"iPad" Will be huge, or just another flop?

[nav13eh]

It is January 27th, and the highly anticipated apple tablet is said to be announced. so my question to you, will it be huge like all the iPod's, it will it be a big flop? Vote above and please tell what you think the specs will be.

[maxhdrm]

Interesting about how people view apple. Many consumers feel that the Iphone changed the Electronic Industry as a whole. That couldn't be anymore Untrue and an uneducated answer.

I agree like Microsoft's surface technology, apples touch screen capabilities helped to "evolve" the wireless communication industry and perhaps a little of the Mac industry but they hardly "changed" everything. Touch screen in all its glory has been around for at least a decade if not more in one form or another. Matter of fact Apple contracted out to have another company develop that nice little piece of tech for them so the credit should really go to them. It was only a matter of time before it became more refined to be considered a useable interface for mainstream components. The electronic industry as a whole is much too large for any one single device or company to "change" (now don't try giving me a history lesson of the radio or TV those were inventions that changed the world before the industry existed) it and the word change is simply an incorrect vernacular. This industry evolves based on consumer demands, desires, fresh ideas from young minds and the R & D put forth by the companies willing to do so. It does NOT change but rather evolve and not by a single device. That's one dimensional thinking.

A blogger (Ben Patterson) over at yahoo tech compares the device to a large Iphone He/She states "the iPad is ... well, it's essentially just a big iPhone" going on to say that it can do everything the Iphone can do minus making calls...Hmmmm well idiot, wouldn't that make it the IPod Touch?? While I am at it just in case users forget about VOIP, yes if you find a hotspot to utilize the Ipod touch's built in WiFi (like the new Ipad) you can indeed make phone calls from it (albeit an app from their store, my friend has this) so in essence unless it is missing the 8mm headphone jack, like the Ipod Touch you CAN make phone calls from it...DUH!

Do I think it is revolutionary..NO , do I think it will be a market dominating success...NO. There are plenty of competitors ready to take apple on with varying versions of tablets. Hell, ASUS' T91 and T101 tablet netbook is just as small (albeit not as thing or light) and can do everything a regular laptop can do plus convert into a tablet. Do I think it will sell? Oh, yes. There will be a definite market for it, especially for fanboys/girls.

How much of a success the table/pad revolution like the portable game systems of past will become will come down to scalability, applications, built in components and the price tag.

[davmoo]

The iPad will be huge because of the fanboys. Steve Jobs could take a block of compressed pigeon poop and put the Apple logo on it and it would be an instant success with the fanboys.

[guytheninja]

I would be interested in the Iphone.... if it wasn't for AT&T. I am just not interested in this device, even if it was on the Verizon Network. However, I'm sure the Apple army will gobble it up though.

The ipad has a niche for those without a laptop or desktop. If voice recognition software is available it could be a big hit. For me I see no need for it. I have a laptop and the majicjack.

[chrispycritter]

I think it will be in the middle but any man buying one will get ribbed for the iPad name I wouldn't buy one myself because I don't need a device like that..if I was in the market I would be more interested in something like the Lenovo’s IdeaPad U1 the hybrid notebook\slate tablet..once they are released and the price comes down to a reasonable level I think they will be the big hit not the iPad..I am a desktop user mostly but when I saw the Lenovo’s IdeaPad U1 it really caught my eye as I'm sure it did a lot of others..if I had the money to spend that's what I would want..although that device will be more next fall and next year I think..maybe I'll get one next year...

[trunolimit]

Originally Posted by chrispycritter

I think it will be in the middle but any man buying one will get ribbed for the iPad name I wouldn't buy one myself because I don't need a device like that..if I was in the market I would be more interested in something like the Lenovo?s IdeaPad U1 the hybrid notebook\slate tablet..once they are released and the price comes down to a reasonable level I think they will be the big hit not the iPad..I am a desktop user mostly but when I saw the Lenovo?s IdeaPad U1 it really caught my eye as I'm sure it did a lot of others..if I had the money to spend that's what I would want..although that device will be more next fall and next year I think..maybe I'll get one next year...

lol the lenovo U1 FTW. I've been tweeting and writing on forums the same thing. I was ready to jump on board with this ipad until I learned that it is just in essence an huge ipod touch. Leo Laporte said it will kill the air, in what way? has the internet been smoking crack? What the hell can you do with 1Ghz processor? Nothing, I bet that's why it doesn't have flash because it wouldn't be able to handle it (I'm just guessing based on the fact that my 10 year old celeron desktop has a tough time playing flash video and it's just about as powerful as this POS).

and @maxhdrm what are you talking about "That couldn't be anymore Untrue and an uneducated answer. " If it wasn't for the iPhone we'd still have people thinking that the Razor is cool. The UI is and community of developers is what made this phone a success. It took a company like apple to make phone developers realize, "holy shit people actually want a phone that does more then call people and they are actually willing to pay big bucks for it?" Yeah touch screen had been done before apple but but compared to the iPhone they sucked.

All I got to say is that if the iPhone isn't as revolutionary as you say it is then why does every new phone out on the market consider itself an iPhone killer? All the tech blogs, the first thing they do is compare it to the iPhone.

It's going to be a huge flop because there just isn't a market for this type of device at that price point.

[tokenuser]

FLOP? No.

Kindle Killer? Possibly.
Netbook Killer? Depends on your netbook needs.
Laptop Replacement? No. But it was never intended to be that. The iPad is a peripheral device, and designed to work in concert with your existing desktop.

From a business usage perspective, my mind is in overdrive.

I have been playing with the SDK today, and the iPad format is going to remove many of the limits my iPhone app (under development) was facing due to screen realestate limitations.

People who are looking at this device a a replacement for netbook will be disappointed until the critical mass of iPad focused apps is out there. For some, an iPhone or iPod touch will be more appropriate devices (and might be used in conjunction with an iPad) - but there is a segment that the iPod touch was too small for (media playback on the iPad is awesome ... pity it lacks a BR/DVD dock ... for now).

eBooks are the perfect example of a segment that works on this device. The iPod wasnt the first MP3 player, the iPhone wasn't the first SmartPhone, but they redefined the market. I think the iPad will do similar for the emerging eBook space ... and just keep going from there.

Anyway - I now have 2 months (for the Wifi+3G release) to get my suite of planned business focused apps out there.

Exciting times my friends.

[master811]

Originally Posted by tokenuser

FLOP? No.

Kindle Killer? Possibly.

eBooks are the perfect example of a segment that works on this device. The iPod wasnt the first MP3 player, the iPhone wasn't the first SmartPhone, but they redefined the market. I think the iPad will do similar for the emerging eBook space ... and just keep going from there.

It won't be a kindle killer or any other kind of dedicated ebook reader 'killer', simply because it isn't one. Battery life is one of the massive benefits of the kindle or any other ebook-reader, the iPad has supposedly '10 hours' worth, but we'll have to wait for real-world tests first to find if it's true. The kindle on the other hand will last 1-2 weeks depending on how much wireless you use.

You also have to take into affect the cost of iPad is far higher than the Kindle(yes of course it does more, but still) and then you have to factor in the additional monthly data tariff costs needed to download ebooks on the move.

Lastly, not having to look at a brightly lit screen just to so you can read anything is another benefit of the using an ebook reader, I doubt you can spend all day reading from an iPad, but you could with an ebook reader.

[masherscf]

I think it's going to make a great baby sitter.