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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

#31

Post by ZeroGravitas »

PG-13 wrote: post #27
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…

I don't know if it will be a hit or not, but I started becoming uncomfortable when the biggest touted "feature" in the keynote appeared to be the number of people's credit cards that Apple had on file. That didn't sound like a typical Steve "bicycle for the mind" Jobs thing to repeatedly dwell on. Certainly doesn't excite me as a gadget consumer.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#32

Post by ZeroGravitas »

rufo wrote: post #26
elblanco wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?)

Because with small screens and underpowered chips web technologies can't cut it right now for many tasks, hence Android. This will become less and less true over time, and bigger screens, faster chips, new tech like WebGL and Apple convincing the public that a tablet doesn't need to be the same as their old computer all help it happen faster and make Chrome OS more compelling long term.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#33

Post by stcredzero »

PG-13 wrote: post #27
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…

It was obvious to those who get tech that the iPhone would be huge.

There were a lot of people who claim to "get tech" who were not bullish on the iPhone.

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.

I knew from the first moment the iPhone was a potential game changer, yet I'm also bullish on the iPad. (In fact, I just got back from the store and I'm about to attempt my first sync in about 30 seconds.)

The iPad is the best example to date of a relatively new category: mobile ultra-light touch tablet. As it is now, it cannot replace a laptop. However, if you extrapolate what Apple did with the iPhone in 3 releases to what they will do with iPad, then it becomes obvious that they will be able to replace and better the use case for most netbooks by then.

People who now underestimate the iPad don't get it: It's the Ecosystem! That's the key point that makes the iPhone the best deal, and where Android is playing catchup. (And it appears to be doing a good job at it.) Right now the iPad can leverage the same ecosystem. That's a powerful combination that a lot of techies don't get.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#34

Post by xtho »

progr wrote: post #28
xtho wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Who would buy an ugly connection kit that sticks out of the device for an overpriced tablet? Okay, I forgot about the normal Apple user.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#35

Post by stcredzero »

tybris wrote: post #15
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.

and most of all it's a status symbol.

Which is exactly what you want if you're going for the high-margin high-end of the market.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#36

Post by snom370 »

ZeroGravitas wrote: post #29
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?

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 th…

"Caught up with" being the key point here. You don't always get to 70% market share by playing catch-up.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#37

Post by stcredzero »

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.

And how many of those people have an iPhone and were able to do the extrapolation: "This multitouch is great with the Apps and the App store. What if we could have a bigger screen with that?"

I was posting that idea well before the iPad was anything more than a rumor.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#38

Post by etherael »

ZeroGravitas wrote: post #30
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.

Which is why I'm interested in alternatives to the iPad, because yeah, I agree with you, this is something Apple would not do.

Even if they would, I don't buy apple ever anyway.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#39

Post by stcredzero »

eam wrote: post #9
Zak wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I think the MacBook Pro 15" is pretty light already, I'm already content with it. If I were to get an iPad, it would be like a downgrade, at least that's how I would feel about it.

However a MacBook Pro with an iPad is a very sweet and flexible combination.

Look at what happened to the iPhone in 2 or 3 releases. For heaven's sake, Apple was able to establish a game changing ecosystem my then. Extrapolate that for the iPad. There's a good chance that the 3rd generation iPad will be able to subsume 90% of laptop use for almost 90% of the population.

If you want to evaluate the challenge and potential windfall facing Apple with the iPad, then don't compare it to the iPhone. Compare that to the establishment of the App Store.

Re: The best Present and Future alternatives to the iPad

#40

Post by snom370 »

eam wrote: post #9
Zak wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

I think the MacBook Pro 15" is pretty light already, I'm already content with it. If I were to get an iPad, it would be like a downgrade, at least that's how I would feel about it.

I would never be able to replace my laptop with an iPad, simply because I'm a software developer. But I'd certainly buy it as a portable mail, web browsing, movie and ebook device, which just happens to fill all of my parents computing needs.

So while it's not going to be my main device, I certainly see it as being a competitor to the traditional laptop for a MOST people.

Most of all, I think Apple has managed to get the "magic" right once again. I never told my parents that they should buy iPhones, but they did after trying mine, and they are very happy (I'd never thought that my mother would start browsing the web and sending emails, but it's happened thanks to the iPhone).

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