100 years from now, this day will be seen as a historic day. They'll still have an internet, of course, and it will be everywhere. They'll think of life before the internet as the "dark ages". They'll have no comprehension as to how we survived, or learned, or communicated, or thrived, without it. And they'll wonder what took us so long to develop a device to take the internet with us. Everywhere. As it should be. As it should have been all along.
And now Apple has found a way to take the internet everywhere. As it should be. As it should have been all along.
Apple will eventually become the largest company on the planet by market cap. Bigger than Exxon. Bigger than Walmart. Bigger than GE and P&G combined.
Why?
Because they invented magical products and services, loved by their consumers, and were miles ahead of their competition. Steve Jobs is a genius, but Jonathan Ive is from outer space. Between the two of them they changed the world. They showed everyone what American (and British) ingenuity looks like. And they simply changed the world.
Apple's competitors will get stories planted poo-poohing the iPad. Laggards will complain about this and that. And some of you will see lines to buy an iPad as consumerism run amok.
For me, I see the iPad as a dream come true. And I see it not as a product - a noun - but as a verb. It's not a computer. It's simply the internet. Information. Knowledge. Newspapers. Magazines. Films. Games. Ball games. Encyclopedias. Phone calls. Books. TV Shows. Stocks. Travel reservations. Blogs. In bed. At the pub. In the john. At the cafe. On a plane. In Bulgaria. In France. In Texarkana. Everywhere.
As it should be. As it should have been all along.
Bravo Apple.
Bravo.
(disclosure - of course I still own Apple stock. And now they need to get iPad to Europe ASAP!)
Posts
40 comments:
April Fool's Day has already come and gone.
Dude I wouldnt give you 50 bucks for this pos.It does nothing new that has already been done.It is just another gadget to get the sheeple to buy more stuff they dont need.
I left this further down the thread, so it might get lost - but at the risk of being redundant, let me post it again:
Good to see that you're not numbered amongst the doom'n'gloom set that figures that nothing will ever help, that we're destined for nothing but pain and destruction, all caused by the presence of a Scary Black Man in the Oval Office. Basically, the Glenn Beck viewers, who take the ravings of the Book of Revelations as some kind of blueprint for the future.
Every generation has its share of Millennialists - people who for whatever reasons, believe that the Doom of Mankind is At Hand.
Well, the treaty this week to reduce the amount of nuclear weapons in both the U.S. and Russian arsenals goes a long, long way towards removing the one real factor that could make those nightmares (or is that daydreams, for you Rapture-wishing True Believers?) come true.
We still do cool things in America. We still make products that the rest of the world wants to buy. My company is one of the small businesses that does so. We survived last year - barely, like so many other entrepreneurs. But where the permabears just want to wallow in their own Pity Party, people like me see opportunity.
It's an overpriced, over sized, smart phone... Without the phone! What's the fascination????
I can do just as much on my Android powered HTC Hero. For Christ sakes the thing doesn't even have a USB port!
Only Apple could release such a trivial device... And good luck watching You Tube videos on it. Credit Apple for being first but they have a ways to go before they catch Kindle in the Ereader segment. And if you add up the totality of Windows powered netbooks sold it will dwarf the ipad by a WIDE margin.
Apparently people still want to do stuff with there own choice of software instead of being backed into Apple's little box.
But I'm sure the 2/3rds markup over manufacturing will keep their profits ablaze...
The consumerism run amok isn't at The Apple Store --it's in bed, at the pub, in the john, etc. No matter where you are, you will be in the store, providing free ad space, and feeding marketers incredibly powerful data, all day every day.
Truly an amazing gadget, it will no doubt be huge, but don't confuse wonder with progress.
"...They'll have no comprehension as to how we...got porno...without it..."
You just had to Ipad it on foot down to the local adult.
20 miles through drifts of used tissue.
Barefoot.
The day Saint Jobs dies, Apple dies...it hath been foretold...
Bravo...!!!
And the human project dies to thunderous applause [!]
Charles - you can watch youtube videos on it, and you can use it as a phone via skype
Been reading microsoft or google sponsored press have ya?
It's not supposed to be a PC and it's not supposed to be a phone.
It's the internet.
You'll see.
Went to the Apple store and used one today. It's dope. Super well built and instantly usable -- it's the most intuitive piece of electronics I've ever held. Oh, and streaming Netflix + hulu + slingbox will make the final answer in entertainment.
They're going to sell 20 million of these in the next 2-3 years.
AAPL will be at 320.
Gonna wait for the 3G compatible version, which goes on sale later this month. Then it's on - at the beach, at the gym, wherevs. Amazing piece of kit.
I personally lust for it. The primal shape and size, the depth of it. It's purely a window into our universe. It's ....it's.....magic.
"techno burnout" thats where the worlds heading
"Every generation has its share of Millennialists - people who for whatever reasons, believe that the Doom of Mankind is At Hand.
Well, the treaty this week to reduce the amount of nuclear weapons in both the U.S. and Russian arsenals goes a long, long way towards removing the one real factor that could make those nightmares (or is that daydreams, for you Rapture-wishing True Believers?) come true."
I don't really worry about countries like the US, Russia, France, UK, or Israel having nukes. The leaders and people of those countries are level-headed and don't want mutually assured destruction. North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan I worry about.
"It's not supposed to be a PC and it's not supposed to be a phone.
It's the internet.
You'll see."
It's not The Innernets and it doesn't have 3G or 4G built in. As someone else has already said, windows mini netbooks have sold in the tens of millions.
The ipod are still the only mainstream products apple makes. Their computers have always been used by a small segment of the market. Except for the creative industries (music/video/art) and students, no one in business uses them.
I work with a global company with tens of thousands of employees and not a single laptop or desktop is an apple.
Tablet PCs have been out for years. What's so special about the ipad?
I'm looking forward to the first comment from someone sitting on the crapper using an ipad
That's when we'll know the future has arrived.
No Keith you can't watch all YouTube vids because like all Apple devices it doesn't support flash. Posted from my Android smart phone. Linux based and low cost the REAL future of mobile internet...
Don't argue Keith... I work in IT for a living :-) Apple puts U in a box U can't get out of. The future is open source and when Google releases a tablet at half the price with twice the features you'll see why there stock is double Apples....
Charles, Charles, Charles, when will you learn that I'm always right?
http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/youtube.html
Don't believe all the things adobe and microsoft want you to believe
Is the network still AT&T? If so then it will work well in remarkably few places. It will work crappily in a few more and won't work at all where I live.
Unfortunately Keith UR wrong again... Any videos still in native flash will not play. And as usual when UR wrong U ignore the couter arguments... Why would Itake this over Google Android based devices? Android has real hardware choice more application diversity and no 120% Apple mark up. And let me say again:
It's a computing device without a USB port. That is the most assanine idea ever. When did you become so dogmatic man. I work with several small and large business owners who wouldn't touch an iPhone but love android. Automatic syncronization of contacts in the cloud, a superior browser to Safari, all at half the price. Linux and open source (not to mention) affordable is the future. Devices designed outside the monopoly will inovate...
Why am I wasting my time... you've made up your mind and you're gonna buy one LOL. Do me the courtesy though of addressing the very real points I made about Android and open source above. I can't debate you if you ignore facts. And while UR partially right on YouTube (much of their library is still flash only) the other. OBVIOUS limitations of this device when combined with its price make it little more than a lifestyle accessory. I'll make a standing bet with you that ipads vis a vis netbooks break 10% / 90% at best over the next year.
Charles, trust me, I'll be enjoying my youtube videos on my ipad.
http://mashable.com/2010/04/03/best-ipad-apps-video/
http://www.youtube.com/html5
YouTube HTML5 Video Player
This is an opt-in experiment for HTML5 support on YouTube. If you are using a supported browser, you can choose to use the HTML5 player instead of the Flash player for most videos. Your comments will help us improve and perfect the mixtures that we're working on. So jump in, play around and send your feedback directly to the brains behind the scenes.
Another reason I like Apple (along with millions and millions) is the itunes store. Podcasts, music, movies, games, apps, all together. Android can't hold a mirror to that kind of content.
The ipad isn't a PC. It isn't a phone. It's not for business (yet). It's for the masses to surf, watch tv, watch movies and play games. Everywhere. Try doing that with a crappy netbook.
To each his own.
"Try doing that with a crappy netbook"
Ok, that's it! I love my netbook and the reason for it is that it's both a computer and a portable entertainment device. And yes, with those USB ports, as the other guy above had hinted at, I can even use my VPN token to get into the office and check on things. This is how one can be both very productive and be out, having a good time, despite the numerous deadlines and pressures coming in from work.
And yes, I can use the Vonage key and get a high quality international call in there as well w/o letting Skype hog up all of my CPU for a few simple messages.
The question, once again, is that besides the Apple hype, how does this change our lives?
Keith,
It is lock system control by Apple. That means you simply can't just develop for it without apple's approval! Sorry bud, not good enough.
I'll wait for the droid pad!
Keith i will, with courtesy close with these arguments... AGAIN since you still did not address them.
Yes the ipad is not a phone, that's the point. It does less than a smart phone phone at a much higher cost.
If you feel ALL netbooks are crappy, I'd have to question if you're paying attention. ASUS netbooks are some of the finest products available and Google's web based OS is coming in the next few months. It will support all web based protocols (flash included) AND presumably all apps currently available for Android (which is more than the ipad does for iphone apps) and for the price of an ipad you could buy a netbook AND a smart phone.
And finally if Apple was going to penetrate the business market they would have succeeded long ago. Google already has cloud based computing options for business (Gmail, Google docs and the like) and has the vision of an interoperable world. Apple (just like MS) has a vision of every computing device having their logo on it, fully under their control.
Dud they are the libertarian party of the tech world a vocal 5% stuck in last place. Linux dominates the server world, Microsoft the desktop and Apple the fan boy fringe.
Apple sold roughly 50 million ipods in 2009. If 10% of them buy ipads (and I think that's a stretch) that's 5 million Etimates put netbook sales this year at 30 million and rapidly expanding as small notebooks are phased out in favor of more powerful netbooks. This isn't even factoring in Google's anticipated success (look how quickly Android is kicking the iphone's ass)
And from the wall street perspective:
Google: 573.09
Apple: 237.08
Anyway, always fun to debate you...
Spring next year we'll have another discussion. I'm sure the imperical data will prove...
Google Android/CHrome > Apple ipad
"casey said...
wouldn't give you 50 bucks ...
... does nothing new ...
gadget to get the sheeple to buy more ..."
........................................
Casey = no credibility now.
I hate to leave such a long comment and not finish my thought, but...
I do agree with you Keith that this is a revelation in that it's the first tablet device worth owning. But since Apple is just a closed as MS and the hippie loves to make 100% mark up items I see it's moment in the sun as temporary at best.
Take everything you like about the ipad, add multiple device interoperability, expandable storage, an even better OS (Google Android), better hardware (ASUS) and you will have the real future of portable computing. One far and away better than an apple hardware monopoly...
A full screen of text about how great apple is and how great an investment? Uh oh, SELL SIGNAL!
I have an asus netbook that I am typing this on, not on the terlit though. It's pretty handy. I can't see laying out the money for such a shiny new toy as the ipad, though. Maybe after a couple generations and they get the bugs out and it drops a few hundred in price. Also would be nice to have some usb ports for scanning and mixing and printing and stuff like that.
Marketwatch headlines Dow closing in on 11K, looks like this recovery is being crammed through no matter what. Glad I will be finishing accounting school next year, the job market might be half decent by then.
One thing though, back on the Ipad for a sec, and this is total tin foil, but what about all the wireless rays shooting everywhwere? I am worried about all these waev frequencies shooting through our bodies. Is that kookoo for kokopuffs or what?
xomm
One big deal is that
Apple has held the fort
against the MS evil empire.
This is more important that most
folks understand.
Bill and Melinda do great work now,
but the money was tainted.
Steve Ballmer is just Satan's part time job.
(And don't use IE if you value security.
China uses Linux and is moving away from IE.)
.
To Charles:
Sorry man, but you're talking about more apps for Droid than the iPad? Are you serious? It can run all iPhone apps plus the new ones specifically for the iPad.
Charles: 0
Apple: 1
Keith already gotcha on the YouTube item. Flash drains battery life faster than a flock of strippers will drain a drunk businessman's expense account, so I totally agree with Apple on this one for not supporting it. HTML 5 will be the end of Flash in 2 years anyways.
Charles: 0
Apple: 2
As for hardware, the iPad has 10 hours or more (yes, from tests they were actually getting more than 10 hours) of battery usage per charge. I returned my Droid after it drained 60% of the battery by 2pm.
Charles: 0
Apple: 3
Sorry to burst your bubble here, but Google and Apple are entirely different companies providing different options - I don't have a use for the device personally, but it's still very impressive overall.
xomm-
"I am worried about all these waev frequencies shooting through our bodies. Is that kookoo for kokopuffs or what?"
Nope: http://tiny.cc/346lk
'Steve Ballmer is just Satan's part time job.'
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
I love you people.
Where's "Dopes" when you need him, how's it go again, "The economy's booming, IPADs are selling like hotcakes..." the things change the more they stay the same.
Roccman, get on twitter so I can argue with you.
twitter.com/digiRT
Figure it out. No excuses.
Hahahaha. You will regret making this statement dude. iPad????
What the hell is this. Another Osborne one in the making!!
Dny
"I've waited 20 years ..."
Ahhhh ... no, not 20 years. 16 years at best.
Netscape lauched the first browswer in the fall of 1994. That's less than 16 years ago.
Of course the internet was around before 1994. But I'll bet money that Keeferoni never heard of it in 1994.
I'm splitting hairs here as proof that sometimes he has the gift of the overstatement.
You don't need an Ipad to comment while taking a shit.
Been doing that for years with a laptop.
Doing it right now on my GOOGLE phone.
I got an iPod Touch for Christmas. It's a great device. Now I look at my oversized laptop as a large monstrosity that just takes up space.
The iPad is basically the same device, but with a bigger screen. I will not buy it, but keith is right--portable internet is revolutionary.
I uploaded PDFs of claassic literature. comic books, my favorite songs, family pictures. I can read email wherever wifi is available.
To those who rave about HTC phones -- they're crap. The greatest strength of the iPhone/iTouch/iPad devices is the operating system--it's an impressively well-written piece of software. Even when it crashes, it does so painlessly and smoothly. Some computer nerds complain about the fact that there is no multi-tasking. Multi-tasking is overrated -- the OS on these devices forces the software publishers to properly save the state when the user switches to another program.
True, these devices do not completely replace the desktop PC. I use my PC tower to download torrents, make DVDs and write software. But as far as basic internet use (email, surfing, watching youtube videos) it satisfies.
The coolest app I bought from the AppStore was "tunein radio" -- it can stream 30,000 radio stations from all around the world and they're easily accessible from the menu. No need to visit a radio station's website, install codecs, everything is done for you. Best $5 I ever spent.
In 1986 my college roommate was trading stocks (canadian mining stocks funny enough) and doing travel reservations over the internet (maybe it was the arapnet?). No browsers, IP addresses only, very awkward, but that's when I first saw what was to come.
I honestly can't remember now when I saw my first browser. I think I first started sending corporate email in 1994. I traded stocks on my phone in 2000. Used google in 2000 or 2001. And did my first blog post in 2005. That's really the firsts I can remember. I wonder when I first saw youtube, or first filed taxes online.
It is funny to think about this thing - the internet - that is now in civilized countries part of everyone's lives - wasn't really around and used 20 years ago. Think how far we came that quick. Think about where will be 20 years from now. And most of it due to American ingenuity.
The Big Leap now is to take the internet everywhere. Not just connected at your home or office. Everywhere. And the iPad is the first real device that does it. Phones came close. But a real internet experience needs a real screen, without the weight of a laptop, or the need to plug in, or the heat and fan. I can't wait for the big iPads next year - this one is a bit small. And yes, it needs more features (why no camera or usb - that's stupid. and this adobe thing I don't like either, even though it makes sense)
when I see the ipad, I see American ingenuity on display. Anyone think a French company could have done it (seriously, stop laughing. picture a french company doing anything like that).
20 years from now, they'll still remember The Big Crash, as we'll still be paying for it. But they'll also remember 2010 as the year the ipad was introduced. Just wait to you see what comes next.
I'm a Linux fanatic a far as my laptop and desktop computers go, but because I got an iTouch for Christmas, I gave the device a chance, and I really like it.
Free software purists may not like the concept of paying for programs, but the ones in the App store are fairly inexpensive--there is no packaging and no traditional methods of delivery to pay for. If a profit motive is required in order to create some quality software, then it's not such a bad thing after all.
At the moment, the open source community will be playing catch-up to Apple when it comes to delivering superior portable internet software.
As I said in an earlier post, the iPod/iTouch/iPad operating system is the finest piece of software I have ever come across. Apple is so far ahead of their competition, it's not even funny. I have a smartphone (HTC), and it doesn't even have a fraction of available software. Half the time, I have to reboot the thing because it constantly loses internet connectivity. It's a real pain,
I do agree that you are locked in with Apple's way of doing things when you have one of their portable devices. Of course, this was done as a DRM mechanism to minimize piracy to satisfy the large media corporations. There are work-arounds to this, especially if you're semi-competent with computers.
I bypass the iTunes program by using an app called "FileApp" (it's free, but there is a paid-for version with additional features) that lets you upload pictures, videos, PDF files, etc. via wireless FTP.
For videos, you can upload MP4 files to the device. Just use ffmpeg (in Linux) to convert mpg avi or flv files to MP4 prior to uploading.
I still use iTunes to manage my sound and song library, but that's only because I really like the iTouch's built-in music player.
Kieth you are becoming more and more like Larry Yun and the former David Lereah.
Now, if it wiped my ass clean, I could tend to agree with you.
However, they lose because it is made in communist China with what is effectively slave labor and a lack of environmental regulations. And then there is the whole fact that their products are just way too expensive and really nothing more than doosher status symbols.
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