"Wow!!!" -- That's what I expected to feel coming out of the Apple iPad announcement. Not even close. Underwhelmed.
If Microsoft had come out with an announcement that was as weak as today's Apple announcement they would have been slaughtered in the press. The media have drunk the Apple koolaid. Instead we get headlines like this from Infoworld:
Why the iPad will kill the netbook (and the Chrome OS)
(Read the article here: http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobilize/why-ipad-will-kill-netbook-and-chrome-os-911)
Are you kidding?? Maybe in a year when Apple gets the next version right and adds multi-tasking and hopefully lets us see the full web (including Flash.) The market wants a smaller Mac computer, not a larger ipod Touch.
A fellow I work with brought in his new Netbook this week... Under $400, 250GB hard drive, runs full operating systems (Linux, Windows (many flavors)) and multi-tasks. It can read ePub and Kindle eBooks and PDFs and running Open Office or MS Office and run a laundry list of apps. And it can show web sites that use Flash.
E-Ink integrated with the "normal" display capabilities, as was rumored, would have made this a more interesting and compelling product. Nope. Wasn't to be seen today.
Will some buy the iPad? Yes indeed.
Will it be a runaway success? I doubt it.
Will it kill Netbooks? Not a chance.
Microsoft's Slate line of tablet products coming in a wide variety of formats will run a real O/S that can show the full web. And for those who love the Mac O/S, perhaps the community will have a way to turn them into a full "Hack-intosh" as is being done with many Netbooks...
Want to save yourself time on getting up to speed on the iPad announcement? Engadget's coverage is excellent: http://www.engadget.com and includes a full transcript with screenshots of the event (start at the bottom and read up... they were live-blogging the event and refreshing kept the latest info at hand.)
I must begrudgingly agree with you. I was underwhelmed. I enjoy Apple products. Love my Ipod, and I use my 12" Powerbook G4 as my primary computer . . . because, it's just a solid, well built, laptop. I've been waiting to replace it, but why? No battery issues, dead pixels, or bugs of the latest offerings from Cupertino. But truthfully, I haven't switched to an iPhone and won't be getting an iPad because I resent being dictated to regarding the use of a particular telco in order to fully utilize a pricey product I paid my HARD-earned money for.
Posted by: MJS | January 27, 2010 at 10:36 PM