What Can the Apple Tablet Do For Us?

Disclosure:  I'm an Apple shareholder.  It's from mutual funds and stuff from eons ago.  So, obviously, I'm interested in the financial well-being of my favorite computer company that has over the years provided me with the tools to be productive and mobile.  Powerbooks, Macbook, Mac Mini, iPhones, and iPods.

While I'm happy that an Apple tablet will add $1.2 billion a year to the bottom-line (which means now, doesn' it), I'm first and foremost a mobile warrior just like you.  Busy, moving, and all that jazz.  What I really am interested in is how it'll change the computer and mobile industry.

Just like the iPhone changed mobile computing, I want to know how the tablet will change it even more.  The iPhone is no smartphone.  It's a very mobile computing device.  The iTablet, if you will, will have to take that a step further in the following areas:

• Close the gap between mobile communication.  If Apple negotiate its way into a data with the wireless carriers to include VOIP, it can really turn the industry in its head.  Think of what a Wired writer is doing at the moment.  He's carry around an iPod and a Verizon MiFi 3G modem that doubles as a Wi-Fi access point.  Well, something similar will need to be available for the iTablet.  Perhaps, Apple can even let in Google Voice.
• Information access.  The tablet will have a bigger screen.  Anywhere from 7 to 10 inches.  This will bring us closer to traditional desktop Web surfing, document viewing and editing, and ebook reading.
• Mobile entertainment.  Higher resolution for movies.  HD quality.  Gaming on this will be unmatched.  For the first time, I'll even say that Nintendo and Sony will really see some mobile gaming damage being done by Apple.  Right now, gamers are forced to manipulate games on the smaller 3.5" screens on the iPhone.  The fingers gets in the way.  No longer will this be the case with a bigger screen.  Any screen above 5" will work well.  But from all indications, 7" will be the smallest size screen Apple is willing to entertain.
• Provide new elements to multi-touch and data manipulation.  It's time Apple move beyond pinching.  Microsoft will be bringing similar touch implementations to the Zune and Windows Mobile.  Pre is already do this.  Apple needs to put some distance between its competitors and really show what else it's innovating.  We'll likely see some change with version 2 of the tablet.  That's right.  It's good to know that Apple is thinking that far ahead.

Over at Onxo, I've speculated about two key features that Apple will bring to the iTablet based on its actions in the last couple of weeks.  Google's two app rejections.  Wholesale rejection of ebooks.  Those are just evidence and facts.  Put it all together, we see something cooking over in the tech kitichen at Cupertino.  

And it's the iTablet.  And when it comes out, it'll do a lot of things to change our perception of mobile computing.  It better or else, it'll be the biggest disappointment ever from Apple.  

Mentioned Links:

Onxo - Apple Will Bring VOIP and eReading
Fortune - Apple poised to sell $1.2 billion worth of tablets
Wired - iPod Touch with 3G