Hard to imagine the iPad will replace or overtake netbooks. An oversized iPod Touch wont be a game changer. If it had stylus input, that would have been great. As of now, I see no compelling reason to buy it. I don't see where it fits or replaces anything else I currently own (MBP, iMac, BlackBerry and a Sony netbook). Actually quite disappointed it doesn't do more.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Bill Gates on iPad: "It's a Nice Reader, But..."
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
"but there's nothing on the iPad I look at and say, 'Oh, I wish Microsoft had done it.'"
You got that right. I will never look at anything and say "I wish Microsoft had done it." because it would then suck and break every time you turn around.
You got that right. I will never look at anything and say "I wish Microsoft had done it." because it would then suck and break every time you turn around.
Started in computers in 1979. Mainframes and punch cards. CP/M. PC-DOS. XENIX. MSDOS. OS/2. AIX. Win 3.0 ~ XP, skip Vista, load 7. NT 4.0 ~ 2003 DataCenter and Enterprise Servers. 2008 Servers. Admin Windows servers and networks every day, along with *nix servers.
I use a Mac at work and at home. I prefer it for a lot of reasons. I made what I believe to be an informed decision. When something better comes along, I will consider using that, as I always need the best tools I can get to support my profession. Feelings, politics, religion, etc, has nothing to do with it. Disagree? Great. You made your own decision, which does not impact mine, nor that of anyone else.
MS has an idea, the question is can they bring it to market, what people don't get is that even though the iPad is not the killer hardware, Apple brought it to market and will make it function and over time it will get better.
On MS side they have this idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmIgNfp-MdI
but can they actually bring it to market, or are they just another blow hard monolithic Corp. who has no steam and just got lucky it monopolized an industry.
The power is in apps and this nice big screen will make the difference. It's not even out yet
It will do more than you can imagine i agree with you on that one. for what i can see, all those colors, etc of the books would kill your eye sight. even tho i prefer a REAL BOOK, i think the kindle would be a better choice IF ur looking for a reader.
BAM! There's your stylus, and about a dozen other designs if you don't like that one.
http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Design-T1-AP25-102-Sketch-Stylus/dp/B001QHY2V4
Just search for iPhone stylus, and don't look to Apple for everything. Third-party companies are the key to Apple's success, especially in regards to the iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad market.
Also Bill Gates is not going to praise another company's work that much, even though he really isn't at MS anymore. The iPad will live or die based on its apps, not its hardware, again most of which are third-party developed.
I find it funny that Bill or the interviewer didn't even mention the iPad as a gaming device. Perhaps it's because MS has been so hesitant to enter that market because of Nintendo's dominance.
Apple's not afraid though. Let the gaming revolution begin! This will only spur innovation in the market. By the way, Apple's distribution method (the App Store) is the world's best. Nintendo's doing a fair job with the Wii Shop Channel, but it's a lot clunkier than the App Store. Come on guys, FIGHT! Make me some cool stuff. Those of you sitting on the sidelines are missing out. I'll be there on Day 1.
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I agree...if Windows has hundreds of thousands of problems, why has it consumed 90%+ marketshare since 1994 in both businesses and homes? Forget the monopoly comments and conspiracy theories...if the system stunk, nobody would use it...Apple (and others) have had plenty of Windows versions to try to sink (Win95, Win98, Win98SE, WinME, WinNT, Win2000, WinXP, WinVista, Win7) over the decades and yet Windows is still far the most used OS in the world by consumers and businesses. Windows, since basically Win95, has been a very easy OS to use. Sure, like Apple OS it's not perfect...it's had its bugs or limitations...so does every other piece of software written since 1964.
Reality Distortion Field?
I see everyone has beaten me to the punch about BG's lack of imagination. This has been M$'s problem over the years. Oh, they can certainly make some decent products (Excel is awesome) but most of why they have succeeded is due to marketing muscle (or just muscle).
For Bill to admit he doesn't get it is a sad postscript to his tenure at M$. It confirms he's now out of touch. We're left with only Balmer who has nothing to offer but sweaty monkey-boy gyrations and FUD. *sigh*
I see everyone has beaten me to the punch about BG's lack of imagination. This has been M$'s problem over the years. Oh, they can certainly make some decent products (Excel is awesome) but most of why they have succeeded is due to marketing muscle (or just muscle).
For Bill to admit he doesn't get it is a sad postscript to his tenure at M$. It confirms he's now out of touch. We're left with only Balmer who has nothing to offer but sweaty monkey-boy gyrations and FUD. *sigh*
My wife expected to hate the Kindle when I bought it for her, but now it is her constant companion, and she would not be without it. It is closely followed by her iPod touch and her work-issued Blackberry. The only issue I see for the iPad vs the Kindle is the battery life. The Kindle is wonderful since it only needs charging once a week or less. As a result it sits on the nightstand or in her purse and is nearly always ready. A device that has to hit the cradle every day will not be nearly as pleasing to the voracious reader, but will suffice for people like me that read books occasionally, but love magazines, newspapers, and blogs. I bought a netbook to play with and it is truly as Steve characterized it. It does NOTHING well. My iPad order will go in on the first day. I so look forward to having it rather than balancing my MBP17 on the arm of the couch every night.
Then don't, its not for you.
On the other hand, it is for my father who never creates content and all he does on a computer is simple things like check email, browse the web, and do crosswords. Why does he need a virus infested machine, stylus, or keyboard for that?
For me, I'm a pilot. There is a great app on the iPhone that provides aviation charts and airport directory information, but its way too small. They have already announced their excitement for the changes in the platform and are working on a new version of their app.
There are plenty of others that have a use for it, I'm sorry you don't, but quite frankly, none of us care you can't figure out why you don't need it. If you don't need it, then don't get it.
It will be a HUGE success
People are missing the point. It's all about the form factor. Average consumers are tired of lugging laptops around when they don't need them. They are also tired of balancing laptops on their laps while surfing the web in the evenings on their sofas or in bed. The ability to hold the device in one hand and use touch gestures to navigate it will be huge. What Gates is missing is that the touch experience on the phone will pale in comparison to the experience on the larger scale of the iPad. Imagine also that with 3G access, you will start to see iPads at parks, cafes and on the street. Laptops are going to eventually go the way of the typewriter--primarily used for word processing and spreadsheet work. Portable computing is the future. Lack of a keyboard will not be a big deal. As it is, look at the terse typing already done via texting, email on the iphone and twitter. The touch form keyboard will work well enough for this limited use. The ability to share with others while on the iPad will also be a nifty. When you want to show your SO something on the iPad you just hand it over. You don't have to pass off a 5 pound laptop. Also, the applications will be amazing (ironic how things come full circle; remember when people wouldn't buy Apple because of the lack of software offerings as compared to PCs). Imagine a scorekeeping application for baseball. How fun would that be to keep stats on your kids game on an iPad that you hold on a sunny spring day. It will also become the ultimate remote in your den and in all likelihood we will start to see applications for centralized energy controls.
When people see others at Starbucks and other places surfing on the iPad, you are going to see a heightened level of tech envy. Have you seen what it happening in the Netherlands--with pre-release orders being turned away? By next Christmas it will be the must have gift. Teens will want it and will get the wi-fi version while their parents will get the 3G models. Business executives will want it too as they will want to attend meetings with a portfolio that has a regular notepad on one side and their iPad on the other. Five years from now we will look back on the introduction of the iPad as being the next big hardware step (after the iPhone) in the mobile computing revolution. Now the problem will be upgrading the infrastructure necessary to keep up with the explosion in demand for bandwidth that is on the immediate horizon.
People are missing the point. It's all about the form factor. Average consumers are tired of lugging laptops around when they don't need them. They are also tired of balancing laptops on their laps while surfing the web in the evenings on their sofas or in bed. The ability to hold the device in one hand and use touch gestures to navigate it will be huge. What Gates is missing is that the touch experience on the phone will pale in comparison to the experience on the larger scale of the iPad. Imagine also that with 3G access, you will start to see iPads at parks, cafes and on the street. Laptops are going to eventually go the way of the typewriter--primarily used for word processing and spreadsheet work. Portable computing is the future. Lack of a keyboard will not be a big deal. As it is, look at the terse typing already done via texting, email on the iphone and twitter. The touch form keyboard will work well enough for this limited use. The ability to share with others while on the iPad will also be a nifty. When you want to show your SO something on the iPad you just hand it over. You don't have to pass off a 5 pound laptop. Also, the applications will be amazing (ironic how things come full circle; remember when people wouldn't buy Apple because of the lack of software offerings as compared to PCs). Imagine a scorekeeping application for baseball. How fun would that be to keep stats on your kids game on an iPad that you hold on a sunny spring day. It will also become the ultimate remote in your den and in all likelihood we will start to see applications for centralized energy controls.
When people see others at Starbucks and other places surfing on the iPad, you are going to see a heightened level of tech envy. Have you seen what it happening in the Netherlands--with pre-release orders being turned away? By next Christmas it will be the must have gift. Teens will want it and will get the wi-fi version while their parents will get the 3G models. Business executives will want it too as they will want to attend meetings with a portfolio that has a regular notepad on one side and their iPad on the other. Five years from now we will look back on the introduction of the iPad as being the next big hardware step (after the iPhone) in the mobile computing revolution. Now the problem will be upgrading the infrastructure necessary to keep up with the explosion in demand for bandwidth that is on the immediate horizon.
Reaction
Man, I bet Steve is running out to stop the manufacturing of these ill thought out iPad machines. And he'll thank BG for years for helping him avoid that mistake.
First off... Bill Gates never sold anything he didn't copy or steal. The fact that he is one of the world's richest men makes him a great marketer not an innovator.
In our company we have to run both platforms side by side and the experience has been great because I started off strictly Mac and had no choice... As to reliability, Macs have it hands down. The Macs we use are seldom turned off and haven't "crashed" because of the tasks we give them for over 2 years. I can't begin to say that about the Windows machines through, XT, Vista and "7." For every day that goes by the cost difference, which wasn't very great to begin with, between the two platforms gets flatter and flatter.
The fact in our business about the Windows platform is that it's pervasive. By far the largest number of users are Windows. I think it must have something to do with the phenomenon of creating competition by brand rather than not understanding true economics or not wanting to do the research to discover the best computer to use in most situations. Surely that's it.
Or could it have something to do with a desire to avoid working "with" computers to complete actual work in order to work "on" them, which is more "puzzle-like" and mysterious... gives you power in the office. After all, no one really wants to put IT folks out of business in this economy. I guess. I mean,why not spend a lot more money in the long run so more people have work.
Man, I bet Steve is running out to stop the manufacturing of these ill thought out iPad machines. And he'll thank BG for years for helping him avoid that mistake.
First off... Bill Gates never sold anything he didn't copy or steal. The fact that he is one of the world's richest men makes him a great marketer not an innovator.
In our company we have to run both platforms side by side and the experience has been great because I started off strictly Mac and had no choice... As to reliability, Macs have it hands down. The Macs we use are seldom turned off and haven't "crashed" because of the tasks we give them for over 2 years. I can't begin to say that about the Windows machines through, XT, Vista and "7." For every day that goes by the cost difference, which wasn't very great to begin with, between the two platforms gets flatter and flatter.
The fact in our business about the Windows platform is that it's pervasive. By far the largest number of users are Windows. I think it must have something to do with the phenomenon of creating competition by brand rather than not understanding true economics or not wanting to do the research to discover the best computer to use in most situations. Surely that's it.
Or could it have something to do with a desire to avoid working "with" computers to complete actual work in order to work "on" them, which is more "puzzle-like" and mysterious... gives you power in the office. After all, no one really wants to put IT folks out of business in this economy. I guess. I mean,why not spend a lot more money in the long run so more people have work.
Best at websurfing?
Several reviews have commented that the iPad is a great experience when websurfing. This makes it (gasp) a really cool, slick netbook. I am not knocking it. Netbooks are very handy things. I enjoy the one I have with Ubuntu. Good 2nd computer. An iPad can do much more, mostly for entertainment.
I wouldn't call the iPad a disappointment, it is what you would think it would be, with no fancy new technology. I think the touch interface will be a big seller. It will be a great on the go computer, more handy than a laptop.
Several reviews have commented that the iPad is a great experience when websurfing. This makes it (gasp) a really cool, slick netbook. I am not knocking it. Netbooks are very handy things. I enjoy the one I have with Ubuntu. Good 2nd computer. An iPad can do much more, mostly for entertainment.
I wouldn't call the iPad a disappointment, it is what you would think it would be, with no fancy new technology. I think the touch interface will be a big seller. It will be a great on the go computer, more handy than a laptop.
Because not all professors follow a perfect outline when presenting a subject. It is much easier to go back to a section in your handwritten notes that the professor is revisiting and write in new text than to mouse back and begin typing. Further, drawing illustrations that are put on the board is easier on paper in line with your notes than opening Photoshop drawing it with your trackpad saving the file then inserting the picture with word into your typed notes.
This is why a pen for the tablet would be great. You could hand write the notes like on paper and include illustrations. Though for this to really work they would need a replaceable screen cover as even a year of writing notes would ruin the screen. Further be save the files as editable PDF's not convert to type would be a plus.
A pen would also make the iPad usable in situations where a Laptop will not do. Such as any outdoor work where you can only stand and write. Which currently requires a notepad and pen. With an aftermarket shell to make the iPad more durable it would be quite useful for construction project managers.
I do think that this will eventually be added to the iPad. Until then a third party vendor will probably come along to make a stylus for the iPad and an App to allow full control of the device.
So you work for MS haha. The iPad is not the killer hardware, that not what its about, its a 1st generation tablet that looks to be able to work. Now if you and MS would stop blowing hot air and bring out something like this then I would listen to Bill Blowhard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmIgNfp-MdI
When they do something like this that actually works, not holding my breath on it coming.
Bill Gates says...
Tablets should be like this....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX3Tj2sKGi0
Bill has already been to Tablet-ville. And the townspeople threw him out.
Which is why I don't think we should take his comments too seriously.
C.
Tablets should be like this....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX3Tj2sKGi0
Bill has already been to Tablet-ville. And the townspeople threw him out.
Which is why I don't think we should take his comments too seriously.
C.
It's ok, no reason to.
The answer is pretty simple. It's cheap, widely available, and a lot of people are going to want to use at home the same thing they use at work.
All made possible by Universal Licensing. Something Apple refused to do at the time.
Desktop OS? You will go with that? Desktop OS is not optimised for Touch interface. If you try to optimise it for touch you will evantually will be looking at something like iPhone OS.
That's 1 reason, out of many, why Windows is still the most used. And how are you defining "Universal Licensing"?
I'm not jumping up and down saying Windows is the best thing on the planet...I'm saying it has the most marketshare and has had it for decades. Even with great licensing deals, if Windows stunk, people would move on...and vendors like Dell and HP would have to make decisions if people stopped buying Windows-based computers.
Apple's OS/Mac has gained some marketshare in the past 2+ years (part of that reason is the opportunity for people who didn't want Vista to try Apple...but I'm not going to claim that was 100% of the reason like others will here) but it's still below 10% marketshare. Just stating facts. Not saying Apple's OS is bad. I, personally, would LOVE to see the Mac/OS achieve 15% or 20% marketshare...but I doubt that's going to happen by 2012 (if at all unless Apple is willing to make some game-changing decisions).
-Eric
That doesn't even make any sense. Putting a full OS on a mobile device like the iPad (or any tablet) is not a good idea. It's simply ill-suited for it.
And quite frankly, no mobile OS even comes close to the iPhone's OS. And now Apple will extend that success to the iPad.