Bites from the Apple: You Say iSlate, I Say iSlab

One of many fanboi mockups of the iSlate/iTablet/iPad (via the iPhone Blog).

The unreleased 1990s MessageSlate prototype (via MacRumors).

Based on rumors and patent filing conjecture, this is what some thought the iPhone would look like back in 2006.

While visions of sugarplums and iMacs danced about in sleepy holiday heads this past week, the gadgetosphere was in rumor churn overdrive with some possible details on the coming tablet computer/device from Apple. Known up to now in the fanboi universe as the iTablet or iPad, MacRumors reported that the device might be called the iSlate based on Apple's acquisition of the islate.com domain name and potentially Apple being behind a dummy corporation called Slate Computing, LLC (with the latter potentially clouding things a bit with that company also trademarking "Magic Slate"). MacRumors also reminds us of an old prototype that Apple worked on in the 1990s called the MessageSlate, a tablet version of the Newton.

Whether or not the iSlate makes it as the final name for this device (certainly not my first choice), it's looking likely that we'll see it debuted to the masses by the end of January. The Financial Times techblog reported on December 23 that Apple would be scheduling an event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco on January 26. Meanwhile, the Boy Genius Report went all in with a source saying there's a 100 percent chance of a 7-inch iSlab (my new favorite choice for nomenclature) getting announced. And today, AppleInsider reports that Apple has place mass orders for 10-inch display panels with a new "unidentified glass strengthening process" that is presumed by various sources to be the reason that the iSlab was delayed from coming out last fall.

Electronista reports that Kevin Rose of Digg.com--who hasn't necessarily been known for his spot-on pre-release proclamations--has proclaimed that the iSlab will make Amazon's Kindle a hit on eBay as owners rush to the new new tech in town. But Harry McCracken at Technologizer reminds us of the speculative prehistory of the iPhone and how wrong so many people were in the run-up to its announcement. We really won't know what the iSlab will look like or what it's primary function (e-books? newspapers and magazines? TV?) will be until late January, but with reports coming out that Steve Jobs is happy with his new product, it could very well be worth the wait.

• Aside from the hardware mysteries of the iSlab, another question to be answered is what form of OS X operating system it will run. TUAW highlights speculation from Apple consultant Michael Kimble wondering whether Apple will formally start to differentiate its various OS X flavors (such as OS X Mobile, OS X Touch, OS X Desktop and OS X Server)

• In other rumors, Wired's Gadget Lab notes a report from the Taiwanese Digitimes news site that Apple has ordered 40 milliion 5-megapixel image sensors, most likely destined for the next version of the iPhone (as well as possibly the iPod touch). And Public Radio International (via Boy Genius Report) reports that Apple is stepping up its efforts to sign up content providers for a subscription-based Apple TV service. And it seems CBS and Disney are interested.

• Macworld gives a positive review to Iomega's StorCenter ix2-200 network-attached storage (NAS) device, which offers 4 TB of storage right out of the box (it also comes in 1 TB and 2 TB flavors), Time Machine backup and iTunes server capabilities for Mac users, and an interesting BitTorrent download manager.

• Considering an Apple hardware purchase in the near future? Gizmodo offers its opinions on whether or not now is the time to buy (based on historic release patterns and such). I always say, if you have the need (i.e., more than just desire), there's no need to wait (unless you're a month away from a guaranteed Apple event).

• If you're a MacBook or Magic Mouse owner and want more control over multitouch gesturing, check out the BetterTouchTool, which lets you add and configure more gestures (via Lifehacker).

• The Apple Blog lists its top 11 iPhone apps for 2009, which sadly leaves off my fave for the year--the FIFA 10 footy (soccer) game.

• And finally... I'm not sure who really needs this Frankenstein of a Mac mod that combines a coffee maker, subwoofer and Mac mini in the body of an original iMac, but it's pretty frakking cool (from Kiwidee via TUAW).

  
  

--Agen G.N. Schmitz

Comments

[dsi r4 on December 30, 2009 at 12:54 AM]

I really liked all these devices. We can say them as "man made disaster" people who practice a radicalized "religion of peace" Islam, Obama and his very inept administration doesn't have the balls to say what the problem really is. .... ISLATE, ITABLET, ISLAB, WHATEVER: Bites From The Apple: A Roundup of News from The Apple Empire.

[silver charms on June 30, 2010 at 06:42 PM]

Every girl will be happy with inspired links of London jewelry which make her look dazzling and outstanding; every girl will be happier to obtain brand jewelry with less money which makes them a sense of achievement. That's why girls all like links jewelry where various links of London jewelries are at most keen prices
More http://www.linksjewelry.co.uk/Charms/

[Microsoft Office 2010 on September 13, 2010 at 07:16 PM]

thanks,so good

[labercrombie online on October 08, 2010 at 06:50 PM]

It’s also a happy day,
isn’t it ?

[Tiffany Bangles on October 11, 2010 at 11:16 PM]

She will have to clear his belongings. When she was looking thru the
drawers, she saw this insurance policy, dated from the day they

[New Gadgets on December 06, 2010 at 09:39 PM]

A 7.1-inch multitouch display with fingerprint-resistant coating, 2.26GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB DDR3 RAM, 120GB hard drive, built-in projector… actually you can check the list yourselves. We cannot be sure if that information is to be trusted, but if we are lucky enough… boy, won’t the iSlate just rock?! To top it off, according to these docs, Apple’s tablet will run on the new Mac OS X 10.7 Clouded Leopard platform that will allow for touchscreen functionality and will bring a new widget-based home-screen.

[R4 on December 21, 2010 at 01:02 AM]

I think this site is the most affordable I've seen of the game card sites
http://www.ndscardsale.com/r4

[france wholesale on January 27, 2011 at 03:26 AM]

Great i don't know earlier that apple had take a long time to select ipad name, it was first islab then islate, a tremendous effort by steve job for "ilovers".

[damiana on February 12, 2011 at 05:02 AM]

You really have a way of words. Great style of delivering the information and I could relate to it. Such a great information for me. Thanks for this.

[Allonline on February 19, 2011 at 07:40 AM]

Now this one is what I've been looking for. Would be giving you credits on the way how you deliver this great insight. Such an interesting story.

[herbal incense on February 24, 2011 at 05:02 PM]

I've been looking for some nice blogs lately and this one just caught my eyes. Have a good day ahead. Such interesting content you have.

[sonic on March 01, 2011 at 08:37 AM]

I've been looking for some nice blogs lately and this one just caught my eyes. Have a good day ahead. Such interesting content you have.

[e107 on March 02, 2011 at 03:16 AM]

Such an interesting story to read and I enjoyed reading it as well. Keep up the good work..

[Christian Louboutin Mary Janes on May 11, 2011 at 02:51 AM]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along.

[searchengineoptimization12 on May 13, 2011 at 09:19 PM]

Wow! what an idea ! What a concept ! Beautiful

http://www.searchengineoptimization.com.sg/seo.html
http://www.searchengineoptimization.com.sg/internet-marketing.html

[live cricket streaming on July 25, 2011 at 08:44 AM]

Way cool, some valid points! I appreciate you making this article available, the rest of the site is also high quality. Have a fun.

[moncler on October 25, 2011 at 12:32 AM]

I think you know the guts how to attract people to your blog.