The Apple tablet revealed?
Straight from an Apple patent filing made public today, I found images of what appears to be a tablet-like gadget, described as a "portable multifunction device," that has a flat screen with touchscreen keyboard. 
The patent application is for "selecting of text using gestures," and uses the device in the diagram to show how Apple would incorporate text-editing on a portable multifunction device.
You can see from the diagram that it's a device unlike the current crop of iPhones, Touches and iPods, and its scale in relation to a human hand is far larger than those small devices.
Is the much-rumored Apple tablet really in the works over in Cupertino? Many think so.
The filing states that some of the functions of the device could include "telephoning, video conferencing, e-mailing, instant messaging, blogging, digital photographing, digital videoing, web browsing, digital music playing, and/or digital video playing."
Apple has been applying for a slew of touch-interface related patents for awhile now and it's clear the company is focused on touch-based operating systems for its portable products.
But what a long-rumored tablet may look like (a flat tablet? whoopee) is not as intriguing, I think, as how fluid and powerful is the operating system and touch interface that powers it. Enter this latest patent filing by Apple. 
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Comments
Wow! That is great! But the question is... When?
Posted by: BaX | September 10, 2009 10:29 AM
Long-rumored video-conferencing shows up in the patent:
"In some embodiments, an optical sensor 164 can be located on the front of the device so that the user's image can be obtained for videoconferencing while the user views the other video conference participants on the touch screen display."
Nice find! I missed that part! -gs
Posted by: Paul Capestany | September 10, 2009 11:37 AM
That's the iPhone. It's not to scale.
I don't think so. There are many other patents and diagrams that clearly depict the iPhone/Touch, but this isn't one of them -gs
Posted by: C RM | September 10, 2009 2:31 PM
No, it's actually the iPhone patent application. Look at the date, note the placement of buttons and (most importantly) proximity sensor.
There would be no proximity sensor on a tablet device because you would be unlikely to hold it up to your face.
Posted by: Victor Agreda Jr | September 10, 2009 5:24 PM
Thats not a tablet thats exactly an iPhone... Why would a tablet have a proximity sensor on top?
I believe Gizmodo ran a mockup of what they thought an Apple tablet would look like -- based on some sourcing -- and it conformed to this diagram. The thinking seems to be that the tablet would also have a "home" button -- just like the iPhone does. -gs
Posted by: bomBay_ROckr | September 11, 2009 7:36 AM
Just more proof that Apple is working on a tablet.
Posted by: Apple iSlate | January 1, 2010 7:11 PM