I wish people would stop saying it's an incremental update. The iPhone 3GS was an incremental update. The iPad 2 has a new body, a new CPU, a new GPU, a new battery and the addition of cameras, a gyroscope and CDMA support. This is a device that doesn't have many parts, so I fail to see how updating the majority of them is 'incremental.' The only part that wasn't updated was the screen and the only reason people expected that to be updated was the "Retina Display" rumour. It was a major hardware update (albeit a minor software update).
Anandtech's new benchmarks validate that this is a whole different machine in terms of performance, especially optimized graphics with double the RAM, not to mention what you mentioned. Without, as noted, materially lowering battery life.
Everyone who picks one up comments on the different experience from picking up any tablet, including the iPad 1 in terms of how much more companionable it feels. So, thinner and faster and like 10% lighter. Not a bad trifecta right there.
Not to mention the public has certainly embraced the "incremental iteration" as a new iPad, unless they just like standing in lines or scrambling all over their cities to get one.
The gyroscope will change and enrich the possibilities of the gaming experience. The (hardly DSLR) cameras (but cameras) make FaceTime possible as well as many other applications.
And while neither Henry Ford (of Model T and A fame, who answered the questions of "what colors will they come in?" with "any color you want as long as it's black") nor I see the "need" for a white option, apparently this is a big deal to many, so with the two colors and the three CDMA models (more new engineering and OS coding), Apple's tripled their commitment from stocking 6 configs to distributing 18 separate SKU's around the world (6 US only for the moment, but still double everywhere else) to more retailers - which is not a minor inventory and supply chain "upgrade."
Also, of the two major apps they added (iMovie and Garage Band), users will likely find they work much better on the iPad 2 because of their memory and processing demands, so essentially part of the update.
A pretty thorough piece of work all in all, refined and upgraded, with the common new elements of 4.3 an addition to the whole ecosystem. "Meh," indeed!
I do have one question, tho' which I either imagined or which has certainly hardly been mentioned on AI - didn't Apple also announce an increase in the lifetime of the battery, i.e., more charge/discharge cycles? That's a major upgrade item to me if it's true - replacement batt's are hardly cheap and involve trips to drop off or mail your machine for a new one and time without your machine, a royal pain.
Anyway, any confirmation yea or nay on this last (more charging cycles in the battery lifetime)?
Apple planned and facilitated the long lines by purposefully not having pre-orders and in-store reservations and limiting initial availability. They wanted the news to report the "long lines" and "sell-outs" for publicity purposes. It takes a coordinated effort between Steve Jobs, Tim Cook, Phil Schiller and the operations and marketing teams at Apple to set up and execute properly. Make no mistake - they know exactly what they're doing. Many companies in the world are envious of their extraordinary ability in these areas of business.
This makes the product seem more desirable to certain types of people and is a well-planned marketing ploy to boost sales numbers in the long term. It also nets Apple a lot of media attention at ZERO cost to the company. It's damn near business genius.
This is a great idea! When will they do this for the Xoom?! Because their model of making a lot of them and having no one show up clearly wasn't as well a thought out strategy...
I got in line in the Alpharetta NorthPoint Mall Friday at 12:30. I didn't expect the lines to be long until I saw the on line wait went from 3-5 to 1- 2 weeks. I think I was the 54 person in line. By 4PM, the line was apparently all the way out to the parking deck from what the people not in line were telling us. But Apple made sure we had water, Starbucks coffee/tea. They started handing out the vouchers around 4:30 and were fairly efficient. I was able to get the Black 64G ATT 3G and a Black 64G Wfif only. I was in the Apple doors by 5:15 and out by 5:25. They did a great job.
As for the lines, it is fun lining up. You actually get to meet and talk to new people. That is the best part of the Apple lines. The people I was in line with were awesome and we had a great time just talking and watching a movie or two.
"Apple has opened up a new portal in the iTunes Store to take donations for the Japan earthquake and tsunami relief fund. Users who wish to donate can donate in $5, $10, $25, $50, $100, and $200 increments.*100% of the money donated through iTunes goes to Red Cross efforts in Japan. Click here to go the donate page.
Update: Apple has posted a message on Apple Japan.*”To those who have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami, we send sympathies from our heart. In this deep*sadness, we are praying for the victims and their families.”
The American Red Cross is acting swiftly to put your donation to work in communities affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific. We are supporting relief work to meet critical needs. On behalf of those we serve by our humanitarian mission, thank you.
As one of 186 Red Cross and Red Crescent societies around the world, we belong to a global humanitarian network of 13 million volunteers uniquely positioned to save lives and provide assistance to those affected by emergencies, such as the earthquake and tsunami in countries across the Pacific.
We’re grateful to have your support. To learn more about your gift at work, please visit redcross.org. On those rare occasions when donations exceed our American Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters. Once again, thank you for your generous gift.
Sincerely,
The American Red Cross
Please join me in showing this person just how wrong he/she is.[/QUOTE]
Apple planned and facilitated the long lines by purposefully not having pre-orders and in-store reservations and limiting initial availability. They wanted the news to report the "long lines" and "sell-outs" for publicity purposes. It takes a coordinated effort between Steve Jobs, Tim Cook, Phil Schiller and the operations and marketing teams at Apple to set up and execute properly. Make no mistake - they know exactly what they're doing. Many companies in the world are envious of their extraordinary ability in these areas of business.
This makes the product seem more desirable to certain types of people and is a well-planned marketing ploy to boost sales numbers in the long term. It also nets Apple a lot of media attention at ZERO cost to the company. It's damn near business genius.
Apple doesn't need conspiracy. Think about how many store locations stocked iPad for this launch in US, with all the Best buys, walmarts, targets, at&t stores, Verizon stores etc carrying just a few each, it would be hundreds of thousand in inventory, adding inventory at Apple store itself, it's easily half a million. If they just refresh it twice a week for the remainder of March, that will be 2-3 millions. The real number would be higher. This is still not counting the numbers sold through website, and Apple has an international launch to worry about at end of March. If Apple planned for 40-50 million sold for the whole year, their factory capacity is at more or less 3.5 million per month. Even if they have build up an inventory before launch, there's still no way Apple would be able to avoid a long shortage if they don't ration out the initial availability.
As for the lines, it is fun lining up. You actually get to meet and talk to new people. That is the best part of the Apple lines. The people I was in line with were awesome and we had a great time just talking and watching a movie or two.
I love all the talk of how much fun the lines were.
I'd like to hear from people who waited 4 hours like I did and didn't get anything-- do they still think the line was "fun"?
I agree strongly with a previous poster that Apple could easily have limited in-store purchases to one each. This would not have done much to jeopardize their first weekend sales but could have meant that more hard core supporters like myself did not go home empty handed.
My beef is with the flagship Boston Apple store where they collected data but did not properly inform the waiting public when different models sold out. So I had a false sense of elation and success when going into the store only to have that bubble burst. For those that simply think I missed an announcement-- come on- your standing there for 4 hours watching every apple employee with a blue shirt with great focus. I did not miss anything and those around me did not either.
For those who think its silly to have to get it on the first day, I say the issue is that unlike some other product launch where you can pick one up a day, a week or a fortnight later, in this case the penalty for not getting one day one would seem to be closer to a month!
I'm also angry because I've already sold my existing iPad on eBay and so will be empty handed for a month as a result. Anyone else make this mistake? or am I the only fool?
I'm glad you have the financial means to write a check and buy your gadget. My point was really more about how people waste their time waiting in line for a product that they can get delivered to their home.
Who are you to judge how other people spend their time? Do you know whether people in line contributed to earthquake relief, donate their time in other ways, or otherwise help their fellow man?
I think not. Sitting in line happily waiting for an iPad 2, and helping one's fellow man, are not mutually exclusive.
I don't think there is the conspiracy theory everyone says. Many companies admittedly didn't think there would be the demand there was. So they didn't order what they should have to mee the demand!
I love all the talk of how much fun the lines were.
I'd like to hear from people who waited 4 hours like I did and didn't get anything-- do they still think the line was "fun"?
I agree strongly with a previous poster that Apple could easily have limited in-store purchases to one each. This would not have done much to jeopardize their first weekend sales but could have meant that more hard core supporters like myself did not go home empty handed.
My beef is with the flagship Boston Apple store where they collected data but did not properly inform the waiting public when different models sold out. So I had a false sense of elation and success when going into the store only to have that bubble burst. For those that simply think I missed an announcement-- come on- your standing there for 4 hours watching every apple employee with a blue shirt with great focus. I did not miss anything and those around me did not either.
For those who think its silly to have to get it on the first day, I say the issue is that unlike some other product launch where you can pick one up a day, a week or a fortnight later, in this case the penalty for not getting one day one would seem to be closer to a month!
I'm also angry because I've already sold my existing iPad on eBay and so will be empty handed for a month as a result. Anyone else make this mistake? or am I the only fool?
I think you won't be empty handed for a month. You will have one within two weeks if you keep going to the store. See if you can get on the waiting list for the store. I agree they should've limited it to one per person to limit the scalping.
I was near the Apple store at the Irvine Spectrum in Southern California. I thought I'd wait in line, if it wasn't too long, and take my chances. There must have been at least 250 people waiting in line. I was really surprised. By the time the store opened at 5:00, there was at least another 100. I got about half way when they announced that all 3G AT&T models were sold out. I wanted the 64GB AT&T 3G. At that point, many people left.
The Apple Store people didn't come out at all before the store opened. They just opened the doors, and it was first come first served. Kinda sucked that I went home empty handed. I was surprised this Apple store didn't have more on hand. At that point, I figured I'd order it online, but by that time, Apple was estimating 2-3 week shipping time. So, I have to wait until the first week of April to get my new iPad. \
Apple planned and facilitated the long lines by purposefully not having pre-orders and in-store reservations and limiting initial availability. They wanted the news to report the "long lines" and "sell-outs" for publicity purposes. It takes a coordinated effort between Steve Jobs, Tim Cook, Phil Schiller and the operations and marketing teams at Apple to set up and execute properly. Make no mistake - they know exactly what they're doing. Many companies in the world are envious of their extraordinary ability in these areas of business.
This makes the product seem more desirable to certain types of people and is a well-planned marketing ploy to boost sales numbers in the long term. It also nets Apple a lot of media attention at ZERO cost to the company. It's damn near business genius.
How exactly? This comment is similar in nature to the other ones that posit Apple holding back stock in order to drive demand or keep prices high. None of which have any validity, based on known facts. Speculation is only as valid as the facts used to support it.
EDIT: Let me be clear here - pre-orders would not have helped the situation at the stores, only made it worse - long lines and FEWER devices available to satisfy demand at the stores. How does this mitigate the simple fact that they made as many as they could, to ship to the stores where they anticipated the demand to be the greatest, and therefore where stock should go? Your logic is nonsensical, unless the only reason this is important is that you yourself wanted to pre-order and weren't allowed to.
I love all the talk of how much fun the lines were.
I'd like to hear from people who waited 4 hours like I did and didn't get anything-- do they still think the line was "fun"?
I agree strongly with a previous poster that Apple could easily have limited in-store purchases to one each. This would not have done much to jeopardize their first weekend sales but could have meant that more hard core supporters like myself did not go home empty handed.
My beef is with the flagship Boston Apple store where they collected data but did not properly inform the waiting public when different models sold out. So I had a false sense of elation and success when going into the store only to have that bubble burst. For those that simply think I missed an announcement-- come on- your standing there for 4 hours watching every apple employee with a blue shirt with great focus. I did not miss anything and those around me did not either.
For those who think its silly to have to get it on the first day, I say the issue is that unlike some other product launch where you can pick one up a day, a week or a fortnight later, in this case the penalty for not getting one day one would seem to be closer to a month!
I'm also angry because I've already sold my existing iPad on eBay and so will be empty handed for a month as a result. Anyone else make this mistake? or am I the only fool?
but your desire for instant gratification is disappointed, you now have to wait deviceless for a few weeks at best because you sold your previous one first, before any assurance that you would get one at all. This seems like lack of planning, failure to hedge your bets, and denied gratification all rolled into a bundle of disaffected consumer pique. I agree that the store could have handled things (for you in particular I'll even grant) better, but folks make mistakes. If you did not derive what joy there was to be had by communing with your fellow Apple enthusiasts in line then you robbed yourself of the positive side of the experience. And now you want to make this all someone else's fault. Perhaps some counseling is in order?
Comments
I wish people would stop saying it's an incremental update. The iPhone 3GS was an incremental update. The iPad 2 has a new body, a new CPU, a new GPU, a new battery and the addition of cameras, a gyroscope and CDMA support. This is a device that doesn't have many parts, so I fail to see how updating the majority of them is 'incremental.' The only part that wasn't updated was the screen and the only reason people expected that to be updated was the "Retina Display" rumour. It was a major hardware update (albeit a minor software update).
Anandtech's new benchmarks validate that this is a whole different machine in terms of performance, especially optimized graphics with double the RAM, not to mention what you mentioned. Without, as noted, materially lowering battery life.
Everyone who picks one up comments on the different experience from picking up any tablet, including the iPad 1 in terms of how much more companionable it feels. So, thinner and faster and like 10% lighter. Not a bad trifecta right there.
Not to mention the public has certainly embraced the "incremental iteration" as a new iPad, unless they just like standing in lines or scrambling all over their cities to get one.
The gyroscope will change and enrich the possibilities of the gaming experience. The (hardly DSLR) cameras (but cameras) make FaceTime possible as well as many other applications.
And while neither Henry Ford (of Model T and A fame, who answered the questions of "what colors will they come in?" with "any color you want as long as it's black") nor I see the "need" for a white option, apparently this is a big deal to many, so with the two colors and the three CDMA models (more new engineering and OS coding), Apple's tripled their commitment from stocking 6 configs to distributing 18 separate SKU's around the world (6 US only for the moment, but still double everywhere else) to more retailers - which is not a minor inventory and supply chain "upgrade."
Also, of the two major apps they added (iMovie and Garage Band), users will likely find they work much better on the iPad 2 because of their memory and processing demands, so essentially part of the update.
A pretty thorough piece of work all in all, refined and upgraded, with the common new elements of 4.3 an addition to the whole ecosystem. "Meh," indeed!
I do have one question, tho' which I either imagined or which has certainly hardly been mentioned on AI - didn't Apple also announce an increase in the lifetime of the battery, i.e., more charge/discharge cycles? That's a major upgrade item to me if it's true - replacement batt's are hardly cheap and involve trips to drop off or mail your machine for a new one and time without your machine, a royal pain.
Anyway, any confirmation yea or nay on this last (more charging cycles in the battery lifetime)?
Apple planned and facilitated the long lines by purposefully not having pre-orders and in-store reservations and limiting initial availability. They wanted the news to report the "long lines" and "sell-outs" for publicity purposes. It takes a coordinated effort between Steve Jobs, Tim Cook, Phil Schiller and the operations and marketing teams at Apple to set up and execute properly. Make no mistake - they know exactly what they're doing. Many companies in the world are envious of their extraordinary ability in these areas of business.
This makes the product seem more desirable to certain types of people and is a well-planned marketing ploy to boost sales numbers in the long term. It also nets Apple a lot of media attention at ZERO cost to the company. It's damn near business genius.
This is a great idea! When will they do this for the Xoom?! Because their model of making a lot of them and having no one show up clearly wasn't as well a thought out strategy...
As for the lines, it is fun lining up. You actually get to meet and talk to new people. That is the best part of the Apple lines. The people I was in line with were awesome and we had a great time just talking and watching a movie or two.
"Apple has opened up a new portal in the iTunes Store to take donations for the Japan earthquake and tsunami relief fund. Users who wish to donate can donate in $5, $10, $25, $50, $100, and $200 increments.*100% of the money donated through iTunes goes to Red Cross efforts in Japan. Click here to go the donate page.
Update: Apple has posted a message on Apple Japan.*”To those who have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami, we send sympathies from our heart. In this deep*sadness, we are praying for the victims and their families.”
[http://www.9to5mac.com/55877/apple-n...n-relief-fund/
QUOTE=veblen;1827430]Put your money where your mouth is
http://american.redcross.org/site/Pa...s_src=F8HWA002
This line stander just did.
Dear xxxxx,
The American Red Cross is acting swiftly to put your donation to work in communities affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific. We are supporting relief work to meet critical needs. On behalf of those we serve by our humanitarian mission, thank you.
As one of 186 Red Cross and Red Crescent societies around the world, we belong to a global humanitarian network of 13 million volunteers uniquely positioned to save lives and provide assistance to those affected by emergencies, such as the earthquake and tsunami in countries across the Pacific.
We’re grateful to have your support. To learn more about your gift at work, please visit redcross.org. On those rare occasions when donations exceed our American Red Cross expenses for a specific disaster, contributions are used to prepare for and serve victims of other disasters. Once again, thank you for your generous gift.
Sincerely,
The American Red Cross
Please join me in showing this person just how wrong he/she is.[/QUOTE]
Apple planned and facilitated the long lines by purposefully not having pre-orders and in-store reservations and limiting initial availability. They wanted the news to report the "long lines" and "sell-outs" for publicity purposes. It takes a coordinated effort between Steve Jobs, Tim Cook, Phil Schiller and the operations and marketing teams at Apple to set up and execute properly. Make no mistake - they know exactly what they're doing. Many companies in the world are envious of their extraordinary ability in these areas of business.
This makes the product seem more desirable to certain types of people and is a well-planned marketing ploy to boost sales numbers in the long term. It also nets Apple a lot of media attention at ZERO cost to the company. It's damn near business genius.
Apple doesn't need conspiracy. Think about how many store locations stocked iPad for this launch in US, with all the Best buys, walmarts, targets, at&t stores, Verizon stores etc carrying just a few each, it would be hundreds of thousand in inventory, adding inventory at Apple store itself, it's easily half a million. If they just refresh it twice a week for the remainder of March, that will be 2-3 millions. The real number would be higher. This is still not counting the numbers sold through website, and Apple has an international launch to worry about at end of March. If Apple planned for 40-50 million sold for the whole year, their factory capacity is at more or less 3.5 million per month. Even if they have build up an inventory before launch, there's still no way Apple would be able to avoid a long shortage if they don't ration out the initial availability.
...
As for the lines, it is fun lining up. You actually get to meet and talk to new people. That is the best part of the Apple lines. The people I was in line with were awesome and we had a great time just talking and watching a movie or two.
I love all the talk of how much fun the lines were.
I'd like to hear from people who waited 4 hours like I did and didn't get anything-- do they still think the line was "fun"?
I agree strongly with a previous poster that Apple could easily have limited in-store purchases to one each. This would not have done much to jeopardize their first weekend sales but could have meant that more hard core supporters like myself did not go home empty handed.
My beef is with the flagship Boston Apple store where they collected data but did not properly inform the waiting public when different models sold out. So I had a false sense of elation and success when going into the store only to have that bubble burst. For those that simply think I missed an announcement-- come on- your standing there for 4 hours watching every apple employee with a blue shirt with great focus. I did not miss anything and those around me did not either.
For those who think its silly to have to get it on the first day, I say the issue is that unlike some other product launch where you can pick one up a day, a week or a fortnight later, in this case the penalty for not getting one day one would seem to be closer to a month!
I'm also angry because I've already sold my existing iPad on eBay and so will be empty handed for a month as a result. Anyone else make this mistake? or am I the only fool?
I'm glad you have the financial means to write a check and buy your gadget. My point was really more about how people waste their time waiting in line for a product that they can get delivered to their home.
I waste my time here
http://www.laworks.com/
Who are you to judge how other people spend their time? Do you know whether people in line contributed to earthquake relief, donate their time in other ways, or otherwise help their fellow man?
I think not. Sitting in line happily waiting for an iPad 2, and helping one's fellow man, are not mutually exclusive.
I love all the talk of how much fun the lines were.
I'd like to hear from people who waited 4 hours like I did and didn't get anything-- do they still think the line was "fun"?
I agree strongly with a previous poster that Apple could easily have limited in-store purchases to one each. This would not have done much to jeopardize their first weekend sales but could have meant that more hard core supporters like myself did not go home empty handed.
My beef is with the flagship Boston Apple store where they collected data but did not properly inform the waiting public when different models sold out. So I had a false sense of elation and success when going into the store only to have that bubble burst. For those that simply think I missed an announcement-- come on- your standing there for 4 hours watching every apple employee with a blue shirt with great focus. I did not miss anything and those around me did not either.
For those who think its silly to have to get it on the first day, I say the issue is that unlike some other product launch where you can pick one up a day, a week or a fortnight later, in this case the penalty for not getting one day one would seem to be closer to a month!
I'm also angry because I've already sold my existing iPad on eBay and so will be empty handed for a month as a result. Anyone else make this mistake? or am I the only fool?
I think you won't be empty handed for a month. You will have one within two weeks if you keep going to the store. See if you can get on the waiting list for the store. I agree they should've limited it to one per person to limit the scalping.
The Apple Store people didn't come out at all before the store opened. They just opened the doors, and it was first come first served. Kinda sucked that I went home empty handed. I was surprised this Apple store didn't have more on hand. At that point, I figured I'd order it online, but by that time, Apple was estimating 2-3 week shipping time. So, I have to wait until the first week of April to get my new iPad.
Apple planned and facilitated the long lines by purposefully not having pre-orders and in-store reservations and limiting initial availability. They wanted the news to report the "long lines" and "sell-outs" for publicity purposes. It takes a coordinated effort between Steve Jobs, Tim Cook, Phil Schiller and the operations and marketing teams at Apple to set up and execute properly. Make no mistake - they know exactly what they're doing. Many companies in the world are envious of their extraordinary ability in these areas of business.
This makes the product seem more desirable to certain types of people and is a well-planned marketing ploy to boost sales numbers in the long term. It also nets Apple a lot of media attention at ZERO cost to the company. It's damn near business genius.
How exactly? This comment is similar in nature to the other ones that posit Apple holding back stock in order to drive demand or keep prices high. None of which have any validity, based on known facts. Speculation is only as valid as the facts used to support it.
EDIT: Let me be clear here - pre-orders would not have helped the situation at the stores, only made it worse - long lines and FEWER devices available to satisfy demand at the stores. How does this mitigate the simple fact that they made as many as they could, to ship to the stores where they anticipated the demand to be the greatest, and therefore where stock should go? Your logic is nonsensical, unless the only reason this is important is that you yourself wanted to pre-order and weren't allowed to.
I love all the talk of how much fun the lines were.
I'd like to hear from people who waited 4 hours like I did and didn't get anything-- do they still think the line was "fun"?
I agree strongly with a previous poster that Apple could easily have limited in-store purchases to one each. This would not have done much to jeopardize their first weekend sales but could have meant that more hard core supporters like myself did not go home empty handed.
My beef is with the flagship Boston Apple store where they collected data but did not properly inform the waiting public when different models sold out. So I had a false sense of elation and success when going into the store only to have that bubble burst. For those that simply think I missed an announcement-- come on- your standing there for 4 hours watching every apple employee with a blue shirt with great focus. I did not miss anything and those around me did not either.
For those who think its silly to have to get it on the first day, I say the issue is that unlike some other product launch where you can pick one up a day, a week or a fortnight later, in this case the penalty for not getting one day one would seem to be closer to a month!
I'm also angry because I've already sold my existing iPad on eBay and so will be empty handed for a month as a result. Anyone else make this mistake? or am I the only fool?
but your desire for instant gratification is disappointed, you now have to wait deviceless for a few weeks at best because you sold your previous one first, before any assurance that you would get one at all. This seems like lack of planning, failure to hedge your bets, and denied gratification all rolled into a bundle of disaffected consumer pique. I agree that the store could have handled things (for you in particular I'll even grant) better, but folks make mistakes. If you did not derive what joy there was to be had by communing with your fellow Apple enthusiasts in line then you robbed yourself of the positive side of the experience. And now you want to make this all someone else's fault. Perhaps some counseling is in order?