Despite the worldwide economic meltdown, both rumors and facts are now emerging that suggests that not only is Apple planning to introduce some kind of new computing device, be it a netbook, tablet, or something entirely different, it is now possible that they may actually also include OLED screens.
After numerous reports yesterday that Apple was in deep talks to produce a version of the iPhone for Verizon, rumors have been flying fast and thick that something is in the air. Now, according to the Washington Times these plans may not necessarily be for an iPhone, or even an iPhone Lite, but rather for something different - a "media pad", an enlarged iPod Touch like device that would be perfect for viewing movies, photos, surfing the net and listening to music.
Of course, and this is just pure speculation on my part, but I believe that such a media device would also be built around the vast and growing software library of apps offered through Apple's highly praised AppStore! Wow, talk about a new device getting a running head start, the AppStore could provide it in spades and help make such a new device an overnight success!
Combined with both iPhone calling features (via WiFi) and offering features found on iPod's, netbook's, and regular laptops, such a new media device would combined all of their best features, as well as newer ones of it's own! This could possibly make such a new Apple device potentially a very real netbook killer in it's own right! In fact, according to a report in Fortune, at least according to another report in BusinessWeek, someone who has actually seen the device, which apparently Apple's been working on for the past 18 months, says this about the device:
“We are talking about a device where people will say, ‘Damn, why didn’t we do this?’ Apple is probably going to define the damn category.”
What ever it is that Apple is planning, what has really peaked my interest is the possibility of Apple using OLED's. This makes sense when you consider that sometime ago Apple signed a massive contract with LG that would provide Apple with an endless supply of high quality 9 and 10 inch touch screens. Hopefully, if they can get the cost down, OLED touch monitors could emerge as one of it's best and most compelling features. After all, Apple has already paid LG one-half billion dollars upfront, so for that kind of money anything is possible.
OLED is a technology that puts LCD's and Plasma displays to shame. Unfortunately, OLED as great as it is, is also very expensive to produce and is why it's use has been so limited to date. They have been used in smaller displays such as in stereos and what have you, but producing larger OLED panels have thus far been problematic and very expensive. Sony has an 11 inch OLED tv on the market that sells for as much as many large screen LCD's, so imagine what larger OLED panels would go for?
Hopefully, however, newer production techniques will give way to cheaper and larger OLED panels and if Apple can get such larger OLED devices to market first, it could help give it a leg up, as they say, against it's competitor's.
All I know is that Apple is up to something - something different and something big! Big as in being a game changer. Apple has made it's point many times that it wasn't interested in producing cheap netbooks, or for that matter tablets. However, both the iPhone and the iPod Touch are devices that in many ways are like netbooks and tablets, but only smaller versions that fit in your pocket, so it makes perfect sense for Apple to build on those advantages.
As great as they are, those small built-in screens have their limits. They are great for phone calls, but when gaming and surfing the net, well, a fellow or a gal could always use a little more screen real-estate.
Is Apple about to give us that real-estate? Is Apple about to unleash a tablet or a netbook? Or is Apple getting ready to release something really different - a super iPod Touch media player with OLED screens?
I don't know the answer to that. I just know that they are up to something, and as I said, something big and something really different. It could be a really different type of netbook or tablet of course, but I don't think so. Something tells me it's going to be along the lines of a super-duper iPod Touch. An iPod Touch Media Player on steroids!
If it's true, then, as speculated, Apple could unveil such a device as early as next month during it's annual WWDC (worldwide developer conference). If so, well, that would be bloody-dang fantastic! We all know that Snow Leopard and new iPhone's are coming and should rev up a lot of excitement, but imagine just how much more excitement such a new and different super-duper iPod Touch like media player would bring to bear?
And that's my 2 cents 4 this Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Mockup via: Engadget
What ever it is that Apple is planning, what has really peaked my interest is the possibility of Apple using OLED's. This makes sense when you consider that sometime ago Apple signed a massive contract with LG that would provide Apple with an endless supply of high quality 9 and 10 inch touch screens. Hopefully, if they can get the cost down, OLED touch monitors could emerge as one of it's best and most compelling features. After all, Apple has already paid LG one-half billion dollars upfront, so for that kind of money anything is possible.
OLED is a technology that puts LCD's and Plasma displays to shame. Unfortunately, OLED as great as it is, is also very expensive to produce and is why it's use has been so limited to date. They have been used in smaller displays such as in stereos and what have you, but producing larger OLED panels have thus far been problematic and very expensive. Sony has an 11 inch OLED tv on the market that sells for as much as many large screen LCD's, so imagine what larger OLED panels would go for?
Hopefully, however, newer production techniques will give way to cheaper and larger OLED panels and if Apple can get such larger OLED devices to market first, it could help give it a leg up, as they say, against it's competitor's.
All I know is that Apple is up to something - something different and something big! Big as in being a game changer. Apple has made it's point many times that it wasn't interested in producing cheap netbooks, or for that matter tablets. However, both the iPhone and the iPod Touch are devices that in many ways are like netbooks and tablets, but only smaller versions that fit in your pocket, so it makes perfect sense for Apple to build on those advantages.
As great as they are, those small built-in screens have their limits. They are great for phone calls, but when gaming and surfing the net, well, a fellow or a gal could always use a little more screen real-estate.
Is Apple about to give us that real-estate? Is Apple about to unleash a tablet or a netbook? Or is Apple getting ready to release something really different - a super iPod Touch media player with OLED screens?
I don't know the answer to that. I just know that they are up to something, and as I said, something big and something really different. It could be a really different type of netbook or tablet of course, but I don't think so. Something tells me it's going to be along the lines of a super-duper iPod Touch. An iPod Touch Media Player on steroids!
If it's true, then, as speculated, Apple could unveil such a device as early as next month during it's annual WWDC (worldwide developer conference). If so, well, that would be bloody-dang fantastic! We all know that Snow Leopard and new iPhone's are coming and should rev up a lot of excitement, but imagine just how much more excitement such a new and different super-duper iPod Touch like media player would bring to bear?
And that's my 2 cents 4 this Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Mockup via: Engadget
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