Reply to comment

CC: Flickr/nDevilTV

After discovering the iSlate trademark (which is the leading contender for the name of the Apple Tablet), MacRumors did a bit more research and discovered similar fillings for an iGuide trademark. It looks like the fabled Apple Tablet is about to become a reality.

iSlate

Now, when I first heard the name of 'iSlate' I was skeptical. It says nothing about a tablet form factor, nor the function of the device (be it audio or video media, internet browsing, e-books, etc.). But then I started thinking about it, and remembered that the name 'iPod' also has nothing to do with the form factor or function. In fact, it was suggested by one of the copywriters called by Apple after a phrase from the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey (Wikipedia).

In addition, Apple does not want their tablet to be considered a netbook, thus removing the possibility of any name such as 'MacBook Touch', or 'iTouch'; Nor do they want to confuse the (stupid) people who already call iPod touch, the 'iTouch'). With the current evidence just regarding the trademark (including the 'Magic Slate', which I'll touch on later) it seems fairly obvious that iSlate is at least on the table as a leading choice for the Apple Tablet.

Magic Slate

The accompanying trademark of 'Magic Slate' lends some credence to the name 'iSlate', primarily because of the new Magic Mouse. I've long said that Apple needs to release a separate multi-touch trackpad similar to those in the MacBook and MacBook Pro lines, along with their keyboard. My reasoning for this is once I became familiar with the trackpad, I have more or less stopped using my mouse, except for when working in applications such as Photoshop and Cinema 4D. An accompanying product like this called 'Magic Slate' sounds perfectly reasonable, both because of the Magic Mouse, and because it would help bring multi-touch seen in iPhone, Magic Mouse, the MacBook trackpads, and the future tablet to Apple's desktop machines, Mac Mini, iMac, and Mac Pro. Apple is pushing for multi-touch to be the next big change in computer interaction, starting with iPhone, and most recently putting it into their trackpads and mouse.

iGuide

Now, the trademark 'iGuide' came up a few days after 'iSlate' did, and some thought it could be another name Apple has considered for the tablet. However, I believe that the name 'iGuide' refers to an application or service, rather than a physical product. Why? Well, in July Apple acquired PlaceBase, and it has since been revealed that Apple has a new 'Geo Team'. And we all know that Apple and Google have had some problems with each other recently, yet the maps application on iPhone OS is still using Google's map data.

With their acquisition of PlaceBase, Apple may have been looking to get some talent in the geolocation world, realizing how important it is becoming in the mobile space, or they may have also been looking for a way to maintain their own mapping data, to replace Google's in iPhone OS 4.0. Of the two, the second choice makes more sense, with the name iGuide.

But, why the name iGuide? Maps are more reference than a guide, right? Well, what if iGuide is the replacement to the current maps.app, complete with turn-by-turn directions (to compete with Google's free offering on Android), and layers of customization (which PlaceBase was centered around)? Certainly sounds plausible to me.

Final Thoughts

Now, what I'm fairly certain of (based upon what I've read, and heard) is an event on January 26th (just after CES news dies down, but before MacWorld), where the tablet will be announced, but not released, with a launch date in May. 3G is iffy, however, if there's any 3G at all it will be on Verizon. iPhone OS based; Apple wants control over this just like they have over iPhone. Pricing between $600 and $900.

Now, nothing in this post may end up true, I'm basing it on the evidence at hand (namely trademarks), speculation, with a dash of hints from someone who may or may not be an employee of Apple. Think I'm right on anything? Really damn wrong? Let's talk, leave a comment.