivative of some sort, but considerably faster than any existing iPod. From what I've read, best guesses have put the iPhone 3Gs at around 600MHz and similar for the 3rd gen iTouch.

Since they also mention a pixel-doubled full screen for existing apps, I'm guessing the full resolution is 960x640. They'd have to scale your typical 1024-pixel-wide webpage by a little bit, around 6%.

The thing is if I were to be carry a device this size, there are 2 things I want. The ability to multitask and to install whatever the hell I want. I was really, really hoping for a proper version of OS X than the iPhone OS.

Engadget live blog is very good. The standby time was very impressive (1 month!)... but then again, if theres no phone function it's not as hard to achieve

Steve Jobs: "You can browse the web with it. It's the best web experience you've ever had."
It doesn't even have Flash, and Mr. Jobs loaded up a website with flash content on it only to see the missing plugin content icon pop up. /Facepalm

Jive wrote:

Steve Jobs: "You can browse the web with it. It's the best web experience you've ever had."
It doesn't even have Flash, and Mr. Jobs loaded up a website with flash content on it only to see the missing plugin content icon pop up. /Facepalm

No flash sounds like the best web experience to me.

The only Flash you'd be missing is banner ads... so I guess that's not that much of a loss.

Starts at $500 for the 16GB model. Wonder if that sucks the wind out of the Netbook market? At least the higher end ones.

$500 for the 16GB version isn't bad. That's the same price as a decent netbook, and a netbook is still larger and generally stuck with a desktop OS. I'd say the touch interface and smaller size are worth the price premium.

edit: curse you Thresher!

Starting at $500. Wow! No mention of multitasking so far though.

Edit: Damn!

Add 130 bucks to each model to add in 3G capabilities.

29.99 unlimited data access through 3g and no contract.

Ability to transfer existing purchased iPhone / iTouch apps to iPad.

So this is basically a big iPhone?

Not really, because it doesnt' do phone things. It's more a big iPod touch with optional 3G internet.

derFunkenstein wrote:

Powered by custom Apple chip called A4. 1GHz, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB storage. 802.11n, WiFi, Bluetooth. 10 hours of battery life.

Since it can run unmodified apps from the iTunes store, my guess is the A4 is an ARM derivative of some sort, but considerably faster than any existing iPod. From what I've read, best guesses have put the iPhone 3Gs at around 600MHz and similar for the 3rd gen iTouch.

Since they also mention a pixel-doubled full screen for existing apps, I'm guessing the full resolution is 960x640. They'd have to scale your typical 1024-pixel-wide webpage by a little bit, around 6%.

I'm thinking it's Power architecture, since Apple bought PA Semi 9 months or so ago.

derFunkenstein wrote:

$500 for the 16GB version isn't bad. That's the same price as a decent netbook, and a netbook is still larger and generally stuck with a desktop OS. I'd say the touch interface and smaller size are worth the price premium.

edit: curse you Thresher!

I think it depends on what your using it for, if it's media consumption, then this would probably win out (except 16 gigs isn't a whole lot when you think that the resolution data need is probably 4x as much). If it's productivity, I'd go with a netbook. At 500 though it's skirting the lower end laptop range.

I think they priced it in a good range, I'm not going to buy one, but I still think they priced it in the right range. I also didn't realize how expensive the kindle was.

I wondering what sort of moans and groans went on during the announcement when they said it will be on ATT's 3G network? As if the network wasn't bogged down enough.

thecoldanddarkone wrote:

I think it depends on what your using it for, if it's media consumption, then this would probably win out (except 16 gigs isn't a whole lot when you think that the resolution data need is probably 4x as much). If it's productivity, I'd go with a netbook. At 500 though it's skirting the lower end laptop range.

I think they priced it in a good range, I'm not going to buy one, but I still think they priced it in the right range. I also didn't realize how expensive the kindle was.

If you can stream from iTunes on your PC, then the capacity becomes a moot issue. To me, this would be awesome.

Bit disappointed. Basically a massive iPod Touch. I like that they'll support a keyboard dock. I like the price (even the 64GB is lower than I expected for the base model). LOVE that they're doing a no contract data plan via AT&T (well, not really the AT&T part). iWork could be an awesome application depending on how far a redesign went, coupled with the keyboard dock could be impressive. Think the hardware could be limiting. I really don't like the massive bezel. No need to make an already massive device even bigger with a black bezel.

Overall... I think it will do ok. Won't revolutionize any markets like the iPod Touch and iPhone did though. I don't expect to see every person owning one like they do a iPod Touch or iPhone.

Will say... much rather have one of these than that awesomely boring HP slate. But that's not saying much as far as my desire.

Thresher wrote:

thecoldanddarkone wrote:

I think it depends on what your using it for, if it's media consumption, then this would probably win out (except 16 gigs isn't a whole lot when you think that the resolution data need is probably 4x as much). If it's productivity, I'd go with a netbook. At 500 though it's skirting the lower end laptop range.

I think they priced it in a good range, I'm not going to buy one, but I still think they priced it in the right range. I also didn't realize how expensive the kindle was.

If you can stream from iTunes on your PC, then the capacity becomes a moot issue. To me, this would be awesome.

I don't think it becomes moot. It's a multimedia device, when I'm at home I'm in front of my tv or desktop. If I'm out and about then the size of the drive is important because ATT only provides EDGE in my area (it's the same cost as tethering off my smartphone, which is more flexible, but less ideal).

I know I am in the minority when I say I have no problems with AT&T, But I also do live in AT&T's epicenter. I also know that AT&T is throwing money at increasing their footprint especially in data heavy areas (this coming from friends that work at AT&T as engineers). So I am indifferent. I do know that it has been getting better, I remember way back when it was Bellsouth Mobile then Cingular now AT&T. If you had asked me back then if I would change I probably would have said yes, But now that I am such a long standing customer its hard for me to just leave.

Everytime I call for help for whatever reason (DSL or Cell phones) I always get a comment from the other person that they are surprised I have been with them since 1996.

The price range for the non 3G is perfect considering the prices of a KIndle. Now if they can offer subscription to magazines through their iBook center that would be great. There are two I still get, Wired and National Geographic. (I dont know why really but I still read them even though they are online)

I do hate lugging my 17" macbook pro around just to do entertainment type things.