The rumors of an Apple Tablet or a large-sized iPod Touch persist. AppleInsider predicts an early 2010 launch of the device. They also says that Steve Jobs deeply involved with the Apple Tablet project.
The 10-inch, 3G-enabled tablet, akin to a jumbo iPod touch, is the latest brainchild of chief executive Steve Jobs. That distinction, as insiders will tell you, carries its share of baggage. Under the critical eye of Jobs, contours must be precise, each pixel of the interface has to match a particular vision, and there can be no fault -- no matter how slight -- or it's back to the drawing board.
As such, AppleInsider has observed silently as the project was reset at least a half-dozen times over the past 24 months. Each time, development was frozen and key aspects of the device rethought, retooled and repositioned. At times, those close to the Apple co-founder had their doubts that it would ever see the light of day, just like a smaller PDA device he canned a few years after returning to the company.
However, the past six months have reportedly seen the critical pieces fall into place. Jobs, who's been overseeing the project from his home, office and hospital beds, has finally achieved that much-sought aura of satisfaction. He's since cemented the device in the company's 2010 roadmap, where it's being positioned for a first quarter launch, according to people well-respected by AppleInsider for their striking accuracy in Apple's internal affairs.
One reason Apple could be rushing is Plastic Logic's thin reader is also expected to be released in 2010. Barnes and Noble has already announced plans to build a large digital bookstore for the Plastic Logic reader. Apple's Tablet and the Plastic Logic reader will be very different but the idea of providing a flat notebook sized device for reading books and articles and surfing the web is similar.
Photo of possible Apple Tablet design from AppleInsider
