What does Apple need to do to make the ipad a success?

[TheForce]

This is to be a continuation of the dated thread on what will Apple announce on the 27th?

Let me start by saying, based on all the blogs on the subject, it likely boils down to:

1. Flash support
2. Camera for skype video ( as opposed to a high res device to be a good digital still or video camcorder.) In otherwords, it doesn't need to be a high quality camera.
3. True multitasking.

4. And most important, Apple needs to hype the heck out of it in a massive ad campaign.

 

[mike123abc]

I think it success more depends on iTunes. If they are successful in a subscription model for newspapers, magazines, books, etc, they could have a nice reader.

Flash and multitasking are going to be needed for a great success. There is just too much web content that does not work without flash.

A camera would have made it a great phone. It might really have made video phones common. Video skype on a tablet would make it much more used.

 

[parp]

Steve is pretty anti Flash right now. I think if Flash makes it to the iPad (and iPhone) Adobe is going to have to work pretty hard to get it in shape for his approval. I hope they can work it out.

I agree that it needs multitasking and a camera.

Can't wait to get one!!

 

[diogen]

I don't think flash will ever make it to the iPad. Jobs burned the bridges.
Apple must be really desperate to backpedal on this. The rest will happen, sooner or later.

Diogen.

 

[meStevo]

All it needs is an Apple on the back of it and it will convert enough ipod/iphone users to pick one up and be called a success. They'll start adding some of those other features in the next iterations so they can charge people for another and/or a software update like they've been doing with ipods for a couple years now.

The ipad is a sexy gadget, but I am not sure we'll ever own one, it's trying to make a new platform (really just extending the itouch platform to tablet PCs) rather than replace netbooks/tablet PCs. Outside of the initial Apple faithful, I think it's going to need a lot of help and probably a couple of rounds of price cuts.

Related, my wife went to update my ipod touch for the first time since she started using it earlier this year because itunes prompted her to do so. When it asked her to pay $5, she put it in a drawer and reloaded all of her songs back onto her Creative Zen.

 

[navychop]

I haven't put my hands on one.

I'm not completely familiar with one.

Yet, I'm tempted to say, from what little I know, that success would involve burning butter and bowing to the east.

Except, as meStevo has pointed out, it has the word "Apple" on it, and that "almost" guarantees success.

Never mind the Newton.

 

[yorktown]

I'm sure there's already tons of Apple fanboy's planning to buy one the day they become available to buy just cause it's made by Apple.
They'll tell 2 geeks they can't live without one , they'll tell 2 geeks, and so on, and so on, and so on.

 

[lparsons21]

It will be a success as Apple does put things like this out with the right infrastructure behind it. ie; the 140K+ apps already there, plus the new ones that will be there the day it ships. And if it follows the path the iPhone/iPod Touch has, it will be selling to a hell of a lot more than Apple fanbois.

You are of course, free to disagree. We'll see pretty soon now.

 

[dangue]

Flash and multitasking are glaring in their absense. I'd also say a usb port would make this more appealing by adding a level of versatility that is currently lacking.

I am intrigued by the eBook store. As a current Kindle owner, I hope the competition will drive the price down and open up the market to more consumers. I'm not convinced that an LCD screen is the best viewing option out there. Eye strain with my Kindle is a non-issue, but I imagine this will be like being in front of any other computer monitor.

Bottom line, I was expecting more than what was unveiled. If later iterations contain improvements, I'll give them a look. In it's current form, it's a clear pass for me.

 

[meStevo]

Flash and multitasking are glaring in their absense. I'd also say a usb port would make this more appealing by adding a level of versatility that is currently lacking.

I am intrigued by the eBook store. As a current Kindle owner, I hope the competition will drive the price down and open up the market to more consumers. I'm not convinced that an LCD screen is the best viewing option out there. Eye strain with my Kindle is a non-issue, but I imagine this will be like being in front of any other computer monitor.

Bottom line, I was expecting more than what was unveiled. If later iterations contain improvements, I'll give them a look. In it's current form, it's a clear pass for me.

It's the opposite, because of Apple's pricing schemes, Amazon is going to have to raise prices - Amazon’s stronghold on e-book pricing crumbles, will renegotiate with Macmillan and HarperCollins Boy Genius Report

 

[rockymtnhigh]

Flash and multitasking are glaring in their absense. I'd also say a usb port would make this more appealing by adding a level of versatility that is currently lacking.

I am intrigued by the eBook store. As a current Kindle owner, I hope the competition will drive the price down and open up the market to more consumers. I'm not convinced that an LCD screen is the best viewing option out there. Eye strain with my Kindle is a non-issue, but I imagine this will be like being in front of any other computer monitor.

Bottom line, I was expecting more than what was unveiled. If later iterations contain improvements, I'll give them a look. In it's current form, it's a clear pass for me.

I agree 100% about the eBook issue. There is zero eye strain with e-ink; not so with this laptop.

But there is a bigger poblem with the iBook store. THey (Apple) are colluding with one of the largest book companies in the world (Macmillan) to push the price of eBooks to $15; a 33% increase over the standard $9.99 from Amazon.com. Amazon actually pulled all Macmillan titles from their "shelves" (print and Kindle) for a short period last week in protest). And when they restored it, they even spoke of Macmillan's "monopoly" over its titles. I would not all be surprised to see some litigation, and certainly more issues play out over the cost of eBooks. While Amazon needs Macmillan; Macmillan needs amazon - which sells 20% of all books. That battle is still brewing.

I suspect there will be a lot of readers who are going to balk at paying $15 for a book made of bits. It is sheer greed and I think has the real potential to push more and more business to the Kindle store (which of course supports the iPad through the Kindle iPhone app) at lower prices. THis won't necessarily hurt the "iPad" as users will be able to get books from perhaps a better source; but it won't necessarily help Apple. And Apple's desire for control is legendary. I'd say that for every fanboy that runs out in support of them, another two people will go in the other direction. Time will tell. As a reader, I want lower, not higher prices.

For the record I like my iPod touch; I love my iPod classic (160gb latest gen), andI adore my Amazon Kindle 2; but I don't need a big ipod touch, and the iPhone was never an enticement for me due to AT&T and the lack of a keyboard.

 

[DodgerKing]

USB support for other devices

 

[TheForce]

Couple points-

As for USB, somewhere I heard the USB access is through a dongle cable. Not sure if this is factual but that is the impression I was under.

The debate on the screen for a reader, IMO, is a tradeoff on how you want to use a device-.
The Kindle, a dedicated reader is for text only and offers what some claim is easy on the eyes. Probably true, especially in bright sunlight, but one thing's for certain the KIndle screen battery drain is much less since it has no backlight battery drain. The ipad, on the otherhand is a much more versatile reader and the device can do so much more. As for reading, it has a much better approach to magazines and newspapers since it supports color and a better hands on feel. Only you can determine if you get fatigued reading it. Personally, I feel I would suffer far more fatigue needing to carry an extra device ( KIndle) than what I would suffer from eye fatigue reading text on a laptop or ipad but that's just me.

When we had the debate on the Kindle, I made the claim that I prefer using my phone with audible books as opposed to any reader. That allows me to multitask and experience the author's work while physically reading a book, is less desirable due to the dedication it takes. Call it ADD if you want but getting an author's work experience while driving on long road trips is hardly ADD to blame. Or, getting audible book experience while working in the shop or doing lawn work is more efficiency related than ADD. I always figure that people who read books, aren't busy people and have lots of free time to waste, so they make use of that free time by physically reading.

 

[navychop]

When Kindle first came out, I'd have bought one, if it had PDA functions. Glad I didn't. iPhone is more than enough. Just think what products we'll see in 5 years!

 

[rglore]

Related, my wife went to update my ipod touch for the first time since she started using it earlier this year because itunes prompted her to do so. When it asked her to pay $5, she put it in a drawer and reloaded all of her songs back onto her Creative Zen.

Really, did she even read all the new features offered? She could decline the update if she thinks it wasn't worth 5 bucks and it would still work as before.

 

[meStevo]

She only uses it for music and digital copies of a couple of movies, she didn't care. Was mad about the idea of even charging for the update and said she'd never have another Apple product again. Since then I've somewhat joked about getting an ipad when it was revealed, and she asked how much updates would be for that...

Poking around I found that it's actually a single digit percentage of ipod users that upgrade their software.

At least it's my ipod again, though I rarely used it. When I travel is the only time my PSP gets any use, and we have Kindles now. At work I have access to Grooveshark.com, so ipod isn't really filling a need.

 

[diogen]

I always figure that people who read books, aren't busy people and have lots of free time to waste...

I tried once listening to War and Peace when still on cassettes, 4 of them - don't think there is a better definition of wasted time.
I do listen to audio poetry - fewer chances to screw up the original...

Diogen.

 

[DodgerKing]

Another thing:

Change the name. The jokes about feminine hygiene products are already making their rounds.

 

[truckracer]

its no secret nowdays that apple's operating system and hardware will multitask.
my ipod and iphone would both easily multitask jailbroken without issue and without being slow. why they won't allow to happen officially is beyond me unless they are just prolonging the "dangling of the carrot" to the fanboys. they don't want to run out of "upgrades and improvements any time soon.


I won't have one until these things happen:

1. multitasking
2. camera...and not low resolution like the iphone either....5 megapixel is needed.
3. flash player compatibility
4. usb port.
5. wifi and 3G at the same time...no either/or crap.
6. good battery life ...unlike the iphone or ipod touch.