Yeah, I saw the advertisement last night on TV and I thought "What the F....?" Then I thought, "and the race to the bottom begins!!!" It is only mid Summer and already tablet manufacturers are slashing prices so they can get some traction for the holiday season. I know this is only suppose to be temporary, but buyers will hold out for the next "special weekend" once they know that deep discounts are possible. $379 on Amazon with no shipping or sales tax is a pretty good deal. Too bad the operating system is slow, there are very few apps and the HP tablet is too heavy. If HP wanted to discount their offerings so quickly, they should had stuck with MS. WP7 phones were discounted just a little over a month after their release last fall, and we all know how well that helped them sell more phones and gain market share. (sarcasm)
Not only is HP cutting price but it is increasing its' appearance on national TV by running new ads. I believe this is there big push to try to carve out a spot. So much for not going to compete with Apple in the consumer market and just be in the business market. What I hope is that people are smart enough to look at the total package.
Wow, any of you guys even used the TouchPad? It's actually pretty good for their first version/attempt. Go ahead, find one and try it. I did out of curiosity and liked it a lot! If only they had a way to switch between keyboard layouts and localization support, but they don't go after anything but the states right now.
The problem with iOS is that it's STALE. Come on, it's been 4 years already, aren't you all bored with the same old that barely even changes? The main attraction of webOS is the attention to detail and because of that there's a huge potential. Most of these things usually happen because of a couple very devoted folks within the company that have a vision and push things forward, putting love in what they do. I certainly can't say the same thing about Android which is about as lifeless and Windows-like in its ways as it can be. webOS "sees" where it should go, Android on the other hand is blindly stumbling in the dark.
The problem with iOS is that it's STALE. Come on, it's been 4 years already, aren't you all bored with the same old that barely even changes?
Really now!
Here is the original iPhone.
All those apps you see on the Home Screen are all you got. They worked smoothly and well but it was limited. They decided to release finished product not a bunch of unfinished potential. The original iPhone was a great start!
Here is a short list description of new features coming to iOS 5.0 over iOS 4.x.
The touchpad is actually pretty tempting at that price. Woot! has it even cheaper today, and some sales were supposed to have it near $350. You certainly wont find an Android tablet of good quality at that price. If they can maintain a $400 price point they might gain some share.
I wouldn't count HP out. In fact, I think it has the best chance of giving Apple Tablet competition. Remember, HP plans to put webOS as an alternative OS on all its computers. HP sells a lot of computers. That will give the OS exposure.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zindako
HP is not a company with vision or long term plans, they are based on a get rich quick mentality, culture & business model, they have no hopes of success against Apple.
HP is trying to buy some market share. Not a bad short-term strategy if you can afford it. Could help in the long run to get it into more peoples' hands today.
They could even make a profit on it with sales of peripherals. Discount the TouchPad, but charge full list price for the charging station, etc.
Somebody in the marketing department needs to be fired. You don't take your pants off after releasing a main stream product after 30 days! Another tablet going down in flames.
I can only think of one device that was dropping prices this fast - the KIN. Though I guess its two devices, but this is a huge price cut, bigger than android even, but not as big as google TV (it may get there).
HP has to be pretty annoyed to drop the price this much, though I don't think they are ready to kill off webOS. I heard they have a plan to start marketing it as a business device rather than consumer and maybe they want to sell out of version 1 to cut their losses before veering in another direction.
The question is how much are they willing to lose to buy market-share. If they could buy 25% of the tablet market by selling the devices below cost that could end up being a smart move in the longer term. I doubt HP has that kind of commitment though.
It might not help. They still need people to buy them.
Note that cost competition was not a factor in the MP3 player market. None of Apple's competitors were able to exhibit any significant advances by undercutting iPod prices. Even today, you can buy a 4GB iRiver player for half what a 2GB iPod shuffle costs, yet Apple dominates the MP3 player market.
The immediate deep discounting of a newly released product is bad form. This damages the public's perception of the brand. Once again, Jon Rubinstein has bit off way more than he can chew. Probably a great engineering project manager but certainly not someone who can lead a business unit, let alone a whole company.
I'd actually like to see this become moderately successful. I have no plans to buy one, but it would be good for the people who "hate Apple" to have a good tablet platform instead of the terrible Android. I say this as someone who has experienced an Android tablet. It isn't pretty. Non-Apple users deserve a quality product as well. Android isn't even close. So I wish the best to WebOS.
It might not help. They still need people to buy them.
Note that cost competition was not a factor in the MP3 player market. None of Apple's competitors were able to exhibit any significant advances by undercutting iPod prices. Even today, you can buy a 4GB iRiver player for half what a 2GB iPod shuffle costs, yet Apple dominates the MP3 player market.
The immediate deep discounting of a newly released product is bad form. This damages the public's perception of the brand. Once again, Jon Rubinstein has bit off way more than he can chew. Probably a great engineering project manager but certainly not someone who can lead a business unit, let alone a whole company.
I think its hard to assemble the right team when google and apple ate away all the good engineers. Maybe if webOS was launched before android it would have been different.
I have no idea how apple recruited top engineers back in its shitty days, my guess is the dislike of MS drove some talented people into apple. Now both google and apple have huge followings amongst engineers, and so there is really no point of applying to HP when you can work for apple or google.
I have no plans to buy one, but it would be good for the people who "hate Apple" to have a good tablet platform instead of the terrible Android. I say this as someone who has experienced an Android tablet. It isn't pretty. Non-Apple users deserve a quality product as well. Android isn't even close. So I wish the best to WebOS.
I think android and webOS are very similar in terms of usability right now. And in terms of potential they are pretty much similar as well.
That's the problem. A regular user can't tell the difference between Android, QNX and webOS. Apple stands out and I would say microsoft phone 7 stands out. All others are pretty generic in my opinion.
I think its hard to assemble the right team when google and apple ate away all the good engineers. Maybe if webOS was launched before android it would have been different.
I have no idea how apple recruited top engineers back in its shitty days, my guess is the dislike of MS drove some talented people into apple. Now both google and apple have huge followings amongst engineers, and so there is really no point of applying to HP when you can work for apple or google.
Somehow, I do not think HP shareholders will find that an acceptable reason for failure.
Comments
lol. That was kinda funny. kinda...
I agree with this response.
I also concur with that response. Who hires these morons in marketing???
Not only is HP cutting price but it is increasing its' appearance on national TV by running new ads. I believe this is there big push to try to carve out a spot. So much for not going to compete with Apple in the consumer market and just be in the business market. What I hope is that people are smart enough to look at the total package.
What's the total package?
I also concur with that response. Who hires these morons in marketing???
Lol, so true....
The problem with iOS is that it's STALE. Come on, it's been 4 years already, aren't you all bored with the same old that barely even changes? The main attraction of webOS is the attention to detail and because of that there's a huge potential. Most of these things usually happen because of a couple very devoted folks within the company that have a vision and push things forward, putting love in what they do. I certainly can't say the same thing about Android which is about as lifeless and Windows-like in its ways as it can be. webOS "sees" where it should go, Android on the other hand is blindly stumbling in the dark.
The problem with iOS is that it's STALE. Come on, it's been 4 years already, aren't you all bored with the same old that barely even changes?
Really now!
Here is the original iPhone.All those apps you see on the Home Screen are all you got. They worked smoothly and well but it was limited. They decided to release finished product not a bunch of unfinished potential. The original iPhone was a great start!
Here is a short list description of new features coming to iOS 5.0 over iOS 4.x. Here is a detailed list of major changes iPhone OS 1.0 and iOS 5.0.
HP is not a company with vision or long term plans, they are based on a get rich quick mentality, culture & business model, they have no hopes of success against Apple.
The problem with iOS is that it's STALE. Come on, it's been 4 years already, aren't you all bored with the same old that barely even changes?
HP is trying to buy some market share. Not a bad short-term strategy if you can afford it. Could help in the long run to get it into more peoples' hands today.
They could even make a profit on it with sales of peripherals. Discount the TouchPad, but charge full list price for the charging station, etc.
Somebody in the marketing department needs to be fired. You don't take your pants off after releasing a main stream product after 30 days! Another tablet going down in flames.
HP has to be pretty annoyed to drop the price this much, though I don't think they are ready to kill off webOS. I heard they have a plan to start marketing it as a business device rather than consumer and maybe they want to sell out of version 1 to cut their losses before veering in another direction.
The question is how much are they willing to lose to buy market-share. If they could buy 25% of the tablet market by selling the devices below cost that could end up being a smart move in the longer term. I doubt HP has that kind of commitment though.
It might not help. They still need people to buy them.
Note that cost competition was not a factor in the MP3 player market. None of Apple's competitors were able to exhibit any significant advances by undercutting iPod prices. Even today, you can buy a 4GB iRiver player for half what a 2GB iPod shuffle costs, yet Apple dominates the MP3 player market.
The immediate deep discounting of a newly released product is bad form. This damages the public's perception of the brand. Once again, Jon Rubinstein has bit off way more than he can chew. Probably a great engineering project manager but certainly not someone who can lead a business unit, let alone a whole company.
It might not help. They still need people to buy them.
Note that cost competition was not a factor in the MP3 player market. None of Apple's competitors were able to exhibit any significant advances by undercutting iPod prices. Even today, you can buy a 4GB iRiver player for half what a 2GB iPod shuffle costs, yet Apple dominates the MP3 player market.
The immediate deep discounting of a newly released product is bad form. This damages the public's perception of the brand. Once again, Jon Rubinstein has bit off way more than he can chew. Probably a great engineering project manager but certainly not someone who can lead a business unit, let alone a whole company.
I think its hard to assemble the right team when google and apple ate away all the good engineers. Maybe if webOS was launched before android it would have been different.
I have no idea how apple recruited top engineers back in its shitty days, my guess is the dislike of MS drove some talented people into apple. Now both google and apple have huge followings amongst engineers, and so there is really no point of applying to HP when you can work for apple or google.
It's fairly common for HP to offer rebates on its products, even recently introduced ones.
I don't think we should read too much into this.
I have no plans to buy one, but it would be good for the people who "hate Apple" to have a good tablet platform instead of the terrible Android. I say this as someone who has experienced an Android tablet. It isn't pretty. Non-Apple users deserve a quality product as well. Android isn't even close. So I wish the best to WebOS.
I think android and webOS are very similar in terms of usability right now. And in terms of potential they are pretty much similar as well.
That's the problem. A regular user can't tell the difference between Android, QNX and webOS. Apple stands out and I would say microsoft phone 7 stands out. All others are pretty generic in my opinion.
I think its hard to assemble the right team when google and apple ate away all the good engineers. Maybe if webOS was launched before android it would have been different.
I have no idea how apple recruited top engineers back in its shitty days, my guess is the dislike of MS drove some talented people into apple. Now both google and apple have huge followings amongst engineers, and so there is really no point of applying to HP when you can work for apple or google.
Somehow, I do not think HP shareholders will find that an acceptable reason for failure.