Anyone else not impressed by tablets?

[xSauronx]

I'd not know how to use it. I'd get a smartphone before that. If I have a smartphone, what do I need the tablet for?
for taking notes a real keyboard and laptop is just better.

yeah, i can do a lot with my smartphone and its very convenient, good enough to not carry paper at all for notes (gtask sync ftmfw) but for a lot of notes i need my laptop or desktop.

i work in IT, so i always have one or the other. i prefer a smaller tablet...I have a nook color and an ipad and prefer the size of the nook by far, but i wish it were a little wider.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

I'm proud for you. You've obviously gone to college and have heard of the bell shaped curve?

What's your degree in? I'd guess it's not math, statistics, marketing, anything that requires critical thinking or math skills right?

Really? This coming from a guy who thinks he can accurately determine someones income based on if they own an iPad or not.

I'm guessing your next post will be about how much money you made off Apple stock even though it is completely irrelevant.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

As a parent, my Ipad 2 has been awesome. My 3 year old son can operate it like a champ.

I also like it for general web browsing, watching movies in bed, etc. It does everything I would do with a laptop, and is less bulky. I particularly like that it doesn't get hot when I use it for extended periods of time.

If you need a "full featured" computer, get one. But if all you need is a powerful media/internet device, tablets can be pretty attractive.

 

[rchiu]

As a parent, my Ipad 2 has been awesome. My 3 year old son can operate it like a champ.

I also like it for general web browsing, watching movies in bed, etc. It does everything I would do with a laptop, and is less bulky. I particularly like that it doesn't get hot when I use it for extended periods of time.

If you need a "full featured" computer, get one. But if all you need is a powerful media/internet device, tablets can be pretty attractive.

Exactly, ipad is great for light computing use, and big portion of computer users only need light computing, surf the web, social networking, light email/gaming.

Just because some computer geek in a tech forum isn't impressed by tablet doesn't mean a big portion of computer users won't find tablet useful.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Really? This coming from a guy who thinks he can accurately determine someones income based on if they own an iPad or not.

I'm guessing your next post will be about how much money you made off Apple stock even though it is completely irrelevant.

Nah, I could explain bell shaped curves and distributions to you, but what fun is that?

 

[H54]

For something that can be more expensive than a decent laptop, less capable, less open, and hardly more portable, I am certainly not impressed. I'll be sticking with a laptop for some time to come.

 

[NeoV]

I don't think Apple cares if it's impressed you or not - they are selling like mad, and most industry pundits think they are going to continue to do so for a long time.

If you don't need all the extra capability - they are absolutely ideal. If you have kids - ditto. Agree some of them are more expensive than they should be, but that's simple supply and demand.

I have 2 and the kids love them.

 

[Cerb]

There is nothing any tablet currently offers that is worth giving up a T-series keyboard for, and even if external keyboards of similar quality were to exist, it would be more hassle than just carrying a notebook computer. Until we get color book readers tied to large booksellers, I just can't see the value.

If the keyboard must be given up for portability, a good smartphone is a better compromise, IMO. It will fit in most pockets comfortably, and works as a phone.

 

[SP33Demon]

Never buying a tablet. The only one I would consider would be a kindle but that will only be if I decide to switch to reading real books ---> e-ink.

 

[IGBT]

apple does an excellent job of selling mediocrity to the masses. They have accomplished what the fast food vendors and tobacco companies have accomplished with strategic advertisement. Brand loyalty. Once brand loyalty is established repackaging of similar existing products and marketed as "next" and "new" becomes easy and highly profitable.

 

[Pliablemoose]

apple does an excellent job of selling mediocrity to the masses. They have accomplished what the fast food vendors and tobacco companies have accomplished with strategic advertisement. Brand loyalty. Once brand loyalty is established repackaging of similar existing products and marketed as "next" and "new" becomes easy and highly profitable.

That used to be true, however currently, I think that's not accurate, look at Anands reviews of Apple products for the last few years.

You might also ask the manufacturers about how "mediocre" the iPad is, they seem to have a hard time keeping up.

I keep seeing phrases like "The XXX tablet is the best tablet that isn't the iPad, but if you want a tablet, buy an iPad"

But hey, hold onto those misconceptions.

 

[H54]

they are selling like mad, and most industry pundits think they are going to continue to do so for a long time.

The same was said about netbooks. We shall see...

 

[SlitheryDee]

I'm pretty impressed by tablets. This thread reminds me of a Louis C.K. bit. The one about how we're surrounded by incredible things and we're completely unimpressed by all of them.

Tablets are pretty incredible. They have hours and hours of battery life, a full web browsing experience, insanely responsive touchscreens, almost unbelievably small size. They can't do everything, but they can do way more than I would have expected them to be able to do before they became mainstream, and they do it faster and more easily than I would have guessed this early in the game.

What's insane is how quickly people get jaded by stuff where suddenly something amazing "isn't that impressive".

 

[FeuerFrei]

I've got a computer at work and another at home. If I can't make the 5 minute commute betwixt the two without a computing device there's something wrong with me. I have little need for mobile computing and less use for a tablet than a netbook.

'twould be useful to have a netbook while traveling so I could hit the internet without visiting a library but I only travel maybe once a year and spending $5-700 on something I'd only use one week/year seems stupid.

Tablet: a solution in search of a problem

 

[IGBT]

anand is promoting a popular product..not surprising. He needs to maintain revenue for his site . Just like fast food joints sell their product apple sells theirs and controls demand by throttling production. That creates pseudo shortage and demand for the next throttling of production. The repackaged product with the "new" improvements is an instant winner by simply throttling production and timing production with advertisements promoting brand loyalty. I'll bet you own numerous repackaged "new" apple products.

 

[H54]

I'm pretty impressed by tablets. This thread reminds me of a Louis C.K. bit. The one about how we're surrounded by incredible things and we're completely unimpressed by all of them.

Tablets are pretty incredible. They have hours and hours of battery life, a full web browsing experience, insanely responsive touchscreens, almost unbelievably small size. They can't do everything, but they can do way more than I would have expected them to be able to do before they became mainstream, and they do it faster and more easily than I would have guessed this early in the game.

What's insane is how quickly people get jaded by stuff where suddenly something amazing "isn't that impressive".

You know, I was thinking the same thing. Louis C.K. is funny as hell too.

However, I think a lot of people feel that if the tablet is marketed as laptop replacement (we hear all the time that we're entering the post-pc era), it should be at least as functional and capable. There are several major regressions that must be addressed. Can anyone that has real work to do say that they can honestly do it at least as well or better on a tablet?

 

[bearxor]

I'm pretty impressed by tablets. This thread reminds me of a Louis C.K. bit. The one about how we're surrounded by incredible things and we're completely unimpressed by all of them.

Tablets are pretty incredible. They have hours and hours of battery life, a full web browsing experience, insanely responsive touchscreens, almost unbelievably small size. They can't do everything, but they can do way more than I would have expected them to be able to do before they became mainstream, and they do it faster and more easily than I would have guessed this early in the game.

What's insane is how quickly people get jaded by stuff where suddenly something amazing "isn't that impressive".

Everything's amazing and nobody is happy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r1CZTLk-Gk

 

[SlitheryDee]

You know, I was thinking the same thing. Louis C.K. is funny as hell too.

However, I think a lot of people feel that if the tablet is marketed as laptop replacement (we hear all the time that we're entering the post-pc era), it should be at least as functional and capable. There are several major regressions that must be addressed. Can anyone that has real work to do say that they can honestly do it at least as well or better on a tablet?

The people with real work to do should definitely stay with their laptops, but I think all this "post-pc world" stuff will start to make a bit more sense in a few years. Perhaps in 5 years or so you will be doing everything with a tablet that you thought you could only do with a laptop.

Tablets already can do everything the average user wants to do. The rest is a matter of input devices and processing power. This is a trend that is only going to continue. Technically they aren't lying when they say a tablet can replace a laptop, they just aren't talking to you in particular when they say that.

 

[Pliablemoose]

anand is promoting a popular product..not surprising. He needs to maintain revenue for his site . Just like fast food joints sell their product apple sells theirs and controls demand by throttling production. That creates pseudo shortage and demand for the next throttling of production. The repackaged product with the "new" improvements is an instant winner by simply throttling production and timing production with advertisements promoting brand loyalty. I'll bet you own numerous repackaged "new" apple products.

I think you'd be in the minority thinking Anand gives biased reviews.

He single handedly cost Apple millions when he proved the iP4 had reception issues.

But hey, how's that RDF working for you?

 

[IGBT]

The people with real work to do should definitely stay with their laptops, but I think all this "post-pc world" stuff will start to make a bit more sense in a few years. Perhaps in 5 years or so you will be doing everything with a tablet that you thought you could only do with a laptop.

Tablets already can do everything the average user wants to do. The rest is a matter of input devices and processing power. This is a trend that is only going to continue. Technically they aren't lying when they say a tablet can replace a laptop, they just aren't talking to you in particular when they say that.

the tablet is a novelty device supported by mass marketing and throttled production. No doubt it's a money maker and popular among brand loyal followers.

 

[rasczak]

It's replaced my wife's laptop for school. She has a keyboard setup with it, and uses a dropbox link to access her files hosted on my pc. It's a pretty nice setup imho. She currently has the Galaxy tab 10.1, but I'll be getting her an IPAD 2 just before her next semester starts in the fall, and will give the tablet to the kids for school work, drawing, netflix, etc.

Basically, I like them.

 

[Pliablemoose]

the tablet is a novelty device supported by mass marketing and throttled production. No doubt it's a money maker and popular among brand loyal followers.

Apple sells every iPad it can make.

It's responses like yours that are actually funny, and sad

 

[Mxylplyx]

My ipad is a fixture on my coffee table, and I rarely use my PC anymore for casual surfing. I would probably dump my PC before my ipad now.

 

[BoberFett]

<--Kicks iPad gen 1, iPad gen 2, Samsung Galaxy Note, PlayBook, HTC Flyer under the couch, deletes shipping confirmation emails for 2 iPad gen 3's...

Yeah, tablets suck balls, desktops 4evar!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love finding Luddites on tech forums

What, no mention of your Apple stock?

I'm just glad I didn't listen to you fools and bought Apple stock despite all the predictions of the failure of the iPad, I've never seen such a concentration of stupid supposedly tech savvy people in my life...

Seriously, how the hell do some of you manage to find your way to a bathroom and use it correctly?

Ah, there it is.


Tablets a step down in functionality from existing devices; they're little more than a novelty.

The recent demo of the phone that switches dynamically between Android and Ubuntu, that's the future. When you can take your full-featured computer with you in your pocket everywhere you go, I'm on board. You get the features of a phone on the go plus the size and capabilities of a real computer when you need it. Tablets are a half assed compromise. Not as useful and portable as a phone, not as powerful and useable as a laptop/desktop.

 

[zinfamous]

I don't think I have ever seen a single person who exclusively uses youtube and browses the internet. Even the most basic user will need more than a tablet at some point.

just type one email.

then a tablet becomes inferior if you discover that you will need to type a second email, at some point in your life.