raiderbuck wrote: It looks cool (from the rumor pics), but personally I'd have a hard time justifying purchasing this product.

My first thought would be "great alternative to the Kindle", but that's about it.

Fred Garvin wrote: Does anybody know if there will be a webcast of the event? If so, please post a link. Thanks!

justincredible wrote: I could see a push towards paperless text books which would be nice. I would have loved something like this while I was in school so I wouldn't have to lug around stacks of text books.

With the new tablet device that is debuting next week, Apple Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs is betting he can reshape businesses like textbooks, newspapers and television much the way his iPod revamped the music industry—and expand Apple's influence and revenue as a content middleman.

balk14 wrote: why is this getting so much notoriety as a hard copy paper replacement? hp has had the tablet out for 6 years now and i haven't seen/heard them make a dent in this yet? At my college every incoming student was given the new model HP tablet which you'd think would set up the school perfectly to offer paperless books...

balk14 wrote: why is this getting so much notoriety as a hard copy paper replacement? hp has had the tablet out for 6 years now and i haven't seen/heard them make a dent in this yet? At my college every incoming student was given the new model HP tablet which you'd think would set up the school perfectly to offer paperless books...

mucalum49 wrote:

balk14 wrote: why is this getting so much notoriety as a hard copy paper replacement? hp has had the tablet out for 6 years now and i haven't seen/heard them make a dent in this yet? At my college every incoming student was given the new model HP tablet which you'd think would set up the school perfectly to offer paperless books...

In all honesty I think that the market just wasn't ready for the HP tablet when it came out. You always here that saying "way before its time"; but six years ago could you imagine having cell phones that do the things that the iPhone and Android phones do? I think the popularity of these devices made it possible for the Kindle and other such readers to see that there is a legitimate market out there for such products. Apple is joining in with a product they very possibly could have released earlier but maybe decided to hold back till there was enough perceived demand. Just my $.02...

OneBuckeye wrote: My biggest problem is I don't want to buy a freaking data plan for this thing. Just make it have wifi and use it like an ipod touch. I already pay a cable and phone bill why would I want another bill. I am going to use it like a laptop not a phone. I will have wifi whereever I go or I can plug it into a wall.

In the waning moments before Apple’s highly anticipated tablet event, a few last minute leaks are stirring up the excitement. First, we have some blurry pictures of a tablet device of approximately 9-10 inches in size running a version of the iPhone OS. The device is encased in a plastic housing, bolted down to a table and covered with a black drape. This cloak and dagger treatment is reportedly standard practice for any super secret Apple device so these images may indeed be the Apple tablet. Apple is also reportedly in last minute negotiations with book publishers and television studios to finalize pricing for its rumored tablet device. Apple is rumored to be pushing Hollywood to offer $1 per episode pricing on television shows in iTunes and is offering book publishers a pricing scheme that would set book prices at $12.99 to $14.99 for best sellers with a basement price of $9.99 for less popular books. Apple would reportedly take a 30% cut of all sales, leaving book publishers with a take home price of $10.49 or less. This could place them between a rock and a hard place with Apple offering a potentially larger audience with less revenue per book, or going with Amazon which offers greater revenue per book with its Kindle but may not have the reach and allure of this rumored tablet.