This rumored “God-like portable device” is suppose to do it/have it all: 3G, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, music and video playback, built-in webcam, eBook reader, the ability to watch TV, play games, surf the web and tons of third party app for it – all of this on a high-res touch screen for no more than $1000.  Sounds great, right?

Potential issue #1 – size: if this device does not fit in your pocket it will not ‘lay waste’ to any other portable gadgets – especially when it comes to the average MP3/video player consumer market.

Potential issue #2 – size: if it fits on your pocket, it will not be an effective eBook reader. Have you tried reading a book on a 3″ or 4″ screen? It sucks. But with all the components this mythical Apple device is rumored to have, it’s pretty safe to assume that it will not fit in your pocket – so good bye mobile music and video market, which Apple still dominates with the iPod so I’m sure they don’t care.

Potential issue #3 – the screen: every other rumor says that this ‘tablet’ will be a cross between the iPhone and a Macbook. If this turns out to be true…good luck taking on the eBook reader market too. Current eReaders have a high-contrast screen which is optimized for displaying text. This eliminates that ‘looking at a screen’ feel and causes less strain on your eyes. Unless the device follows this concept, it will not take off as an eReader either.

Potential issue #4 – battery life: if this device is going to replace everything except my phone – the it better have enough juice to withstand at least 10 hours of constant use.

Another option is that Apple is might be trying to target a totally new market: the traveling business executive. With a device smaller than a laptop that has a built in microphone and webcam, a business traveler could attended virtual meetings while on the go, review documents on a device that has a better form-factor than a laptop and even catch some high-lights from yesterday game while waiting to their next flight.

Could this be Apples esoteric agenda? Maybe they are creating a totally new market all together. Or maybe the tablet is just a rumor and will always stay as such. What ever the case may be, we will just have to wait and see.

Jeff Immelt unveils GE Healthcare's new Vscan at the Web 2.0 Summit

It has been a busy week and I had little time to keep up with twitter, so yesterday I decided to catch up. I was reading tweet after tweet and I finally came across a tweet that I actually cared about. It was from @GE_Reports and it proclaimed that GE had released a pocket-sized ultra-sound. POCKET-SIZED! I remember going to the doctor’s with my parents to have a look see at my little sister on an ultrasound. I also remember the machine being about the size of my dresser with a TV screen on top. Miniaturization seems to be everything these days, but that is quite a jump in 8 years.

A little more information about this new gadget…
Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt released the vScan ultrasound at the Web 2.0 Summit in San Fransisco on Oct 20th. As you will see in the demo video below, it has features stored videos from multiple patients, colorizing, black and white, and an intuitive interface. GE’s healthymagination campaign is about lower cost, better quality, and improved access for medical equipment. The vScan has certainly met the improved access, but we have yet to see cost and quality. I anxiously await actual user reviews of this product. This device has some serious potential to be as common as a stethoscope or a blood pressure cuff. Think of the promise it could have out in the field for military doctor’s or for Paramedics. Is GE the new Apple of Medical Equipment?

Disclaimer: I am an employee of GE Capital. The views in this article are my own personal opinions and do not represent that of my employers past, present, or future.