Apple Tablet: iPad

[preacherman]

which sells for $99. It was $699 less than two years ago!

with a 2 yr contract and a $30 A month data package.

One of the reasons it's $99 is because apple and ATT have a deal that gives each a piece of the pie. I would assume the tablet will not be subsided by anyone and will therefore remain at a slightly higher cost. (Just like their laptops have not gone down even though more people are buying them and there is more software) When I got my first Mac laptop in 1994 everyone kept telling me "the price will go down when more people start making software for it" I'm still waiting.

My only point is you could make a computer that does everything every small device ever made can do and a large portion of the population will still buy the smaller devices individually. A big reason will be because they can afford a $99 GPS and cannot afford a $2000 super computer. Of course the markets for the small devices will be effected (just look at Palm) but they will never completely go away. A large population of people will buy several sub $150 gadgets from a local Wal-Mart before they will buy a pricey computer from a Apple store that functions better than all the gadgets combined.

If you doubt this show the guy sweeping the floors at McDonald's your iphone compared to his phone and then ask him why he has not yet bought one.

 

[PathfinderTR]

with a 2 yr contract and a $30 A month data package.

One of the reasons it's $99 is because apple and ATT have a deal that gives each a piece of the pie. I would assume the tablet will not be subsided by anyone and will therefore remain at a slightly higher cost. (Just like their laptops have not gone down even though more people are buying them and there is more software) When I got my first Mac laptop in 1994 everyone kept telling me "the price will go down when more people start making software for it" I'm still waiting.

My only point is you could make a computer that does everything every small device ever made can do and a large portion of the population will still buy the smaller devices individually. A big reason will be because they can afford a $99 GPS and cannot afford a $2000 super computer. Of course the markets for the small devices will be effected (just look at Palm) but they will never completely go away. A large population of people will buy several sub $150 gadgets from a local Wal-Mart before they will buy a pricey computer from a Apple store that functions better than all the gadgets combined.

If you doubt this show the guy sweeping the floors at McDonald's your iphone compared to his phone and then ask him why he has not yet bought one.

Exactly! The Iphones cost is subsidized by AT&T, so comparing Iphone prices to computer prices is apples to oranges. Look at the MacBook Air for a better comparison. That price has dropped about 17% (to $1500) in 2 years. That is a little more realistic.

As for replacing e-book readers (Kindle, etc.), if the tablet doesn't use an e-ink display (and color e-ink if still very $$$), don't expect this to happen.

 

[PathfinderTR]

Funny thing about this is that there has been NO confirmation what-so-ever from Apple that this thing will ever be produced. Kind of silly to assume what it's going to do to the industry, when you have ZERO information on the actual (non-existing) device.

In the mean time, if you want to spend absurd money on a nice offroad worthy tablet, here you go: http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/latitude-xfr-xt2?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04


PS. Check out this video from CNET that pretty much sums it up. Skip to the 4:20 second mark.
http://cnettv.cnet.com/ep-1110-apple-tablet-unicorn-tech/9742-1_53-50079636.html

 

[Scott Brady]

Kind of silly to assume what it's going to do to the industry. . .

You can either be ahead of the wave or behind it. Use history as your guide to future events. Do a little research on the impact of the iPod and then the iPhone.

The death of the single purpose device is coming, and quickly. Within five years, it will be a wasteland of Kindles, Nuvis, MP3 players, Nintendos, compact cameras and compact video cameras, etc.

No one innovates for the bottom 50% of the marketplace. Those consumers are important to the overall economy, but irrelevant to companies like Apple, Toyota or whatever other quality, innovative brand you want to name. Remember the MILLIONS who stood in line or ordered the 3G iPhone in the first month it was launched?

The reality is that this trend is going to expand quickly beyond small electronics to computers, TVs, cars, programing, etc. The global economy and global interconnectivity is going to leave many in the dust. . .

 

[PathfinderTR]

History is exactly why I believe it is silly to jump to conclusions on this non-existing product. How about the history on the AppleTV? How about the MacBook AIR?

As for the Apple Tablet:

Q: When is it coming out?
A: Ummm, not sure. Actually Apples hasn't actually announced that they will even make it

Q: You know, Tablet PC's in the past have generally been a little lackluster in terms of performance. How will this device differ, and what can consumers expect as far as the performance?
A: Well, we don't anything about how it will perform because there are no specs.

Q: What kind of feature should one expect to see on the device.
A: Dunno. No specs are out yet, so we're really not sure what it will, and won't be able to do.

Q: One of the major complaints of previous Iphones, it the fact there is not physical keyboard. Will this device have an actual keyboard, or just a soft keypad?
A: Well, none of the fanboy photoshop pictures on the internet show a keyboard, so that must mean there won't be one.

Q: How much will it cost?
A: Well, we have no earthly idea, but it probably won't be cheap.

Q: So what exactly is it about this device that is going to make it so great?
A: Come on man, you know. IT'S AN APPLE!!!

See my point yet?

 

[Yudda]

History is exactly why I believe it is silly to jump to conclusions on this non-existing product. How about the history on the AppleTV? How about the MacBook AIR?

As for the Apple Tablet:

Q: When is it coming out?
A: Ummm, not sure. Actually Apples hasn't actually announced that they will even make it

Q: You know, Tablet PC's in the past have generally been a little lackluster in terms of performance. How will this device differ, and what can consumers expect as far as the performance?
A: Well, we don't anything about how it will perform because there are no specs.

Q: What kind of feature should one expect to see on the device.
A: Dunno. No specs are out yet, so we're really not sure what it will, and won't be able to do.

Q: One of the major complaints of previous Iphones, it the fact there is not physical keyboard. Will this device have an actual keyboard, or just a soft keypad?
A: Well, none of the fanboy photoshop pictures on the internet show a keyboard, so that must mean there won't be one.

Q: How much will it cost?
A: Well, we have no earthly idea, but it probably won't be cheap.

Q: So what exactly is it about this device that is going to make it so great?
A: Come on man, you know. IT'S AN APPLE!!!

See my point yet?

All do respect..Ive been an AAPL shareholder for over 10 years.

You can say anything you like...Apple products have been quite successful.


bottom line.......nobody needs to convince you to buy one.


You can bet... I'll have one.

See my point ?


Have a great weekend everyone.

rob

 

[PathfinderTR]

All do respect..Ive been an AAPL shareholder for over 10 years.

You can say anything you like...Apple products have been quite successful.


bottom line.......nobody needs to convince you to buy one.


You can bet... I'll have one.

See my point ?


Have a great weekend everyone.

rob

It's not even an Apple thing. If Google were to release a TabletPC, running ChromeOS, it would be no different. Microsoft is already running a tablet OS, so that's yet another example. Very rarely has there been a single device that changes the industry from a technology standpoint. And most of the time when there is, it's not a device, but rather a component. SSD's are good example. Apple's Newton is one device that have done this. TiVo DVR's are another. The Ipod and Iphones are not. There were devices in that segment with the same functionality (and more) before them, and they'll be more after them.

I am not anti-apple. Apple does "user-friendlyness" better then anyone out there. 9 out of 10 consumers would gladly give up a little functionality for simplicity, and that's great. I tell people that ask me about Apples, that they "Give people will little technology know-how, a chance to play in the game". My wife is a perfect example. I could have gotten her a Windows Mobile phone, but I know she would have HATED it. It would have been way too complicated for her. Now with her IPhone, she can still get her e-mail and access the web, and do it by herself. I'm in the IT industry, so I'm a little more comfortable dealing with more functionality and/or complications, thus I choose WinMobile.

 

[Scott Brady]

See my point yet?

I take it your not an Apple fan.


Oh, and it is going to be such a pleasure revisiting this thread in about 18 months. . .:costumed-smiley-007

 

[Root Moose]

Q: You know, Tablet PC's in the past have generally been a little lackluster in terms of performance. How will this device differ, and what can consumers expect as far as the performance?
A: Well, we don't anything about how it will perform because there are no specs.

The performance will be extremely usable. Have you tried an iP device? They are very usable.

Q: One of the major complaints of previous Iphones, it the fact there is not physical keyboard. Will this device have an actual keyboard, or just a soft keypad?
A: Well, none of the fanboy photoshop pictures on the internet show a keyboard, so that must mean there won't be one.

We are all guessing of course.

I expect whatever is on existing iP devices and the ability to use bluetooth connected input devices.

Q: How much will it cost?
A: Well, we have no earthly idea, but it probably won't be cheap.

Not cheap but reasonable for what you are getting. I'm not in the same demographic as a guy pushing a broom in McDs so I really don't care if he has an iP or not (c.f. post above).

See my point yet?

You make a point but not the one you intend.

I am not anti-apple. Apple does "user-friendlyness" better then anyone out there. 9 out of 10 consumers would gladly give up a little functionality for simplicity, and that's great. I tell people that ask me about Apples, that they "Give people will little technology know-how, a chance to play in the game". My wife is a perfect example. I could have gotten her a Windows Mobile phone, but I know she would have HATED it. It would have been way too complicated for her. Now with her IPhone, she can still get her e-mail and access the web, and do it by herself. I'm in the IT industry, so I'm a little more comfortable dealing with more functionality and/or complications, thus I choose WinMobile.

Complicated and usable are two different things. I can't comment on Windows mobile devices having never used one. iP devices are simple to use with regard to email, web browsing, etc. Are you saying we have different definitions of what "using email and web browsing" entails? You open the client and it connects to a server. You sync your device with your main machine. What else is there?

You sound like you admit to making concessions to usability in order to run a specific device. That's fine provided you are honest about it.

FWIW, being in the IT industry may be working against you. It sounds like you can't see the forest for the trees. Your personal experience on how to make things work is not the way it has to be.

 

[PathfinderTR]

Sigh!! Lets do it this way to get back on topic. Maybe I'm missing something.

What capability is this thing going to have that is going to make it so great, that isn't available today?

Based on the original post's pure speculative description, It's going to contain the features of an IPhone. Well considering all tablets already do everything an IPhone does and more, except made phone calls, I have to assume that this device will be able to make wireless phone calls. Now, that would be pretty cool being able to connect a BT headset and make real calls (not internet VOIP calls), but at the same time, who is going to haul a tablet around for a cell phone.

Since as I stated, there is no real information about this device, or whether or not it will even be produced, lets start listing some capability that WOULD made it "revolutionary", if it does get released. What would you like to see it do, that isn't available today? I've got a couple that would certainly set it apart:

1. Completely wireless OTA power charging.
2. Full interactive voice control for the entire system (for the vehicles of course).
3. Ability to multitask. While this isn't a problem for most tablets, Apple missed the boat with the Iphones, so lets hope it get corrected for this.

 

[Scott Brady]

What capability is this thing going to have that is going to make it so great, that isn't available today?

I think I understand your perspective better now. The answer is that it will have very little to do with capability, and everything to do with content. It is the apps that make the iPhone exceptional and Apple does a good job of making the device seamless and almost invisible. The iPod was successful because of iTunes- content.

It will be the 9 out of 10 that you refer to that will drive the market. Computers are no longer relevant as a market to guys like you- technologists. That was the 90s. Now it is about integration, design and content. It is just a fact.

Remember, hardware and "functionality" is implied, it is expected. As is quality and reliability- expected. They are no longer features.

 

[DaveM]

I think I understand your perspective better now. The answer is that it will have very little to do with capability, and everything to do with content.

And I'd add usability. A lot of people deride the popularity of Mac products as a response to aesthetics, which in part it is. But I think of it more as design, which goes beyond aesthetics into usability. What a lot of non Mac product creators have had hard time understanding is that design counts, details count. Usability, a good user experience, is dependent on good design not just technical specifications. Mac outshines it's competitors in the design and usability department IMO. It's the experience I get using their products and Apps that makes me a loyal customer.

 

[chet]

I have never been an Apple user. I recently bought a Touch for our 2 week trip that I needed to have e-mail access for and needed a new music player. WOW is all I can say. If the tablet is anything like the touch or Iphone I would probably look at one now.

My touch just eliminated 3 devices in my house : mp3 player, gameboy, calculator, and soon my GPS when dual electronics comes out with their new add on GPS.

I am now sold on Apple usability and apparently thousands of others are too as the Apple store in Waikiki was a zoo!

 

[LIVEABOARD]

Click here: A Brand New Apple (AAPL) iPhone-On-Steroids May Hit Market In Mid-2010 – 24/7 Wall St.

 

[LIVEABOARD]

Imagine an Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone with a very powerful processor that will work on both the AT&T (NYSE:T) and Verizon Wireless networks. Such a device would almost certainly broaden the iPhone’s appeal instantly. Verizon has more than 80 million subscribers to its wireless service in the US. And, a powerful processor would move the iPhone even closer to being a portable PC replacement.

MacRumors says that the iPhone 3.1 has started to show up in trials. The site reports that the new device could be out by the middle of next year.

A more powerful iPhone could shake up the smartphone and netbook industries. The netbook sector is by far the fastest growing part of the global PC business. Apple could go after market share in that segment with both an “iPhone on steroids” and a new, small version of the Mac.

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The latest iPhone seems to be on its way and it may be as much a game-changer as the original one was.