I had lunch last week with a client who had just returned from attending the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show (CES) before heading on to New York to visit a number of his own high-profile media clients. His impression was that many larger print media organisations in the US were waiting with great anticipation for the official announcement this week of the Applet Tablet, and were hoping that Steve Jobs would direct them forward through one of the most confusing business periods of their history, much like he did for the music industry. The same can be said of Australian publishers, although our market is about eighteen months behind the US because of the late introduction of the iPhone, Kindle and other eReading devices. That gap is closing rapidly and after tomorrow (depending on Australian access to Apple iSlates, iGuides or iPads) it could slam shut and the Australian publishing industry may end 2010 entirely transformed and shaken out.

I have included two recent posts from Mashable that summarise some of the current thinking about the Apple Table and its potential impact.

Apple tablet confirmed in McGraw-Hill interview

The idea of the Apple Table vs the reality

 

Video: Interview with CEO of McGraw-Hill, Confirms Apple Tablet