Re: [NTLK] More MacPad Rumors

On Mon, Jul 13, 2009 at 3:18 PM, Goodwin, Greg P.<GoodwinG@aafes.com> wrote:
>
> Exactly.   So my question again, WHAT IS APPLE's PROBLEM.
>
> What is Apple afraid of?
>
> People have dreamed of a Mac tablet for YEARS.  And Apple has yet to
> release one officially.  What gives?
>
> Does Mac hate their customers?

I don't think Apple hates their customers, they just always try to
make products that the broadest audience will love. John Gruber of
Daring Fireball investigated this from the other direction in his
recent article "" ():

"Are software touchscreen keyboards good for everyone? Certainly not.
But this is another aspect of the Apple Way. Apple tries to make
things that many people love, not things that all people like. The key
is that they’re not afraid of the staunch criticism, and often
outright derision, that comes with breaking conventions."

I'm sure that many, many more people _love_ having a easy, powerful,
beautiful desktop/notebook Mac and an easy, powerful, beautiful iPhone
w/fancy multi-touch interface that sync between each other well than
would love a tablet Mac. Sometimes a market is big enough for a
smaller company to get into (esp. in the mod market), but doesn't
offer enough advantage to the large company. Both are businesses and
while the goals may be making great computing devices, they both have
to make money.

I think the market for a tablet Mac has grown considerably as of late
and that Apple could make one that most people love... a lot. However,
it may take them time to make the best tablet Mac that the most people
will love.

Tablet computers have always had a bit of a learning curve that turns
people off. While the stylus is loved by most of us on this list, it's
not even liked by a _lot_ of people. Maybe the iPhone and all of the
multi-touch me-too devices (or devices that are taking the idea and
really trying to improve upon it, like the Palm pre) and tablet-like
ebook readers (like the Amazon Kindle) will pave the way for a truly
brilliant, easy, powerful, and beautiful tablet device. After all, the
smart phone market looked pretty small only two years ago and look
where the iPhone took it.

Here's hoping, but I surely won't be estimating any timeframes.

Morgan Aldridge

---
morgant@makkintosshu.com
http://www.makkintosshu.com/
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