Mac tablet ahoy! Apple has taken ownership of the TabletMac trademark, originally the property of Mac-modding experts Axiotron. It’s sparked fresh rumours across the web that we’ll see a Mac tablet from Apple, and that the name is finally out in the open. TabletMac it is. Maybe.
Axiotron, previous owners of the TabletMac trademark makes converted tablets from a MacBook base system combined with a Wacom pen-based touchscreen. Axiotron calls its product the Modbook, and you can buy one if you like – they’re only $1,649 or a bargain $699 if you supply your own MacBook.
However, the product hasn’t always been called the Modbook. It was originally marketed as the TabletMac. However, this trademark now lies firmly in the hands of Steve Jobs and Co, suggesting they’re cooking up something of their own to use that name.
It may well be that Apple was simply annoyed that another company had a trademark which implied they were supplying official Apple products, or, more excitingly, we think you’ll agree, it may point towards an official Mac tablet some time soon.
Speculation of what exactly a TabletMac would come packing is varied. The general consensus is that it will consist of a 10.7-inch screen with a resolution of about 720p, letting it display HD content from the iTunes store. It’s unclear though whether the tablet will come running full-blown Mac OS X, or whether it will use a variation of the slimmed-down iPhone OS.
Using the iPhone OS would make sense, letting Apple shoehorn its hugely successful App Store into the tablet, as well as making the most of its touchscreen abilities. Last month we told you how magazine publishers are taking the prospect of a tablet from Apple very seriously – Condé Nast has already developed a concept for bringing its magazines to such a device, just in case Apple unveils it.
What do you think? A MacBook style tablet, or an iPhone style one? We’re leaning towards the “oversized iPhone” option – providing it can multi-task.
TBA | £TBA | Apple (via MacRumours)
What does it have to be either, or?
Why not both, a ModBook style and an iPhone style tablet in one?
>_<
“Why not both, a ModBook style and an iPhone style tablet in one?”
Because the iPhone is a capacitive touch screen and the Modbook resistive? Resistive screens are capable of pressure sensitivity and tend to require a stylus. A drawn line gets wider the harder you press. Multi-touch gestures are difficult to pull off. Capacitive screens work with fingers and work well with gestures. However, there is no pressure variation – all iPhone drawing apps just put down a single width line. The one app that has varying widths does so by guessing the velocity of the drawing and then mimics as best as possible what size line is being drawn.
Do you envision a device with two screens?