Tablets ARE coming...but iPad will not dominate

[samcraig]

When people catch on to the fact the people dont need a full OS in a tablet package, theyll begin making products like the iPad.

How long before we see a ZuneXL, or some sort of sony vaio Plus??

^^ Might have to make some sort of rendering of that, would be an interesting product i think.

Apple has opened a new hole, a tablet industry with tablet specific OS's

Mike

I personally wouldn't want to see the industry move to a closed and proprietary system with their products. No thanks.

It's funny. There have been lawsuits against computer software and computer manufacturers for "forcing" software on their customers yet no one seems to have a problem with Apple.

I'm not ranting against Apple. I'm simply stating that a closed system is NOT advantageous - especially if all devices go in that direction.

 

[WytRaven]

I predict a swift dose of buyer remorse when the "other" tablets hit the market. Note I am not referring to remorse amongst iPad owners.

That is when all you who think you want a desktop OS on a tablet will find out why you actually don't...

 

[*LTD*]

I'm simply stating that a closed system is NOT advantageous - especially if all devices go in that direction.

Except that, apparently, it most certainly is.

When you respond in threads, do you base your response on reality, or just your personal opinion and what you *wish* will happen?

 

[samcraig]

Except that, apparently, it most certainly is.

When you respond in threads, do you base your response on reality, or just your personal opinion and what you *wish* will happen?

Advantageous to the end user. No.

 

[*LTD*]

Advantageous to the end user. No.

What are you talking about??

End-users seem to love it. iPhone record sales quarter after quarter, developers lining up to the App Store, over 140,000 apps and 3 billion downloads.

What "advantages" would I be looking for with another model? So far no "open" model out there equals Apple's ecosystem. Consumers are eating it up.

 

[cakbar]

Actually...I JUST got a telegram from God. He says they aren't. Sorry.

Steve Jobs sent you a telegram???

 

[danny_w]

I think as many here have said that the iPad, despite what we on MacRumors may think, will sell in the millions because it is targeted at the average consumer, not at geeks like us. However I also think that it will be returned in the millions just as soon as those same consumers get it home, log onto Facebook, and discover that they can't play Mafia Wars or Farmville. The average consumer may not know what Flash is at the moment, but they will soon find out when many of their favorite sites fail to work. These same people won't care about all of your technical excuses either. If it doesn't work, then it doesn't work.

 

[samcraig]

What are you talking about??

End-users seem to love it. iPhone record sales quarter after quarter, developers lining up to the App Store, over 140,000 apps and 3 billion downloads.

What "advantages" would I be looking for with another model? So far no "open" model out there equals Apple's ecosystem. Consumers are eating it up.

And some of the brightest, smartest and revolutionary developers have LEFT the marketplace because of how closed the infrastructure and ecosystem are.

Whatever - I'm not having this debate. I've stated my opinion and you've stated yours and we just don't agree.

 

[zemzabob]

Steve Jobs sent you a telegram???

Score

Cakbar 1

Drtyrell 0

lol

 

[*LTD*]

And some of the brightest, smartest and revolutionary developers have LEFT the marketplace because of how closed the infrastructure and ecosystem are.

Whatever - I'm not having this debate. I've stated my opinion and you've stated yours and we just don't agree.

Meaningless when so many MORE "brightest, smartest and revolutionary" developers are staying.

And those that left are coming right back to get in on the iPad (i.e., Joe Hewitt.) Developers will come and go. For every one that leaves, hundreds more join. The averages are stacked in Apple's favour.

 

[mstrze]

However I also think that it will be returned in the millions just as soon as those same consumers get it home, log onto Facebook, and discover that they can't play Mafia Wars or Farmville.

LOL! Farmville is going to bring down the iPad! Thanks for the laugh.

Too bad Flash is already dying a slow death and is beginning to be phased out.

The way I see is how a lot of people see it: Ipad fills an in-between niche. It's a larger iPhone and a lot of people LOVE using the iPhone for web-surfing and the like as well as those billions of App downloads we are talking about. It's got a larger screen...can function like a Kindle for book and magazine reading...and it does some work functionality like using the iWork apps.

It's cheaper than a laptop...of course doesn't have the full functionality of a laptop, but it doesn't have to. It uses an OS that is suited for what it is. Some may say perfectly suited. There are a lot of people who will find the iPad exactly suited for their situation.

Look, who would have thought that millions would buy a Kindle for what? 300-400 bucks to be able to just read books??? I still have no idea why anyone would have purchased ANY 'book reader' devices, but here we stand with tons of them in the hands of people. The iPad does this and so much more for a fairly competitive price (when compared to Kindle).

 

[anthonymoody]

All you guys saying the iPad is not a computer make me laugh. I'll happily be using mine as my primary machine. See you in a year when millions will be doing the same.

 

[samcraig]

Too bad Flash is already dying a slow death and is beginning to be phased out.


Look, who would have thought that millions would buy a Kindle for what? 300-400 bucks to be able to just read books???

Beginning to be phased out perhaps - but flash isn't going anywhere for several years. Several.

And yes - initially the Kindle went for what - 399? Now it's 259. I was surprised people would buy a Kindle for 399 as well. Just like I'd be surprised if people bought an iPad for 499 JUST to read books. Which is why even though the iPad can do a LOT more - undeniably - the price point is very expensive for those that are JUST looking for an eBook reader. As you, yourself stated who would have ever thought that would be the case - but there it is. And you can argue that there wasn't an alternative. I'll argue that $499 isn't an expense some people want to spend regardless of functionality. It's a luxury item. So is the Kindle.

I actually think the Kindle or any dedicated eBook reader is a great GIFT. Because without having to spend the 250 or so bucks, you have one and then can read books for relatively inexpensively compared to buying and toting around the books. The "savings" you get from buying books (at least now) isn't that much. It would take a LONG time to "realize" a savings over just buying physical copies.

But I digress...

 

[mstrze]

Beginning to be phased out perhaps - but flash isn't going anywhere for several years. Several.

.... The "savings" you get from buying books (at least now) isn't that much. It would take a LONG time to "realize" a savings over just buying physical copies...

Yes...it may take several years for it to entirely disappear, but any smart web designer will see a HUGE segment of the market (25% of all smartphones and who knows how many iPads?) can't see Flash content and will program their sites with that in mind. It's done now as every browser and platform has its quirks so different code is added to make the web browsing experience work for all. Web programmers are already adding non-Flash alternatives....YouTube being one of the largest to effectively eliminate Flash.

My saving from buying books on a Kindle and the like will likely NEVER match the real-world savings as we get 90% of our books from the local "Half-Price Bookstore". LOL

 

[anthonymoody]

Advantageous to the end user. No.

The advantage I think you're missing Sam is the one that Apple has done a remarkable job with: it allows them to control (and yes, I said control) the overall experience.

The OSX experience >>> the Windows experience (and yes, I've used multiple machines on both platforms for many many years. And that's with OSX, which Apple cannot control as closely as they can the iPhone OS and related app experience.

The iPhone experience >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Android, Pre, WinMo, BB experience, which are themselves in varying degrees and ways open or closed. The most open, Android, even on Google's own Nexus One, does not provide an overall experience to rival that of the iPhone (yes I've used one).

So long as Apple continues to use the ability to control the hardware, OS, and app experience in a way that provides a better overall end user experience (and I'm talking for the masses) then yes, it is decidedly an advantage.

When i hold another phone that's better than the iPhone I will admit it. Same with the iPad eventually. I don't see it happening anytime soon.

 

[richpjr]

The only thing worse than making bold predictions about whether or not something will sell is people who actually bookmark or ical predictions so they can come back a year later to try and rub some anonymous posters nose in it a year later. Seriously, this is pathetic. I thought only the 12 year olds running MacDailyNews did that when anyone dares to write something negative about Apple.

 

[bobob]

The only thing worse than making bold predictions about whether or not something will sell is people who actually bookmark or ical predictions so they can come back a year later to try and rub some anonymous posters nose in it a year later. Seriously, this is pathetic. I thought only the 12 year olds running MacDailyNews did that when anyone dares to write something negative about Apple.

The anti-accountability squad is on the scene!

 

[laserfox]

Apple will most likely go with their standard tactic of creating a category that never existed before, classify the iPad in that category and claim victory. Sorta like America holding a Mr. Universe contest and not bothering to invite the other planets.

hahahahaha I found this hilarious as I am now reading the new Hitchiker's Guide book by Eoin Coifer and this would have fit quite nicely into Douglas Adams humor.

I agree with the OP in way, I can't see people adopting the iPad the way iPods were adopted. However it will be a success in the sense that it will sell just enough to see future revisions and ultimately the perfect tablet.

As for now, this is simply an expensive, oversized media player, NOT a tablet COMPUTER

 

[admanimal]

snip BS rant.

Nice job setting up your argument so that you're right whether the iPad fails (what you say you think will happen) or is a huge success (what you really think will happen).

 

[PhoneI]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

I agree. Apple is too arrogant now amd the

ipad is the result. We wanted a computer
but Apple gave us a media reader.

define a computer?

 

[Lesser Evets]

With the rumored Windows tablet that Steve Balmer has been avoiding for months TRULY drawing dropped jaws from Apple devotees, it is clear that Apple missed the mark in nearly every conceivable way.

I know.

EVERYONE is talking about that Windows tablet. EVERYONE.

No one is talking about or interested in the iPad. NO ONE.

This thread is an abomination.

 

[richpjr]

The anti-accountability squad is on the scene!

I prefer to think of it as the "Get a life" squad.

 

[Hankster]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 3_1_2 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/528.18 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile/7D11 Safari/528.16)

I agree. Apple is too arrogant now amd the

ipad is the result. We wanted a computer
but Apple gave us a media reader.

A media reader that can't display 75% of online video.

 

[samcraig]

A media reader that can't display 75% of online video.

Yes - but 100 percent of the video they sell through their iTunes. So it's a win-win for them, no?

 

[bossxii]

A media reader that can't display 75% of online video.

The part you seem to forget is a large portion of that 75% of video (aside from Hulu) is user made crap that few people watch. Sites such as ESPN, CNN, and news outlets have created an APP that streams video to our iPhone, and will do the same to the iPad. TV.com app can view streams from sites like CBS.com, NBC.com etc... If they want the 75 million user base of iPhones and IPT's to watch their content they will make an app. Simple as that.

Online video just like the 140k apps. 95% of it is trash.