Analyst Suggests 'Tablet Cannibalization' Responsible for Shrinking U.S. Notebook Retail Sales

[alexkhan2000]

Everyone's got opinions and their own reasons for one. I don't own an iPad or the iPhone but have fiddled with both quite a bit (friends' and at the Apple Stores). I can live without an iPhone (and have all this time) but definitely want the next generation iPad. It's whatever works for you. Why denigrate someone else's preference just because it doesn't work for you?

 

[DakotaGuy]

The best "tablet" out there is the iphone. The ipad is a bloated iphone that doesn't have phone capability or a camera or facetime capability. Thus, the iphone does what the ipad does in a more convenient form factor and then some. And as you pointed out, it can not replace the funcionality of a computer. The point? It is not the best at anything.

The biggest difference is the screen size. Not everyone wants to sit and squint at a 3.5" display. The iPad has a big display that is nice and easy to use. The whole user experience is much better on the iPad then a smart phone with a much smaller screen.

 

[doodude]

To the question at hand, my wife LOVEs her iPad. She is not a savvy electronics type & finds the desktop &/or 2 laptops i have a pain when all she wants to do is check the sports scores, the library for her books or find out the life span of a humming bird.
I'm actually amazed at how often she is on her iPad even for just a couple of minutes at a time. I think she is finally realizing 1st hand how great the internet can be & that it's not just all about porn, spam & virus's.
That alone is worth the cost to me...

 

[AidenShaw]

I'm actually amazed at how often she is on her iPad even for just a couple of minutes at a time. I think she is finally realizing 1st hand how great the internet can be & that it's not just all about porn, spam & virus's.

You need to show her the really good porn....

 

[firewood]

You will always need a phone. You will always need a computer.

An iPad is a computer. Grandma wants to sit in her comfy easy chair when doing computing tasks such as email, web browsing, etc. and she can barely see an iPhone, much less do any extensive ebook reading with one, even with her reading glasses. And she probably has more money stashed away than you. And there are more like her every year.

Joe Office Worker has a computer. 1000's of them. They're all locked up in the corporate server rooms. He only needs a remote viewer (RDP, VNC, VMWare, Citrix, etc.) to see all the apps that corporate IT allows him to see, and ends up with a computer far more powerful than a MacBook. An iPad is perfect for that. Far less security worries even with many thousands of laptops stolen every year.

 

[firewood]

The best "tablet" out there is the iphone.

Only if you can read the microscopic text on one. How old are you?

 

[RobertMartens]

Just for the record, what are we talking about?

Copied and pasted from "the internet"


What's The Difference Between Laptop and Notebook Computers?

Most people use the terms notebook and laptop computer interchangably. Once it's not sitting on top of your desk every portable computer instantly becomes a notebook or laptop regardless of its configuration or individual specification. There are, however, some very big differences between notebook and laptop computers and it's important that you're aware of these differences during the buying process.



This article is being written on a laptop computer as a matter of coincidence but let's get to the meat of the article and explain the basic differences that you need to be aware of.

Let's look at the notebook computer first.

The Notebook Computer
A standard notebook has the following features:

1. Ultralight. Less weight is better.

2. 4 - 5 hour battery life.

3. No internal floppy drive.

4. Minimal graphics subsystem.

5. No internal DVD or CD system.

6. 12" - 14" TFT screen.

7. Low profile (thin).

8. Integrated modem and network connection.

9. Smallest possible keyboard that retains functionality.

10. Low power consumption Celeron/Centrino or Sempron style processor.



In essence a notebook computer is designed to provide mobile computing that won't break your back yet still offer all the power the mobile users requires for work and some leisure pursuits. This portability normally comes at a price. The level of minituarization involved comes at a cost and high end notebooks can prove to be quite expensive.

The Laptop Computer
Now for the laptop computer. Again look at the name. A laptop is designed to sit on your lap and you can therefore expect it to be quite large and loaded down with features and power. The

The standard laptop computer would have some ,if not all, of the following features:

1. 14" - 17" (widescreen) TFT screen.

2. Nvidia GeForce or ATI Radeon graphics subsystem.

3. Internal DVD-ROM or DVD-RW drive

4. Large full featured keyboard.

5. 3 hour+ battery life.

6. Upgradeable.

7. Integrated modem, network, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities.

8. High quality integrate audio and speaker system.

9. Low power consumption, high performance Intel Centrino style processor.

From reading the above information you'll see that the notebook is the exact opposite of the laptop. Notebooks offer reasonable power and extreme portability. Laptops are designed to be capable of replacing an entire desktop PC if necessary whilst still offering desktop performance in a mobile platform. Hopefully this article has helped clear up the differences between both classes of portable computers. As time and technology moves on the line between laptop and notebook will continue to blur but for right now it's still clearly defined and driven by the demands of the portable computer market.

 

[RobertMartens]

Further, at least with apple, seems you can't play around with programing on their new devices without forking out $99 to get development projects to work on it with Xcode, in my case an ipod touch.

I can't believe you are whining about the 99 dollar developer fee.

They give you Xcode for free and you can program all you like on the FREE simulator. Only pay the fee when you are ready to release your app to the app store.

Was CodeWarrior free, no they wanted at least 150 dollars every year to stay current.

And there was no easy way to market your program after you made it.

 

[*LTD*]

The iPad is getting untold amounts of play and publicity here. Now people will actually start the comparisons in earnest and the iPad just might become responsible for a good degree of cannibalization. The BB spokesman is helping a helluva lot when it comes to iPad sales, exaggerated comments or not. Another Apple product that is somehow responsible for something drastic happening in the industry, based on a prior exaggeration. Mindshare is golden.

 

[(marc)]

I'm surprised that the lack of a real keyboard isn't an issue to so many people. For me, that's the number one reason I wouldn't get an iPad.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

iPad =

word processing
e-mail
web-surfing
games
spreadsheets
presentations
photo editing
image creation/painting/drawing
navigation

Just to name a few . . .

Rolling your eyes means you're either out of touch, or fighting the future, or both.

wow you really believe that.... You really can not be that blindly clueless.

Go a month as iPad only. You are not allowed to touch a computer for anything and get back to me.

I have a feeling you will quickly change you mind.

 

[BaldiMac]

I'm surprised that the lack of a real keyboard isn't an issue to so many people. For me, that's the number one reason I wouldn't get an iPad.

That's because you can use a real keyboard with an iPad.

 

[firewood]

Go a month as iPad only. You are not allowed to touch a computer for anything and get back to me.

An iPad can do a lot more for me than an IBM 360, which is absolutely a real computer.

And not touching a computer would have to include not touching the car, microwave, cell phone, thermostat, TV, DVD player, camera, guitar tuner, ipod, kid's talking teddy bear toy, bank ATM, even the automatic security doors at work, they all contain computers.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

An iPad can do a lot more for me than an IBM 360, which is absolutely a real computer.

And not touching a computer would have to include not touching the car, microwave, cell phone, thermostat, TV, DVD player, camera, guitar tuner, ipod, kid's talking teddy bear toy, bank ATM, even the automatic security doors at work, they all contain computers.

let me refresh that. Go a month with out using a full laptop, netbook or desktop computer.

 

[montycat]

iPad =

word processing
e-mail
web-surfing
games
spreadsheets
presentations
photo editing
image creation/painting/drawing
navigational

Just to name a few . . .

Rolling your eyes means you're either out of touch, or fighting the future, or both.

My GF loves her iPad. She rarely touches her net book anymore. She uses her iPad for most of the tasks you named. She uses Pages and Numbers all the time. She is a kidney transplant nurse and uses her iPad for work and personal enjoyment. I've been seeing many iPads around the hospital lately.

 

[firewood]

let me refresh that. Go a month with out using a full laptop, netbook or desktop computer.

That would be trivially easy if I could afford a couple new XServes for my server closet. That's in fact how 2 large corporations I've consulted for do it. No desktop computer or notebooks to be seen. The servers rooms are like supercomputer centers. Everything else is virtualized. iPads make great thin clients.

 

[firewood]

let me refresh that. Go a month with out using a full laptop, netbook or desktop computer.

Why would that be any more relavent then you going a month without your car? Different people use different computers for different tasks. Some people don't drive. You do. If you have a newer car, it's a distributed multiprocessor computer.

 

[*LTD*]

download and view files from the web via Downloads app, iCab browser, etc.
e-mail
general web surfing/YouTube
iWork
photo editing
reading books/pdfs
access to my iDisk content

iTeleport VNC.

printing

Evernote

edit/view Word and Excel files

paying bills through the TD Canada Trust app
viewing bills in same
The Rogers app helps, too

And access to App store apps for all of my needs, from music to productivity.

Easier than I thought. Some of you need to visit the App Store a little more often.

 

[robotmonkey]

Only if you can read the microscopic text on one. How old are you?

I don't know why that matters I mean I have 20/20 so I don't have special eyes or something. I find smaller text on a retina display as easy to read as a book, and larger text on an iPad like looking at a digital display (i.e. Eye fatigue).

I'd like to point out that I am doing this from my iPhone and I can type on this faster than I can with a normal physical keyboard, but in portrait the ipad's keyboard is too big for thumbs and in landscape it is too small for hands.

 

[robotmonkey]

You haven't actually tried any of these things, right? Sharing a cheap laptop in a meeting doesn't happen well, because of viewing angles and unwieldiness. You end up with people piling on top of each other. The iPad passes/swivels around like a piece of paper, which has been done in such a situation for decades. Far more usable.

You are what, 1/6 of all posts in this thread? That belies this statement. Relax. We get it, now. You can stop bashing the product. The funny part is that you understood how it works for one app, maps I believe you said, but are firmly of the opinion that no other app could be useful. You haven't even given the device a chance.

But who cares about your usage? Just stop the incessant bashing. You've bored the rest of us.

Idk about you, but I think it is common courtesy to reply when someone asks a question and common sense to do so when you are attacked.

I have never bashed any product here.

Example of bashing the iPad/it's users: the iPad is STUPID. I can't believe people buy that crap.

Example of structured critique (what I do): the iPad does not serve purpose x best for reasons a, b, and c.

 

[*LTD*]

Only if you can read the microscopic text on one. How old are you?

iPhone 4 + Retina Display + iBooks = beautiful, clean, sharp text that's easy on the eyes. And you can adjust the size.

It's *very* comfy. Try it sometime. I love it.

Example of bashing the iPad/it's users: the iPad is STUPID. I can't believe people buy that crap.

Fair enough. But I can barely put it down. It's the future. It's where tech is going. It's what MS and the also-rans are trying furiously to copy/emulate/rip-off, you name it.

You might just find yourself marginalized before long. But if that's alright with you, hey, more power to you.

 

[robotmonkey]

iPhone 4 + Retina Display + iBooks = beautiful, clean, sharp text that's easy on the eyes. And you can adjust the size.

It's *very* comfy. Try it sometime. I love it.




Fair enough. But I can barely put it down. It's the future. It's where tech is going. It's what MS and the also-rans are trying furiously to copy/emulate/rip-off, you name it.

You might just find yourself marginalized before long. But if that's alright with you, hey, more power to you.

I think it is a great idea but was implemented poorly. Same as the new apple tv.

 

[Burger Thing]

I don't know why that matters I mean I have 20/20 so I don't have special eyes or something. I find smaller text on a retina display as easy to read as a book, and larger text on an iPad like looking at a digital display (i.e. Eye fatigue).

I'd like to point out that I am doing this from my iPhone and I can type on this faster than I can with a normal physical keyboard, but in portrait the ipad's keyboard is too big for thumbs and in landscape it is too small for hands.

Fair enough: your milage does vary. Personally I like my iPad and I tend to use my iPhone less and less.

I like the bigger screen, especially for:

1. reading our big company manuals with lots of illustrations. The iPhone's display (while very sharp) is too small for me for long term reading. I can concentrate better when I stare/read on a bigger screen.
2. web surfing. It is not only about reading, but also about hitting links. On the iPhone i have to hit links on a microscopic level - and I have big fingers
3. games: my wife and me often play games on the iPad and we never do that with the iPhone because it is just too weird to stare/hit things on a small screen
   
4. and yes, for passing around pictures in the family. For example my grandfather would never able to see pictures in clear view on a iPhone. The screen is too small for him. On an iPad it is much easier for older people.
   
5. typing: i HATE typing text messages on my iPhone. My fingers are relatively big and it is much easier for me to type anything on my iPad. I actually find the virtual keyboard on the iPad fantastic.

There is also a lot of educational software for kids on the iPad available. For example, when kids have to press a picture and then the sound and the name of an animal will be audible, etc. I think the iPad is great for that and has the perfect screen size for that.

The iPad is not a necessary device. But I consider it a device which is very nice to have. Just like any other luxury device. Is it a full notebook replacement? My answer would be: sometimes. It really depends on the occasion. For a short trip where you know you just have to access the web and type emails, the iPad is great. On other trips, I rather have my MBP with me.

Again, for some people the iPhone serves that very purpose, too. Not for me. I rather like a bigger (touch) screen estate

 

[robotmonkey]

Fair enough: your milage does vary. Personally I like my iPad and I tend to use my iPhone less and less.

I like the bigger screen, especially for:

1. reading our big company manuals with lots of illustrations. The iPhone's display (while very sharp) is too small for me for long term reading. I can concentrate better when I stare/read on a bigger screen.
2. web surfing. It is not only about reading, but also about hitting links. On the iPhone i have to hit links on a microscopic level - and I have big fingers
3. games: my wife and me often play games on the iPad and we never do that with the iPhone because it is just too weird to stare/hit things on a small screen
   
4. and yes, for passing around pictures in the family. For example my grandfather would never able to see pictures in clear view on a iPhone. The screen is too small for him. On an iPad it is much easier for older people.
   
5. typing: i HATE typing text messages on my iPhone. My fingers are relatively big and it is much easier for me to type anything on my iPad. I actually find the virtual keyboard on the iPad fantastic.

There is also a lot of educational software for kids on the iPad available. For example, when kids have to press a picture and then the sound and the name of an animal will be audible, etc. I think the iPad is great for that and has the perfect screen size for that.

The iPad is not a necessary device. But I consider it a device which is very nice to have. Just like any other luxury device. Is it a full notebook replacement? My answer would be: sometimes. It really depends on the occasion. For a short trip where you know you just have to access the web and type emails, the iPad is great. On other trips, I rather have my MBP with me.

Again, for some people the iPhone serves that very purpose, too. Not for me. I rather like a bigger (touch) screen estate

I have to admit that I would love an ipad for college text books, but for now my college has special editions of textbooks just for that school (so they can make more money) and the books I need aren't on the ibooks store. And even then, I don't think I could justify spending 500 dollars on it.... 200-300 maybe.

Then again, I am sure textbook publishers would still rip people off with ipad textbooks (I am taking an online class and the online textbook was more money than any of my physical textbooks), and with a physical text book I can sell it back to a third party bookstore and make back at least 80% usually.

 

[firewood]

I don't know why that matters I mean I have 20/20 so I don't have special eyes or something.

Most adults reach a certain (not very old) age where they no longer have 20/20 near vision. Ask your doctor about it so you won't be surprised one birthday.