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Kindle Fire catching up to Ipad (24.5% of all tablets sold)
- Thread starter EbookReader
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And I also don't think that the iPad, as it currently exists, replaces a current desktop/laptop computer. However, technologically speaking, I can see tablets evolving to the point where a device the size of a tablet will have the full functionality of current computers, and is a full computer when docked, and a lightweight mobile device to take with you when undocked.
As for you coming up with more and more complex setups needing cables, what's the point? How many people want that kind of a setup, and manage it themselves? I suppose there are always some techie people who enjoy messing with that kind of stuff, but most people who can afford and need that kind of stuff pay someone else to do it for them. If we start saying something is a toy because it doesn't fit the needs of some narrow niche uses, then most things in the world will be toys.
It's already here; Lenovo Yoga and Intel Cove Point tablet/ultrabook hybrids.
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/74168.html
http://cnettv.cnet.com/hands-lenovo-ideapad-yoga/9742-1_53-50118072.html
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/04/intel-cove-point-ultrabook-tablet-hybrid-running-windows-8/
It's quite obvious he knows very little about the iPad, its capabilities or even Mac's and Thunderbolt for that matter based of what he is describing regarding additional monitors.
I have now blocked him.
Those strike me as just lighter versions of all those Windows tablets Microsoft spent a decade trying to get people to buy, but they never caught on. Personally, I don't want a tablet with keyboard attached that flips open into a notebook, I want a tablet that is just the tablet when it's detached, and docks into a full "desktop" setup at home or the office. Full keyboard, big monitor, etc.
Refurbished Kindle Fire is $139 today only at Amazon. Awfully tempting.
I love my iPad, but the truth is, it's too heavy to always be comfortable. Oh well.
I love my iPad, but the truth is, it's too heavy to always be comfortable. Oh well.
This is the second time they've had it at that price and I've talked myself out of it both times (even though the cost is relatively trivial). I just can't see a need for it. I played with one over Thanksgiving weekend and it just didn't thrill me. I've come to rely on 3G and the need to have it in WiFi range just renders it useless for my needs.
If I had little kids I'd be all over it.
The difference now is MS is releasing its first real touch (and click) interface (Win8) so the hybrids will function like a tablet should.
Regarding the design, a hybrid would satisfy all four of my requirements: convenience of a tablet, fully capable laptop for business & travel, decent gaming platform, and a home PC replacement once a large monitor and full size keyboard is attached. Once I purchase the hybrid; I can retire all my overlapping computing devices (i.e., tablet, laptop, and PC). Lower overall cost and simplification of life; can't argue with those benefits.
It'd be interesting to see how Win8 performs once it's released. But for me, unless the keyboard is detachable, it doesn't have the full convenience of a tablet -- ie, just the screen, with no extra bulk or weight. And my gut feeling is that if I had a tablet with a detachable keyboard, the keyboard won't get much use. I can see how having a "notebook mode" would be important to some people, but in my current work situation, I don't have much need for that. What I'm looking for is a tablet with a docking mode to a full keyboard and monitor -- and perhaps Win8 will get there first. We'll see!
Sorry for the typo, I was thinking about my new (e-ink) Kindle Touch:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005890G8Y/ref=famstripe_kt
but wrote Kindle Fire (ips) ...my wifes favorite.
We've had every generation of Kindle since day one (and iPad also for that matter) and Kindles are truly great for reading (only).
Both of us really enjoy tablets' especially when kept for casual recreational use. If not for the vast amount of reading I do, I would simply have an iPad only.
As I stated earlier, from my perspective the iPad 3 I have, is far and away a very different device, even if it is a tablet form factor. I mainly use it for surfing the web and the occasional email.
That's largely because I still prefer my MBA for casual use, as opposed to my MBP which is for business and my photography hobby.
The first part of your post is 100% correct. But the iPad won't be it. The Windows 8 tablet will be it. That can be a tablet, run full Windows with an Intel processor, and it will have full I/O and KVM through a dock. Basically a successful, and larger version of what OLPC tried to do, and an extension of the current laptop/dock model.
Sure, 5TB of external drives, and three monitors is extreme, but needing an external drive, a few USB devices, and maybe one external monitor is not at all uncommon.
It's quite obvious he knows very little about the iPad, its capabilities or even Mac's and Thunderbolt for that matter based of what he is describing regarding additional monitors.
Clearly, I am an anti-Apple troll who owns an absolutely top-of-the-line iPhone, and a decked-out Macbook Pro. This is my third Apple laptop, and before the iPhone I had 4 iPods, not including the two that were stolen.
I'm a bit skeptical about Win8 delivering, especially the desktop part. It feels like they are trying to do too much too fast. But if it does work, great. I don't care who makes a tablet / desktop hybrid first, as long as someone does.
I think they can on the Intel side. Even if it is mediocre as a tablet, it will still be a PC when docked, and that's what will get it the market. I think it will embody the shift from laptop to desktop/tablet. Or maybe even have convertible models. It's been tried before and failed, but it usually takes Microsoft a few tries to get it right... I think this time they will really get it down. That, and newer, better hardware will help too....
Where Microsoft's going to run into issues with Windows 8 is their dual UI scheme. Metro works great on a touchscreen, not so much with a keyboard/mouse in a traditional desktop/notebook scenario. On the other hand, the "Aero" interface (which is really nothing more than a skinned instance of the Explorer shell running on top of Metro) works in very much the same manner as Windows 7 (except for the severely gimped Start menu, the inability to use the Windows key for anything other than switching between the Metro home screen and the last app opened). But this interface is just as frustrating to use on a tablet as Metro is on a desktop.
The ARM-based version of Windows 8 (now renamed Windows RT) abandons all ties to Windows 7 or earlier, and is a Metro-only version of the OS with its own version of Office (apps for x86 versions of Windows won't run at all here). So it's really not unifying anything, just forking Windows into a wholly separate branch.
At their CES Keynote, Microsoft presented Window 8 as the "no compromises operating system". But as this gets closer and closer to release, there are more and more compromises being made in terms of application support, third party addons for browsers, etc. From speaking to a lot of long-term users of Windows products, I get the sense that many people don't understand the new look or UI in Windows 8, and if people are already scratching their heads, Microsoft is going to face an uphill battle in terms of getting people to migrate from XP/Vista/Windows 7. Maybe Microsoft has hit upon something big here, but nobody will be able to answer that question until after Windows 8 is launched. I just have a feeling that Windows 8 will be the next ME or Vista...
The ARM-based version of Windows 8 (now renamed Windows RT) abandons all ties to Windows 7 or earlier, and is a Metro-only version of the OS with its own version of Office (apps for x86 versions of Windows won't run at all here). So it's really not unifying anything, just forking Windows into a wholly separate branch.
At their CES Keynote, Microsoft presented Window 8 as the "no compromises operating system". But as this gets closer and closer to release, there are more and more compromises being made in terms of application support, third party addons for browsers, etc. From speaking to a lot of long-term users of Windows products, I get the sense that many people don't understand the new look or UI in Windows 8, and if people are already scratching their heads, Microsoft is going to face an uphill battle in terms of getting people to migrate from XP/Vista/Windows 7. Maybe Microsoft has hit upon something big here, but nobody will be able to answer that question until after Windows 8 is launched. I just have a feeling that Windows 8 will be the next ME or Vista...
I often wonder why so many people have a burning desire to create comparisons. While some are reasonable & share enough similarities for a relevant comparison, others are a bit far fetched.
Current trends reveal that the rapidly emerging tablet market is huge. In addition it provides a demand for devices at several price points and sizes.
Speaking of the present moment only, Apple has but one size and prices in increments depending on configuration. Therefore I see it as the predominant, full featured, superior tablet in the sector.
Due to the wide gap in size, price & performance, from my perspective comparing it to a Kindle Fire or Touch is an odd pairing. Nonetheless, it's those differences, especially price, that will eventually allow Amazon to sell more tablets than Apple.
Should Apple take advantage of it's expertise and build a smaller iPad, all bets are off. It's highly likely that two iPads to choose from will leave the other brands to secure second place at best.
Current trends reveal that the rapidly emerging tablet market is huge. In addition it provides a demand for devices at several price points and sizes.
Speaking of the present moment only, Apple has but one size and prices in increments depending on configuration. Therefore I see it as the predominant, full featured, superior tablet in the sector.
Due to the wide gap in size, price & performance, from my perspective comparing it to a Kindle Fire or Touch is an odd pairing. Nonetheless, it's those differences, especially price, that will eventually allow Amazon to sell more tablets than Apple.
Should Apple take advantage of it's expertise and build a smaller iPad, all bets are off. It's highly likely that two iPads to choose from will leave the other brands to secure second place at best.
But if it's a mediocre tablet, then I doubt I'll use it much as a tablet, so why bother? What I want is an excellent tablet that will function as an okay desktop when docked. Sure, there might be a market for a mediocre tablet that works as a PC when docked, but IMO it'll need to be priced significantly cheaper than notebooks in order to convince people to pick that over a notebook. And I know I won't be part of that market no matter what the price. Until I get a hybrid device that is a superb tablet and a good desktop, I'll be content with lugging my iPad and MacBook Air.
What a load of **** I use my iPad for pages for essays I type slightly faster on the iPad because of the autocorrect,safari and tabs,copy/paste any diagrams for science,Ligh,Fast and its AMAZING for my college.
I have a MacBook Pro early 2011 also and for work the iPad is used MUCH more,Look just because YOU cant pull it of doesn't mean others can't
It is a "toy" for YOU not for me.
it does not have enough fetures for YOU it (nearly) does for me.
The information between the Kindle Fire and the iPad sales makes sense since the Kindle fire provides a device in a target market and target price that people are obviously interested in.
There needs to be a product for everyone and the iPad won't satisfy everyone's needs. It's good that the Kindle Fire exists to satisfy those who find it useful and affordable for their needs. The iPad has overwhelming dominance in the premium tablet market segment so there should be something for everyone. I'm happy for Amazon for stepping up their game.
There needs to be a product for everyone and the iPad won't satisfy everyone's needs. It's good that the Kindle Fire exists to satisfy those who find it useful and affordable for their needs. The iPad has overwhelming dominance in the premium tablet market segment so there should be something for everyone. I'm happy for Amazon for stepping up their game.
If you've ever played with a Kindle fire, you'll soon come to realize that it wasn't very well designed = you rest it on anything in portrait mode and you turn the thing off (way to go design team)!
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Google for "iPad vs Cray". Jack Dongarra who has been running the semiannual "Top 500 Supercomputer" list has tested it and found that the iPad 2 beat a four core Cray 2, which would have put it into a very good position in the 1985 "Top 500 Supercomputer" list.
But the desktop is where the higher standards are. I think there is still a lot to define in the market. Maybe iPad + laptop/desktop will work out, and not dockable Win 8 tablet. But for dockable to work, it's got to do a really amazing job as a desktop.
You should learn how to type and use a computer. The iPad would be pretty crappy for writing then. Also, no Microsoft word, so that's a non-starter right there.
If you've ever played with a Kindle fire, you'll soon come to realize that it wasn't very well designed = you rest it on anything in portrait mode and you turn the thing off (way to go design team
The keyboard is also the most painful thing I have just about ever used, short of maybe cursor-based cable box keyboards. I never do email on it, it's faster to do it on the iPhone. It's great for books and Angry Birds though.