“With as many as 100 different models of tablet computers from dozens of makers expected to be on display at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week, market consolidation is a certainty,” Matt Hamblen reports for Computerworld.
“Some of those tablet models won’t be on the market within a year, and some won’t even last beyond the four-day show that officially kicks off Thursday, predicted Shawn Dubravac, chief economist for the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the show’s sponsor,” Hamblen reports. “‘Every industry consolidates, and over time we’ll see [tablet] consolidation,’ he said. ‘Some won’t go beyond the show.'”
MacDailyNews Take: This reminds us of last March, when Microsoft CEO Ballmer T. Clown strode onstage with a mockup of HP vaporware. While the anti-Apple brigade partied in the streets over the wondrous promise Ballmer’s dog and pony show portended, we immediately and, as usual, correctly wrote, “HP and Microsoft offer vapor as Apple launches iPad.” The pretend plug was pulled on the nonexistent slab barely more than a month later.
Another failed attempt to freeze the iPad market was “leaked” by Microsoft in the form of “Courier” 6 months earlier in September 2009. Again, with the eternally optimistic insane clown posse drooling in anticipation (Gizmodo raved, “This is Courier, Microsoft’s astonishing take on the tablet.”), we immediately and, of course, correctly wrote, “What’s astonishing about it? That it looks to be 1990’s thick, that it’s stuck running some version of Windows, that it’s vaporous computer graphics with a cartoon demo, or all three? It’s not a “booklet,” it’s a “vaporlet.” So, why is this “astounding” CG imagery being emitted right now? Are Microsoft worried that a real device is coming soon from another company?” Of course, they were. The imaginary Courier was “killed” the day after the fake HP slate.
Hamblen continues, “Dubravac predicted that more than 80 tablets will be shown at CES, and possibly up to 100.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: We can’t wait to see what kind of shenanigans some of these junk peddlers will try to pull this year. We expect to pen plenty of “bloody” headlines.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
95% won’t survive.
Even if I can’t spell Houdini.
Exactly. Those upcoming competing tablets are already mostly obsolete compared to the current iPad. Apple will soon release a new iPad, and most of those “100” tablets will be cancelled.
Apple has the power to do this every year with tablets. The competition will hard work all year (going against the existing iPad model) and show off their new designs at CES. Then, a few weeks later, Apple will raise the bar with the next iPad model. And the cycle starts again…
This (first) year is particularly bad, because most (if not all) of those “100” will NOT be “available today” announcements. The shipping products will not come until after the new iPad. Hence, most of those “100” will never become shipping products.
The only tablet to survive successfully will be called “Salmon” for its ability to swim upstream against the iPad.
MDN will be the bear writing about the “Salmon” bloodbath it is creating as it swipes at the “Salmon”.
More than 80 tablets, possibly up to 100? If a tablet comes in five different colors, does that count as five? How about with and without 3G (or so-called 4G)? Does those variations add to the total?
I am actually not that cynical. I generally enjoy concept and prototype product releases of all kinds.The irritating hype bubble surrounding these would-be iPads will soon pop. Some of them may incorporate some worthy design aspects, but all will be handicapped by their OS and the lack of a mature infrastructure relative to iOS and Apple’s integrated marketplace.
Don’t salmon die after they spawn?
And of the 100, at least 60 will have a black border and a silver surround (which will be plastic).
Of those that are left they will either be netbooks with a missing keyboard or oversized android phones without the phone.
ITV vs. BBC, The price is right vs. The generation game.
Obscure British tv allusions notwithstanding, it’s crap but cheap vs. Not crap and inexpensive
I predict one will survive.
Microsofts latest “astonishing take on the tablet” will be a stumpy big ass table 2 renamed DoorPad.
And they talk about SJ’s “Reality iDistortion Field”….. well good luck to their iCopiers!
Smoked Salmon….
Vaporlet?
Is that like a fartlet?
Ya know..
It’s this type of elitist GARBAGE that most of you hard core Apple enthusiest’s post all over the internet, that makes alot of us mac users NOT want to be mac users.
When will the frocking “I’m better than you are” pissing contest stop?? Come the FXuck ON!! It’s JUST electronics. Whether you know it or not COMPETITION IS GOOD FOR ALL OF US, else Apple just jacks up prices and STOPS innovating, just like the Intel/AMD rivalry
Look, we ALL get the fact that Win7 makes a SH1TTY OS for a tablet, but you cant deny that iOS isnt perfect either. For christ sake, NO FROCKING FILE SYSTEM ACCESS…AT ALL?? Does Apple not trust it’s users(whom pay much more and are supposed to be higher educated/dare I say elite??) to be able to manage their OWN data without hand holding??
(What you REALLY NEED to WORRY ABOUT)
Whats REALLY sad, is with the mac app store supposedly launching tomorrow, Apple is about to “likely” START doing the same to OSX. Don’t get me wrong, it won’t happen right away, but come 10.8 (or OS XI at the LATEST), don’t say it was’nt speculated. A slow CASTRATION to the OS we once loved..
Now quit being enamored with what the other guy’s are doing and tend to your OWN backyard before Job’s FCK’s all us mac users in the ARSE without even a thank-you or lube…
That is ALL..
@ osxtasy,
It’s hard to take someone seriously when they can’t even cuss properly. You are one dumb fscker.
Well, if those other tablets are “salmon”, then Apple owns the DAM they gotta get past.
@ osxtasy
Next, you’ll be complaining because iOS has no access to a command line.
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I didnt read everyones comments, so I’m not picking on anyone specifically – but where are the ‘competition is good’ idiots who think these 100 tablets are ‘competition’ through the mere mention of their names? I say “is the competition good?” This is 2010, our economy can no longer survive on rehashes and copycats. Asia can make copycats infinitely quicker and cheaper. Our ONLY solution is to INNOVATE, which can’t be easily copied, thereby expanding our lead.
Just to make it clearer….
shenanigans = chingaderas
“eternally optimistic insane clown posse”
I’ve got to remember that one. It’s true.
The only thing I want to say here is that the HP tablet that Ballmer displayed last year was not a mock up. It worked, though it was a late prototype, which is often what’s shown at shows like CES.
@ osxtacy,
“Come the FXuck ON!! It’s JUST electronics.”,
You dumbass. You use OS X in your name and say it’s just electronics.
It’s all about iOS and the Apps. Anyone can copy the hardware and at least get close. Come the FXuck ON!!
Only a Fandroid or a Micronut would think it’s just the feature list.
Hey, dagnabbit, MDN went and sanitized my cussin’. Ya bunch o’ hornswoglin’ whippersnappers! That really scalds my coconuts!
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Hay Maclover, it is actually 2011, happy new year
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In Air Combat you lead the target. In other words. Fire where it will be when your bullets reach the same area at the target. Not where it is now.
All I see are “Tablets” that are going after what they see now. Not what will be soon.