Apple News

Microsoft Courier Shaping Up as a Truly Novel iPad Competitor

March 9th, 2010 at 01:00am Under Hot Apple News

It may be a little early to say this, but to me it seems like Microsoft took all the disappointment and fear resulting from Apple’s dominance of the mobile devices category over its own products through the years and used that energy to create the Courier. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen another company’s [...]

By Darrell Etherington Continue Reading Microsoft Courier Shaping Up as a Truly Novel iPad CompetitorAdd comment

Gartner: iPad will “change entire PC ecosystem”

March 5th, 2010 at 03:00pm Under Hot Apple News

Filed under: iPad

Gartner’s latest forecast is projecting global PC shipments will total 366.1 million units in 2010, a 19.7 percent increase from 305.8 million units shipped in 2009, with global PC spending forecast to reach $245 billion in 2010, up 12.2 percent from 2009. These latest numbers don’t only include traditional PC towers and laptops, however. Garnter believes that netbooks and tablets will comprise a significant portion of the 366 million PC expected to ship this year – and they believe the iPad will help change the entire PC ecosystem.

“User requirements are clearly segmenting, and the mini-notebook proved this point,” said Ranjit Atwal, principal analyst at Gartner. “Vendors can no longer afford to just think in terms of traditional PC form factors or architectures. With the rise of Web-delivered applications, many users no longer need a traditional PC running a resident general-purpose operating system and fast x86 CPU to satisfy their computing needs. Apple’s iPad is just one of many new devices coming to market that will change the entire PC ecosystem and overlap it with the mobile phone industry. This will create significantly more opportunities for PC vendors as well as significantly more threats.”

Netbooks aside, Gartner believes that vendors could ship up to 10.5 million traditional tablets and next-generation tablet devices worldwide in 2010 – that’s roughly 2.8% of the total PC market tally. How much of that tally could be iPads? “The most likely scenario for iPad sales this year is 4.2 million units,” says Gartner analyst Angela McIntyre. Most Wall Street analysts expect Apple to ship slightly more – around 5 million iPads in 2010.

One thing is sure: the PC market is changing. Some people, like my mother, will only require a tablet for simple browsing and email. Gone are the days when PC technology was “one size fits all.”

TUAWGartner: iPad will “change entire PC ecosystem” originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gartner – Apple – Personal computer – Netbook – Laptop

By Michael Grothaus Continue Reading Gartner: iPad will “change entire PC ecosystem”Add comment

Danish newspaper fakes iPad on front page

February 22nd, 2010 at 08:30pm Under Hot Apple News

Filed under: Apple Corporate, Hardware, Multimedia

As the newspaper industry struggles to find its way in an increasingly digital world, publishers, writers, and so on are reconsidering their business models. Danish newspaper Information makes the case for going digital crystal clear by filling its entire front page with an image of the iPad (at right).

The supporting article (translated into English here) details how local free newspapers are killing the paid competition, and makes the case for online distribution and micropayments. It’s an idea we’ve seen before, but it is still untested on a large scale.

As for consumers, interest in go-anywhere, read-anytime digital newspapers, magazines and books is high. According to the Association of American Publishers, e-books grew at a compound annual rate of 58% between 2002 and 2008. The Kindle and Nook have also performed well for Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and iPad anticipation is high. The issue, of course, is how established organizations like Information, The New York Times, etc… will make the transition.

There’s much conjecture over whether the iPad will save the publishing industry. Most are skeptical if not downright unconvinced. In the end, whoever finds the perfect solution that pleases consumers and producers alike will reap an incredible bounty. Who that will be remains to be seen.

Update: There’s a higher resolution photo here.

Thanks, Carsten!

TUAWDanish newspaper fakes iPad on front page originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Publishing – New York Times – Newspaper – Barnes & Noble – E-book

By Dave Caolo Continue Reading Danish newspaper fakes iPad on front pageAdd comment

Rumor: AT&T will carry 3G iPad in stores

February 18th, 2010 at 01:30am Under Hot Apple News

Filed under: Retail, Rumors, Apple, iPad

Here’s an interesting rumor I hadn’t considered yet: sources inside AT&T are telling Boy Genius Report that AT&T’s retail stores are planning to carry the 3G versions of the iPad. It’s not unexplainable, given that AT&T is the partner for the 3G service, and so I guess they have a vested interest in selling the devices. Still, when you think of “tablet computer designed for consumption of media and minor household tasks,” you don’t really think of AT&T. In fact, without a phone on it at all, it’s just strange to think that the iPad would have a place in AT&T stores anywhere.

But if the 3G versions will make money for the phone company (and we’ll bet they will), they might as well sell them. If the rumor is true, and the AT&T store is closer to you than the Apple store, you might as well check there on release day (remembering that 3G iPads will be released after their WiFi-only cousins). In the meantime, let’s all hope their 3G network holds up under the increased strain.

[via MacRumors]

TUAWRumor: AT&T will carry 3G iPad in stores originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T – Boy Genius Report – Apple – MacRumors – TUAW

By Mike Schramm Continue Reading Rumor: AT&T will carry 3G iPad in storesAdd comment

Hospitals eye the iPad for low-cost paperless records

February 3rd, 2010 at 05:00pm Under Hot Apple News

Filed under: Apple

Unless you have absolutely no imagination, you’ve probably noticed the resemblance of the iPad to one of those cheap little clipboards that your friendly neighborhood doctor carries around on rounds. Apple is rumored to be making its own rounds of hospitals marketing the new über-iPod touch, having visited a hospital in LA in the recent weeks.

What’s so great about tablets for health care? When connected to a Wi-Fi network, they’re perfect for looking up medical information or working patient charts while on the move. The iPad in particular would be perfect, having no keyboard to disinfect or lid hinges to break. In addition, the most expensive Wi-Fi iPad is priced at just US$699, while many traditional Windows Tablet PCs used in health care start in the neighborhood of $2,000.

Of course, it all depends on the software. We recently received a question from a reader who just happens to be a doctor, asking if he could use an iPad with his existing Windows-based medical record keeping system. The answer was simple; yes, since there are already many VNC and RDP apps available for the iPad that can be used to control a remote PC (examples are Jaadu VNC [iTunes Link] and iTap RDP Client [iTunes Link].

While neither of these vendors has ‘fessed up to working on an iPad-specific version of their app, it’s only a matter of time. For medical practices using the Mac OS X-based MacPractice system, the company has announced MacPractice Interface for iPad, MacPractice Kiosk for iPad, Dental Chart for iPad, and an iPad-based EMR/EHR app.

With a little luck and a big marketing push from Apple, the iPad may make it into hospitals and medical offices around the world.

[via MacNN]

Update: The author apologizes to all who were offended by the previous image that accompanied this post. Also, please note that the image above is an artists conception and does not indicate that an iPad or any other unsterilized electronic instrument would be used in a hospital environment.

TUAWHospitals eye the iPad for low-cost paperless records originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple – iTunes – IpodTouch – Mac OS X – Unofficial Apple Weblog

By Steven Sande Continue Reading Hospitals eye the iPad for low-cost paperless recordsAdd comment

Have we seen the end of the $9.99 eBook?

February 2nd, 2010 at 02:00am Under Hot Apple News

Filed under: Portables, Apple, Books

At the roll out of the iPad, our old friend Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal chatted up Steve, and when asking about the pricing of buying books from the iBookstore, Walt was told that the price would be the same as Amazon. Amazon currently charges $9.99 for most books, which, according to AppleInsider, means that Amazon is losing $4.50 per book to keep its leadership position in the eBook market and keep Kindles selling. This strategy is similar to the loss-leader marketing popularized by Gillette who sold razors at a loss in the hopes of more than making up for it in the sales of blades.

Apple proposes prices that would actually be profitable, wanting to position best sellers between $12.99 and $14.99. AppleInsider notes that Apple’s plan is a similar one to the App Store where the publisher takes 70% and Apple takes a 30% cut. Under the Amazon plan, including the $4.50 Amazon subsidy, book publishers are currently being paid $14.50 while under Apple’s model, the publisher of a bestseller would only make $10.49 per copy.

The idea of Amazon subsidizing books is unsustainable in any competitive market and with more than one big razor in town, or at least one showing up soon, the market will inevitably settle on one method or the other.

[via AppleInsider and WSJ]

The first shot over the bow was reported in the Wall Street Journal today when Amazon conceded defeat of its $9.99 pricing policy to publisher Macmillan, who proposed charging between $12.99 and $14.99 for eBooks of hardcover bestsellers. This is exactly the same pricing suggested by Apple. The day after the introduction of the iPad, Macmillan CEO John Sargent met with Amazon to discuss new pricing arrangements, and a day after that, Amazon pulled all Macmillan titles from their online store. Now, just a few days later, Amazon has announced that it will give in and accept Macmillan’s terms, stating that Macmillan has a monopoly on its own titles and that they will offer Macmillan titles that, according to Amazon, are priced needlessly high.

It seems to me that the days of $9.99 eBooks are coming to an end and that the market will stabilize at something close to, if not exactly, the Apple 70/30 split, raising the price of eBooks to the consumer. What do you think? Will the threat of the iPad to Kindle sales change the market even before the iPad comes to market? Is there an argument that can be made for keeping eBooks under ten dollars? And just how scared is Amazon to make them do a total 180 degree about-face in under 100 hours?

TUAWHave we seen the end of the $9.99 eBook? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Amazon – E-book – Amazon.com – Wall Street Journal – App Store

By David Winograd Continue Reading Have we seen the end of the $9.99 eBook?Add comment

In praise of the iPad: A contrarian view

January 29th, 2010 at 08:30pm Under Hot Apple News+ Iphone

Filed under: iPod Family, iPhone

If there has been an editorial theme about the iPad over the last few days, it’s been this: it disappoints. Pundits and consumers alike have been underwhelmed by the name (I mean, seriously, does anyone in the product naming department use feminine hygiene products? How many of these devices are going to be named “Max”?), by the physical design (Can you say “Un-Ives-like Bezel” three times fast?), by the missing features (no camera, no multitasking, still no Flash), and so forth. And yet, despite these seeming flaws, I’m wildly enthusiastic about the tablet. I think part of that enthusiasm is attributable to the fact that I’m a dyed-in-the-wool netbook user… and we are the actual target audience for the device.

Steve Jobs laid out the raison d’etre for the tablet right at the start of his presentation. Apple was going after the part of the market that wanted light computing: more than a phone could deliver and less involved than a laptop demanded. Ergo, the netbook. The list of things in the middle column of his main slide reflected the exact way that netbook users operate: checking the mail, surfing the web, enjoying some media. That’s exactly how my parents use their netbook, how my friends do, how I do. We’re coffee-shop, hotel, and passenger-seat netbook users. To that, you can add city commuters and airline passengers among those who have driven the netbook craze.

Netbooks are great. They are small, they are insanely cheap, and they offer just enough functionality to get a few things done without jumping into serious work that would demand a full-sized screen and keyboard. I know approximately three badzillion netbook users, and with very few exceptions, they are all Windows users.
I emphasize the Windows users part because nearly everyone filling that auditorium on Wednesday and nearly every blog author writing about the tablet is not, in fact, a primary Windows user. Apple events tend to draw Apple people. And for many reasons, I think that the Apple netpad (Isn’t that a much better name than “iPad”?) is a better match for Windows users deciding between an Asus or an Eee or an HP or an Apple unit than it is for people who are living and loving the Apple laptop life.

That’s because the new Apple nettop (and there you have another alternative that they could have considered) is not a laptop and it’s not meant to be one. It doesn’t multitask. It doesn’t run Adobe’s Creative Suite. Hell, it doesn’t even do Flash video. It is, in fact, an oversized iPod touch. And for those of us who love the touch, who really feel that iPhoneOS had brought near-netbook mobility, the iPad takes that promise even closer to where it could be.

The win for netbooks isn’t full computing power. Even though nearly every netbook on the market delivers that power, it’s rarely if ever used except when the netbook is docked to a display and keyboard; to be frank, that’s not the normal way most people use their netbooks. No, it’s about convenience. Users pull them out, use them for a few minutes, and then put them away as they sip their venti mocha lattes. Netbooks are second computers for nearly everyone I know, not primary ones.

When you need to get real, serious work done, there are laptops and there are desktop units. And Apple makes some of the best and sells them at a premium. But the netbook isn’t about providing the same solutions as a laptop. It’s about affordable convenience and mobility.

Almost two years ago, I wrote the following on TUAW:

The computing world is changing. We’re no longer tied to desktops. We move around, we take our computing with us. Holding a computer in the crook of our arms isn’t just a nice idea, it’s practical. When you’re walking through hospital halls, sitting in on a University lecture, attending business meetings, or spec’ing out a project at a construction site, the tablet computer makes sense. If anything, the iPhone which has been pushed far beyond its original design specs, has proven that people want truly mobile computing. No keyboard, no standard screen — true portability.

The iPad, with its larger screen, improved multitouch interface, and expanded software delivers on that promise: better movie screen space (especially on the train, in the car, or on the treadmill), better web browsing and e-mail reading, better viewing of photos, charts, and other data. And on top of that, it plays games and offers an eBook reader, not to mention you can use it for business presentations, either on the device itself or by sending video out to component, composite, or VGA-ready screens. And, not for nothing, a four-year-old can use it as easily as an octogenarian can. Literally as well as figuratively.

In comparison to a laptop, anyone who wanted the tablet to be an Air mini is going to be disappointed. But in comparison to a netbook? The iPad is made of win. The iPad delivers enough functionality to make it a a strong competitor to traditional netbooks. There is, however, that missing Flash thing. It’s a big issue for most Windows users I know (possibly because they’re used to the relatively smooth Flash performance on the Windows side, as opposed to the doggedly awful performance on the Mac side), as is the relative dearth of enterprise-ready solutions — problems the iPhone has already weathered for two years. But somehow the iPhone has managed to find its market despite those potential pitfalls. The iPad can as well.

As I wrote in 2008, “Cell phones and tablet computers are all about freeing ourselves.” Free yourself from the table, from the desk, and from the power cord. That’s what the iPad delivers.

TUAWIn praise of the iPad: A contrarian view originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone – Steve Jobs – Apple – IPod Touch – IPod

By Erica Sadun Continue Reading In praise of the iPad: A contrarian viewAdd comment

Watching movies on an iPad: What you see is what you get

January 28th, 2010 at 04:45am Under Hot Apple News

Filed under: Hardware, Video

TUAWWatching movies on an iPad: What you see is what you get originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone – Star Trek – IPod Touch – High-definition television – Apple

By David Winograd Continue Reading Watching movies on an iPad: What you see is what you getAdd comment

All of the news from today’s iPad announcement

January 28th, 2010 at 02:30am Under Hot Apple News

Filed under: Gaming, Hardware, OS, Software, Apple, Developer, App Store, SDK

What a day it’s been. The tablet is finally out. That’s right, the tablet we’ve been waiting years for is real and will be on sale soon, only it’s called the iPad, and it’s pretty similar to the iPhone. Just in case you missed something today, here’s everything we’ve learned about the magical and revolutionary device, all lined up in one easy-to-browse list. Just think, in 60 days, you’ll be able to flip through these posts with your finger. On a 9.7″ IPS screen, I mean.

Liveblog and major news

• Apple Event Metaliveblog
• Apple announces the iPad
• AAPL goes on a rollercoaster ride
• See tweets live during the event on @tuawlive
• iPad pricing starts at $499, available in 60/90 days

Hardware

• Apple’s official iPad video, specs page
• Apple making its own chips, starting with the A4
• iPad will ship with 802.11n Wi-Fi, 3G optional
  
• Apple announces keyboard dock for iPad
• Five iPad accessories available at launch
• What’s missing from the iPad

Software

• All iPhone apps will run on the iPad
• Apple announces iBooks, an e-reader for iPad
• Apple shows off new versions of iWork apps for iPad
• iPhone OS 3.2 SDK released, supports iPad but covered by NDA

TUAWAll of the news from today’s iPad announcement originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iPhone – Apple – App Store – IWork – Software development kit

By Mike Schramm Continue Reading All of the news from today’s iPad announcementAdd comment

Post-keynote TUAW prediction scorecard: How did we do?

January 28th, 2010 at 12:30am Under Hot Apple News

Filed under: Rumors, Odds and ends, Other Events

Yesterday we pooled our predictions together to try and predict what would happen at the iPad presentation today. How did we all do?

Sang Tang:

Sang was the closest in terms of the iPad’s screen size — 9.6″ prediction vs. 9.7″ actual size. However, the iPad has neither wireless HDMI nor a front-facing camera (or, indeed, a camera of any kind). Score: 1/3.

Erica Sadun:

Erica was off on screen size, but was correct in predicting that the iPad would look and function much like an iPod touch. However, by all appearances the iPad doesn’t add any new revolutionary gestures, and without a camera of any kind, any augmented reality applications are going to be very limited in scope. She was correct in saying there’d be no “mind-blowing new tech onboard” and optional nationwide wireless with a monthly fee. Score: 3/5.

David Winograd:

David was also off on screen size (though just barely), cameras, and new gestures. He was correct in predicting a keyboard dock and an optional data plan, but wrong about iPhone tethering and iPhone OS 4.0. Score: 2/7.

More scores and the TUAW total after the break!

Steve Sande:

It was a safe bet that no one would be completely happy with the iPad. Jokes are flying all over the internet just on account of its name, after all. Steve also (presumably) nailed the PA Semi-designed chipset, 64 GB capacity, 802.11n, optional 3G, an iTunes bookstore, next-gen iWork, and his prediction that most of our tea-leaf reading would be wrong. He was more than half an inch off on screen size, though, and the iPad doesn’t appear to use a Pixel Qi screen. There’s also no 128 GB capacity model, no universal remote app, and no iLife 2010. Score: 8/13.

Dave Caolo:

Dave was correct that Apple would intro and demo the tablet, that it would have access to the iTunes store, that the gaming angle would be emphasized, e-reader capabilities, and no mention of the iPhone. He was off in his predictions of the screen size, that the iPad would “work in a way none of us have guessed,” a web-based iWork, iLife ‘10, and streaming $0.99 TV shows. Score: 5/10.

Mike Schramm:

Like most of us, Mike was just barely off on screen size, and he was slightly off on price. On app store compatibility, media partnerships, lack of camera and dynamic touch keyboard, the iPad basically being a bigger iPod touch, and a possible 3G connection, Mike was dead-on, although he was incorrect that you can set up with whatever provider you want; sadly, just like the iPhone, the iPad’s 3G is chained to AT&T in the States… for now. There was no Verizon iPhone announced, although Mike did say they might be saving it for next year, so no points either way. Score: 6/9.

Mel Martin:

Mel was correct about the iPad’s focus on publishing, and Wi-Fi with optional 3G. He also nailed the scaled-up iPhone games and iTunes integration. He was correct about the iPad being able to pair with a Bluetooth keyboard, but it won’t pair with a mouse. Score: 5/6.

Megan Lavey:

Megan’s “left-field” prediction that the “tablet” would be more of a software platform than a hardware platform was incorrect. The iPad is also not part of the MacBook line, nor does it replace the white MacBook. It’s also nothing like “a cross between a MacBook and a really big Nintendo DS.” Score: 0/4.

Aron Trimble:

At the time of this writing, Aron is correct in his prediction that Apple’s stock price wouldn’t drop post-event, although the stock price did dip during the event, and the price has been on a roller coaster all morning. Score: 1/1.

Lauren Hirsch:

Lauren was correct in predicting a focus on the New York Times, and the majority of her analysis of the e-reader capabilities of the iPad was right on the money. She was off-base in predicting streaming TV and the iPad being positioned as a replacement for the low-end MacBook. Score: 2/4.

Chris Rawson:

A lot of commenters on the predictions post seemed to think that my predictions were very close to the mark. Well, you guys should really stop listening to me, because I was almost completely wrong. Steve didn’t talk about Mac sales at all, nor did he announce any updates to the Mac portable lineup. iPhone OS 4.0 wasn’t announced or demoed, there was no mention of app multitasking (BOO!), and there was no “one more thing” regarding Verizon wireless being on-board with either the iPad or iPhone. I also got the screen size, thickness, and the name of the product wrong; the iSlate is dead. Long live the iPad. My pricing was close to the mark, but not close enough for me to give myself points on this one, because not only did I fail to account for different GB capacities, I also assumed that the 3G version of the iPad would be subsidised by carriers. There was no musical guest. And my future as a financial analyst has ended in its infancy: I was wrong about all three of the stock prices I predicted, because as of the time of this writing, Apple and AT&T’s stocks are up, while Verizon’s has lost over 1% of its value.

Did I actually get anything right? The iPad does sort of look like a steamrolled version of the first-gen iPhone, and it will run iPhone apps right out of the box in fullscreen, although there is no “windowed mode” like I predicted. Steve did spend at least 20 minutes just sitting in his chair showing off the iPad’s features, and I got the launch date right. My easiest prediction to make was also the most correct: PC World has indeed posted a snark-filled article about the iPad, claiming that it’s “just a big iPod touch.” Score: 5/22

Aggregated TUAW prediction score: 38/86 (44%)

So who wins the TUAW office pool?

Aron Trimble got 100% of his predictions right, but he only made one. Mel Martin wins percentage-wise, with 83% of his 6 predictions being correct. However, with eight correct predictions, Steve Sande had the most correct predictions. I’d say that between Mel, Mike Schramm, and Steve’s predictions, we got closest to what was actually announced today.

On the other end of the pool, the shallow end if you will: although Megan Lavey didn’t get any of her four predictions correct, I’m still giving the TUAW Duncecap Award to myself. I made a lot of predictions that sounded perfectly reasonable yesterday, but I was wrong about almost all of them, and with 17 incorrect predictions, I brought our aggregated score down by a lot.

Was your crystal ball any clearer than ours? Let us know in the comments.

TUAWPost-keynote TUAW prediction scorecard: How did we do? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple – IPhone – iWork – iTunes – IPod Touch

By Chris Rawson Continue Reading Post-keynote TUAW prediction scorecard: How did we do?Add comment