iPad Competitors Begin to Disappear Even Before Being Released

[NT1440]

The true is, Apple's iPad has no life outside of Apple's ecosystem (iTunes, AppStore).

You can't install anything on it (not even a simple .txt or .pdf document) without iTunes.

Which is part of it's appeal...

People really like ease of use.

 

[WilliamLondon]

Well, we in Europe (like the rest of the world, outside of the US) are still waiting for the iPad.

May I ask what you plan to do with the iPad? I'm pretty sure you were adamant in your derision for this product. Has something changed, or are you going to do some iPad in the blender schtick with it?

Might be really funny to run out and buy one just so you could post how awful a product it is on here - at least you would be speaking with authority.

 

[Axegrinder]

The true is, Apple's iPad has no life outside of Apple's ecosystem (iTunes, AppStore).

You can't install anything on it (not even a simple .txt or .pdf document) without iTunes.

hmm...I must be doing something wrong then!

I download pdf files on my iPad all the time without iTunes through the GoodReader app.

 

[LagunaSol]

I had no idea how obsessed some people had become with the Courier until today.

Those desperate for Apple's demise have been crowing about their Courier salvation for months.

"Just wait until Courier gets here. That will put Apple in its place!"

Of course, I kept hearing the same thing about the Slate too.

Reality bites.

 

[ranReloaded]

Those desperate for Apple's demise have been crowing about their Courier salvation for months.

"Just wait until Courier gets here. That will put Apple in its place!"

Of course, I kept hearing the same thing about the Slate too.

Reality bites.

Well, guess what... Apple is not the underdog anymore. Flame me for fanboism, but I just wish Gates was still on board now that MS sucks more than ever.

PS: I thought "Duke Nukem Forever" was going to be bundled with the Courier!

 

[M3G4]

I honestly think HP using WebOS as a tablet platform is a very good idea, and could very well be a serious competitor to Apple's iPad. I think I'd probably buy a WebOS powered tablet over the Apple one, simply because the WebOS tablet is more likely to support Flash. Whilst I agree with the fact Flash is currently a system resource hog, for Steve Jobs to make a blanket statement on behalf of all Apple users is an incredibly bad move. It just goes to ballast the view (one that I of course do not agree with) that Apple is an arrogant company for arrogant users.

I think for the WebOS tablet to take the iPad on and win would be a very good lesson for Steve to learn - he DOES NOT and WILL NOT know what's best for everyone else.

 

[KJ500]

Ha ha ha

"HA, HA!"

Nelson Muntz

 

[iMacThere4Iam]

Want to dump your MS and HP stock? There's an app for that.

 

[applesupergeek]

I saw a working tablet on stage for a few seconds that was followed by a video and a sketchy 2010 release date. Apple didn't release the iPad back in January and the release date was up in the air for some time.

I only remember seeing a clip on the day of the HP demo on the national news. A few days before the iPad launch every channel blasts me with iPad propaganda and I'm insulted for lacking the intelligence to see a purpose for the iPad in my life.

It is possible to reply to two different posts and posters with one reply.

You are not making any sense, the arguments on what you pretend to not understand are crystal clear, yet post after post you purposefully ignore them and answer win short cryptical posts that make very little sense. I don't think anyone should humour you any more, when you turn black to white...

 

[applesupergeek]

Those desperate for Apple's demise have been crowing about their Courier salvation for months.

"Just wait until Courier gets here. That will put Apple in its place!"

Of course, I kept hearing the same thing about the Slate too.

Reality bites.

Don't worry, he knows it, he just constantly underplays it's importance to close to none, to lessen the effect of the fiasco, or the dishonesty of promoting vapourware.

because according to his own admission he despises the ipad...

 

[Eidorian]

Those desperate for Apple's demise have been crowing about their Courier salvation for months.

"Just wait until Courier gets here. That will put Apple in its place!"

Of course, I kept hearing the same thing about the Slate too.

Reality bites.

I do not aspire to this level of obsession.

 

[Davidkoh]

Yes sure: 4 min boot up, 2h battery life. Inadequate GUI probably completed by a custom HP touch GUI skin that falls off the bridge every time you run a soft not thought of by HP (not their fault but inevitable when 3rd party solutions try to complement a whole OS). And you're forgetting about the Atom CPU heating up, coughing up its guts whenever you launch anything more than applets because of the Windows legacy. All that to run softs that have better touch-optimised iPad equivalent.

That was cool when the alternatives were WinCE PDA's, back in 2004. think of the Sony U mini XP touchscreen PC or the OQO.
But that was a 2004 concept, still available right now in many touchscreen PC (Archos 9?EeePC T?) if you want it.
I'd rather use a fast, power efficient 3G iPad with a real touch-screen GUI for serious computing on-the-go. i.e: the remote sysadmin tools I need+general computing apps, instant use, not thinking about finding a power source every 20 mins...

Problem I got with the iPad is this, I cannot plug it into my stereo to listen to good music. I cannot runt Mathworks Matlab on it, which I need almost daily in school. And I cannot run Word Equations editor or LaTeX to make small last minute adjustments to my computer laboration reports I have to hand it. Forgot another one, I cannot print from it?

I might get the iPad to have as a toy, but right now that's all I could use it for.

All this might be possible, so please educate me. I read somewhere that some people launched some adapter that made the dock port output optical audio, that would scratch the first complaint I had. Is there any program for the text editor programs that can write equations so they look good and then save word documents to PDF? That would only leave MatLab as something I need

But then again, if there is no tablet that will let me run standard computer programs like Matlab and such the iPad will be the best of the tablets that do exist. I rather buy a product from Apple if it is equal to a product from another company.

 

[kerryb]

Not quite so simple

I don't know how anyone can say this is a good thing (although I know the fanboys have already corked the champagne). Less competition is bad for consumers.

All this shows the shrinking of the Windows empire and rise of Apple and Google's technology. Besides if a hardware company is looking of an OS to use on a mobile device they could: a. develop their own. b. hook up with Android. c. shop around for a company like Palm and buy their OS. There will be plenty of competition out there even without Microsoft who we all know is not despite claims an innovator of squat. Apple is no way going to have a seat and rest on its laurels, at least not with Jobs at the helm.

 

[qtx43]

The true is, Apple's iPad has no life outside of Apple's ecosystem (iTunes, AppStore).

You can't install anything on it (not even a simple .txt or .pdf document) without iTunes.

hmm...I must be doing something wrong then!

I download pdf files on my iPad all the time without iTunes through the GoodReader app.

And how did you get the GoodReader app onto your iPad? I love the iPad for what it does, but organizing and shuffling around files is not its strong point. In fact, it's a pain in the butt, even with GoodReader.

 

[kerryb]

go cable shopping

Problem I got with the iPad is this, I cannot plug it into my stereo to listen to good music.

there's a cable for that.

 

[phillipduran]

I don't know how anyone can say this is a good thing (although I know the fanboys have already corked the champagne). Less competition is bad for consumers.

I don't think competition weighs too heavily on Apples decisions on how they innovate or make new products. They are out ahead of the pack and I don't even think they have a rear view mirror installed to take a look at what the competition is doing. I don't think they ask themselves "What are they doing?" but instead ask, "What are WE going to do?"

 

[Davidkoh]

there's a cable for that.

Are you talking about the adapter I heard a rumour about? That gives you optical audio through the dock port? Because if you are talking about just using the headphones port it is not a viable option, that way uses the D/A converter in the iPad, and that one is CRAP. Granted I don't have a $1.5k stand alone D/A converter myself, but mine is still lightyears better then the iPads.

 

[ivladster]

Finally a smart decision from Microsoft!

 

[JAT]

The true is, Apple's iPad has no life outside of Apple's ecosystem (iTunes, AppStore).

You can't install anything on it (not even a simple .txt or .pdf document) without iTunes.

So? All computers require specific issues. Did you whine when USB came out, too? Or when magnetic disks replaced magnetic tape?

It's a lot easier to find and install apps on an iPxxx than on OSX/Win.

 

[JAT]

Are you talking about the adapter I heard a rumour about? That gives you optical audio through the dock port? Because if you are talking about just using the headphones port it is not a viable option, that way uses the D/A converter in the iPad, and that one is CRAP. Granted I don't have a $1.5k stand alone D/A converter myself, but mine is still lightyears better then the iPads.

You should plug your computer in, anyway. (Airport Express if needed) Then use the iPad as a remote control instead of as the actual playback device. Love it at my house with my iPod as remote. Gives access to the whole library instead of the tiny amount that fits on the iPxxx.

 

[thecartoonguy]

It's a bit a on the heavy side and good for web browsing. That's not enough to drop $499 on one though.

If I may, I will respectfully add a few points. This is perfect for a grad student. More so a Ph.D student (yes I am one). But I can take this with me check email, perform research produce a slideshow, make calls through Skype, and not have to worry about an extra 4 pounds and a place to plug in.

 

[Davidkoh]

You should plug your computer in, anyway. (Airport Express if needed) Then use the iPad as a remote control instead of as the actual playback device. Love it at my house with my iPod as remote. Gives access to the whole library instead of the tiny amount that fits on the iPxxx.

True, I could leave my MBP at the stereo most of the time. But for the times I need to use my MBP for the actual work/study it would be sweet to do the other way around and not have to use the USB extention cord I have to get the audio out. It makes lowers the sound quality a bit to use a long cord.

 

[RawBert]

Ha!

I bet Ballmer's foaming at the mouth and rolling around on the floor from anger. HA HA!

 

[QuiteSure]

Doubt I would've bought one but this is still bad news. Just means Apple will keep getting away with gimping the big iPod.

But it also means that M$ is more likely to develop Office apps for the iPad, which is very good news.

 

[PaulSorensen]

I think I'd probably buy a WebOS powered tablet over the Apple one, simply because the WebOS tablet is more likely to support Flash.

Flash will be on life-support by the time that HP comes out with a WebOS powered tablet. Having said that, I think a WebOS tablet would be a great move by HP.