Lol, so basically the ipad never dominated the tablet market and I'm just making it up. So you want me to say that Apple never had complete control? Wow!
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U.S. Tablet Sales Led by iPad in 2013 as Chromebooks Overtake MacBooks
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Lol, so basically the ipad never dominated the tablet market and I'm just making it up. So you want me to say that Apple never had complete control? Wow!
My, My , My what a tired thread. I just read every single post here and this thread has it all. We got the brainwashed fan-boys on one side, we got the brain-dead hard-heads on the other, and we have the same old nonsensical Fan-boy talking points spewed all over the thread ie. "Crappy Dells", "Elegant Macs", & "BMW's vs Fords"...
So I'm going to give my "OPINION" in this matter, and step away and let the rest of you insult each other in the same way you all have been doing since 1984.
1st off, the world is indeed moving away from powerful standalone PC's (trucks to Jobs) in favor of more portable devices. Some of us require a full blown PC to perform daily tasks required by our chosen career (at least for now), but that number is shrinking more and more everyday.
The majority of these new devices do resemble thin clients. In a way, it's almost humorous to me as it reminds me of when I started in my chosen career - which happens to be Construction and Engineering Project Planning and Scheduling. I would submit an Artemis schedule to the mainframe from my trusty 3270.
We don't need a mainframe any longer, we have the web and the cloud. And it is true that the browser is quickly becoming the most important tool on our computers. Again, In my chosen field, I generally run Primavera P6 in the cloud right from my browser (and there are multiple methods of doing this)... My days as a truck driver are drawing to a close as well.
But my example is not unique. For us requiring heavy lifting, the day when we will need the "truck" is disappearing quickly. For more casual users, that day is here and has been here.....
The iPad is a good device, but so are the Android tablets, the MacBook Pro, Chromebooks, Windows Laptops, and Surface computers. All of them are good devices. People make their choice based on their wants, needs, perceived value, and personal preferences. If all I need is a thin client, I am not going to buy a MacBook Pro or a high end Windows laptop just to run the browser. Apple chooses not to compete in that low end market - and that's their decision. But that doesn't make every low end computer "junky, clunky, crappy" or any other disparaging fan-boy characterization they constantly spew on blogs daily.
For what I need when I'm traveling, the Chromebook is more than enough computer for what I need. It allows me access to all my files, handles my email great, and even allows me to vpn into my main servers and remotely run the software I need. Why would anyone with such need pay 10 times the cost of a simple thin client laptop when they don't need it? And, as much as I like Apple products, Apple chooses not to make a machine that meets (when traveling) my needs at a reasonable price. Personally, I'd love to see a thin client Apple notebook running iOS with a full keyboard and a pointing device at a comparable price point - but they don't - so the issue is moot, Apple loses the sale.
This is great time in technology, we have great powerful tablets running OS X, Windows, and Linux, as well as Desktops and workstations running the same. We have thin Clients running ChromeOS and RT, we have tablets running iOS, Anndroid, and RT (I know some run full blown Windows as well which, IMO, is beyond ridiculous_)... NOT ONE of them is necessarily "better" than the other - but you guys feel the need to defend one product against the other based on a logo on the case, and ya know, that's about the only real difference.
When it comes to thin client laptops, the Chromebook is hard to beat - for the everyday user, and more and more everyday, the professional. As I sit here Sunday night typing this on my iMac from my home office I know I'm on the right machine for relaxing in my big padded chair and in front of this nice big 27" screen. But I also know that my Chromebook is in my briefcase and I will carry it with me when I board the plane tomorrow morning and it will serve me well for the the next 3 days...
So I'm going to give my "OPINION" in this matter, and step away and let the rest of you insult each other in the same way you all have been doing since 1984.
1st off, the world is indeed moving away from powerful standalone PC's (trucks to Jobs) in favor of more portable devices. Some of us require a full blown PC to perform daily tasks required by our chosen career (at least for now), but that number is shrinking more and more everyday.
The majority of these new devices do resemble thin clients. In a way, it's almost humorous to me as it reminds me of when I started in my chosen career - which happens to be Construction and Engineering Project Planning and Scheduling. I would submit an Artemis schedule to the mainframe from my trusty 3270.
We don't need a mainframe any longer, we have the web and the cloud. And it is true that the browser is quickly becoming the most important tool on our computers. Again, In my chosen field, I generally run Primavera P6 in the cloud right from my browser (and there are multiple methods of doing this)... My days as a truck driver are drawing to a close as well.
But my example is not unique. For us requiring heavy lifting, the day when we will need the "truck" is disappearing quickly. For more casual users, that day is here and has been here.....
The iPad is a good device, but so are the Android tablets, the MacBook Pro, Chromebooks, Windows Laptops, and Surface computers. All of them are good devices. People make their choice based on their wants, needs, perceived value, and personal preferences. If all I need is a thin client, I am not going to buy a MacBook Pro or a high end Windows laptop just to run the browser. Apple chooses not to compete in that low end market - and that's their decision. But that doesn't make every low end computer "junky, clunky, crappy" or any other disparaging fan-boy characterization they constantly spew on blogs daily.
For what I need when I'm traveling, the Chromebook is more than enough computer for what I need. It allows me access to all my files, handles my email great, and even allows me to vpn into my main servers and remotely run the software I need. Why would anyone with such need pay 10 times the cost of a simple thin client laptop when they don't need it? And, as much as I like Apple products, Apple chooses not to make a machine that meets (when traveling) my needs at a reasonable price. Personally, I'd love to see a thin client Apple notebook running iOS with a full keyboard and a pointing device at a comparable price point - but they don't - so the issue is moot, Apple loses the sale.
This is great time in technology, we have great powerful tablets running OS X, Windows, and Linux, as well as Desktops and workstations running the same. We have thin Clients running ChromeOS and RT, we have tablets running iOS, Anndroid, and RT (I know some run full blown Windows as well which, IMO, is beyond ridiculous_)... NOT ONE of them is necessarily "better" than the other - but you guys feel the need to defend one product against the other based on a logo on the case, and ya know, that's about the only real difference.
When it comes to thin client laptops, the Chromebook is hard to beat - for the everyday user, and more and more everyday, the professional. As I sit here Sunday night typing this on my iMac from my home office I know I'm on the right machine for relaxing in my big padded chair and in front of this nice big 27" screen. But I also know that my Chromebook is in my briefcase and I will carry it with me when I board the plane tomorrow morning and it will serve me well for the the next 3 days...
Apple is still dominating the tablet market today, but there are more players now.
The 90% marketshare numbers in your first link are "shipped to" figures. Basically, a company like Samsung can ship as many as they can make. But it doesn't mean they will all get sold to the consumers.
Obsolete products can be marked down, or returned to the manufacturers periodically (depending on their contract). In Asia, it's a lot more fluidal since the control is much more relaxed (or non-existent). These returned goods will not be reflected anywhere in your marketshare chart. In Asia (and to a lesser extent, US), you will find companies stuffing the channel with more products to meet the financial numbers. Then suffer the consequences, when the goods are returned secretly. It is illegal in US.
The numbers here *I assume* are sold-to enterprise customers numbers.
In general, more competition is good for everyone, including Apple. While they may have lost marketshare, they may end up selling even more units because the market has expanded.
It also means other companies can serve the lower tier customers. Physical goods are not like digital goods. There will be customer support cost. You can only make so many units within a certain time frame. The more you make, the tougher it is to maintain quality. It is better to let Samsung and others serve the lower tier users. It is especially true if they ship many cheap SKUs across regions. The channel cost can be high (which cut into profit). That's why many Android makers still lose money.
All in all, it's better to have a heterogeneous market than a monopoly.
*shrug* I just take my iPad along for trips. Sometimes MacBook Air if I need more heavy duty work done.
Sometimes I use my wife's Windows laptop too.
BUT the article talks about enterprise sales, not consumer sales.
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Exactly. Plus these figures have meaning when compared to last year's numbers. Which also didn't account for direct to consumer sales. That alone is an indicator.
They didn't track Chromebook numbers last year. This is by and large the first datapoint. Can't project anything yet. It is not uncommon for them to change their mind, or "buy and kill project". Give them a year or two.
It takes time to sell into enterprises. I suspect Microsoft will react in a more calculated manner now that their internal Windows confusion has more or less settled down.
There are a lot of things they can do to defend the very entrenched Windows kingdom in the business world. Those who think lightly of MS there may be surprised.
So that makes them fly by night companies as you claimed in your earlier post? Please post some links showing that Samsung, Lenovo, Sony and Toshiba are on the verge of bankruptcy.
It's a shame that you think of Mac vs. Windows as only being different by branding. There's a huge difference between the two. Sure, they all do the same stuff, but how easily? How efficiently? How reliably? That's what it comes down to - not WHAT they do, but HOW well they do it, and that's where the Mac and other Apple products excel, because Apple engineers have focused on that end-user experience.
Yes, people will always be drawn in by that lower sticker price, but at what cost? When they finally learn to buy quality (true quality), and it might be a bit more expensive up-front, they will easily make back the value of their purchase over time. It's that total cost of ownership that gives products true value, not the raw capabilities.
Sheesh! Look them up yourself!! Ok, here's one:
http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/financial/fr/12q4_sony.pdf
$450 million in profit is small potatoes, and that's for the entire company. Computers make a small portion of that, assuming they made a profit at all. I think they're hidden in Mobile Products, which LOST money!
One misstep, like I said, could push them out of the business.
And I said they're looking like fly by night. They aren't by definition because they have a history, but their history is looking less relevant every year.
Why is it I see people using nothing but iPhones and MacBooks, yet somehow Android phones, and now Chromebooks, are selling more? BS!
I agree... It is way too early to make projections. I wonder how much money is made on the cheapest Chromebooks. I can't imagine it is very much. Unless sales are huge, many companies might just abandon producing the cheaper units.
Is that why Apple's iCloud runs on Windows Azure?
Sorry but it doesn't. Do you believe everything you read on the internet?
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Sony made a profit. Lenovo makes a profit. Samsung makes a profit. Leonovo is doing quite well. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/08/technology/lenovo-reports-a-36-jump-in-profit.html?_r=0
Much speculation on your part.
Yeah... They are likely not on the verge of going out of business! lol
Funny, though, when Apple makes a profit in the billions, they are said to be doomed by Apple haters and ignorant analysts. I am thinking Apple and the companies named above will be around for quite some time!
Yeah... They are likely not on the verge of going out of business! lol
Funny, though, when Apple makes a profit in the billions, they are said to be doomed by Apple haters and ignorant analysts. I am thinking Apple and the companies named above will be around for quite some time!
Apple, Microsoft, Google, Samsung, Sony and many others are not going anywhere for a long time.
Something is wrong with these numbers. I have seen zero Chromebooks in the wild. Well actually I believe I have seen 1 ever. And all I see is MacBooks, everywhere. No one is buying Chromebooks. I'm sure this is somehow skewed data. Distribution channels, not actual sales.
Yep. It is certain that products made by these companies will come and go, but I can't imagine a world without these companies in near future.
Actually the quality bag is a good use of funds if it's used frequently. I carry a LV daily. The bag lasts about 20 years for me with two replacement zippers at $29 per. So for me it's a good buy. I buy for the durability.
The $30 bag is false economy. It usually falls apart before you get out of the parking lot. Then there is the the added issue of the credit card hack. I seldom buy at Target. It's mainly junk but there are a few items worth my dollars. Unfortunately I was there and made a purchase December 4.
Then the hassle of canceling the credit card and watching for fraudulent charges. No way Target did not know of the hack until Dec 19. Target has not been forth coming about the security issue. They finally admitted on Dec 26 that PIN numbers were harvested also but they say not to worry about it.
All things considered the Louis bag from Sak's is the bargain purchase.
Speculation? Lenovo made LESS money than Apple on nearly four times the volume!! That's one misstep away from big trouble, especially since they can't differentiate their hardware from other PC makers.
Sony LOST money on much of their business. If it wasn't for Sony Pictures ($509 million profit) they'd have been in the red!
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I'm sure you felt the same way about Compaq back in the day...
How'd you feel about DEC and Wang?
Yep, speculation. Everyone makes less money than Apple and are still in business.