We’ve talked a lot about it here, and that chatter has seen an uptick since the iPhone (yay! we can use that name) announcement, but let’s try a poll with some commentary.

When will Apple take that niche product known as the tablet and make it not only viable but desirable?

We all know very well that the key to the tablet is a touch interface, but so far, the ones that have hit the market have been little more user-friendly than a touch-screen ATM, circa 1998 (I still prefer the real buttons to the on-screen ones on newer ATMs).

With the iPhone TV campaign driving hard with “Hello” in June, I think Steve will announce a multi-touch tablet Mac sometime before Halloween of this year. How crazy am I?

My guess is that Apple will have a tablet in 2009.

By 10.6 Apple will add systemwide Dictation within the OS.  Every application will be able to hook into the Dictation API and utilize not only the Dictation features but
application/device control via Applescript and other methods.  This will fall under the umbrella of Universal Access.  This will be a boon for TablePC usage in which the user can carry a small tablet around and go from using Inkwell technology to dictating and app/device control via spoken command.  Everything will be speakable with voices on par with “Alex”. 

Right now TabletPC are just in their infancy and finding themselves.  With the advent of faster processors and more efficient processors in wattage coming from Intel and AMD you’ll see sizes shrink and power rise.  Apple will jump in when the market is ready.