Here's the deal -- any retail store can have an interactive spokesman (low key salesman) at every retail station for $500/per... Total. No breaks, no OT, no raises, no healthcare/benes...
In a way, it's sad... But that's progress!
...you damn well better believe that there's an app for that!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Realistic
I hope this was just a very poor attempt at humor or sarcasm.
Not at all.
It should be fairly obvious that this use of an iPad applies to a lot more retail outlets than the 300, or so, Apple stores.
Quote:
Originally Posted by akf2000
Seems like overkill but of course Apple don't have to pay retail for their iPads!
There are other costs -- wiring, special cases, installation, maintenance...
But look at it from a retailer's perspective,
The retailer pays a minimum-wage employee $10 per hour or $400 per week. The retailer also matches most of the "withholding" benefits that are deducted from the employee's paycheck, plus other benefits, overhead, hiring costs.
It is not unreasonable to assume that it cost the retailer double what he pays the employee.
So, an iPad costs $500, plus let's say, $300 for the case and wiring. The employer can recover his purchase costs in about 2 weeks (by not employing someone to do what the iPad does).
After that, there is maintenance -- let's say, $50 per week -- probably a wash compared to paying for lunch time and breaks for our $10 per hour employee.
Likely, there are tax deductions available to the company to offset some of the purchasing and installation costs.
This may appear to be a harsh way to look at things -- but that's reality. The businessman is pressured to run his business as efficiently as possible to keep the prices low to its customers -- just to meet competition.
Heh yeah. Didn't they just have a piece of paper there before?
I wonder whether they have iPads next to the iPads...
Well there's the funny thing. I wonder if they ever thought of having the computer itself tell you about itself.
I think this highlights that the iPhone and iPad are intuitive to use, but OSX is not, even though it compares favorably with Windows.
Given that computers are perfect training tools, it's odd that they are not designed to teach you about themselves. That applies equally in the store as at home after purchase. Consider all the security conversations recently and the talk of best practise - users have to surf the internet for hours to learn best practise to use the perfect training tool in front of them. Ditto sales.
I thought they would use the iPad approach for boxed software and accessories.
So they might have had a little row of boxes, but the one at the end is an iPad, that tells you what else you can buy, shows software demos, hardware demos, etc.
I think they need to find some way to build the iPads in to the table, because it's too confusing otherwise: it's not clear that they are part of the furniture instead of something offered for sale.
Also, what happens if you reboot the iPad, does the Store App automatically start up? Because I reckon people will try that, because the reason they go to the Apple Store is not to buy stuff but to play on the Internet.
I'm not upset, it's just staggering that this is even getting coverage. It's not exactly a huge celebration for the average punter is it?
They might have had some sort of promo or an anniversary edition of something, but I guess that wouldn't rake in the profits.....
I don't see what's so staggering about it? It is a major change to the way Apple displays information in their stores and this is AppleInsider so I don't understand your surprise that they report it?
I think they need to find some way to build the iPads in to the table, because it's too confusing otherwise: it's not clear that they are part of the furniture instead of something offered for sale.
Also, what happens if you reboot the iPad, does the Store App automatically start up? Because I reckon people will try that, because the reason they go to the Apple Store is not to buy stuff but to play on the Internet.
I read somewhere (in the article) that the iPad buttons are disabled, and power is not supplied through the 30-pin connector.
Well there's the funny thing. I wonder if they ever thought of having the computer itself tell you about itself.
I think this highlights that the iPhone and iPad are intuitive to use, but OSX is not, even though it compares favorably with Windows.
Given that computers are perfect training tools, it's odd that they are not designed to teach you about themselves. That applies equally in the store as at home after purchase. Consider all the security conversations recently and the talk of best practise - users have to surf the internet for hours to learn best practise to use the perfect training tool in front of them. Ditto sales.
The computer can't tell you about itself while you're using it without interfering with its use.
We're all upgraded here in Tokyo. The ipads are inset in glass and the information interface is very user friendly. putting them next to laptops is a bit cluttered, but for ipods they dock right on the same glass(plastic?) unit, it's very chic. All in all, I like it.
My thoughts on this are that is is brilliant for a few reasons. First, it could reduces the need for as many staff. Next, everyone will be trying out an iPad even if shopping for a MacBook Pro or an iPod Nano and lastly maybe Apple are demonstrating yet another use of an iPad. Perhaps other companies will invest in the custom versions of point of sale iPads. I can see them being used everywhere from museums and exhibitions to POS for just about any item sales staff have problems explaining (Best Buy anyone?).
I guarantee we will see RIM's tablet and Google's Android tablets suddenly appearing doing the exact same thing as those companies 'suddenly' have the exact same idea. I bet Microsoft are up early this morning planning their design for one too.
P.S. Sorry off topic mods ... but I have to share ... I am typing this on my MacBook Pro i7 which is on my lap ... it isn't cooking my legs! In fact it is cool the read out is only 35*C! I installed smcFanControl (Google it) and simply set minimum fan speed to 5000 on both fans and have had a lovely cool MBP ever since. I swear my battery life has increased not decreased! I know I could wear the fans out sooner but I manually switch it off a lot which is very simple to do.
The photos at macstories show the ipads mounted on top of a thick wedge of lucite. No plexiglass at all. Very awesome.
looks like it's mount at the top but within the lucite. My questions are how thick can it be an still react naturally for the user? Since these are always plugged in could they boot the power to the touch panel to make it more sensitive under the lucite? (I don't expect to get answers to these questions.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by anonymouse
The second picture (quoted above) is also Steve Jobs, I believe.
Comments
Here's the deal -- any retail store can have an interactive spokesman (low key salesman) at every retail station for $500/per... Total. No breaks, no OT, no raises, no healthcare/benes...
In a way, it's sad... But that's progress!
...you damn well better believe that there's an app for that!
I hope this was just a very poor attempt at humor or sarcasm.
Not at all.
It should be fairly obvious that this use of an iPad applies to a lot more retail outlets than the 300, or so, Apple stores.
Seems like overkill but of course Apple don't have to pay retail for their iPads!
There are other costs -- wiring, special cases, installation, maintenance...
But look at it from a retailer's perspective,
The retailer pays a minimum-wage employee $10 per hour or $400 per week. The retailer also matches most of the "withholding" benefits that are deducted from the employee's paycheck, plus other benefits, overhead, hiring costs.
It is not unreasonable to assume that it cost the retailer double what he pays the employee.
So, an iPad costs $500, plus let's say, $300 for the case and wiring. The employer can recover his purchase costs in about 2 weeks (by not employing someone to do what the iPad does).
After that, there is maintenance -- let's say, $50 per week -- probably a wash compared to paying for lunch time and breaks for our $10 per hour employee.
Likely, there are tax deductions available to the company to offset some of the purchasing and installation costs.
This may appear to be a harsh way to look at things -- but that's reality. The businessman is pressured to run his business as efficiently as possible to keep the prices low to its customers -- just to meet competition.
That?s a good idea. Expensive, but good.
Not that expensive. The cost to apple is only like $100 per unit.
Heh yeah. Didn't they just have a piece of paper there before?
I wonder whether they have iPads next to the iPads...
Well there's the funny thing. I wonder if they ever thought of having the computer itself tell you about itself.
I think this highlights that the iPhone and iPad are intuitive to use, but OSX is not, even though it compares favorably with Windows.
Given that computers are perfect training tools, it's odd that they are not designed to teach you about themselves. That applies equally in the store as at home after purchase. Consider all the security conversations recently and the talk of best practise - users have to surf the internet for hours to learn best practise to use the perfect training tool in front of them. Ditto sales.
So they might have had a little row of boxes, but the one at the end is an iPad, that tells you what else you can buy, shows software demos, hardware demos, etc.
Also, what happens if you reboot the iPad, does the Store App automatically start up? Because I reckon people will try that, because the reason they go to the Apple Store is not to buy stuff but to play on the Internet.
I'm not upset, it's just staggering that this is even getting coverage. It's not exactly a huge celebration for the average punter is it?
They might have had some sort of promo or an anniversary edition of something, but I guess that wouldn't rake in the profits.....
I don't see what's so staggering about it? It is a major change to the way Apple displays information in their stores and this is AppleInsider so I don't understand your surprise that they report it?
I think they need to find some way to build the iPads in to the table, because it's too confusing otherwise: it's not clear that they are part of the furniture instead of something offered for sale.
Also, what happens if you reboot the iPad, does the Store App automatically start up? Because I reckon people will try that, because the reason they go to the Apple Store is not to buy stuff but to play on the Internet.
I read somewhere (in the article) that the iPad buttons are disabled, and power is not supplied through the 30-pin connector.
So many wires, I wonder how Steve feels about this.
I'm not upset, it's just staggering that this is even getting coverage. It's not exactly a huge celebration for the average punter is it?
They might have had some sort of promo or an anniversary edition of something, but I guess that wouldn't rake in the profits.....
In the end, it's just a chance to chat about Apple stuff. It has no meaning.
Well there's the funny thing. I wonder if they ever thought of having the computer itself tell you about itself.
I think this highlights that the iPhone and iPad are intuitive to use, but OSX is not, even though it compares favorably with Windows.
Given that computers are perfect training tools, it's odd that they are not designed to teach you about themselves. That applies equally in the store as at home after purchase. Consider all the security conversations recently and the talk of best practise - users have to surf the internet for hours to learn best practise to use the perfect training tool in front of them. Ditto sales.
The computer can't tell you about itself while you're using it without interfering with its use.
http://www.macstories.net/news/apple...re/#more-23142
And yes, it seems that they do have iPads to tell you about the iPads.
Are you saying plexiglass, specifically, is a capacitance inhibitor.
The photos at macstories show the ipads mounted on top of a thick wedge of lucite. No plexiglass at all. Very awesome.
The photos at macstories show the ipads mounted on top of a thick wedge of lucite. No plexiglass at all. Very awesome.
Plexiglas and Lucite are the same material, just different brands...
The first picture appears to be a rather plump Steve Jobs than we?ve come to know in recent years.
The second picture (quoted above) is also Steve Jobs, I believe.
The second picture (quoted above) is also Steve Jobs, I believe.
And Blue Dalmatian! Where's the Flower Power?
Plexiglas and Lucite are the same material, just different brands...
Ah yes indeed. I must have confused polycarbonate with plexiglas. Thanks for the correction.
I guarantee we will see RIM's tablet and Google's Android tablets suddenly appearing doing the exact same thing as those companies 'suddenly' have the exact same idea. I bet Microsoft are up early this morning planning their design for one too.
P.S. Sorry off topic mods ... but I have to share ... I am typing this on my MacBook Pro i7 which is on my lap ... it isn't cooking my legs! In fact it is cool the read out is only 35*C! I installed smcFanControl (Google it) and simply set minimum fan speed to 5000 on both fans and have had a lovely cool MBP ever since. I swear my battery life has increased not decreased! I know I could wear the fans out sooner but I manually switch it off a lot which is very simple to do.
The photos at macstories show the ipads mounted on top of a thick wedge of lucite. No plexiglass at all. Very awesome.
looks like it's mount at the top but within the lucite. My questions are how thick can it be an still react naturally for the user? Since these are always plugged in could they boot the power to the touch panel to make it more sensitive under the lucite? (I don't expect to get answers to these questions.)
The second picture (quoted above) is also Steve Jobs, I believe.
I think you're right.