Michael Braun's Blog

This will be the last post about the rumored Apple tablet computer until it actually comes out on or before January 27. (If it doesn’t come out, then I reserve the right to post more about it.) My imagination runs wild with thoughts of a 10″ touchscreen tablet, with forward facing camera and external keyboard hookup. Of course, my excitement hinges largely on the tablet having actual useful functions and on it being at a price I can afford. As a student, I can buy a new MacBook for about $950. If the tablet doesn’t cost significantly less (sub $750), then I’m out. Suffice it to say, prior to the actual announcement, I remain cautiously optimistic.

But not everyone shares that feeling. Many negative reactions seem to treat the tablet as a less functional computer. This means that the device would be unable to replace a laptop, yet would not be portable or useful enough to be convenient. I share these concerns; I don’t want to buy a device that is not powerful or not useful.

The way I picture the device, however, has it solving a lot of problems I have with internet media interactions. In general, I find that browsing the news on websites like the New York Times means I am not reading the news. I scan the headlines and read stories that look interesting. I also have issues with sharing media content. If I want Lauren to see a video on YouTube, I am more likely to send her the link via email, rather than hand her my laptop to look at it for herself. Finally, using websites on my laptop means I either use the website as is, or download and install a piece of software that gives me a different interface for using the same content. Oftentimes, neither of these solutions is ideal.

The tablet can help to solve these problems. Digital content produced by the likes of the New York Times means I can get the feeling of reading a newspaper, with the interactivity of live information. Having a flat and light form means the tablet is ideal for passing around to different people, whereas a laptop is often too heavy. Running applications like the iPhone means I can find different ways to interact with Facebook. It would not replace my laptop, but instead would augment my computing experience. And ideally it would also serve as the kind of interface that would be easy for everyone to use. So handing grandma the tablet on which to look at photos would be as simple as handing her a stack of photos.

Of course, my ideal features may end up being a bit too pedestrian. I’ll buy the tablet with decent functionality and a reasonable price tag. Other people, like Ben Parr at Mashable.com seem to have loftier expectations.

In speculating about the tablet selling at $1000:
Apple isn’t full of idiots, though. They aren’t jumping into the tablet arena without a clear idea of what they hope to accomplish. In my estimation, they’re keeping the tablet’s killer features under lock and key. Maybe it’s a one-of-a-kind interface, a combination of LCD and digital ink, free nationwide Wi-Fi, or something none of us can even imagine yet.

Its those killer features that Apple’s betting the farm on. They are the ones that will make or break the tablet. If they do not impress the pants off of us and redefine our computing experience, the Apple Tablet is sure to fail.

Yes, because if there’s one thing that Apple does, it’s to give us features that no one can imagine. Face it, Parr, and fans and critics alike, Apple doesn’t leap into uncharted waters. We’ve had tablets before, media delivery devices (e.g., Kindle), and portable computing devices. Apple succeeds when they find a way to make the use of the device seamless. If a tablet can find a way to do that, then sign me up as interested, killer feature or not.