New take on what the next AppleTV could be, a tablet?

[spacepower7]

I was just reading and watching video about this new Toshiba Tablet that has 7" screen, 1GB flash storage, expandable to by 64GB flash SD card. It has a cradle to charge it and HDMI to connect to a HDTV. It has Wifi and can be used to surf the web one a hdtv when using a wireless keyboard and mouse.
Estimate price 250 Euro coming Q4 2009.
Runs windows mobile 6


This got me thinking about what Apple could or should do.

Apple 7-10" Tablet that doubles as an AppleTV, has full web, email, calendar etc..... iTunes, photo viewing, movie viewing, but can also stream music and video from another Mac/PC with iTunes. Take it around town with you during the day, and hook it up to your hdtv (via charging/video out cradle) at night to use for music, photos, and movies.


Here are some links to the Toshiba

http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/03/toshibas-journe-touch-multimedia-tablet/

http://techvideoblog.com/ifa/toshiba-journe-home-media-tablet-at-ifa-2009/


Any thoughts?

 

[dickovski]

I think the tablet will effectively be the new ATV. Makes sense to me anyway. I'd want it to be like a huge touch screen remote that streams stuff from the internet or your LAN to the telly or you can use the built in screen.

I don't want it integrated into iTunes though but be able to play any file format from any place. I've kicked my ATV into touch in favour of a PS3 but something like this would entice me back!

Be interesting to see how the Toshiba device stacks up when it's released anyway.

 

[Shuttleworth]

The problem with a tablet as an TV could potentially be that if you are out of the house with it, no one else in the family can watch anything. Not all Apple geeks are single

 

[dickovski]

I know what you mean but you don't have to take it with you! I've got my iPhone for that.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

The problem with a tablet as an TV could potentially be that if you are out of the house with it, no one else in the family can watch anything. Not all Apple geeks are single

...and problem #2 is that it is something you hold at the couch, using the touch interface to select your programming choices for example, and wirelessly communicating with a "base" that is connected to the TV for actually executing your touched commands, the tablet would be at great & regular risk of damage (getting knocked to the floor, getting sat on, etc.- think about how many times this happens to existing remotes).

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

I know what you mean but you don't have to take it with you! I've got my iPhone for that.

If you're not using the portability concepts of a tablet- if you're not taking it with you, but instead leaving it at home next to the TV- why pay more for a screen and touch functionality vs. a better hardware incarnation for a box like the the existing TV?

If- as you say- the market has their iphone/ipod touch to take with them, then they could do their programming touch selections on that device, sending their program selections to something much more like the existing TV.

I very much like the idea of a much better, more flexible TV platform. But I don't see a strong connection between a portable touch (tablet) device being a great solution for a next-generation TV, except maybe the single guy/gal who doesn't share a home with anyone else.

 

[JonHimself]

I agree with the posters that have mentioned the portability of a tablet clashing with the not-so-necessary aspect of having a portable device that needs to be hard-wired to a tv to replace the AppleTV. It's probably better suited as a controller for the AppleTV (or whatever replaces it) than an actual AppleTV

 

[dickovski]

OK, I agree. But a nice cheap touch sensitive remote to control a box connected to the TV would be great. I love the way the iPhone works to control the current ATV so something like that would be great as long as it was relatively cheap to replace when the kids eventually drop it! Perhaps make it out of rubber