Hi apple - Forget your I@crap - MS posts good profit

[jimbo45]

Hi all
Despite Apple's "bloated Iphone and expensive Tea Tray" announced yesterday Windows 7 is still doing fine.

BBC News - Microsoft sees 60% jump in profit, boosted by Windows 7

Cheers
jimbo

(PS -- Well done Man Utd yesterday -- great game).

 

[valtonray]

while yes windows 7 is doing fine and apple is nowhere near in a positional to knock ms from it's throne, i disagree about the ipad. i think that its something the pc manufacturers are going to have to face and seeing them bring a windows 7 counterpart at a price that is competitive to what apple offers is going to push them. i'm far from being an apple fan boy but it's a good product and it'll be exciting to see how mainstream pc vendors combat it.

 

[pparks1]

I think the iPad is useless. It's not a tablet computer, it's a oversized iPhone running a phone based OS. From a tablet computer, people still want and need more functionality. They need to be able to add in peripherals. They want webcam support, etc. I just don't see anything revolutionary in this product and I'm trying to imagine who is going to want to lug around this 10" version of the iPhone. It just doesn't seem so practical.

 

[valtonray]

true it's very limited to what it can do, thats why as nice as it looks im holding out and waiting to see what the windows counterparts are capable of. but for a simple user who needs more than a smart phone for web browsing it's an attractive alternative to netbooks. and meets the needs of most of the market, obviously that's not us, we demand computing power but the average user just needs something to get online, maybe type up a document occasionally and play a few simple games. the ipad can handle all of those tasks.

 

[Lee]

I'll stick with my Kindle (really like it).

It is good to see Microsoft getting back into the OS theater again. I use a iMac 27", albeit Windows 7 64 bit is set up in boot camp. Also as a tester of the beta I find Windows 7 an excellent OS.

 

[valtonray]

i like my kindle too.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
exactly how do you type a document (such as a Powerpoint or EXCEL spreadsheet) on an Ipad -- once you've got the online keyboard on screen you've lost half your screen real estate and as for languages other than English -- forget it -- so how do people like me send email to colleagues in our own language.

To me it seems the only uses for this device are (apart from using it as a large Iphone)
1) Digital photo album
2) DVD viewer - although content has to be supplied by apple -- no external DVD device available so far.
3) E-book reader.

Any of these applications can be done more conveniently (and cheaper) simply by using a cheap Netbook -- you can buy decent netbooks with 10 or 11 inch screens for around 350 USD / 220 GBP/EUR.

I like reading in bed -- so Kindle's etc aren't for me but I can understand why some people like using them - and the battery life is far better than an Ipad. I also make notes in margins of books etc so I'm sure the e-book idea is not to everybody's taste.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[pparks1]

Typing on the iPad only seems marginally better than typing on any of the blackberries that I have ever owned.

Using the device as an ebook reader is an interesting concept, but with the backlight and such the battery life won't even come close to what the kindle can provide for less cost.

My wife has an iPhone and she loves it and she loves the apps. But the thing she really likes is it's size. It's small enough to fit in your pocket and can be used easily in the car, in the line at the store, while waiting for carryout, etc. When my wife wants to post things on the net and surf the web..she prefers to use her full size laptop which provides all of these conveniences and more features. Plus, the laptop can multitask, while the iPad is stuck with a single app at one time.

To me, this is the new incarnation of Apple TV.

 

[Lee]

Hi Jimbo45, do you remember the 9" Mac Plus. Used one for five years (still works), though now after working with a 28" monitor it is looking very, very small.

Agree with you though on the keyboard issue.

 

[valtonray]

Hi there
exactly how do you type a document (such as a Powerpoint or EXCEL spreadsheet) on an Ipad -- once you've got the online keyboard on screen you've lost half your screen real estate and as for languages other than English -- forget it -- so how do people like me send email to colleagues in our own language.

To me it seems the only uses for this device are (apart from using it as a large Iphone)
1) Digital photo album
2) DVD viewer - although content has to be supplied by apple -- no external DVD device available so far.
3) E-book reader.

Any of these applications can be done more conveniently (and cheaper) simply by using a cheap Netbook -- you can buy decent netbooks with 10 or 11 inch screens for around 350 USD / 220 GBP/EUR.

I like reading in bed -- so Kindle's etc aren't for me but I can understand why some people like using them - and the battery life is far better than an Ipad. I also make notes in margins of books etc so I'm sure the e-book idea is not to everybody's taste.

Cheers
jimbo

true a netbook can handle all of these tasks at a much cheaper price. but people pay for style too and the ipad has that. my gf has already informed me that im buying her one as soon as they are available. and for her needs it works.

 

[Lee]

Posted this on another thread earlier:

Not really sure if this will take off, however, it appears that quite a few manufactures are stepping up to the plate. So, someone somewhere must have done a marketing test to see if this type of device would be welcomed by the computing public. If a stylist is included it could be an excellent tool for college students, and if the right applications are offered it would be great in meeting rooms throughout the business communities, and law firms.

They really are gong to be useful regardless of all the bad talk from the geek community.

 

[pparks1]

but people pay for style too and the ipad has that.

Unfortunately that style is exactly the same as the iPhone and the iPod touch. And I think when people really sit down to consider whether this fits them or not, the size of the device will end up being a deterrent. Who wants to carry something that large around with them where ever they go and need mobile computing.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi Jimbo45, do you remember the 9" Mac Plus. Used one for five years (still works), though now after working with a 28" monitor it is looking very, very small.

Agree with you though on the keyboard issue.

Hi there

I used one of these too -- but the price was absolutely wallet busting -- however it was the only computer you could actually use on the London Underground / metro system in the rush hour even if you had to stand up on the train.

I would have bought a decent Mac plus replacement any day - can't understand why one never came out -- they could have wiped the floor with the "Netbook" market - but they obviously dropped the ball on this one.

But I'm very satisfied with my Netbook -- I got rid of the XP HOME system it came with and installed W7 Professional X-86 (from Technet). Runs fine on 1GB 10 inch netbook with 160 GB HDD.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[valtonray]

but people pay for style too and the ipad has that.

Unfortunately that style is exactly the same as the iPhone and the iPod touch. And I think when people really sit down to consider whether this fits them or not, the size of the device will end up being a deterrent. Who wants to carry something that large around with them where ever they go and need mobile computing.

who wants them? yuppies like my girlfriend that love the simple styling and don't don't need much power or multi tasking from a portable computer when they have a much more robust desktop sitting at home and in the office.

 

[smarteyeball]

Despite it's strengths and weakness, you WILL see them every where soon enough.

It's Apple FFS. Functionality is secondary to image.

 

[thefabe]

Won't fit in my pocket. Guess I could get a bling chain and wear it around my neck. Really I think we'll have to wait and see how if fairs in the real world usage. It wasn't as impressive as the hype but then your listening to a guy that hasn't owned a cell phone for years so?? Fabe

 

[madtownidiot]

Current technology could easily support a small touch screen tablet with a full version of windows 7 and all the functionality of a laptop. It's not up to Microsoft to produce one, it's up to the computer manufacturers. The (max)iPad will be an epic fail if someone from Acer or the like gets on the ball.

 

[valtonray]

Current technology could easily support a small touch screen tablet with a full version of windows 7 and all the functionality of a laptop. It's not up to Microsoft to produce one, it's up to the computer manufacturers. The (max)iPad will be an epic fail if someone from Acer or the like gets on the ball.

only if they can bring it to market at a competitive price. apple created a price point that is going to be hard to compete with, and the people going after tablets aren't going to be the people that demand a full powered portable machine, it's gonna take a piece of the netbook market, with style and portability playing a large role.

 

[noobvious]

Won't fit in my pocket. Guess I could get a bling chain and wear it around my neck. Really I think we'll have to wait and see how if fairs in the real world usage. It wasn't as impressive as the hype but then your listening to a guy that hasn't owned a cell phone for years so?? Fabe

I guess then we would have to call you Flava Fabe.

 

[madtownidiot]

only if they can bring it to market at a competitive price. apple created a price point that is going to be hard to compete with, and the people going after tablets aren't going to be the people that demand a full powered portable machine, it's gonna take a piece of the netbook market, with style and portability playing a large role.

And if someone comes up with a tablet for the same price as a netbook? (or a netbook with touchscreen capability and a slide-out keyboard) It can be done. I think that would be a no-brainer as to which to choose