Live data from Hacker News

Google Developing Tablet to Take on iPad

mashable.com

41–50 of 76 posts

Re: Google Developing Tablet to Take on iPad

#41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

their core product is advertising; and all these other services exist to augment such. google's leadership is quite clearly on their A game.

You're right. If the future of computing is Apple's locked down iPad and iPhone platforms, Google will lose big time. Google therefore needs to prevent that future from happening.

>> "If the future of computing is Apple's locked down iPad and iPhone platforms"

This is why I love not being in Silicon Valley. Anyone who thinks the iPad/iPhone is the future of computing is either mad, or in silicon valley.

Re: Google Developing Tablet to Take on iPad

#42
post #35

Google is starting to feel like Microsoft. They're trying to compete everywhere instead of focusing on their core competencies.

Apple is starting to feel like Microsoft. They're trying to compete everywhere instead of focusing on their core competencies.

I agree wrt iAd. Other than that they are very focused on manufacturing devices.

Re: Google Developing Tablet to Take on iPad

#43
post #20
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can confirm that Google has been working on this for quite awhile. At least 2 years in one way or another. They anticipated the move into tablets and a lot of the work of maturing the Android platform has gone towards that. In this case, they're not following by any stretch. Oh, and while we're at it: It's not like Apple is the first touch enabled Tablet to ever come to market. I would argue that the iPhone is an i…

Could you really name a touch enabled Tablet to me without searching? I know I couldn't name one. There is also that nifty little stat about Apple being the worlds largest Tablet seller after their first day, so when it really comes down to it, they are the first. Even if you don't count the above it's still the first Tablet worth a damn. As for Google not following Apple... perception is everything. Consumers and re…

I bought an HP TX1000 like 3 years ago, and it wasn't the first by far.

http://reviews.digitaltrends.com/images/full_reviews/hp/tx10...

Re: Google Developing Tablet to Take on iPad

#44
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're right. If the future of computing is Apple's locked down iPad and iPhone platforms, Google will lose big time. Google therefore needs to prevent that future from happening.

>> "If the future of computing is Apple's locked down iPad and iPhone platforms" This is why I love not being in Silicon Valley. Anyone who thinks the iPad/iPhone is the future of computing is either mad, or in silicon valley.

Definitely agree.

I moved to the Bay Area over a year ago. Most people think that the IPhone rules the mobile phone market. Some people even say that Android will be dead soon because everybody would just buy an IPhone.

The truth is go outside the Bay Area and IPhone is not as prevalent. My non-Bay Area friends have an Android or Blackberry aside from the IPhone.

IPhone is also not the best-selling smartphone line in the US. It is the Blackberry.

Re: Google Developing Tablet to Take on iPad

#45
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This cannot be emphasized enough-- Google does not want a future where their entire business model can be effectively turned off by another company. This is why they fight for openness in platforms, and for net neutrality. For Google, playing nice in those ways isn't a moral decision, but a business decision that has served them very well.

While that is certainly true I think it is also a little unfair to Page/Brin et al to shine it in only that light. I think they've demonstrated that they believe it is the moral thing to do as well.

That may certainly be true, but what I was referring to is the behavior of Google as a whole company, under the influence of shareholders as well. I have a lot of respect for Page and Brin, and don't mean to malign them at all.

Re: Google Developing Tablet to Take on iPad

#46
post #5

Will one be able to get paid-for apps that aren't ad-supported, mewonders.

Why wouldn't you? Paid-for apps have been available for over a year now on the Android Market, assuming you live in a region where Google can take payments from...

I don't know anybody with an Android phone, so I will ask: so you can have a phone experience without ads all over the place? I just assumed that you might have ads here and there, since that is Google's business model.

Re: Google Developing Tablet to Take on iPad

#47
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While that is certainly true I think it is also a little unfair to Page/Brin et al to shine it in only that light. I think they've demonstrated that they believe it is the moral thing to do as well.

That may certainly be true, but what I was referring to is the behavior of Google as a whole company, under the influence of shareholders as well. I have a lot of respect for Page and Brin, and don't mean to malign them at all.

Those shareholders being Page and Brin in majority until very recently. http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/22/technology/Google_founders_s... Even after the sale they are still 48%.

Re: Google Developing Tablet to Take on iPad

#48
post #40

It's interesting to see tablets being knighted as the Future of Computing by MSM and the tech industry when it's not at all clear that people actually want them. After controlling for the fanboy & factor, reviews for the iPad seem to be mixed. I don't think it's exaggerating to say that the form factor just might not be a good match for a lot of people.

It's a very funny bubble to watch. I just can't see it going mainstream.

Apple's move seems to be based partly on the success of the iPhone but partly on the fact that they can't make a cheap, intel netbook without destroying their brand values, and can't make an ARM netbook without breaking compatability. (The latter applies to Microsoft too).

The fact that you can buy an external keyboard (a very un-Apple move) suggests they'd have shipped a conventional laptop form factor if they could get away with it.

I'm hoping the Apple ARM tablet leads to Android tablets which will then open the door for those ARM netbooks we've been promised for the last couple of years.

Re: Google Developing Tablet to Take on iPad

#49
post #44
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> "If the future of computing is Apple's locked down iPad and iPhone platforms" This is why I love not being in Silicon Valley. Anyone who thinks the iPad/iPhone is the future of computing is either mad, or in silicon valley.

Definitely agree. I moved to the Bay Area over a year ago. Most people think that the IPhone rules the mobile phone market. Some people even say that Android will be dead soon because everybody would just buy an IPhone. The truth is go outside the Bay Area and IPhone is not as prevalent. My non-Bay Area friends have an Android or Blackberry aside from the IPhone. IPhone is also not the best-selling smartphone line in…

"iphone..not best selling smartphone..blackberry" this claim is meaningless, and probably irrelevant, without defining your terms and supplying data

Re: Google Developing Tablet to Take on iPad

#50

Is there a business reason behind playing catch up in big companies? I understand there's a market opporunity, but so many of these "copy cat" products fail to live up to their potential simply because they are side projects (especially something like this to Google). It seems this is quite a trend for Palm, MS, Google and other megacorps and it rarely turns out well.

Being a "copycat" seemed to work well for Apple with the original iPod, which was a long way from the first handheld MP3 player.
Post reply on HN