Steve Jobs on Amazon and Ice Cream

[sforce]

"A couple of years ago, pre-Kindle, Mr. Jobs expressed his doubts that e-readers were ready for prime time. So today, I asked if his opinions have changed.

“I’m sure there will always be dedicated devices, and they may have a few advantages in doing just one thing,” he said. “But I think the general-purpose devices will win the day. Because I think people just probably aren’t willing to pay for a dedicated device.”

He said that Apple doesn’t see e-books as a big market at this point, and pointed out that Amazon.com, for example, doesn’t ever say how many Kindles it sells. “Usually, if they sell a lot of something, you want to tell everybody.”

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/0...ref=technology

[Juliette]

Is this the reason behind the line of "no radio on iPod" until, like, literally, YESTERDAY?

I don't know if a "general purpose" device will always win the day- sure, you can read on screen etext (having been doing it for years) but personally, I prefer to have dedicated reading device(s). The same goes for phones. True, the camera on my phone is really good, but it was a kind of "bonus". Doesn't stop me from packing the camera.

Last note: glad he's back

[HansTWN]

Jobs is a great actor, always lies with a straight face. He denied the iphone right up until the introduction and did the same for other products. That doesn't mean he is thinking about readers at this time, business wise he is probably still hoping people will use the current product lines or a possible tablet to read. Anyway, such declarations of his are always meaningless. He doesn't want anyone to know what he is really thinking.

[Juliette]

Aye, great poker face

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Juliette

Is this the reason behind the line of "no radio on iPod" until, like, literally, YESTERDAY?

There's been a radio accessory for the "iPod Classic" for many years. I have it.

[Juliette]

Originally Posted by HarryT

There's been a radio accessory for the "iPod Classic" for many years. I have it.

I have it too but it's an accessory, while other players, like the Walkman lines and the Creatives, had them well before.

[Patricia]

The London Guardian has also covered this story and is sceptical about Mr Job's veracity:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...ve-jobs-ebooks

[Hellmark]

I wonder if it is because of the work Apple has done on HD Radio, for the iTunes tagging feature there?

[Ea]

If a device can do multiple things well, it's certainly more intersting than several devices. At the moment, there's not much (if anything) that can compete with e-ink for lightness, battery-time and being comfortable to look at for hours (even though contrast can still be improved). However, if I could get a device that could combine my reader devices with the functionality of my netbook, I would be very interested. At the moment, technology just isn't good enough, so I prefer to use two devices instead of one, but it doesn't mean that that is necessarily better.

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by Juliette

I have it too but it's an accessory, while other players, like the Walkman lines and the Creatives, had them well before.

Apple products always excelled in good looking design, while usually lacking in features (see multitasking on the iphone, bluray on the Macs, and countless other examples). In the past it was a conscious decision to leave out the radio, because they wanted you to buy more music in their store.

I usually prefer products that can do everything, I have always used my phones like full fledged computers, music and video players. But to have a multi-function machine that is also a good reader? We would have to have color e-ink with super fast refresh rates, a display that could be both big (for viewing) and small and light (for convenience) and a detachable keyboard (or at least the option to use one via USB or bluetooth). We are years away from that.

[DawnFalcon]

Sure, and as and when there's a market product by, say, PixelQi I'll look at it. But the issue is, the requirements for a screen for reading are not the same as the requirements for that of a general purpose device...

(Also, 5"-6" is ideal for reading, but small for general computing. And anything-used touchscreens are of less use for general computing than pen-based interfaces)

Hans - eh. The keyboard is honestly the least of my worries, that's easy to support. USB, bluetooth, IrDA even. You can sell a nice docking bay...

[Ea]

Originally Posted by DawnFalcon

...
(Also, 5"-6" is ideal for reading, but small for general computing.
....

I beg to differ. I do almost all my reading at home, so postability is not an issue - and a 8"+ screen, if the device is light enough, is just nicer.

[Format C:]

Originally Posted by Ea

If a device can do multiple things well, it's certainly more intersting than several devices......

It's simply impossible for a multipurpose device to do things well and to be portable in the same time...

I mean: how can you fit a 400mm F/4 lens weighting about 3kg on a cellphone?
Not to mention Hi Fi speakers 1,5 meter tall...

High end Hi-Fi set, High definition monitors, desktop computers, DSLR with several lenses, TV set with BR / DVD, e-ink reader....
No portable device can, as of now, replace all that.

Steve looks toward the low quality market, and he's right: integration and portability are the path to follow.
But high quality and good performance are another thing altogether...

[Ea]

Originally Posted by Format C:

It's simply impossible for a multipurpose device to do things well and to be portable in the same time...

...

It would depend on what functionality you are integrating, some are things are not compatible as you point out, but others could be. BTW I don't think I mentioned anything about portablity

[Ocean]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

Apple products always excelled in good looking design, while usually lacking in features (see multitasking on the iphone, bluray on the Macs, and countless other examples).

Their customers seem to love it that way.