'Magic Slate' also has been trademarked by Apple

Seth Weintraub
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December 25, 2009
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More sleuthing being done by the bloggers:  This time Fscklog finds 'magic slate' is also registered to the same front company as iSlate.com.  As Macrumors notes, this would make a good name for a portable trackpad.  

MR also found a 'smoking gun' on the iSlate trademark.  Regina Porter, presumabley the same one that works in Apple Trademarking, was doing paperwork on the Slates as part of Slate Computing, LLC as recently as August of this year.  That means Apple is still interested in this name.

We're still not sold on the name (like you, our readers, it appears) iSlate.  The original timing could have indicated it was a Plan B for the original iPhone but it's seeming more and more like iSlate will be the name of the tablet and Magic Slate the name for a portable trackpad for desktops. 

For better or worse. 

Oh, you might want to sell your Wacom stock now.

Comments (20)

Luke Bornheimer (not verified) | December 25, 2009 - 9:25pm

"and Magic Slate the name for a portable trackpad for desktops."

Would they really release a product that would clash with the Magic Mouse only months after releasing the mouse?

Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to see a "Magic Slate", but it just doesn't make as much sense now that they released the mouse.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 25, 2009 - 10:24pm

That's the stupidest comments I've seen whole week. Magic *Mouse* is nowhere equivalent to a tablet computer. Its like saying, "oh they have a MacBook *Pro* so MacBook *Air* would be confusing".  "They have iPod Classic so people would be confused by iPod touch. And iPod Nano. And iPod Shuffle." Good grief !

AppleExpert (not verified) | December 25, 2009 - 11:29pm

If you read carefully above, the "Magic Slate" in this article would be a wireless trackpad for an iMac, not a tablet computer. I agree with Luke, it wouldn't make sense to release a multitouch wireless mouse and then months later release a multitouch wireless trackpad. It would be too redundant for Apple and out of character. A tablet Mac, the "iSlate" in this article, would be a great addition in the next couple months though.

PeterZ (not verified) | December 27, 2009 - 6:25am

Have to say this is a pretty dumb comment.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 26, 2009 - 2:47am

I don't really like iSlate. I think iBook is a lot better and proper for tablet. 

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 26, 2009 - 5:47am

iBook just as iPro and iTv would just confuse the consumers.
I still hear tones of people calling the MacBook a iBook. And having 3 brands with MacBook and then add a new "book" brand would be rather stupid.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 26, 2009 - 5:15am

Read the artle and his comments more carefully befor you make a stupid reply.

NO (not verified) | December 26, 2009 - 6:53pm

NO YOU READ THE ARTICLE AND SAY NO

PeterZ (not verified) | December 27, 2009 - 6:26am

Like, for example, yours?

Gazoobee (not verified) | December 26, 2009 - 8:50am

I still think that despite the menstrual reference, "iPad" is best.  Even though things are definitely leaning towards "iSlate," it's just too difficult to say, and the reference is obscure.  Most people (even most Americans), will have no idea that slates were used as "tablets" in schools in Colonial American days.  

- "iPod"

- "iPhone"

- "iPad"

 

BayouTiger (not verified) | December 26, 2009 - 10:14am

That's what I was thinking as well, but it's probably too obvious to be correct. 

Olternaut (not verified) | December 27, 2009 - 1:28pm

After some thought on this and if Apple MUST use the "i" moniker, then I must agree with those who think the name should be "iPad".

Let it henceforth be known as the iPad!  So shall it be written,,,so shall it be done!

iSlate (not verified) | December 26, 2009 - 11:32am

I never caught that connection.  Nice find. islate.org

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 26, 2009 - 12:23pm

"Magic Slate" could be software to run on a multipurpose slate device. While this software was running, the multipurpose device would be able to control a computer and/or other electronic device via sophisticated gestures/other "surprising" inputs.

coolhanduke (not verified) | December 26, 2009 - 1:16pm

If it's thin enough, Apple should call it a HotSheet.

Olternaut (not verified) | December 26, 2009 - 8:34pm

......MACTOUCH FTW!!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | December 27, 2009 - 2:52am

I don't like the iSlate name as it wouldn't fit in with their computer naming convention. If they want to use the 'Slate' name as a means of identifying their tablet computer then they should continue with the same naming convention as the MacBook line and call it a MacBook Slate

Luke Bornheimer (not verified) | December 27, 2009 - 3:07pm

They would only put the "Mac" moniker on this device if it ran full Mac OS X on it.  This thing is going to be like a big iPod touch with more power, battery, and capability, but no desktop functionality.

Think about it, if they are going to sell the thing between $500 and $700, would they really put full Mac OS X on it?  This thing is a mass market device, not a "Mac" device, hence a 10% marketshare device.

sinouber (not verified) | December 27, 2009 - 5:58am

first comes magic slate for upscaled iphone apps on appletv with support for use with macs

then comes islate running upscaled iphone os

then comes slate pro running full os x

then  comes... wait for it... magic air... for all those smokers who had their guarantees voided

 

richerd193 (not verified) | January 24, 2010 - 11:38pm

After we broke the news yesterday that Apple had acquired iSlate.com, other pieces to the puzzle seemed to fall into place. Notably, TechCrunch found that iSlate had been registered as a trademark by an unknown Delaware company by the name of Slate Computing, LLC in November 2006. iSlate had also been registered as a trademark in Europe using a law firm that Apple employs. The implication being that Apple set up Slate Computing, LLC as a dummy corporation to secretly acquire the iSlate trademark. Apple has been known to do this in the past. For example, the iPhone trademark was originally filed by Ocean Telecom Services, another anonymous Delaware-based company.In delving deeper, however, we have discovered evidence that Apple is indeed behind Slate Computing, LLC and the iSlate trademark. The trademark application documents for the iSlate reveal the signatory being one Regina Porter:Regina Porter happens to also be Apple's Senior Trademark Specialist as shown in her Linkedin profile. While we can't definitely pinpoint this to be the exact same Regina Porter, it seems beyond the realm of coincidence. So, not only did Apple obtain the iSlate.com domain in late 2006/early 2007, it also seems likely that Apple also filed for an iSlate trademark under a dummy corporation. Given that, it seems "iSlate" is very likely going to be the name of the upcoming Apple tablet. 

Another interesting tidbit, as first noted by Fscklog, iSlate is not the only trademark that Slate Computing, LLC has filed for in the United States. The company also filed for a trademark for "Magic Slate". The term was categorized broadly to cover Computers, computer peripherals, computer hardware and much more. "Magic Slate" adopts a similar naming convention to the recently released multi-touch Magic Mouse from Apple. It's not hard to imagine that a "Magic Slate" would be a multi-touch peripheral for computers, much like the multi-touch iGesture Pad released by Fingerworks before their acquisition by Apple.

 

 

 

 

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