Digital Newsstand: Killer App for the Apple Tablet?

[Paul Daniel Ash]

image via Gizmodo

A story on Gizmodo asserts that Apple has been in touch with publishers about getting newspapers, magazines, and other print media up on iTunes for use with "a new device," presumably the long-rumored Apple tablet. The thinking, supposedly, is that the product will be marketed as a "basic repurposing of the stuff found on dead trees today." If true, this report could represent a key piece of the puzzle surrounding the hypothetical device, namely: what is it good for?

According to the report, representatives of The New York Times Company were allegedly contacted by Apple in June about putting the newspaper up on the iTunes Store. McGraw Hilll and Oberlin Press are alleged to be planning to issue textbooks on the tablet, and magazine publisher are looking to deliver their media in digital format over iTunes.

Currently, tablet computers are mainly used as - essentially - portable data entry stations. Given the existing applications, many have been questioning the potential market exists for Apple's new device. In fact, according to the story, Steve Jobs himself asked this question when he was shown a prototype tablet running Mac OS X some years ago. When no one could adequately explain a practical application for the product, Jobs reportedly shelved the project.

The Gizmodo report presents the current thinking this way:

The eventual goal is to have publishers create hybridized content that draws from audio, video, interactive graphics in books, magazines and newspapers, where paper layouts would be static.

Gizmodo follows the conventional rumor-wisdom in asserting that the tablet will be released in early 2010.

[StealthBravo]

Now this would be awesome

[jorgeduhart]

Canīt wait to have one in my hands

[SirTimothy1]

If there's a purpose, there's a device. Hopefully it will be more than just an animated book/magazine/newspaper, and include OS X.
But reading magazines like Popular Science would be awesome if it had videos and animations further explaining the articles.

[Melech518]

That sounds sick

[gsmumbo]

So would ya'll get it if this concept was true, but it ran the iPhone OS and this was only an app made by Apple?

[cpotoso]

Make it a true OS X computer, not a silly super-itouch and I will buy it (for sure!). I am done playing games of jailbraking with apple, I will not buy any more locked devices from them (or basically anyone else).

[e10100]

I don't know about you but my eyes are on that tablet.

[southfrisco]

Rumors mean nothing, haven't we learned from the past yet?

[NCMacMan]

Tax refund = iTablet

[treble26]

finally something that will save all those trees that are being cut down just to make millions of news papers everyday.

[Gustavo Saliola]

Just makes me think on the bus/train (Dont remember) scene in "Minority Report", where almost everybody's reading the "live animated" newspapers pointing on fugitive Tom Cruise...Welcome future?

[Dipial]

i so have the money for this!

[awesomeSlayer]

I so want one.

[estes123]

ohhhh i want one im so ready !!!!!!!

[tudtran]

That thing look just like an giant Ipod touch.

[keatonec]

I hope this tablet comes out soon. I definatly do not have to money for it, but i will figure out some way to get it. I can't flipping wait!!

[mikerlx]

my hands are sweating as a type looking at that somone please make it there avatar.

[Greenkirby21]

this would make college textbooks a lot easier to carry ^___^

[DayumQuitPlayin]

I hope that it will be a good alternative to Amazon's Kindle. I really wanted to buy one, but if the rumors are true, I'd much rather get an iTablet!