Updated 11 hours ago

Will the iPad kill Kindle and nuke netbooks?

Gary Marshall: Why Amazon and netbook manufacturers should worry

January 28th 2010 | Tell us what you think [ 10 comments ]

kindle

You need to be a serious bibliophile to choose a Kindle over an iPad

We didn't quite get a brain-controlled tablet that destroys all our enemies, but that doesn't mean the iPad isn't going to ruin somebody's day. If we ran Amazon.com or made netbooks, we'd be pretty fed up this morning.

Netbooks first. Last summer, Apple COO Tim Cook said "at this point, we don't see a way to build a great product for this $399, $499, this kind of price point unit." That's clearly changed, because of course the iPad starts at $499.

That's bad news for netbook manufacturers, because netbooks are primarily purchased as extra PCs: you've already got a proper computer, but you want something for bashing out the odd email, browsing the web or using on the train.

The problem is that netbooks are essentially cheap laptops, which is both their strength and their weakness: the price is right but they're slow, they've got small screens and they're still PCs - with all the complexity, malware and hassle that entails.

The iPad, on the other hand, has a much bigger screen, is much simpler, is a proper media device, gets 10 hours out of a battery and doubles as an ebook. We wouldn't want to type on it all day, but then we wouldn't want to type on the average netbook all day, either. We've got proper computers for that.

Killing the Kindle

Then there's Amazon. The Kindle is a great product, its books are cheaper, it's lighter, it has better battery life and its e-ink display offers a reading experience that the iPad simply can't match.

But can the Kindle run iPlayer, show Disney movies, high-resolution photos or hardcore pornography (we're not joking about that last one: before Steve Jobs had even finished talking we were getting press releases from adult firms boasting iPad-friendly sex films)?

Could you publish a magazine such as Total Film in Kindle format with embedded video? Can you play first-person shooters or even Peggle on it? The answers are no, no, no, no and no.

As an ebook reader the Kindle has no real rival - but if you want an ebook reader and you can only afford one device, then you need to be a serious bibliophile to choose a Kindle over something that is a pretty good ebook reader, a superb multimedia player, a digital map, a games console and a Web-friendly computer.

Book lovers will stick with the Kindle, but the rest of us will be awfully tempted by the iPad.

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chrismctague


April 4th 2010

10. Why is no one mentioning the important fact about e ink being easy to read compared with any display. I don't own a Sony ereader to watch iplayer. I own it to read books which it does very well. The ipad would kill my eyes after 1 chapter.

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pollmak


February 2nd 2010

9. Yes it will.

I'm already planning on selling my netbook to buy a iPad. It's a Commuters dream.

I'm also really looking forward to the music creation apps. The iPhone already as some cool music creation apps, which will be so much better on a large screen.

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kasino72


January 28th 2010

8. > Yes but does she know how to use a computer and set up & use itunes? Because if not then she'd be stuck trying to set up the ipad.

Good point. Once it was set up, though - I'd do that - I think it'd pretty much take care of itself.

> I would buy this device but I fear it may end up gathering dust more often than not. Die-hard apple fans will buy it, but I'm after more freedom with what software I can install and use. A shipment of iphone OS and OS X would be brilliant.

I think it's going to be really interesting to see how this pans out. I'm convinced by it (as you've probably spotted) and I think there's a potentially massive market for it - but that depends on Apple persuading a lot of people that they actually need it.

I think in this case Apple's secrecy may have worked against it: in the absence of any information, people speculated to the point where we're all gutted that the iPad doesn't bring our ancestors back from the dead.

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tech89


January 28th 2010

7. "It's the first computer you can genuinely give to your mum and she'll know how to use it without any instruction. She doesn't need to know what Windows Update is talking about, to keep anti-virus software up to date, or any of the other things that make basic everyday computing more complex and annoying than it needs to be"

Yes but does she know how to use a computer and set up & use itunes? Because if not then she'd be stuck trying to set up the ipad.

Finally Apple has released the ipad. It's sleek and simple. But We can now look forward to better renditions of this device by other manufacturers.

All it needs for it to be much better, is universal video format support, flash, and multi-tasking so you can browse and listen to music, or IM and browse, or browse and use a work app - we sacrifice 2 to 3 hours of battery life if needed!

Lack of ports will not hinder this device yet, only when rivals start producing their own will this become a problem for the ipad.

MicroSIM card was a strange move by apple. A network carrier will now have to have specially made SIM cards, which means some serious long term commitment is need by a network carrier.

Would be nice if the UI colour could be changed. Grey was nice on the ipod touch but it gets old.

Tactile feedback is needed for the keyboard, then typing would be much quicker and easier.

I would buy this device but I fear it may end up gathering dust more often than not. Die-hard apple fans will buy it, but I'm after more freedom with what software I can install and use. A shipment of iphone OS and OS X would be brilliant.

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kasino72


January 28th 2010

6. Bombfrog, I've replied to you in the other thread.

Decanem: "PCs complexity? you know you're writing on a tech website right?"

That's the point, though, the iPad isn't for people who read or write on tech websites (although of course Apple will happily sell to them). It's the first computer you can genuinely give to your mum and she'll know how to use it without any instruction. She doesn't need to know what Windows Update is talking about, to keep anti-virus software up to date, or any of the other things that make basic everyday computing more complex and annoying than it needs to be.

Unless something changes dramatically, Linux variants don't have the traction to move into that market - look at how it more or less disappeared from netbooks when Microsoft finally got its act together. Don't get me wrong, Moblin's looking really good, but I don't see it having the gee-whiz, that's amazing impact of Apple's UI.

"You're equating the typing experience of a flat tablet device with touchscreen keyboard to that of a netbook? really???"

I've said elsewhere that the virtual keyboard is RSI on stilts. But 92%-size netbook keyboards are pretty uncomfortable (for me, anyway) for any protracted use.

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decanem


January 28th 2010

5. what an awful article. there is so much that can be picked apart that it's embarrassing.

netbooks arent slow anymore. ions, new atoms cpus...

small screens? what, the 7" ones that are barely made anymore?

PCs complexity? you know you're writing on a tech website right? netbooks with simple O.S. are jsut around the corner if u like lines of big icons - moblin, jolicloud, google os.

a proper media device? ah yeah, the non-widescreen aspect helps there.

You're equating the typing experience of a flat tablet device with touchscreen keyboard to that of a netbook? really??? can you imagine holding this device up with one hand while you prod the characters with the other? or flat on a table with you peering directly over it?

is the last netbook gary used a 7" 1st generation eeepc by any chance?

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nicolasmerritt


January 28th 2010

4. @bombfrog

It's not all been swooning on TechRadar: http://www.techradar.com/blogs/article/apple-ipad-can-we-stop-with-the-hype-now--666770

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ac007


January 28th 2010

3. The iPad has been announced less than 24 hours and so many dolls have been thrown out so many prams. Let the market decide !

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mobius


January 28th 2010

2. I only disagree with bombfrog on one point. In my opinion it's more like a giant iPod Touch (with added 3G) rather than an iPhone. So from my view it's even worse than bombfrog makes out.

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bombfrog


January 28th 2010

1. So, I put this on the other thread but it' bears repeating...

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I'm getting a little annoyed with TechRadar's swooning over the iPad. They seem totally out of touch with popular opinion on the net, which is that it's a big disappointment.

Here's my list of 10 reasons why I won't be buying one...

1) No Multitasking. Essentially there isn't a proper operating system. It's just a big iPhone.

2) Apple censorship. If Microsoft suddenly told everyone that any piece of software they wanted to run would have to be pre-approved and that they could disable any piece of software that they didn't like, or competed with their own revenue streams then the world would be up in arms. How come people don't realise Apple is doing this, or don't care?

3) 4:3 resolution. Really? We have to have black bars at the top and bottom of any wide-screen video. In this day and age?

4) No Camera - not even a 1.3MP webcam, which is pretty standard on most netbooks.

5) Micro Sim card. No using your pre-existing SIM card. It's their data plan or nothing.

6) It'll be tied to iTunes. Just like the iPhone and if you don't connect it to iTunes when it wants to do an update it'll just stop working.

7) No flash. Which means 90% of online videos are out. Unbelievable.

8) It's expensive. That's right, it costs more than most netbooks, even though it's basically a crippled netbook.

9) No standard ports. No USB, no HDMI, no VGA, no SD Card, nothing. You'll have to buy an Apple adapter to use any 3rd party accessories. To me this one is pretty horrifying.

10) Everyone else will do it better, cheaper and more flexible, within the year. Give it six months and we'll be seeing lovely tablet PCs from the likes of Samsung, HTC, Asus etc which don't have most of these limitations or problems, and they'll be cheaper.

Think about it, you could get a netbook for half the price, which has a proper operating system on board, allows you to run any software you want, uses standard ports for all your peripherals, has a webcam, allows any 3G dongle to be used on any price plan, runs any browser (with flash) and has a 16:9 screen. What's more you could go out and buy it right now from PC World!

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