True tablet computers remind me of Star Trek and how computing will never be the same

I know it’s rather hokey, but I just can’t help thinking about (later) Star Trek episodes and movies when I look at the concepts of an iSlate /iPad/iTablet. You know, pick up some thin device that can show pretty much anything. Read a little missive from Starfleet Command, calculate how long until the warp core breaches, or how big that temporal anomaly is that has Picard’s shuttle craft in its clutches.

THE APPLE TABLET IS COMING, SO OUR NEWSROOMS MUST BE READY

THE NEW APPLE iTABLET IS ALMOST HERE: THE FIRST DETAILS

Google and HTC Working On a Chrome OS Tablet – Googletablet – Gizmodo

If anyone can pull it off, it’s going to be Apple. Yes, I know tablet computers have been around for a while, but they weren’t really tablet computers. They were computers with a screen you could doodle on, but at its core they were still intended to be laptops. When all else fails, use the keyboard and mouse. I’d venture that when the iPhone was launched it was really a test for “would a touch-centric device catch on”, would people get used to, enjoy, and adapt to a device that was essentially a small Mac without a keyboard. Well we did.

I’d be willing to bet then that once the first gen iPhone was a “knock it out of the park” hit, all work on a tablet kicked into overdrive. Sure as the iPhone and OS X evolved since 2007, I’d bet the tablet did too. I might even surmise that work on a tablet helped development of the iPhone.

Will the computing world be stood on its head in roughly 23 days from now? I’m going with “maybe, edging towards probably”. I think an iTablet will push the eBook market into the stratosphere (YESSSS!!!!!) and make multimedia books even cooler and more available than before (double YEEESSSS!!!!!). Using WordPress as part of the Using… series has screencasts and audio segments for each chapter, imagine as you’re reading how to install WordPress or edit a theme you can watch a screencast of it at the same time. Oh sure you can do that now book in hand and sitting in front of your computer, but can you do that on the bus? I think what tech you will carry for business travel or to meetings might be in for a real change. Imagine being able to carry a thin, light device that you can read a novel or watch a movie on while flying, then use it to send a presentation or copy to flash drive for your meeting.

I see my laptop still being key to my writing and teaching, but I also see carrying around a tablet more than I’d carry my laptop. If I’m just dashing out for errands I’d never pack up my laptop, but I might grab a tablet. Which makes me think murses (man purses) might become a new hip style for 2010.

Am I drunk on Apple fan boy Kool Aid? Not in the least. I’d buy a Chrome OS tablet or even a really great eReader if it was up to snuff. I picked (as in browsed, not bought) a Sony eReader at the mall recently. Yeah I still think they are awesome. They are still on my wish list, but given a choice I’d get a multifunction device over an eReader.

I think that, in itself, is why a great iTablet (or whatever) will change how we’re going use computers and the Net…forever.

And I think that is a rockin good thing.

Oh and do I think netbooks are toast? Oh yeah, big time.

Update: Scoble chimes in on the whole “the world doesn’t need a tablet” debate—Oh, Joe, the world doesn’t need a Tablet? Really?—which as you can gather from my post, I think there is plenty of use and need for a tablet.

Another update: John Battelle thinks we’ll be disappointed with an Apple Tablet:

Apple’s “iTablet” will disappoint. Sorry Apple fanboys, but the use case is missing, even if the thing is gorgeous and kicks ass for so many other reasons. Until the computing UI includes culturally integrated voice recognition and a new approach to browsing (see #4), the “iTablet” is just Newton 2.0. Of course, the Newton was just the iPhone, ten years early and without the phone bit….and the Mac was just Windows, ten years before Windows really took hold, and Next was just ….oh never mind.

[From Predictions 2010 - John Battelle's Searchblog]

Of all of John’s predictions, I hope that one is way off the mark. In some ways, however, he makes a good point. We’re hyping this darn device so much I think we’re bound to be at least somewhat disappointed in it.

Ah well.

Tagged as: Apple Tablet, ebook readers, ebooks, ereaders, iTablet, Tablet computers, Technology