Monthly Archives: December 2009

Apple Hardware, Apple iPad

What Do We Want from an Apple Tablet?

1 Comment

As the temperature cools down, the news around the release of the long-rumored Apple Tablet heats up.

Sites around the internet are buzzing with tidbits of information that can be arranged in a way to predict the impending release (MacRumors & 9to5Mac lead the way), but i am more interested in what the new Tablet will bring to us functionally rather than when it will arrive or what the name will be.

There has been speculation that the Tablet will be an overgrown iPod Touch or will be targeted to the burgeoning eReader market. I hope that the Tablet provides more than these limited areas of function.

Some of the features I look for, in no particular order of precedence, include:

  • Multi-tasking
    Most people need the ability to execute multiple programs. Multi-tasking is a must. Hopefully, multi-tasking support will also appear in a later release of the iPhone software as well.
  • RAM
    Apple needs to push the RAM toward the 1.0 Gigabyte level.
  • Storage
    On board storage needs to be a least 64 GB. Recent enhancements to NAND appears that this should be a lock.
  • Operating System
    A variant of Mac OS X. More capable than the iPhone OS.
  • iPhone App support
    Support for iPhone Apps either natively or via an embedded emulator.
  • Platform Software Freedom
    The ability to install software by means other than being tethered to iTunes. Treat the Tablet as a Mac, not a phone.
  • Multi-touch
    We are now spoiled by the intuitive touch interface provided by the iPhone. This UI is now “required” for the Tablet. We need the “pinch” and “swipe” motions we have become accustomed to.
  • Input/Output
    I need to be able to plug in a USB device and, hopefully, a media card.
  • Wireless Networking
    802.11n Wi-Fi, full Bluetooth support and a wired RF-45 connection. Provide 3G as a option. Not all of us want to pay for an additional Data Plan.
  • eReader
    eReader functionality with support for Text-to-Speech for those of us with low-vision difficulties.
  • Accessibility
    Integration of Mac OS Universal Access capability

These are just a few items. What features would you like to see in the new Apple Tablet?