Rumor: Apple Tablet in Q1 of 2010

If TechCrunch and Apple Insider are to be believed, Apple’s giant iPod Touch is on the horizon and may be in consumers’ hot little hands by the first quarter of 2010. I’ve always felt that this is where Apple’s netbookish tendencies would be instead of a mini MacBook. Companies who make accessories for Apple products may want to start planning now, if they haven’t already, to make a bunch of cute add-ons that will turn this touch device into a touch-enabled netbook. I’m still excited about this. Even though the device could cost up to $1,000 (but I hope they aim more for $600 or $700), the touch netbooks I’ve seen thus far haven’t impressed me, nor have most touch notebooks. That’s mostly the fault of the software, but, given what Apple has already done with the iPhone, I don’t think that will be a problem for this new device. Just make a lightweight, fold-up keyboard and a docking station for when I’m at my desk and you’ll have sold me, Apple. I won’t need a netbook or an eReader or possibly even a phone with this thing around. But then, I am imagining a perfect device. And, as we know, perfection only exists in concept designs.