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Apple Poised to Become World's Top-Selling PC Vendor with Tablets Included
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I'll provide an argument to those who are hell-bent on denying iPad its PC credentials: "iPad has no cursor, therefore it's not a PC!" 
Or in 1993 with the Newton?
Palms were conceptualized as assistants, or companions. In fact, this companion conceptualization was large part of its success. Others before it tried to deliver the full fledged general purpose device, palm didnt. Ironically, one is perhaps better off thinking of it as an early ipad (i.e. post-pc device) than an early tablet pc (pc-device). But yes, Jobs were certainly taking hints out of their book.
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I'll provide an argument to those who are hell-bent on denying iPad its PC credentials: "iPad has no cursor, therefore it's not a PC!"
Or in 1993 with the Newton?
See above. But yes, the Newton is more appropriate. Not because i would think of it on par with a PC, not for the sake of avoiding anachronism (newton predates the palm), but because the palm was to the newton in ways what the ipad is to the pc.
It's the people saying only desktops/laptops are computers that are blurring the definition, not the other way around.
People that know nothing of computing, that's who.
Computer is a broad and generic term. It describes any electronic device that takes input, processes following a set of instructions, provides output and storage.
It covers many, many devices that are not laptops and desktops, that have screens or no screens at all, that are interfaced with keyboards/mice or just a bunch of sensors.
Here are a bunch of computers (or appliances containing computers) that have been said to not be computers in this thread (some don't have screens, or keyboards or audio players or web browsers) :
I can go on, but the fact is people need to stop saying so and so isn't a "computer" unless it really isn't a freaking computer. If you mean Desktop/Laptop PCs, then say so.
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Considering the ipad requires an actual computer to operate, it's hardly a PC. Tablet computers which operate without the need of another device could be deemed a PC if they performed all the tasks a PC is regularly tasked to do.
The ipad is a toy made as yet another way to make money from the itunes store.
The ipad is a toy made as yet another way to make money from the itunes store.
The iPad is an actual computer. And with iOS 5, it doesn't require a Mac or Windows or Linux PC to operate.
Let's not confuse the terms. Don't use "computer" to mean "Desktop/Laptop PC".
In a way you're right it is a toy. A toy for adults to do grown up stuff like making music, movies, and money, designing presentations and talking to business clients or family and friends.
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The categorization of the iPad-as-PC is based on how people are using the iPad and thinking about it, rather than shared technical characteristics.
It really is that simple.
I'm not sure why so many are up in arms and confused about this. This is a natural development.
It really is that simple.
I'm not sure why so many are up in arms and confused about this. This is a natural development.
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Can some one tell me which game is being played on the iPad displayed in this thread? It is some car game.. any pointers??
You are correct in that many personal computers are purchased and used as toys.
The difference being that the PalmOS devices sold in high volumes (tens of millions), had lots of apps (well over 10K), was popular among non-geeks, and was an extremely profitable business for at least a half decade. In those terms the Newton was not a successful tablet PC. The PalmPilot was.
Minus the fact that people do not think of the iPad that way (minus fanboys and places trying to get more hits)
That is not what the data suggests.
The iPad as a PC replacement is already on the table. It's already a part of the discourse. Has been since it's introduction. It's been one of the salient items of discussion in the industry. There are is an ocean of testimony about regular users and Pros alike testing the iPad as a PC replacement. For some, it has already conformed to the way they use a standard PC.
It has also been documented that the iPad has cut into PC sales to the degree that it has been deemed newsworthy on several occasions.
It seems the market doesn't act or think the way you want it to. That's what really seems to be getting your goat.
I don't know one person that owns an iPad that doesn't also own at least one laptop/desktop.
The iPad is not a PC replacement for people who need PCs.
It is rather a device for people who do not need PCs, but who had no other choice for a long time.
The fact that some people were buying PCs instead of iPads all these years, was simply because Jobs took so long to bring out the darned thing ....
It is rather a device for people who do not need PCs, but who had no other choice for a long time.
The fact that some people were buying PCs instead of iPads all these years, was simply because Jobs took so long to bring out the darned thing ....
Then why isnt the iPod and the iPhone considered a computer? They use the same hardware as an iPad, the only difference is the size of the screen.
The iPad is not a PC replacement for people who need PCs.
It is rather a device for people who do not need PCs, but who had no other choice for a long time.
The fact that some people were buying PCs instead of iPads all these years, was simply because Jobs took so long to bring out the darned thing ....
Agreed in that some people have overbought technology and continue to do so. IE - people who keep upgrading their cameras to anything over 3.2 megapixels when all they do is share photos online.
Or people who have the latest and greatest desktop system when all they do is email and light web surfing.
The iPad is not a PC replacement for people who need PCs.
It is rather a device for people who do not need PCs, but who had no other choice for a long time.
The fact that some people were buying PCs instead of iPads all these years, was simply because Jobs took so long to bring out the darned thing ....
This is a really good point. For many that only use a computer for email and internet the iPad is a great replacement. I wish I could get my parents comfortable using a device like an iPad as the $400 investment I made in a cheap PC for them would have been better used on a tablet IMO.
Most of my friends needs are a little higher than a tablet can solely perform, but for many it's more than enough.
http://www.pcworld.com/businesscent...y_30_the_verdictcan_an_ipad_replace_a_pc.html
Apple iPad, Day 30: The Verdict--Can an iPad Replace a PC?
By Tony Bradley, PCWorld
So, who does the iPad work for as a PC replacement? Most people, really. My father, my in-laws, my brother, my best friend, my cousins, my neighbors. People who are still using a Windows XP PC. People who think that Google is the Internet because it's the home page when they open their browser. People who think they can't switch ISPs or they'll have to get a whole new Hotmail account and start over. People who buy a PC from Best Buy and basically use it as is out of the box.
The reality is that the iPad--particularly the iPad 2--is not only capable of handling the computing needs of an average user; it is probably a better choice than a PC. It is easier. It just works.
You can give an iPad to your Luddite grandmother who has never used a computer and she can surf the Web and send an email in a matter of minutes. You can give an iPad to a three year old, and they can intuitively navigate the interface and use it without a second thought.
Streaming a movie from the iPad to a TV is simple with AirPlay.
The iPad can do these things, and it's more versatile than a desktop PC--or even a notebook or netbook--because of its form factor. You can read a Kindle book on your iPad in bed, stream a movie from your iPad to your 42" LCD TV in your living room, video chat with your parents from the den, and cook dinner using a recipe from the AllRecipes app in the kitchen.
The iPad lets you check your email when you have a spare 30 seconds standing in line at the bank, or post a status update to Facebook about the guy next to you on the train with two different colored socks. The iPad lets you read National Geographic, keep up with breaking news on CNN, or watch your favorite HBO series while sitting in the waiting room at the dentist.
Can you do these things with a notebook or netbook? Sure. Can your grandmother or your three year old do them intuitively? Probably not. Would you want to get out a notebook PC, open it, boot (or wake) it up, and try to hold it in one hand while navigating the touchpad with the other just so you can check your email while standing in line? I doubt it.
I don't plan to get rid of my notebook. I don't recommend that any of my techie friends dump their PC any time soon. But, for the vast majority of my friends and relatives, I have no reservations whatsoever telling them that the iPad is all they need.
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Some people in this thread are terrified by this.
The foregoing was just one person's attempt, but there are many more like him.
iPad development isn't stopping. The device is becoming faster, more capable, and more versatile within relatively short spans of time.
It's time to give acceptance a try, while it's an option, before it becomes an imposition.
Apple iPad, Day 30: The Verdict--Can an iPad Replace a PC?
By Tony Bradley, PCWorld
So, who does the iPad work for as a PC replacement? Most people, really. My father, my in-laws, my brother, my best friend, my cousins, my neighbors. People who are still using a Windows XP PC. People who think that Google is the Internet because it's the home page when they open their browser. People who think they can't switch ISPs or they'll have to get a whole new Hotmail account and start over. People who buy a PC from Best Buy and basically use it as is out of the box.
The reality is that the iPad--particularly the iPad 2--is not only capable of handling the computing needs of an average user; it is probably a better choice than a PC. It is easier. It just works.
You can give an iPad to your Luddite grandmother who has never used a computer and she can surf the Web and send an email in a matter of minutes. You can give an iPad to a three year old, and they can intuitively navigate the interface and use it without a second thought.
Streaming a movie from the iPad to a TV is simple with AirPlay.
The iPad can do these things, and it's more versatile than a desktop PC--or even a notebook or netbook--because of its form factor. You can read a Kindle book on your iPad in bed, stream a movie from your iPad to your 42" LCD TV in your living room, video chat with your parents from the den, and cook dinner using a recipe from the AllRecipes app in the kitchen.
The iPad lets you check your email when you have a spare 30 seconds standing in line at the bank, or post a status update to Facebook about the guy next to you on the train with two different colored socks. The iPad lets you read National Geographic, keep up with breaking news on CNN, or watch your favorite HBO series while sitting in the waiting room at the dentist.
Can you do these things with a notebook or netbook? Sure. Can your grandmother or your three year old do them intuitively? Probably not. Would you want to get out a notebook PC, open it, boot (or wake) it up, and try to hold it in one hand while navigating the touchpad with the other just so you can check your email while standing in line? I doubt it.
I don't plan to get rid of my notebook. I don't recommend that any of my techie friends dump their PC any time soon. But, for the vast majority of my friends and relatives, I have no reservations whatsoever telling them that the iPad is all they need.
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Some people in this thread are terrified by this.
The foregoing was just one person's attempt, but there are many more like him.
iPad development isn't stopping. The device is becoming faster, more capable, and more versatile within relatively short spans of time.
It's time to give acceptance a try, while it's an option, before it becomes an imposition.
It all depends on how the market is using them, not how closely their technical characteristics mirror those of PCs.
That is the entire impetus for the inclusion of the iPad in PC numbers.
As I noted earlier, the question of whether an iPad is a "PC" or not is largely a matter of semantics, and of interest mainly to people who produce marketshare lists. But not much else.
I think its worth noting that, for many occupations, consumers, and applications, the iPad is qualitatively better at doing the job a computing device is hired to do than a comparable (traditional) PC.
There was a New York Times article earlier this week that mentioned how technicians who service Siemens wind turbines have adopted the iPad. And if you can think about the physical realities of standing on top of a windswept steel tower several hundred feet tall, waiting while a laptop boots up in order to read a manual or complete a checklist seems decidedly undesirable.
Many people inside the PC industry have been blinded to the realities of everyday computer users. Developers and tech. industry executives think that because they need to manage file systems and preemptively multi-task that everyone else does too.
This obviously isn't the case.
Smartphone usage is similar to that of the tablets - messaging, e-mails, calendar, web browsing, gaming. While theoretically, with bigger screen, tablets are more suitable than phones for content creation there is no evidence of that actually happening. Content creation is rarely mobile in nature and because of that regular PC tramps tablet every time. Perhaps tablets are more suitable for learning (especially for kids) but then it's just one category and the one that does not play a big role in tablet usage at that.
iPad is an over sized iPod touch plan and simple. It is not a PC.
iPads belong in the tablet market which can effect PC sells but tablet market is not part of the PC market. He can not understand they are two separate markets. But fanboys like to get off on Apple being great.
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Get beyond your traditional idea of what a "PC" is.
You're being hamstrung by conventional definitions.