Apple to upset the tech cart on Wednesday

[Jacob]

Not what I wanted.

I'm interested in a tablet of some sort, and many of Apple's design concepts are attractive, but this is not what I want.

I'll give it another look when they come out with the next version.  When is that likely?  Another year or two?

[MadImmortalMan]

Not what I wanted.

I'm interested in a tablet of some sort, and many of Apple's design concepts are attractive, but this is not what I want.

I'll give it another look when they come out with the next version.  When is that likely?  Another year or two?

If it's anything like the first Newton, there won't be a second version.

[derspiess]

- Music player is a hybrid between iPhone and regular iTunes.
- Showing off browsing: Apple, New York Times, Time, Fandango. One article appears to show plug-in error...no Flash?

that bolded part annoys me about iphone.

Heh.




My Android phone has weak flash support

[Barrister]

Not what I wanted.

I'm interested in a tablet of some sort, and many of Apple's design concepts are attractive, but this is not what I want.

I'll give it another look when they come out with the next version.  When is that likely?  Another year or two?

Typically Apple does a refresh about once a year.  iPods and iPhones have been almost religiously on that schedule.  iMacs and MacBooks are generally on that schedule.  A few niche products (Apple TV, Mac Mini) have at times gone years without a refresh.

Depending on what you want though, waiting a year may not change much.  The iPhone has gained capabilities, but is still fundamentally the same as the 1st gen.

[Barrister]

Speaking of comparing 'apples to non-apples', you can't possible comopare an iPhone sold with a massive carrier subsidy (and an enormous 3 year contract) to an unlocked device.

Then why were you doing so?

I wasn't.   I was comparing an unlocked, unsubsidized iPhone to this thing (which is also unlocked and unsubsidized).

And Speiss's Archos tablet seemed to be the same price as the iPad.

Selling like hotcakes is that thing?

There's two separate issues here.

1. Is the item overpriced for the components you get?  I think the answer is no, this isn't just an outrageously marked-up "apple taxed" product.

2. Is the item too expensive for what people are willing to pay?  That's a very different question.  And I guess we'll find out.  Myself I have no idea, not being an expert in consumer eletronics marketing.

[Savonarola]

Depending on what you want though, waiting a year may not change much.  The iPhone has gained capabilities, but is still fundamentally the same as the 1st gen.

There have been major changes in the phone part of the iPhone.  The first generation was GPRS/Edge, second generation was UMTS and the third generation is UMTS 7.2 compatible.

[Barrister]

Depending on what you want though, waiting a year may not change much.  The iPhone has gained capabilities, but is still fundamentally the same as the 1st gen.

There have been major changes in the phone part of the iPhone.  The first generation was GPRS/Edge, second generation was UMTS and the third generation is UMTS 7.2 compatible.

I agree those are major changes to an electrical engineer.   

[Iormlund]

Depending on what you want though, waiting a year may not change much.  The iPhone has gained capabilities, but is still fundamentally the same as the 1st gen.

There have been major changes in the phone part of the iPhone.  The first generation was GPRS/Edge, second generation was UMTS and the third generation is UMTS 7.2 compatible.

I agree those are major changes to an electrical engineer.   

He got you there Sav.

[Savonarola]

There have been major changes in the phone part of the iPhone.  The first generation was GPRS/Edge, second generation was UMTS and the third generation is UMTS 7.2 compatible.

I agree those are major changes to an electrical engineer.   

They should be noticeable changes for the consumer too; EDGE is incredibly slow relative to the current version of UMTS.

[Savonarola]

He got you there Sav.

The maximum speed of the first iPhone was 200 KB/s, the maximum speed of the current phone is 14 MB/s.  I think even a lawyer could tell the difference between those two.

[Iormlund]

Except that in the real world, nobody buys it for that price - an iPhone is $199. And that $499 tag is for the completely gimped version.

We buy a lot of unlocked iPhones to bribe our clients. I doubt we're alone in this.

[Barrister]

He got you there Sav.

The maximum speed of the first iPhone was 60 KB/s, the maximum speed of the current phone is 14 MB/s.  I think even a lawyer could tell the difference between those two.

I more meant however that the changes in the iPhone have been evolutionary, not revolutionary.  Faster downloads, faster processor, bigger camera, more memory.

It's never gained a physical keyboard.

So depending on what Jacob thought was missing in this thing, waiting for the next generation might not fix whatever he's looking for.

[Iormlund]

He got you there Sav.

The maximum speed of the first iPhone was 60 KB/s, the maximum speed of the current phone is 14 MB/s.  I think even a lawyer could tell the difference between those two.

I don't know. Having worked at something close to tech support, my faith in mankind is not that high.

Anyway, most people buy this phone for the same reasons they buy a Mercedes or BMW: the logo. Not whether it has 3G or GPRS.
Meanwhile I bought a crappy-brand car because it was cheap, well built, had a nice warranty, 5 EuroNCAP stars, independent suspension and chain instead of belt. And people who bought an A3 for twice what I paid look down on me.

[derspiess]

There's two separate issues here.

1. Is the item overpriced for the components you get?  I think the answer is no, this isn't just an outrageously marked-up "apple taxed" product.

2. Is the item too expensive for what people are willing to pay?  That's a very different question.  And I guess we'll find out.  Myself I have no idea, not being an expert in consumer eletronics marketing.

For an Apple product, it's reasonably priced.

Having said that, for what you are paying you are getting a severely gimped device in comparison to that Archos 9, which can do multitasking, runs Win7 & therefore is compatible with a multitude of USB devices, has a video output to a larger monitor, etc., etc.

Tablets by their very nature are luxury devices at any practical price.  They can't replace a smartphone nor a laptop (or even a netbook IMO), so they fall somewhere in the middle.  Although I've been wrong about Apple products before, I can't see the iPad doing too well, even among the kool-aid drinkers.

[Josephus]

Myself, I have trouble seeing where it'd fit into my life, although I think it sounds neat.

Do you even have a cellphone yet, BB?