I am firmly a Mac person and agree with much of Steve's view on computing, but we are missing the boat on tablets....just had to get it in one more time.
What I really hate is when Gates is EVER percieved as demonstrating innovation.
We're not missing anything on tablets. They currently cost too much for what they do. They're heavy, clumsy, slow, and fragile. Most people who think they need a Tablet would be better served by a notebook, some by a graphics tablet. The concept just isn't ready. No amount of Gates' commenting will make it ready. The hardware isn't there, the market (at the price/feature set it would have to be) isn't there either.
Yes I know what you mean. One of those news programs on TV was giving at look back at great innovators of the 20th century and when they mentioned him I just wanted to puke.
i've been watching all the news channel's today and all i've heard on msnbc and cnbc is the new imac. even techtv had one in their stuidio today ( well for a little bit until apple took it away) i didn't even know that bill gates tablet thing until this forum. bill gates talks about the future but only shows concepts about them. that tablet is 4 years away
I dunno... I really don't see much difference between the current crop of tablets and what gates is showing off (especially the price) except that the OS is probably a bit more integrated than just sticking in regular Windows. I really don't see much innovation here. Apple could do a lot better, that's for sure; and bring the prices down to earth. I bet there's prototypes somewhere in Apple, maybe just waiting for the technology or the timing (like waiting for Apple servers since most tablets are used in vertical professions). I personally wouldn't want to see Apple tablets until there are Apple rack servers at least.
<strong>We're not missing anything on tablets. They currently cost too much for what they do. They're heavy, clumsy, slow, and fragile. Most people who think they need a Tablet would be better served by a notebook, some by a graphics tablet. The concept just isn't ready. No amount of Gates' commenting will make it ready. The hardware isn't there, the market (at the price/feature set it would have to be) isn't there either.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I have to agree. When I first started reading speculative articles about an "iPad" about 8 months ago, it sounded like a good idea...
...until I realized the reason we all carry notebooks: keyboards are faster than pens.
I just can't see anyone, especially business-folk, wandering around with a glorified yellow legal pad. I mean, WHO IS GOING TO USE THESE THINGS? Sure, there's a segment of the population that hasn't yet learned to type - maybe they're more comfortable writing their meeting notes into MS Word BY HAND. But the rest of us? Get real.
A tablet PC is obviously going to be a trade-off. It's going to be underpowered, slow, run a minimal operating system, and cost a lot. You're sacrificing function for form. Problem is, I've yet to have anyone give me a good reason why this bold new form is worth all the trouble.
Invariably, someone will say: "But I can sit on my couch and read my email while I watch TV! That's cool, right?"
[Mithral fumes.] And replies: "You have far too much disposable income."
Comments
SdC
<strong>CNN had a big blurb about him and the new "removable web tablet thing"
Yes, this is "Future Hardware". Too bad it's not Apple hardware.
Just a few hours after Steve leaves the stage, Bill is on CNN! I hate to think what's on MSNBC!</strong><hr></blockquote>
I'll bet that web pad is BEYOND a hemisphere.
What I really hate is when Gates is EVER percieved as demonstrating innovation.
Yes I know what you mean. One of those news programs on TV was giving at look back at great innovators of the 20th century and when they mentioned him I just wanted to puke.
<strong>We're not missing anything on tablets. They currently cost too much for what they do. They're heavy, clumsy, slow, and fragile. Most people who think they need a Tablet would be better served by a notebook, some by a graphics tablet. The concept just isn't ready. No amount of Gates' commenting will make it ready. The hardware isn't there, the market (at the price/feature set it would have to be) isn't there either.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I have to agree. When I first started reading speculative articles about an "iPad" about 8 months ago, it sounded like a good idea...
...until I realized the reason we all carry notebooks: keyboards are faster than pens.
I just can't see anyone, especially business-folk, wandering around with a glorified yellow legal pad. I mean, WHO IS GOING TO USE THESE THINGS? Sure, there's a segment of the population that hasn't yet learned to type - maybe they're more comfortable writing their meeting notes into MS Word BY HAND. But the rest of us? Get real.
A tablet PC is obviously going to be a trade-off. It's going to be underpowered, slow, run a minimal operating system, and cost a lot. You're sacrificing function for form. Problem is, I've yet to have anyone give me a good reason why this bold new form is worth all the trouble.
Invariably, someone will say: "But I can sit on my couch and read my email while I watch TV! That's cool, right?"
[Mithral fumes.] And replies: "You have far too much disposable income."
-mithral
[ 01-07-2002: Message edited by: Mithral ]</p>