As some of the pundits have noted, if it's not a tablet, there will be blood across the internet and Wall St. At least once before Apple has stepped forward to quash a potentially damaging rumour (new iMacs before Christmas 08, if memory serves), and if there's no tablet coming, I think this situation would qualify.
I've been through the mental exercise of 'sorry folks, we're just updating the MacBooks Pro to i5 and there's a new iPhone OS coming that makes the Nexus One look slow and cumbersome. But the invitation's mention of "newest creation" pushed us into new territory, not just mobile-space-updates.
You make an interesting point though, what if the "newest creation" is not a tablet? What if it's something else? Those that fall into the "Who needs a tablet? It's a failed technology." camp would be relieved. And it is a big step from wiggling your finger on the little-phone-in-your pocket sized screen to something more useable. We can forgive a lot for the portability and functionality iPhone affords us that we won't for anything bigger than a pocket. And as I wrote in the piece, this is something for people who don't want a computer and all the associated overhead. By Jobs' own criteria, this has to be better than surfing the web in the bathroom, no matter how satisfying that is.
If 'the tablet' manages to function as a netbook, i.e. more of a computer than iPhone or even just a 'bigger' iPhone, then we're really into new territory - touch computing. The tablet is the starter-drug to get 'the general populous' interested in touch computing.
This could be a new metaphor and user interface, not just the 'stylus required' touch of old. It may even be the end of windows as the main metaphor, being too fiddly for fingers. What we do know is that touch is addictive. The first two weeks after getting an iPhone, you have to train yourself to stop trying to touch every computer screen you use. The urge is strong because the efficiencies of touch are obvious. So I'm hoping the 22" touch iMac later this year is a goer as well.
And despite what all the best pundits think, I believe it will be "Available today". There are no words Mr Jobs likes to say more than "available today" and if he's as 'happy' as the rumours say, it might just be because he can say his two favourite words. It's true that there's been more speculation about a tablet than there was before the phone and Apple probably showed the phone early to quash some of that, as much as the stated reason, public availability of FCC filings. Better to show it in it's glory than a few leaked sketches or specs, but this feels different. Apple doesn't need to jump early on this one, they've been deliberately feeding the rumour mill for months leading up to this week.
I hark back to Mr Jobs closing words at the September keynote "We'll see you soon." I believe Apple, at that time, planned to launch the "
new creation" before Christmas, but there was some hitch, probably hardware.
The Genius of Steve Jobs — blog post by BGrant
Linear Mode
