The Apple Tablet may be a mere few hours from officialdom, but the 11th hour rumours are still pouring in, and a couple are sticking out from the usual chatter like sore thumbs. Two influential Silicon Valley figures are claiming to have an iTablet already, and are apparently willing to share the Apple Tablet specs. Ready? Take a deep breath, grab some salt granules and read on.
Jason Calacanis is a well known figure in the California tech scene, as founder of Weblogs and CEO of search engine Mahalo. So when he claims on Twitter that he has an Apple Tablet already, we sit up and take notice. The entrepreneur claims that he’s had one “for the past two weeks”, and if the Apple iTablet specs he’s claiming are true, we’re in for a treat.
Calacanis (Who insists he’s not joking) claims that the Apple iTablet will pack a high definition TV tuner and PVR to record shows, as well as two cameras for “super stable” video conferencing. But that’s just the start.
He also claims the iTablet runs a multitasking iPhone OS, packs an OLED display and has a solar-powered back panel for recharging on the move (though it “really doesn’t work”). Inside, he says there’s also 3G and Wi-Fi.
Calacanis claims that the Apple Tablet has great battery life in ebook mode, chiming with reports we heard yesterday that it’ll suck down new titles from the iTunes store, and he is already reading the New York Times and Vanity Fair on it. Those rumours about the iTablet gaming abilities seem spot on too. He claims that a custom made Farmville game for the Apple Tablet will be presented at Apple’s event tonight.
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Chiming in with his two cents on the Apple Tablet specs meanwhile is Matt Schlicht, in charge of product at live streaming start up Ustream.tv. He also claims that the Apple Tablet has video conferencing, and that it will auto sync with an iPhone, but “will not go on sale tomorrow,” despite what we’ve heard to the contrary.
We’re not sure what to make of these rumours: on the one hand, an Apple Tablet really does threaten to be vastly expensive if it does come packing a large OLED screen, and a solar charger sounds like the sort of tacked on accessory Apple would avoid, usually preferring clean lines and simplified design. But these are two people in the loop in the Valley, and with reputations (and Twitter followers), to lose if they’re lying.
What do you reckon? We’re still trying to go in to tonight’s Apple unveiling with no expectations whatsoever, but check back from 6pm when we’ll finally be able to sort fact from wishful thinking.
