Steve Jobs started building a tablet device years ago, but without any goal. The question “why would people need such a device?” was never answered…until today. Apple is busy filling iTunes with content of several sorts of printed media. They want to make a device that is not only another e-book reader, but it is their purpose to redefine the print media market.

Yesterday’s rumor said the tablet will run a version of iPhone OS, but the tablet Apple has been busy with for several years, ran on a adapted version of Mac OS X. After years of testing, Apple is finally ready to release the tablet computer. The latest rumors suggest that the device will be introduced in January next year.

Apple reportedly met with magazine executives to pitch the future of that industry. Apple showed mockups of interactive content, to try and make a deal with the magazine executives. They really want to cause a digital evolution of print media and the tablet computer will be a key element of this revolution.

“Some I’ve talked to believe the initial content will be mere translations of text to tablet form. But while the idea of print on the Tablet is enticing, it’s nothing the Kindle or any E-Ink device couldn’t do. The eventual goal is to have publishers create hybridized content that draws from audio, video, interactive graphics in books, magazines and newspapers, where paper layouts would be static. And with release dates for Microsoft’s Courier set to be quite far away and Kindle stuck with relatively static e-ink, it appears that Apple is moving towards a pole position in distribution of this next-generation print content. First, it’ll get its feet wet with more basic repurposing of the stuff found on dead trees today.”

DRM-secured college books, that are only readable for a limited period of time, musty become a huge success on the Apple tablet. The prices can also be lower than normal printed books. And students only have to carry one device, instead of all the heavy books that take up a lot of space. The interactive content will also enhance the experience of reading books.

Steve Jobs says that people are not reading books anymore. It’s time to change that, and the tablet computer can do so. You’ll be able to see videos and pictures and interact with them. It’s clear the main goal of the tablet device is, to change the way we look at reading. Change the way we read. Create a revolution and re-invent the “wheel”. No more old fashion paper, the electronic reader is the future and Apple is the kind of company to do just that, WITH success.

Source: Gizmodo