“As we all await that moment when we can finally get our mitts on an actual iPad, it’s important to realize that the idea of a tablet computer is not a new one. In fact it’s been over 20 years in the making,” Tom Dair writes for Fast Company. “How do I know this, you may ask? I know because a little over 20 years ago Smart Design (along with a few other firms) was asked by Apple to develop concepts for a tablet device.”
“The two-page project design brief from Apple included a line drawing of a rectangular slab form with a few basic dimensions, an indication of the screen size and approximate weight,” Dair writes. “The client asked for the delivery of two designs in the form of non-working appearance models and five images of each design showing how people would use them. The project timeline was 30 days–start to finish.”
“Who could ask for a more exciting project? This was about the future, and in that future, computers would be cool personal devices. Computers would be as much about entertainment and fun as they would be about productivity. Computers would take pictures and play music on high quality built-in speakers,” Dair writes. “Computers would be mobile and you might even be able to use them outdoors!”
Dair writes, “My partners Davin Stowell, Dan Formosa, Tucker Viemeister, and I wasted no time getting to work. A week or so later, two concepts started to emerge from the pile of sketches and crude mock-ups.”
Read more and see more photos in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Robert S.” for the heads up.]
How times change!
The article leaves on with the impression that Apple just got these firms to come up with some ideas then just pilfered them to make the Newton (doesn’t say that, but it’s a reasonable conclusion).
Wonder what Apple sis back in the day before the return of his Steveness and Jonny Ive?
iPad is old news at Apple. See Apple’s 1990’s version…
I’ll take TWO!
Check out Apple’s earliest ideas… under the name “Knowledge Navigator”.
I can expect that in a few months the “Zune Pad HD” will be coming out. Yep, and the press release will make it sound as if MS has had this in the labs for years and just waiting for the right moment, which happens to just be about 8 months after the iPad from Apple…. Yep, I can see it already.
and the NDA prevented them from speaking out until today. Wow.
(MDN mw: present)
“The project timeline was 30 days–start to finish.”
M$ even stole the vaporware timeline from Apple. Shameless.
The bezel is too wide. It will never sell.
@ Spark,
The wide bezel keeps fingers off the screen and also gives you someplace to put Post-it notes.
@ Sir Bill:
i think Spark was being facetious.
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@*LTD
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I think Sir Gill Bates was being facetious.
@ltd and co.,
welcome to the literal net, enjoy your stay .
Yes, I was joking about the unit pictured in the story. I think Sir Bill was too.
I just wanna know what the hell facetious means!
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What about Alan Kay’s Dynabook?
My iPad Shipped!!!
Woo Hoo!
SHENZHEN, CN 03/30/2010 5:59 A.M. ORIGIN SCAN
What if there were no more hypothetical questions?
Can’t wait or a date of release here in Oz!!
I am so itching for one!
One of Apple’s problems was they put money in unrealistic products for the time, and got rid of projects that were feasible ( object oriented and AOL). I like the idea that they thought of it being made to use outdoors.