Apple takes the crown from Microsoft today.

[rockymtnhigh]

I just don't see spreadsheets as an application that will ever truly be desktop-equivalent on an iPad. Just the very nature of it strikes me as unlikely. But who knows. Alas, I have a hard time imagining Microsoft being the one who pulls it off. We'll see.

 

[John Kotches]

Rocky:

When you bought the Air, you bought the first one @ 11" -- and swapped for the 13" because the 11" inch was too small. That made the point for me better than any amount of typing I do.

Next please



Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Rocky:

When you bought the Air, you bought the first one @ 11" -- and swapped for the 13" because the 11" inch was too small. That made the point for me better than any amount of typing I do.

Next please



Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2

It was partly the screen, and partly the ergonomic nature of it, caused my back to go nuts. AND the high resolution on the screen which made it darn impossible for my old eyes to function.

BUT I lived for years with a Fujitsu Lifebook with a 12" screen, not much bigger than the iPad. And even the 13" mba or pro is NOT huge when it comes to screen real estate. My point is that folks can - and do - function quite well with relatively small real estate. Not everyone needs huge monitors.

 

[John Kotches]

Rocky:

And the ergonomics (which I mentioned in my first post) changes for others how?

Tablets are designed for roughly half an arms length viewing distance. Not the most comfortable way to type for any length of time.

And my objection is strictly ergonomic.

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Luckily, many people do not have my back.

And Apple apparently sells plenty of the 11" model, otherwise they would not sell it. So, many people can function with it. Me, not so much. An iPad is different. Different in how it is held.

 

[TheForce]

John- I agree with you about lengthy typing but I believe 50% of my objection to the ipad for typing long documents is the keyboard and it's interpretation. Not the screen size. This could be resolved by a different application, I assume.

With screen size and spreadsheets, I can get along just fine using my 10" Dell ( XPS 1210) and Excel. I don't think screen size would be a restriction for me at least and if it did, and at home, I would get out the VGA adapter and put the display on a 24" monitor. I went from a 14" HP laptop to the Dell to get a smaller form factor. On both I did Excel and also performed video editing and presentation work. The solution for me in editing video in a hotel room was to put on a pair of +2 diopter reading glasses and move closer to the screen.
With the ipad, most of the apps are displayed in very large type size which makes cramming lots of spreadsheet cells on the screen impossible. I have one that has a good zoom capability but then the touch screen isn't high enough resolution to work well. A feature I would like to see in a future ipad is the ability to switch to conventional mouse input as an option. With this and external keyboard and monitor ( already available) we can possibly replace all laptops. Now you have a device that can dock for a limited computing desktop, be good in the field as a small laptop and go self contained as a tablet.

Mike- I do believe Microsoft is the one to make Office like product work for the ipad. They didn't do such a bad job on the Mac. I used spreadsheets since the first Visicalc and then several copycat versions and Excel is THE best spreadsheet ever, but that's just my opinion.

 

[rockymtnhigh]

John- I agree with you about lengthy typing but I believe 50% of my objection to the ipad for typing long documents is the keyboard and it's interpretation. Not the screen size. This could be resolved by a different application, I assume.

With screen size and spreadsheets, I can get along just fine using my 10" Dell ( XPS 1210) and Excel. I don't think screen size would be a restriction for me at least and if it did, and at home, I would get out the VGA adapter and put the display on a 24" monitor. I went from a 14" HP laptop to the Dell to get a smaller form factor. On both I did Excel and also performed video editing and presentation work. The solution for me in editing video in a hotel room was to put on a pair of +2 diopter reading glasses and move closer to the screen.
With the ipad, most of the apps are displayed in very large type size which makes cramming lots of spreadsheet cells on the screen impossible. I have one that has a good zoom capability but then the touch screen isn't high enough resolution to work well. A feature I would like to see in a future ipad is the ability to switch to conventional mouse input as an option. With this and external keyboard and monitor ( already available) we can possibly replace all laptops. Now you have a device that can dock for a limited computing desktop, be good in the field as a small laptop and go self contained as a tablet.

Mike- I do believe Microsoft is the one to make Office like product work for the ipad. They didn't do such a bad job on the Mac. I used spreadsheets since the first Visicalc and then several copycat versions and Excel is THE best spreadsheet ever, but that's just my opinion.

Microsoft wrote Office for the Mac a LONG time ago. And while it remains a solid program, it is always lower on their priority list as to upgrades. MY comment about being leery of them with an iPad app is their history with tablet computing in the past - and I guess just a sense that they will always try to make it "Windows"-like, hopefully I am wrong.

 

[avg1joe]

A feature I would like to see in a future ipad is the ability to switch to conventional mouse input as an option. With this and external keyboard and monitor

I'll bet someone else does this before apple. Can you do all that with an asus transformer and an lcd tv?

 

[TheForce]

I'll bet someone else does this before apple. Can you do all that with an asus transformer and an lcd tv?

What's an asus transformer?

Sent from my iPad3 using SatelliteGuys app

 

[Ronnie-]

What's an asus transformer?

Sent from my iPad3 using SatelliteGuys app

http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad_Transformer_TF101/

 

[TheForce]

Thanks. That looks interesting. Need to look into that. I wonder if windows 8 will open the door to what I really want? The asus still runs android and I don't see a way to connect a mouse. I guess android will limit Excel compatibility but I see it does offer a spreadsheet. Need to study this closer.

 

[osu1991]

Thanks. That looks interesting. Need to look into that. I wonder if windows 8 will open the door to what I really want? The asus still runs android and I don't see a way to connect a mouse. I guess android will limit Excel compatibility but I see it does offer a spreadsheet. Need to study this closer.

That's another reason I like my 10" Toshiba Thrive. It has full size ports for usb, sd card and hdmi. Just plug the wireless usb plug for my logitech laptop mouse into the usb port and a mouse pointer shows up on the screen.

 

[avg1joe]

The asus still runs android and I don't see a way to connect a mouse.

The asus transformer dock has two usb ports built into the keyboard with trackpad. I've been eyeing a used one on craigslist but don't actually need another gadget.

 

[John Kotches]

You can use a usb mouse, you can use a wireless mouse with a dongle or you can use a Bluetooth mouse.

I have used all of the above with my transformer prime.

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Stargazer]

I love the Transformer's design. I believe they just came out with a quad core processor so the dual core tablets are being discounted a bit now.

The issue I see with tablets are the difference in screen sizes. The 7 inch is a bit more portable than the 10 inch ones. Some may want something as small as a phone. Looks like problem has been solved when it comes to functionality and we can thank apps for that. Camera/video/phone/etc. In a way you don't have to carry a camcorder, a camera, a phone and a laptop with you to do tasks. The problem now is size. This is causing people to have to carry multiple devices with them. A smart phone, a tablet and a laptop. We still need something to replace all these devices.

The next revolution will be adjustable screen size. That may be quite a feat. Perhaps OLED that roll out or connected screens that snap together? Connecting multiple mini tablets together to get the size that you want? Perhaps the future of television as well to get the screen size that you want? I like how you can connect an HDMI cable to it to connect to a television to get the display on a larger screen.

 

[John Kotches]

they launched the transformer prime in December of least year. They didn't just release quad core.

Regards,

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2

 

[TheForce]

You can use a usb mouse, you can use a wireless mouse with a dongle or you can use a Bluetooth mouse.

I have used all of the above with my transformer prime.

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2

That's great! How are the spreadsheet apps in compatibility with Excel?

As far as convergence of different devices, I don't see the need for a laptop and a tablet when traveling except in special cases where nothing I do even qualifies. But today, while my smart phone has a good HD camera, I still carry a 3D camcorder (Panasonic 3D1) in a small pouch on my belt. The 3D quality of some 3D smart phones doesn't cut my personal minimum standards while the 3D1 does. I agree for most people a good smartphone easily doubles as a video camcorder and still camera.

You all have convinced me that I need to stay on top of this Transformer concept as it may be the perfect thing for my new needs. Looking forward to seeing if this form factor will be available in a Windows version that will load all my windows software. Then I'm a buyer immediately.

 

[Poke]

Yeah kind of misleading Microsoft not going any where and still has more market share on allot of things. Android leading in mobile market up to 60% which out of that 60% 40% of that is Samsung devices. Just another reason why Apple went after them in court they got 1 Billion from them but really wont hurt them Apple just mad that their loosing in the mobile market. Now with Microsoft getting serious about the Mobile Market Google already came out said their more worried about Microsoft due to all the Top Hardware Manufactures that make their phones will be making Win 8 Devices as well. So basically more Windows 8 Phones to hit the market more to choose from so forth this fall and next year as well so Apple knows this just like Android does.

Apple doing well in the touch market with their Ipad but now with Windows 8 tablets and slates coming out this fall and next year Apple nows that things are going to get tuff and there will be more Windows 8 devices out there to choose from just like there is on the phone side of things. So towards the end of this year and by end of next year things are really going to shake up. Most of my user have stop drinking the Apple Juice like and Apple always done a good job with their propaganda machine but people are realizing it's still a Mac and always will be..

So on the Mobile side of things Android,Microsoft will be in the top 2 of the market with Apple in 3rd Blackberry will go under or get bought out like WebOS and the door will be closed on them. On touch side Apple in the lead for awhile until more Windows 8 devices start hitting the market like the Surface,HP,Dell,Samsung,Nokia,Asus all the manufactures start rolling out things that will effect the market and I see Ipad staying in the lead but could fall some or just barley keep the lead.Android as not done well here with touch so forth their bread winner is all in their mobile devices.. Overall Microsoft will be making some big jumps over the next year or so it interestingting to see what they have in their hat.. Just my 2 cents..

 

[TheForce]

Well, that's a bit more than 2 cents worth out of your crystal ball, Poke. What I found funny, was your comment: " So towards the end of this year and by end of next year things are really going to shake up." What was funny is I've been hearing comments like that for the past 4 years from all the crystal ball gazers. What shakes upward is the growth of Apple and shaking downward, the slow demise of once strongholds like Dell, HP, RIMM, Nokia, and Motorola. Google is holding its own but growth has been flat to slightly negative on their stock for the past 5 years. EPS has grown about 250% which is nice but that has not extruded into the share price. Apple stock has grown 460% and EPS over 900%. Microsoft stock is also flat for 5 years and Earnings Per Share is up only 12% over 5 years.

I do believe that had Google not made their big blunder (with respect to world wide growth) 2 years ago it would be doing much better, but every company will make a big mistake and cut off a huge opportunity. We don't see any of that yet with Apple.

 

[TheForce]

More analysts weigh in: Pay heed to the last sentence:

Road now clear for Apple for years ahead
3:06p ET August 27, 2012 (MarketWatch)

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Apple Inc.'s victory over Samsung in court is an even bigger deal than it looks on the surface. Obviously it's a huge financial windfall, but still more than that to the Apple investor.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based company's rising share of the consumer-technology sector is about to accelerate, which means Apple (AAPL) may about to take a truly dominant revenue position over its closest competitors.

It's a position Apple can already defend in the marketplace -- and in U.S. courts -- with its massive cash reserve.

The size of the verdict will lower the operating margins Samsung is earning on its smartphone operations, and therefore make it a tougher investment to justify given the breadth of the consumer products offered by the electronics giant.

What's more, Samsung's loss is also Google's, as the former was one of the largest hardware partners for the Android software. Android is the only legitimate rival right now to Apple in the handheld market.

The decision won't damage Google's own financial numbers, of course, since Android is a channel for Google to sell search advertising, a marketing expense.

Yet Google is the only company putting serious pressure on Apple's software development in the most lucrative and fastest-growing part of the global consumer-tech market, in terms of popular features.

The game is over for Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) in the handheld sector. Chief Executive Steve Ballmer made an 11th-hour bet on Nokia Corp. (NOK) as a hardware partner and lost. Forget it. As long as the form factor is a handset or tablet, Microsoft is going to be to Apple in mobile what Apple once was to Microsoft in PCs: a niche irritant.

The industry has swung back to its roots, courtesy of a multidecade design effort by the late Steve Jobs and his top executives. Apple may own the Nasdaq Composite Index (COMP) for the next five years.

Make no mistake, the technology industry is no longer a young one. It's still the one with the best profit margins and often the most growth. Along with financial services, tech suffers highly volatile swings as growth accelerates or slows, which is why tech investing is riskier.

But the history of tech is a list of innovations that were absorbed into the sector's mainstream and fought over by a group of companies that focused on two or three, at most.

Database software is International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) , Microsoft and Oracle Corp. (ORCL) Networking is Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) and Juniper Networks Inc. (JNPR) PCs are Dell Inc. (DELL) and Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) Phone and Internet service is AT&T Inc. (T) , Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) and the cable giants. Business and consumer software is still Microsoft.

The consumer-tech industry is now ripe for consolidation, and Apple is going to start gobbling up an even greater share of the revenue pie.

I don't own stock in any individual companies, long or short, but when friends or family ask me what to do with their money right now, I tell them to buy some Apple stock on any reasonable dip.