Another "iPad-Killer" to add to the trash-heap

[Abstract]

It unfortunately makes no difference at all how HP *intended* to market it. HP intended a lot of things - a lot of which are falling totally flat. It all comes down to industry/consumer perception.

It only comes down to how you want to skew the information to suit your agenda, right?



As people have pointed out, HP meant for this to be a business tool, and they sold more of them than they thought they would. Also, your links lead nowhere. I guess you were hoping that nobody was going to check your "proof".

Guys, I'm going to make this real simple for everyone here :

At the top of the screen, under the MacRumors:Forums logo, on the left, you will notice a link that says User CP. Click on that. Then go under Settings & Options, the last link there is Edit Ignore List. Click that. In the box, type in *LTD* and hit the save button.

I'm not going to ignore Tallest Skil twice.

 

[*LTD*]

As people have pointed out, HP meant for this to be a business tool.

Baloney.

When Uncle Fester demo'd it months ago it was aimed squarely at the iPad. Running videos and of course, Twilight. Yep, Kindle software + Twilight. Go buy more books and download them from Amazon. Aimed like a laser at "business users." LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag3TNquUlEg

He thought it was something "many customers are going to be very excited about." He meant everyone that was ready to get an iPad. That was the whole point of the marketing thrust of any and all slate devices showcased by Ballmer during the presentation (err . . . snoozefest.) The entire purpose was to head off the iPad tidal wave. That's how everyone in that room took it, the media, he industry at large. An "iPad Killer" running consumer-centric content that Joe Average (including teenage girls, apparently) would just love.

At some point HP realized they had a big POS on their hands and that a slate with a full version of Windows shoved on it = a massive fail in the consumer market, so the whole "it's meant as a business tool" was dreamed up somewhere along the line in order to mitigate the obvious embarrassment at having to be compared to the iPad and fall back on the old Windows-box-for-business paradigm.

It was a consumer-level dud so let's re-spin it as a "business tool" instead and hope everyone bites. Of course, it seems to have failed as a "business tool" as well, hence the low production run (or the monumental lack of interest, whichever comes first) and the purported "reset" to WebOS. Which, incidentally, will NOT be a Windows-based slate.

 

[maflynn]

Baloney.

When Uncle Fester demo'd it months ago

You think you're funny when you insult someone like this but you're really not. Regardless of what you think of Ballmer (whom I'm assuming you're calling uncle fester), he does not deserve it. Are you like 12 years old and incapable of holding a mature, cogent, dialog that does not need to resort to child-ish name calling

 

[rhett7660]

I've seen this excuse used in the case of the iPhone, and it is indeed just an excuse.
But the Slate is marketed in the business market only at this point, and you of all people should know by now that Apple is retaining less and less interest in business day by day. Remind me again, what market the iPad is in? Heck, pretty much the only market Apple cares about anymore? Should be an easy one.

Or maybe they, you know, underestimated demand. But that's right, I forgot; Apple tells the truth 100% of the time, and all competing companies are filthy liars.

Should I even bother pointing out that I highly doubt you've gotten your hands on one of these things, and therefore your complaints about it are essentially null and void? Somehow it feels like it wouldn't even make a difference.

I don't know about that, didn't Apple just sell some 4000 units to a CEO of a nice sized corporation?

http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/27379/

None MDN link: http://www.informationweek.com/news...articleID=227400318&pgno=1&queryText=&isPrev=

http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/27364/

None MDN link: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/352494/Meet_the_CIO_Who_Bought_4_500_iPads

Granted we can argue all we want about Apple's will or want to enter the enterprise market.

 

[notjustjay]

You think you're funny when you insult someone like this but you're really not. Regardless of what you think of Ballmer (whom I'm assuming you're calling uncle fester), he does not deserve it. Are you like 12 years old and incapable of holding a mature, cogent, dialog that does not need to resort to child-ish name calling

*ding ding ding*

I think everyone has learned not to take LTD too seriously, just like everyone has learned not to expect too much from waloshin (yeah, I said it). People like attention and they like getting it in different ways. So be it.

 

[rhett7660]

You think you're funny when you insult someone like this but you're really not. Regardless of what you think of Ballmer (whom I'm assuming you're calling uncle fester), he does not deserve it. Are you like 12 years old and incapable of holding a mature, cogent, dialog that does not need to resort to child-ish name calling

Because no one in this forum has ever not insulted Steve or apple users. Nooo never. I get it that you don't like LTD but really.

 

[KnightWRX]

Because no one in this forum has ever not insulted Steve or apple users. Nooo never. I get it that you don't like LTD but really.

Yeah, going for the moral high ground is baloney, someone else insulted our Steve, we should insult their Steve right back!

Hint : both Steves don't really care and the posters just harm their own credibility.

 

[notjustjay]

Because no one in this forum has ever not insulted Steve or apple users. Nooo never. I get it that you don't like LTD but really.

Sure, people insult each other all the time, but not in the context of trying to make a rational argument. Anytime anybody tries to argue a point but has to result to name-calling -- whether it's pro-Apple or anti-Apple -- they lose immediate respect in my eyes. I don't care who you are, if you're trying to convince me that you're right, you need to back it up with facts, not false bravado.

 

[roadbloc]

Baloney.

That still doesn't prove it's a failure. Just because it isn't made by Apple, it hasn't annihilated the iPad and it had low run production; that doesn't prove anything.

You're statements are just guesses, and the fact that it came on the market rather quietly (I had no idea this was coming unlike the iPad, which the news of the 'giant iPod Touch' as it was called at the time of it's announcement, spread rather fast) and it still sold more then expected I think proves otherwise.

Now, I'm not saying it's perfect. I'm not saying it's going to kill the iPad. I'm not saying it even has a chance to coming close. But I'm not saying it doesn't either. Why? Simply because no one knows. If someone had told me 6 months ago that the Windows Phone 7 would sell out in the UK, I would have thought it to be rubbish. And yet, here we are, and the WP7 is a very good contender to the iPhone.

And since you mentioned it, I have not seen any teenage girls use an iPad. In fact, I haven't even seen an iPad yet. My mate Karl was going to get one, but went for a Windows 7 netbook instead because it was cheaper.

Anyway, my point, you have no idea what is going to happen. Just because it's sold in small amounts, doesn't mean it is dead. It sold very well indeed in small amounts. That, to me, says that it's done rather well. Hell, I couldn't imagine using a full blown OS on a tablet (if I even wanted a tablet), but obviously, some people do.

(And the silly name calling doesn't do your cause any favours.)

 

[maflynn]

Because no one in this forum has ever not insulted Steve or apple users. Nooo never. I get it that you don't like LTD but really.

I would say the same thing if someone made personal insults directed to Jobs, especially while trying to make a point. If you're trying to have a mature conversation, there's little room for childish name calling, regardless of who's the target of such behavior.

Yeah, both men (ballmer/jobs) won't care what someone calls them, but my point is keeping the discussions civil and beyond the 6th grade mentality.

 

[garybUK]

And since you mentioned it, I have not seen any teenage girls use an iPad. In fact, I haven't even seen an iPad yet. My mate Karl was going to get one, but went for a Windows 7 netbook instead because it was cheaper.

That bird from bluepeter used one on xfactor aftermath show, tis the only one i've seen apart from in HMV which has a really nice layer of grime on the glass from all the people... so i've never been tempted to pick one up.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Interesting post! Thanks LTD!

First time I've laughed out loud in the forum in awhile

I also have seen very very few ipads in the wild. The Burberry store sticks out in my mind as one place that uses them.

 

[gkarris]

Too bad - HP makes great stuff for the price...

They need to regroup to compete in the smaller 7" pad market (a market Apple chooses not to compete in).

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Guys, I'm going to make this real simple for everyone here :

At the top of the screen, under the MacRumors:Forums logo, on the left, you will notice a link that says User CP. Click on that. Then go under Settings & Options, the last link there is Edit Ignore List. Click that. In the box, type in *LTD* and hit the save button.

Don't worry, this modification results in no loss of value whatsoever.

I finally gave in. Even though we was useful to find out the Apple Fanboy argument and therefor knowing which won to consider worthless and not valid it makes things a lot better,.

 

[KeriJane]

When a bad Apple device knockoff fails, the excuse is that "hey, it was never meant to compete with (insert Apple product here) in the first place."

The only thing "shameful" here is that companies like HP keep pushing OBVIOUSLY bad devices, and *then* turn around and say "we only meant to make x-amount of them", which really implies that they never actually cared to make any effort in the first place. Then why even stymie your future chance at mindshare by releasing a dud? Duh.

Apple's got all these jokers running around in circles and coming up with bizarre (and pretty lame) excuses.

+ 1!

"We only meant to make xxxx number of them"?

LOLOLOLOL

That's a truly pathetic excuse. With that low of a production run, they are selling at a huge loss.

Thanks for the interesting post,

Have Fun,
It's LTD Appreciation Day!
Sent from my iPad,
Keri

PS. If you are adding "LTD" to your "Ignore" list, don't forget to add "KeriJane"!

 

[OllyW]

I also have seen very very few ipads in the wild.

I haven't even seen one outside of a store yet, nor do I know anyone who's bought one.

 

[maflynn]

I haven't even seen one outside of a store yet, nor do I know anyone who's bought one.

I've seen more kindles then iPads on the subway. I've seen maybe one iPad in the wild, but I see kindles daily.

I'm not saying kindles are better, just that the folks riding the subway in boston seem to use kindles and not iPads.

 

[Moyank24]

I haven't even seen one outside of a store yet, nor do I know anyone who's bought one.

I've seen a few out there. Hang out in Barnes & Noble..you'll see people with them. Starbucks probably also, but I can't remember the last time I was in one. The worst was some kid was playing with one at a restaurant, and he dropped the thing right off the table. I wanted to pick it up and rescue it from an obviously abusive home!

I'm not surprised people have seen more kindles out there...especially on subways and things. They are a tad less expensive.

 

[belvdr]

With that low of a production run, they are selling at a huge loss.

Got any facts to back that up?

 

[OllyW]

I've seen a few out there. Hang out in Barnes & Noble..you'll see people with them. Starbucks probably also,

Those sort of places are not really my scene, I'm more likely to be found in a pub.

 

[roadbloc]

PS. If you are adding "LTD" to your "Ignore" list, don't forget to add "KeriJane"!

Advice taken.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I wonder how many people have put LTD on their ignore list at this point. He is the only person on mine and I try to avoid using it since it seems to make threads hard to follow but I went threw and look threw some threads he posted in and really the only thing that was missing is what set the thread off topic with a troll post.

Knight is right. Nothing is lost by not seeing his post.

 

[RawBert]

Guys, please don't add *LTD* to your ignore lists. I like reading threads like these. I'll miss the retorts and angry replies. It's fun. Crazy fun.

 

[rhett7660]

I would say the same thing if someone made personal insults directed to Jobs, especially while trying to make a point. If you're trying to have a mature conversation, there's little room for childish name calling, regardless of who's the target of such behavior.

Yeah, both men (ballmer/jobs) won't care what someone calls them, but my point is keeping the discussions civil and beyond the 6th grade mentality.

I couldn't agree more................................

 

[KeriJane]

Guys, please don't add *LTD* to your ignore lists. I like reading threads like these. I'll miss the retorts and angry replies. It's fun. Crazy fun.

+1

Adding LTD to your ignore list will make for a boring MR experience.

If you do Ignore LTD, please add me too because I often "+1" LTD's posts and you wouldn't want to get second-hand LTD cooties, would you?

You'll be back in a few days or weeks.... Happy Ignore! .
BTW, I will say "I Told You So"

KeriJane's Ignore List = empty

Happy LTD Appreciation Day!
Have Fun,
Keri