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Bill Gates on iPad: "It's a Nice Reader, But..."
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Chris, look at the original Macintosh. What could you really do with it? NOT MUCH! But it was the germ of something revolutionary. The iPad is a solid product that will eclipse netbooks in their popularity... because most people USE NETBOOKS for surfing the web and for media consumption... the iPad is a more enjoyable way to do those things. And it's a pretty flexible and open platform for its user base to invent GREAT NEW USES.
Don't underestimate what Steve has done here...
The thing is...
The iPad isn't an e-Reader, it's just a touchscreen, a battery, a cpu, storage, connectivity and an OS. The rest is up to the developer.
That's the strength of the iPad. And the available catalog of iPhone apps to start with. And the software Apple already wrote for it, but those are (although quite impressive) just proof-of-concept titles.
The iPad isn't an e-Reader, it's just a touchscreen, a battery, a cpu, storage, connectivity and an OS. The rest is up to the developer.
That's the strength of the iPad. And the available catalog of iPhone apps to start with. And the software Apple already wrote for it, but those are (although quite impressive) just proof-of-concept titles.
"Always?" None of my Windows have ever been "instant on." (Note: I haven't used Windows 7 on a laptop.) And Microsoft doesn't seem to believe this has "always" happened, otherwise they wouldn't be hyping it as a new-and-improved feature of Windows 7.
Actually it is a Windows 7 feature promotion (and a Windows 7 ad). The hardware shown is ultimately irrelevant to the ad - it's not a "hardware issue."
As of right now, I think would rather have a netbook for its ability to interact with the world. I really have to see how the iPad handles input before I can say its not going to replace netbooks in the main. I don't think most people who buy netbooks just consume. Email is more interactive. Even on consumption, netbooks have the advantage of greater storage but that can be overcome in the not too distant future. For pure consumption, the iPad definitely has advantages.
I'm not saying Apple will have nobody to sell to. I'm saying that for us consumers who have been purchasing computers for $500-$800 for the past 10 years, we are used to that pricetag. There will always be people who think something is cheap, expensive, or just right.
I would be shocked if the "average" personal computer began selling again at $1200+ since it's been far below that for a very long time.
I couldn't type equations as quickly as I write them.
Typing would be fine only for English, history, etc. courses.
Typing would be fine only for English, history, etc. courses.
I'm sure they're all just doing it for show and not for any real practical purpose.
Most people can type far faster than they can write.
Hundreds of thousands?
I think that might be a exaggerating a little, and, No, I'm not an MS FanBoi masquerading on here.
EVERY software manufacturer knowingly releases products with bugs in it. They do their best to catch any server-crashing type bugs during QA testing as well as during public\private alpha and beta testing periods, but there are bugs that are shelved to be addressed in future service pack releases, individual patches, etc.
Of course, Microsoft receives so much heat because they are writing the OS, without which, the computer is dead. So, any problem with the OS will be labeled as catastrophic.
I think that might be a exaggerating a little, and, No, I'm not an MS FanBoi masquerading on here.
EVERY software manufacturer knowingly releases products with bugs in it. They do their best to catch any server-crashing type bugs during QA testing as well as during public\private alpha and beta testing periods, but there are bugs that are shelved to be addressed in future service pack releases, individual patches, etc.
Of course, Microsoft receives so much heat because they are writing the OS, without which, the computer is dead. So, any problem with the OS will be labeled as catastrophic.
He's absolutely right. Like many a number of other things Apple (I'm looking at you, AppleTV), the iPad is crippled.
I like that Apple is so good at what they do, and that what their devices do they do very well, but...come on.
I like that Apple is so good at what they do, and that what their devices do they do very well, but...come on.
You know I'm slowly starting to become semi PC fan again. I've been happy with Windows 7 as an adjunct OS and the Zune HD is a pretty decent device. Apple though still has the innovation, but I feel the iPad was a step in the wrong direction. I do like e-ink displays when its just reading books, but you need color for textbooks and while color e-ink is still a ways off from being affordable, his iPad might be seen as an alternative.
Still an educated user would know that a simple netbook can get you the basics you get with the iPad. Yeah there is no touch, but with no handwriting capability, I do think a keyboard is going to be a faster input method.
That said, I still love my iPhone too death, and Stevie needs to get those new Macbook Pros out. I also love my Windows 7 netbook with 6.5 battery (and thats surfing the net, listing to music, using office etc).
Still an educated user would know that a simple netbook can get you the basics you get with the iPad. Yeah there is no touch, but with no handwriting capability, I do think a keyboard is going to be a faster input method.
That said, I still love my iPhone too death, and Stevie needs to get those new Macbook Pros out. I also love my Windows 7 netbook with 6.5 battery (and thats surfing the net, listing to music, using office etc).
Maybe a large Touch is enough. I think about how my iphone and my family's 2 touches have changed our computer usage habits and think having an iPad would be an extension and improvement to this change -- especially the larger more convenient screen.
My question would be as we each have our own device, how could we share an iPad -- the difference in apps, emails, music, ... It would be nice to have user switching.
My question would be as we each have our own device, how could we share an iPad -- the difference in apps, emails, music, ... It would be nice to have user switching.
Here we go again with the Windows/pc market bashing...not even gonna bother with you now.
You're partially right...it's not ALWAYS just price.
Ok, here's one thing I think is Magical about it. On the iPhone I LOVE being able to zoom in to see something on a web page with a double tap. It's of course necessary on the phone because of it's size quite often. But when they were doing that on iPad safari that was magical. Yes, you can zoom on web browsers on your computer, but you generally have to put down the mouse, remember some key combinatioin, reorient to where you wanted to look, or go find it in the menu.
To just pinch and double tap zoom around a page is just killer and magical. They say the experience is magical. Since nobody here has used one they can't know yet. But that experience, and going back and forth between pictures and web pages, etc. with swipes is great on a phone. Imagine it with a full (almost) notebook size screen. Using a mouse, a keyboard or a trackpad all make you sit a certain way. Or move your hand off a mouse to a keyboard and back. Same with trackpad or stylus. I think he purposely left out styluses to make this point hit home. Perhaps, like the two button mouse they will come in the future, but not until the finger tech has run it's course.
I'll just have to wait and see when it comes out. I just wish it would run flash so I don't get pissed off at particular sites when I try to visit. I'm in video production and web design. Every site I go to in those fields is flash flash flash. And NOT flash video. I'm talking about the site interfaces and such. Stuff HTML 5 and or JS won't be able to do for a long time.
I don't get the point of this post.
First, this is a competitor talking about the product. Gates' goal is to get you to buy Microsoft products. There's absolutely no reason he should say anything except to denigrate Apple's product or to misdirect expectations. For example, I certainly wouldn't trust a Ford salesman's opinion of a new Chrysler car. I certainly didn't trust Ballmer's opinion of the iPhone (surprisingly, he thought it wouldn't do so well).
Second, Gates' company has numerous past failures in the same or similar market. This is plenty of evidence that Gates would not recognize a good tablet. If Microsoft knew what a salable tablet should look like, they would have built one. In fact, Microsoft's mode is often to copy existing devices that do well (e.g. Zune, Xbox).
First, this is a competitor talking about the product. Gates' goal is to get you to buy Microsoft products. There's absolutely no reason he should say anything except to denigrate Apple's product or to misdirect expectations. For example, I certainly wouldn't trust a Ford salesman's opinion of a new Chrysler car. I certainly didn't trust Ballmer's opinion of the iPhone (surprisingly, he thought it wouldn't do so well).
Second, Gates' company has numerous past failures in the same or similar market. This is plenty of evidence that Gates would not recognize a good tablet. If Microsoft knew what a salable tablet should look like, they would have built one. In fact, Microsoft's mode is often to copy existing devices that do well (e.g. Zune, Xbox).
I'm in the camp with the believers, techies want a tablet PC but the iPad isn't. Normal folks will love it and i see the iPad surpass the livingroom PC rather quickly, people buy laptops because they don't want a PC taking up that much space and ugliness in there main room.
The iPad is cheap, easy to use and more suitable for what people generally want to do with a computer. Around Christmas next year Apple could easily lower the price to $350 making it a commodity product more ubiquitous than the iPod, it's hard to overstate the impact this unique device (with its services) will have on our digital lives the next years.
my 2ct
The iPad is cheap, easy to use and more suitable for what people generally want to do with a computer. Around Christmas next year Apple could easily lower the price to $350 making it a commodity product more ubiquitous than the iPod, it's hard to overstate the impact this unique device (with its services) will have on our digital lives the next years.
my 2ct
Very true! He's not marketing this as a personal device. But it still has all the limitations of a personal device like a phone. Not much need for user switching on a phone. They need to get the user switching, because if this is left on the coffee table or around the house for all to use, then I'm sure not going to bookmark stuff for my wife's birthday, or make christmas lists on the notepad, etc. All things I do on my phone or personal computer. Not on the laptop that currently sits around the living room. Hmmm... our laptop has user switching and sits in the living room. We don't use it. I guess it can wait awhile.
Well, then the difference between XP and 7 is so small that I haven't even noticed. I explained earlier that I have to connect my macbook to a monitor pretty much 100 percent of the time, and while I have no problems waking up from sleep under Windows, on the Mac I have to 1st close the lid (I like to keep it open so that the computer can breath) and then come out of sleep, and then re open it. If I leave the lid open, it will show the image on the macbook, and not the monitor. So sleep has been horrible under OSX. The same thing when I turn the computer on, I have to have the lid close for OSx, and under Windows I can just leave it open.
If anyone knows a solution for this please tell me, because I would like to fix that.
I think the fact that the iPad lacks an SD card, USB connector, Camera or any other way to upload and download "creations" onto the iPad means that it wont be for creators.
Sure, developers will find work arounds by building in Flickr access, online storage ect so you can download pictures/music/work to edit and then upload your work, but itll still end up being a work around to something that could so easily have been prevented with the correct hardware in the first place.
Microsoft on iTunes in 2003
Seven years later, Microsoft still haven't get a decent music player and a decent music store.
I'd rather take advice on my hair style from a bald hairdresser than listen to what Gates has got to say about the iPad.
This guy has done nothing innovative for both the software AND hardware market.
An even larger number of consumers will compare the iPad with a Slate, formerly known as Tablet PC, and they will think: This Slate is a real computer , compatible with the software that I already have AND is can connect to all the devices that I already have. With the iPad I can only do... Now, what exactly?
Nice reference! An actual version of The Book would be quite incredible. Maybe one day...
I am loving my macbook pro. I love my iPhone. I love my iPod. I think apple makes some really intuitive and useful products. That being said, IMHO the iPad is a big let down. It doesn't impress me in the slightest. It is a big iPod touch. I understand that plenty of "regular" people will likely buy it. Many people I know can't quit talking about how they want one. I won't be getting one as it stands now though, seems to be a big waste of money.