eBook’s future isn’t ebooks: the makings of Apple’s tablet
Last weeks interesting launch of Amazon’s Kindle ebook reader dragged ebooks back into consumers minds. The Kindle apparently sold well, as they seem to be sold out at the moment (whether that means improper forecasting or growing demand is debatable) For some reason, it felt like a set up to me.
One one side you have consumers apparently chomping at the bit to get the device and start downloading books. On the other, you have industry analysts saying the Kindle is neat, but not the answer and mostly a ho-hum review. What the analysts point out is the Kindle is ok, but not a market driver.
We know Apple can make a market driver. We know Asus is reportedly making a tablet for Apple. So all that is needed is some blue sky thinking:
What if you created a large screen iPod touch:
- changed iTunes slightly to allow ebooks (new revenue source). iTunes already has college lectures available in sound files and videos of classes.
- threw in some fancy productivity applications
- marketed it to the high school/college/professionals as an awesome all-in-one that can be your iPod, ebook, school books, productivity device all running on a Mac OS. Oh, and fewer books means it really is a green device...take that Greenpeace.
- Is it a stretch that Apple could perform such a feat?
That was the question I posed to our Senior Editor, Doug Berger, who responded:
“Yep, I completely agree with this. I think that they’re likely to introduce a tablet with eBook functionality built it… not an eBook-only device. That’s too narrow for Apple. ”
Doug was joined in his thinking by Appletell’s Michael Mistretta, who reported on a new patent application seemingly destined for a new tablet:
“From a recently filed Apple patent, it looks like Apple is working on it’s second iteration of multi-touch technology, and from what the patent says, it looks sweet. And even better, it looks like Apple is working on integrating multi-touch into not only portable devices like the iPhone and tablets, but also desktop computers.”
So Kindles launch shows us one thing: ebook’s are not going away. Now all that is needed is a device that wows us. Will Apple be the one to do it again? We think so.
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Agreed.
I think the ebook angle solidifies the case for a Mac tablet.
Also, as history will attest, it’s not always those first out of the gate that take the market by storm — just ask Apple about the Newton…
on November 27, 2007 at 12:57 AM - LINKUnless Apple drops the LCD screen for a technology such as eInk, I wouldn’t waste my money on it. You wouldn’t be able to read it in direct sunlight. I read several books a month, and I wouldn’t even consider trying to do this on a LCD screen.
Not that I’m thrilled with the Kindle. It is missing some necessities, such as true pdf support that is essential to my considering it. Also, that they came up with yet another DRM format (AZW) for books doesn’t sit well with me either. This makes buying from other ebook sources almost impossible.
on November 27, 2007 at 05:17 AM - LINKKindle is ugly and primitive! The apple slate will never exist!
on November 27, 2007 at 05:20 AM - LINKWait for the ZuneBook!
http://fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com
Wrong, Wrong, Wrong.
What everyone fails to realize is that ebooks have not caught on because reading on a computer screen, no matter how nice and touchy feely, is hard on the eyes. Light emitting surfaces are not as biometricly comfortable as light reflecting surfaces. Electronic paper is what makes the Kindle and the Sony reader so appealing. When the prices come down perhaps to $150 price range or less or the readers get more functionality then we will see what the market does.
on November 30, 2007 at 09:34 PM - LINKi think the ebook angle solidifies the case for a Mac tablet
on December 2, 2007 at 07:54 PM - LINKAs other comments point out, a LCD screen is not the better technology for reading eBooks. So, Apple has 2 options:
1. creating a new device (iRead or whatever) that would have eInk technology and would allow ebook reading.
2. creating a new multi-purpose device (iTablet or whatever) that would have eInk technology and could be used as iPod, ebook reader, iPhone, etc…
I think they will take the 2nd option…
on January 16, 2008 at 04:14 AM - LINK