Posted by Tomorrow is a big day.
You don’t have to be a Mac Fanboi to say that. You don’t even have to be a proud Geek or Digital Marketing professional. Tomorrow is not about Apple. Tomorrow is not about whatever they’ve decided to call the new Apple Tablet (and yes, it’s coming tomorrow – the news is already out). It’s also not about how much CPU or connectivity this new device has. Just like the day before Apple announced the first iPhone in 2007, tomorrow is a day about "what will be."
The iPod changed the music industry. The iPhone changed the mobile industry. The new Apple tablet could very well change everything we know about computing and the Internet.
Sure, that’s a dramatic statement for effect, but if this Apple tablet lives up to the hype (things never do) or delivers on even a quarter of what is being swirled around in the rumour mill, we still have a new moment in time where computers move away from keyboards, mice, wires and moves quicker towards the connection between human beings, touching, connectivity and screens. Standard computer software won’t be all that great on this device, nor will standard mobile apps. It’s going to have to be something different. It’s going to have to be something new.
Don’t forget, "new" always equals "disruption."
No matter what the Apple tablet is (and only tomorrow will tell), it’s going to change the games (not just the game). It’s going to affect marketing, communications, advertising and all of the spheres we all play in. So, we can put aside what we hope this device will be. We can put aside what we think this device will be. We can just sit back, take a deep breathe and imagine what tomorrow will be. Folks on Twitter have said that, "it feels like Christmas Eve," while I tweeted out: "I don’t think people have talked this much about ‘tablets’ since Moses."
I don’t know about you, but I’m excited to meet this new device, and I’m excited to see how it affects media, publishing and everything else.
Never another podcast episode or article 
I’m also very excited about tomorrow.
I’m hoping this is the beginning of the new publishing industry. Especially for photography (my bias). A positive revenue opportunity for creative publishers. The possible return to exciting big pictures and design within our publications.
I’m hopeful a new race will brew between publishers trying to one up the competition with creativity verses budget cuts.
Publishing, media and marketing may be a little different moving forward. One thing we know for sure, it is always changing.
Hopeful,
Rosh
this is just another case of Apple’s midas touch. for example, mp3 players were around well before the iPod, but not long after, iPod was synomymous with mp3 player, and podcast conjured up the notion that you needed an ipod to listen to syndicated mp3s.
this is not the first tablet PC, HP’s had them for years and now even have touch screen PCs. but it seems that as far as the world is concerned, this IS the first tablet. before people jump on this comment, i don’t really think that Apple’s effect is a bad thing – for example with the mobile app development i don’t think we would see such creativity and entrepreunerial spirit if there wasn’t such a cool device to develop for.
i still don’t have an iPod so i’m going to try that before the tablet.
So right… Honestly how are they so advanced… Apple is king of tech… Tomorrow is going to be huge! I’m pumped
The iPod changed the music industry. The iPhone changed the mobile industry.
Yeah, the world is changing and also improving.
Mitch,
Yes, what will be? Time will tell, and the countdown for this one has been going on for some time. I too have read lots of articles on the mythical tablet, iTouch or whatever it ends up being called. Like you and many others I am excited to see what Apple unveils.
Whatever it is, we expect something really cool, right? As you put it — a disruptive “games” changer. And sure, Apple has a history of disruptive technologies, but how many times can the company pull it off?
Not sayin’ Apple won’t do just such a thing. Still the fact this is an expectation is as much a part of the story as the device itself. If Apple comes out with something that is merely good, or even pretty good, well, that just won’t do. The media and others will come down hard. Not many companies set themselves up for that kind of backlash. Whether intentionally or not, Apple has built a mountain of suspense and expectation around this new product. Now that’s some digital marketing 😉
My only hope with this tablet is that it will allow everyday people to publish content by granting access just as in podcasting. Also, new tools will be needed in order for this to happen and do hope that someone like adobe does something that will make a change. If we leave this up to apple it will continue to be a closed environment and really would be turned off by this. Regardless of what it turns out to be, no doubt it will be a game changer.
Is apple the only tech company that ‘get’s it’ ?
There was a ton of hype leading to Apple’s introduction of the iPad last week. But on my end, the excitement died as soon as the product details were revealed. This article goes into some of the reasons for my disappointment: http://bit.ly/9CVdqL
Of course, I’m in the minority. The iPad will sell, and it’ll sell well. Because if there’s one thing Apple does right, it’s marketing and promotions.
I can never tell just how innovative Apple’s products actually are. What I can say is that they are marketed in a way that trumps every other tech brand; Apple has carved its niche as cool, stylish and “more human� technology. So even if the iPad is not a ground-breaking product, I think it’ll still sell just on the power of the Apple brand.
With commercials like this, http://bit.ly/JGmTW, is it any wonder that Apple’s such a success?