The release of iPad, as everyone expected, changed the way we feel about tablets. Back in our times, Tablets were no different than simple laptops with windows that responded to stylus. Nothing exclusive, nothing special.
But things have changed, drastically. Tablets are now referred to as slates having a specialized operating systems. When I say specialised, i mean an operating system thats made for Touch ( the very purpose of a Tablet) and not the same old thing that you got on your desktop. Is that a good thing though? Maybe for most, maybe not for all.
Today we have iPad continuing its record breaking sales. Why is iPad a big deal in the eyes of consumers? Its all because of its mega hit iPhone OS backed by enormous developer support. Think about it, would you buy it if it ran Ubuntu? or even (for the sake of argument) Windows? Obviously not, because it does not represents something different.
Most consumers in the world are just that, CONSUMERS and not content makers or publishers. All they would want is a way to play a few games, write a few documents, read a few books, browse the internet, facebook, twitter and a little more. Where as guys like us, who say that iPad isn’t enough and ready yet, do alot more, Publish articles, develop software sometimes burn the device by its intensive usage 24/7. But we are not a majority, we are a Minority.
Manufactures tend to follow Apple since aah well, the last five years since the advent of iPhone and thats exactly why we’ll be seeing many new Slates with customised or entirely new operating system from a many manufacturers. Even Toshiba is set to release tablets. HP bought Palm and rumors of a brand new HP slate with WebOS have erupted and a simple guess is it’ll pose a big challenge to iPad.
Android Tablets have been out with many prototypes and many on the way. Microsoft, with the launch of Windows Phone 7, will have their latest mobile OS hitting the stores later this year. And a simple probability is the launch of Windows phone 7 sported mobile tablets, slates.
So you see the trend? Its now about new tablets with equally new mobile operating systems and thus better experiences. We might see a future where most consumers will have desktop and a slate keeping the laptop for guys like us.
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May 14th, 2010 at 11:26 pm
Solid point about consumers. I often times forget that the masses are just CONSUMERS. When I look at things like the iPad or iPhone, I often times think that – “Oh man, I can’t do anything with that,” forgetting that I’m a power user. I suppose to the average person and apple fan boys, apple products do really speak to the masses. I am, however, very interested in the Archos 7 – if it came with 2.1
May 24th, 2010 at 3:35 am
iPad will change things for us i think. mostly the university kids and oldies. damn right!
July 6th, 2010 at 3:48 am
Ever since the iphone came out Apple has the “coolness” factor to all their products. Basically anything they put out will have a cult following from the start. The ipad certainly has the “cool factor”, and until someone steals some of the iphone thunder all Apple products will have a cult following to some degree.
July 13th, 2010 at 5:53 am
gonna sell my notebook right now and purhcase ipad
July 16th, 2010 at 9:20 am
I often times forget that the masses are just CONSUMERS. When I look at things like the iPad or iPhone, I often times think that – “Oh man, I can’t do anything with that,” forgetting that I’m a power user. I suppose to the average person and apple fan boys, apple products do really speak to the masses.
July 30th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
good post and good site,I will come back later..
July 31st, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Better get Notion Ink Adam than iPad:
http://nextparadigms.com/notion-ink-adam-tablet-will-have-froyo-why-this-still-disappoints/
August 2nd, 2010 at 12:43 pm
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