[Update after the release]
Welcome iPad!. For now it sounds strange and not as good as iSlate or even iTablet. But that is what it is. So let us see how did I fare on my predictions! :-
1) I got it right. Apple calls themselves a ‘mobile company’ and iPad is a device between the iPhone and MacBook officially. +1
2) Obviously correct. +1
3) Correct. +1
4) eBooks and Magazine are both in! – 0
5) Keyboard is not 3D. and the Interface is same as iPhone too. – 0
6) Got it right. +1
7) MobileMe Cloud sync is not happening yet. -1
8) iPhone app compatibility is assured. +1
9) Still have to sync using USB :( -1
10) HTML5 widgets are supported over Safari and homescreen shortcuts.+1
11) All the games I saw during the event looks promising. We have to see the future success of it. – 0
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Ok. Here are my ‘obligatory’ Apple Tablet / iSlate predictions :-
- iSlate would be a companion device to MacBook/iMac. Kind of a second screen – which is more mobile.
- Users stream Music, Video, Photos, PodCasts, Magazines from iTunes to iSlate
- Users carry iSlate around the home as a portable media player and use it as a photo frame
- Steve Jobs will teach us a lesson or two on ‘Candela’ and make us believe that an LED backlit glossy iSlate is better for reading than e-Ink – before announcing NYT & WSJ partnership on e-newspaper delivery ;). Books will have to wait.
- iSlate will sport a 3D Soft keyboard/hand writing input method. I dont think Apple will make a ‘game-ish’ 3D home screen with interactive objects.
- The device would come with and without support for a 3G modem and priced/subsidized accordingly
- iSlate 3G will have support for multi-party iChat video conferencing
- The iSlate will seamlessly sync all of your iPhone applications and their respective data over the air through MobileMe.
- iSlate will introduce wireless syncing with the iTunes for the first time.
- Developer support will include native HTML5 widgets apps to begin with.
- iSlate will be the perfect portable gaming device ever created.
I will definitely revisit this list after the announcement on January 27th, 2010. :)