Wait.. when Steve says "PC" is he talking about the general "Personal Computer", ie, Windows based machines AND Macs? Or is he just talking about Windows? That always confuses me.
The man speaks the truth... and I shed a little tear for the next generation that's going miss out on a lot.
When I first purchased a PC it was only for my work. I wasn't thinking that I wanted to learn how to create my own music loops, do multi-track recording, video editing, 3D animation, photo manipulation and create my own guitar and piano sheet music. Those things I discovered later and had the opportunity to learn because I had a multi-functional PC sitting on my desk.
Having a PC is analogous to having a shed full of power tools. Sure it's a waste of space and money for most people when all they really need is a hammer... but sometimes one wakes up and just feels like making a bird house.
Then again, maybe that's just me.
What makes you think that this will be lost suddenly on an Apple computer? It suprised me the lack of imagination some people, on this thread, lack. Look ahead. Apple will not make iPads as their only computer and features will not be lost but rather rearranged. The OS will mature and progress past what it is now. It will be a natural evolution. We don't know yet where Apple is headed.
I wish others would stop thinking about what is now and think about what could be. Clearly the iPad is not meant as your sole computer today considering it needs to be connected to iTunes just to be used. Think different.
I'm using "PC" in the same context as Jobs. I don't mean Windows vs Apple.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Inspiration
Wait.. when Steve says "PC" is he talking about the general "Personal Computer", ie, Windows based machines AND Macs? Or is he just talking about Windows? That always confuses me.
He means Windows and Macs. It's confusing after the "I'm a Mac" campaign, I know.
I'm using "PC" in the same context as Jobs. I don't mean Windows vs Apple..
I think now I understand your intent of your initial post.
There are those that confuse their knowledge of the modern PC with what their needs actually are. They are the same people that walk into a store saying they need OFfice "just in case".
.... What I?m seeing is computational power being taken to places where computational power was never taken before....
Excellent post Jim. I'm thinking I might be able to use an iPad as a chart plotter while out sea-kayaking for example. Software from Navionics is already there and working fine on my iPhone.
No one said it was. Jobs specifically said that even as tablets and other form factors become more powerful that some people would still need PCs.
The problem with so many whiners is that they have no vision - and immediately misconstrue everything Apple says.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gchriste
People are getting hung up on the fact there is little OSX at WWDC this year. That is very true, but there are a lot of new things, iPad, OS4 etc. I wouldn't be surprised to see more OSX next year once the excitement has died down around this years new toys.
Jobs specifically said that. Something to the effect of "this year we're talking about iPad and iPhone. Other years, it is Macs"
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacFitzPro
My biggest worry (and I am a worry wart) is that post-PC will mean post-content creation.
Jobs specifically talked about content creation, so it's not being ignored. The point is that for most of what most people do, the iPad is fine. That doesn't mean that it will do EVERYTHING.
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Dennis
I have two friends who are good and intelligent people, who have absolutely no clue how to use a real computer despite both having decades of successful life on this planet. None of them have even the smallest liking for computers; one of them today called hers her "nemesis".
My ex is like that (as is my mother). I had a 10 minute conversation with my ex - her internet stopped working after a power failure and I was trying to explain how to reset the network. I thought that 'unplug the cable modem' would be clear, but it wasn't. It took at least 5 minutes to get her to understand which box was the cable modem and which cable she should unplug. Then another 3-4 minutes to get her to unplug the router. Some people just don't get technology, nor do they care to. They are more concerned with getting their email or checking a web site or whatever. The iPad suits that group perfectly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by smoke_tetsu
You know what? I don't want to do most of my computing or even "media consuming" on a small touch screen on my lap thank you very much.
Then don't. No one has said that you won't be able to buy a Mac or a PC. In fact, it was specifically stated that some people WOULD continue to buy PCs.
Why do people get so stirred up about things without reading the article?
Quote:
Originally Posted by smoke_tetsu
I just noticed this and I had to comment. Sure choice and opportunity are great. I don't begrudge people the choice of an iPad or other iPhone OS device. But if the doomsayers are correct and they are going to depreciate OS X and the Mac in favor of devices like the iPad it's taking away choices not adding choices.
Why not listen to what Apple is very clearly saying instead of panicking every time one of the whiners spews their FUD?
Quote:
Originally Posted by cycomiko
So, the iPad is going to bring about the death of all personal computers, iMacs, Mac Mini, HP, Dell, Asus, Acer?
No one ever said that. Read the article before making a fool of yourself.
OK, maybe 10.7 will be the last Mac OS, as a stopgap until iPhone OS advances further. But WWDC makes it clear that they don't care about OS X much anymore.
This notion is just silly. First of all, The iPhone OS runs on the same technology as OS X.
Second, WWDC not having a big OS X presence means about nothing. It's much more likely that Apple simply has nothing to show.
The only reason Apple's OS releases were coming out just about yearly was because of its immaturity and Apple's resolve to improve the OS quickly. Does Microsoft or anyone else have some big reveal of their new OS versions yearly?
Apple's best selling computers are it's MacBook Pro's because it's the portable Swiss Army Toolbox of features and abilities.
The MacBook Air doesn't nearly sell as well, because it has less features for a slimmer design.
The iPad has even less features and abilities, so less likely people will find a use to bring it along than a laptop.
People need a portable phone, so enhancing the iPhone with computer like features sold well.
The iPod sold well because it allows people to bring all their music with them.
So you see the trend, the more features people can take with them, the more popular the device will be.
In my opinion the iPad is a "halo device" designed to get the $500+ computer crowd into Apple Stores and hopefully up sell them into a Mac immediately or later on as they need a PC replacement.
The man speaks the truth... and I shed a little tear for the next generation that's going miss out on a lot.
When I first purchased a PC it was only for my work. I wasn't thinking that I wanted to learn how to create my own music loops, do multi-track recording, video editing, 3D animation, photo manipulation and create my own guitar and piano sheet music. Those things I discovered later and had the opportunity to learn because I had a multi-functional PC sitting on my desk.
Did you realize that there is already loop creation and multi-track recording software for iPad? There's even a cool program that lets you use it as a control surface for Logic, Soundtrack Pro or Protools.
I'm sure photo and video editing software will come in time.
I really am shocked at the hysteria I'm seeing. I love my 27" iMac and certainly will not give it up. But at the same time, there are a lot of things my iPad does far better than my desktop. Steve isn't trying to discourage people whi want the flexibility of trucks from buying them! He has the best and most expensive trucks on the market, after all.
What he's noticing is that there is also a market for cars ... And the sheer brilliance of that should not be understated.
Everyone seems to be acting as through there is a new tyranny coming that I'll let only authorized people use computers! It's not happening, people ... You just have a new choice.
If anything, netbooks will die off in favor of the iPad or like devices (probably an Android tablet of sorts).
Traditional computers will still soldier on for those who need/want them but, as people become comfortable with the iPad and its like and figure out the right use cases for them, they will probably be supplanted to a great degree.
Just as traditional desktops have given way to laptops, there are still desktop computers for those who want them. I don't think any sort of panic/pessimism is warranted here.
Everyone seems to be acting as through there is a new tyranny coming that I'll let only authorized people use computers! It's not happening, people ... You just have a new choice.
Exactly! Use whatever is the best tool for the job(s), no pun intended! I use my iPad (when I can prise it from my wife's hands!) for completely different things than I use my Mac Pro and I love them both to bits!
There is also the issue of screen size. Many people need a larger screen and a touch interface works less well on a large screen. I think maybe 95% of computer use can be done just as well on an iPad but I think a lot of people need something more than an iPad to do their work. I am sure the iPad will change the way many people work, however.
Yes, exactly. I am one such user. I am a university professor and my MBP is my primary computer. I give 4 - 6 lectures a week with it, and use it as my primary machine for research and writing. I do use a dedicated Mac Pro to run my research experiments, and big-job data analysis, and as an informal server.
I think it will be a long time before a device like an iPad will be able to replace even my MBP, and could never replace the Mac Pro because it interfaces, controls, and coordinates several external electronic and mechanical devices.
I have yet to buy an iPad because the things I need for it are not yet available, but when they are, it will change the way I work. My hope is that an iPad would be a complement to my MBP. For example;
1) Giving lectures, I would love to wirelessly interface with Keynote on my MBP to control my presentations and have access to my notes. The current version of Keynote for the iPad doesn't support presenter's notes, and won't simultaneously output video to a projector system and the built in display like a MBP does. Once these limitations are overcome, an iPad could replace my MBP for doing lectures.
2) For writing and bibliographic research, an iPad would revolutionize my workflow, by using an iPad as an e-reader for textbooks and journal articles. So, when I'm writing a lecture or working on a research manuscript, I can have an electronic version of the textbook(s) I'm using for a class or a journal article I'm referencing in a manuscript on the iPad side by side with my MBP, so I can read and write at the same time, just like with a paper copy. Even better once references like the CRC Handbook and the APA Publication Manual are available electronically.
3) I would love to be able to have electronic copies of not just textbooks and journal articles, but also have a durable mark-up system as well, so that I could make notes, underline, even make small diagrams, etc. in the margins. Even better if such a system worked similarly to how comments/notes work in Pages, where you can set a small icon for notes or the first few words of it. Having electronic versions of textbooks, reference books, etc. would save me carting around several pounds of paper books ever day.
4) I've seen there are already full-screen note taking apps available for the iPad. This would allow me an easy way to take notes at lab meetings, conferences, administrative meetings etc. and not have to rely on paper notes. If an effective and reliable solution for converting my handwriting (I'm a professor, my handwriting isn't legible to most other people) to text, it would seal the deal for me.
The potential for the iPad is tremendous; it would revolutionize my work, and I'm sure for some people it already is. I need both the software and hardware to be more mature before an iPad will do what I need though, and until then, I can't justify buying one (especially to my wife) just for browsing, email, and content access.
Having a PC is analogous to having a shed full of power tools. Sure it's a waste of space and money for most people when all they really need is a hammer... but sometimes one wakes up and just feels like making a bird house.
Yeah, Apple invented a hammer... and suddenly everything looks like a nail.
I've been a purely a reader of the AI forums for years but for some reason feel strongly compelled to respond to some of the completely foolish and dense things that are being said on this one.
Why can't many of you people grasp the process, subtleties, and inevitability of tech evolution? In five years, if we're well on our way to a post-pc era (which we will be), it'll be because mobile devices have surpassed what users want from their computers.
Does that mean the PC will be left behind? Will content creation be a thing of the past? What do you THINK?
Use your brains for a second (some people appear to flap their lips without processing reality for a moment). With the introduction of a new class of device that carries out common computing tasks, we will still NEED a stationed device to do our heavier work (faster computing, larger screens, home entertainment), and as long as the people creating these devices are HUMAN, they will realize that. Trust me, your vapid comments about clinging to what you already know and are comfortable with for the sake of convenience, will not help.
Will OS X remain what it is? If you ask me, the answer is no, because mobile devices will undoubtedly change the landscape of our PCs' purpose. Will there be a solution for our heavier tasks? Again, undoubtedly. And it will be a hell of a lot more amazing and functional than what we have now. I'll bet my fertility on it.
I wish our education system more sincerely valued imagination and critical thinking. We wouldn't have so many people griping about CHANGE (which is inevitable)... and would rather be supporting it with positive ideas to guide it in the right direction.
The problem with so many whiners is that they have no vision - and immediately misconstrue everything Apple says.
Why do people get so stirred up about things without reading the article?
Why not listen to what Apple is very clearly saying instead of panicking every time one of the whiners spews their FUD?
No one ever said that. Read the article before making a fool of yourself.
I RTFA and the comments and decided to chip in my comment that's all. This doesn't change even if you think I'm a fool for doing so. Meaning even though I do understand what Steve said my opinion on what certain people think is going to happen is still the same and I'm not sorry for it. Don't like it? Tough.
The transition I don't mind is that the PC is less static. I personally don't like having to sit in one place to interact with my computer, I'd like to move around with it and while a laptop seems like a better fit, the screen on its own is much lighter.
The iPad that can control a desktop sitting in a room somewhere but anywhere in the house would be fine until one day mobile components are fast enough that the iPad can be the only device required.
The form of computers will be decided by tasks. If a cut down machine can do all the tasks you need to do then it serves its purpose and another machine isn't required no matter how you look at it.
I still think ultimately that the mobile phone is the place to look, not the tablet space. When you have a list of requirements on a device and you progress through time, the one feature a mobile phone will always have over any other is being able to put it in your pocket. There will be no other feature that any other form factor will have that supersedes the mobile phone eventually.
Will OS X remain what it is? If you ask me, the answer is no, because mobile devices will undoubtedly change the landscape of our PCs' purpose. Will there be a solution for our heavier tasks? Again, undoubtedly. And it will be a hell of a lot more amazing and functional than what we have now. I'll bet my fertility on it.
I wish our education system more sincerely valued imagination and critical thinking. We wouldn't have so many people griping about CHANGE (which is inevitable)... and would rather be supporting it with positive ideas to guide it in the right direction.
Critical thinking isn't just accepting everything that is spoon fed to you so to speak. I wouldn't mind change in OS X for the better but that's just it.. it has to be for the better. So no I don't expect it to always be the same but on the same token I don't want them to throw the baby out with the bath water. That's just my opinion. It doesn't mean I'm having a heart attack over it nor does name calling or calling me an idiot change my opinion. To be honest though our comments here aren't going to guide it no matter what especially since Apple doesn't troll the forums for ideas.
So while I do imagine and like new uses for things like the iPad I still see a place for bigger form factors such as the Mac. Especially when the iPhone OS remains a walled garden.
Comments
The man speaks the truth... and I shed a little tear for the next generation that's going miss out on a lot.
When I first purchased a PC it was only for my work. I wasn't thinking that I wanted to learn how to create my own music loops, do multi-track recording, video editing, 3D animation, photo manipulation and create my own guitar and piano sheet music. Those things I discovered later and had the opportunity to learn because I had a multi-functional PC sitting on my desk.
Having a PC is analogous to having a shed full of power tools. Sure it's a waste of space and money for most people when all they really need is a hammer... but sometimes one wakes up and just feels like making a bird house.
Then again, maybe that's just me.
What makes you think that this will be lost suddenly on an Apple computer? It suprised me the lack of imagination some people, on this thread, lack. Look ahead. Apple will not make iPads as their only computer and features will not be lost but rather rearranged. The OS will mature and progress past what it is now. It will be a natural evolution. We don't know yet where Apple is headed.
I wish others would stop thinking about what is now and think about what could be. Clearly the iPad is not meant as your sole computer today considering it needs to be connected to iTunes just to be used. Think different.
I'm using "PC" in the same context as Jobs. I don't mean Windows vs Apple.
Wait.. when Steve says "PC" is he talking about the general "Personal Computer", ie, Windows based machines AND Macs? Or is he just talking about Windows? That always confuses me.
He means Windows and Macs. It's confusing after the "I'm a Mac" campaign, I know.
I'm using "PC" in the same context as Jobs. I don't mean Windows vs Apple..
I think now I understand your intent of your initial post.
There are those that confuse their knowledge of the modern PC with what their needs actually are. They are the same people that walk into a store saying they need OFfice "just in case".
I would say, at best, the iPad with have the same effect on the computer industry as the Microwave has had on the cooking appliance industry.
Good analogy.
.... What I?m seeing is computational power being taken to places where computational power was never taken before....
Excellent post Jim. I'm thinking I might be able to use an iPad as a chart plotter while out sea-kayaking for example. Software from Navionics is already there and working fine on my iPhone.
The PC isn't going anywhere.
No one said it was. Jobs specifically said that even as tablets and other form factors become more powerful that some people would still need PCs.
The problem with so many whiners is that they have no vision - and immediately misconstrue everything Apple says.
People are getting hung up on the fact there is little OSX at WWDC this year. That is very true, but there are a lot of new things, iPad, OS4 etc. I wouldn't be surprised to see more OSX next year once the excitement has died down around this years new toys.
Jobs specifically said that. Something to the effect of "this year we're talking about iPad and iPhone. Other years, it is Macs"
My biggest worry (and I am a worry wart) is that post-PC will mean post-content creation.
Jobs specifically talked about content creation, so it's not being ignored. The point is that for most of what most people do, the iPad is fine. That doesn't mean that it will do EVERYTHING.
I have two friends who are good and intelligent people, who have absolutely no clue how to use a real computer despite both having decades of successful life on this planet. None of them have even the smallest liking for computers; one of them today called hers her "nemesis".
My ex is like that (as is my mother). I had a 10 minute conversation with my ex - her internet stopped working after a power failure and I was trying to explain how to reset the network. I thought that 'unplug the cable modem' would be clear, but it wasn't. It took at least 5 minutes to get her to understand which box was the cable modem and which cable she should unplug. Then another 3-4 minutes to get her to unplug the router. Some people just don't get technology, nor do they care to. They are more concerned with getting their email or checking a web site or whatever. The iPad suits that group perfectly.
You know what? I don't want to do most of my computing or even "media consuming" on a small touch screen on my lap thank you very much.
Then don't. No one has said that you won't be able to buy a Mac or a PC. In fact, it was specifically stated that some people WOULD continue to buy PCs.
Why do people get so stirred up about things without reading the article?
I just noticed this and I had to comment. Sure choice and opportunity are great. I don't begrudge people the choice of an iPad or other iPhone OS device. But if the doomsayers are correct and they are going to depreciate OS X and the Mac in favor of devices like the iPad it's taking away choices not adding choices.
Why not listen to what Apple is very clearly saying instead of panicking every time one of the whiners spews their FUD?
So, the iPad is going to bring about the death of all personal computers, iMacs, Mac Mini, HP, Dell, Asus, Acer?
No one ever said that. Read the article before making a fool of yourself.
OK, maybe 10.7 will be the last Mac OS, as a stopgap until iPhone OS advances further. But WWDC makes it clear that they don't care about OS X much anymore.
This notion is just silly. First of all, The iPhone OS runs on the same technology as OS X.
Second, WWDC not having a big OS X presence means about nothing. It's much more likely that Apple simply has nothing to show.
The only reason Apple's OS releases were coming out just about yearly was because of its immaturity and Apple's resolve to improve the OS quickly. Does Microsoft or anyone else have some big reveal of their new OS versions yearly?
Apple's best selling computers are it's MacBook Pro's because it's the portable Swiss Army Toolbox of features and abilities.
The MacBook Air doesn't nearly sell as well, because it has less features for a slimmer design.
The iPad has even less features and abilities, so less likely people will find a use to bring it along than a laptop.
People need a portable phone, so enhancing the iPhone with computer like features sold well.
The iPod sold well because it allows people to bring all their music with them.
So you see the trend, the more features people can take with them, the more popular the device will be.
In my opinion the iPad is a "halo device" designed to get the $500+ computer crowd into Apple Stores and hopefully up sell them into a Mac immediately or later on as they need a PC replacement.
1. Take a deep breath and get a grip.
2. Go look up the definition of 'harbinger'
3. Review the automotive analogy used. Did the trucks disappear in SJ's analogy? Will they ever?
That's all. Much ado about nothing.
The man speaks the truth... and I shed a little tear for the next generation that's going miss out on a lot.
When I first purchased a PC it was only for my work. I wasn't thinking that I wanted to learn how to create my own music loops, do multi-track recording, video editing, 3D animation, photo manipulation and create my own guitar and piano sheet music. Those things I discovered later and had the opportunity to learn because I had a multi-functional PC sitting on my desk.
Did you realize that there is already loop creation and multi-track recording software for iPad? There's even a cool program that lets you use it as a control surface for Logic, Soundtrack Pro or Protools.
I'm sure photo and video editing software will come in time.
I really am shocked at the hysteria I'm seeing. I love my 27" iMac and certainly will not give it up. But at the same time, there are a lot of things my iPad does far better than my desktop. Steve isn't trying to discourage people whi want the flexibility of trucks from buying them! He has the best and most expensive trucks on the market, after all.
What he's noticing is that there is also a market for cars ... And the sheer brilliance of that should not be understated.
Everyone seems to be acting as through there is a new tyranny coming that I'll let only authorized people use computers! It's not happening, people ... You just have a new choice.
Relax
D
Traditional computers will still soldier on for those who need/want them but, as people become comfortable with the iPad and its like and figure out the right use cases for them, they will probably be supplanted to a great degree.
Just as traditional desktops have given way to laptops, there are still desktop computers for those who want them. I don't think any sort of panic/pessimism is warranted here.
Exactly! Use whatever is the best tool for the job(s), no pun intended! I use my iPad (when I can prise it from my wife's hands!) for completely different things than I use my Mac Pro and I love them both to bits!
There is also the issue of screen size. Many people need a larger screen and a touch interface works less well on a large screen. I think maybe 95% of computer use can be done just as well on an iPad but I think a lot of people need something more than an iPad to do their work. I am sure the iPad will change the way many people work, however.
Yes, exactly. I am one such user. I am a university professor and my MBP is my primary computer. I give 4 - 6 lectures a week with it, and use it as my primary machine for research and writing. I do use a dedicated Mac Pro to run my research experiments, and big-job data analysis, and as an informal server.
I think it will be a long time before a device like an iPad will be able to replace even my MBP, and could never replace the Mac Pro because it interfaces, controls, and coordinates several external electronic and mechanical devices.
I have yet to buy an iPad because the things I need for it are not yet available, but when they are, it will change the way I work. My hope is that an iPad would be a complement to my MBP. For example;
1) Giving lectures, I would love to wirelessly interface with Keynote on my MBP to control my presentations and have access to my notes. The current version of Keynote for the iPad doesn't support presenter's notes, and won't simultaneously output video to a projector system and the built in display like a MBP does. Once these limitations are overcome, an iPad could replace my MBP for doing lectures.
2) For writing and bibliographic research, an iPad would revolutionize my workflow, by using an iPad as an e-reader for textbooks and journal articles. So, when I'm writing a lecture or working on a research manuscript, I can have an electronic version of the textbook(s) I'm using for a class or a journal article I'm referencing in a manuscript on the iPad side by side with my MBP, so I can read and write at the same time, just like with a paper copy. Even better once references like the CRC Handbook and the APA Publication Manual are available electronically.
3) I would love to be able to have electronic copies of not just textbooks and journal articles, but also have a durable mark-up system as well, so that I could make notes, underline, even make small diagrams, etc. in the margins. Even better if such a system worked similarly to how comments/notes work in Pages, where you can set a small icon for notes or the first few words of it. Having electronic versions of textbooks, reference books, etc. would save me carting around several pounds of paper books ever day.
4) I've seen there are already full-screen note taking apps available for the iPad. This would allow me an easy way to take notes at lab meetings, conferences, administrative meetings etc. and not have to rely on paper notes. If an effective and reliable solution for converting my handwriting (I'm a professor, my handwriting isn't legible to most other people) to text, it would seal the deal for me.
The potential for the iPad is tremendous; it would revolutionize my work, and I'm sure for some people it already is. I need both the software and hardware to be more mature before an iPad will do what I need though, and until then, I can't justify buying one (especially to my wife) just for browsing, email, and content access.
Having a PC is analogous to having a shed full of power tools. Sure it's a waste of space and money for most people when all they really need is a hammer... but sometimes one wakes up and just feels like making a bird house.
Yeah, Apple invented a hammer... and suddenly everything looks like a nail.
Why can't many of you people grasp the process, subtleties, and inevitability of tech evolution? In five years, if we're well on our way to a post-pc era (which we will be), it'll be because mobile devices have surpassed what users want from their computers.
Does that mean the PC will be left behind? Will content creation be a thing of the past? What do you THINK?
Use your brains for a second (some people appear to flap their lips without processing reality for a moment). With the introduction of a new class of device that carries out common computing tasks, we will still NEED a stationed device to do our heavier work (faster computing, larger screens, home entertainment), and as long as the people creating these devices are HUMAN, they will realize that. Trust me, your vapid comments about clinging to what you already know and are comfortable with for the sake of convenience, will not help.
Will OS X remain what it is? If you ask me, the answer is no, because mobile devices will undoubtedly change the landscape of our PCs' purpose. Will there be a solution for our heavier tasks? Again, undoubtedly. And it will be a hell of a lot more amazing and functional than what we have now. I'll bet my fertility on it.
I wish our education system more sincerely valued imagination and critical thinking. We wouldn't have so many people griping about CHANGE (which is inevitable)... and would rather be supporting it with positive ideas to guide it in the right direction.
The problem with so many whiners is that they have no vision - and immediately misconstrue everything Apple says.
Why do people get so stirred up about things without reading the article?
Why not listen to what Apple is very clearly saying instead of panicking every time one of the whiners spews their FUD?
No one ever said that. Read the article before making a fool of yourself.
I RTFA and the comments and decided to chip in my comment that's all. This doesn't change even if you think I'm a fool for doing so. Meaning even though I do understand what Steve said my opinion on what certain people think is going to happen is still the same and I'm not sorry for it. Don't like it? Tough.
Mac -> Prosumer
Prosumer makes content for Consumer.
They will have both, but much better.
The PC isn't going anywhere.
The transition I don't mind is that the PC is less static. I personally don't like having to sit in one place to interact with my computer, I'd like to move around with it and while a laptop seems like a better fit, the screen on its own is much lighter.
The iPad that can control a desktop sitting in a room somewhere but anywhere in the house would be fine until one day mobile components are fast enough that the iPad can be the only device required.
The form of computers will be decided by tasks. If a cut down machine can do all the tasks you need to do then it serves its purpose and another machine isn't required no matter how you look at it.
I still think ultimately that the mobile phone is the place to look, not the tablet space. When you have a list of requirements on a device and you progress through time, the one feature a mobile phone will always have over any other is being able to put it in your pocket. There will be no other feature that any other form factor will have that supersedes the mobile phone eventually.
Will OS X remain what it is? If you ask me, the answer is no, because mobile devices will undoubtedly change the landscape of our PCs' purpose. Will there be a solution for our heavier tasks? Again, undoubtedly. And it will be a hell of a lot more amazing and functional than what we have now. I'll bet my fertility on it.
I wish our education system more sincerely valued imagination and critical thinking. We wouldn't have so many people griping about CHANGE (which is inevitable)... and would rather be supporting it with positive ideas to guide it in the right direction.
Critical thinking isn't just accepting everything that is spoon fed to you so to speak. I wouldn't mind change in OS X for the better but that's just it.. it has to be for the better. So no I don't expect it to always be the same but on the same token I don't want them to throw the baby out with the bath water. That's just my opinion. It doesn't mean I'm having a heart attack over it nor does name calling or calling me an idiot change my opinion. To be honest though our comments here aren't going to guide it no matter what especially since Apple doesn't troll the forums for ideas.
So while I do imagine and like new uses for things like the iPad I still see a place for bigger form factors such as the Mac. Especially when the iPhone OS remains a walled garden.
Apple lists among the system requirements for the iPad that you have an actual computer.