“I don’t get it. It costs $500 for the basic model, when you could get a laptop with a lot more functionality for about the same price. The iPad hype machine has been in full effect this week, and I still think it’s just that—hype,” Alex Cook blogs for Seeking Alpha.
“Nobody has ever made a commercially successful tablet computer,” Cook writes. “So, why then is there so much hype? It’s not just a rhetorical question. For one, even if you are not a Mac user, everyone loves Steve Jobs… That said, Steve Jobs has been wrong before. One of his earlier projects before he was ousted as the Apple CEO (and obviously before he was re-hired later) was the Apple Lisa. It was a computer built in 1983 with a graphical user interface and features now associated with a modern computer—significantly ahead of its time in 1983. Unfortunately, it was horribly expensive and ended up as a commercial flop.”
“The iPad could be even worse. At least the Lisa was ahead of its time. The iPad isn’t ahead of anything, but it’s certainly expensive,” Cook writes. “Tablet computers didn’t flop when HP was making them because HP lacked vision or creativity; they flopped because tablets were a bad idea.”
Cook writes, “I don’t buy the iPad hype. Analyst expectations for iPad revenue are way overblown. If I turn out to be wrong, I’ll gladly eat my words, but I’m pretty sure that I’m not wrong.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: iCal’ed with relish.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Robert S.” for the heads up.]
@ Super_Roflcopter
So what drew you here? You’re changing your mind aren’t you? You’re going to buy that iPad you’ve always wanted. Hope you can find one, they’re very popular you know.
After 2 days of almost constant use, I have to agree with whoever said “this thing is addicting”. I’m still in a state of awe over this beauty. But there are some things that could be improved; 1) a “scroll to bottom of page” (needed on iPhone too), 2) a ^*%% clock/alarms! I know everyone’s saying that there will be plenty of clocks available as add-on apps but how will they get around not being able to run in the background for alarms? 3) I’m working on how to get movies (from avi, mkv, etc) to fill the damned screen. Not a fault of the device but watching video that (in landscape) goes the entire width but uses only 1/3 in the middle of the vertical is really annoying (if someone has a suggestion, please pipe up) – I’m sure it’s a matter of finding a good conversion app (oh if only VisualHub were still supported!) but absolutely none of my movies that I stream via Air Video fill the screen. And Quicktime (on Mac) can’t open .Mkv (hi-def) movie files to convert to iPad. (yes, I know AirVideo will convert on-the-fly but I want them converted first and I want full-screen video.) Hmmmm… So the absolute worst I can come up with is one (currently) missing app, one easily-added feature and a little learning to do on video. Wish everything would flop like the iPad.
And to any idiot who thinks that they can’t get an iPad, most Apple Stores DID NOT SELL OUT of their on-hand stock and you can Waltz into a Best Buy (like I did) and just walk out of the store with one with no wait.
Don’t believe the stupidity and hype of “hope you can find one.” The question really is, do you really want one.
All the articles tearing this thing open and really seeing what’s behind it are finally coming out and the verdict is: disappointing.
From old generation processors to an embarrassingly small amount of RAM (256 MB – seriously?) to a display that is too reflective (and lower overall resolution size accounting for the total DPI of the iPhone).
All for twice the price of a Netbook that can do twice as much.
FAIL.
I love my iPad it will almost replace my laptop once more of the web drops that flash crap and switches to html5 and all of the net works cuz I know a few YouTube like sites that there vids don’t play on my iPad but have been suggesting to them to do the smart thing and switch and I’m excited to see if the background apps will really be out with 4.0 but I am loving my iPad can’t wait to use it in class and I type pretty damn good on it want a web cam in the 2nd gen this baby works so good tho can’t complain about the first iPad But I want a book from the iBook store that they don’t have
Relish?
I wonder if he’s going to want fries with that.
It’s already going to have to be super-sized.
Do you think he might be anti-(MDN word)Apple?
This device proves that specifications don’t have squat to do with performance. This thing is wicked fast and the display is clear and sharp. I haven’t been able to put mine down since Saturday. Reading books is a joy (the dictionary function rocks!). The NPR and USA today app’s are awesome. Battery life is amazing. People aren’t going to care how much RAM it has or how many pixels are on the screen as long as it does what needs to be done with style and reliability. They’re going to sell a gazillion of these!
You just made this article to get publicity for being:
‘Out-of-Touch & start a ‘Flame war’
And the quote:
‘Steve Jobs has been wrong before. One of his earlier projects before he was ousted as the Apple CEO (and obviously before he was re-hired later) was the Apple Lisa’
Steve jobs was not CEO again until 1984…then Macintosh started to grow again with his vision and leadership.
The previous Table PC did had lots of functionality and poor usability, using a stylus pen to control them. And suffered from having an Windows PC OS. Just like how windows failed to make a good Phone OS. The iPad is fast, fantastic usability, functionality, and an Army of 3rd Party developers making wonderful Apps.
Visit an Apple store and have a play…it’s not suppose to be a replacement for your Macbook Pro or PC. It’s a new category!
The iPad is great for traveling. Period.
Great for email, web browsing, and books…
I have been avoiding taking my laptop with me on difficult jaunts… using only my iPhone for email and web. The iPhone works, but it is not optimal…
Its, true, the iPad is not perfect (version 1)… but for me…
Problem Solved.
No Brainer.
mmmgh, let’s see 700,000 sold the first weekend?
all containing only wifi and no 3G?
Fail? Mmmgh. I’ve I’caled this statement too.
Remember first weekend iPhone 250k+.
No my friend, this is huge. Probably bigger than the Courier will be. Don’t even mention our open source favorite Gpad. A monstrosity in the making with its 10-20 vendors and a non-unified OS. For that matter, the Courier will have the same issues.
See you at the bank when I cash in the remainder of my Apple stock.
Yes, the guy is an absolute moron, and Zune Tang must have internet access in solitary confinement.
I can’t wait to hear ballmers take on it. any videos?
“I’ve never seen people come downstairs so fast. I don’t even ring the bell and they’re at the door.”
– A UPS driver on the Saturday morning iPad deliveries he’s been making.”
~ AAPL stock will be $300 by Dec. 2010
~ $51 Billion revenue
~ $41 Billion in CASH
~ ZERO debt
~ Great management and employees
~ Great Apple products
~ Record Profits every three months
~ Zero Virus. It just works faster and better:-)
And new customers + loyal customers!!!!!!!!!
Keep it up Up Apple, Inc.
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Good Jobs
iCal’ed … with crow, not relish
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The same-size (9.7″) Kindle DX retails at $489 … and yet we’re lamenting just that it was the iPad was who missed a “$100-$200” price point? Yes, its easy to look at cheap “$299” (really more) Netbooks and claim that they’re the future of computing. Sure, portability is right, but their business model is not. Suffice to say that Netbooks are a non-sustainable ‘Bread & Water’ diet for the PC Manufacturers, and their sole purpose is to defer death by starvation …for today, in hopes of a change to a more profitable (and TBD) business model tomorrow.
Moving back to the iPad, it is a device optimized for media consumption. And more to the point, this isn’t at all related to the question of “computer literacy”. If you don’t think that this business model concept has any chance, consider that traditional media (Radio, Newspaper, TV) are also all “consumption” devices that US Households consume several hours per night, 365/year. And yes, their models have been in trouble – – but when you dig into it, their troubles are mostly from factors related to *distribution*. Thus, the business implications will hinge upon the question of if the iPad might be a solution to their distribution problem.
Finally, every claim of “Flop” that has been made lately has studiously avoided committing to quantifiable terms, which makes them non-credible. Since the saying goes, “Birds of a Feather…”., perhaps this webpages sponsors of Sogotrade and Investools should give pause to who they’re choosing to associate with.
-hh
The Ipad is already outdated with last years technology and less RAM then a Palm PRE. The only performance over the iPhone is due to optimization differences in OS 3.2 which will be negated once the iphone OS catches up.
That is pathetic. Revolutionary = ripping you off with last years technology at today’s price.
Dumb fanboys eat it up…
zmarc – Wow, either he’s a moron or a hitwhore.
I’d say hitwhore. He’s just using the Dvorak model to call attention to himself.
Poor PlayNice. Keep on spouting. Maybe you’ll believe your own hyperbole. You trollies need a new script. You said the same thing when the iPod came out, and again when the iPhone came out.
Fail.
Did I just see PlayNice bring up the old ‘But it’s glossy!’ argument?
Lol
Look guts- playnice just assasinated your arguments. No one has yet to respond to his factual statements that it has a year-old processor, an embarrasingly low amount of RAM, etc. Once the fanboys are done buying it, sales will fall.
It is incredibly dumb to buy a large iPod touch- especially when in about 60 days there will be an iPhone/touch that is better than the camera-less maxi pad.
Playnice systematically destroyed you fanboys and all you can do is call him a troll or ad hominem attack him without responding to his valid points. He wins.
You
FAIL.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha giggle <*snort*> chuckle chuckle.
Whew!
Keep the comedy coming!
I don’t get the hype. People have tried for years to fly and to build a machine capable of making humans take to the sky like a bird. What can the wright brothers do that no one else could? They will be a flop
Alex should have stopped at “I don’t get it”.
I spent the weekend with my new iPad- it’s awesome. It’s EXACTLY what I was looking for for the living room. I brought it over to my sister’s for Easter dinner. Everybody loved it & was able to figure it out- even the Windows users
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I sat back and watched my family “play” with this thing. They couldn’t put it done. So much for my email privacy- jeez- anyway- it’s very cool- it won’t replace the laptop but it doesn’t have to.
BTW- my 3 year old grand daughter was flicking through the pictures with no help. We even taught her how to restart the photo app if “something went wrong”- we just told her to press on the picture that looked like a flower to start over- too cute.
I believe the iPad is going to be to education what the opposable thumb was to the monkey!!
“I don’t get it.”
In my opinion, the article ends here. And he’s correct.
http://iPadLot.com
@Truthbearer
Except you are full of shit. The processor is new to the market and you know jack about it, it’s actually got 512 MB of RAM, which is more than enough for it’s design, and the rest of his rant is just that: a rant, not backed up in anyway with facts. And Netbooks are shit. An hour of battery life at best, the entire Windows 7 interface crammed into a smaller screen than the iPad at much worse resolution.
The iPad is going to destroy netbooks and the associated stupidity of cramming Microsoft’s OS onto a touch format once and for all.
Why don’t you check your facts before opening your mouth.
You are WRONG.
Only 256 MB of RAM
A8 Processor (not A9).
NOTHING is new to the market in terms of the processor. The thing is fast because: 1.) They have further optimized the performance of iPhone OS (2.0 to 3.0 was orders of magnitude faster – its all in the optimization) and 2.) This thing can never multi-task so they optimized it for speed for single tasking.
FAIL (as usual, you overzelous fanboys have nothing else to say).