An editorial on iPad sales and competition

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

I get 45.1632 square inches for 9.7" at 4:3, and 45.8472 square inches for 10.1" at 16:10. I thought that the difference would be bigger, but the 10.1" screen is still bigger.

Oops, you're right. I accidentally calculated for 16:9...but the tab is 16:10, and is slightly larger.

[MV64]

I get so tired of hearing how great Apple is. Android is destroying them in the market and is on pace to own 50% of the market in the future. Casual people are fooled into the Apple hipster machine occasionally, but that doesn't mean they're not capable of noticing a better deal when one appears to them. Non-iPad tablets will do fine once they develop a few marquee brands.

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by Ankh

Because Apple's hands are tied, the rate of hardware changes now and in the future has to be gradual not to hurt that apps inventory. They can not afford to redesign iPad (or introduce a new platform) if that means loosing large number of apps.

Apple has a pretty good track record of cutting the past loose to get to the future.

[RockdaMan]

Originally Posted by MV64

I get so tired of hearing how great Apple is.

Not many businesses out there are executing as well as they are.

Jobs and co. are overwhelmingly a huge, unprecedented success story that should be celebrated and will be studied in business schools for years to come. They haven't received half the acclaim that they deserve.

Google too...they are in a different business than Apple...but they too have turned their industry inside out.

[elcreative]

Originally Posted by MV64

I get so tired of hearing how great Apple is. Android is destroying them in the market and is on pace to own 50% of the market in the future. Casual people are fooled into the Apple hipster machine occasionally, but that doesn't mean they're not capable of noticing a better deal when one appears to them. Non-iPad tablets will do fine once they develop a few marquee brands.

Could I ask how Android is destroying them in the market... Android based devices are spread over many companies trying to grab a little piece of the market and then hopefully expand from there... Apple share their hardware/OS with no-one, they make the hardware and OS and have a bigger market share of the tablet market than anyone. Note the remarkable success so far in producing Android marque (not a tent) brands As other people have commented, they should stop trying to be "iPad killers" and concentrate on making their own markets... and I should point out that I speak as an Android tablet owner and Galaxy II S smartphone owner, both of which I prefer to the iPad/iPhone because they meet my needs better...

[The Terminator]

$99 TouchPad did pretty good, BestBuy sold out in a couple of hours.

[afa]

Originally Posted by elcreative

and I should point out that I speak as an Android tablet owner and Galaxy II S smartphone owner, both of which I prefer to the iPad/iPhone because they meet my needs better...

How are you liking the S II? I've toyed with the idea of getting one. Seen a lot of good reviews...

Of course, I still haven't decided if I really do want to spend the money; entirely possible I won't buy anything.

[elcreative]

Originally Posted by afa

How are you liking the S II? I've toyed with the idea of getting one. Seen a lot of good reviews...

Of course, I still haven't decided if I really do want to spend the money; entirely possible I won't buy anything.

Galaxy II S is absolutely terrible, should be banned like crack cocaine... I now know why people seem hooked on their smartphones, keep finding new ways of using it, stealing time... Seriously, it's a really good device, makes a great phone, excellent web tool, lots of cool apps that work very well doing useful stuff, very good screen, excellent camera... everything worked great first time... gps, wi-fi, bluetooth, accelerometer etc. I got mine free included in contract (24 months) with 1500 free minutes to mobiles, 3000 to landlines, 3250 texts and 500MB data... all per month... bit more than I intended to spend monthly but basically I don't have to pay for a phone call or text for the next 23 months so...

[RockdaMan]

“Apple only covers the top tier. With a $500 price you cannot go to the small cities, townships, low salary class, low-income class. I don’t want to say we want to significantly lower the price, rather our strategy is to provide more categories, to cover different market segments.”

Yang Yuanquing, chief executive of Lenovo, which has overtaken Acer to become the world’s third largest PC manufacturer by shipment volume.

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/8c59d...#ixzz1VlIQ0yKE

[OtterBooks]

Originally Posted by MV64

Non-iPad tablets will do fine once they develop a few marquee brands.

It better happen soon, because there aren't many brands left to give it a shot. Thus far it seems that this is a purely Apple marketing phenomenon. So far as I can tell, nobody wants tablets nor have they ever. In the age of smartphones, why should they?

I suspect that the non-iPad tablet will go down as one of the biggest blunders in the history of consumer tech. I could be super wrong.

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

It better happen soon, because there aren't many brands left to give it a shot. Thus far it seems that this is a purely Apple marketing phenomenon. So far as I can tell, nobody wants tablets nor have they ever. In the age of smartphones, why should they?

To watch netflix in bed.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

So far as I can tell, nobody wants tablets nor have they ever. In the age of smartphones, why should they?

Smartphones don't have 7~10" displays.

[GlennD]

Originally Posted by OtterBooks

It better happen soon, because there aren't many brands left to give it a shot. Thus far it seems that this is a purely Apple marketing phenomenon. So far as I can tell, nobody wants tablets nor have they ever. In the age of smartphones, why should they?

I suspect that the non-iPad tablet will go down as one of the biggest blunders in the history of consumer tech. I could be super wrong.

Way back when there were leaks of Microsoft's Courier tablet I pointed it out to my wife and said "THAT is the perfect device for a stay-at-home Mom."

A couple of years later, she has an ipad and loves it. She has reason to need quick access to email (she's an interpreter and job offers come several times a day from local agencies), and doesn't want to have to kick kids off the computer several times a day to check email. We looked at laptops, they're not quick enough access - waiting for a laptop to power on or even come out of hibernation would often use up the time she has to check in. A tablet is the ideal device for her. A smartphone alone just doesn't cut it.

While I think it's the ideal device for a Mom, I'm seeing numerous executives at work who think it's the perfect device for them. They're accepting less expensive desktop PCs instead of the laptops they used to have, and using ipads (often on their own dime) for notetaking and to remotely check email.

So I'd say your statement that no one wants tablets is quite incorrect.

[karunaji]

As you describe it, both the Mom and the executive are using iPad as laptop extension. The moment either of them finds iPad inadequate, he or she will chase the children away and use the real computer for a while. The convenience is super important to this segment and Apple can sell their expensive products to them.

However, if you don't need a computer and a tablet would be sufficient for occasional internet browsing, then a cheap device is better than expensive one and Android devices have very good chances. Probably it will be less applicable to the US or Western European markets because most there people already own a computer. But in other markets they could do much better.

I personally would like to have an e-ink tablet. That could be a very nice niche product.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by GlennD

We looked at laptops, they're not quick enough access - waiting for a laptop to power on or even come out of hibernation would often use up the time she has to check in.

Did you look at laptops with SSD or HHD?