I'm with you. I don't see evidence of a shift towards Android tablets, and certainly not in the way that Android smartphone sales overtook the market in just two years. Perhaps a bit of wishful thinking in some of the articles, or maybe just a few too many slow news days.
iPad market share has fallen from 95% at launch to 56% today, so while it's still the dominant tablet I don't think Apple can be complacent. The iPad is by far the best tablet on the market and yet is only has 56% market share. Clearly the other tablets have some market traction which is only going to increase as more brands release competitor models. Having said all that Apple still makes a lot of money from a small market share with the iPhone because market share does not directly correlate to profit share. I think Apple would be happy if the iPad had 25% market share but raked in 70% of the profits.
I suspect 90% of the people buying the iPad 3 will be using it as a great little toy rather than for any serious computing purpose. In that sense the specs are not important to them. Does it look nice? Is it the hot gadget right now? Yep - I'll have one. Simple as that. It's no different to the latest must have Nike shoes or something like that.
Considering that most people just use a computer for the Internet, for email, and for looking at movies and pictures you could say exactly the same thing about laptops though.
It's really just plain old snobbery to use that "Well they can't use it for serious computing ..." line.
The fact is, most people haven't used their personal computers for coding, breaking into high security installations, tracking spaceships or engineering bridges and tunnels ... well, ever.
People forget that the entire purpose of "personal computing" as well as the entire "computer revolution" of the last 40 years or so was really about getting a computer into the hands of the average person to make their lives a little better and to make everyday tasks a little easier. They had to be sold to geeks and engineers to catch on in the first place, but the whole point of having personal computers is really about how Mum can keep her cake recipes in order and how junior can play the latest game, and how sis can use it to paint pictures.
The iPad is fantastic at all this stuff and will entirely replace "regular" or "serious" computers for the vast majority of the populace. This is also entirely as it should be and entirely as designed. It's what the original computer inventors in the 1970's actually envisioned too.
People who want to put themselves above it all and look down on the average person's computing needs in this way are not only hopeless snobs, they aren't even in line with the purposes of the revolution of which they are a part.
I suspect 90% of the people buying the iPad 3 will be using it as a great little toy rather than for any serious computing purpose. In that sense the specs are not important to them. Does it look nice? Is it the hot gadget right now? Yep - I'll have one. Simple as that. It's no different to the latest must have Nike shoes or something like that.
Don't compare people buying iPads to those degenerates buying Nikes and stabbing each other while waiting on line and rioting like a bunch of animals.
And your theory as to why people buy iPads is also wrong. iPads are not selling well simply because they're trendy or because it's the hottest gadget. iPads kills all other tablets on the market, regardless of the specs.
It's more likely that the analysts will say something like "there are a few people on the planet who haven't ordered an iPad, so you should sell your Apple stock."
Sure it is. But if you and I know that demand is off the charts, so does the broader market, and that fact is already factored into the price.
I suspect 90% of the people buying the iPad 3 will be using it as a great little toy rather than for any serious computing purpose. In that sense the specs are not important to them. Does it look nice? Is it the hot gadget right now? Yep - I'll have one. Simple as that. It's no different to the latest must have Nike shoes or something like that.
It seems a little unlikely, especially given the dismal economic situation, that tens of millions of people are buying a $500+ "little toy" as casually as shoes.
What seems to be happening is that more and more people are realizing that they can do the majority of what they like to do with computers on an iPad, and do it with a device that's easier to use, cheaper and vastly more portable.
I think what happened was that the relentless increase in computing horsepower had long since outstripped the average user's needs, and had become a kind of mindless spec inflation intended to drive new purchases. There you are, using your desktop or laptop to handle email, Office, web surfing and media playback, and your PC dies. Turns out it's cheaper to get the latest mega-giga whatever from Bestbuy or Walmart than get it fixed-- bingo, there's your PC market for the last few years.
Along comes the iPad, guess what? You can email, surf, watch videos and playback music just as well as with your PC. Now granted, Office is still a bit of a sticking point, by there are workarounds and its likely that MS will offer a version soon enough.
At which point it turns out these "toys" are perfectly capable of doing 99% of what 99% of people use computers for. If anything, the iPad reveals a certain vanity or hubris around computer use, in which it was possible to pretend that all those PC owners were doing really serious important adult "work" on their Very Impressive Machines, when in fact the situation was akin to most people owning huge muscle cars which they used to pick up groceries and drop off the kids at school.
They don't care about it because they don't understand it. I agree, 90% of the iPad buyers are clueless about computers which is why iPad is perfect for them. It allows them to get on Facebook. What else do they need?
In the past with their office computer when they couldn't figure out how to do something they just assumed it was because they are clueless. They would never suspect the device itself could be to blame for lack of functionality. They have learned not to blame their computer because whenever they had suggested something like that in the past, an IT person would embarrass them by showing them that the problem was that they just don't know what the hell they are doing.
Ignorance is bliss.
The software is still at fault for not accurately communicating functionality to the user. Microsoft Office is a huge offender in this regard. Even the "help" section is hopelessly convoluted.
Yeah, I was surprised that he died. I thought that he was one of the main characters. I haven't read the graphic novels, so I don't know the future story line.
iPad market share has fallen from 95% at launch to 56% today, so while it's still the dominant tablet I don't think Apple can be complacent. The iPad is by far the best tablet on the market and yet is only has 56% market share. Clearly the other tablets have some market traction which is only going to increase as more brands release competitor models. Having said all that Apple still makes a lot of money from a small market share with the iPhone because market share does not directly correlate to profit share. I think Apple would be happy if the iPad had 25% market share but raked in 70% of the profits.
All of which points to the old saying that 87% of all statistics are made up.
Personally, I grow weary of the "Apple only has XXX of market share, so they better watch out, by gosh" mentality that continues to make noise and confuse the consumer. The misinformation media has done much to make nothing out of something with regards to Apple for years and I do not see that changing anytime soon.
The result, some poor smuck buys another type of tablet because, you know, the iPad doesn't run flash; isn't compatible with Windows; isn't dumbed down enough for me to get it; etc. ad nauseum.
In another area, Wall Street folks continue to attack Apple simply because they don't offer a dividend on their stock. I find this one unbelievably absurd, as where is the same argument against Google? It boggles the mind.
I'm skeptical of Android's market share because I see shipments and not actual sales of the devices.
So am I. I do not trust estimates. I need to see cold hard facts. An Android tablet sitting on a dusty store shelf should not count into their figures.
Considering that most people just use a computer for the Internet, for email, and for looking at movies and pictures you could say exactly the same thing about laptops though.
It's really just plain old snobbery to use that "Well they can't use it for serious computing ..." line.
The fact is, most people haven't used their personal computers for coding, breaking into high security installations, tracking spaceships or engineering bridges and tunnels ... well, ever.
People forget that the entire purpose of "personal computing" as well as the entire "computer revolution" of the last 40 years or so was really about getting a computer into the hands of the average person to make their lives a little better and to make everyday tasks a little easier. They had to be sold to geeks and engineers to catch on in the first place, but the whole point of having personal computers is really about how Mum can keep her cake recipes in order and how junior can play the latest game, and how sis can use it to paint pictures.
The iPad is fantastic at all this stuff and will entirely replace "regular" or "serious" computers for the vast majority of the populace. This is also entirely as it should be and entirely as designed. It's what the original computer inventors in the 1970's actually envisioned too.
People who want to put themselves above it all and look down on the average person's computing needs are not only snobs, they aren't even in line with the purposes of the revolution of which they are a part.
If you would get off your high horse for a minute and actually read my post you will see that I didn't say that people "can't" use it for serious computing. I said they "won't" use it for serious computing. Why? Because many of them are not buying it as a computer, they're buying as a toy to play games on, or read eBooks, or look at their photos, or whatever. That's why it's not a post-PC device because most people are not using it as a PC. They probably already have a PC they use for whatever you use a computer for and then they use the iPad for entertainment. Personally I don't really give a s*** what people use it for.
However, if the market share between Android and Microsoft is of zero interest to me (or, in my view, the thrust of this thread), it's certainly my right to point it out, no?
If you had zero interest in it for real you wouldn't have posted anything about it. A great many times discussions of Android or MS are started by an Apple fanboi.
I don't care about the comparisons/mentions of union and non-union members in this thread. I wouldn't presume to get on a high-horse and tell them to be quiet, particularly when the exchanges remain civil.
You just did.
You see, that's what's so predictable about you. You try hard to be something you're not, and you're not very good at hiding it.
iPads aren't selling well because they've become trendy??
Nope.
The iPad has been a smashing success ever since the release of the first one. That was around the same time that countless morons predicted that it was going to be a flop.
When those early adopters bought their iPads, where they trendy at the time? No.
iPads have been selling like hotcakes ever since it was first released, because it's a groundbreaking device.
A trend is kind of like a fad and the iPad is no fad. A perfect example of a fad is netbooks. I feel sorry for the clueless people who wasted their money on such cheap junk. I'd rather have a pet rock than a netbook.
So am I. I do not trust estimates. I need to see cold hard facts. An Android tablet sitting on a dusty store shelf should not count into their figures.
I'm not sure if it's because of the Apple "store-within-a-store" (with a dedicated Apple pro on hand) or if the iPad is just harder to fuck up or what, but my experience at Best Buy is that the iPads are always up and running and available for playing with, whereas the Android tablets are frequently turned-off, frozen or otherwise malfunctioning. It really is kind of off-putting to work your way down a line of tablets where every other one is dead or unresponsive.
Plus, Best Buy can't seem to decide if tablets belong back with the laptops or up front with phones. And, they lump in truly awful cut-rate devices with the marquee Android machines like the Galaxy. All in all, it manages to give the Android tablet selection a decidedly downmarket, disorganized and neglected feel that contrasts sharply with the iPads in the Apple area.
Granted, this is just Best Buy, but I imagine that's where most people actually going to interact with these devices, whether they buy them there or not.
What seems to be happening is that more and more people are realizing that they can do the which point it turns out these "toys" are perfectly capable of doing 99% of what 99% of people use computers for. If anything, the iPad reveals a certain vanity or hubris around computer use, in which it was possible to pretend that all those PC owners were doing really serious important adult "work" on thiVery Impressive Machines, when in fact the situation was akin to most people owning huge muscle cars which they used to pick up groceries and drop off the kids at school.
I agree with you on all points and also with SJ's comment that computers are trucks. The difference is that if you can only afford one vehicle and occasionally need a truck, using it to pick up groceries does make sense. What does not make sense is that an iPad should be restricted from being able to serve as both car and truck because it has enough power and the difference is no more than a software configuration toggle switch that allows for consumer or professional use. Apple does not want to allow the professional mode hence the pros tend to jailbreak their devices.
Comments
To be fair, that's probably not their fault.
There's been an awful lot of zombie outbreaks in the past year or two.
I was never much into zombies, but tonight is the newest episode of the Walking Dead again! I know what I'll be watching later! I like that show.
I'm with you. I don't see evidence of a shift towards Android tablets, and certainly not in the way that Android smartphone sales overtook the market in just two years. Perhaps a bit of wishful thinking in some of the articles, or maybe just a few too many slow news days.
iPad market share has fallen from 95% at launch to 56% today, so while it's still the dominant tablet I don't think Apple can be complacent. The iPad is by far the best tablet on the market and yet is only has 56% market share. Clearly the other tablets have some market traction which is only going to increase as more brands release competitor models. Having said all that Apple still makes a lot of money from a small market share with the iPhone because market share does not directly correlate to profit share. I think Apple would be happy if the iPad had 25% market share but raked in 70% of the profits.
I suspect 90% of the people buying the iPad 3 will be using it as a great little toy rather than for any serious computing purpose. In that sense the specs are not important to them. Does it look nice? Is it the hot gadget right now? Yep - I'll have one. Simple as that. It's no different to the latest must have Nike shoes or something like that.
Considering that most people just use a computer for the Internet, for email, and for looking at movies and pictures you could say exactly the same thing about laptops though.
It's really just plain old snobbery to use that "Well they can't use it for serious computing ..." line.
The fact is, most people haven't used their personal computers for coding, breaking into high security installations, tracking spaceships or engineering bridges and tunnels ... well, ever.
People forget that the entire purpose of "personal computing" as well as the entire "computer revolution" of the last 40 years or so was really about getting a computer into the hands of the average person to make their lives a little better and to make everyday tasks a little easier. They had to be sold to geeks and engineers to catch on in the first place, but the whole point of having personal computers is really about how Mum can keep her cake recipes in order and how junior can play the latest game, and how sis can use it to paint pictures.
The iPad is fantastic at all this stuff and will entirely replace "regular" or "serious" computers for the vast majority of the populace. This is also entirely as it should be and entirely as designed. It's what the original computer inventors in the 1970's actually envisioned too.
People who want to put themselves above it all and look down on the average person's computing needs in this way are not only hopeless snobs, they aren't even in line with the purposes of the revolution of which they are a part.
I was never much into zombies, but tonight is the newest episode of the Walking Dead again! I know what I'll be watching later! I like that show.
You don't have to be much into zombies for them to be much into your ripe, juicy braaaaaiiinssss!!!
Agree with your comments on The Walking Dead.
And, without giving anything away, tonight's episode is supposed to be horrific! (in a good way, not getting your brain eaten way).
Rest In Pieces, Dale.
I suspect 90% of the people buying the iPad 3 will be using it as a great little toy rather than for any serious computing purpose. In that sense the specs are not important to them. Does it look nice? Is it the hot gadget right now? Yep - I'll have one. Simple as that. It's no different to the latest must have Nike shoes or something like that.
Don't compare people buying iPads to those degenerates buying Nikes and stabbing each other while waiting on line and rioting like a bunch of animals.
And your theory as to why people buy iPads is also wrong. iPads are not selling well simply because they're trendy or because it's the hottest gadget. iPads kills all other tablets on the market, regardless of the specs.
Nah. The stock market isn't logical.
It's more likely that the analysts will say something like "there are a few people on the planet who haven't ordered an iPad, so you should sell your Apple stock."
Sure it is. But if you and I know that demand is off the charts, so does the broader market, and that fact is already factored into the price.
I suspect 90% of the people buying the iPad 3 will be using it as a great little toy rather than for any serious computing purpose. In that sense the specs are not important to them. Does it look nice? Is it the hot gadget right now? Yep - I'll have one. Simple as that. It's no different to the latest must have Nike shoes or something like that.
It seems a little unlikely, especially given the dismal economic situation, that tens of millions of people are buying a $500+ "little toy" as casually as shoes.
What seems to be happening is that more and more people are realizing that they can do the majority of what they like to do with computers on an iPad, and do it with a device that's easier to use, cheaper and vastly more portable.
I think what happened was that the relentless increase in computing horsepower had long since outstripped the average user's needs, and had become a kind of mindless spec inflation intended to drive new purchases. There you are, using your desktop or laptop to handle email, Office, web surfing and media playback, and your PC dies. Turns out it's cheaper to get the latest mega-giga whatever from Bestbuy or Walmart than get it fixed-- bingo, there's your PC market for the last few years.
Along comes the iPad, guess what? You can email, surf, watch videos and playback music just as well as with your PC. Now granted, Office is still a bit of a sticking point, by there are workarounds and its likely that MS will offer a version soon enough.
At which point it turns out these "toys" are perfectly capable of doing 99% of what 99% of people use computers for. If anything, the iPad reveals a certain vanity or hubris around computer use, in which it was possible to pretend that all those PC owners were doing really serious important adult "work" on their Very Impressive Machines, when in fact the situation was akin to most people owning huge muscle cars which they used to pick up groceries and drop off the kids at school.
They don't care about it because they don't understand it. I agree, 90% of the iPad buyers are clueless about computers which is why iPad is perfect for them. It allows them to get on Facebook. What else do they need?
In the past with their office computer when they couldn't figure out how to do something they just assumed it was because they are clueless. They would never suspect the device itself could be to blame for lack of functionality. They have learned not to blame their computer because whenever they had suggested something like that in the past, an IT person would embarrass them by showing them that the problem was that they just don't know what the hell they are doing.
Ignorance is bliss.
The software is still at fault for not accurately communicating functionality to the user. Microsoft Office is a huge offender in this regard. Even the "help" section is hopelessly convoluted.
Rest In Pieces, Dale.
Yeah, I was surprised that he died. I thought that he was one of the main characters. I haven't read the graphic novels, so I don't know the future story line.
iPad market share has fallen from 95% at launch to 56% today, so while it's still the dominant tablet I don't think Apple can be complacent. The iPad is by far the best tablet on the market and yet is only has 56% market share. Clearly the other tablets have some market traction which is only going to increase as more brands release competitor models. Having said all that Apple still makes a lot of money from a small market share with the iPhone because market share does not directly correlate to profit share. I think Apple would be happy if the iPad had 25% market share but raked in 70% of the profits.
All of which points to the old saying that 87% of all statistics are made up.
Personally, I grow weary of the "Apple only has XXX of market share, so they better watch out, by gosh" mentality that continues to make noise and confuse the consumer. The misinformation media has done much to make nothing out of something with regards to Apple for years and I do not see that changing anytime soon.
The result, some poor smuck buys another type of tablet because, you know, the iPad doesn't run flash; isn't compatible with Windows; isn't dumbed down enough for me to get it; etc. ad nauseum.
In another area, Wall Street folks continue to attack Apple simply because they don't offer a dividend on their stock. I find this one unbelievably absurd, as where is the same argument against Google? It boggles the mind.
But hey, carry on!
iPads are not selling well simply because they're trendy...
iPads aren't selling well because they've become trendy??
I'm skeptical of Android's market share because I see shipments and not actual sales of the devices.
So am I. I do not trust estimates. I need to see cold hard facts. An Android tablet sitting on a dusty store shelf should not count into their figures.
Considering that most people just use a computer for the Internet, for email, and for looking at movies and pictures you could say exactly the same thing about laptops though.
It's really just plain old snobbery to use that "Well they can't use it for serious computing ..." line.
The fact is, most people haven't used their personal computers for coding, breaking into high security installations, tracking spaceships or engineering bridges and tunnels ... well, ever.
People forget that the entire purpose of "personal computing" as well as the entire "computer revolution" of the last 40 years or so was really about getting a computer into the hands of the average person to make their lives a little better and to make everyday tasks a little easier. They had to be sold to geeks and engineers to catch on in the first place, but the whole point of having personal computers is really about how Mum can keep her cake recipes in order and how junior can play the latest game, and how sis can use it to paint pictures.
The iPad is fantastic at all this stuff and will entirely replace "regular" or "serious" computers for the vast majority of the populace. This is also entirely as it should be and entirely as designed. It's what the original computer inventors in the 1970's actually envisioned too.
People who want to put themselves above it all and look down on the average person's computing needs are not only snobs, they aren't even in line with the purposes of the revolution of which they are a part.
If you would get off your high horse for a minute and actually read my post you will see that I didn't say that people "can't" use it for serious computing. I said they "won't" use it for serious computing. Why? Because many of them are not buying it as a computer, they're buying as a toy to play games on, or read eBooks, or look at their photos, or whatever. That's why it's not a post-PC device because most people are not using it as a PC. They probably already have a PC they use for whatever you use a computer for and then they use the iPad for entertainment. Personally I don't really give a s*** what people use it for.
That's fine, if that's what you expect.
However, if the market share between Android and Microsoft is of zero interest to me (or, in my view, the thrust of this thread), it's certainly my right to point it out, no?
If you had zero interest in it for real you wouldn't have posted anything about it. A great many times discussions of Android or MS are started by an Apple fanboi.
I don't care about the comparisons/mentions of union and non-union members in this thread. I wouldn't presume to get on a high-horse and tell them to be quiet, particularly when the exchanges remain civil.
You just did.
You see, that's what's so predictable about you. You try hard to be something you're not, and you're not very good at hiding it.
If you had zero interest in it for real you wouldn't have posted anything about it.
Read my reply to him on it.
iPads aren't selling well because they've become trendy??
Nope.
The iPad has been a smashing success ever since the release of the first one. That was around the same time that countless morons predicted that it was going to be a flop.
When those early adopters bought their iPads, where they trendy at the time? No.
iPads have been selling like hotcakes ever since it was first released, because it's a groundbreaking device.
A trend is kind of like a fad and the iPad is no fad. A perfect example of a fad is netbooks. I feel sorry for the clueless people who wasted their money on such cheap junk. I'd rather have a pet rock than a netbook.
So am I. I do not trust estimates. I need to see cold hard facts. An Android tablet sitting on a dusty store shelf should not count into their figures.
I'm not sure if it's because of the Apple "store-within-a-store" (with a dedicated Apple pro on hand) or if the iPad is just harder to fuck up or what, but my experience at Best Buy is that the iPads are always up and running and available for playing with, whereas the Android tablets are frequently turned-off, frozen or otherwise malfunctioning. It really is kind of off-putting to work your way down a line of tablets where every other one is dead or unresponsive.
Plus, Best Buy can't seem to decide if tablets belong back with the laptops or up front with phones. And, they lump in truly awful cut-rate devices with the marquee Android machines like the Galaxy. All in all, it manages to give the Android tablet selection a decidedly downmarket, disorganized and neglected feel that contrasts sharply with the iPads in the Apple area.
Granted, this is just Best Buy, but I imagine that's where most people actually going to interact with these devices, whether they buy them there or not.
What seems to be happening is that more and more people are realizing that they can do the which point it turns out these "toys" are perfectly capable of doing 99% of what 99% of people use computers for. If anything, the iPad reveals a certain vanity or hubris around computer use, in which it was possible to pretend that all those PC owners were doing really serious important adult "work" on thiVery Impressive Machines, when in fact the situation was akin to most people owning huge muscle cars which they used to pick up groceries and drop off the kids at school.
I agree with you on all points and also with SJ's comment that computers are trucks. The difference is that if you can only afford one vehicle and occasionally need a truck, using it to pick up groceries does make sense. What does not make sense is that an iPad should be restricted from being able to serve as both car and truck because it has enough power and the difference is no more than a software configuration toggle switch that allows for consumer or professional use. Apple does not want to allow the professional mode hence the pros tend to jailbreak their devices.