RXC’s always a great source for visionary insight.  I like his perspective better than anyone’s, personally.

‘Apple will under-promise and over-deliver for the iSlate. And if for some reason they don’t, then they’ll just declare it to be a hobby, like the AppleTV.’

via I, Cringely » Blog Archive » Apple 2010: More of the Same and Blu-Ray, too – Cringely on technology.

More on the upcoming slate.

DIY, Pt. II – Neven Mrgan’s tumbl.

Andy Ihnatko is a super great tech industry writer, and this article on the upcoming Apple slate thingy is about the best out there.  Some of what he said:

‘You get a lot of overlap and internal head-butting in other tech companies. The people who run the netbook division of DiscoWare wish no harm to any other living creature, but if the people in charge of DiscoWare’s notebook division were to fall facefirst into a stump grinder, they’d have an immediate proposal for how that division’s budget and personnel could best be absorbed by the netbook group.

‘Apple’s different. If The Coca-Cola Company were run like Apple, they’d have just one brand of zero-calorie cola, not three. Apple sees its product line as a cast of characters, through which they tell a single story. If two products seem to do the same job, then one of them needs to go.’

via Thoughts on what an Apple tablet should be – or not :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Andy Ihnatko.

This attempt at copying Apple is even worse than the Microsoft Store concept.  Then again, nobody has any idea what Apple’s going to unveil later this month.  It’s just sad the furthest their vision takes them is a recycled tablet named a “slate” to preemptively rip off Apple’s most likely product name.

Where’s the innovation?

Microsoft’s Slate: Exactly Unlike Apple’s Upcoming Tablet.

If the word has yet to get out, we’re in an era where Apple is just plain lapping the entire competition.  Based on the release of devices like this new one from HP, even if the Apple iSlate device is a giant iPhone it’ll still be miles ahead of anything else in a similar form factor.  I can’t remember anyone in this much control of their market since Microsoft in the mid nineties or IBM at the advent of the PC age.

Is anyone going to step up?

Microsoft CES keynote PR leaks early: HP slate device is just a PC, Natal in holiday 2010 — Engadget.

The fact that the new Apple iSlate – or whatever it’s to be called – has a PA Semi processor inside should only shock the writer of this article.  Intel knew two years ago when Apple acquired PA that this project wouldn’t be theirs unless they wanted to sell Atom processors for next to nothing.

Exclusive: Apple Tablet Has No Intel Inside | Technology | Financial Articles & Investing News | TheStreet.com.

Seems there are legs to the possibility that Pixel Qi is providing the new Apple tablet device’s screen.  And if this is it, another important differentiator will be added to what promises to be a category killer device.  More here at 9 To 5 Mac.