The difference here is that Jobs is reportedly very happy with the tablet. The AppleTV though he still regards as "just a hobby."
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.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Officially Opens CES, Briefly Demos Forthcoming HP Slate
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The difference here is that Jobs is reportedly very happy with the tablet. The AppleTV though he still regards as "just a hobby."
He only called it "just a hobby" after it had been on sale for a while. I'm sure if it had been a runaway success he wouldn't have the same attitude.
Maybe some of the few thousand visitors of Macrumors, Engadget and Gizmodo would think so, but the rest of the consumer world is totally oblivious to CES and whatever keynote will be held there. I guess this HP device will show up in a few advertisements and there will be some displays in a few computer stores or whatever, but besides that there will not be a lot of exposure to the consumer market.
Whatever Apple introduces, be it a Tablet, new iPhone OS, laptop updates or iPod updates (the last won't happen), you can be sure it will be all over the news, even on sites that do not focus on tech news. In addition Apple will plaster each naked building wall in the US with a giant poster with the new product..
Whatever lead any company might have, and however good their product might be. As soon as Apple starts their marketing machine, that newproduct will be the first and the best in the minds of the regular consumer. Whether that be correct or not is a totally different matter.
Indeed. And people's perceptions will be coloured by how good the last apple product was....
I'd say some cannibalization of MacBook sales is OK if they can move enough of these tablet things.
Some cowboy math: Apple moves 3 millions macs a quarter, out of which maybe about a million are MacBooks. Let's say at 40% margin, Apple makes about $400 mil off Macbooks. In contrast, Apple moves 10 million plus iphones a quarter. If Apple makes $250 on average per iphone, that's $2.5 BILLION in profit.
Best case scenario: this tablet thing really takes off and Apple sells 2 million units a quarter. At 40% margins and assuming an average selling price of $700, Apple will make $560 million. Even if MacBook sales fall by 50%, Apple will more than make up for it with these tablet.
Worst case scenario: there's a 1-to-1 cannibalization of MacBooks, meaning Apple sells only 1 million tablets and zero MacBooks (highly unliked). Even if this highly unliked scenario were to happen, Apple won't lose much at all because this tablet won't come cheap and it'll carry a healthy margin like every other Apple hardware. If you consider that an iPhone costs $600-ish unsubsidized, I'd expect anywhere between $600 and $1000.
This slate of theirs is hilarious. I think it's great that they had to rush something to a stage in order to look current and with-it. They are kind of saying, "DON'T BUY THE AWESOME APPLE PRODUCT! DON'T SWITCH! ...we got one coming a little later, when we figure out what Apple did and then put it into our device." It's a good enough decision my MS, it's the only option they have to maximize their market, assuming the Apple device ignites a new market.
However, hands down, that MS slate will probably be annoying and clumsy.
That's fairly true.
However, Apple is world famous for interesting, well design devices. People will forgive a certain amount of sad product if they are currently using and happy with another Apple product.
However, hands down, that MS slate will probably be annoying and clumsy.
That's fairly true.
However, Apple is world famous for interesting, well design devices. People will forgive a certain amount of sad product if they are currently using and happy with another Apple product.
Have to disagree with you there. I *love* to read in bed while lying on my side while I find upright slouching hurts my back.
It's fine with books, but a pain in the rear with my laptop. You have to open the clamshell, turn it on its side, hope the HDD likes working side-on and then try and balance the thing on the spongy mattress surface. Finally, you have to manipulate the keyboard and touch pad with your free 'top' arm - and they're at a terrible angle and position for interacting with.
Give me a 10" flat slate, that I can hold up with one hand like I currently hold a novel open, and an interaction surface parallel to my body instead of at right angles, and I'll be first in the line. I can *finally* read my daily quota of sites and newspapers in bed comfortably.
I've been praying for something like this for a long time.
I was actually being positive!
Their track record is their best guarantee.
Gadget show (UK) gadget of the decade - iPhone
I expect the iSlate (still prefer iPad) to be picking up the gong again in ten years.
Its the magic paperback!
I was disappointed that it wasn't the Courier as I'm looking forward to that device. But having said that I'm also glad that it wasn't since I don't like HP's track record as indicated in this article:
http://www.alltabletnews.com/2010/01/07/ballmer-introduces-hp-tablet-pc-at-ces/
http://www.alltabletnews.com/2010/01/07/ballmer-introduces-hp-tablet-pc-at-ces/
I was actually being positive!
Their track record is their best guarantee.
Gadget show (UK) gadget of the decade - iPhone
I expect the iSlate (still prefer iPad) to be picking up the gong again in ten years.
I took your comment as a positive.
People are forgetting past Jobs innovations. The obtuse Apple haters here are waiting for the mega-fail, but if this recreates the sort of fever the iPod or iPhone created, it will take an existing product/market and transform it. Most likely that will happen, but function and price will be very important.
I remember when Apple made the iPod: I thought they were wasting time on absolute trinket-junk. A year later I got one and fell in love with the device, mostly because of how it interacted with the computer and organized music--such a simple function, but absolutely necessary to facilitate music on the computer. It was something no one else was doing or doing well at the time.
This iSlate will probably organize our productivity and connectivity better. If not, it could bomb. We'll see!
Not the whole story
Why the negativity and the hate?
There are other companies who will release a tablet, whatever Apple is doing. I haven't seen the Keynote, but I just read that Windows 7 is the fastest-selling OS in history... There is also a system called Project Natal, bringing gaming experience without controllers... This is good stuff, yet on this site, so many people throw dirt on MS. With this attitude, Apple would have died out in a garage far, far away.
I wish I saw Jobs' face when Ballmer said 'Slate'. Come on, Apple, everybody seems to be faster than you! It's not 2007!
Why the negativity and the hate?
There are other companies who will release a tablet, whatever Apple is doing. I haven't seen the Keynote, but I just read that Windows 7 is the fastest-selling OS in history... There is also a system called Project Natal, bringing gaming experience without controllers... This is good stuff, yet on this site, so many people throw dirt on MS. With this attitude, Apple would have died out in a garage far, far away.
I wish I saw Jobs' face when Ballmer said 'Slate'. Come on, Apple, everybody seems to be faster than you! It's not 2007!
This is great! Leave it to Microsoft to launch something with a whimper!
The word "Premature ejaculation" comes to mind!
HP should be mad that their new device got such little fan fair. Funny... looks like a big iPhone too! LOL!
Back to sleep until Apple does it right.
The word "Premature ejaculation" comes to mind!
HP should be mad that their new device got such little fan fair. Funny... looks like a big iPhone too! LOL!
Back to sleep until Apple does it right.
Forget consumers
I was wondering why Microsoft continues to try capturing the consumer market. They've got a really good handle on the business/enterprise market and it seems their corporate culture fits that very well. Why don't they just completely focus on business and leave consumer computing to Apple and others who do it well?
It really seems like if MS weren't so entrenched in the computer industry, it would be bankrupt by now. Ballmer's turning it into some sort of sick joke. Maybe he should open a Shoe Circus instead.
I was wondering why Microsoft continues to try capturing the consumer market. They've got a really good handle on the business/enterprise market and it seems their corporate culture fits that very well. Why don't they just completely focus on business and leave consumer computing to Apple and others who do it well?
It really seems like if MS weren't so entrenched in the computer industry, it would be bankrupt by now. Ballmer's turning it into some sort of sick joke. Maybe he should open a Shoe Circus instead.
BTW... I would not count on Apple calling their tablet the iSlate... I'm guessing they caught wind that HP was calling their tablet "Slate" and decided to secure iSlate as a trademark to keep others from taking it. Just to protect the "i" family brand.
Mind you, long before mp3 players were around, Sony had something almost as small called a minidisc walkman. I used to own one for radio. Still great little units, until the ipod came it was the easiest way to listen to music on the go without trying to jam a cd walkman into your (oversized) pants. yeah, the fashion was crap when i was young
Ballmer is crazy. that's what makes him "special". having him jump around on stage after his 15th redbull, there's none more entertaining in the tech world than him. did you hear about the story where he fired some guy in the middle of a meeting 'cause the guy was less than enthusiastic to yell out "bing!" all excited?? although the bing/hp deal should be a slight concern for the google. sure you can change settings and all, but 9/10 dont give two *****. just as long as they can open a browser and search stuff.
slate?? meh. I dont want to appear like another fanboi like some here, but a fully fledged OS on something that small and compact?? gotta agree there. not the most ideal thing. although the hardware looks nice..
have to say, NATAL looks gorgeous, though. MS is right, there. they own the live gaming thing there. I dont think sony have anything to worry about with their play tv and bluray, but nintendo should start getting very concerned....
slate?? meh. I dont want to appear like another fanboi like some here, but a fully fledged OS on something that small and compact?? gotta agree there. not the most ideal thing. although the hardware looks nice..
have to say, NATAL looks gorgeous, though. MS is right, there. they own the live gaming thing there. I dont think sony have anything to worry about with their play tv and bluray, but nintendo should start getting very concerned....
No doubt. A full OS is a completely wrong solution for this type of thing. My first "smartphone" had a full keyboard and ran Windows Mobile 5. It was a nightmare. I had to navigate 4 menus to do what I can do with one button on my iPhone.
As much as I would love -- in theory -- to be able to replace my laptop (which, in my case, would require running Adobe Creative Suite) with this thing, I suspect that it would suck badly, and would end with me breaking the thing or drowning it at sea.
Yawn! Microsoft and their partners just don't get it. Maybe instead of trying to scream "FIRST" like a retarded YouTube commenter, they should take their time with the products and deliver something great. You know, just like Apple does and just like Steven Sinofsky & team did with Windows 7.
But I think that's just because you have the "it's good enough/design by committee/feature checklist" mentality of most Microsoft divisions vs. the "Why would I use this except when taking a poo?" mentality of Steve Jobs.
But I think that's just because you have the "it's good enough/design by committee/feature checklist" mentality of most Microsoft divisions vs. the "Why would I use this except when taking a poo?" mentality of Steve Jobs.
I thought the Imac design borrowed from the Rowenta Surfline steam iron.
Steve Jones, marketing manager at Rowenta, gave Marquis the following statement:
"Rowenta is flattered to see that the new iMac design bears a close resemblance to our
Surfline iron, which was launched five years ago. We wish Apple all the success with
iMac that we have had with our irons."
"Rowenta is flattered to see that the new iMac design bears a close resemblance to our
Surfline iron, which was launched five years ago. We wish Apple all the success with
iMac that we have had with our irons."
What Apple would lose though is a ton of Mac OS X devices, which would have other negative effects... Then what would you sync your tablet to, a Windows 7 PC?
But I doubt they would do much cannibalization, people that need to run Mac apps on a laptop would still be buying Macs. Or like it's been said maybe the tablet will double as some sort of fancy Mac peripheral when it's "docked" at home.Slate PC
Did you see the wallpaper on the HP stale...
It says " indulge"
With two hands offering an apple!!!!!!
Did you see the wallpaper on the HP stale...
It says " indulge"
With two hands offering an apple!!!!!!
No. They have a patent on their code, but you cannot patent the use of fingers in this manner.