U.S. Tablet Sales Led by iPad in 2013 as Chromebooks Overtake MacBooks

[parapup]

this thread is amongst the saddest on this board. people who the chromebooks are enough for are seemingly wrong because they dont spend a $1000 more. what is your wife using the chroombook for?

She uses it for browsing, Gmail, Netflix and YouTube to Chromecast on TV, banking, running her windows only educational apps via remote desktop, children's school stuff etc. And it's quite decent for all of that. I wish it had better battery life and speakers though.

 

[Tinmania]

I also work at a university in England and I see approximately 50-50 OS X-Windows devices. Never, ever, seen a ChromeBook out 'in the wild'.

Why would you be even remotely surprised that students at a UNIVERSITY need more from a laptop than email, facebook, and a web browser?

Tune in next week when Joe the contractor is surprised he sees mostly Toughbooks on job sites and very little macbooks.


Michael

 

[johnnyturbouk]

Comparing macs to chromebooks, is like apples to oranges!

Totally different markets and usage, even the cheapest mac, an MacBook Air can not really be compared to a chromebook.

I am not a google thrasher and actually like a lot of their products, ie the nexus 7 has replaced my ipad 3. However for my mobile computing needs, I can not envision being without my rMBP- and I am really content with osx 10.9

Ps, for all those anecdotal BS of what you have or haven't observed at school/ work is hardly scientific rigour!

 

[numlock]

She uses it for browsing, Gmail, Netflix and YouTube to Chromecast on TV, banking, running her windows only educational apps via remote desktop, children's school stuff etc. And it's quite decent for all of that. I wish it had better battery life and speakers though.

how does it handle netflix, youtube-chromecast etc?

what kind of battery life does she get?

 

[Larry-K]

Wow, you sound bitter.

Nope, just don't drink the Kool-Aid some imbibe so freely here.

 

[TechZeke]

Engineers can't upgrade their own RAM? Man, higher education is in the dumpster these days.

No, It has nothing to do with education. They ask after they find out I'm a tech person. Just because they know Vector Statics doesn't mean they want to f-ck up a $1500 computer. These aren't computer engineers. To be honest, I felt the same way before I took the plunge and just opened up my computer.

I want to upgrade the hard drive on my iMac. Even though I'm sure I could easily do it, I don't feel confident enough to remove the whole damn logic board just to upgrade the HDD. I have experience with desktop PCs, but All-in-ones are a different can of worms. I really don't see how being an engineer has anything to do with it.

 

[Tinmania]

Fully depends on your needs and use. My daughter who is 7 needed something to use for her school reading, homework and math (yes our schools have kids using computers, my son even has his own school supplier Google drive for homework), the school has a website where she can read books, then answer comprehension questions as well as practice math, etc. The teacher tracks her progress and adjusts her homework accordingly. Very neat.

Unfortunately, since nobody reading this thread will ever see your daughter using it out "in the wild" it might as well not exist.


Michael

 

[ktmusagi]

Doesn't surprise me in the least. After owning numerous Macbook Pro's over the years, my 2012 edition is an extremely faulty piece of hardware with known about but un-remedied manufacture issues that have determined that I'll be joining the competition for my next purchase.

Rather a shame to have experienced such unsatisfactory after sales and hardware defects from the company that was once the industry transformer in these areas.

 

[Renzatic]

Unfortunately, since nobody reading this thread will ever see your daughter using it out "in the wild" it might as well not exist.

I love the "out in the wild" argument. It's so subjective, and doesn't say anything about anything. It's bound more to what you're more likely to notice, rather than what you're seeing.

You know how many iPads I've seen out in the wild? Maybe about 6. Macbooks? I could count those on one hand, and still have fingers to spare. I've seen tons of iPhones and Androids though.

So what does this mean? I guess based on my personal experiences, no one's buying tablets and laptops, and smartphones make up nearly 100% of the market. Cuz, you know, that's what I've seen "out in the wild".

 

[LordVic]

"i dont see anyone using <insert whatever device> in the wild, so it' must not sell well" is a terrible argument. I stop reading those comments.

I make a considerable effort out of respect and curtesy to not be seen walking around with my devices in hand, especially when i'm out with others, or in public because I find it remarkably rude.

Does that all of a sudden mean nobody is using whatever device?

Or perhaps your closed group of friends and limited area is very specific to a type of device.. or... there's so many "ors" that could explain it.

Or MAYBE iPhone users have inadequacy problems and insist on showcasing that they have an iPhone to everyone

(that was sarcasm, please don't read it as an attack, i know thats generally not the case)

 

[r.harris1]

Almost 600 posts about Chromebooks overtaking MacBooks, along with a smattering of discussions on the ACA.

Really? Seems like people should be out playing with their new toys or something .

Chromebooks and MacBooks aren't really in the same category or intended to be...so...failing to see the interest. It's one of those comparisons that you can make but aren't really meaningful, it seems to me. It's like saying olive oil is gluten free.

 

[kingtj]

Yep....

I'm a bit surprised Chromebooks are selling so well. I almost wonder if these figures aren't taking into account any returns? Everyone I've met so far (and I do mean every single person!) who expressed interest in a Chromebook and purchased one told me they wound up returning it within a week or less!

I won't go so far as to declare them "useless toys" -- but they're not a laptop in the typical sense of the word. Without a self-sufficient OS on them that doesn't require a tether to the Internet, they really don't qualify.

I can see them working for a certain subset of users who only do Internet-related activities with their portable devices, and who really want the attached keyboard vs. a touchscreen tablet. But most buyers seem to be folks who are quite frankly just being "cheap/tight" with their money, and hope to find a stylish, slim laptop computer at a low price. They try Chromebook and quickly realize it's not what they were after.

Chromebook is not a real laptop. It's an overpriced toy that is essentially useless in the real world. Macbooks continue to dominate in the real laptop market segment with the world's most advanced operating system OS X.

 

[knucklehead]

Almost 600 posts about Chromebooks overtaking MacBooks, along with a smattering of discussions on the ACA.

Really? Seems like people should be out playing with their new toys or something .

Chromebooks and MacBooks aren't really in the same category or intended to be...so...failing to see the interest. It's one of those comparisons that you can make but aren't really meaningful, it seems to me. It's like saying olive oil is gluten free.

It's been a bizarrely interesting thread to read through while spending hours on hold with BlueCross to see if my ACA policy will actually go into effect in 2 days ...

 

[LordVic]

But this is a website

if they got a chromebook for Christmas, being on the Web is really the only thing they CAN dO!

 

[numlock]

Almost 600 posts about Chromebooks overtaking MacBooks, along with a smattering of discussions on the ACA.

Really? Seems like people should be out playing with their new toys or something .

Chromebooks and MacBooks aren't really in the same category or intended to be...so...failing to see the interest. It's one of those comparisons that you can make but aren't really meaningful, it seems to me. It's like saying olive oil is gluten free.

well nothing can be a success unless its made by apple. i knew right away when i saw this report that gruber would be up in arms as he seems to be on a personal crusade against chromebooks and of course he had some entries on the subject

but regarding your last paragraph of course they arent really intended for the same market but how many people buy macbooks but a chromebook is really enough?

 

[r.harris1]

...
but regarding your last paragraph of course they arent really intended for the same market but how many people buy macbooks but a chromebook is really enough?

Hard to say how many, and of course the really interesting number would be to replace "MacBooks" with "laptops", to make it more general. I don't know very many people who could, for instance, just get by with a chrome book (or an iPad or whatever netty-tablety-thing). They might get by with a desktop and a chrome book or laptop and a chrome book, but everyone I know (my parents/older relatives included) at least occasionally need a "full computer" for various projects.

A set of interesting questions might be:

(1) If I have an iPad, is there a compelling argument to get a chrome book?
(2) If I have a MacBook, is there are a compelling argument to get a chrome book instead of say an iPad or Nexus tablet?
(3) If I have a Windows laptop (Dell, etc), is there a compelling argument to get a chrome book instead of a Surface, iPad or Nexus?
(4) If I have nothing, is there a compelling argument to get a chrome book?

Unless I am wedded strongly to the Google ecosystem, I can't see a real reason to get a chrome book in the above scenarios, and even then, their support on other devices is strong enough not to warrant the purchase of an additional device to carry around and in the case of (4), applications and other factors (4G/LTE) might lead me to pick one of the tablets if I didn't want a full laptop/desktop.

 

[akuma13]

If Apple where smart they would do a tablet/laptop hybrid without charging a arm and a leg.

 

[Larry-K]

No, It has nothing to do with education. They ask after they find out I'm a tech person. Just because they know Vector Statics doesn't mean they want to f-ck up a $1500 computer. These aren't computer engineers. To be honest, I felt the same way before I took the plunge and just opened up my computer.

I want to upgrade the hard drive on my iMac. Even though I'm sure I could easily do it, I don't feel confident enough to remove the whole damn logic board just to upgrade the HDD. I have experience with desktop PCs, but All-in-ones are a different can of worms. I really don't see how being an engineer has anything to do with it.

Since I'm not an engineer, I wouldn't know what they teach them, but I would think almost any engineering student would understand the simple precautions necessary to perform such a rudimentary upgrade.

 

[numlock]

Hard to say how many, and of course the really interesting number would be to replace "MacBooks" with "laptops", to make it more general. I don't know very many people who could, for instance, just get by with a chrome book (or an iPad or whatever netty-tablety-thing). They might get by with a desktop and a chrome book or laptop and a chrome book, but everyone I know (my parents/older relatives included) at least occasionally need a "full computer" for various projects.

A set of interesting questions might be:

(1) If I have an iPad, is there a compelling argument to get a chrome book?
(2) If I have a MacBook, is there are a compelling argument to get a chrome book instead of say an iPad or Nexus tablet?
(3) If I have a Windows laptop (Dell, etc), is there a compelling argument to get a chrome book instead of a Surface, iPad or Nexus?
(4) If I have nothing, is there a compelling argument to get a chrome book?

Unless I am wedded strongly to the Google ecosystem, I can't see a real reason to get a chrome book in the above scenarios, and even then, their support on other devices is strong enough not to warrant the purchase of an additional device to carry around and in the case of (4), applications and other factors (4G/LTE) might lead me to pick one of the tablets if I didn't want a full laptop/desktop.

i really want to get my hands on a chromebook and test one out. i doubt it could be the one and only computer for me. i was thinking of replacing my sisters old ibook with one but got a macbook instead.

but for someone like my mom and sister it would be enough except she uses itunes and iphoto to sync their ipad/iphone. but to pay $500 + just for those features is very high imo

to answer your questions i would say no, perhaps, perhaps, depending on needs and i agree the google ecosystem isnt substantially better on chromebooks than others so its not really a factor

 

[Renzatic]

(1) If I have an iPad, is there a compelling argument to get a chrome book?
(2) If I have a MacBook, is there are a compelling argument to get a chrome book instead of say an iPad or Nexus tablet?
(3) If I have a Windows laptop (Dell, etc), is there a compelling argument to get a chrome book instead of a Surface, iPad or Nexus?
(4) If I have nothing, is there a compelling argument to get a chrome book?

(1) No, there's not. They each roughly fill the same general usage scenarios, albeit in slightly different ways.

(2) If you want something to bang around on the internet with that won't cost you a ton of money, yeah.

(3) Same as above.

(4)Yeah, there is. I'd say a large amount of people spend the vast majority of their time on a laptop with Safari, Internet Explorer, or Chrome open in front of them. Basically, their entire laptop and the OS on it is nothing more than a support base for their web browser. They don't need anything else. For them, buying an inexpensive laptop that's basically nothing BUT a web browser would work perfectly fine for them. If they want to bang out some documents or do a quick budget, they don't need Word or Excel. Hell, even iWork would be overkill for them (though they can use the web apps if they wanted to). Google Docs is more than enough to fulfill their needs.

I'd say most of the people here would find a Chromebook too limiting. But we're not their target market. The people I mentioned above are. It's for these people that the Chromebooks are made for.

The biggest mistake I see people make around here is that there is such a thing as a one-size-fits-all device, that their favorite device is it, and anything else beyond that is a waste. That's not true. Everyone has different needs, and there's a market for everything.

 

[Tinmania]

Google has done what Apple could have, but wouldn't. It's a choice, Google is the visionary without fear, as such they enrich the tech lives of many, usually for free or at deeply discounted pricing.

Conversely Apple let's instant gratification and a burning desire for high grosses in the immediate moment rule their actions. They fill the needs of the vain and image centric, brand conscious consumer. It's these consumers that usually hate Google, since they don't attach high prices or snob appeal to their products and services.

Each type of business model has it's advantages.

Please stop with this common sense talk. It doesn't belong here.


Michael

 

[sseaton1971]

i really want to get my hands on a chromebook and test one out. i doubt it could be the one and only computer for me. i was thinking of replacing my sisters old ibook with one but got a macbook instead.

but for someone like my mom and sister it would be enough except she uses itunes and iphoto to sync their ipad/iphone. but to pay $500 + just for those features is very high imo

to answer your questions i would say no, perhaps, perhaps, depending on needs and i agree the google ecosystem isnt substantially better on chromebooks than others so its not really a factor

If you really want to get your hands on one, you can go to the local electronics store and pay $200. If you don't like it, just return it. I have experience with Chromebooks, and I am not sold on them for many reasons. For some people, I am sure they will be adequate.

 

[r.harris1]

(1) No, there's not. They each roughly fill the same general usage scenarios, albeit in slightly different ways.

(2) If you want something to bang around on the internet with that won't cost you a ton of money, yeah.

(3) Same as above.

(4)Yeah, there is. I'd say a large amount of people spend the vast majority of their time on a laptop with Safari, Internet Explorer, or Chrome open in front of them. Basically, their entire laptop and the OS on it is nothing more than a support base for their web browser. They don't need anything else. For them, buying an inexpensive laptop that's basically nothing BUT a web browser would work perfectly fine for them. If they want to bang out some documents or do a quick budget, they don't need Word or Excel. Hell, even iWork would be overkill for them (though they can use the web apps if they wanted to). Google Docs is more than enough to fulfill their needs.

I'd say most of the people here would find a Chromebook too limiting. But we're not their target market. The people I mentioned above are. It's for these people that the Chromebooks are made for.

The biggest mistake I see people make around here is that there is such a thing as a one-size-fits-all device, that their favorite device is it, and anything else beyond that is a waste. That's not true. Everyone has different needs, and there's a market for everything.

I guess for (2), for me, I'd want something that would compliment my MacBook, which for me would be an iPad, especially if it's just content consumption. While cost is definitely a consideration, there are many other factors I look at first when choosing a device.

Definitely agreed there's not a one-size-fits-all device and hopefully I didn't come across as making a statement that my favorite device would be that device if such a device existed . What is true, is that I know no one for whom having a Chromebook only would suffice, but that's just my own group of friends/family/colleagues and very much anecdotal. Given the numbers noted, there's obviously a market for people who want Chromebooks, for whatever reason. It would be interesting to see if it were their only device, an add-on to their existing devices, etc. I've diddled around a bit on the Samsung one and it wasn't a bad experience at all but didn't see a reason for me to go out and get one. But that's just me and others will (and do) have different needs, experiences.

 

[tbrand7]

laugh now cry later...when your company is in shambles...

Your obviously not a fan of Apple. So why are you on this site?

 

[LordVic]

Your obviously not a fan of Apple. So why are you on this site?

When did liking someones products mean you have to endorse or encourage certain business practices?