Windows 7 is the cause of the nerfed iPad

[Lara F]

The "disappointment" comes from two camps, neither of which are demographic targets of the iPad. These dissenting groups being Xtreme Geeks and Apple H8TRS. Their complaints are easily dismissed -- like a 911 aficionado bitching about the Boxster with auto trans.

And once again, wanting simple backgrounding/multitasking and flash does NOT make me an Xtreme Geek. For crying out loud.

 

[Scooterman1]

The problem with the HP Tablet is they simply crammed a desktop OS into a Tablet form factor and added one or two whiz-bang programs to work with the stylus. This why Tablet PCs simply haven't caught on.

What I want is the ability to whip out the device, click it on, check an email or look up some fact in wikipedia all instantly. On the tablet PC I need to wait for 40 seconds or more till it loads, runs anti-virus blah blah blah.

I'm not planning on editing auto-cad drawings on my couch, or coding Java applications or editing my photo collection with Photoshop. The Tablet form factor simply does not lend itself well to FULL blown tasks... thus there is no demand and thus little popularity for Tablet PCs.

That said,
You are assuming all iTablet APPS must be trivial. Why? I'd say the Navigon App is a fairly sophisticated piece of software... why assume developers won't rise to the occasion?

Yeah, I too, have 3 Navigational Apps. If you have hours to load one each time they come up with an update. I.E. - Toy computers vs. Real. I love my iPhone, but for a computer, it's a Toy.
P.S.- And oh yes, I CAN run flash on the non-popular Tablet PC. Imagine that.

 

[jav6454]

Umm, no

Woof, Woof - Dawg

+1... Apple doesn't need a full blown tablet. All they need is something that sells and is, well as they put it, between iPhone and Mac lines.

 

[NT1440]

So you are basically saying that the core of this iPad effort is the middleman service business. If that was the case, then why do they have to sell it for so much? Why can't they sell it for like $299 or even less to make it comparible to netbooks? Afterall, if the goal is to make as much money as possible from "apps", then wouldn't it be better to have more ppl buy the iPad...perhaps even at a small loss?

Apple doesn't really make all that much from apps. Right now it seems they are after Mindshare, which will pay off massively down the road.

 

[lordhamster]

Yeah, I too, have 3 Navigational Apps. If you have hours to load one each time they come up with an update. I.E. - Toy computers vs. Real. I love my iPhone, but for a computer, it's a Toy.
P.S.- And oh yes, I CAN run flash on the non-popular Tablet PC. Imagine that.

Well then clearly the tasks you do are too intensive for the iPad. Congratulations. I'm sure there will continue to be plenty of Tablet PCs out there that can run your sophisticated applications. Meanwhile, for me I think the iPad will suffice and allow me to replace my netbook.

PS. My Circa 1999 Desktop with CRT monitor can run flash also, doesn't mean I want to lug it around with me everywhere just so I can have the pleasure of seeing banner ads in all their glory.

 

[jontucker]

Yeah, I too, have 3 Navigational Apps. If you have hours to load one each time they come up with an update. I.E. - Toy computers vs. Real. I love my iPhone, but for a computer, it's a Toy.
P.S.- And oh yes, I CAN run flash on the non-popular Tablet PC. Imagine that.

Do you happen to know how many TC1000s Compaq sold?

 

[lordhamster]

Do you happen to know how many TC1000s Compaq sold?

A fellow I work with all the time bought a similar unit from Toshiba. Day 1 he showed off the tablet mode and how he could write on the screen with the stylus. I've not seen him use it in any orientation other than the laptop orientation since.

 

[jontucker]

A fellow I work with all the time bought a similar unit from Toshiba. Day 1 he showed off the tablet mode and how he could write on the screen with the stylus. I've not seen him use it in any orientation other than the laptop orientation since.

I nearly bought a TC1000 about 4 or 5 years ago and I didn't because it was expensive for what it was and I didn't think it was a particularly good laptop or tablet.

Point is the iPad isn't trying to fill the space that the TC1000 did (or at least tried). I think Apple have seen a very small gap in the market and wedged the iPad in to it and in about 2 years time everyone will remember it as if it was a big gap and "what the hell did we do before this device existed???".

 

[lordhamster]

I nearly bought a TC1000 about 4 or 5 years ago and I didn't because it was expensive for what it was and I didn't think it was a particularly good laptop or tablet.

Point is the iPad isn't trying to fill the space that the TC1000 did (or at least tried). I think Apple have seen a very small gap in the market and wedged the iPad in to it and in about 2 years time everyone will remember it as if it was a big gap and "what the hell did we do before this device existed???".

I think you are absolutely right.

 

[rasmasyean]

Apple doesn't really make all that much from apps. Right now it seems they are after Mindshare, which will pay off massively down the road.

LOL, "Mindshare" is for MacTards and blogs that make money off serving pages full of Fanboi ranting and arguments. You can buy all the hype if you want, but the in reality, this isn't even 1% of the "users" out there. The overwhelming majority of people save their "loyalty" to non-computer-related "causes". From computing...they want functionality. Some want fashion or it to look nice, true, but that's far from "mindshare". Overwhelmingly, iPods are sported not by people who worship Steve Jobs. It's because at the time, it was the easiest and best music player for themselves...until something better comes along.

 

[jav6454]

LOL, "Mindshare" is for MacTards and blogs that make money off serving pages full of Fanboi ranting and arguments. You can buy all the hype if you want, but the in reality, this isn't even 1% of the "users" out there. The overwhelming majority of people save their "loyalty" to non-computer-related "causes". From computing...they want functionality. Some want fashion or it to look nice, true, but that's far from "mindshare". Overwhelmingly, iPods are sported not by people who worship Steve Jobs. It's because at the time, it was the easiest and best music player for themselves...until something better comes along.

Which is difficult to happen seeing as the industry keeps playing catch up to Steve and his company...

 

[rasmasyean]

Which is difficult to happen seeing as the industry keeps playing catch up to Steve and his company...

The iPod (and derivatives) is just one product of Apple. Apple was arround long before the iPod era. And within that time there were many products that Jobs would hope are forgoten. Unless you are one of those fanbois, you can see that Apple has no perfect track record. Just because the iPod and App / Music store is great...that doesn't mean it is guaranteed that every product that comes out from Apple is a guarantee superstar.

And more back to the topic, it does look to me that even the best iPad hopefuls here agree that Apple didn't want to make a full computer. I'm just saying that Windows 7 anticipation might have something to do with them skipping out on the Mac Tablet and comiing out with this "big iPod". Whether or not some of you "want" a Mac Tablet doesn't change the fact that people were clamoring for it. And it certainly doesn't change the fact that Apple didn't meet that demand and gave something nerfed.

 

[MacDawg]

The iPod (and derivatives) is just one product of Apple. Apple was arround long before the iPod era. And within that time there were many products that Jobs would hope are forgoten. Unless you are one of those fanbois, you can see that Apple has no perfect track record. Just because the iPod and App / Music store is great...that doesn't mean it is guaranteed that every product that comes out from Apple is a guarantee superstar.

And more back to the topic, it does look to me that even the best iPad hopefuls here agree that Apple didn't want to make a full computer. I'm just saying that Windows 7 anticipation might have something to do with them skipping out on the Mac Tablet and comiing out with this "big iPod". Whether or not some of you "want" a Mac Tablet doesn't change the fact that people were clamoring for it. And it certainly doesn't change the fact that Apple didn't meet that demand and gave something nerfed.

"Nerfed" in your mind, because you wanted something different

People were clamoring for it = some people wanted it, not all

If it had all of the functionality of my MBP, I wouldn't want or need it
I have my MBP

This is something different
It isn't because of some perceived fear of Windows 7 (ha, ha)

We get it, the iPad isn't a product for you
But it is for many others

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[jontucker]

The iPod (and derivatives) is just one product of Apple. Apple was arround long before the iPod era. And within that time there were many products that Jobs would hope are forgoten. Unless you are one of those fanbois, you can see that Apple has no perfect track record. Just because the iPod and App / Music store is great...that doesn't mean it is guaranteed that every product that comes out from Apple is a guarantee superstar.

And more back to the topic, it does look to me that even the best iPad hopefuls here agree that Apple didn't want to make a full computer. I'm just saying that Windows 7 anticipation might have something to do with them skipping out on the Mac Tablet and comiing out with this "big iPod". Whether or not some of you "want" a Mac Tablet doesn't change the fact that people were clamoring for it. And it certainly doesn't change the fact that Apple didn't meet that demand and gave something nerfed.

I really think that the Henry Ford quote that's been bandied around here lately sums it up well :- "If I had asked my customers what they want, they would have said a faster horse".

Full blown OSX (and Windows 7 probably, although I've never used it) just wouldn't work very well on a multitouch device.

 

[rasmasyean]

Do you happen to know how many TC1000s Compaq sold?

Older tablets were high tech for the time and they were expensive. Most were also fragile because of that twisting convertable thing. So you would get very low power at a high price just to have a touch screen. This served a nich application where some businesses would use it for like factory operations and things like that. But these were the industrial cased ones anyway.

But now costs are down and chips are smaller and batteries are a bit better than before. I don't think you can really compare those old machines to what will come out soon...Apple or non-Apple.

 

[jontucker]

Older tablets were high tech for the time and they were expensive. Most were also fragile because of that twisting convertable thing. So you would get very low power at a high price just to have a touch screen. This served a nich application where some businesses would use it for like factory operations and things like that. But these were the industrial cased ones anyway.

But now costs are down and chips are smaller and batteries are a bit better than before. I don't think you can really compare those old machines to what will come out soon...Apple or non-Apple.

Agreed but I also think the same applies to software. Times have changed.

 

[rasmasyean]

I really think that the Henry Ford quote that's been bandied around here lately sums it up well :- "If I had asked my customers what they want, they would have said a faster horse".

Full blown OSX (and Windows 7 probably, although I've never used it) just wouldn't work very well on a multitouch device.

That's a good quote.

Windows 7 is multi-touch btw. That's one of the main features and Microsoft had endorsed this research company into making a combo multi-touch / stylus screen years ago in order to have the technology available for production (arround this time I would guess).

 

[jontucker]

That's a good quote.

Windows 7 is multi-touch btw. That's one of the main features and Microsoft had endorsed this research company into making a combo multi-touch / stylus screen years ago in order to have the technology available for production (arround this time I would guess).

Ah ok, I abandoned MS when they release Vista so I am not up to speed on that!

 

[lordhamster]

That's a good quote.

Windows 7 is multi-touch btw. That's one of the main features and Microsoft had endorsed this research company into making a combo multi-touch / stylus screen years ago in order to have the technology available for production (arround this time I would guess).

That is assuming you could manage to hit the teeny tiny little X to close windows on a 10 inch screen with your finger. Or hit the start button without accidentally opening every application on the startbar.

 

[jontucker]

That is assuming you could manage to hit the teeny tiny little X to close windows on a 10 inch screen with your finger. Or hit the start button without accidentally opening every application on the startbar.

That was my thinking too. If you start with the issue of simply closing/minimising windows, it doesn't take long before you have something completely different from OSX (again, I don't know about W7)

 

[Chupa Chupa]

What amazes me is...... I have a Compaq Tablet TC1000 that has a 1 ghz processor and I bought it a few years back. It has a Touchscreen (use a pen, not fingers), has 512mb memory (will take 768MB), Running Windows XP Tablet PC, runs ALL of Windows Apps, I have the keyboard, The Tablet separates from the keyboard and is about 1/2 inch thick. It is GREAT because it runs full blown apps and has a Hard Drive of 30GB in it as it came. Here are some of the specs:

If that is the type of device Apple thought the world needed they would have come out with it. But those type of machines didn't and don't sell except to a slim demographic. It's nothing like the iPad so the comparison isn't really appropriate. Apple specifically omitted certain features for a reason, not because it wasn't possible.

 

[rasmasyean]

That was my thinking too. If you start with the issue of simply closing/minimising windows, it doesn't take long before you have something completely different from OSX (again, I don't know about W7)

Well...finger friendly apps are problem on OSX too. I would guess there would be a new market arround it. Just like there is supposed to be one arround the iPad. But that's prolly why they have the stylus combo plan. For those "little X" scenarios that haven't been "fingerized" by the developer.

 

[rasmasyean]

Ah ok, I abandoned MS when they release Vista so I am not up to speed on that!

Yeah. In some demos you can see someone plays a piano with 4 simultaneous keys. Not sure what the limit is, but I imagine it's a combo of software and hardware.

 

[Nebrie]

That's a good quote.

Windows 7 is multi-touch btw. That's one of the main features and Microsoft had endorsed this research company into making a combo multi-touch / stylus screen years ago in order to have the technology available for production (arround this time I would guess).

Lenovo has actually been shipping this kind of screen for a while now. Getting the pen out, putting it back, getting it back out, putting it back, and deciding over and over which input method is better gets old fast.

There is definitely a market for this, but it's primarily geeks and somewhat geeky students.

 

[pubwvj]

Camels

I think you're missing the camels nose.
It slipped under the tent.
Soon you're sleeping with it.
The iPod was the tip of the nose.
The iPhone/iPodTouch was the whole nose.
The iPad is the camel's head.
There is more to come...
Just wait.