Apple tablet and netbook speculation

The web is awash with rumours and speculation about something Apple may or may not be working on - a netbook/tablet/multimedia gadget. This device is said to have a 10in touch screen, will sync with iTunes, have Wi-Fi and will enable you to play music and movies.

Rumours about what Apple will do next or often completely wrong and it sometimes doesn't launch products that were expected. It certainly hasn't come up with anything radically new for some time and most new products are just enhancements and tweaks of existing ones, like the recent iPhone 3G S.

What should Apple do next? Well, if it was up to me I would produce an iPod Touch with a 10in screen. Just think about it. An iPod Touch/iPhone is actually a powerful computer that has a zillion apps for it, can play music and movies, has Wi-Fi, web browsing, email, and more. A 10in iPod would make a unique and radically different netbook. By using the same OS as the iPod Touch/iPhone, it would be backwardly compatible with all existing apps in the iTunes app store, and the larger screen would enable a new generation of more powerful and feature-rich applications to be created.

An iPod/iPhone turns on instantly, so there's no waiting for your netbook to start its operating system before you can check your emails. It's exactly what netbook owners want. A keyboard isn't necessary because the iPod/iPhone's onscreen keyboard works just fine, and with a 10in screen it'll be even easier to use. You'll be able to view full web pages because a 10in screen will give you at least an 800 x 600 resolution or better. It makes a lot of sense.

Anyone remember the UMPC? The Ultra Mobile PC concept was created by Microsoft (see Origami) and Intel and it fell flat on its face. Hardware manufacturers were unable to come up with a workable design that anyone wanted and Windows was an unsuitable operating system for a small hand-held device. An iPod with a 10in screen is exactly what a UMPC should be - small, portable, internet enabled, touch sensitive screen, able to access your email and the web, play music, movies, games, and run cool apps.

Apple could create a whole new market with the device and there aren't any competitors. After all, no-one wants a UMPC.