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Apple iPad 2 is here and tablet rivals need to hit the drawing board
Chicago SunTimes ^ | Mar 4, 2011 6:03PM | By ANDY IHNATKO

Posted on 03/05/2011 8:09:44 PM PST by Swordmaker


Apple's magnetic iPad 2 cover flops back and out of the way, or rolls up into an easel for typing or viewing.

Putting the rumors to rest: iPad 2 announced today Hands-on review: How does Motorola Xoom compare to iPad? Apple expected to unveil new iPad today If one of your company’s goals for 2011 was to introduce a tablet to complete with the iPad, you can expect to struggle.

The second most powerful evidence of this happened just a minute ago, as I pulled out my iPad and keyboard here in my San Francisco hotel lobby to write this very same column.

“Looks like you’re going to have to buy a new one of those,” said an electrician as he passed by me on the way to his truck. “The new one’s coming out on the 11th.”

I didn’t tell him that I had attended the Apple iPad 2 press event that morning. No, sometime in the previous hour or two, this random stranger had heard about the new version of the iPad ... and he remembered the ship date. That’s how successful Apple’s been. Consumers aren’t just aware of the iPad ... they’re actually excited about it.

(Excerpt) Read more at suntimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: ispam; spam; spammer; tablet
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To: Eye of Unk

Good for you for exploring the options. There are quite a few now and the choices will continue to grow and improve. HP’s tablet could be quite interesting, though it’s own native OS puts it out in left field.


41 posted on 03/06/2011 5:58:34 PM PST by rintense (The GOP elite & friends can pound sand.)
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To: rintense
Do I smell an agenda on this page? Yup I do?
HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Agenda???? Hey folks, go check out Swordmakers last 50 posts. How about the last 50 topics?

Agenda, indeed.

Oh, and something to make you have kittens... I have an iPad at work. And a Droid X phone.

Does this chart, supposedly comparing features, deliberately OMIT included features of the new iPad 2 to make it look less capable than its competition. The answer is yes, it does. That's cheating.

What's also pertinent to this discussion that's missing from this chart that consumers might want to know? How about the number of tablet optimized apps available?

How about the devices that will interface with the tablet in the economic ecosystem?
42 posted on 03/06/2011 6:04:21 PM PST by Swordmaker (This tag line is a Microsoft product "insult" free zone.)
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To: rintense
As for your elitist bent, let me remind you not every Apple product has had a flawless market entry. Case and point, iPhone 4. And that was the 4th generation they screwed up on, not to mention the white phone.

Do YOU own an iPhone 4? If you believe the single most successful smartphone release in history is a failure, you have fallen for the very well orchestrated FUD campaign that Google mounted to counter it's release and to promote Android phones.

The proof is that the totally unmodified iphone4, when released into the rest of the World's markets, DID NOT HAVE THE ANTENNA PROBLEM so heavily hyped in the press in the United States! In fact reviewers there, no matter how hard they tried, could not duplicate the problem! Multiple technical sources demonstrated similar attenuation on ALL cellular phones, and noted that what the articles were claiming was a "problem" unique to the Apple iPhone4, was in fact a normal fact of physics caused whenever you covered an antenna. They also demonstrated that the iPhone4 got BETTER reception than its competition and all previous models of the iPhone.

Once those facts came in, Apple discontinued their stop-gap, free bumper case program, the FUD campaign could not be maintained in light of the flood of countering scientific evidence from around the world and consumers reporting they were NOT experiencing the problems the FUD was claiming they were (the iPhone4 had a far lower level of complaints and returns than any other smartphone), and the iPhone4 still maintains a higher rate of sales than any other single make or model on the market today! Some failure!

As for reviews, for every one you find in favor of the iPad(2), I can find one for the Xoom, etc.

I really doubt that. I've seen those reviews. There aren't that many... And they run about two to one positive to negative on the Xoom,,, and all have some reservations about things like the buggy OS, mailing in to upgrade to 4G, and Flash not working. Most comment about the "rush to market" to beat Apple showing.

43 posted on 03/06/2011 6:36:04 PM PST by Swordmaker (This tag line is a Microsoft product "insult" free zone.)
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To: Swordmaker

You live in denial. You can’t even be objective. Jobs really got you with the koolaid, didn’t he?


44 posted on 03/06/2011 7:22:47 PM PST by rintense (The GOP elite & friends can pound sand.)
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To: MarkeyD
I’m reading this on a rooted Book Color.

I'm posting this on my iPad. :-) I've found it to be a much more pleasant experience to be able to sit on my couch, watch TV and read/reply to FR than being "locked" in front of my desktop.

Even though I've had mine since Fathers Day last year, I still don't think I've exploited all the capabilities of this thing.

I can even remote control my ham radio station with this thing.....

45 posted on 03/06/2011 7:28:29 PM PST by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: Swordmaker

My HTC Evo 4G still has it beat in most areas, and was half the price. Plus, it fits into my shirt pocket!


46 posted on 03/06/2011 8:08:48 PM PST by Cementjungle
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To: rintense

Your “smartphone” market share numbers are amusing in that if you posted the same thing for iPad, it would own around 90% of every age group.

The hardware differences aren’t nearly as important as the software differences - the iPad has far more software available than its “competitors” (to use the term loosely). Not to mention the fit, finish and friendliness of the iOS itself, which is without peer.

It’s easy to see why Apple stock is at $360/share, and its market cap is now 52% higher than Microsoft’s. It’s now #2 in market cap, behind only Exxon. Bill Gates must be livid. =:-D


47 posted on 03/07/2011 5:23:28 AM PST by PreciousLiberty
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To: rintense

“Case and point, iPhone 4.”

I presume you mean “case in point”. ;-)

The “screwed up” iPhone 4 is a product that any of Apple’s competitors would LOVE to have. It’s sold very well, despite massive coverage of a minor design flaw - and one that’s easy to completely avoid.

“though in a growing market of feature-based tablets, the iPad2 has failed. Yes, failed.”

LOL! I’ll make a note to treat anything you post VERY skeptically. Your grasp of reality is nonexistent.


48 posted on 03/07/2011 5:29:15 AM PST by PreciousLiberty
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To: rintense

If you hate Apple products, why are you here?

I own an Ipad, and am interested in Apple products. I asked to be put on an Apple ping-list, and I appreciate reading articles that I wouldn’t otherwise find.

You really don’t have to come onto these threads and poop all over them. Really.


49 posted on 03/07/2011 6:02:07 AM PST by Big Giant Head (Two years no AV, no viruses, computer runs great!)
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To: Big Giant Head

One, where did I say I hate Apple products? Two, this is not an exclusive thread. If you can’t handle an oppposing viewpoint, tough.


50 posted on 03/07/2011 6:05:31 AM PST by rintense (The GOP elite & friends can pound sand.)
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To: PreciousLiberty

Grasp of reality? When Apple execs response to the antenna issue is “you’re holding it wrong” and then acknowledges the flaw, its a massive PR fail.

That’s reality. I swear I have yet to hear a single objective Apple fan.


51 posted on 03/07/2011 6:10:04 AM PST by rintense (The GOP elite & friends can pound sand.)
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To: PreciousLiberty

If you’re amused by the numbers, complain to Nielsen. Or are they anti Apple too?


52 posted on 03/07/2011 6:13:44 AM PST by rintense (The GOP elite & friends can pound sand.)
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To: Eye of Unk
Here is another more detailed comparison chart:


53 posted on 03/07/2011 6:18:52 AM PST by rintense (The GOP elite & friends can pound sand.)
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To: rintense

You’re right, it was a PR disaster.

Human factors testing can only go so far in the lab, and given the issue they had with someone losing a pre-production model in a bar; can only go so far out in the world.

The iphone isn’t the first mobile device to have antenna issues, and it probably won’t be the last. I used to have an antenna issue with the Motorola RAZR I had before my 3GS. The way I would sometimes like to hold it, would cause the same attenuation problems the iPhone 4 had.

I learned not to hold it that way.

I’ve also had reception issues with portable radios and my OTA HD reception. RF is an imperfect medium, and cell tower coverage is not uniform.


54 posted on 03/07/2011 6:25:34 AM PST by AFreeBird
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To: AFreeBird

Yep. It’s a difficult lesson learning not everyone holds a phone the same way. But its a lesson every manufacturer has learned.

My choice was between the iPhone and Droid X. It came down to screensize, comfort and features for me. I went with the Dx. It has its quirks but absolutely no regrets. If a non-work tablet is in the future, I will continue to comparison shop.


55 posted on 03/07/2011 6:42:31 AM PST by rintense (The GOP elite & friends can pound sand.)
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To: rintense

So, why are you here? To shoot down apple products that you DON’T hate? To “oppose” an informational thread? It’s annoying. I skip most of your comments, but you seem to have a mission or something.


56 posted on 03/07/2011 7:08:13 AM PST by Big Giant Head (Two years no AV, no viruses, computer runs great!)
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To: rintense

Here are the numbers that matter:

100,000,000 iPhones sold
15,000,000 iPads sold in 9 months
15,000 native iPad apps
200,000,000 iTunes accounts
$2,000,000,000 paid out to iOS developers
The hardware. numbers don’t even count the millions more iPod Touch devices. (You know, iPods - the devices that continue to dominate their category despite endless claims others were iPod “killers”. LOL)

Android has a looooooong way to go to compete...plus the profit margins are weaker. ;-)


57 posted on 03/07/2011 7:48:49 AM PST by PreciousLiberty
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To: rintense

I ride a Yamaha motorcycle, many people think its a Harley, and without bashing the American icon my bike had just the features I needed, was more affordable and has certain pieces of engineering that are arguably troublefree.

But I won’t park it outside a joint that is all Harleys.

I am for the first time considering one of these portable pads as I will be traveling to Australia later this year and I don’t want a bulky laptop.


58 posted on 03/07/2011 7:57:09 AM PST by Eye of Unk ("These people are either at your neck or at your knees" A quote by Winston Churchill)
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To: rintense

What percentage of iPhone owners do you suppose use a case? I do, and I think you’d be crazy not to...and that COMPLETELY eliminates any issue.

The whole thing was a tempest in a teapot.

I’m sorry you got stuck with an inferior product...


59 posted on 03/07/2011 7:58:26 AM PST by PreciousLiberty
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To: rintense; Swordmaker

i have yet to understand the sturm and drang on the Apple threads. i appreciate swordmakers threads for info. My daughter and i both have IPhones [she’s 22yo. i am not geriatric] my husband and son have droids [only bc they are on verizon and my daughter and i are on ATT]. We are all happy with our phones. I am considering an ipad and was interested in this thread. I think we are all big boys and girls and able to discern for ourselves what we want. i think the Apple haters are far more vitriolic than those who happen to like apple products and i just don’t get why all the hate.


60 posted on 03/07/2011 8:11:19 AM PST by xsmommy
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