As I’m sure many of you have heard, Apple has been widely rumored to be (at the least) announcing a new tablet device during a January 27th media event.  Speculation over features, price, and release date have appeared across the New Media space during the past weeks, so I thought I’d join in with my own opinions.

A recent Wall Street Journal article claims that:

In developing the device, Apple focused on the role the gadget could play in homes and in classrooms, say people familiar with the situation. The company envisions that the tablet can be shared by multiple family members to read news and check email in homes, these people say.
For classrooms, Apple has been exploring electronic-textbook technology, these people add.

The classroom suitability of any Apple tablet is going to be heavily dependent on features, though.  Would a scaled-up iPhone-style device, able to access some websites (recall that Apple’s iPhone does not yet support Flash-enabled websites) and electronic copies of textbooks be a good investment for your school?  If the device’s sole means of text entry is an on-screen virtual keyboard, would this be a strike against using it in your classroom?

On the other hand, what if the new device is more computer-like than iPhone-like and can run applications like Microsoft Word in addition to providing digital textbook support and a good Internet experience for your students?  Would that be enough?  What if handwriting recognition joins the virtual keyboard as a means to enter and annotate text?

What features would such a device need to have to take the place of traditional laptops in one-to-one initiative?  Here’s my list:

• 8+ hour battery life to last an entire school day on a single charge (12+ hours would be better, to allow the device to be used after school)
• Screen large enough to allow a full page of text to be displayed without zooming or scrolling
• Multi-touch user interface with on-screen keyboard
• Stylus for direct handwriting input (written input must be more than a mere afterthought)
• An integral screen cover to protect the (almost assuredly) glass display
• Ability to run full applications, not just “apps”
• Full Internet experience, not just mobile-ready websites
• Wi-Fi

Things that would be nice to have, but not essential:

• Video/Still camera to create media that can be embedded in written work
• Capability to dock with external keyboard, mouse, and display
• Induction charging
• Built-in projector

Image by dvortygirl. Used under Creative Commons licence.

My dream classroom computing device would be able to replace every paper product a student normally carries (textbook, notebook, assignment book) in addition to taking the place of a laptop.  We’ll see if that device materializes Monday.

What do you think?  Does a tablet device have a place in your classroom?  What features would you like to see?  Let us know what you think via comment or in the forum.