Who's buying a tablet?

[mperdue]

I'm gearing up for iPhone and Android development so I thought I'd ask you guys if you plan to buy one of the upcoming tablets. Apple has announced the date when iPads will be available and I'm sure Android based tablets will be close behind. So, my questions are:

1) Do you plan to buy one of the tablets that will be released this year? (Yes, No, Maybe)

2) If yes, which one? (iPad, Android, other)

Thanks for your input,

Mario

Can a mod fix the typo in the thread title? Please!

 

[Pepper]

Who is Woh and why does he want one?

I either need a computer on my desk or something that fits in my pocket and can make phone calls. No use for anything in between.

 

[fleetfarmer]

1. No. Not now or probably ever.

 

[TheForce]

I may get one for the Kitchen / wife. She just needs app for e-mail and web browsing and some media viewing. Sure wish it had a front video cam as we will need video skype on it too. Don't need 3G, wifi will work fine. If I can't attach a video cam to it, I'll just wait for a model that can.

Another concern is I want to be able to use it by the pool for web surfing and reading books. But if it doesn't work well in brite sun, I'll be disappointed.

 

[meStevo]

Will probably get a touchscreen netbook when the time comes, cheaper and more functional. If I had to pick today, would probably take something like this over an ipad - [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Touch-8-9-Inch-Tablet-Netbook-Battery/dp/B002GCR04Y"]Amazon.com: Asus Eee PC T91SA-VU1X-BK 8.9-Inch Intel Atom Netbook Computer (Black): Computer &?@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Joj4QiUzL.@@AMEPARAM@@41Joj4QiUzL[/ame]

 

[TheForce]

IMO- Netbooks are just crippled laptops. What I see in the ipad is more of an appliance to surf the web, do stock trades, reader, media player ( as in a picture frame with slide show/video) and e-mail reader type stuff. Wife and I were discussing it last night and I told her everything she uses the laptop for can be done on the ipad, maybe easier except those rare times she needs to use Excel for complex spreadsheets. Then she'll need to get the laptop out. Then she reminded me that even her laptop doesn't have a big enough screen for her spreadsheets.
Therefore before I buy, I'll just want to shop and play at the stores. I don't see this as a replacement for my laptop, nor PDA phone. Rather just an appliance for communications. Lack of Flash has me a bit concerned for ipad, though. It may be a deal killer for me. I'm in no hurry, that is for certain.

I think people who thumbs down the device before even looking at them hands on are just afraid of the future and scared of change. I'll give it a fair shake out before jumping into one but until then, I'll give it a fair chance.

 

[SteveC]

I will give the Android tablets a serious look when they come out.

 

[diogen]

Despite St. Jobs claiming to having invented everything computer related under the sun, they have never before created a market.
They sure had a hand in transforming some of them: iPod (legitimate sales if digital audio) and iPhone (what actually a smartphone can do) comes to mind.
But every time it was an existing (old) idea with an Apple "twist" applied to it; AppStore being their biggest invention in the last ~5 years.

With the iPad it is an attempt to create a market. I think it will be harder. But if successful, the payoff will be even better.

Diogen.

 

[meStevo]

All it takes is something with more horsepower to hit price points that are already going to be much lower than the ipad's and it will be much easier for people to scratch the 'everyone's getting a tablet' itch.

FirstView's $95 Android / Windows CE PC607V tips a craptablet iceberg at CeBIT -- Engadget

$95 Android tablet.

By no means a beast hardware/software wise, but if I wanted a tablet for just for email and web browsing, the entry level price point is going to be remarkably low.

 

[diogen]

Apple has a very consistent approach: don't muck with what works!

First, it was the iPod and iTunes.
Before that, having a bunch of MP3s on your PC/PDA was a synonym of being involved a "copyright infringement".
iTunes made this legit for the price of lock-in.

iPhone built on top of iPod's success.
Reportedly, even Jobs wasn't a fan of the closed AppStore idea. The decision was made to try and it turned out as successful as iTunes.

I think both, iPod and iPhone pretty much reached its top in marketshare.
Companies are more aware of what Apple can do and big players - Google, Microsoft, Nokia, Sony - are taking this fight much more seriously.

To preserve profits you either try to create a new market (iPad) or fight using the patent stick.

And having such a loyal installed base is icing on the cake.
What publicly traded company could ever get away with this type marketing BS

When they play with the iPad and experience the magic of using it ... I have a hard time believing they're going to go for a netbook.

Apple: iPad Will Beat Netbooks With "Magic" - PCWorld

Diogen.

 

[fleetfarmer]

I think people who thumbs down the device before even looking at them hands on are just afraid of the future and scared of change. I'll give it a fair shake out before jumping into one but until then, I'll give it a fair chance.

I don't need one or want one.

I didn't say I was scared to touch one.

I'm not afraid of the future and scared of change.

 

[meStevo]

I think people who thumbs down the device before even looking at them hands on are just afraid of the future and scared of change. I'll give it a fair shake out before jumping into one but until then, I'll give it a fair chance.

This is different though. If it were the first portable computer or something then I'd understand, or the first ipod touch. It's not though, it's an Applie iTunes AppStore Kiosk, with little/no support for doing anything else. Designed from the ground up to generate revenue based off accessories and app store purchases.

I have a Droid, I have a nice new i7 Windows 7 based computer I built myself after beta testing the OS for months, I'm by no means afraid of new technology. I'm just smart enough to know when a $500 device is probably about $300 more than what it should be for what I am getting.

It will see initial success, and then the price will have to come down significantly to compete with tablets that are actual netbook/notebook replacements rather than something that tries to define a place in the middle and can't replace either.

 

[mperdue]

The relative merits of the iPad vs Android tablet vs netbook are unimportant to me; I plan to support the first two but not the last one. I'm really just trying to get a feel for whether anyone is planing to buy one of the various tablets. I'm sure there are other threads where the features of these things can be compared and discussed.

Mario

 

[TheForce]

When you say support, in what capacity?

I know the ipad doesn't really have a place here in my office where I do my business of TV production. But if it can do the stuff we need elsewhere around the house, I can see having one with a keyboard and, hopefully webcam in the kitchen and another located in my Home Theater to be portable to use outdoors on the patio as well.

mestevo- when I said afraid of new technology, I didn't mean to insult those who are comfortable with a desktop computer or using a 21st century cell phone, I meant those who will automatically thumbs down any paradigm shift in technology. While the tablet is certainly not new, combining the concept with Apple's record for design and marketing will be what it takes to show the concept to many non-techies who are just interested in an easier way to get information-- an appliance for the internet and other modern day activities that previously required a computer.

 

[mperdue]

When you say support, in what capacity?

Application development. I already have a variety of projects in the design stage but I'm always looking for new ideas.

Mario

 

[rglore]

I'm definitely buying one. Used an iPhone for two weeks on vacation instead of taking a laptop and the only issue was the tiny screen and it wasn't that bad. Didn't miss Flash at all, many flash sites had iPhone versions anyway. Instead of the wife and I fighting over the laptop at home in the evening for surfing and e-mail, adding the iPad will be perfect. I doubt we will ever buy another full computer, the iPad seems to be all we will ever need, especially since it will work with wireless keyboards for writing projects and always has internet connectivity.

 

[vurbano]

no not ever

 

[mike123abc]

I can see a definite place for tablets. They are useful around the house like in bed or on the couch where you want to look up something, but do not plan on writing essays. A laptop can be awkward to manage while watching TV.

It would be great on a plane. Given the seat restrictions in coach where the person in front of you practically lays in your lap, it would be much better than a laptop to watch movies on, or otherwise be entertained.

Will I buy one now? No, I want to see G2. I want a few more things with it, that will probably be in the second version. I would like to see it have everything the iPhone has in it... Camera, GPS, etc. I really would like to see flash on it too, I do not want to use a stripped down interface meant for a phone when going to web sites on a full sized screen.

 

[Peter Parker]

I may get one for the Kitchen / wife. She just needs app for e-mail and web browsing and some media viewing. Sure wish it had a front video cam as we will need video skype on it too. Don't need 3G, wifi will work fine. If I can't attach a video cam to it, I'll just wait for a model that can.

Another concern is I want to be able to use it by the pool for web surfing and reading books. But if it doesn't work well in brite sun, I'll be disappointed.

Couldn't you do all of that with a netbook?

 

[vurbano]

I don't need one or want one.

I didn't say I was scared to touch one.

I'm not afraid of the future and scared of change.

ditto.