The School Newspaper of Harriton High School

The Harriton Banner

The School Newspaper of Harriton High School

The Harriton Banner

The School Newspaper of Harriton High School

The Harriton Banner

Apple’s Latest

David Lincoln
David Lincoln

Lexi Harder/Sam Lincoln
Staff Writers

Apple is famous for aesthetically pleasing and user friendly designs when it comes to providing consumers with the latest electronic items.  One’s mind need only turn to the stylish Macbook and colorful, trendy iPod Nano to realize that carrying an Apple product is as much a fashion statement as a sign of being technologically up to date.  So it is no surprise that the next big item to be released by Steve Jobs is the slim and attractive Apple Tablet computer, a device that looks similar to an oversized iPod Touch.  At this point, the release date and final design concept are nothing but rumors, but most sources agree on a few key details.

David Lincoln
David Lincoln

First, what exactly is a tablet computer?  Dictionary.com states that a tablet is a thin, flat leaf or sheet of slate used for writing or marking on, and a computer is an electronic device designed to accept data, perform prescribed mathematical and logical operations at high speed, and display the results of these operations.  However, a tablet computer is much more than a thin, flat electronic device designed to accept data and display it.  This computer would feature a touchscreen and most likely hold a 3G cellular modem, and be more portable than your average Macbook.  Apple says that its goal is to be a netbook (a fancy word for a miniature notebook, or laptop) without being a netbook, and it sounds as if they’re right on track, if only in terms of design.
Since the size of this tablet computer is to be in between that of an iPod Touch and Macbook, it stands to reason that prices will fall somewhere in the middle as well.  With $500 to $700 being the most popular guesses, will the average middle class consumer want to spend so much money on this piece of technology?  People will want to know why they are paying so highly for an item that is merely slightly larger than one of Apple’s former products, and appears to offer no additional benefits.
However, the use of the Tablet is supposed to be far different from an iPod, as its main function has been rumored to be reading, as opposed to listening to music or talking to your friends.  It sounds as though the tablet will be a fancy Kindle, the popular reading device released by Amazon.com.  The tablet may serve as a kind of portable magazine, book, and newspaper device, as well as boasting internet access and possible a phone as well.
No  company creates hype quite the way Apple does when they announce a new product.  Steve Jobs’ tablet computer has not disappointed in this respect.  Since July, Google searches for the words “Apple” and “tablet” have increased fourfold.  But is all this hype really necessary?  In the past, Apple has come out with revolutionizing products like the iPhone and iPod. These products changed the way we listen to music and call our friends.  But there was also a lot of anticipation for the Macbook Air, another Apple product that was short lived.  We will have to wait and see whether or not the tablet computer lives up to its expectations.

Leave a Comment

Comments (0)

All The Harriton Banner Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *