Most of the $9B is to write off their purchase of EDS. Unlike IBM, HP has not successfully made the transition to 'services-led' company and is too reliant on product sales. Obviously, tablets and smartphones have impacted ALL PC makers and HP, being the largest has felt the biggest impact. Whether Meg can turn the ship around is still TBD. I've had a couple of recently un-employed HP folks contact me lately about a job. Needless to say, HP has a long road ahead of it...
Like I said, its a matter of opinion. And thats cool that you can buy a printer for your daughter that works, my printer is GREAT but doesn't work with my ipad and i will not WASTE money buying another one. (not at all saying you did, i assume she needed one)
Games on the app store are cool, but they can sometimes be limited by the lack of mouse or keyboard.
Cloud services are great, but tend to be an expensive alternative to HDD or DVDs. I have well over 5Gb in pictures and videos alone on my iphone collected over 2 years and i do not use it much. But high res pictures and videos will need some space.
Adapter, adapter, and next thing you know? just buy an ultrabook. Look I love apple products. But, the iPad IMO (maybe not yours) is not there yet. I wouldn't consider an iphone a PC either (dont use the whole definition of the fact it computes stuff, so does my 20 dollar calculator, is that a computer? sorta but the type we are talking? no, by no means) an iphone is a smartphone, not a computer an ipad is a tablet not a tablet PC or a PC.
Crazy, cause i did a google search, and even STEVE JOBS himself, said its not a PC as we know it. Which is what i am aruging.
We have garment printers in our company that require a windows computer. They won't even work with an iMac running boot camp. Does that mean a mac isn't a computer? Of course not. Tons of printers sold in years past won't work with any computer on the market today. Some require the no longer supported AppleTalk, others require parallel ports, or lack drivers. The iPad prints. Someone buying an iPad for their only computer can buy a supported printer for as little as $40 if they need to print.
The iPad doesn't have a USB port connection for digital cameras. But you can still import photos, you can either get a USB adapter or you can do it wirelessly.
You said sometimes games on the iPad are limited because there is no keyboard/mouse. Sometimes games on a Mac/PC are limited because there is no direct touch input, no multitouch, no accelerometer, no gyroscope, etc.
Of course the iPad was not a PC as we knew it then just like the Mac wasn't a PC as we knew it in 1984, both redefined computing. Steve Jobs never once said the iPad wasn't a computer.
HP needs to focus on peripherals and connectivity. Spin off the PC business like IBM did but take a cut of its profits. Why is Apple still doing well in the PC space? They don't make the traditional floor-based PCs, though their IMacs likely fit that niche!. There is no longer any room for the traditional floor-based PC since a laptop has the necessary power now for many and can drive separate screens and use separate keyboards. And for needed power users, likely iMac and Mac Pro will need to merge into a single offering.
Apple laptops are doing better than competitors because Apple R&D is producing innovative designs and functions and eliminating less needed components or never installing them to begin with, such as BluRay.
Msft may be the only company that has a chance to steal some thunder with their Surface computer, but they wiil have to execute perfectly for that to happen. Windows 8 cannot be more bloat ware, and will have to work well on phones and tablets and laptops. Msft will take years to consolidate and simplify their product lines from the incoherent mess that exists today.
Then you have Android. There is no Android for the laptop space and I don't see that happening. Android is not about consolidation but about ubiquity on many competing small mobile devices.
So the future now looks like Apple vs Msft. If Apple and partners could compete with Office for that space -- wishful thinking.
...There is no longer any room for the traditional PC since a laptop has the necessary power now and can drive separate screens and use separate keyboards….
I could not disagree more. There is still a space for the desktop computer. I have no need to carry a laptop with me with my iPad and iPhone. Why pay for the miniaturization cost and other trade offs if you don't need it. I bought a new iMac to replace the one I had purchased 5 yrs previous. I did not have to pay for a redundant monitor, mine came with a 27" beautiful screen in one package. I did not have to decide if I wanted an SSD or a large HDD I was able to get both. I also have my optical disk read/write system that I do not need that often but is available when I want it -- I did not have to pay for an external one or connect to one in another machine. I didn't need to get a second keyboard because I wanted the entire full-size set of keys including a number pad. I have a very nice ThunderBolt option if I need it but did not have to pay $100+ for a cable to connect an external monitor I don't need and then more of the same for each extra peripheral. I was able to get a quad core i7 at 3.4Ghz without it being prohibitively expensive with a nice GPU and I don't have to worry about my Mac managing the builtin video versus the external GPU because of battery consumption. There are many other reasons why the iMac was the right choice for me and apparently millions of others.
I wouldn't be so pompous to say that everyone should buy a laptop or a Mac Pro. I still see a lot of value in the iMac and the Mac Mini and apparently so does Apple and there customers agree with there dollars. These will not go away anytime soon cause there is still a place for them. The trend for growth is definitely towards more laptops and less desktop (only) computers but you are seriously mistaken if you think that the day of the personal computer in the form of a desktop is gone.
I made this quote when applying to HP in 1978. When asked by an interviewer "what would happen if you were running HP". My answer... "we would probably become a tiny garage in Palo Alto".
It took far greater business minds to finally deliver on my prediction.
Yes, while the iPad will contribute to some losses in low-end netbooks and laptops, the loss was caused by the write-down and just like with Microsoft that is evidenced by looking at the last quarters:
$8b+ loss is a lot to cover but they make a decent amount of profit when they aren't writing off massive losses.
They could do with getting more into mobile products. They have to give up the idea of using webOS but they can adapt Android to use parts of webOS then just focus on making high quality hardware. I think they should abandon the tower desktop market too but stick with AIOs as they can make margins on their own displays.
Meg can't save that train wreck known as HP. She went in, cut 27,000 heads, stock price went up and in the end she'll probably eek what she lost trying to turn California into her personnel slush fund.
I expect her to bow out in less than six months.
Perhaps David Packard will return as a zombie and consume her brain as a light snack. I've mentioned this before regarding labor cuts. Do you really need to hand someone new a fat check to make such cuts? Add one person at the top, cut 27,000 beneath them. If they're lacking real ideas as opposed to silly tactics to prop up the stock price, they don't deserve such a job.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin
Yes, while the iPad will contribute to some losses in low-end netbooks and laptops, the loss was caused by the write-down and just like with Microsoft that is evidenced by looking at the last quarters:
$8b+ loss is a lot to cover but they make a decent amount of profit when they aren't writing off massive losses.
They could do with getting more into mobile products. They have to give up the idea of using webOS but they can adapt Android to use parts of webOS then just focus on making high quality hardware. I think they should abandon the tower desktop market too but stick with AIOs as they can make margins on their own displays.
With Microsoft people already knew they were going to declare that at some point. They just picked a quarter with good revenue to even it out on paper. Note that their stock didn't really suffer after that writeoff. HP makes me sad. I still think the ipad could do more to displace other computers just by things like having a bit more memory. It has no addressable virtual memory system, so while it has computing power roughly on par with a G4, it's somewhat crippled in the amount of information that can be loaded. Supposedly one of the concerns there is the power consumption of volatile memory when in standby mode.
Yes, while the iPad will contribute to some losses in low-end netbooks and laptops, the loss was caused by the write-down and just like with Microsoft that is evidenced by looking at the last quarters: http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/23/3039255/hp-q2-2012-financial-results http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/hp-reports-q1-2012-earnings-30-billion-net-revenue-1-5-billi/
$8b+ loss is a lot to cover but they make a decent amount of profit when they aren't writing off massive losses.
They could do with getting more into mobile products. They have to give up the idea of using webOS but they can adapt Android to use parts of webOS then just focus on making high quality hardware. I think they should abandon the tower desktop market too but stick with AIOs as they can make margins on their own displays.
Actually, even without the write off, they still lost quite a bit of money for the quarter.
They could do with getting more into mobile products. They have to give up the idea of using webOS but they can adapt Android to use parts of webOS then just focus on making high quality hardware. I think they should abandon the tower desktop market too but stick with AIOs as they can make margins on their own displays.
I don't understand why HP can't make WebOS viable. Palm was on their way to having a great mobile OS. I think one of their problems was trying to beat the iPhone 3GS/iOS 3 to market, which I recall them doing by a couple weeks. All this hype and their stock jumped 14x(?) in about 5(?) months and then dropped again right after they released an unfinished Pre and WebOS. I thought they had a chance if they only took a little more time to refine it and waited for an opportunity that wasn't dominated by the iPhone.
Actually, even without the write off, they still lost quite a bit of money for the quarter.
Their net revenue only dropped 5%, the write-down was for a $14b investment. The charge was $10.8b resulting in a loss of $8.9b. Without the charge, they'd be in profit ~$1.9b, which is consistent with their previous earnings.
I don't understand why HP can't make WebOS viable.
If they used it exclusively, they'd have to make hardware as good as Apple and they won't. This puts the platform at a very small share and there would be no developer interest as it costs money to invest in a new platform and the returns wouldn't be high enough. Without software, it discourages customers.
Microsoft have a chance of taking marketshare because they have a supporting eco-system with Windows and XBox along with a licensed model. WebOS is dead in the water so their only option is Android or WinPho but Android is by far the better option as they can add value by customising it.
They open sourced WebOS but they can't do much with it since Google took their development team:
HP should receive a prize for the highest number of STUPID CEOs over the last 10 or 15 years. Carly Fiorina, the (b)witch, followed later by the mentally-challenged Whitman. What else could one expect in terms of financial results?
The problem more apparently seems to sit with the Board of HP, who keep making these boneheaded CEO selections...
Wow. You sure managed to get a lot of things wrong in one post.
Starting with this one. There are plenty of games for the iPad. What in the world would make you think that ALL games required Flash?
Ignoring, of course, the thousands of games available for the iPad - which don't require a mouse.
So what? It supports WiFi printers just fine. And if you really MUST use a USB-only printer, you can put a cheap print server on the network and solve the problem.
Hint: Your Mac Pro won't support Serial or Parallel printers out of the box. Does that mean that it's not a 'real' computer?
Yes, it can. You can use the iPad Camera Connection Kit. Or with some cameras, you can transfer the photos by WiFi. Or, worst case, you can transfer the photos to your computer and then to the iPad.
Based on what? Where's your evidence? And please explain how it is that you know more than Apple about what the iPad needs.
Yes, most people use a computer to back up an iPad or iPhone (although you can use the Cloud if you wish and if you are only using apps that support iCloud). So what? I can't use my convertible to transport 100 bags of mulch to my house every spring. Does that mean that the convertible isn't a transportation device?
The issue in this thread is that most people already have a computer. If they're looking for another one, an iPad will often meet their needs so an iPad may may more sense for some people than buying another desktop computer. Not ALL people. Maybe not even a large percentage of people. But SOME people can use an iPad instead of a desktop computer (and a few of them have posted here), so the concept that the iPad is cutting into HP's sales is not that difficult to comprehend.
Assuming a weight of 25 lbs per bag, 2500 lbs total, you most certainly will do damage to your suspension carrying that much weight. A half ton pick up is only certified to carry 1000lbs, you could probably get by with 2000, but 2500 would probably over do it. Now imagine that on a car lol even 20 lbs per bag
Like I said, its a matter of opinion. And thats cool that you can buy a printer for your daughter that works, my printer is GREAT but doesn't work with my ipad and i will not WASTE money buying another one. (not at all saying you did, i assume she needed one)
Games on the app store are cool, but they can sometimes be limited by the lack of mouse or keyboard.
Cloud services are great, but tend to be an expensive alternative to HDD or DVDs. I have well over 5Gb in pictures and videos alone on my iphone collected over 2 years and i do not use it much. But high res pictures and videos will need some space.
Adapter, adapter, and next thing you know? just buy an ultrabook. Look I love apple products. But, the iPad IMO (maybe not yours) is not there yet. I wouldn't consider an iphone a PC either (dont use the whole definition of the fact it computes stuff, so does my 20 dollar calculator, is that a computer? sorta but the type we are talking? no, by no means) an iphone is a smartphone, not a computer an ipad is a tablet not a tablet PC or a PC.
Crazy, cause i did a google search, and even STEVE JOBS himself, said its not a PC as we know it. Which is what i am aruging.
Yes, both smartphones and tablets meet the definition of a general purpose personal computer and some even look like traditional laptops when docked.
The iPhone/iPad + aTV + 32" HDTV + BT keyboard is as close as Apple comes (use the iPhone/iPad as a trackpad) but Moto and ASUS clearly shows that this a choice by Apple and not a technical limitation.
Comments
Most of the $9B is to write off their purchase of EDS. Unlike IBM, HP has not successfully made the transition to 'services-led' company and is too reliant on product sales. Obviously, tablets and smartphones have impacted ALL PC makers and HP, being the largest has felt the biggest impact. Whether Meg can turn the ship around is still TBD. I've had a couple of recently un-employed HP folks contact me lately about a job. Needless to say, HP has a long road ahead of it...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seankill
Like I said, its a matter of opinion. And thats cool that you can buy a printer for your daughter that works, my printer is GREAT but doesn't work with my ipad and i will not WASTE money buying another one. (not at all saying you did, i assume she needed one)
Games on the app store are cool, but they can sometimes be limited by the lack of mouse or keyboard.
Cloud services are great, but tend to be an expensive alternative to HDD or DVDs. I have well over 5Gb in pictures and videos alone on my iphone collected over 2 years and i do not use it much. But high res pictures and videos will need some space.
Adapter, adapter, and next thing you know? just buy an ultrabook. Look I love apple products. But, the iPad IMO (maybe not yours) is not there yet. I wouldn't consider an iphone a PC either (dont use the whole definition of the fact it computes stuff, so does my 20 dollar calculator, is that a computer? sorta but the type we are talking? no, by no means) an iphone is a smartphone, not a computer an ipad is a tablet not a tablet PC or a PC.
Crazy, cause i did a google search, and even STEVE JOBS himself, said its not a PC as we know it. Which is what i am aruging.
http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-03-02/tech/29977517_1_pc-market-tablet-market-pc-world
We have garment printers in our company that require a windows computer. They won't even work with an iMac running boot camp. Does that mean a mac isn't a computer? Of course not. Tons of printers sold in years past won't work with any computer on the market today. Some require the no longer supported AppleTalk, others require parallel ports, or lack drivers. The iPad prints. Someone buying an iPad for their only computer can buy a supported printer for as little as $40 if they need to print.
The iPad doesn't have a USB port connection for digital cameras. But you can still import photos, you can either get a USB adapter or you can do it wirelessly.
You said sometimes games on the iPad are limited because there is no keyboard/mouse. Sometimes games on a Mac/PC are limited because there is no direct touch input, no multitouch, no accelerometer, no gyroscope, etc.
Of course the iPad was not a PC as we knew it then just like the Mac wasn't a PC as we knew it in 1984, both redefined computing. Steve Jobs never once said the iPad wasn't a computer.
Apple laptops are doing better than competitors because Apple R&D is producing innovative designs and functions and eliminating less needed components or never installing them to begin with, such as BluRay.
Msft may be the only company that has a chance to steal some thunder with their Surface computer, but they wiil have to execute perfectly for that to happen. Windows 8 cannot be more bloat ware, and will have to work well on phones and tablets and laptops. Msft will take years to consolidate and simplify their product lines from the incoherent mess that exists today.
Then you have Android. There is no Android for the laptop space and I don't see that happening. Android is not about consolidation but about ubiquity on many competing small mobile devices.
So the future now looks like Apple vs Msft. If Apple and partners could compete with Office for that space -- wishful thinking.
Quote:
Originally Posted by waldobushman
...There is no longer any room for the traditional PC since a laptop has the necessary power now and can drive separate screens and use separate keyboards….
I could not disagree more. There is still a space for the desktop computer. I have no need to carry a laptop with me with my iPad and iPhone. Why pay for the miniaturization cost and other trade offs if you don't need it. I bought a new iMac to replace the one I had purchased 5 yrs previous. I did not have to pay for a redundant monitor, mine came with a 27" beautiful screen in one package. I did not have to decide if I wanted an SSD or a large HDD I was able to get both. I also have my optical disk read/write system that I do not need that often but is available when I want it -- I did not have to pay for an external one or connect to one in another machine. I didn't need to get a second keyboard because I wanted the entire full-size set of keys including a number pad. I have a very nice ThunderBolt option if I need it but did not have to pay $100+ for a cable to connect an external monitor I don't need and then more of the same for each extra peripheral. I was able to get a quad core i7 at 3.4Ghz without it being prohibitively expensive with a nice GPU and I don't have to worry about my Mac managing the builtin video versus the external GPU because of battery consumption. There are many other reasons why the iMac was the right choice for me and apparently millions of others.
I wouldn't be so pompous to say that everyone should buy a laptop or a Mac Pro. I still see a lot of value in the iMac and the Mac Mini and apparently so does Apple and there customers agree with there dollars. These will not go away anytime soon cause there is still a place for them. The trend for growth is definitely towards more laptops and less desktop (only) computers but you are seriously mistaken if you think that the day of the personal computer in the form of a desktop is gone.
HP began in a tiny garage in Palo Alto.
On it's way to becoming......
A tiny garage in Palo Alto.
I made this quote when applying to HP in 1978. When asked by an interviewer "what would happen if you were running HP". My answer... "we would probably become a tiny garage in Palo Alto".
It took far greater business minds to finally deliver on my prediction.
Yes, while the iPad will contribute to some losses in low-end netbooks and laptops, the loss was caused by the write-down and just like with Microsoft that is evidenced by looking at the last quarters:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/23/3039255/hp-q2-2012-financial-results
http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/hp-reports-q1-2012-earnings-30-billion-net-revenue-1-5-billi/
$8b+ loss is a lot to cover but they make a decent amount of profit when they aren't writing off massive losses.
They could do with getting more into mobile products. They have to give up the idea of using webOS but they can adapt Android to use parts of webOS then just focus on making high quality hardware. I think they should abandon the tower desktop market too but stick with AIOs as they can make margins on their own displays.
Quote:
Originally Posted by maccherry
Meg can't save that train wreck known as HP. She went in, cut 27,000 heads, stock price went up and in the end she'll probably eek what she lost trying to turn California into her personnel slush fund.
I expect her to bow out in less than six months.
Perhaps David Packard will return as a zombie and consume her brain as a light snack. I've mentioned this before regarding labor cuts. Do you really need to hand someone new a fat check to make such cuts? Add one person at the top, cut 27,000 beneath them. If they're lacking real ideas as opposed to silly tactics to prop up the stock price, they don't deserve such a job.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin
Yes, while the iPad will contribute to some losses in low-end netbooks and laptops, the loss was caused by the write-down and just like with Microsoft that is evidenced by looking at the last quarters:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/23/3039255/hp-q2-2012-financial-results
http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/22/hp-reports-q1-2012-earnings-30-billion-net-revenue-1-5-billi/
$8b+ loss is a lot to cover but they make a decent amount of profit when they aren't writing off massive losses.
They could do with getting more into mobile products. They have to give up the idea of using webOS but they can adapt Android to use parts of webOS then just focus on making high quality hardware. I think they should abandon the tower desktop market too but stick with AIOs as they can make margins on their own displays.
With Microsoft people already knew they were going to declare that at some point. They just picked a quarter with good revenue to even it out on paper. Note that their stock didn't really suffer after that writeoff. HP makes me sad. I still think the ipad could do more to displace other computers just by things like having a bit more memory. It has no addressable virtual memory system, so while it has computing power roughly on par with a G4, it's somewhat crippled in the amount of information that can be loaded. Supposedly one of the concerns there is the power consumption of volatile memory when in standby mode.
Actually, even without the write off, they still lost quite a bit of money for the quarter.
I don't understand why HP can't make WebOS viable. Palm was on their way to having a great mobile OS. I think one of their problems was trying to beat the iPhone 3GS/iOS 3 to market, which I recall them doing by a couple weeks. All this hype and their stock jumped 14x(?) in about 5(?) months and then dropped again right after they released an unfinished Pre and WebOS. I thought they had a chance if they only took a little more time to refine it and waited for an opportunity that wasn't dominated by the iPhone.
Their net revenue only dropped 5%, the write-down was for a $14b investment. The charge was $10.8b resulting in a loss of $8.9b. Without the charge, they'd be in profit ~$1.9b, which is consistent with their previous earnings.
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/376428/20120822/hp-loss-shares-earnings-whitman-writeoff-pc.htm
If they used it exclusively, they'd have to make hardware as good as Apple and they won't. This puts the platform at a very small share and there would be no developer interest as it costs money to invest in a new platform and the returns wouldn't be high enough. Without software, it discourages customers.
Microsoft have a chance of taking marketshare because they have a supporting eco-system with Windows and XBox along with a licensed model. WebOS is dead in the water so their only option is Android or WinPho but Android is by far the better option as they can add value by customising it.
They open sourced WebOS but they can't do much with it since Google took their development team:
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/mobile-news/rip-webos-again-and-for-good-this-time/7980
http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/24/3042441/hp-enyo-google
Quote:
Originally Posted by brlawyer
HP should receive a prize for the highest number of STUPID CEOs over the last 10 or 15 years. Carly Fiorina, the (b)witch, followed later by the mentally-challenged Whitman. What else could one expect in terms of financial results?
The problem more apparently seems to sit with the Board of HP, who keep making these boneheaded CEO selections...
Quote:
Originally Posted by jragosta
Wow. You sure managed to get a lot of things wrong in one post.
Starting with this one. There are plenty of games for the iPad. What in the world would make you think that ALL games required Flash?
Ignoring, of course, the thousands of games available for the iPad - which don't require a mouse.
So what? It supports WiFi printers just fine. And if you really MUST use a USB-only printer, you can put a cheap print server on the network and solve the problem.
Hint: Your Mac Pro won't support Serial or Parallel printers out of the box. Does that mean that it's not a 'real' computer?
Yes, it can. You can use the iPad Camera Connection Kit. Or with some cameras, you can transfer the photos by WiFi. Or, worst case, you can transfer the photos to your computer and then to the iPad.
Based on what? Where's your evidence? And please explain how it is that you know more than Apple about what the iPad needs.
Yes, most people use a computer to back up an iPad or iPhone (although you can use the Cloud if you wish and if you are only using apps that support iCloud). So what? I can't use my convertible to transport 100 bags of mulch to my house every spring. Does that mean that the convertible isn't a transportation device?
The issue in this thread is that most people already have a computer. If they're looking for another one, an iPad will often meet their needs so an iPad may may more sense for some people than buying another desktop computer. Not ALL people. Maybe not even a large percentage of people. But SOME people can use an iPad instead of a desktop computer (and a few of them have posted here), so the concept that the iPad is cutting into HP's sales is not that difficult to comprehend.
Assuming a weight of 25 lbs per bag, 2500 lbs total, you most certainly will do damage to your suspension carrying that much weight. A half ton pick up is only certified to carry 1000lbs, you could probably get by with 2000, but 2500 would probably over do it. Now imagine that on a car lol even 20 lbs per bag
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seankill
Like I said, its a matter of opinion. And thats cool that you can buy a printer for your daughter that works, my printer is GREAT but doesn't work with my ipad and i will not WASTE money buying another one. (not at all saying you did, i assume she needed one)
Games on the app store are cool, but they can sometimes be limited by the lack of mouse or keyboard.
Cloud services are great, but tend to be an expensive alternative to HDD or DVDs. I have well over 5Gb in pictures and videos alone on my iphone collected over 2 years and i do not use it much. But high res pictures and videos will need some space.
Adapter, adapter, and next thing you know? just buy an ultrabook. Look I love apple products. But, the iPad IMO (maybe not yours) is not there yet. I wouldn't consider an iphone a PC either (dont use the whole definition of the fact it computes stuff, so does my 20 dollar calculator, is that a computer? sorta but the type we are talking? no, by no means) an iphone is a smartphone, not a computer an ipad is a tablet not a tablet PC or a PC.
Crazy, cause i did a google search, and even STEVE JOBS himself, said its not a PC as we know it. Which is what i am aruging.
http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-03-02/tech/29977517_1_pc-market-tablet-market-pc-world
Jesus, are you doubling down on an indefensible position.
Printing:
PrintCentral - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/printcentral/id366020849?mt=8
Print n Share - http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/print-n-share-for-documents/id301656026?mt=8
Printer Pro - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/printer-pro/id393313223?mt=8
Games - hardware controllers including analog sticks and dpads.
iCade Core - joystick 8 game buttons - http://www.ionaudio.com/products/details/icadecore
iControlPad - bluetooth game controller - http://www.icontrolpad.com/
Every game genre is ably covered in the app store from turn based strat to RTS to FPS to RPGs.
Gigabytes of storage:
$161.49 500GB wireless HDD - http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Satellite-Wireless-External-STBF500101/dp/B004Z0S7K6/ref=pd_cp_e_2
$59.99 32GB wireless SSD - http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-Wi-Drive-Portable-WID-32GBZ/dp/B00576APEI/ref=pd_cp_e_0
Adapters:
We're talking about one adapter to import from a camera. If that is really bothering you:
Eye-Fi - http://support.eye.fi/features/direct/ios-eye-fi-app/
Smartphone is a computer. Look ma, keyboard and mouse:
Atrix 4G Laptop Dock Demo - http://support.eye.fi/features/direct/ios-eye-fi-app/
Tablet is a computer.
ASUS Transformer Review - http://reviews.cnet.com/tablets/asus-transformer-pad-infinity/4505-3126_7-35332613.html
Yes, both smartphones and tablets meet the definition of a general purpose personal computer and some even look like traditional laptops when docked.
The iPhone/iPad + aTV + 32" HDTV + BT keyboard is as close as Apple comes (use the iPhone/iPad as a trackpad) but Moto and ASUS clearly shows that this a choice by Apple and not a technical limitation.