I had a series of Sony's and Compaqs that all died within 18 months due to overheating. My MBP still going strong...
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Bill Gates on iPad: "It's a Nice Reader, But..."
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I had a series of Sony's and Compaqs that all died within 18 months due to overheating. My MBP still going strong...
What is a "massive" logic board failure in relation to a logic board failure?
I didn't imply that Bill Gates is a moron, I implied that he's not a tech innovator.
And Microsoft's tablet efforts have failed because of the...hardware manufacturers??? Have you ever heard "It's the software, stupid!"
Pfft, naive much? The war rages on. And Apple seems to be doing just fine on all fronts, while Microsoft's influence is clearly on the downhill slope.
And these "other games to play" are called "the future of technology" - something Microsoft consistently fails to recognize.
And that is why it's going to be a huge success. People like to sit around and consume media (twitter, facebook, youtube, all the iTunes store stuff, etc.).
I don't understand all the negativity about it being little more than a larger iPod touch. The iPad is 5x as big, does more and only costs a little bit more. It's much better value than the iPod touch and the touch seems to be selling very well.
As for comparisons with netbooks, fugedaboudit. Apple thinks netbook owners are people who are too cheap to buy a real notebook. They don't want such people as customers.
The iPad was never intended to compete with netbooks. It was designed as a tool to make it easy to consume media. As a bonus it's one of the lightest tools around with a usable screen resolution for doing simple data entry. As a double bonus it has amazing battery life making it possible to use it all day without worrying about finding an electrical outlet.
As I recall a lot of people thought Apple didn't stand a chance against BlackBerry, WinMo and Nokia in the mobile phone market. A lot of people believed iPhone's closed box for development would doom it to niche status.
I personally thought the iPod was insanely overpriced when it first came out. I didn't think it had a chance. I actually sold some of my AAPL stock because I didn't think it was going to grow any further.
I learned my lesson. I'm not betting against Steve Jobs and the iPad.
The fact that Apple developed a version of iWork for the iPad contradicts this statement.
headfuzz said:
I am aware of this. My point was if it can't function as a standalone device - a portable tablet computer in its own right as opposed to a massive iPod - it is a glorified peripheral and as such is a false economy to students on a budget.
I agree, but this is yet another thing to carry around, ensure has charged batteries etc and makes the fact the device is so slim and portable null and void, just like the Macbook Air did for anybody who wishes to use more than 1 USB device at a time.
Strawman - that's a new one on me, not heard it before. Quite like it
Yes you have wireless means of backup, but that requires a destination to connect to wirelessly, be it online storage like MobileMe (no doubt the easiest option by far, I expect iWork etc will come ready rolled with a "Sync to MobileMe" option in its menus) or a campus network homedrive; probably via FTP, which not everyone is going to be aware of or know how to configure and use. There is the unjailed directory that can be accessed by all applications but to move files from every app into this folder in order for an FTP app to have rights to access them is a clunky workaround at best, not to mention tiresome (and as you rightly point out, most people don't back up as much as they should, if at all, hence a paradigm which makes it even more of a chore ≠ A Good Thing).
Everybody and his dog, however, knows how to insert a USB key into a USB socket and drag and drop or copy and paste files onto it. The ability to stick a flash key in and save from any app to it so in the event of the iPad dying you can just walk into the campus library, jump on the first available computer and carry on regardless is a missed trick, imho. Or even just borrow you're flatmate's computer. Wireless is all very well and good, but having instant access to your essential data on tangible storage media without having to ensure you're on campus / in Starbucks etc beats it hands down.
I originally had just "massive failure" (which, you will agree, the logic board crapping out is).
Right, and if you had actually bothered to read what I wrote before rambling, Go watch that iPad video again.... in every sequence with any amount of keyboard typing, the guy has his legs up on a table. Useful.
I would suggest that you learn how to read an annual report. Last year, Apple sold about $2 billion worth of software, including MobileMe and Applecare. MS sold $46 billion of JUST Windows, Windows Server, and Office. By any metric other than your fantasyland, that is the equivalent of MS pulling its pants down and slapping Apple in the face with its, um, business. My point is that the FB's, as you've shown, have an inability to recognize MS's core competency and Apple's core competency and comprehend that the two aren't serious competitors anymore. Google is a bigger threat going forward to Apple than MS because the latter two are playing different games.
Shoving mediocre products down the mindless masses' throats? Nay, I recognize that MS core competency quite well.
I never said they weren't able to convince people to buy their crap, because they obviously are. I'm saying they are not technology innovators.
Apparently you are unable to recognize the difference.
I can certainly see an advantage to including a flash storage option...no question, but I don't see how the occasional (weekly or more frequently as needs dictate) syncing with your home computer is so difficult. If this will sync all your data, media, etc, how are you really at risk? Yes, you may have to go home to access it, but with logmein and other remote access options out there, you would rarely be completely stranded.
Word. I have been asking my girlfriend for weeks to wait and don't buy an netbook telling her that Apple has something great in the pipeline. She needed some lightweight computer to do her emails in the train to and from the work, and to surf the net at home nd skyping while sitting on the couch. And I wanted something that is instantly on so I don't need to boot the Mac just to read my emails or check the tv-guide online. And I wanted to use it as a remote to listen to my music via Airport since the Mac is not in the living room.
But then, boy, she was dissapointed and I was ashamed when Apple presented this toy.... She can't surf the whole net cause flash is missing, she can*t use a camera for videochatting and I can't put all my music on that pathetic 16 Gig...
In addition to that, this thing is a big miss as a reader. Have you ever tried to read a pdf on your glossy screen MacBook outside in the sun? How are you supposed to read an E-Book outside in the park???
Anyway. Most people will compare the iPad eather to an E-Book reader or to a Netbook, and there is nothing magical that will make Joe Ordinary spend twice the bucks for this thing.
I guess we will just buy a cheap netbook and trade it for the iPad 2.0 as soon as it gets flash-support, a 250 Gig HD or solit state as an option(or at least something like 120 or 160 Gigs, come on we are living in 2010 for gods sake!), a forward facing camera, and a usb port.
Is it that hard Steve? Can't be that my expectations are THAT high???
If you are set on a Tablet like device (good batteries for video/music), there's some nice ones that were demoed at CES.
Nvidia has a pretty cool one that seems to meet all of your above requirements. I think it even uses the Pixel Qi screen which allows nice reading outdoors. Don't know if it support iTunes, if that's your preference.
I'm not sure what the price is, but I'm sure it's competitive with netbooks and/or iPad.
... except when it comes to his taste in shoes.
It's deja vu all over again. People are underestimating what Apple is capable of. Steve Jobs obviously thinks the iPad is a game changer. He doesn't feel that way too often, regardless of his keynote hyperboles. The iPad, like the iPhone, is the first step with a new class of device. Sure there were smartphones, but nothing like the iPhone. Sure there were tablets, but nothing like the iPad. The device currently seems limited to many people. But I already know many people who plan to get it, people who don't have an iPhone and don't have a laptop. Maybe Jobs sees something we don't.
Well Gates doesn't seem to know his customers very well.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/vote-for-the-2009-engadget-awards/
2009 Engadget Awards - Most Anticipated Gadget of 2010
Lenovo U1 Hybrid
2625 (4.3%)
Apple iPad
28227 (46.0%)
Project Natal
12465 (20.3%)
Sony Playstation Motion Controller
5493 (8.9%)
Plastic Logic QUE proReader
599 (1.0%)
Notion Ink Adam
693 (1.1%)
Boxee Box
2794 (4.6%)
HP Slate
4882 (8.0%)
Skiff Reader
362 (0.6%)
Dell Mini 5
3237 (5.3%)
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/04/vote-for-the-2009-engadget-awards/
2009 Engadget Awards - Most Anticipated Gadget of 2010
Lenovo U1 Hybrid
2625 (4.3%)
Apple iPad
28227 (46.0%)
Project Natal
12465 (20.3%)
Sony Playstation Motion Controller
5493 (8.9%)
Plastic Logic QUE proReader
599 (1.0%)
Notion Ink Adam
693 (1.1%)
Boxee Box
2794 (4.6%)
HP Slate
4882 (8.0%)
Skiff Reader
362 (0.6%)
Dell Mini 5
3237 (5.3%)
Exaaaactly! This is the analogy I've been looking for.
I'm tired of people complaining that it's "just" a bigger iPod Touch or iPhone or whatever. What's wrong with an iPod Touch? Nothing! So what's wrong with a bigger iPod Touch? Nothing still! You can argue that it's not innovative, but that doesn't mean it's a bad product.
The bigger screen and better performance gives the iPad so much potential.
I'm excited to see what developers come out with for this thing. It'll only get better. It has its flaws, but they will be kinked out, just like the iPhone did. And the iPhone didn't exactly suffer . . .
Rational thinking will get you nowhere around here.
Introduction of iPod touch:
"Cool, but the screen is too small! We need a bigger screen!" - Peanut Gallery
Introduction of iPad:
"Lame - it's just an iPod with a bigger screen!" - Peanut Gallery
You just can't win with some people. Me, I see some serious possibilities on the software side with the iPad.
That's not the object of a business. Are you saying that we should look down on all car manufacturers who use airbags because they didn't pioneer their use like Volvo and Mercedes?
It says a lot when MS doesn't care about Parallels or Boot Camp because it's just another copy of XP or Win7 out the door, yet Psystar-mageddon breaks out if I want to run a legally purchased copy of OS X on a PC that I build.
I may fail to grasp the whole potential of the iPad... but this sounds VERY similar to Steve Ballmer's infamous reaction to the iPhone...
Knowing Apple, there's something to the iPad that we're not seeing or understanding. I REALLY doubt it'd simply be a large Touch once we get our hands on it. Similar, yes. Exact same? Heck no.
Knowing Apple, there's something to the iPad that we're not seeing or understanding. I REALLY doubt it'd simply be a large Touch once we get our hands on it. Similar, yes. Exact same? Heck no.
Bill Gates doesn't like it?
Who would have thought that?
More like..... Bill Gates doesn't GET it? Who would have thought?!
I don't think Bill or Microsoft management is quite capable of that!
Look, I am not going to deny that Apple omitted what could have been some great features, but for those who understand the potential of the iPad and the strategy behind it, and where Apple is going to take it, there is no underwhelming at all! The iPad will be HUGE!
It doesn't surprise me AT ALL that Bill would see it this way!
Yep... that pretty much sums up the down side of the iPad. Limitation and the lack of a stylus. Textbooks on computers will never be as flexible and versatile as a real book is just really about the accessibility and note-making. Otherwise, of course, you can simply look at the iPad marketed as a "reader", hence no notes making, but somewhat contradicts with all those textbook deals apple's been making recently.
Bill Gates doesn't like it?
Who would have thought that?
This man is probably the most prominent person in this industry for decades so for those of you hating I really think he's knows what he's talking about.
Simpler observation on Apple fanbois is - anyone who won't just bow down to the god of Steve Jobs and anything he does needs to get BASHED.
Um, yeah, that's exactly what it means.
(P.S. I like your original new spelling of "fanboys." Microsoft could use your creativity.)
Um, yeah, that's exactly what it means.
(P.S. I like your original new spelling of "fanboys." Microsoft could use your creativity.)
Wise play moving on to an easier target. You're nearly as entertaining as the person on here who referred to my Harvard-educated law professors as "underpaid teachers."
Same person two different needs!
Your position is interesting but consider that the same person can have two differrent needs. As an adjunct to a desktop machine iPad could be the perfect device for many.
In any event I think it is obvious that Gates doesn't understand his customers when he calls the device a reader and then trys to put netbooks in that category. A netbook simply isn't doesn't have the usability of a reader.
Of course Gates is also trying to mold opinions here by calling the device a reader. Certainly an effort to damage iPad in the market place. Look at it this way it is obviously more than a reader, frankly it is a great communications device for one, a passable video iPod for another.
Dave
Your position is interesting but consider that the same person can have two differrent needs. As an adjunct to a desktop machine iPad could be the perfect device for many.
In any event I think it is obvious that Gates doesn't understand his customers when he calls the device a reader and then trys to put netbooks in that category. A netbook simply isn't doesn't have the usability of a reader.
Of course Gates is also trying to mold opinions here by calling the device a reader. Certainly an effort to damage iPad in the market place. Look at it this way it is obviously more than a reader, frankly it is a great communications device for one, a passable video iPod for another.
Dave
I think that all is true. However, for most people if a netbook fulfills 90% of their needs and an iPad fulfills 60%, they would probably go for the netbook alone. I really want the iPad to replace something I have rather than supplement it and I believe a lot of people will feel the same. That won't stop the iPad from selling well and pleasing a large number of people and some will want both or just the iPad.
Very serious software capabilities.
Yep, if people can't see the potential here then they aren't grasping the possibilities that the device offers up even with iPhone OS 3.2. I have my own ideas as to apps for the device some of which require more clarity with respect to the hardware and its capability.
Yep, if people can't see the potential here then they aren't grasping the possibilities that the device offers up even with iPhone OS 3.2. I have my own ideas as to apps for the device some of which require more clarity with respect to the hardware and its capability.