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Bill Gates on iPad: "It's a Nice Reader, But..."

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macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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BNET's Brent Schlender recently spoke with Microsoft founder Bill Gates about Apple's new iPad tablet device in order to get a feel for the thoughts of the man behind Apple's longtime rival and whose company introduced the "Tablet PC" concept nearly a decade ago. According to Schlender, Gates remains relatively unimpressed with the iPad, especially compared to his feelings about the iPhone when it was first introduced in 2007.
"You know, I'm a big believer in touch and digital reading, but I still think that some mixture of voice, the pen and a real keyboard - in other words a netbook - will be the mainstream on that," he said. "So, it's not like I sit there and feel the same way I did with iPhone where I say, 'Oh my God, Microsoft didn't aim high enough.' It's a nice reader, but there's nothing on the iPad I look at and say, 'Oh, I wish Microsoft had done it.'"
Click to expand...
While the iPad has certainly seen criticism that some may see as warranted, it is unclear whether Gates truly sees the device as merely a "reader" while ignoring its Internet and media capabilities as well as the App Store offerings available to it. Alternatively, he may view the reader capability of the iPad as its most important and well-done offering, or even simply have been searching for a generic term for the device while not wishing to place it in the same category as traditional tablet computers.

Article Link: Bill Gates on iPad: "It's a Nice Reader, But..."
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/02/11/bill-gates-on-ipad-its-a-nice-reader-but/
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UmichAg

macrumors member
Feb 26, 2008
94
19
He's right

There's so much potential with this device, yet Apple limited its functionality.

For example, why not give it a stylus so that students could write/draw notes while in class or for artists to create a drawing?
 
jmoore5196

jmoore5196

macrumors 6502a
May 19, 2009
840
340
Russellville AR
The man may be a wonderful entrepreneur and philanthropist, but I still don't believe a word he says.

Anyone who would knowingly ship out a product with hundreds of thousands of defects just isn't credible in my book ... particularly when he's judging the efforts of someone who continually surpasses his company's offerings.
 
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ale500

macrumors regular
Jul 9, 2007
229
7
I am gald m$ did not do that... ops... yes they did it ! (windows mobile devices?)... they added a reset button....

Apple: handwriting recognition... do not forget it! :apple:
 
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ericinboston

macrumors 68020
Jan 13, 2008
2,005
476
1)Obviously Bill isn't going to say "Doh! I wish WE did that! Man, Apple's gonna kill us in innovation and sales!"

2)I think he's partially right...I think the iPad is "nice" but is not innovative in any way...to the non-technical people out there (so 90% of the consumers) it's essentially a larger iPhone or iPod Touch that now supports book reading (mainly due to it's size like the Kindle).


I think Rev 2 or higher of the iPad may offer some compelling reasons to buy, but for me and folks that I talk/hang out with (who do or do not have an iPhone or a Touch) there's nothing super compelling about it or "magical' as Apple calls it.
 
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inlovewithi

macrumors 6502a
Sep 23, 2009
615
0
I recently decided to watch some Bill Gates videos on youtube, including that one even where he's with Steve Jobs, and boy, he's sounds very nerdy, but he's a really good communicator.
 
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PhoneI

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2008
1,629
619
I think it will be a big success. Lets see who is right, me or the founder of Microsoft.
 
ChazUK

ChazUK

macrumors 603
Feb 3, 2008
5,393
25
Essex (UK)
UmichAg said:
There's so much potential with this device, yet Apple limited its functionality.

For example, why not give it a stylus so that students could write/draw notes while in class or for artists to create a drawing?
Click to expand...

I would guess that any capacitive stylus would work on the iPad. I have no reason to think it wouldn't! :)
 
Buschmaster

Buschmaster

macrumors 65816
Feb 12, 2006
1,306
27
Minnesota
UmichAg said:
There's so much potential with this device, yet Apple limited its functionality.

For example, why not give it a stylus so that students could write/draw notes while in class or for artists to create a drawing?
Click to expand...
Because you can get a notebook for about 10 cents at Target. Typing is so much faster than writing, I don't understand why students would want to write on their computers.
 
darbus69

darbus69

macrumors regular
Mar 3, 2009
228
36
gates...

WHO DAT?

the iPad will become the magical device stevo promised, wait and see.
 
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inlovewithi

macrumors 6502a
Sep 23, 2009
615
0
jmoore5196 said:
The man may be a wonderful entrepreneur and philanthropist, but I still don't believe a word he says.

Anyone who would knowingly ship out a product with hundreds of thousands of defects just isn't credible in my book ... particularly when he's judging the efforts of someone who continually surpasses his company's offerings.
Click to expand...

And you judge that by the comments that you read from Mac users who have very, very little experience with Windows.
 
*LTD*

*LTD*

macrumors G4
Feb 5, 2009
10,703
1
Canada
"So, it's not like I sit there and feel the same way I did with iPhone where I say, 'Oh my God, Microsoft didn't aim high enough.' It's a nice reader, but there's nothing on the iPad I look at and say, 'Oh, I wish Microsoft had done it.'"

"There's nothing that the iPod does that I say, 'Oh, wow, I don't think we can do that.'" - Bill Gates, September 02, 2004


bill+gates.jpg
 
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Simon R.

macrumors 6502
Sep 25, 2006
408
131
darbus69 said:
WHO DAT?

the iPad will become the magical device stevo promised, wait and see.
Click to expand...

Maybe in a few years after Steve realizes that a blown up iPhone isn't enough to sell it. But right now there is nothing "magical" about it. Frankly I think that is the most lame term I have even seen Apple using to promote a new device. I guess they couldn't fine any real, concrete ways of describing what is it good for - instead, let's just call it "magical".
 
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ericinboston

macrumors 68020
Jan 13, 2008
2,005
476
flopticalcube said:
He is comparing to a netbook which is wrong, I have come to realize. Two different things suited to different people.
Click to expand...
I agree...yet many consumers will compare it, for numerous reasons, to a netbook or inexpensive laptop. And at the end of the day before the consumer buys, he/she is going to assess what he/she will NEED to do with the device. Some will buy the iPad, some will buy a netbook/laptop.

flopticalcube said:
Most people consume, not create so a keyboard and fine grain input (pen) is not necessary for its purpose.
Click to expand...

And what are you doing on this board? Typing. What about when you reply to emails? Go into your online banking to make changes? Type in a new web address? Write up a quick Word or Excel doc? Title a filename? Chat with an online friend? Create a new folder on your hard drive?

Typing is gonna be here for a long time. I understand nobody has used/touched the iPad yet so we can't really comment on the virtual keyboard.


-Eric
 
H

Henriok

macrumors regular
Feb 19, 2002
226
14
Gothenburg, Sweden
So Microsoft aimed when they made Windows Mobile or Tablet PC? He could've fooled me since they didn't hit anything.. And when they created the Netbook segment? Ah, no.. those were made thanks to Linux in spite of Microsoft who as an afterthought managed to shoe horn in Windows 7 with the same software as a larger laptop.

Microsoft seems more and more like a zombie, drooling around hitting everything in its path. If nothing crosses its path they are just stumbling in the dark without any purpose or plan, trying to stay relevant best they can.
 
Dwalls90

Dwalls90

macrumors 603
Feb 5, 2009
5,428
4,416
Gee, doesn't this sound familiar .. wasn't there some other upper level Microsoft exec. that claimed the iPhone would fail too? I think the iPad is a great concept, the first iteration is just too limited functionality-wise and costly based on what you're getting.
 
Porco

Porco

macrumors 68040
Mar 28, 2005
3,318
6,927
It's not that anyone can't do the same thing it's that they don't.
 
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