Wired’s iHype roundup takes a gander at the rumours, wishes, and downright science fictions surrounding unveilings at next week’s Macworld Expo. “Such pre-show hucksterism is uncharacteristic of Apple, which usually neither confirms nor denies the existence of this or that rumored product or innovation.”

Apple devotees LOVE a good fairytale — and here’s mine.

A flat panel, in size somewhere between a Palm and and that of my 12.1″ diagonal iBook display. As for brains, we’re not talking TabletPC here; just enough to power a remote desktop client a la X/VNC/Timbuktu. OS X and something Graffiti-ish. 802.11b wireless networking provides the link between the iPad (yes, I said iPad) and any networked Macintosh — whether a peer-to-peer ad hoc network or Internet away.

“A flat panel, in size somewhere between a Palm and and that of my 12.1″ diagonal iBook display.”

Preemption appears to have been the motivation behind Steve’s keynote move to a Monday first-thing slot. Ostensibly costing not an insignificant amount of disturbance and $$, the mad dash was to beat Bill Gates (Bill’s at CES at 6.30pm) to the punch. This didn’t quite have the feel, mind you, of a simple mindshare grab; Steve and Bill _had_ to be announcing pretty much an identical thingy. So nu, what’s the thingy?

Bill’d certainly be talking TabletPC — that tidbit is hardly prescience.

Rumours-cum-reports that Apple’s placed orders for 15-inch flat-panels galore have been floating about for a couple of weeks now. The majority are placing pretty safe bets on a flat-panel iMac. I wouldn’t be surprised to see such a beastie, but given all the iHype on Apple’s part, that simply can’t be Steve’s traditional “I almost forgot” end-of-keynote unveiling.

Then there were the rumours of something consumer-level, inexpensive even. So that ruled out a Mac ;-) — at least a full-blown one. I stepped back, quite literally, and pondered my iBook. What if I ripped, snapped, or broke off just the display? Just what would I need to bring colour, connectivity, and productivity back to the lifeless black screen in my hands?

“As for brains, we’re not talking TabletPC here. OS X and something Graffiti-ish.”

It’d certainly have to be a lite version of OS X given my experiences with the operating system on my well-power iBook. Or we could pump it up with a G3, but then we run into power, heat, and $$ issues. No, we’re talking about something smarter and more extensible than a PDA. Perfectly functional standalone (a la Palm), yet perfectly amazing in concert (_not_ a la hotsync) with others.

Apple-branded Palms, Apple-owned Palm (+Be), and like thoughts — not to mention the keyboardless screen in my hand — said Graffiti or something of the sort.
MMmmmm… InkWell, Apple’s Newton vindication. It could happen! At the same time, even Microsoft’s PocketPC recognized and catered to the Graffiti-enabled generation. Hell, friends who don’t even own a Palm-like can read the Graffiti I brainlessly ink on a napkin or post-it. It’s certainly more legible than my actual handwriting, atrophied by 20 years of pervasive computer use.

“Just enough to power a remote desktop client a la X/VNC/Timbuktu.”

Synchronicity stepped in. Just moments elapsed between my marveling at the decent functionality of Windows XP’s “Remote Desktop Connection” (I’ve always used VNC, a little clunky, but do-able) and an IM from my friend Peter pointing me at iHam on iRye, a remote (as in trans-LAN/WAN) for iTunes.

And don’t forget to factor in OS X’s lightweight PDF GUI bits. Wow!

“802.11b wireless networking provides the link between [my screen-in-hand] and any networked Macintosh — whether a peer-to-peer ad hoc network or Internet away.”

No, I’m still thinking 802.11b, at least for now (compatibilitarily-speaking).

“the iPad (yes, I said iPad)”

“iPad,” “iDock,” “iWalk,” iWhatever. So long as it looks something like this and feels better than (though similar to) this.

Remember, kiddies, that this is only a bedtime story, mere speculation at best. That said, if I’m right you can bet I’ll find an “I told you so” or three in me.

P.s. Oh, and it’ll be white, no, titanium, no wait, titanium and white ;-)

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iWhat do you iHope iT iS?