Finding a local slice of the Apple Tablet story
By Flickr user nDevilTV
Fresh off Monday’s quarterly report which boasted a $3.38 billion profit on more than $15 billion in sales, Apple Inc. will make news again today, reportedly with the launch of a flat touch-screen tablet that Steve Jobs reportedly has indicated is his most triumphant achievement.
The IT and financial press is abuzz with speculation about the potential of the new producted, estimated to cost somewhere between $600 and $1,000 when it hits the retail market. Some applications being discussed include electronic newspaper delivery and book downloads.
PC World discusses in this article why the expected 10-inch format of the Tablet (and possible inclusion of iPhone 4.0 software) would make it a superior tool for businesses, including small businesses. That might be one angle you could pursue locally – a sort of small-biz wish list regarding tools and applications they’d like to see. You might also talk with IT managers at larger corporations about how the Tablet could replace laptops or other devices, especially for on-the-go professional like sales reps and … reporters.
This Bloomberg piece notes several publishers that reportedly have held talks with Apple about using the Tablet as an e-reader. The Associated Press reported that Barnes & Noble shares jumped Tuesday in anticipation that the bookseller may have some digital-book tie-in to the new reader, which may rival Amazon.com’s Kindle.
And this Fast Company piece even talks about how the Apple Tablet might change the … er … playing field for gamers. That’s another demographic you might seek out for reaction to the announcement.
Some industry watchers are predicting iPhone news – either upgrades, a chance to AT&T’s exclusive service contract, or both – from Apple on Wednesday, too. That could be among the most relevant part of the announcement to your local audience.
It’s unclear whether the announcement will be broadcast live, but you’ll certainly want to keep an eye on CNBC. Huffington Post says here that it will be live-blogging the event – to take place at 10 a.m. PST by some accounts, at at the Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisico – and also offers other resources like a Twitter feed. Of course, PC World also plans to live blog and offer extras; their tips for following the action are in this Geek’s Guide.
Of course you’ll want to line up Apple devotees and fans of digital readers for reaction to the product announcement. You can try hitting bricks and mortar locations for frequent shoppers; here’s a complete list of Apple stores in the United States. But message boards might be a more efficient route; here’s a directory that lets you search for an Apple user groups. Check the forums at sites like PC World, MACWorld and other tech-news sites for a gateway to other consumer voices.
Some pundits have speculated that the anticipated new Tablet won’t really replace existing phones and computing devices – meaning it’s one more gadget for consumers to spend on and to lug around.
If you can’t find another local angle, you might tackle the personal finance/tech-life aspects – how much is all of this new technology over the past decade costing us for hardware, monthly fees, applications, training and repair?
