What really amazes me is the fact that even on this site, the discussion barely touches the app store issue. It might be true that the tablet will have a significant impact on tomorrow's computing platforms. But what really scares me is the prospect that it might become more and more accepted that the user will loose the freedom to decide what software he can install and thus what to do with the machine. This is some…
The thought of Apple getting a 30% cut of all apps sold on all of their platforms makes me cringe.
My guess is Apple's tablet is primarily designed as a competitor to PC net books. People have speculated about it being a MacBook replacement but there's a huge difference in the type of consumer buying a $350 net book and a $999+ MacBook. I think Apple has insulated their computer business from being cannibalized from lower end devices. Lots of people say "if I already have an iPhone and a MacBook why would I want a tablet?" and the answer probably is you don't. This product is not aimed at you. It's for the people who don't want a $999+ MacBook and are currently buying PC net books instead. As such I think the price will be <$499 (maybe a bit higher on launch just to cover supply & demand)
What really amazes me is the fact that even on this site, the discussion barely touches the app store issue. It might be true that the tablet will have a significant impact on tomorrow's computing platforms. But what really scares me is the prospect that it might become more and more accepted that the user will loose the freedom to decide what software he can install and thus what to do with the machine. This is some…
Well said. The sort of control that Apple is trying to exert is terrible for both freedom and innovation; if Microsoft had it 15 years ago they never would have allowed the web to develop as it did. Yet Apple's fanboys are cheering them on as they position themselves to block any development that might interfere with their business model. This is a major reason why I ordered a Nexus One today to replace "my" iPhone,…
15 years ago Microsoft held a monopoly on desktop operating systems. Apple is nowhere near a majority in the SmartPhone market today. I think there's very little chance they will ever hold that type of dominant position in the SmartPhone market so whatever they choose to do with the iPhone & App Store doesn't really impede the consumer's ability to choose an open platform. I think choice is a good thing. If someone wants an open platform they can get it. If someone wants a nicely packaged, but extremely functional and trouble free, platform Apple will sell it to them.
It works for me. That's why I've never been interested in adblocking software. If a site annoys me, I just don't go there any more. That's why I've hardly ever read any of the nytimes articles that get submitted here. Because they put them behind an irritating signup wall. There's accounts you can find on google but I really can't be bothered. It's not like there's a shortage of websites doing the same thing.
I agree - plenty of sites, why visit one that annoys you - but I will say that with advertising it is becoming less and less the case that the site actually chooses or even knows what ads are showing on their site.
Webmasters have a ton of choice there. Even with adsense you can filter out specific ads, change settings to prevent image/flash ads, etc.
If the webmaster cares, they can modify it. And they really should know what ads are showing on their own site.
Not including flash on a tablet seems like a mistake to me. It's one thing on a cell phone, but quite another on a device that will probably be positioned as a casual use computer.
IMO, no flash is mostly a deal-breaker on media type stuff. Watching or listening to stuff. The application side of flash is smaller.
I imagine Apple has it's own ideas for how media on the tablet should work.
The future isn't flash (IMHO). I think leaving it out makes absolute perfect sense. It also makes commercial sense - they don't want people playing flash games on the web, they want them buying games from the appstore.
The future isn't flash Yeah, well the future also isn't here yet. Flash still has much relevance for any web-surfing focused product shipping today.
I run click2flash, and I rarely click2flash. Caveats, I don't do casual games, and I don't watch a lot of videos off of different sites.
Probably Steve and friends think something like: why have I to complicate my life (and the user experience ov my customers) with some 3rd party technology?