Apple’s tablet computer – the “NetPad”

Most pundits agree that Apple is working on a tablet computer. What will it be like? Putting together all the information I have, none of it being from the inside, here is my latest prediction:

A third-party rendition, similar to what I'm describing

Form Factor

It will not be a “book” but a “pad” like a tablet. It won’t be a scaled down Macintosh, but a scaled up iPod Touch, running the iPhone OS. Like the current devices, it will be all screen with almost no buttons or controls.

The best form factor is 7.75″ by 4.5″ by 0.4″. This is just about the biggest thing you can jam in a pants pocket. It fits well in a suit jacket pocket.

Screen

In a break from the 16:10 ratio Apple usually uses, this will be a 16:9 HD screen, 7.75″ diagonal, 1280 by 720, at a very dense 190 pixels per inch.

The screen will be AMOLED. The OLED screens can reach this density, use less power than an LCD backlit screen, and are thinner, allowing more room in the case for the electronics and battery.

That is a very high density screen. The current iPhone is 160 pixels per inch, 640×320. The higher density 720p HD screen will be beautiful for watching movies, and beautiful as a book reader.

Human Interface

One of the bigger breakthroughs necessary for this kind of device is “Palm Rejection”. On a device as small as an iPhone, you hold it in your hand, fingers curled around it, and none of your fingers touch the screen. But think of how you hold a bigger flat thing like a notebook. You have to put your fingers around the front of it, your thumb or part of your palm against the front side, your fingers around the back. Touch screen software has to detect and reject the part of your hand just holding the screen, while honoring your fingers giving touch commands to the screen.

When you put a pad down on the table and start writing on it with a stylus, the side of your hand will be on the screen and must be rejected, while the stylus input is accepted.

Yes, I believe the NetPad will accept a stylus a well as finger touches. The stylus will allow you to point with great precision, to draw, and to write. I believe Apple’s “Ink” technology from OS X will be added to the system.

I don’t see much more for I/O. A standard iPod connector, audio in and out, volume, power, and a Home button, all on the sides. Perhaps a mini USB connector for standardized charging.

Keyboard

In addition to the on screen keyboard, I believe you will be able to use a Bluetooth keyboard. And a Bluetooth mouse, which will work similar to the stylus.

Though any Bluetooth keyboard should work, I believe Apple may sell a special Bluetooth keyboard that matches the size and style of the NetPad. In fact, it may attach or clip on to the NetPad, face to face, making it easy to carry and protecting both the screen and keyboard keys. Actually, the clips may have some sort of hinge arrangement, making the whole assembly sort of… book-like.

Communication

Wi-Fi “n” will be built in of course. In addition to that, there will be a slot on the side, similar to an Express Card slot. This will accept cards from a number of data carriers like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and so on. These cards will enable data-only connections to the carrier’s 3G or 4G networks. No voice, just data. The cards will fit fully into the NetPad, attaching to internal antennas.

The NetPad can be used without a card, connecting to the world through WiFi. But with a card, you are tethered to a wireless carrier, letting you use the pad anywhere.

Apple will sell the stand alone NetPad without a card. But the device will be available to be sold by any and all wireless carriers, bundled with a card, and a contract for tethered data. Since the connection is data-only and not voice, AT&T keeps its exclusive on Apple iPhones, while other carriers can join in the fun selling data for the NetPad.

The Killer App

Sometimes I ask myself: “Self, WHY would Apple make such a device? What would be the killer app?” The answer is that the killer app will be Apple Remote Desktop. Huh?

Imagine being at home and having a NetPad being a second, totally portable screen for your Mac. Imagine taking it out to the patio and touch-controlling Front Row on it. Keep all your movies on your desktop hard disks, and view them wherever you are.

Or, imagine being at work and having a portable second screen on your office Mac you can take to a meeting, or to lunch. Or maybe you must oversee a lot of servers, or you do support for every computer in the building, and you can quickly connect and share the screen with any other computer.

Having a streamlined screen sharing remote desktop built into this device is killer! Great for work and for play.

That’s not the only great app for the NetPad. It’s going to be a great book reader. Full color and high density makes it perfect for viewing textbooks. And magazines, and newspapers, and just for plain web browsing.

And what a gaming device! The small devices already have great games. They can only be better on bigger screens with more powerful CPU and graphics and better peripherals.