There are already a handful of UMPCs and MIDs on the market, but they are nowhere near popular enough to be considered mainstream. That could change in the new year, because there is a rumor that Asus is working on a Mac Tablet-like device of its own and it’s going to be called the Asus Eee Pad.

As you may recall, it was Asus that popularized the netbook form factor in the first place with the Eee PC and then they tackled the iMac-like market with the Asus Eee Top. They could be expanding the Eee brand with this so-called Eee Pad.

It’s being reported by Digitimes that the Asus Eee Pad (the name might still change) will feature a four to seven-inch touchscreen panel and it will “offer a combination of tablet PC and MID functions.” Given the availability of Windows 7 Starter for netbooks, I’m thinking that OS is a good candidate for the Eee Pad.

Then again, it’s rumored that the Apple Tablet is being designed as a Kindle killer, so is the Eee Pad going after a different market altogether? Should the Sony e-readers be worried?

Source: Digitimes

The most recent rumor is coming from analyst Yair Reiner. Apparently, he looked into Apple’s supply chain and learned that production of the Apple tablet is being ramped up in February 2010. Given this timeline, we should probably expect a launch in March or April of next year.

What can we really expect from the Mac Tablet? Will it be a touchscreen version of a MacBook or will it be like a giant iPod touch? According to Reiner, it’s more like a Kindle killer. The analyst says that Apple will offer a 70% revenue share to book publishers (30% for Apple) for non-exclusive distribution. By comparison, Amazon offers 30/70 for exclusives and 50/50 for non-exclusives.

On the spec sheet, we’re expecting the same kind of technology used in the iPhone, except the tablet will have an extra-large 10.1-inch touchscreen display. We can probably expect a slightly altered version of the iPhone OS on this device too.

Keep in mind that these are just “predictions” from an “analyst,” so don’t hold your breath.

Source: AppleInsider

Dead might not be the right word. Instead, there are reports coming out of California that the CrunchPad project is being delayed indefinitely due to increasing expenses. Arrington said very early on that he wanted to make this product as inexpensive as possible.

Arrington’s CrunchPad project sounded a lot like the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) project in that it was meant to be cheap. Back in July 2008, Michael Arrington pointed toward a $200 target. More recently, Arrington said that it would probably be closer to $300.

Now the latest reports say that the costs are going to push the final retail price of the CrunchPad into the $600 or $700 range, no longer making it a feasible commercial venture. After all, there are plenty of rumors swirling about an Apple Tablet that is less than $1,000.

So, no more CrunchPad? Until Arrington and his team are able to cut costs significantly, I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Source: BusinessInsider

Microsoft has yet to confirm or deny the existence of this project, but all indications are pointing toward the very real release of a book-style tablet PC. This is quite different from the single tablets that we’ve seen from other companies and the proposed form factor for the Apple Mac Tablet.

Regarding the Microsoft Courier Tablet PC, we’re hearing that Windows 7 will be the operating system at its core, just like how Vista is at the core of the Microsoft Surface. We’re also hearing that Microsoft is producing the hardware as well, instead of relying on an OEM/ODM to produce the physical product on their behalf. This is in sharp contrast to the approach the company has taken with Windows Mobile.

It’s still possible that the hardware will be produced by someone else, but the branding will carry the Microsoft name like how they did with the Xbox 360 gaming system and Zune media player. Most sources are pointing toward a Microsoft branding scheme.

The current rumors are pointing toward a mid-2010 delivery of the Microsoft Courier, which is probably around the same time that Apple will be releasing its iPad Mac Tablet.

Source: Gizmodo

As far as we can gather, the “Apple iPad” won’t get a conventional keyboard like the Eee PC or MSI Wind, instead relying on a large touchscreen just like the iPhone and the iPod touch. With the new rumors, the Taiwan Economic News is saying that the upcoming Apple tablet will get a 9.6-inch “finger friendly” touchscreen from Wintek. This is consistent with the “big iPod touch” line of thinking.

The Taiwanese newspaper is also reporting that the yet-unnamed Apple device will have HSPA connectivity and a processor from PA Semi, a company that Apple owns. The battery comes from Dynex, which will be producing 300,000 battery packs each month for the device.

So, how much will it cost? We’ve believed all along that the Mac Tablet would slot between the iPod touch and the entry-level MacBook, so the most recent rumor of a $799 to $999 price range makes perfect sense. And the question of when? We’re currently looking at a February 2010 launch, so that could mean we’ll see an official reveal around the same time as CES and MacWorld in January.

Source: BGR

In addition to the 10-inch model that has everyone all excited, there’s word going around that Apple will also be releasing 13-inch and 15-inch variants for the so-called iPad. Or Mac Tablet. Or MacBook Touch. Whatever you want to call it.

The insider source is saying that there are two prototypes for these larger Mac Tablets kicking around in the factory in Shenzuen, China. These prototypes are said to be “reminiscent of big aluminum iPhones.”

To make matters even more interesting is the story on the operating system. We had assumed that the 10-inch tablet would be running some beefed-up variant of what you find on the iPod touch and iPhone, since the lighter OS would help with overall performance. Well, the source is saying that at least one of these bigger iPads is doing the OS X dance.

Source: BGR

Brian Lam of Gizmodo had the opportunity to chat with an unnamed Apple employee (who obviously wants to stay anonymous) who happens to know quite a bit about the upcoming product.

As it turns out, Apple has been developing its Tablet for quite some time already. The engineers and designers have been working on it for at least four to six years, having the project go through several different codenames during that time. However, it wasn’t until the end of last year that they saw the first prototype.

Based on the typical development cycles at Apple, the employee says that it takes about six to nine months to go from the initial prototype to a market-ready device. He (or she) also goes on to confirm some details that we had been suspecting already.

For example, we can fully expect a 10-inch multi-touch display and it will look a lot like a giant iPhone. It’ll slot somewhere between the MacBook and the iPhone and it’d come with the characteristic home button. It’ll cost between $700 and $900.

Two things he mentions are new to us though. First, there will be two versions of the iTablet. One will come with the webcam and the other will be for educational use, whatever that means. The Mac Tablet will also be able to act as a secondary screen for iMacs and MacBooks, similar to the Nanovision Mimo screens.

Source: Gizmodo

As you may recall, the device would likely slot somewhere between the iPod touch and the MacBook, both in terms of size and price. That’s why so many people are saying that it will likely function more like a large iPod touch than a small tablet PC.

However, Munster is saying that this new device will include a 3G cellular modem, allowing you to surf the web anywhere you happen to have a cellular connection. This goes hand-in-hand with the official iPhone tethering solution that is now available.

In this way, it’s possible that this yet unnamed touch tablet could get a nice subsidy from a network carrier. Could we be seeing this subsidized by AT&T to sell alongside the iPhone? Or is this Apple’s foot in the door with a different carrier?

Either way, we’re expecting a 10-inch touchscreen, a $500-$750 price point, and a dedicated OS that is probably more iPhone OS than Mac OS X.

Source: Mobileburn