Where is that damned dragon?

Where is that damned dragon?

Originally uploaded by magia3e

I don’t often get the chance to do some graphic design, but felt that my roleplaying website was overdue a graphical refresh. So I took some time over the weekend to mockup the next iteration of the website.

Would be interested to hear what you think about it.

M

Apple iSlate Tablet PC in January

Some new rumours are hitting the streets with the registration of the iSlate trademark that Apple will launch its tablet PC known as the iSlate early in the new year.

“The iSlate name originated from a trademark filed by Slate Computing, LLC, an apparent shell to obfuscate Apple’s ownership of the name for … its tablet computing product. ” – gdgt.com

iSlate.org have collected a number of patents now registered and conceptual images that point specifically to a slate device without keyboard at two sizes — 10″ and 7″. Overall, the rumours point to a device that appears like a large iPhone, will function something like the Apple TV with respect to music and multimedia capability, and have access to an iPhone-like store for specialist applications.

Archos has already created an internet tablet based on Google’s Android software …

… and Microsoft’s latest tablet prototype, codenamed Courier according to rumours, is a tablet that looks more like a book with two 7in multi-screens side by side.

It’s great to see these devices come of age. I’ve used a tablet PC as a replacement for a standard laptop for two years now and will never buy a normal laptop ever again. The combination of the ability to write using my own handwriting in applications like OneNote (possibly the greatest Microsoft application ever made) and then switch into normal laptop mode to write documents, create prototypes and use typical business-type apps makes for an awesome machine.

It saddens me, though, that Apple seem to be limiting itself to a niche market with an iSlate that does little more than extend its existing product offerings in multimedia and fails to deliver something more substantial like a tablet Macbook Air (which could do with being converted into a tablet rather than just being little more than another lightweight, underpowered, and under-featured notebook). But I guess we’ll just have to wait for a month or so more to see what they end up delivering.

M

Wordle for 2009

2009. What an incredibly interesting year. It’s seen incredible highs and desperately depressed lows. But don’t take my word for it — you can see the full extent of 2009’s influence on me and my blog just by viewing this little Wordle.

M