This is pretty funny. They're throwing every criticism they can think of at the iPad 2. Guess what. The iPad 2 is still going to beat the crap out of the competition.
If Apple tried to satisfy these guys, the iPad 2 would be delivered late, have crappy battery life, cost way more, and the whiners would still find something to bitch about.
Everyone thinks they could do a better job of running Apple. They are wrong.
So rushing an unfinished product out to make more money is the right thing to do? I'm not necessarily saying someone could run Apple better but skimping on features was a very poor decision. And how could it cost way more? Apple already charges an arm and a leg.
Nope, nice try though. I believe he's referring to your comment about the iPad being "delivered late". What was the rush? People were still getting used to the 1st iPad. There was no need for a #2 to come out so quickly. They could've easily made a few more improvements to it to make a better product. For such a successful company, Apple sure does make some bad decisions and the iOS look is getting tired. As for the Xoom, it's far from unfinished. In fact it has more to offer than the iPad 2 and beats it in all of the comparisons I've seen online. The Android 3.0 OS is better designed for the tablet experience.
People have been complaining all along that Apple's annual upgrade cycle is too slow to keep up with multiple competitors. The rumor mill had been churning for months. I think Apple was wise to get the iPad2 out now even if they didn't include everything on everyone's wish list. It is a nice improvement on the original without jacking up the price. It will keep the momentum going.
We can also expect iOS 5 in a few months (around the time of the iPhone 5) which should breathe more life into the iOS platform.
While the Xoom seems like a capable piece of hardware, the initial release shipped without the much-flaunted Flash capability. The SD card slot was unsupported. 4G was not ready, and will require sending the unit back to the factory for a retrofit. There were/are hardly any apps optimized for its form factor, and Honeycomb is still having teething pains. And the competitively priced WiFi-only model was nowhere to be found. That's what I meant by unfinished.
I'm sure the Xoom will delight the small percentage of geeky customers that care primarily about specs and feature count. Let's examine the sales figures in a few months to see if Motorola really knows better than Apple what most people really want in a tablet.
Wow, this Brett guy is a real douche bag. He really has no grasp on what's going on out there. The iPad 2 has shitty cameras and the only real improvement over the 1st gen is the processor speed which is barely noticable. I think he just likes to stir the shit so he just makes things up. It's funny how he gets soooo defensive he rambles on in his little (I'm a proud Mac owner) dreamworld.
Hey, let's not start with name-calling please. I'm not above harsh language but I don't think we need it here. I just think Brett is just a guy that likes Apple products and likes the company but I don't think he knows exactly why and maybe that does make him sound defensive. I'm the type of person that likes to point out the exact tangible reasons why I like something. We're all different.
On a side note, Brett, I did see in my email that you made another post but it never showed here. It wasn't me and I don't know why it happened. Sorry about that, I guess the commenting feature had a mind of it's own. Try again if you like.
I know exactly why I like Apple and its products (and why many of the haters don't). I think it is admirable that Apple has always sought to bring technological power to the ordinary person. They are often the first to recognize and remedy the stumbling blocks that make using complex devices unpleasant for non-geeks.
It is no wonder that the high-tech priesthood has been hostile to Apple. On the one hand, Apple's "dumbed down" approach makes the devices less attractive to them personally, while at the same time enabling lesser mortals to achieve useful ends without having to pay the same dues.
So it's a combination of disdain, jealousy, and perhaps even a bit of unfounded fear that their expertise might be devalued. Their inability to empathize with the average person who is threatened by technology makes it impossible for them to understand why a rational person might choose to buy Apple products. They resolve this cognitive dissonance by labeling Apple customers as stupid sheep.
I think that Apple's approach is vindicated by their success. We all benefit as other companies adopt user-centric principles. As I've said before, everyone's priorities are different. Some people need features that Apple does not offer. Some are comfortable with complexity, and even crave it. There will always be other companies and products to fulfill that desire.
AOL made things "dumbed-down" for people and they were popular, for a while. Now look at them, there isn't anyone that still uses it except for a few grandmas that don't know anything else. Also, I don't see more features as being "complex", not sure why you refer to it that way. I think giving someone just one proprietary port complicates things. Lose that cable and you're screwed until you can get another one. More features means more people can find a way to do something in a way that makes them comfortable. No one has to use all the features but having them there can be helpful.
I don't accept your analogy. AOL's proprietary client served its purpose for many years when dialup was the primary method of connection. It didn't die because it was dumbed down. It had simply outlived its usefulness once local ISPs, broadband, HTML, and open email standards became widespread. Eventually there was simply an overwhelming amount of content and services outside of AOL's servers, and subscribing to a local ISP for high speed internet just made more sense.
I don't foresee people abandoning Apple because they feel ghettoized. For the most part, Apple supports most modern protocols and file formats (with the notable exception of proprietary, battery-hogging, bug-ridden Flash on its mobile devices). Apple products interoperate quite well in today's world.
Regarding complexity, as I said before, different people have different attitudes regarding features and options. To each his own. More is not always better. Try googling "tyranny of choice". Every doodad, button and port adds a question mark and mental burden. What is it for? Should I be using it? If so, am I using it correctly? Will it affect anything else in a surprising way? Is it just one more thing to break? If there are three ways to do something, how do I know which is the best way? If I ignore a feature does that make me somehow inferior?
Eric, I'm not saying that you (or anyone else) needs to embrace simplicity. Clearly you appreciate flexibility and are willing to do whatever it takes to get the most out of your equipment. But why can't you understand that everyone is not like you?
Hi, look at me! I'm an Apple zombie, all I do is buy Apple products every 3-6 months and I don't care that Apple has taken me for a ride like a moron! Ipad, so cool! What? Another one? Sure I'll buy one! Because I'm made of money and I'm a hipster doofus! I don't care! I look so cool with my shiny Apple products!
I just found this site because people spam negative reviews of Apple products and then drop a link to this site. I don't get it? Who cares? Buy whatever it is you want. You think apple products are lame, underpowered, and over priced? Dont buy them. Or you can create a website write fake reviews of products and complain. I use both PCs and MACs and as a Usibility engineer products are superior, hands down. Sure they are more expensive, I can get a similar speced machine for way less than half when I go PC but the experience of using the machine isn't nearly is good. Something I think people tend to forget about.
If you read, these aren't "fake" reviews, they are copied from other websites and commented on, that's all. As far as you opinion on Apple being superior, I have to disagree. I don't know what pcs you were using but all of my pcs for the past several years have been, for lack of a better term, flawless. I've had no viruses, no crashes and no issues. Maybe you bought a no-name or refurbished piece of junk or you are an inexperienced user and that's why you have troubles. I have seen people with Macs having more trouble and switching to Windows.
I have an iPad 2 and it's amazing, because it actually exists and does what it's supposed to really well
Derp
If you want to call me a sheep, whatever bro. I really don't care. If you're trying to convince me otherwise, you failed miserable.
iOS vs Android is worse then kids who argue on consoles. At least as adults, you can afford multiple systems unlike a kid. But when it comes to this OS fight, cellular contracts force you to a side basically. Then people are really desperate to defend their commitment to a platform for at least two years. I know tablets are different (at least all iPads are contract free)...but not really
And it's amusing the number of iPad and tablet haters who change their tune for Honeycomb, even if it's rubbish so far
Apple is terrible! They're just terrible! I mean, think about their tech. It's not anywhere near being good. Oh goodness! Ha! I think their thinking is wrong, and Steve Jobs hair is the only thing that's cool at Apple. (NOT j/k about the hair - for real)
Major Screen Problems - Certainly possible given the number produced and sold.
No retina display - That's a whole lot of pixels to push and would have been far more resolution than anyone has even announced let alone shipped
No SD slots or USB ports - So the first thing you do with a portable device is hang things off it that may or may not be supported in the OS yet?
No NFC support - Were you really going to wave a 10" device around at a checkout counter? Not saying it wouldn't have other vertical uses but it can wait.
No Thunderbolt port - Would have been nice but then someone would whine about how it is Thunderbolt client instead of a Thunderbolt Host
No 4G - To me this is really the only valid criticism of the higher end iPad. Would be nice from a power perspective as a hotspot host since the battery is huge. But then again it would totally chew the battery.
I agree that Apple's way of thinking is wrong. It limits their customer-base and makes them arrogant and snobby. Open products are better, it's been proven time and again. Apple fans will probably try to defend with some lame, non-specific argument about how Apple is "just better". Well, it's not.
It is "just better" but I agree Apple limits their sales by choosing to leave some features out. For example, years and years of a one button mouse on sale even when the OS X supported two buttons and a click wheel. Then instead of adding a button they took even that button away and made the top a multi-touch surface.
Sometimes the choices work out, sometimes they don't. But really that is Apple's choice to make. As customers we make our own choices. Buy or not buy. Simple.
I bought an iPad 1 fully knowing its limitations, but more excited about the capabilities and potential. It was an experiment in multi-touch on a larger interaction surface really. Some things I grok immediately, like a windowed interface or multi-touch, some things still puzzle me, like Twitter (or Ping).
Later this year when the support for that useless SD slot, more Android apps and 4G LTE arrive for the Xoom or the Transformer or the Playbook well then you can be excited too. Honeycomb looks nice and is fluid and responsive. It needs some work on discovery of features, but the features are there for the most part.
In the interim the browser works and you can get by until the thing is actually done and feature complete. Then you can giggle that I still have to use a Samsung 4G LTE WiFi card on my cheap gen 1 16GB WiFi iPad that I've enjoyed for the 18 months or so you waited for "something better".
Waited? What are you talking about? I bought an Android tablet for $100 5 months ago and it works great. I use it to browse the web, watch videos, play games and my wife checks Facebook now and again. What's awesome is I can plug in an SD card loaded with music and play it without any syncing or itunes.
Apparently there is another Brett commenting now. Very confusing. (So far, I'm the one without a URL linked to my sig)
While I don't question anyone's personal experience, I seriously doubt that most people would be happy with the $100 Android tablet. Every product has tradeoffs, and I'm sure that there were many compromises required to meet that low price point.
I don't maintain that Apple products are "just better". There are specific reasons why, for some people, they seem that way. I recognize that others may disagree with Apple's design decisions. Everyone's needs and priorities are unique. Apple believes in controlling "the whole widget". This is in opposition to having a totally "open" system. There are pros and cons to each approach.
Personally, I don't always like Apple's decisions (their mice are a case in point), but for the most part I can deal with them. If you are unsatisfied with Apple's offerings, there are plenty of alternatives. I'm glad we live in a world where we have that choice.
The funny thing is, when I've had friends over (including Apple fans) and they see and try my tablet they can't believe it's so cool. They usually ask "why would I spend $500+ on something else when I could get this?" I just shrug my shoulders. Some people would probably spend 5X more just because they don't believe they could get something for less. I guess it's like buying an HDMI cable, Best Buy $40-$300 but you can get an equivalent quality cable for $3. "Ooh, the Best Buy cable says 'Monster' on it, that must be the best quality and I need that."
I don't deny that Apple commands a higher price in part because of its name, but I dare say that there is likely a lot more difference between an iPad and your tablet than between a Monster cable and a no-name cable.
Tablets are orders of magnitude more sophisticated than cables. You neglect to state exactly which $100 Android tablet you claim is a reasonable substitute for an iPad. I imagine the other haters would also like to know so they can rush right out and buy one.
This place gets sadder every day. Now we get stupid clones pretending to be serious posters just to dis what the original poster said.
Bret the clone: What is this $100 tablet of which you speak? Come on name names, so I can see what the reviews are like on ebay and Amazon. Otherwise you are just making stuff up to try and prove a point.
If the iPad2 was so crap - how come Apple are selling every one they make? There aren't that many "sheep" in the world. How come I can walk up to the other tablet displays in Best Buy coz no one is looking at them but I have to wait to try out an iPad2?
"So rushing an unfinished product out to make more money is the right thing to do? I'm not necessarily saying someone could run Apple better but skimping on features was a very poor decision. And how could it cost way more?" Nah the problem is that if it were crap than people wouldn't buy. It is perfectly "good enough" to keep the iPad on top of the pile for the next nine or so months.
I'm not a clone but I choose to be anonymous, Like RattyUK is a real name anyway. I can say I've seen some Android tablets and they are pretty nice. The iPads are nice but I have to say, for me, I think Androids are better because they are not chained to an itunes account. I like that you can link Android to your Google account which is free. You don't need a credit card or any personal info to use it. That is what matters to me.
It's not that some Apple customers "like" giving up "freedom". Most don't even notice the limitations. Others who are aware of the tradeoffs are still willing to accept Apple's policies in exchange for the benefits.
Apple is very good at finding the balance of exerting enough control to simplify (and therefore differentiate) its products while still making them pleasant and useful to large numbers of people.
No device or software could ever be designed to completely meet the needs and expectations of novices and ordinary non-technical folks as well as the more savvy geeks, tinkerers and power users. I believe many of the AppleHaters fall into the latter category.
What I find fascinating is that they can't just accept that Apple doesn't cater to them. If haters were truly satisfied with the competition's offerings, I don't think we'd hear so much from them. At some level, I think they are jealous that Apple users are largely content. So the haters want to stir up shit in the hopes that they can make Apple users as miserable as they are (or to convince themselves how much better their own non-Apple choice is). Truly pathetic.
Very Dissapointed User Rating "This laptop was not even close to being worth the hefty price tag. It overheated frequently, the ports are lacking and the audio quality was terrible. Sorry Apple, this is a huge failure. http://bit.ly/dI3hcF"
Who writes a review like that and then links out to this Consiperacy Website.
Listen I made my point before by whatever you want. Both systems are good for different reasons. Just be glad theres choices. Its clear that Anonymous doesn't like apple products.
As for the closed system it allows apple to have more control over there machines, this is a good and bad thing. Bad for a multitude of reasons. Good becuase you don't have to deal with JUNK. You order a PC and unless you ask you have a billion and half shitty spplications installed on your machine before you use it for the first time.
It was probably a follower of this site, if I had to guess. Maybe he/she bought a Mac product, was unhappy with it, and found this blog. As far as dealing with "junk", I bought a desktop, gaming laptop and a netbook in the last 2 years. The only junk was McAfee AV on the netbook so I removed it and all three machines rock. From what I've heard vendors have slowed down the bloat-ware that goes out with new machines. Eh, since I've never had a problem I like having most of (if not all) of the control.
So Anonymous tells one complainer to buy something else if he doesn't like Apple's offering, and you extrapolate that each and every Windows sale is the result of an individual making a fully informed personal evaluation of both Windows and Mac.
I dare say that although lots of people run Windows (for whatever reason), not all of them can be said to "like" the experience.
Getting back to the topic at hand. Now that the iPad 2 has been out for several months, and is a runaway hit with no competing tablet even coming close in terms of sales, I wonder how many haters still will insist that Apple missed the mark regarding features?
I think Apple takes a lot of flak from individuals who are unhappy that Apple doesn't make a product to meet their exact specifications. Apple is business who like to sell high volume products. The way they do it is by including features that appeal to most users for an acceptable price. They must balance the addition of features against ease of use, size, weight, parts cost, battery life, and time to market. They deliberately limit the number of configurations to simplify manufacturing, inventory, and the purchasing experience.
Apple won't satisfy everyone (no company can), but clearly they please a large and growing customer base. I just don't understand why people hate them for this.
Call the Waaaaaaambulance!
ReplyDeleteThis is pretty funny. They're throwing every criticism they can think of at the iPad 2. Guess what. The iPad 2 is still going to beat the crap out of the competition.
If Apple tried to satisfy these guys, the iPad 2 would be delivered late, have crappy battery life, cost way more, and the whiners would still find something to bitch about.
Everyone thinks they could do a better job of running Apple. They are wrong.
So rushing an unfinished product out to make more money is the right thing to do? I'm not necessarily saying someone could run Apple better but skimping on features was a very poor decision. And how could it cost way more? Apple already charges an arm and a leg.
ReplyDeleteOverpriced, unfinished product? You must be referring to the Xoom.
ReplyDeleteNope, nice try though. I believe he's referring to your comment about the iPad being "delivered late". What was the rush? People were still getting used to the 1st iPad. There was no need for a #2 to come out so quickly. They could've easily made a few more improvements to it to make a better product. For such a successful company, Apple sure does make some bad decisions and the iOS look is getting tired.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Xoom, it's far from unfinished. In fact it has more to offer than the iPad 2 and beats it in all of the comparisons I've seen online. The Android 3.0 OS is better designed for the tablet experience.
I'll tell you what the rush is.
ReplyDeletePeople have been complaining all along that Apple's annual upgrade cycle is too slow to keep up with multiple competitors. The rumor mill had been churning for months. I think Apple was wise to get the iPad2 out now even if they didn't include everything on everyone's wish list. It is a nice improvement on the original without jacking up the price. It will keep the momentum going.
We can also expect iOS 5 in a few months (around the time of the iPhone 5) which should breathe more life into the iOS platform.
While the Xoom seems like a capable piece of hardware, the initial release shipped without the much-flaunted Flash capability. The SD card slot was unsupported. 4G was not ready, and will require sending the unit back to the factory for a retrofit. There were/are hardly any apps optimized for its form factor, and Honeycomb is still having teething pains. And the competitively priced WiFi-only model was nowhere to be found. That's what I meant by unfinished.
I'm sure the Xoom will delight the small percentage of geeky customers that care primarily about specs and feature count. Let's examine the sales figures in a few months to see if Motorola really knows better than Apple what most people really want in a tablet.
Wow, this Brett guy is a real douche bag. He really has no grasp on what's going on out there. The iPad 2 has shitty cameras and the only real improvement over the 1st gen is the processor speed which is barely noticable. I think he just likes to stir the shit so he just makes things up. It's funny how he gets soooo defensive he rambles on in his little (I'm a proud Mac owner) dreamworld.
ReplyDeleteHey, let's not start with name-calling please. I'm not above harsh language but I don't think we need it here. I just think Brett is just a guy that likes Apple products and likes the company but I don't think he knows exactly why and maybe that does make him sound defensive. I'm the type of person that likes to point out the exact tangible reasons why I like something. We're all different.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, Brett, I did see in my email that you made another post but it never showed here. It wasn't me and I don't know why it happened. Sorry about that, I guess the commenting feature had a mind of it's own. Try again if you like.
Thank you Dave.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly why I like Apple and its products (and why many of the haters don't). I think it is admirable that Apple has always sought to bring technological power to the ordinary person. They are often the first to recognize and remedy the stumbling blocks that make using complex devices unpleasant for non-geeks.
It is no wonder that the high-tech priesthood has been hostile to Apple. On the one hand, Apple's "dumbed down" approach makes the devices less attractive to them personally, while at the same time enabling lesser mortals to achieve useful ends without having to pay the same dues.
So it's a combination of disdain, jealousy, and perhaps even a bit of unfounded fear that their expertise might be devalued. Their inability to empathize with the average person who is threatened by technology makes it impossible for them to understand why a rational person might choose to buy Apple products. They resolve this cognitive dissonance by labeling Apple customers as stupid sheep.
I think that Apple's approach is vindicated by their success. We all benefit as other companies adopt user-centric principles. As I've said before, everyone's priorities are different. Some people need features that Apple does not offer. Some are comfortable with complexity, and even crave it. There will always be other companies and products to fulfill that desire.
AOL made things "dumbed-down" for people and they were popular, for a while. Now look at them, there isn't anyone that still uses it except for a few grandmas that don't know anything else. Also, I don't see more features as being "complex", not sure why you refer to it that way. I think giving someone just one proprietary port complicates things. Lose that cable and you're screwed until you can get another one. More features means more people can find a way to do something in a way that makes them comfortable. No one has to use all the features but having them there can be helpful.
ReplyDeleteI don't accept your analogy. AOL's proprietary client served its purpose for many years when dialup was the primary method of connection. It didn't die because it was dumbed down. It had simply outlived its usefulness once local ISPs, broadband, HTML, and open email standards became widespread. Eventually there was simply an overwhelming amount of content and services outside of AOL's servers, and subscribing to a local ISP for high speed internet just made more sense.
ReplyDeleteI don't foresee people abandoning Apple because they feel ghettoized. For the most part, Apple supports most modern protocols and file formats (with the notable exception of proprietary, battery-hogging, bug-ridden Flash on its mobile devices). Apple products interoperate quite well in today's world.
Regarding complexity, as I said before, different people have different attitudes regarding features and options. To each his own. More is not always better. Try googling "tyranny of choice". Every doodad, button and port adds a question mark and mental burden. What is it for? Should I be using it? If so, am I using it correctly? Will it affect anything else in a surprising way? Is it just one more thing to break? If there are three ways to do something, how do I know which is the best way? If I ignore a feature does that make me somehow inferior?
Eric, I'm not saying that you (or anyone else) needs to embrace simplicity. Clearly you appreciate flexibility and are willing to do whatever it takes to get the most out of your equipment. But why can't you understand that everyone is not like you?
Hi, look at me! I'm an Apple zombie, all I do is buy Apple products every 3-6 months and I don't care that Apple has taken me for a ride like a moron! Ipad, so cool! What? Another one? Sure I'll buy one! Because I'm made of money and I'm a hipster doofus! I don't care! I look so cool with my shiny Apple products!
ReplyDeleteSixAces is a perfect example. Exaggeration? Check. Complete obliviousness to possible value? Check. Denigration of Apple customer? Check.
ReplyDeleteThanks for making my point.
Funny? Check. Accurate? Check.
ReplyDeletePriceless? Check.
I just found this site because people spam negative reviews of Apple products and then drop a link to this site. I don't get it? Who cares? Buy whatever it is you want. You think apple products are lame, underpowered, and over priced? Dont buy them. Or you can create a website write fake reviews of products and complain. I use both PCs and MACs and as a Usibility engineer products are superior, hands down. Sure they are more expensive, I can get a similar speced machine for way less than half when I go PC but the experience of using the machine isn't nearly is good. Something I think people tend to forget about.
ReplyDeleteIf you read, these aren't "fake" reviews, they are copied from other websites and commented on, that's all. As far as you opinion on Apple being superior, I have to disagree. I don't know what pcs you were using but all of my pcs for the past several years have been, for lack of a better term, flawless. I've had no viruses, no crashes and no issues. Maybe you bought a no-name or refurbished piece of junk or you are an inexperienced user and that's why you have troubles. I have seen people with Macs having more trouble and switching to Windows.
ReplyDeleteI have an iPad 2 and it's amazing, because it actually exists and does what it's supposed to really well
ReplyDeleteDerp
If you want to call me a sheep, whatever bro. I really don't care. If you're trying to convince me otherwise, you failed miserable.
iOS vs Android is worse then kids who argue on consoles. At least as adults, you can afford multiple systems unlike a kid. But when it comes to this OS fight, cellular contracts force you to a side basically. Then people are really desperate to defend their commitment to a platform for at least two years. I know tablets are different (at least all iPads are contract free)...but not really
And it's amusing the number of iPad and tablet haters who change their tune for Honeycomb, even if it's rubbish so far
Apple is terrible! They're just terrible! I mean, think about their tech. It's not anywhere near being good. Oh goodness! Ha! I think their thinking is wrong, and Steve Jobs hair is the only thing that's cool at Apple. (NOT j/k about the hair - for real)
ReplyDeleteMajor Screen Problems - Certainly possible given the number produced and sold.
ReplyDeleteNo retina display - That's a whole lot of pixels to push and would have been far more resolution than anyone has even announced let alone shipped
No SD slots or USB ports - So the first thing you do with a portable device is hang things off it that may or may not be supported in the OS yet?
No NFC support - Were you really going to wave a 10" device around at a checkout counter? Not saying it wouldn't have other vertical uses but it can wait.
No Thunderbolt port - Would have been nice but then someone would whine about how it is Thunderbolt client instead of a Thunderbolt Host
No 4G - To me this is really the only valid criticism of the higher end iPad. Would be nice from a power perspective as a hotspot host since the battery is huge. But then again it would totally chew the battery.
I agree that Apple's way of thinking is wrong. It limits their customer-base and makes them arrogant and snobby. Open products are better, it's been proven time and again. Apple fans will probably try to defend with some lame, non-specific argument about how Apple is "just better". Well, it's not.
ReplyDeleteBrett,
ReplyDeleteIt is "just better" but I agree Apple limits their sales by choosing to leave some features out. For example, years and years of a one button mouse on sale even when the OS X supported two buttons and a click wheel. Then instead of adding a button they took even that button away and made the top a multi-touch surface.
Sometimes the choices work out, sometimes they don't. But really that is Apple's choice to make. As customers we make our own choices. Buy or not buy. Simple.
I bought an iPad 1 fully knowing its limitations, but more excited about the capabilities and potential. It was an experiment in multi-touch on a larger interaction surface really. Some things I grok immediately, like a windowed interface or multi-touch, some things still puzzle me, like Twitter (or Ping).
Later this year when the support for that useless SD slot, more Android apps and 4G LTE arrive for the Xoom or the Transformer or the Playbook well then you can be excited too. Honeycomb looks nice and is fluid and responsive. It needs some work on discovery of features, but the features are there for the most part.
In the interim the browser works and you can get by until the thing is actually done and feature complete. Then you can giggle that I still have to use a Samsung 4G LTE WiFi card on my cheap gen 1 16GB WiFi iPad that I've enjoyed for the 18 months or so you waited for "something better".
I can live with that.
Waited? What are you talking about? I bought an Android tablet for $100 5 months ago and it works great. I use it to browse the web, watch videos, play games and my wife checks Facebook now and again. What's awesome is I can plug in an SD card loaded with music and play it without any syncing or itunes.
ReplyDeleteAnyone can live with that.
Apparently there is another Brett commenting now. Very confusing. (So far, I'm the one without a URL linked to my sig)
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't question anyone's personal experience, I seriously doubt that most people would be happy with the $100 Android tablet. Every product has tradeoffs, and I'm sure that there were many compromises required to meet that low price point.
I don't maintain that Apple products are "just better". There are specific reasons why, for some people, they seem that way. I recognize that others may disagree with Apple's design decisions. Everyone's needs and priorities are unique. Apple believes in controlling "the whole widget". This is in opposition to having a totally "open" system. There are pros and cons to each approach.
Personally, I don't always like Apple's decisions (their mice are a case in point), but for the most part I can deal with them. If you are unsatisfied with Apple's offerings, there are plenty of alternatives. I'm glad we live in a world where we have that choice.
The funny thing is, when I've had friends over (including Apple fans) and they see and try my tablet they can't believe it's so cool. They usually ask "why would I spend $500+ on something else when I could get this?" I just shrug my shoulders. Some people would probably spend 5X more just because they don't believe they could get something for less. I guess it's like buying an HDMI cable, Best Buy $40-$300 but you can get an equivalent quality cable for $3. "Ooh, the Best Buy cable says 'Monster' on it, that must be the best quality and I need that."
ReplyDeleteI don't deny that Apple commands a higher price in part because of its name, but I dare say that there is likely a lot more difference between an iPad and your tablet than between a Monster cable and a no-name cable.
ReplyDeleteTablets are orders of magnitude more sophisticated than cables. You neglect to state exactly which $100 Android tablet you claim is a reasonable substitute for an iPad. I imagine the other haters would also like to know so they can rush right out and buy one.
This place gets sadder every day. Now we get stupid clones pretending to be serious posters just to dis what the original poster said.
ReplyDeleteBret the clone: What is this $100 tablet of which you speak? Come on name names, so I can see what the reviews are like on ebay and Amazon. Otherwise you are just making stuff up to try and prove a point.
If the iPad2 was so crap - how come Apple are selling every one they make? There aren't that many "sheep" in the world. How come I can walk up to the other tablet displays in Best Buy coz no one is looking at them but I have to wait to try out an iPad2?
"So rushing an unfinished product out to make more money is the right thing to do? I'm not necessarily saying someone could run Apple better but skimping on features was a very poor decision. And how could it cost way more?"
Nah the problem is that if it were crap than people wouldn't buy. It is perfectly "good enough" to keep the iPad on top of the pile for the next nine or so months.
I'm not a clone but I choose to be anonymous, Like RattyUK is a real name anyway.
ReplyDeleteI can say I've seen some Android tablets and they are pretty nice. The iPads are nice but I have to say, for me, I think Androids are better because they are not chained to an itunes account. I like that you can link Android to your Google account which is free. You don't need a credit card or any personal info to use it. That is what matters to me.
True, iTunes does limit you like most things Apple. It does come down to your freedom, some people like giving it up.
ReplyDeleteIt's not that some Apple customers "like" giving up "freedom". Most don't even notice the limitations. Others who are aware of the tradeoffs are still willing to accept Apple's policies in exchange for the benefits.
ReplyDeleteApple is very good at finding the balance of exerting enough control to simplify (and therefore differentiate) its products while still making them pleasant and useful to large numbers of people.
No device or software could ever be designed to completely meet the needs and expectations of novices and ordinary non-technical folks as well as the more savvy geeks, tinkerers and power users. I believe many of the AppleHaters fall into the latter category.
What I find fascinating is that they can't just accept that Apple doesn't cater to them. If haters were truly satisfied with the competition's offerings, I don't think we'd hear so much from them. At some level, I think they are jealous that Apple users are largely content. So the haters want to stir up shit in the hopes that they can make Apple users as miserable as they are (or to convince themselves how much better their own non-Apple choice is). Truly pathetic.
I pulled this review from PC Mag.
ReplyDeleteVery Dissapointed
User Rating
"This laptop was not even close to being worth the hefty price tag. It overheated frequently, the ports are lacking and the audio quality was terrible. Sorry Apple, this is a huge failure. http://bit.ly/dI3hcF"
Who writes a review like that and then links out to this Consiperacy Website.
Listen I made my point before by whatever you want. Both systems are good for different reasons. Just be glad theres choices. Its clear that Anonymous doesn't like apple products.
As for the closed system it allows apple to have more control over there machines, this is a good and bad thing. Bad for a multitude of reasons. Good becuase you don't have to deal with JUNK. You order a PC and unless you ask you have a billion and half shitty spplications installed on your machine before you use it for the first time.
It was probably a follower of this site, if I had to guess. Maybe he/she bought a Mac product, was unhappy with it, and found this blog. As far as dealing with "junk", I bought a desktop, gaming laptop and a netbook in the last 2 years. The only junk was McAfee AV on the netbook so I removed it and all three machines rock. From what I've heard vendors have slowed down the bloat-ware that goes out with new machines. Eh, since I've never had a problem I like having most of (if not all) of the control.
ReplyDeleteDon't like it don't buy it.
ReplyDeleteWell, I guess you're saying that more people like Windows machines then.
ReplyDeleteMore people buy those :)
So Anonymous tells one complainer to buy something else if he doesn't like Apple's offering, and you extrapolate that each and every Windows sale is the result of an individual making a fully informed personal evaluation of both Windows and Mac.
ReplyDeleteI dare say that although lots of people run Windows (for whatever reason), not all of them can be said to "like" the experience.
Getting back to the topic at hand. Now that the iPad 2 has been out for several months, and is a runaway hit with no competing tablet even coming close in terms of sales, I wonder how many haters still will insist that Apple missed the mark regarding features?
ReplyDeleteI think Apple takes a lot of flak from individuals who are unhappy that Apple doesn't make a product to meet their exact specifications. Apple is business who like to sell high volume products. The way they do it is by including features that appeal to most users for an acceptable price. They must balance the addition of features against ease of use, size, weight, parts cost, battery life, and time to market. They deliberately limit the number of configurations to simplify manufacturing, inventory, and the purchasing experience.
Apple won't satisfy everyone (no company can), but clearly they please a large and growing customer base. I just don't understand why people hate them for this.