The tablet war
As we all know just a year and a half ago apple restarted tablets. Now we are seeing multiple companies jumping in to catch some of the action. And for the most part we see most of them failing. Some people are quick to claim that it is because apple's iOS operating system is so great. I don't think that iOS is a bad os at all do not get me wrong however I feel as if that may not be the reason. I'll start with a personal story and explain my theory as to why the tablet market for apple's competition hasn't taken off.
About a week ago I was in my local bestbuy planning on purchasing a galaxy tab 10.1(the reviews made it sound like a great device, coupled with my complete lack of faith in apple fixing the mess that is itunes on my computer.) so i get to the front of the line and something that has never happened to me before occured: I had buyers regret before I got to the checkstand. I was thinking to my self why do I need this device? I thought about it, I have an awesome smartphone a 1200$ gaming rig at home, what can this do that they can't. So I put it back on the shelf got my self a new game called my girlfriend asked her if she wanted to go to dinner and saved 550 dollars that day.
I see the problem with tablets in general is their prices combined with consumer ignorance. Most people see tablets as a media consumption device with Internet. For alot of people this isn't worth 500-600$. Truth is most people are not tech enthusiasts they do not know how useful a tablet can be or not what it is capable of doing.
Right now even the ipad is not selling to its full potential. I think the competitors should have waited until ipads became more mainstream before diving into the market. Allow tablets to really take off then offered an alternative to the iphone. Right nowost tablet sales are to the faithful of the respective company and people with cash to throw away. Otherwise no one is buying tablets yet. However I think tablet sales in general are going to rise as the cheaper models are released. When people get a chance to see how a tablet can improve their lives they will want to get a better machine and upgrade to better models like the ipad or galaxy tab. Even better is companies like rent-a-center offering tablets to rent witch would also help to get people to use tablets. The problem is not marketing apple is doing a great job so is rim and samsung the problem is consumer demand does not exist yet for the most part.
-Jordan Jones
About a week ago I was in my local bestbuy planning on purchasing a galaxy tab 10.1(the reviews made it sound like a great device, coupled with my complete lack of faith in apple fixing the mess that is itunes on my computer.) so i get to the front of the line and something that has never happened to me before occured: I had buyers regret before I got to the checkstand. I was thinking to my self why do I need this device? I thought about it, I have an awesome smartphone a 1200$ gaming rig at home, what can this do that they can't. So I put it back on the shelf got my self a new game called my girlfriend asked her if she wanted to go to dinner and saved 550 dollars that day.
I see the problem with tablets in general is their prices combined with consumer ignorance. Most people see tablets as a media consumption device with Internet. For alot of people this isn't worth 500-600$. Truth is most people are not tech enthusiasts they do not know how useful a tablet can be or not what it is capable of doing.
Right now even the ipad is not selling to its full potential. I think the competitors should have waited until ipads became more mainstream before diving into the market. Allow tablets to really take off then offered an alternative to the iphone. Right nowost tablet sales are to the faithful of the respective company and people with cash to throw away. Otherwise no one is buying tablets yet. However I think tablet sales in general are going to rise as the cheaper models are released. When people get a chance to see how a tablet can improve their lives they will want to get a better machine and upgrade to better models like the ipad or galaxy tab. Even better is companies like rent-a-center offering tablets to rent witch would also help to get people to use tablets. The problem is not marketing apple is doing a great job so is rim and samsung the problem is consumer demand does not exist yet for the most part.
-Jordan Jones
Comments
I think the competitors should have waited until ipads became more mainstream before diving into the market.
I don't think you get how the market works. They ALREADY waited too long. There IS no market for them. The iPad is as mainstream as anything can get.
As we all know just a year and a half ago apple restarted tablets. ...
Let me begin by saying that millions use iTunes everyday with nary a problem. You do your credibility no favors when you come to a forum like this, lay an egg that you have problems, but give not a hint of the nature of your problem. My grandmother always said: "If you don't know what you are doing, ask somebody." There are many members of this forum who will gladly help you. However, you have to ask.
Tallest Skil is absolutely correct when he says that the iPad is about as mainstream as mainstream can be. You sound like people from an earlier generation who refused by buy color televisions until they were "perfected."
Let me begin by saying that millions use iTunes everyday with nary a problem. You do your credibility no favors when you come to a forum like this, lay an egg that you have problems, but give not a hint of the nature of your problem. My grandmother always said: "If you don't know what you are doing, ask somebody." There are many members of this forum who will gladly help you. However, you have to ask.
Tallest Skil is absolutely correct when he says that the iPad is about as mainstream as mainstream can be. You sound like people from an earlier generation who refused by buy color televisions until they were "perfected."
I know how to use itunes. However it has not played right on windows for a few years. I use my girlfriend's mbp to load music to my ipod. On my windows computer it crashes and freezes often. My computer is no slouch it has a great phenom ii 4 core processor and a beefy video card. I have ran adobe photo shop and adobe illustrator at once along with modern warfare ii the computer did not stutter once. But itunes even if it is the only program open it freezes and becomes inoperable, how ever I always chopped it up as apple not having the correct coding for AMD CPUs. All of my last few rigs have been AMD which could be the issue.
apple not having the correct coding for AMD CPUs.
Which are X86 based and identical to Intel CPUs. So no, this isn't happening.
Which are X86 based and identical to Intel CPUs. So no, this isn't happening.
It's something itunes is a shame on a lot of windows pcs. I just think it should be fixed at somepoint because regardless of spec on a computer itunes can be hit or miss. I can, try purchase a new iOS device knowing that I have to go home to itunes. I wish apple would offer a super lightweight version just for syncing. Something that moves multimedia from your computer to your device without the stupid addons like ping, genius, homesharing etc.
It's something itunes is a shame on a lot of windows pcs.
iTunes is just terrible on Windows in general. No worries there.
I just think it should be fixed at somepoint because regardless of spec on a computer itunes can be hit or miss. I can, try purchase a new iOS device knowing that I have to go home to itunes. I wish apple would offer a super lightweight version just for syncing. Something that moves multimedia from your computer to your device without the stupid addons like ping, genius, homesharing etc.
Maybe 10.5 will fix that. Maybe not.
iPad sales are indeed mainstream.
6-9.5 million iPads are projected to have been sold
That's an incredible number because Macs continue to climb in sales as well created a duopoly of devastation. lol.
What consumers are beginning to realize is this:
A. They are beginning to realize their mobile needs are really more about communication and light document creation. The former the iPad is superior to and the latter it is improving.
B. They are finally realizing that laptops are too big. While you can buy a cheap 15.6" screen in a laptop if portability is truly desired that 5lbs of laptop feels like a supertanker after holding an iPad.
C. Ease of use. With no file system to worry about and a solid content purchasing system in iTunes the aggravations of a desktop OS are neatly sidestepped. An iPad's market is roughly 3 years old to 100 if ye shall last that long. No other product has such a wide range of ages in the computing field.
iOS 5 is going to neatly address some niggling issues with the iPad as well.
PC Free- Expect to see even more people replacing old aging laptops with an iPad as their sole device.
Text messaging - iMessage to the rescue.
iCloud sync - A Masterstroke really.
and more and the beautiful thing is every iPad in existence will be able to run the new OS.
I don't really consider it too much of a war. Android's scattered approach means it cannot keep up with the ecosystem Apple is building, despite having multiple vendors pushing the product.
When your competitor is flogging Flash like it's something special (RIM i'm looking at you) it becomes readily apparent to many that the competitions only hope is to cut their prices to the bone and try to build something off the low margin bottom. Only Google is going to make coin here.