More Tablet Rumors

As we get closer to January 27th, expected to be the day Apple announces its long-anticipated tablet, more rumors come out about its specifications. We already know that Apple is planning to challenge Kindle and Nook with its tablet. After all, how do you explain the company reaching out to publishers and working on content deals. But many have been wondering how Apple will go about launching iTablet. Will it stick with AT&T or go with other carriers? It seems Apple will be doing a little bit of both. The company is rumored to be planning two flavors of iTablet, one of which will work with the Verizon network. It’s not known whether iPhone 4G will follow the suit, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

There isn’t much to say about Apple Tablet’s hardware features. Hardware leaks are often hard to come by. According to the latest rumors, iTablet will have an aluminum body, GPS capability, and WiFi for connectivity. It is also rumored to come with two dock connectors to let users charge and use it in both landscape and portrait modes, though I’d be surprised if that were the case.

What’s more exciting about Apple tablet is all the content publishers that the company is trying to bring on board. Amazon Kindle has been the king of e-book reader market for a couple of years now. While iTablet may not take advantage of E-ink technology, it can still be a good way to read books and review documents on the go. McGraw Hill and HarperCollins have already held discussions with Apple. You can add Wiley to the list as well:

We have had ongoing conversations with Apple about their interest in including educational content. We will continue to support their efforts in whatever iteration it takes next week.

The price is going to be a major factor in iTablet’s success or failure. The device is expected to be priced somewhere in $700-$1000 range. That’s not counting the discount one would get by signing a two year contract with a carrier. That price range may turn many people off. We all know Apple does not have any trouble hyping up and selling lots of units with its gadgets. But it’s tough for iTablet to pull in iPhone-like numbers unless the price is dramatically reduced with a wireless contract. But look at the bright side. Your purchase may be tax deductible, at least for business professionals.

Your take: is $1000 too much for an iTablet?