Apple Tablet, iSlate, iTablet, iPad. Call it what you will: today’s the day Cupertino’s “major new product” is at last lifted from the shelves of Apple’s R&D labs and shown off to a wowed crowd at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco.
Proceedings are due to get under way at 6pm in the UK. But that still leaves us time to bring you the last of the gossip about what Steve Jobs will fondle on stage this evening. Read on, and consider your appetite for rumour well and truly sated.
The iSlate will have solar charging, HDTV, OLED and fingerprint verification
The biggest spec leak yet on the Apple Tablet’s spec sheet came overnight via Twitter, courtesy of Mahalo CEO and tech entrepreneur Jason Calacanis. He claims to have had an iTablet for 10 days as he prepares to do media appearances for Apple after the launch. If what he says is true, this gadget will be stunning.
We’re talking about a rich OLED screen, an HDTV tuner and PVR to record TV shows, fingerprint verification for up to five people to share the device, thumb pads on either side for “mouse movements” and even solar charging round the back. Calcanis also says the iSlate will rock front and back cameras for augmented reality video conferencing, letting us see not only who we’re speaking too, but what they can see too.
Calacanis even states you’ll be able to use the iTablet as a proper computer, using wireless keyboard and monitor connectivity. If he’s on the money, this could be the a true gamechanger.
EP rating: 7/10
The iTablet will be up for grabs today
Tipsters at two UK retailers have told us that they’re expecting the Apple Tablet to be good to go right away. One says it has three different listings for an “iTablet” on its stockroom listings. The other says it’s expecting a delivery of the fabled iSlate tonight. It seems pretty unlikely, especially if it has 3G on board. Apple will need the proper authorities to give it the once over before it hits the shelves.
EP rating: 5/10
It’ll run on the iPhone OS
That the iTablet will run on the iPhone OS is starting to look pretty much nailed on after CEO of publishers McGraw-Hill, Terry McGraw, told US news network CNBC last night that it would. The suit offered up this juicy morsel at the end of an interview, saying you’d also be able to transfer eBooks directly onto it too. McGraw-Hill has been working with Apple for “quite a while” now, he blabbed. We’re not sure they will be for much longer.
EP rating: 8/10
The Apple Tablet will come on contract
An injudicious Tweet by German retailer Media Markt, which was quickly yanked from the social network, claimed an “Apple iPad” would be landing on 1 March, with prices kicking off at €499 with a T-Mobile contract and €899 without. The price seems pretty much spot on, and if it does have 3G inside, then you can expect mobile deals too. The 1 March shipping date would also give Apple time to build the hype anew, not to mention seek that all-important regulatory approval.
EP rating: 8/10
10 lessons the Apple Tablet can learn from the iPhone
Conde Nast is priming iSlate apps
The posh publisher has already shown off copies of Wired working as a digital tablet edition, but has said it’s, “…developing more content for the iPhone and the anticipated tablet from Apple.” Magazines will be crucial to the iTablet’s success if it really wants to suck in casual readers, bringing Apple and publishers stacks of cash as advertisers pile in to grab the attention of punters who’ve laid out on Cupertino’s latest and greatest. If you ask us, it’s a cert that Conde Nast will be involved from the get go.
EP rating: 8/10
The new iPhone OS will launch today too
This one’s as concrete as it gets. The iPhone developer programme’s site has had a tickle, with a placeholder stating, “Need to update this for 27th launch.” Seems someone at Apple forgot to remove it.
However, it tells us there is indeed an iPhone update coming today, and iPhone developers will likely get a first play with the new software that’s set to find its way onto the Apple Tablet and the new look iPhone, due over the summer.
EP rating: 9/10
It’s already been online in Cupertino
Mobile analytics firm Flurry reckons it’s detected 50 or more devices running iPhone 3.2 software around Apple’s HQ in Cupertino. Obviously iPhone 3.2 isn’t out in the wild yet, but if this was really the Apple Tablet, would it only be running a tweaked version of iPhone 3.0? It seems highly unlikely. If anything, it’s a new iPhone out for a dress rehearsal ahead of its summer debut.
EP rating: 3/10
Tablet Heritage: The history of Apple’s fabled iSlate
It’ll be called the iSlate…or iPad
Apple has applied for trademarks on both iSlate and iPad. It’s even gone as far as buying the URL for the former. However, there’s been a surge of rumours suggesting iPad is on the money, with Lenovo and Apple ironing out details of whether Jobs and co can use the term. It would also fit nicely alongside the iPod name. Our money? iPad edges it… or maybe iTablet. OK, we’re not sure. What’s your best guess?
EP rating: 7/10
The iPad will help slash iTunes prices
Word is Apple has been locked in heated discussions with the major US studios about slashing the price of single TV episodes on iTunes, in order to make the iTablet as attractive as possible. That seems more likely than mooted plans to unleash a $30 a month TV subscription service in the US. Cheaper shows, with easy 3G downloading, would be an instant winner for the Apple Tablet.
EP rating: 6/10
Apple’s setting the price of eBooks for iTunes already
The Wall Street Journal is usually spot on with Apple gossip and today it’s reporting that Cupertino has asked publishers to set the price of their latest hardback books at $12.99 or $14.99. That’s higher than other digital books, with Apple said to be taking a 33% cut of proceedings. It seems books on iTunes will be sold for top dollar, just like music and movies.
EP rating: 8/10
Jack Bauer will rock the iTablet in 24
Until now, the best Apple product placement has always been Seagal’s fax-friendly fun with the Newton in Under Siege 2. But 24 director Rodney Chambers has said Jack Bauer will get down with an Apple Tablet in the current season of the ageing megashow. Tweeting last night, Chambers said Kiefer Sutherland would rock one in episode 20 of series 8, but later said, “Got a bit too excited probably more likely Episode 22 but Apple provided fingers crossed.”
EP rating: 7/10
Stay tuned for all the news from Apple’s keynote, due to kick off at 6pm UK time.
