That Old Mac Tablet Rumour Surfaces Again

There are some rumours that you don't give two hoots about – radio-controlled jello monkeys? – and some that, even though you know they're tenuous at best, you really really want to believe in them. Apple making a Tablet is a good example of the latter. Many people have opined that, should the Cupertino company go all pen-enabled, it will mark the turning point for the so-far maligned concept. Whether that's the case or not, it would certainly put to rest the rumour and photoshoppery that has been a consistent Mac spectre for the past few years. Smarthouse are reporting that Apple researchers have built a working tablet prototype, and that three Taiwanese companies are costing it for a 2007 launch.

Mysterious "sources" have told Smarthouse that, rather than an enterprise device, the tablet will be aimed at the home and education markets, acting not only as a home-automation portal for the control of lighting, audio, entertainment devices and security feeds, but also linking to a docking station with HDMI outputs. Apparently, this docking station can also receive streamed content. I'm always dubious about anonymous sources, so I'll be taking this report with a pinch of salt, but I'm still crossing my fingers ever so slightly that it all comes true.

Smarthouse [via Ultranauts]