iPad and the rest

Quite coincidentally, I read two articles regarding the new iPads.  Now, what is so different about these articles, you may ask.  Afterall, numerous are articles written for or against iPads everyday.

Right.  Most articles talks about the features and why iPads are good.  There are those who condemn it like there is no tomorrow.  There are plenty of readings if one choose to find out more about iPads before committing to buying one.  If you care to read a good selection of those articles, you'd probably be well educated in iPads and other tablets.

Which brings me to the point of this article.  No, I am not going to talk about the good, the bad and the ugly of any devices.  I am more interested in the key in decision making, specifically when one is planning to buy a tablet PC or any mobile devices for that matter.

You see, there is this article in The Malaysian Insider (here) that provided the unmentioned flaws of the new iPad.  It pretty much tells you what other website reviewed but little, if at all, was mentioned on the pros and cons.  It is like being told about all the points but no conclusions to fit my motivation.  Furthermore, the arguments are not very balanced.  Perhaps it is meant to be so.  Regardless, my point is that if you are to write something about a new device, wouldn't it be crucial to present both side of the story and sum up neatly so that the readers can choose to agree or disagree with you?

The second article was from Padgadget.  It is actually a retelling of another article appearing is PC Mag.  (here)  What this article presents is basically an argument as to why iPad and iOS devices will beat out the Androids.  A very well researched piece and very well presented but again, biased towards Apple.  I know, it is sometimes hard to talk bad about Apple's devices but I feel that it should be more balanced.  Instead, it reads like an Apple advert.

Being balance is one thing.  The more important issue that all these writers seem to miss is that the average consumer needs to know what benefits does one get with one product or the other.  It is fine to compare hardware specs but what is the issue here?  Being faster, cooler, prettier is what we pay for?  I don't think so.  But I may the minority.  I have seen many users of iPhones do not actually know what the heck it is for beyond calling and texting.  Do you actually need an iPhone for that?

You see, many people have came to me asking for advice on whether to buy an iPad or Galaxy Tab and my question to them is, "What do you use it for?"  Then I will present them with the various things that can be done and what suits them best.  The result is money well spent on a device that will be used to the max.

You can say that the iPad does not come with USB as many early critics had pointed out.  Good point.  Now tell me, how many Android Tablets users actually plug in a USB?  Similarly, Steve Balmer ridiculed the MacBook Air for not having a DVD drive.  I can tell you that the DVD drive is the least used piece of apparatus on any of my PCs.  Well, the joke is on Balmer actually.  Now they are fighting hard to catch up with Apple.  So is Google and its Android.  My advice is, "Stop play catching up.  Start thinking what people need!"

Sure, there are many more apps for iOS and Androids, well, depending on who you talk to.  So?  I lost track of my apps by the time I got to my hundredth download.  And I don't know what other apps that I need which I don't already have.  Does it matter to an average user?  The more important thing is that the user get to use the device for the money he paid.

Lastly, the user experience.  This is Apple's favourite USP.  The Use Experience.  What the heck does that boil down to?  I like my iPad more than any other devices at my disposal (including the garbage disposal) but that doesn't mean anything.  It is something so intangible and subjective that one can start a war if there were any public debate on it.  But I must add, what Apple claims it can do, it performs well and exactly what one would expect.  Hello Windows!  Hello Android!  Can you guys actually get something running as you promised it would?

So, before you condemn or commend a device, please do us consumer a favour.  Just tell us what the heck is the device good for!

P/S:  Any readers who like to share their thoughts or like my thoughts to assist your decision making, feel free to comment or send me an e-mail.  Have a nice day.

Enough of this talk already!

It has been 4 days since Tim Cook tells us that it is going to be called "the new iPad".  So ?

I have been going through the net and found that there are as many people commenting on this naming convention, or simply the NAME, as much as the device itself.  Amazing!

Okay, so let's get this straight.  Some don't like like. (I updated my FB status with a sarcastic remark almost immediately after the launch) Some can bear with it while some supported it.  Regardless, all camps brought forward tonnes of reasons for one thing or another.  Fine.  To each his own.  But has anyone stop to think that it is actually very much part of Apple's game?

Look at it this way, the new iPad has nothing out-of-this-world kind of talking point.  It is pretty much as predicted by the rumour mills in the  months leading up to the launch.  How long can this talk be sustained?  How is Apple going to maintain the kind of enthusiasm as expected of them?  Will people get bored of it?  Sure, the new iPad has all the necessary upgrades that most users wanted but that will not provide sustenance.  That will not generate renewed enthusiasm.


Say, if you want to sell another 10 million of these things, what else can you do? The fanboys do not need prodding. They will buy one anyway. Those waiting to buy will go ahead regardless of its features. It is those who are still in the cloud about tablets that's crucial to Apple. There is a plateau period for any innovation.  There won't be another product that "reinvent" anything or "magical" coming your way anytime soon.  In the meantime, what are you to do?  You need the market to continuingly talk about it.  You need publicity.  If the publicity is free, better.

Enter Phil Schiller.  He stated that the naming was done so because Apple do not like to be predictable.  Read here Of course, nobody bought that.  But I think it has a certain amount of truth in it.  How else can you get people to talk about it if it offers nothing out of the expected?  Give them something unexpected to talk about!  Simple solution to a simple problem.  So, let's pull the rug with the name.  That will start them talking.

Did it work?  Well, people are talking and the pre-orders are "off-the-charts".  You tell me.