Tim Cook declares the end of the PC

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Leyawiin

Diamond Member
Nov 11, 2008
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Well, the Desktop PC outlasted the last head of Apple. They've been carping about this for years and it hasn't happened yet.
 

Ventanni

Golden Member
Jul 25, 2011
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Interesting that he would declare the PC dead when the iPad Pro is simply a response to another PC; the Surface Pro tablet.
 

PliotronX

Diamond Member
Oct 17, 1999
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so what exactly will his engineers use to design the new iPhone? an ipad pro? i'd like to see all that chip and pcb design being done on a tablet.
until then, i got a 12.9 inch device he can use...
Right, hah. When I was going through Cisco classes, the simulator we used was absolutely annoying on a single screen. When they announced that Packet Tracer now supported Android OS, I could not have rolled my eyes harder. The thought of Packet Tracer on an 8" screen without a keyboard or mouse makes me want to stab myself in the eye with a fork. Cannot see myself going back to a single screen for serious work, and not underpowered systems with tiny RAM and storage. Can't do it, and while everybody and their dog has an iPad, I don't know any professionals that use them for anything more than e-mail.
 

senseamp

Lifer
Feb 5, 2006
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If I am a professional, I am looking for a Surface Book, not an iPad Pro. Next PC update cycle, if I can get an SB, that's what I am getting.
 

jihe

Senior member
Nov 6, 2009
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Few years down the track: PCs declare the end of Tim Cook.
 
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Shehriazad

Senior member
Nov 3, 2014
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Tim Cook also declares the end of toothpaste. Everyone will now be using dirt to clean their teeth.


My IQ just dropped a little from that statement. Holy hell Tim Cook...sure, you do this for marketing...but this is the shit you'll be quoted and ridiculed for in decades to come.
 

asendra

Member
Nov 4, 2012
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Tim Cook also declares the end of toothpaste. Everyone will now be using dirt to clean their teeth.


My IQ just dropped a little from that statement. Holy hell Tim Cook...sure, you do this for marketing...but this is the shit you'll be quoted and ridiculed for in decades to come.

You know, the title It's not actually a quote. Just a clickbait headline.
 

Burpo

Diamond Member
Sep 10, 2013
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Apple CEO Tim Cook on Microsoft's newest hybrid laptop, the Surface Book. "It's a product that tries too hard to do too much," he said, according to the Irish Independent. "It's trying to be a tablet and a notebook and it really succeeds at being neither. It's sort of diluted ." Ouch. We actually found the Surface Book to be a pretty darn good hybrid laptop in our review. Cook's comments are particularly rich on the heels of the iPad Pro's launch this week, a large tablet with keyboard and stylus accessories that looks like it was inspired by Microsoft's Surface hybrid tablet. Of course, the big difference is that the iPad Pro is running iOS, not OS X. Cook seems to be taking more issue with Microsoft's attempt to unify desktop and mobile interfaces in a single platform.

http://www.engadget.com/2015/11/11/tim-cook-surface-book/

If you have to mention your competitors in your ad, you've already lost.

Tim Cook has deluded himself.

de·luded
transitive verb
1: to mislead the mind or judgment of : deceive, trick
 
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asendra

Member
Nov 4, 2012
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He. Engadget seems more salty than usual. Perhaps due to the fact that they didn't receive an iPad Pro unit for review.
 

TeknoBug

Platinum Member
Oct 2, 2013
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If the Surface line had kept going with the RT version, then yeah maybe the iPad Pro would have something to go up against. But with x86 and full blown Windows, why the heck would you want to use a mobile based OS on a pseudo-laptop? When there's something I use on my PC and want to finish the job on the laptop while traveling to work or school or whatnot, I'd want to be using that same software there, not some ported mobile version (if available), The difference between Office Word on Windows vs iOS/Android/WP is quite different in user interface, it's more work for me to type up and format something on the mobile version.

Adobe however seems to be gaining ground on the iOS version of their apps.
 
Mar 10, 2006
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I tried the iPad Pro at a local Apple shop today and actually wound up cancelling my order for the device. As much as I would like to play with some A9X goodness, I just can't see myself using this device. My iPad Air 2 is great and much easier to handle.

Oh and the Apple-designed keyboard accessory really sucks :(
 

Phynaz

Lifer
Mar 13, 2006
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The most interesting thing about this is how the opinion of one person can get people so worked up. It seems like people are afraid it might be true, and they are fearful of their cheese getting moved.
 

jpiniero

Lifer
Oct 1, 2010
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But with x86 and full blown Windows, why the heck would you want to use a mobile based OS on a pseudo-laptop?

Because Windows 8/10 is a terrible tablet OS. That's the awkward thing about Surface - most anyone who buys it uses it like a laptop so you may as well just buy an ultrabook. That's why I'm glad MS made the Surface Book because that makes much more sense even if it's far too pricy to think that the volume will be much.

What I'd like to see is a Core Phone that can wirelessly charge/dock into a desktop seamlessly. You'd have to improve Windows as a tablet OS and work on getting more and better software in Metro, and of course Intel has to deliver the processor to make it work. Throw in 3DXP for good measure so you wouldn't have to compromise too much on disk space and memory.

If MS can't deliver on improving Windows as a tablet OS, an option for Intel would be to just ditch MS and use Android. Which does have partial support for using as a laptop/desktop but could certainly be better.
 

GrumpyMan

Diamond Member
May 14, 2001
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When they can do the CGI Star Wars effects in the new movie on a tablet or Iphone, then I will believe him.
 

Cogman

Lifer
Sep 19, 2000
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The PC may take a backseat, especially as a consumer product. But I don't think it will ever die. Too many programmers, graphics artists, and people that need higher powered machines than what fits in a tablet.

At very least, the concept of a workstation will always be around (keyboards, mice, and monitors) even if the main computer ends up going away.
 

Qwertilot

Golden Member
Nov 28, 2013
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I tried the iPad Pro at a local Apple shop today and actually wound up cancelling my order for the device. As much as I would like to play with some A9X goodness, I just can't see myself using this device. My iPad Air 2 is great and much easier to handle.

I actually got myself one (only bit of Apple stuff) mostly - having used a 12 inch note which was going cheap for several months now - because I'm rather partial to super large tablets for reading newspapers etc.

Not to hold - propped on a book stand with stylus over meals and stuff.
(Heard how much a cracked screen fix was. Yikes! Definitely not something to try and hold....).

This thing is definitely a lot nicer than that of course. (Not sure if it was really quite full hearted in the first place). Cover should let it double up to cover some secondary laptop style use. Will have to see how far it'll stretch that way, suspect at least a bit. The A9X should let it do chess analysis plausibly well.

Most definitely a luxury sort of thing of course! Still, the value might be thought to compare reasonably well to top end mobiles or that CoreM mackbook ;)
 

Roland00Address

Platinum Member
Dec 17, 2008
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So the new apple tv is $150 and $200 depending on storage and has the same cpu as the iphone 6, 2gb of ram, and 32gb or 64gb storage.

What is stopping Apple for pushing this as a low end desktop / htpc for casual use. Why can't you make this into an internet browsing machine, and use Office365, etc. Especially now that you can do internet browsing with official ad blocking without any form of hacks or such.

It is more than fast enough, and while most apps are touchscreen based in iOS in theory with the new remotes, keyboards, and trackpads sold seperately these would be much better computers than what you can get for <$300 new (aka atom junk, you can find a small amount of U series at 1.4 or 1.5 ghz with no hyperthreading)

----

Such a computer will kill half of the remaining small pc sells in dekstop form factor. Plus it would allow Apple to easily push their more expensive tv device, combine with high end features like voice commands, and then make the money not on the devices but selling the media content and subscriptions.

Gain enough install base and then you have more leverage with making deals with companies to bypass cable and you being your own market.

(Please understand I am not saying this will be the next growth market for apple that will revolutionize the company but just a serious market they can tap into.)
 

Zodiark1593

Platinum Member
Oct 21, 2012
2,230
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The PC may take a backseat, especially as a consumer product. But I don't think it will ever die. Too many programmers, graphics artists, and people that need higher powered machines than what fits in a tablet.

At very least, the concept of a workstation will always be around (keyboards, mice, and monitors) even if the main computer ends up going away.

To an extent, PC is already taking a backseat for many consumer tasks with the exception of gaming (which current SoCs have no hope of comparing in raw gpu power).

In gaming and productivity, performance matters. To take over that market, an ARM design needs to be put to market that matches or beats Intel's workstation/desktop processors in every performance metric. Performance/watt matters somewhat too, but in the context that cooling a nuclear reactor is a pain in the rear.

In the grand scheme of things, I doubt even Macs going ARM (A10x?) will change much. Powerusers will go with whatever has the best absolute performance (be it an x86 workstation, or a future ARM one), and most consumers don't give a damn what's in their computer so long as it's responsive and predictable.
 
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cytg111

Lifer
Mar 17, 2008
23,181
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Someone selling devices that were abstracted and designed 3-4 years ago that is just now running of the production-ramps - is now declaring that the products will be a success and competition will die.
Yea.
Sure.
Whatever.
Tim.