Photos: More ways to look at the Apple ‘Tablet’

Here’s a story that has legs until the Cupertino, California-based Mac, iPod and iPhone maker actually ships a real breathing product. Moreover, although most serious pundits say this product won’t launch until the first quarter of next year, here are couple different takes on what the long fabled and longed for Mac touch, iPod touch on steroids or, in this particular case, Apple tablet might look like.

Both the Guardian and Telegraph.co.uk are running speculative articles that can be summarized as saying that Steve Jobs will announce the Apple Tablet at the company’s annual September iPod refresh media event. Moreover, this product will ship by Christmas or so say these two unsourced write ups — ’tis the season!

via The Guardian

“They’ve been working on this for the past six years. People expect it to be the ultimate Apple surprise. This thing will knock people’s socks off,” says blogger, self-proclaimed Jobsologist and all around Apple hang about Leander Kahney.

via The Telegraph

Interestingly, this second image is attributed to “APPLE,” though it’s extremely unlikely that the mothership unwittingly or otherwise provided any such image. The proof of that lies in the fact that the company’s actively pugnacious legal department has not had it removed.

An NDA just to read the rumors…

“Apple will totally rejig the computing experience,” adds Kahney. “You won’t manipulate a keyboard and mouse any more but rather use an intuitive touchscreen. It will [be] very tactile. It will be a whole new paradigm.”

And, this is classic Apple. They’ve got Kahney and the rest of us so aroused and just plain fired up for this product that it’s bound sell millions of units in the first few days regardless of whether it’s simply good, great or for that matter a piece of junk.

Will Steve announce the tablet on Sept. 9 and deliver it in time for the holidays along with enough cool third-party software to make it an instant hit? Well, it’s that last bit about apps — the difference between the iPhone and just another Blackberry or Palm’s Pre — that is key. Thereupon, it’s well nigh impossible for Apple and developers to get it all together, not to mention the channel stuffed and primed, in the relatively few short weeks before Christmas.

So, no, don’t look for the Mac tablet, Mac touch, iPod touch on steroids or whatever until after the holidays — it won’t be complete until there’s a bunch of software and that will take at least three months…

What’s your take?

• Apple confirms Sept. 9, but no word on Steve, tablet
• Apple Event carded for Sept. 9, but no tablet expected
• Apple’s Mac tablet is already a game changer
• Apple tablet iPod Touch scheduled for ‘09 release?
• Apple tablet rumors run hot and cold