The 2010 CES featured a notable proliferation in slate/tablet/oversized handheld devices, with media attention to match. Consumers now await the unveiling of Apple's iThing, now scheduled (in an unfortunate collision with Obama's State of the Union address) for January 27.
With several false starts in the past dozen years, never have expectations for a new category of device risen so high.
Mockup of Apple's rumored device (courtesy of The Guardian)
Whether made by Apple or someone else, tablets are going to happen, and they will be a very big deal. Improved battery life (and/or reduced power consumption), high-resolution touch-sensitive screens, the amazing look and feel of modern manufacturing and the ever-more pervasive reach of broadband will beckon consumers towards a new kind of relationship with their “personal computers” (a term soon to be redefined).
The Meek Shall Inherit
The impact of tablets on content producers will be profound, but perhaps the greatest opportunity is for small publishers.
The tablet offers a fresh lease on life for traditional print-publishing concepts and skills. The coming tablet economy will allow the smallest of content developers to present their material with professional flair.
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