I caught this article about Apple Patents for Tablet Mac designs today on Engadget.  I figured that this is a no-brainer … Apple *has*
to catch up at some point.  Now get me right … I’m not talking
about catching up outside the context of the Tablet PC.  It’s that
they really had to catch up and produce a Tablet PC/Mac.  I didn’t even know there was a previous Apple Tablet Patent also.

As I have been researching more and more on the Tablet PC, I have to say that it is a much more natural interface in many cases.  I have found that I like the convertable
designs far better … where I can switch from using it in laptop
configuration, to using it in a slate configuration.  The HP that
I am using is designed this way.

As for the value of a Tablet, the most impressive aspect to me is when
I have allow my son, nieces and nephews to play with it.  For
them, it is an absolutely intuitive experience.

The one real advantage that I see about Apple jumping into the fray is
that it will truly begin to validate the Tablet PC concepts and
market.  Apple will also begin to push the designs, features, and
ergonomics of the Tablet.  The one thing that has really kept me
from fully adopting only a Tablet PC is the limitations in the devices
when compared to a regular laptop.

I like seeing Apple jump into the fray.  2006 is shaping up to be
a very interesting year for computer platforms.  Hardware is
really making leaps and bounds …