TechCrunch: The Death Of The Spec

[EowynCarter]

To resurrect Steve. He was well known for saying "it just works". It was not Apples advertising this concept that made it popular. People really do want something that just works. For a lot of us tech is a tool not a hobby.

Yeap, on that i agree, despite not being apple fan at all.

The main reason I look at spec is to answer the "will that device perform well for the use I intends to make of it."

[ScotiaBurrell]

Specs are not dying. The experience and the feel is becoming more important. Even Android is making new fonts and hiring new people to make the phones slicker to draw away apple fans who desire greatly a great look and feel. Then they will squeeze away from the two sides: specs and feel.

[Hellmark]

Eh, It's somewhat BS. Yes, you cannot effectively compare unlike things, so Android vs iPad may not always be a fair comparison, but specs still matter when you're comparing two android devices. They also still matter for developers, so they know the limitations they have for the app they're developing. Speed relies on part of the effectiveness of the software being run, and if a program is made to use too much of the available resources, then it won't be fast. You can't just say "oh, just test it on the device" because often you're developing for devices that aren't even out yet.

The only thing that has really changed, is how advertising is done. Now, fewer companies tout their specs, and only deal with perception. Thank Apple for that.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Now, fewer companies tout their specs, and only deal with perception. Thank Apple for that.

Ads are, and always have been, about perception. Apple wasn't the first, and won't be the last to continue that approach.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by kjk

Ads are, and always have been, about perception. Apple wasn't the first, and won't be the last to continue that approach.

No, but before, specs were thrown around and helped to alter perception. Before you would have companies saying "this is 50mhz faster!" or "we have twice the RAM!", which gave the idea that things were better, where as now they just say "look how easy it is to use", or "see how efficient things are?"

[kjk]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

No, but before, specs were thrown around and helped to alter perception. Before you would have companies saying "this is 50mhz faster!" or "we have twice the RAM!", which gave the idea that things were better, where as now they just say "look how easy it is to use", or "see how efficient things are?"

Sure, but what does twice the RAM give you? The Blackberry Playbook has 1GB of RAM and a 1Ghz dual core processor, something they proudly advertise as "TONS OF PERFORMANCE".
The iPad 2 has (apparently) 512M, and also a 1Ghz processor.

How does "twice the RAM!" help in that comparison? Does it give you any idea that things are better?

[ScalyFreak]

Originally Posted by kjk

Sure, but what does twice the RAM give you? The Blackberry Playbook has 1GB of RAM and a 1Ghz dual core processor, something they proudly advertise as "TONS OF PERFORMANCE".
The iPad 2 has (apparently) 512M, and also a 1Ghz processor.

How does "twice the RAM!" help in that comparison? Does it give you any idea that things are better?

It tells me that if I buy the iPad2 I pay more for weaker hardware. For some of us, that matters.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by kjk

Sure, but what does twice the RAM give you?

Less app crashes.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

It tells me that if I buy the iPad2 I pay more for weaker hardware. For some of us, that matters.

So for you, it matters that the Playbook has "twice the RAM" for the same price.

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Less app crashes.

You have fewer app crashes on the Blackberry Playbook than the iPad?

[HappyMartin]

Some people when buying a vehicle will find out all sorts of stuff like type of suspension, ignition system, at what rpm is the maximum torque produced an so on. The rest of us find out fuel consumption, take it for a drive and if it feels good and we can afford it a deal is done. Why on earth should we put more effort than that into a tablet I ask?

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by kjk

Sure, but what does twice the RAM give you? The Blackberry Playbook has 1GB of RAM and a 1Ghz dual core processor, something they proudly advertise as "TONS OF PERFORMANCE".
The iPad 2 has (apparently) 512M, and also a 1Ghz processor.

How does "twice the RAM!" help in that comparison? Does it give you any idea that things are better?

In comparing unlike systems, it doesn't tell you much, outside of potential longevity issues.

[ScotiaBurrell]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

It tells me that if I buy the iPad2 I pay more for weaker hardware. For some of us, that matters.

weaker hardware does not always make a weaker poorer experience. Some can do more with less

[ScalyFreak]

What the person quoted in OP is completely disregarding is that not everyone is like him. He thinks specs don't matter. Fine, that is his right. But others do, which is why they need to at least be included.

From a certain point of view, if a person doesn't care about the specs, they may as well buy whatever is the most popular and the most shiny, and turn off their ability to think independently. Join the pack, follow the herd, buy what others tell you to do. You get the idea.

And yes, kjk, getting twice the RAM without paying any extra for it, matters to me. Why should I pass up an opportunity to get more without being asked to paying more?

[ScotiaBurrell]

Originally Posted by ScalyFreak

What the person quoted in OP is completely disregarding is that not everyone is like him. He thinks specs don't matter. Fine, that is his right. But others do, which is why they need to at least be included.

From a certain point of view, if a person doesn't care about the specs, they may as well buy whatever is the most popular and the most shiny, and turn off their ability to think independently. Join the pack, follow the herd, buy what others tell you to do. You get the idea.

And yes, kjk, getting twice the RAM without paying any extra for it, matters to me. Why should I pass up an opportunity to get more without being asked to paying more?

What if you get more hardware and worse experience? Some things cannot be so easily measured.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by kjk

You have fewer app crashes on the Blackberry Playbook than the iPad?

I was answering the RAM question in general. Obviously, those devices are not directly comparable as the OS plays a part. If you're choosing between a $529 64GB iPad 3G+Wi-Fi or $499 16GB iPad 2 Wi-Fi, then the 3G support and bigger storage space in the iPad as well as the camera, lighter weight, faster processor and extra RAM on the iPad 2 are probably factors that will be considered on deciding which one to purchase.

Another thing, the OS is also part of the specs. Say you have two tablets with identical hardware and one is running webOS and the other Android, which one will you be more likely to purchase?