The Archos A5S and A5H revealed in the FCC documents look very similar to last year’s Archos 5 Internet media tablet, although the photos show a new white color for the A5S (shown above), and close-up shots of the A5H reveal what looks like a microSD slot and microUSB port. There’s no mistaking the Archos 5’s same gorgeous, 4.8-inch TFT display, though, which still gives us shivers (in a good way).
The FCC’s testing report shows both models sporting 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, and an FM transmitter and receiver. What’s unclear is whether or not one of these models will support 3G mobile network connectivity, just like last year’s SIM-compatible Archos 5G. I wouldn’t bet against it, especially since all signs point to a September 15 Archos announcement for new devices running Google’s Android OS.
There is no Apple tablet it’s just a red herring. Everyone is trying to outdo Apples tablet meanwhile Apple is about to invent or steal another market.
“But who among you would buy a tablet computer, irrespective of who made it running what OS?” //// Nobody does that, not “really.” Maybe a “first wave” of fanboi’s will do so but not the “real market.”
Real market buys on perceived cost/value considerations. Performance reviews from trust sites like DU. Surely a bad review from DU would sink any new product introduction irrespective of the OEM and OS? And vice versa I suppose.
Do you really mean “irrespective?”
Who needs Internet tablets? It’s so hard to find a decent Wifi connection outside of the home. I don’t see that situation improving. Starbucks and Barnes and Noble continue to charge for Wifi, and it’s not like public Wifi is safe. Far from it. Hardware manufacturers want to put the cart before the horse. What is needed first is for cell phone carriers to provide encrypted Internet access to GSM subscribers at a reasonable price. If they can do that for prepaid customers and make it affordable e.g. 100kB per 10 cents, they will have a winner.
#1 Mr. Jobs:
While you may indeed be right, I really don’t think so. Apple has for years denied having the iPhone in the works. And every pundit (JCD included) said Apple was in for a beating, that it could never compete in the mobile segment, yadda yadda yadda. Fact is, the iPhone is here, and although it’s a phone, it really is something else on it’s own. It even might not be Apple’s credit to success, since it was reluctant to make it a platform in the beginning (no apps, no copy paste). Jobs has this dual mode in it’s head: make something revolutionary, but make it completely closed (remember he didn’t want expansion nor floppies in the original Macintosh.).
My view on this is:
The tablet will be here. It will be Apple’s entry into the netbook space. But it will be no more than an iPhone on steroids. It will not have any I/O a regular netbook has, no usb, no external video, no card reader. things will comunicate by wi-fi, bluetooth, 3g (maybe 3.5g) and the iPhone/ipod connector. It will appear on the 599 to 699 price point, but on two years will sel for 399. It will have telephony, and will be sold with a designer bluetooth headset, doubling as ipod stereo headphones. Although it will be media oriented, it will have strong enterprise tools, maybe an entire “office” suite made by Apple and better than MS office, tottally devoted to mobility (the road warrior survival kit).
That’s it. Mark this post for future reference.
I think the overriding question here is exactly how many different names can you call a tiny little computer for marketing purposes before people catch on that all of them are just tiny little computers?
If a tablet could accurately decipher handwriting and convert it into a typed document then anyone who writes quicker than they type would want one.
People who feel computer must have a keyboard for input tend to be able to type pretty well, so obviously they think keyboards are a must.
Apple will want in on the digital books market, so a tablet device make sense in that context.
So basically theyre just taking an existing product, touchscreen laptop, removing the keyboard and sticking an apple logo on it?
bobbo,
“Do you really mean “irrespective?”’
Yes. Or put another way, would you use or have a use for a tablet computer — the form factor — without regard to what OS was on it or who made it?
Haven’t tablet PCs been around for years? There have been many “convertible” laptops – with touch-screens that twist all the way around and lay flat. No one buys them because they’re crap.
People (like me) bought netbooks because I don’t want to lug a laptop everywhere and my fingers are too big for an IPHONE or Blackberry.
So a “tablet” netbook is intriguing, but if it’s “Apple-priced” above $499 I won’t be buying it.
#10 Pedro
You know me… I’m no Fanboy… it’s just my view on things…at the end of the day I would take the plain vanilla netbook…
I would think it’s a great alternative to the “netbook” craze . I would say that you have to find that balance for size and portability. I actually don’t want to see this tied to a cell provider. The fact that it runs andriod is great. Once we see the plethora of apps that we see on desktop and laptop computers it’s going to be a contender.
P.S. if Apple is going to do one then fine. Do it. I look at all rumors with a salt lick ( much bigger than a grain of salt ) Only when I see a product do I start to get interested.
If the tablet was also a graphic tablet with various pens, then yes, I most certainly would buy one.
Just to have the fine-control for scribbling notes and doing programming ala Visual BASIC? No, that would be a drain on my bank account.
A 15 inch screen is too big & a 13 incher is too small. 14 inches is just right. A miniature laptop—do not want.
Do not want a touchscreen. Do not want to touch a screen to accomplish anything. Besides, fingertips have organic scuz on ’em that just leaves a smear.
I could had sworn that years ago there’s a 3rd party company out there that will modify existing mac book pro’s INTO a tablet mac.
You could either buy the ones they had, or send in your macbook to get modified. I’m sure i saw this on a podcast somewhere about a year or so ago.
It seems all the did was take the screen off, add a transparent touch sensitive surface on it, and mount it face up over the keyboard (though im sure they remove the kb and touchpad all together). As well as modify the OS and add some apps to make it all work.
Whatever they release, you can bet it will tie in with the iTunes Store.
My bet: a device that ties in with ebooks for sale at the iTunes store. Unlike the Kindle, Apple’s will be able to display books in color which is a big advantage to their new partners: the big publishers of textbooks. Students will be able to rent by the year a copy of their textbook. The device will be about the same size as the Kindle and be able to handle all of a students textbooks – a big backsaver to students.
While Kindle touts long battery life, most people do not read a book for more than 5 hours at a time, which is what this device will have when just reading a book.
Steve will explain how items like the Kindle have failed due to poor interface (ever tried to use a Kindle?) and lack of color.
This device will be described as a new version of the famous iPod because it can also play videos and music (something else iTunes sells) as well as other things like the apps that the iPod Touch and iPhone handle.
Perhaps I am wrong on this prediction, but I believe that Apple would be smart to do such a thing. What do you think?
Pedro #19, That’s funny because a lot of people call me a PC guy. You assume, I’d buy it. I’m not saying I’d buy it, but college students would get Mommy and Daddy to buy it (especially if textbooks were much cheaper in the digital form instead of print — in case you don’t know used textbooks often cost close to $100 each).
#18
In summary, a touch screen laptop with an apple logo and no keyboard.
I wouldnt think that textbook companies would want to start introducing digital textbooks, as they would be much easier to pirate than analog textbooks
I would buy a tablet PC for delivery of media — news, eBooks, TV, rented video, music, etc.
It has to be cheap, though.
What is the killer ap for tablets? We already have lots of e-book readers, media players, phones, TVs, iPods and other MP3 players, cameras, sound recorders, and laptops and netbooks. I just can’t see any one thing a tablet would do any better than any of these things, with one possible exception: data carrier. It should interface seamlessly with dozens, if not hundreds of other devices, like BlueTooth keyboards & mice, headsets, CD players (for ripping music or reading data). Students could carry all their textbooks on it, but also more than that: their Facebook data, address & phone book, saved email, school system login, wi-fi, medical records, school records — in short, their lives in digital form. There would need to be some _heavy_ security, including a way to lock it so all the info isn’t easily read by anyone else if it gets lost or stolen.
I don’t see anyone out there right now smart and agile enough to come up with a usable one of these.