Boy, you should read MG Siegler review about Nexus 7 in Tech Crunch: "An iPad Lover’s Take On The Nexus 7"! I didn't expect this review! He really likes it! Also Walt Mossberg review from All ThingsD: "From Google, the Toughest Challenger to the iPad". If they like Nexus 7, then I'm gone buy this tablet! Just saying, for all of you who think Nexus 7 is garbage, read the reviews. Finally, we have true competition!
Not really, it's just that non-iPad tablets (and non-iPhone phones) get graded on a curve so that reviewers don't have to deal with an avalanche of nasty comments from fandroids pissed to hear that their beloved sucks.
Not really, it's just that non-iPad tablets (and non-iPhone phones) get graded on a curve so that reviewers don't have to deal with an avalanche of nasty comments from fandroids pissed to hear that their beloved sucks.
Come on! It's MG Siegler we are talking about! He's like the biggest Apple fan on the planet. He never said something good about Android until now! If he says Nexus 7 is great, then it's great!
Both are just as fluid, yet more advanced, modern and intuitive than IOS is in it's current state.
Ah yes, the "Android is winning" meme. Exactly how again? Android takes 85% of the profits in the mobile device market? Umm, nope. Android is installed on more devices. Umm, which version - for sure ICS / JB are a small segment of even Android. The only Android market is the Samsung handset market. The rest are companies bleeding money - HTC. Sony. "Motorola" - pick any one you want. Windows Phone 8? When it exists, is on the market, and posts some sales than you can claim how well it's doing. To do well, you need to ship an actual product. Marketing presentations don't count. They sure don't generate sales or revenue.
You might as well have thrown BB 10 into your mix. Go for the trifecta of irrelevance.
Boy, you should read MG Siegler review about Nexus 7 in Tech Crunch: "An iPad Lover’s Take On The Nexus 7"! I didn't expect this review! He really likes it! Also Walt Mossberg review from All ThingsD: "From Google, the Toughest Challenger to the iPad". If they like Nexus 7, then I'm gone buy this tablet! Just saying, for all of you who think Nexus 7 is garbage, read the reviews. Finally, we have true competition!
The problem is that the decision criteria isn't whether the Nexus 7 or any other tablet is good or comparable to an iPad. The evaluation criteria is already defined. Every new product must be able to satisfactorily answer "Why would I get this over an iPad?" The only two characteristics that have proven successful so far are price or form factor. But that's about it so far. "Comparable" isn't going to cut it.
I wouldn't call the iPad a 'thin client' in the traditional sense. It is thin, and it has less storage than a modern desktop or laptop, but its reliance on a server's computational power and storage is hardly any greater than that of a common pc for most people.
With 802.11n and a good PC/notebook/server as the back end, do you think that an iPad would work well as a thin client?
Boy, you should read MG Siegler review about Nexus 7 in Tech Crunch: "An iPad Lover’s Take On The Nexus 7"! I didn't expect this review! He really likes it! Also Walt Mossberg review from All ThingsD: "From Google, the Toughest Challenger to the iPad". If they like Nexus 7, then I'm gone buy this tablet! Just saying, for all of you who think Nexus 7 is garbage, read the reviews. Finally, we have true competition!
Except they forgot the SD Card slot....an Android feature, or so I thought.
With 802.11n and a good PC/notebook/server as the back end, do you think that an iPad would work well as a thin client?
Good questions as we have considered using them to replace our aging touchscreens on the shop floor and an iPad is a 3rd of the cost and easier to manage (for what we do with them).
"PCs now need to compete both directly/functionally and more so indirectly (for discretionary spend/mindshare) against 'thin client' architectures/ecosystems," Cihra wrote in his note to investors on Monday.
Ah, but even Steve Ballmer refers to pad computers as "PC"s now. Here's a quote:
Quote:
"What we seek to have is a spectrum of stunning devices, stunning Windows devices," Ballmer said. "So, every consumer, every business customer can say, ‘I have the perfect PC for me.’
So now Ballmer is trying to tell us that "PC" means "anything that runs Windows." But before the Surface announcement, "PC" meant "any legacy desktop or laptop computer equipped with an Intel CPU and running Windows." Before the Surface announcement, anything running Windows that wasn't a legacy desktop or laptop was a "Slate" or "Windows Tablet." Not a "PC."
Pure sophistry. This will allow Microsoft to continue to claim huge "PC" numbers, even though the Slate contribution to those numbers will be negligible. And, conversely, if Apple had named their mobile OS "OS X mobile" or something like that, they could claim to be the world's #1 PC maker, because "OS X" would be running on all their computing devices. More sophistry. But it doesn't really matter whether Apple calls the iPad a "PC" or "Post-PC" device. iPad is taking sales from traditional PC vendors.
Meg Whitman, current President and CEO of HP, isn't shy about grouping iPad sales together with Mac sales. She says Apple could become the #1 personal computing device vendor as soon as this year, if you consider iPad to be a personal computing device. (Hint: it is.)
...remember, PC sales are heavily weighted to corporate buyers)
Is that true these days?
My impression was that was true in the early days, before the internet. But people started buying lots of computers then, and sales have increased (overall) ever since.
Is it really true that businesses now buy more computers then consumers?
For 3) above, in my limited experience the copy was tied to a single computer -- though you could move the copy from one computer, you couldn't use it on both.
What I am trying to determine is how much trouble (evaporation of Windows profit) Microsoft faces due to:
stagnation of new sales of pcs
unwillingness/delay in upgrading to the latest release
difficulty of upgrading
cost of upgrading
For sake of comparison let's assume:
that the consumer has several computers with the current OS installed
that the consumer is running Windows 7 or Lion depending on platform
that Windows 7 and Lion are equal in capability, appeal, ease of use... we're not talking switchers
that the consumer desires to upgrade to the New version (Windows 8 or Mountain Lion) when it is released
So, here goes for the Mac:
OS X Mountain Lion
single variant for user needs from entry to pro (all features present)
no variant upgrades
$19 price of upgrade
1 upgrade copy for all your personal computers
upgrade downloadable from the app store less than 1 hour
fast upgrade install -- less than 1 hour
untended upgrade install -- answer a few questions at the start, then leave untended... your computer will reboot when done
can co-exist with prior versions of OS X on same machine (different HDDs or Partitions)
no serial numbers, authorization or callbacks
As I understand the MS Business Model
pre-install a basic Windows variant on each machine at the manufacturers (license)
sell variant upgrades -- directly or through software resellers
sell version upgrades (e.g. Windows 8) directly or through software resellers
Windows 8 will still have variants (I think)
Windows 8 will be downloadable (I think)
Windows 8 will cost more than $100 to upgrade an existing machine (I assume)
Windows 8 will be tied to a single machine (I assume)
Windows 8 will be a long install, tended: requiring user input throughout the process (I assume)
Depending on the answers to some of these questions, and the decline/disruption in the pc market)MS could be witnessing the collapse of their business model for consumers.
Quote:
Cihra believes that a quarter of tablet purchases are truly direct replacements for PCs, while another quarter are "effectively" replacing PCs, as users delay purchasing a new computer by getting an iPad or another tablet.
If the quote from this article is true, then (based on the 16 million iPads sold last quarter est.) 4 million pc sales are being lost to tablets per quarter, and another 4 million pc purchases are being "effective;y replaced" (delayed).
That's 8 million x 95% == 7.6 million Windows licences lost per quarter... Or 7.6 million x $100 == $700 million lost revenue to MS per quarter -- just due to the iPad disruption.
Mmm... Methinks we know why Gates, Ballmer, et al have their panties in a wad.
Add to that:
the general decline in Windows pc sales
the uncertainty that Windows 8 will be acceptable to upgrade the bulk of existing users' computers (or even for new hardware purchases)
the pressure of competition (mainly Apple) to change the structure (variants) and pricing of the OS
This could signify tectonic shift in MS' revenue from Windows.
And just to add salt to the wound, the same pressures are beginning to apply to application software for pcs (no feature/price variants, downloadable, 1 copy for all your personal computers, etc.).
Is it too early to ask if the MS business model is sustainable?
Boy, you should read MG Siegler review about Nexus 7 in Tech Crunch: "An iPad Lover’s Take On The Nexus 7"! I didn't expect this review! He really likes it! Also Walt Mossberg review from All ThingsD: "From Google, the Toughest Challenger to the iPad". If they like Nexus 7, then I'm gone buy this tablet! Just saying, for all of you who think Nexus 7 is garbage, read the reviews. Finally, we have true competition!
Look, if you’re looking for a 7-inch tablet or any tablet of the Android variety, you’d be hard pressed to find anything better than the Nexus 7. It runs vanilla Android (future proof, perhaps) that’s actually optimized for the hardware and is relatively cheap. It’s faster, nicer and smoother than the Kindle Fire but keep in mind the lack of tablet-specific apps and how Google is touting that it’s made for Google Play.
From within the review itself, he touches on every point why this Nexus 7 is NOT an iPad alternative... nor is any other tablet on the market at this time.
I remember when the Laptop first came out and people said it was the death of the desktop. Never happened - some people bought laptops and some people continued to buy desktops. I suspect the tablet computer will have the same effect - it's just another computer format. It's not going to kill anything. The laptop and desktop will continue for many years.
New tech rarely supplants the old. Even now, we go to movie theaters and listen to AM radio.
That being said, it is quite rare to see horse drawn wagons in the city these days. Current form factors will be around for a long while, because they work well, like a paperback book at the beach.
It's even worse for PCs than that, because Macs are also PCs and are included in the PC growth trend. So the 5.7% decline is actually up to 10% if you take the Macs out of the mix. I recalculated the numbers that Gartner used, but also showed the results without the inclusion of Apple Macs. And in actuality, there is nearly a 15% spread in growth between Apple Macs and non-Macs. I'm guessing other os machines such as Linux are included in the calculations.
Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipments Estimates for 2Q12 (Units) Source: Gartner
I remember when the Laptop first came out and people said it was the death of the desktop. Never happened - some people bought laptops and some people continued to buy desktops. I suspect the tablet computer will have the same effect - it's just another computer format. It's not going to kill anything. The laptop and desktop will continue for many years.
As for that graph it just poses more questions than answers. If the iPad is directly responsible for the drop in PC sales then why did Y/Y PC growth fall in 1999-2001, 2005-2006 and 2007-2009 ? There was no iPad to explain those declines. I'm sure the iPad is taking sales away from the PC but it's impact is being overstated to prove a point and talk up the share price again. I don't know anyone who uses an iPad as their only computer - they all have a laptop or desktop as well. I love my iPad but I wouldn't scrap my desktop for it.
What you fail to take into account is that a desktop and a laptop are just variants of a single solution -- a computer (in one form or another) running the same OS, and apps, UI, and usability strengths and weaknesses
The iPad changes [most] all of that. It is certainly a computer... but it is a computer that has been re-imagined and repurposed for what most people want a computer to do for them, most of the time.
By doing this Apple has focused on the user and provides a solution for the 5-year-old, the 95-year-old... and most people in between.
For some people, an iPad is all they need or want.
But, even the tech-wise, like most here, can easily justify an iPad -- because it makes much of their computer usage easier and fun!
BTW, I just upgraded my iPad 2, my iPad 3 and my iPhone 4S to iOS Beta 3...
I Just went to settings and invoked Software Udate... Everything was automatic (no tending, or user input), and the devices were not attached to any computer or power supply. Takes about 10 minutes, then it reboots.
<<snipped, since I want to only concentrate on this portion of the post>>
And just to add salt to the wound, the same pressures are beginning to apply to application software for pcs (no feature/price variants, downloadable, 1 copy for all your personal computers, etc.).
Is it too early to ask if the MS business model is sustainable?
If not, then what?
Within the presentation, Synofsky said that the Surface RT would quote: "come with Office 13".
Now... if I take this literally, this is what MS has decided will be the "killer app" that will give the Surface RT AKA WART, the added edge against the iPad. They can NOT afford to offer a watered-down version, or else the assumed "full integration and compatibility" with the desktop version wont work.
Then, if MS also decides to price the Office 13/WART competitively... what portion of the retail price will people consider to be the "worth of Office 13"?
If a tablet at say $500,- includes Office 13, and is true to it's hype and can replace an ultrabook or laptop, is it safe to say that Office 13 is worth less than:
$100 ... $50 ... $25 ????
Is MS really seriously about to kill their goose? And yes... it is their only Goose... well except the "ugly one" Win8. And it's a long time before that one will ever be golden methinks.
PS. just wanna say thanks for the great debate and posts on the other MS thread
Market share for certain, but possibly mindshare as well.
I'm just not so sure the "mindshare" is all that positive, for all kinds of reasons... which makes it kind of irrelevant at this time.
No I'm NOT going to give you any! Read the 1000's upon 1000's of posts regarding fragmentation and the developer's take; and Google lying about "lag problems" and trying to correct them with, uh... Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich... or something like that.
I mean come on... Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich is the only thing that enters my "mindshare"... but it could be because it's past 9:00 PM here and I'm starved.
Comments
Quote:
Originally Posted by NelsonX
Boy, you should read MG Siegler review about Nexus 7 in Tech Crunch: "An iPad Lover’s Take On The Nexus 7"! I didn't expect this review! He really likes it! Also Walt Mossberg review from All ThingsD: "From Google, the Toughest Challenger to the iPad". If they like Nexus 7, then I'm gone buy this tablet! Just saying, for all of you who think Nexus 7 is garbage, read the reviews. Finally, we have true competition!
Not really, it's just that non-iPad tablets (and non-iPhone phones) get graded on a curve so that reviewers don't have to deal with an avalanche of nasty comments from fandroids pissed to hear that their beloved sucks.
Not really, it's just that non-iPad tablets (and non-iPhone phones) get graded on a curve so that reviewers don't have to deal with an avalanche of nasty comments from fandroids pissed to hear that their beloved sucks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boogerman2000
Ice Cream Sandwich/Jellybean has surpassed IOS.
WP8 Apollo is also going to do very well.
Both are just as fluid, yet more advanced, modern and intuitive than IOS is in it's current state.
Ah yes, the "Android is winning" meme. Exactly how again? Android takes 85% of the profits in the mobile device market? Umm, nope. Android is installed on more devices. Umm, which version - for sure ICS / JB are a small segment of even Android. The only Android market is the Samsung handset market. The rest are companies bleeding money - HTC. Sony. "Motorola" - pick any one you want. Windows Phone 8? When it exists, is on the market, and posts some sales than you can claim how well it's doing. To do well, you need to ship an actual product. Marketing presentations don't count. They sure don't generate sales or revenue.
You might as well have thrown BB 10 into your mix. Go for the trifecta of irrelevance.
PC sales stall in the US, yet remain largely unchanged with -0.1% worldwide.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NelsonX
Boy, you should read MG Siegler review about Nexus 7 in Tech Crunch: "An iPad Lover’s Take On The Nexus 7"! I didn't expect this review! He really likes it! Also Walt Mossberg review from All ThingsD: "From Google, the Toughest Challenger to the iPad". If they like Nexus 7, then I'm gone buy this tablet! Just saying, for all of you who think Nexus 7 is garbage, read the reviews. Finally, we have true competition!
The problem is that the decision criteria isn't whether the Nexus 7 or any other tablet is good or comparable to an iPad. The evaluation criteria is already defined. Every new product must be able to satisfactorily answer "Why would I get this over an iPad?" The only two characteristics that have proven successful so far are price or form factor. But that's about it so far. "Comparable" isn't going to cut it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by paxman
I wouldn't call the iPad a 'thin client' in the traditional sense. It is thin, and it has less storage than a modern desktop or laptop, but its reliance on a server's computational power and storage is hardly any greater than that of a common pc for most people.
With 802.11n and a good PC/notebook/server as the back end, do you think that an iPad would work well as a thin client?
Quote:
Originally Posted by NelsonX
Boy, you should read MG Siegler review about Nexus 7 in Tech Crunch: "An iPad Lover’s Take On The Nexus 7"! I didn't expect this review! He really likes it! Also Walt Mossberg review from All ThingsD: "From Google, the Toughest Challenger to the iPad". If they like Nexus 7, then I'm gone buy this tablet! Just saying, for all of you who think Nexus 7 is garbage, read the reviews. Finally, we have true competition!
Except they forgot the SD Card slot....an Android feature, or so I thought.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JerrySwitched26
With 802.11n and a good PC/notebook/server as the back end, do you think that an iPad would work well as a thin client?
Good questions as we have considered using them to replace our aging touchscreens on the shop floor and an iPad is a 3rd of the cost and easier to manage (for what we do with them).
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
"PCs now need to compete both directly/functionally and more so indirectly (for discretionary spend/mindshare) against 'thin client' architectures/ecosystems," Cihra wrote in his note to investors on Monday.
Ah, but even Steve Ballmer refers to pad computers as "PC"s now. Here's a quote:
Quote:
"What we seek to have is a spectrum of stunning devices, stunning Windows devices," Ballmer said. "So, every consumer, every business customer can say, ‘I have the perfect PC for me.’
So now Ballmer is trying to tell us that "PC" means "anything that runs Windows." But before the Surface announcement, "PC" meant "any legacy desktop or laptop computer equipped with an Intel CPU and running Windows." Before the Surface announcement, anything running Windows that wasn't a legacy desktop or laptop was a "Slate" or "Windows Tablet." Not a "PC."
Here's the quote in an AI article: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/07/10/microsoft_says_surface_tablet_is_just_a_design_point.html
Pure sophistry. This will allow Microsoft to continue to claim huge "PC" numbers, even though the Slate contribution to those numbers will be negligible. And, conversely, if Apple had named their mobile OS "OS X mobile" or something like that, they could claim to be the world's #1 PC maker, because "OS X" would be running on all their computing devices. More sophistry. But it doesn't really matter whether Apple calls the iPad a "PC" or "Post-PC" device. iPad is taking sales from traditional PC vendors.
Meg Whitman, current President and CEO of HP, isn't shy about grouping iPad sales together with Mac sales. She says Apple could become the #1 personal computing device vendor as soon as this year, if you consider iPad to be a personal computing device. (Hint: it is.)
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/11/30/hp_ceo_apple_likely_to_take_away_pc_leadership_position_next_year.html
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wiggin
...remember, PC sales are heavily weighted to corporate buyers)
Is that true these days?
My impression was that was true in the early days, before the internet. But people started buying lots of computers then, and sales have increased (overall) ever since.
Is it really true that businesses now buy more computers then consumers?
Thinking out loud & need some help/verification.
I've never bought a Windows computer (though we sold IBM/PCs in our stores). I have bought Windows XP to run under Parallels emulation on a Mac...
I got a bootleg disk of Windows NT (from...) and bought a NT - XP upgrade. AIR, The upgrade cost $249.
We haven't used Windows in over 3 years (probably 5) so we don't have it or Parallels on any of our computers, anymore.
So here's what I am trying to determine for Windows (preferably Windows 7 Home Premium):
What is the cost to manufacturer's per copy of Windows(included when you buy a pc)?
What is the retail price of Windows?
Are the Windows disks tied to a computer, or can you install one copy on every computer in your home?
For 1) above the best I can determine is between $68-$100 per copy. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120413083907AAwEdew
For 3) above, in my limited experience the copy was tied to a single computer -- though you could move the copy from one computer, you couldn't use it on both.
What I am trying to determine is how much trouble (evaporation of Windows profit) Microsoft faces due to:
stagnation of new sales of pcs
unwillingness/delay in upgrading to the latest release
difficulty of upgrading
cost of upgrading
For sake of comparison let's assume:
that the consumer has several computers with the current OS installed
that the consumer is running Windows 7 or Lion depending on platform
that Windows 7 and Lion are equal in capability, appeal, ease of use... we're not talking switchers
that the consumer desires to upgrade to the New version (Windows 8 or Mountain Lion) when it is released
So, here goes for the Mac:
OS X Mountain Lion
single variant for user needs from entry to pro (all features present)
no variant upgrades
$19 price of upgrade
1 upgrade copy for all your personal computers
upgrade downloadable from the app store less than 1 hour
fast upgrade install -- less than 1 hour
untended upgrade install -- answer a few questions at the start, then leave untended... your computer will reboot when done
can co-exist with prior versions of OS X on same machine (different HDDs or Partitions)
no serial numbers, authorization or callbacks
As I understand the MS Business Model
pre-install a basic Windows variant on each machine at the manufacturers (license)
sell variant upgrades -- directly or through software resellers
sell version upgrades (e.g. Windows 8) directly or through software resellers
Windows 8 will still have variants (I think)
Windows 8 will be downloadable (I think)
Windows 8 will cost more than $100 to upgrade an existing machine (I assume)
Windows 8 will be tied to a single machine (I assume)
Windows 8 will be a long install, tended: requiring user input throughout the process (I assume)
Depending on the answers to some of these questions, and the decline/disruption in the pc market)MS could be witnessing the collapse of their business model for consumers.
Quote:
Cihra believes that a quarter of tablet purchases are truly direct replacements for PCs, while another quarter are "effectively" replacing PCs, as users delay purchasing a new computer by getting an iPad or another tablet.
If the quote from this article is true, then (based on the 16 million iPads sold last quarter est.) 4 million pc sales are being lost to tablets per quarter, and another 4 million pc purchases are being "effective;y replaced" (delayed).
That's 8 million x 95% == 7.6 million Windows licences lost per quarter... Or 7.6 million x $100 == $700 million lost revenue to MS per quarter -- just due to the iPad disruption.
Mmm... Methinks we know why Gates, Ballmer, et al have their panties in a wad.
Add to that:
the general decline in Windows pc sales
the uncertainty that Windows 8 will be acceptable to upgrade the bulk of existing users' computers (or even for new hardware purchases)
the pressure of competition (mainly Apple) to change the structure (variants) and pricing of the OS
This could signify tectonic shift in MS' revenue from Windows.
And just to add salt to the wound, the same pressures are beginning to apply to application software for pcs (no feature/price variants, downloadable, 1 copy for all your personal computers, etc.).
Is it too early to ask if the MS business model is sustainable?
If not, then what?
Quote:
Originally Posted by NelsonX
Boy, you should read MG Siegler review about Nexus 7 in Tech Crunch: "An iPad Lover’s Take On The Nexus 7"! I didn't expect this review! He really likes it! Also Walt Mossberg review from All ThingsD: "From Google, the Toughest Challenger to the iPad". If they like Nexus 7, then I'm gone buy this tablet! Just saying, for all of you who think Nexus 7 is garbage, read the reviews. Finally, we have true competition!
Well maybe you should also try this one, also at Tech Crunch: Google Nexus 7 Review: When Hardware And Software (Mostly) Become One
From the Summary, "Pass or Buy" at the bottom:
Quote:
Look, if you’re looking for a 7-inch tablet or any tablet of the Android variety, you’d be hard pressed to find anything better than the Nexus 7. It runs vanilla Android (future proof, perhaps) that’s actually optimized for the hardware and is relatively cheap. It’s faster, nicer and smoother than the Kindle Fire but keep in mind the lack of tablet-specific apps and how Google is touting that it’s made for Google Play.
From within the review itself, he touches on every point why this Nexus 7 is NOT an iPad alternative... nor is any other tablet on the market at this time.
69 million seems ok, but imagine how many iPads Apple would sell if they hadn't been so wrong about this being a post-pc era...
Er, what?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaun, UK
I remember when the Laptop first came out and people said it was the death of the desktop. Never happened - some people bought laptops and some people continued to buy desktops. I suspect the tablet computer will have the same effect - it's just another computer format. It's not going to kill anything. The laptop and desktop will continue for many years.
New tech rarely supplants the old. Even now, we go to movie theaters and listen to AM radio.
That being said, it is quite rare to see horse drawn wagons in the city these days. Current form factors will be around for a long while, because they work well, like a paperback book at the beach.
It's even worse for PCs than that, because Macs are also PCs and are included in the PC growth trend. So the 5.7% decline is actually up to 10% if you take the Macs out of the mix. I recalculated the numbers that Gartner used, but also showed the results without the inclusion of Apple Macs. And in actuality, there is nearly a 15% spread in growth between Apple Macs and non-Macs. I'm guessing other os machines such as Linux are included in the calculations.
Preliminary U.S. PC Vendor Unit Shipments Estimates for 2Q12 (Units) Source: Gartner
Quote:
Originally Posted by focher
Ah yes, the "Android is winning" meme. Exactly how again?
Market share for certain, but possibly mindshare as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shaun, UK
I remember when the Laptop first came out and people said it was the death of the desktop. Never happened - some people bought laptops and some people continued to buy desktops. I suspect the tablet computer will have the same effect - it's just another computer format. It's not going to kill anything. The laptop and desktop will continue for many years.
As for that graph it just poses more questions than answers. If the iPad is directly responsible for the drop in PC sales then why did Y/Y PC growth fall in 1999-2001, 2005-2006 and 2007-2009 ? There was no iPad to explain those declines. I'm sure the iPad is taking sales away from the PC but it's impact is being overstated to prove a point and talk up the share price again. I don't know anyone who uses an iPad as their only computer - they all have a laptop or desktop as well. I love my iPad but I wouldn't scrap my desktop for it.
What you fail to take into account is that a desktop and a laptop are just variants of a single solution -- a computer (in one form or another) running the same OS, and apps, UI, and usability strengths and weaknesses
The iPad changes [most] all of that. It is certainly a computer... but it is a computer that has been re-imagined and repurposed for what most people want a computer to do for them, most of the time.
By doing this Apple has focused on the user and provides a solution for the 5-year-old, the 95-year-old... and most people in between.
For some people, an iPad is all they need or want.
For others the iPad (or iPhone) is the only practical solution. http://www.assistiveware.com/product/proloquo2go
But, even the tech-wise, like most here, can easily justify an iPad -- because it makes much of their computer usage easier and fun!
BTW, I just upgraded my iPad 2, my iPad 3 and my iPhone 4S to iOS Beta 3...
I Just went to settings and invoked Software Udate... Everything was automatic (no tending, or user input), and the devices were not attached to any computer or power supply. Takes about 10 minutes, then it reboots.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum
<<snipped, since I want to only concentrate on this portion of the post>>
And just to add salt to the wound, the same pressures are beginning to apply to application software for pcs (no feature/price variants, downloadable, 1 copy for all your personal computers, etc.).
Is it too early to ask if the MS business model is sustainable?
If not, then what?
Within the presentation, Synofsky said that the Surface RT would quote: "come with Office 13".
Now... if I take this literally, this is what MS has decided will be the "killer app" that will give the Surface RT AKA WART, the added edge against the iPad. They can NOT afford to offer a watered-down version, or else the assumed "full integration and compatibility" with the desktop version wont work.
Then, if MS also decides to price the Office 13/WART competitively... what portion of the retail price will people consider to be the "worth of Office 13"?
If a tablet at say $500,- includes Office 13, and is true to it's hype and can replace an ultrabook or laptop, is it safe to say that Office 13 is worth less than:
$100 ... $50 ... $25 ????
Is MS really seriously about to kill their goose? And yes... it is their only Goose... well except the "ugly one" Win8. And it's a long time before that one will ever be golden methinks.
PS. just wanna say thanks for the great debate and posts on the other MS thread
Re: Michael Cioni video -- GREAT presentation! Thanks for the link.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JerrySwitched26
Market share for certain, but possibly mindshare as well.
I'm just not so sure the "mindshare" is all that positive, for all kinds of reasons... which makes it kind of irrelevant at this time.
No I'm NOT going to give you any! Read the 1000's upon 1000's of posts regarding fragmentation and the developer's take; and Google lying about "lag problems" and trying to correct them with, uh... Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich... or something like that.
I mean come on... Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich is the only thing that enters my "mindshare"... but it could be because it's past 9:00 PM here and I'm starved.