Oh, because when the Padphone is connected to the keyboard dock you get 18 - 24 hours of battery and only weighs 2 lbs. So if there is a laptop with that kind of battery life I'm in.
I used to use a keyboard dock the Palm TX about 5 years agos. Those docks don't last long, they are always cheaply made.
There are ARM-based netbooks that can get well over 10 hours and run a windows OS that is actually a decent windowed OS.
Yea I tried most of them, I finally found the perfect one. The Asus Slider, I can dual boot into Ubuntu 11.04 but Android is really like Linux, I have a LAMP server and Eclipse running in Android 4.03. This new Padphone is faster though and it's a phone to not just a tablet or laptop.
Preordered at 5 on Wednesday. Got a tracking no. thurs. nite. Called FEDEX yesterday because it says unit is in "MIDDLETOWN, PA", and is to be overnighted". I told them I live in NYC, and i should get it on Mon. or Tue. He then put a directive note in my order to release it for delivery on Mon.
Should i be holding my breath all day Monday till 3pm, instead of friday???
Oh, because when the Padphone is connected to the keyboard dock you get 18 - 24 hours of battery and only weighs 2 lbs. So if there is a laptop with that kind of battery life I'm in.
I used to use a keyboard dock the Palm TX about 5 years agos. Those docks don't last long, they are always cheaply made.
The Asus Padphone keyboard is much different, it has a built in battery and is very, very sturdy. have you ever played with Asus Transformer. It's the same dock.
The Asus Padphone keyboard is much different, it has a built in battery and is very, very sturdy. have you ever played with Asus Transformer. It's the same dock.
I think that device looks inherently flawed but I do like Asus and think they make solid HW for the price and get amazing battery life compared to other comparable OEMs so I wish you well.
Yea I tried most of them, I finally found the perfect one. The Asus Slider, I can dual boot into Ubuntu 11.04 but Android is really like Linux, I have a LAMP server and Eclipse running in Android 4.03. This new Padphone is faster though and it's a phone to not just a tablet or laptop.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
I have my doubts about these devices. I've seen the Moto Atrix in action and it sucks. The pointer-based, windowed UI sucks. Android just have it, plus you lose a lot of performance by having everything running in the phone, not to mention each component is expensive.
If you are wanting to consolidate a couple devices I think Win8 as a notebook/tablet or tablet/desktop might offer the best of both worlds. Especially considering an Intel-based CPU that will outperform any ARM CPU. But even that has plenty of cons.
If anyone can do this right I think it's Apple because they do use the same kernel, core OS (Darwin), and many frameworks across their iOS and OS X lines. If anyone can get a phone/tablet with a CocoaTouch UI to instantly and seamlessly switch to the Aqua UI and back again... it's Apple. Of course, I wouldn't suggest holding your breath for that to happen.
Yeah these are all fringe devices going nowhere, not sure why they are being trolled on this Apple site!
The Asus Padphone keyboard is much different, it has a built in battery and is very, very sturdy. have you ever played with Asus Transformer. It's the same dock.
Not going to try the Asus padphone (not because it is a fringe device going nowhere), but because for the same $$$ I would rather use a laptop, so I can use stuff such as the Roland Quadcapture. If I am going to use a consumption device the only answer is the ipad as the long q's prove!
I think that device looks inherently flawed but I do like Asus and think they make solid HW for the price and get amazing battery life compared to other comparable OEMs so I wish you well.
Hey thanks, I still wont give up my iPad, I need it for my music. Can I ask you why you won't think it will work. I really thought the same thing before I finally broke down and bought my Asus Slider. I now love it so much it's become my main traveling companion, almost replacing my Macbook Air, almost.
I would assume a lot of the preorders are being shipped directly to the doorstep....like most are saying on this thread.
Yes, I'm not sure why anyone would have pre-ordered on the 16th for in-store pickup. It will likely be a zoo at most of the Apple stores. I can totally see doing that once the initial rush is over, though.
It's iOS devices that people wait for. When the new MacBook Air came out last July, I pre-ordered it, but then cancelled when I realized that I could just get it the next day at the store (5th Avenue no less) without waiting, rather than wait an extra day for my pre-order to arrive. OTOH, I was annoyed that I couldn't pre-order the unlocked iPhone 4S at the initial launch, and wound up having to use the in-store reservation system (and I purchased an "AT&T" device only phone to get an unlocked one a few weeks before the unlocked one officially released here).
Yeah these are all fringe devices going nowhere, not sure why they are being trolled on this Apple site!
Oh sorry just making conversation. Apple keeps saying that a lot of people are using their iPads more then their PCs. If this is true I just really wish the iPad OS would be more like OSX and not so closed.
Actually the biggest thing that is missing from that list is a file manager. Now I've discuss this with a lot of people on this board and most say it really isn't a big deal. I beg to differ, I like having full control over the way my data is stored on my device. Which folders contain what and which applications can save or read from certain folders. There is also the need to backup folders, zip large files, access multiple NAS drives or just even one Windows server.
While I can see where file management remains an issue (for now), there's a difference between what you like and what's actually necessary. The latter is largely a matter of habitual workflow, and while having to change up your way of doing things might not strike you as a worthwhile bargain, it's still not an actual general shortcoming of the platform. Apple didn't leave out direct file management access because its too hard to do or they couldn't figure it out, they left it out because its part of the new computing paradigm they're developing. As such, I have no doubt they're even now working on new workflows that allow anyone to do anything they need.
Now that workflow might involve Apple's servers or even (horror) iTunes, but distaste for that is different from not being able to do something at all. It's important to remember that the "wide open freedom" of PCs are actually just familiar routines. I can no more do anything I want to do on a desktop computer than I can make a car fly, it's just that I'm very, very familiar with a computer's limitations, restrictions and conventions-- so much so I don't really think about them, and treat what I can do like it was a natural, unbounded process.
Quote:
On my Android tablet I use a file manager by the name of FX, right not I have my work server mounted over VPN as a folder, my two home servers and my next door neighbors (we share a media server). To watch a movie I simply double tap on the file and it starts streaming. These features are available out of the box as is having pretty much every codec needed.
That doesn't strike me as a very typical use case, however. It gets back to "I should be able to do this because I want to, and if the iPad can't it's broken" way of thinking. I mean, there's nothing keeping an iPad owner from watching streaming movies, it's just setup somewhat differently.
Quote:
To get even close to most of these features on my iPad I had to fork out an additional 50 bucks in apps. I still don't have a file manager though. I'm not asking for one that is as powerful as what's available in the Android world but I think Apple can give me one where I can at least access the home directory. ....and no I don't want to use iTunes, that's retarded.
What's "retarded" about using iTunes? And perhaps the fact that you think that has something to do with your difficulties?
Quote:
I use my iPad 2 for making and recording my music for that the iPad 2 is incredible. Multimedia and work stuff I use my Asus Slider.
Yeah, it seems like you're kind of going out of your way to enforce the old "Apples are for the art department, anything else is for work" canard, but that takes no measure of the vast gulf in actual productivity apps between the platforms. What good is dicking around with the file system if you don't have the apps to create files in the first place? And yes, I'm sure you have each and every app you need on the Asus, but there's no denying that there's hugely more development activity going on building out the iPad app ecosystem, across all kinds of disciplines.
Quote:
I am in a dilemma though, I'm not sure if I want to sell my iPad 2 and get the new one. The speed on the iPad 2 is fine and I doubt the iPad 3 will make much difference there but that screen is defiantly a hmmmmmmm. Then there is Asus's new Padphone which is the coolest Phone/Tablet/Netbook that I have ever seen, gosh I'm really stuck.
If the Padphone strikes you as the coolest thing you've seen, I kind of think you should sell the iPad and move on. I don't think you're really Apple's intended customer.
It's more likely that the analysts will say something like "there are a few people on the planet who haven't ordered an iPad, so you should sell your Apple stock."
Funny. The stock was down at the actual announcement, but then rebounded the next day once the market had a chance to absorb the news. My guess is we'll see a pop, but it's tough to say. Apple has gone up quite a bit over the last few weeks. We'll get a better sense of how sustainable their stock price trajectory is next month when they release earnings. The iPad launch will be included in the quarterly results, so that should offset the effect of people delaying purchases at the end of February (which is what led to Apple's earnings "miss" in the September quarter).
Not going to try the Asus padphone (not because it is a fringe device going nowhere), but because for the same $$$ I would rather use a laptop, so I can use stuff such as the Roland Quadcapture. If I am going to use a consumption device the only answer is the ipad as the long q's prove!
Yep, love the iPad for music creation. My only point is I now use my tablet as my laptop and I think the world is going in this direction.
Hey thanks, I still wont give up my iPad, I need it for my music. Can I ask you why you won't think it will work. I really thought the same thing before I finally broke down and bought my Asus Slider. I now love it so much it's become my main traveling companion, almost replacing my Macbook Air, almost.
A desktop UI can't be whipped up and I've seen no evidence that netbook feature will offer one.
The netbook keyboard and battery option is an option which means less buyers than the main smartphone/tablet combo which translates into less support than will probably be desired by users.
A netbook that is running ARM, even a fast ARM chip is still slow. If you are using a desktop you are likely wanting something more robust unless it's just general word processing.
If a call comes in and I'm using the netbook or tablet I have to stop what I'm doing and remove the phone from inside the device.
I'm seen the price for just the tablet/smartphone to be over $1000 USD.
I can't see this making any sense for a smartphone user, but I can see how plugging a tablet into a docking station that offered a good windowed UI could have its benefits.
The Asus Padphone keyboard is much different, it has a built in battery and is very, very sturdy. have you ever played with Asus Transformer. It's the same dock.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Relic
Oh sorry just making conversation. Apple keeps saying that a lot of people are using their iPads more then their PCs. If this is true I just really wish the iPad OS would be more like OSX and not so closed.
Powerhouse users & hardcore gamers (which are the minority) will not be satisfied with the new ipad if they are trying to use it as a Macbook Pro. But if you understand the limitations and use it for its intended purpose, then you will be more than happy. I am not going to hook my Roland Quadcapture and AKG C550 mic to it, cos I know you can't, and Apple never said you could. So I use my cheap-ass AMD APU netbook for that, but my netbook is nowhere near as nice for reading emails, web surfing and other things. Also cos my netbook is windows I have to put up with slow start up times and worry about viruses and other misc crashes and things compared with the ipad.
Why? What purpose does it serve to host a website off of a tablet or smartphone?
If you read the post I use my Asus Slider as a laptop because It can run things like Eclipse on it. I use it for programming, why not is has a really nice keyboard. I'm a Unix person who always pushes the envelope on all my device.
There is simply no evidence to back up a statement like that, since Apple is the only company that reports sales in this product segment. The rest of them, perhaps not surprisingly, tell us about their shipments: i.e., we have absolutely no clue how many are sitting on shelves versus in the customers' hands.
My guess is that iPad's market share is still 95%. There is no way that anyone can disprove that! (And, trotting out some consulting firm's estimate doesn't cut it).
The figures I mentioned were quoted on Bloomberg TV last week as fact. Not analysts estimates.
Why? What purpose does it serve to host a website off of a tablet or smartphone?
That's the kind of thing that's important to phandroids. They seem to spend their time looking for bizarre things that a tablet might be able to do and then spend countless hours rooting their system and fiddling with software to try to make it work.
iPad users (like Mac users) don't care about doing things just for the sake of geekiness. If it doesn't have a practical purpose, forget it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cameronj
Kindle fire? Or plain old kindle? People certainly buy Fires instead of iPads, and they're definitely the same market. Different ends of it, but the same market. Kindle classic, certainly not the same market..
It all depends on how you define 'market'. In the real world, Tim Cook publicly stated that they are not seeing any sign of the Fire taking any iPad customers. That's pretty strong evidence that the Fire isn't real competition for the iPad.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Scrip
Ah yes... market share.
Technically... market share is measured when a product leaves the factory and enters the channel.
No, technically, market share is measured when a product is purchased by a consumer.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anantksundaram
So, are the dozens and dozens of companies and government departments handing iPads out to their employees just handing out toys? When did they start that?!
Like American Airlines. US Air Force. And thousands of other companies....
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2oh1
I wonder why.
I having new iPads in their stores beginning March 16th, but I don't understand why Apple doesn't start immediately delivering them to people who pre-ordered. I understand the appeal of having a unified "launch day" but I think it makes even more sense to get new iPads in people's hands immediately, especially since pre-orders sold out. This would drive even more people to Apple Stores on launch day to try and get their hands on them.
Getting them into customers hands a couple of days early doesn't help a bit. People are buying them faster than Apple can ship them so there's plenty of early interest.
OTOH, having a few of them in peoples' hands can create problems as some people complain that there's didn't come as early as their neighbor's. And allegations of favoritism. And, in today's legal climate, possibly even lawsuits. More importantly, having a single launch day when several million are delivered on the same day creates a massive amount of press that a staggered release doesn't achieve.
Comments
Originally Posted by Relic
Oh, because when the Padphone is connected to the keyboard dock you get 18 - 24 hours of battery and only weighs 2 lbs. So if there is a laptop with that kind of battery life I'm in.
I used to use a keyboard dock the Palm TX about 5 years agos. Those docks don't last long, they are always cheaply made.
There are ARM-based netbooks that can get well over 10 hours and run a windows OS that is actually a decent windowed OS.
Yea I tried most of them, I finally found the perfect one. The Asus Slider, I can dual boot into Ubuntu 11.04 but Android is really like Linux, I have a LAMP server and Eclipse running in Android 4.03. This new Padphone is faster though and it's a phone to not just a tablet or laptop.
Should i be holding my breath all day Monday till 3pm, instead of friday???
Thx folks.
Originally Posted by Relic
Oh, because when the Padphone is connected to the keyboard dock you get 18 - 24 hours of battery and only weighs 2 lbs. So if there is a laptop with that kind of battery life I'm in.
I used to use a keyboard dock the Palm TX about 5 years agos. Those docks don't last long, they are always cheaply made.
The Asus Padphone keyboard is much different, it has a built in battery and is very, very sturdy. have you ever played with Asus Transformer. It's the same dock.
The Asus Padphone keyboard is much different, it has a built in battery and is very, very sturdy. have you ever played with Asus Transformer. It's the same dock.
I think that device looks inherently flawed but I do like Asus and think they make solid HW for the price and get amazing battery life compared to other comparable OEMs so I wish you well.
Yea I tried most of them, I finally found the perfect one. The Asus Slider, I can dual boot into Ubuntu 11.04 but Android is really like Linux, I have a LAMP server and Eclipse running in Android 4.03. This new Padphone is faster though and it's a phone to not just a tablet or laptop.
I have my doubts about these devices. I've seen the Moto Atrix in action and it sucks. The pointer-based, windowed UI sucks. Android just have it, plus you lose a lot of performance by having everything running in the phone, not to mention each component is expensive.
If you are wanting to consolidate a couple devices I think Win8 as a notebook/tablet or tablet/desktop might offer the best of both worlds. Especially considering an Intel-based CPU that will outperform any ARM CPU. But even that has plenty of cons.
If anyone can do this right I think it's Apple because they do use the same kernel, core OS (Darwin), and many frameworks across their iOS and OS X lines. If anyone can get a phone/tablet with a CocoaTouch UI to instantly and seamlessly switch to the Aqua UI and back again... it's Apple. Of course, I wouldn't suggest holding your breath for that to happen.
Yeah these are all fringe devices going nowhere, not sure why they are being trolled on this Apple site!
The Asus Padphone keyboard is much different, it has a built in battery and is very, very sturdy. have you ever played with Asus Transformer. It's the same dock.
Not going to try the Asus padphone (not because it is a fringe device going nowhere), but because for the same $$$ I would rather use a laptop, so I can use stuff such as the Roland Quadcapture. If I am going to use a consumption device the only answer is the ipad as the long q's prove!
I think that device looks inherently flawed but I do like Asus and think they make solid HW for the price and get amazing battery life compared to other comparable OEMs so I wish you well.
Hey thanks, I still wont give up my iPad, I need it for my music. Can I ask you why you won't think it will work. I really thought the same thing before I finally broke down and bought my Asus Slider. I now love it so much it's become my main traveling companion, almost replacing my Macbook Air, almost.
I would assume a lot of the preorders are being shipped directly to the doorstep....like most are saying on this thread.
Yes, I'm not sure why anyone would have pre-ordered on the 16th for in-store pickup. It will likely be a zoo at most of the Apple stores. I can totally see doing that once the initial rush is over, though.
It's iOS devices that people wait for. When the new MacBook Air came out last July, I pre-ordered it, but then cancelled when I realized that I could just get it the next day at the store (5th Avenue no less) without waiting, rather than wait an extra day for my pre-order to arrive. OTOH, I was annoyed that I couldn't pre-order the unlocked iPhone 4S at the initial launch, and wound up having to use the in-store reservation system (and I purchased an "AT&T" device only phone to get an unlocked one a few weeks before the unlocked one officially released here).
Yeah these are all fringe devices going nowhere, not sure why they are being trolled on this Apple site!
Oh sorry just making conversation. Apple keeps saying that a lot of people are using their iPads more then their PCs. If this is true I just really wish the iPad OS would be more like OSX and not so closed.
Actually the biggest thing that is missing from that list is a file manager. Now I've discuss this with a lot of people on this board and most say it really isn't a big deal. I beg to differ, I like having full control over the way my data is stored on my device. Which folders contain what and which applications can save or read from certain folders. There is also the need to backup folders, zip large files, access multiple NAS drives or just even one Windows server.
While I can see where file management remains an issue (for now), there's a difference between what you like and what's actually necessary. The latter is largely a matter of habitual workflow, and while having to change up your way of doing things might not strike you as a worthwhile bargain, it's still not an actual general shortcoming of the platform. Apple didn't leave out direct file management access because its too hard to do or they couldn't figure it out, they left it out because its part of the new computing paradigm they're developing. As such, I have no doubt they're even now working on new workflows that allow anyone to do anything they need.
Now that workflow might involve Apple's servers or even (horror) iTunes, but distaste for that is different from not being able to do something at all. It's important to remember that the "wide open freedom" of PCs are actually just familiar routines. I can no more do anything I want to do on a desktop computer than I can make a car fly, it's just that I'm very, very familiar with a computer's limitations, restrictions and conventions-- so much so I don't really think about them, and treat what I can do like it was a natural, unbounded process.
On my Android tablet I use a file manager by the name of FX, right not I have my work server mounted over VPN as a folder, my two home servers and my next door neighbors (we share a media server). To watch a movie I simply double tap on the file and it starts streaming. These features are available out of the box as is having pretty much every codec needed.
That doesn't strike me as a very typical use case, however. It gets back to "I should be able to do this because I want to, and if the iPad can't it's broken" way of thinking. I mean, there's nothing keeping an iPad owner from watching streaming movies, it's just setup somewhat differently.
To get even close to most of these features on my iPad I had to fork out an additional 50 bucks in apps. I still don't have a file manager though. I'm not asking for one that is as powerful as what's available in the Android world but I think Apple can give me one where I can at least access the home directory. ....and no I don't want to use iTunes, that's retarded.
What's "retarded" about using iTunes? And perhaps the fact that you think that has something to do with your difficulties?
I use my iPad 2 for making and recording my music for that the iPad 2 is incredible. Multimedia and work stuff I use my Asus Slider.
Yeah, it seems like you're kind of going out of your way to enforce the old "Apples are for the art department, anything else is for work" canard, but that takes no measure of the vast gulf in actual productivity apps between the platforms. What good is dicking around with the file system if you don't have the apps to create files in the first place? And yes, I'm sure you have each and every app you need on the Asus, but there's no denying that there's hugely more development activity going on building out the iPad app ecosystem, across all kinds of disciplines.
I am in a dilemma though, I'm not sure if I want to sell my iPad 2 and get the new one. The speed on the iPad 2 is fine and I doubt the iPad 3 will make much difference there but that screen is defiantly a hmmmmmmm. Then there is Asus's new Padphone which is the coolest Phone/Tablet/Netbook that I have ever seen, gosh I'm really stuck.
If the Padphone strikes you as the coolest thing you've seen, I kind of think you should sell the iPad and move on. I don't think you're really Apple's intended customer.
Nah. The stock market isn't logical.
It's more likely that the analysts will say something like "there are a few people on the planet who haven't ordered an iPad, so you should sell your Apple stock."
Funny. The stock was down at the actual announcement, but then rebounded the next day once the market had a chance to absorb the news. My guess is we'll see a pop, but it's tough to say. Apple has gone up quite a bit over the last few weeks. We'll get a better sense of how sustainable their stock price trajectory is next month when they release earnings. The iPad launch will be included in the quarterly results, so that should offset the effect of people delaying purchases at the end of February (which is what led to Apple's earnings "miss" in the September quarter).
I have a LAMP server and Eclipse running in Android 4.03.
Why? What purpose does it serve to host a website off of a tablet or smartphone?
Not going to try the Asus padphone (not because it is a fringe device going nowhere), but because for the same $$$ I would rather use a laptop, so I can use stuff such as the Roland Quadcapture. If I am going to use a consumption device the only answer is the ipad as the long q's prove!
Yep, love the iPad for music creation. My only point is I now use my tablet as my laptop and I think the world is going in this direction.
Hey thanks, I still wont give up my iPad, I need it for my music. Can I ask you why you won't think it will work. I really thought the same thing before I finally broke down and bought my Asus Slider. I now love it so much it's become my main traveling companion, almost replacing my Macbook Air, almost.
- A desktop UI can't be whipped up and I've seen no evidence that netbook feature will offer one.
- The netbook keyboard and battery option is an option which means less buyers than the main smartphone/tablet combo which translates into less support than will probably be desired by users.
- A netbook that is running ARM, even a fast ARM chip is still slow. If you are using a desktop you are likely wanting something more robust unless it's just general word processing.
- If a call comes in and I'm using the netbook or tablet I have to stop what I'm doing and remove the phone from inside the device.
- I'm seen the price for just the tablet/smartphone to be over $1000 USD.
I can't see this making any sense for a smartphone user, but I can see how plugging a tablet into a docking station that offered a good windowed UI could have its benefits.The Asus Padphone keyboard is much different, it has a built in battery and is very, very sturdy. have you ever played with Asus Transformer. It's the same dock.
Oh sorry just making conversation. Apple keeps saying that a lot of people are using their iPads more then their PCs. If this is true I just really wish the iPad OS would be more like OSX and not so closed.
Powerhouse users & hardcore gamers (which are the minority) will not be satisfied with the new ipad if they are trying to use it as a Macbook Pro. But if you understand the limitations and use it for its intended purpose, then you will be more than happy. I am not going to hook my Roland Quadcapture and AKG C550 mic to it, cos I know you can't, and Apple never said you could. So I use my cheap-ass AMD APU netbook for that, but my netbook is nowhere near as nice for reading emails, web surfing and other things. Also cos my netbook is windows I have to put up with slow start up times and worry about viruses and other misc crashes and things compared with the ipad.
Why? What purpose does it serve to host a website off of a tablet or smartphone?
If you read the post I use my Asus Slider as a laptop because It can run things like Eclipse on it. I use it for programming, why not is has a really nice keyboard. I'm a Unix person who always pushes the envelope on all my device.
Yep, love the iPad for music creation. My only point is I now use my tablet as my laptop and I think the world is going in this direction.
Maybe IOS 6 or 7 might merge with OS X, who knows! but atm this is not the case!
There is simply no evidence to back up a statement like that, since Apple is the only company that reports sales in this product segment. The rest of them, perhaps not surprisingly, tell us about their shipments: i.e., we have absolutely no clue how many are sitting on shelves versus in the customers' hands.
My guess is that iPad's market share is still 95%. There is no way that anyone can disprove that! (And, trotting out some consulting firm's estimate doesn't cut it).
The figures I mentioned were quoted on Bloomberg TV last week as fact. Not analysts estimates.
Why? What purpose does it serve to host a website off of a tablet or smartphone?
That's the kind of thing that's important to phandroids. They seem to spend their time looking for bizarre things that a tablet might be able to do and then spend countless hours rooting their system and fiddling with software to try to make it work.
iPad users (like Mac users) don't care about doing things just for the sake of geekiness. If it doesn't have a practical purpose, forget it.
Kindle fire? Or plain old kindle? People certainly buy Fires instead of iPads, and they're definitely the same market. Different ends of it, but the same market. Kindle classic, certainly not the same market..
It all depends on how you define 'market'. In the real world, Tim Cook publicly stated that they are not seeing any sign of the Fire taking any iPad customers. That's pretty strong evidence that the Fire isn't real competition for the iPad.
Ah yes... market share.
Technically... market share is measured when a product leaves the factory and enters the channel.
No, technically, market share is measured when a product is purchased by a consumer.
So, are the dozens and dozens of companies and government departments handing iPads out to their employees just handing out toys? When did they start that?!
Like American Airlines. US Air Force. And thousands of other companies....
I wonder why.
I having new iPads in their stores beginning March 16th, but I don't understand why Apple doesn't start immediately delivering them to people who pre-ordered. I understand the appeal of having a unified "launch day" but I think it makes even more sense to get new iPads in people's hands immediately, especially since pre-orders sold out. This would drive even more people to Apple Stores on launch day to try and get their hands on them.
Getting them into customers hands a couple of days early doesn't help a bit. People are buying them faster than Apple can ship them so there's plenty of early interest.
OTOH, having a few of them in peoples' hands can create problems as some people complain that there's didn't come as early as their neighbor's. And allegations of favoritism. And, in today's legal climate, possibly even lawsuits. More importantly, having a single launch day when several million are delivered on the same day creates a massive amount of press that a staggered release doesn't achieve.