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The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

engadget.com

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Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#21

Post by elblanco »

micaelwidell wrote: post #19
lazugod wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"You just don't get it" is the new "magical", isn't it.

Let me put it this way: How do you think Apple has become as big and successful as it is today, despite always releasing products that are technically inferior (ie. Mhz/megapixel/megawhatever) and often more expensive than the competition? Could there me more to a product than the hardware specs?

How many people pre-ordered one of these without ever touching or seeing one?

Oh right, lots. That's how Apple became big again. People buying stuff sight unseen.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#22

Post by PG-13 »

lazugod wrote: post #18
micaelwidell wrote: post #11

Anyone who compares the iPad with a netbook, arguing the netbook has a faster CPU, better price or whatever, simply does not get it.

"You just don't get it" is the new "magical", isn't it.

It's said by people who did not immediately understand that the iPhone would be such a huge success even though it was obvious to people who understood technology. These people now think that the iPad is the same thing even though people who actually get technology realize that it absolutely isn't. People commenting need to reflect carefully on their own ability to judge new tech.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#23

Post by omaranto »

Zak wrote: post #7
eam wrote: post #3

No matter how good the iPad may be or is , it doesn't replace my laptop! Good try though.

I think that's the point. Apple wants you to buy a Macbook and an iPad. The advantage of the iPad that most of these alternatives lack is that it's light enough to hold in one hand while reading or viewing content.

Right, it's not meant to replace a laptop. I currently own both an iPod Touch and a Sony eBook reader. An iPad could easily replace both of them and its price is actually pretty much just the sum of the prices of the two.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#24

Post by rufo »

elblanco wrote: post #21
micaelwidell wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Let me put it this way: How do you think Apple has become as big and successful as it is today, despite always releasing products that are technically inferior (ie. Mhz/megapixel/megawhatever) and often more expensive than the competition? Could there me more to a product than the hardware specs?

How many people pre-ordered one of these without ever touching or seeing one? Oh right, lots. That's how Apple became big again. People buying stuff sight unseen.

I don't think most of the millions of iPhones and iPods that have been sold were purchased by people who buy Apple products on blind faith.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#26

Post by rufo »

elblanco wrote: post #20
nickpp wrote: post #5

Let me sum them up for you: there isn't any. Just like the iPhone when it appeared, there really is no rival to the experience iPad offers, to its hardware+software+touch combo. The closest it MAY come, could be Android, someday. Again, just like with the iPhone.

Chrome OS is intended to run on hardware not entirely dissimilar to the iPad (get rid of the keyboard, put in a touch screen), with similar types of on-line connectivity. Chrome OS will be to the iPad what Android is to the iPod.

Why not Android on a tablet? (Or, to put it another way, why does Chrome OS exist?)

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#27

Post by PG-13 »

nickpp wrote: post #5

Let me sum them up for you: there isn't any. Just like the iPhone when it appeared, there really is no rival to the experience iPad offers, to its hardware+software+touch combo. The closest it MAY come, could be Android, someday. Again, just like with the iPhone.

The iPhone was huge because it was such a huge leap and unexpected departure from previous phones. It created awe and generated desire from the moment it was unveiled. It was obvious to those who get tech that the iPhone would be huge.

People who underestimated the iPhone are now overcompensating by being bullish on the iPad because they fail to understand that these are not the same thing. The unveiling of the iPad did not engender any of the feelings of awe that iPhone's did. Apple unveiled the worst tablet device they possibly could have. It was completely predictable. Every usage we've seen of the iPad has involved someone contorting his body to accommodate the device.

The iPhone offered a users things they didn't think were possible with a phone, and these were things they clearly wanted. The iPad offers users nothing they can't do using a laptop. It is an attempt at forcing a style of usage onto users that is clearly undesirable.

People will try to hype this thing and pretend they like it for as long as possible, but one can only sustain a lie for so long. This will be the end of the aura that Apple has been building for the past decade. It is clear as night and day.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#28

Post by progr »

xtho wrote: post #6
nickpp wrote: post #5

Let me sum them up for you: there isn't any. Just like the iPhone when it appeared, there really is no rival to the experience iPad offers, to its hardware+software+touch combo. The closest it MAY come, could be Android, someday. Again, just like with the iPhone.

Who cares about the "experience" if it doesn't run vim and has no sd card slot?

Yes you can access an sd card (search the apple.com for iPad Camera Connection Kit) and no you don't need to run vim on the iPad.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#29

Post by ZeroGravitas »

micaelwidell wrote: post #19
lazugod wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"You just don't get it" is the new "magical", isn't it.

Let me put it this way: How do you think Apple has become as big and successful as it is today, despite always releasing products that are technically inferior (ie. Mhz/megapixel/megawhatever) and often more expensive than the competition? Could there me more to a product than the hardware specs?

For every iPod and iPhone they have an AppleTV or Mighty Mouse where the magic just doesn't take and everyone buys something else instead.

And the Sansas etc. had caught up with the iPod by the time they brought out the iPhone, Android has caught up with iPhone in time for the iPad. They better hope it's a big hit because Android, Chrome OS and Meego tablets are all coming soon in time to be evaluated carefully by the kind of people who don't buy first revision Apple products.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#30

Post by ZeroGravitas »

etherael wrote: post #2

I want something that can replace my phone and laptop, I think this could probably be accomplished by a tablet you could fit in either a shoulder sling or a large pocket, coupled with a bluetooth headset. Of course you wouldn't want to be talking into the thing, but as a platform for handling calls I can't see why a tablet shouldn't be able to act as the brain for a bt headset. This way I could just have the tablet +…

That seems like exactly the kind of thing that Apple wouldn't do because it's too geeky and niche and distracts from the product vision even though the hardware and software are probably all there already.

Then again, I'm kind of shocked that you can get a physical keyboard for the iPad, so we shouldn't rule anything out. I'd expect this feature first from someone else though.

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