the tablet war is heating up

[Fast Learner]

Apple could provide a solution so IT shops can load internal apps onto their iPads. Solving that business problem.

This already exists, in the form of Apple's enterprise development program. Shops can install internally, develop and distribute internally, do pretty much whatever they'd want, since it doesn't go through the App Store.

It's quite popular, too.

 

[Relique du Madde]

What does "complete" mean?

That's the problem. From the iFan it means something akin to either "It has all the apps I have on my iDevice and allows me to sync to my apple products" or "Steve Jobs has to admit it is equal or superior to the most current iOS product". So basically something that apple doesn't want any nonapple device to do because once Windows Mobile 7 and Android gains access to iTunes it would be game over.

Personally, when I think of the word complete (in tech terms) I think "Dead." Why? Because if you consider a product complete it means you are not going to make future versions of it and you will never improve it to react to the changing market, hacking attempts, bugs, or technological advances/changes.
Do you know what OS is "complete"? Symbian even thought it is now considered "open sourced". Do you know what device is "complete"? Zune because Microsoft has decided to make Zune into a software only application/purchasing platform that is integrated into windows environment rather then a stand alone music player.

If Apple was less blocky of apps (no porn or malware) that would probably open the door quite a bit to features you wish you had.

Apple could provide a solution so IT shops can load internal apps onto their iPads. Solving that business problem.

They won't because a good portion of the billions they make each year comes through their app store and people having to fork over money whenever they get something on their iDevice or through the app itself.

However, it should be noted that alternate stores do exist... though some only if you jail brake the iDevice. But even then, Apple likes to cease and desist when they see something from a major player that breaks their "rules".
For instance apple just forced Toyota to close an app they have been propagating on iJailBroken stores and alternate sources because it was essential an ad for scion which didn't go through iAd. I bet they also threatened to kick Toyota (and the adfirm) out of the walled garden if they didn't pull the app, which Toyota did. So yeah... apple became their 1984 superbowl ad's "evil computing empire."

Who needs an SD card when you can transfer files in and out over wireless?

From what I could tell, the SD card really exists for those times when you are far from a network that you can sync through or have not paid for the ability to use your phones wireless hot spot or have not rooted/jailbroken your phone so you could use the hotspot without your carrier butting in.

 

[Janx]

This already exists, in the form of Apple's enterprise development program. Shops can install internally, develop and distribute internally, do pretty much whatever they'd want, since it doesn't go through the App Store.

It's quite popular, too.

That's useful info. I hadn't research the topic. Folks have asked me "why don't you make an iThing app?" and my general view is, do you really want the app that accesses your business data sitting on a public storefront for just anybody to download and attempt to login to?

Technically, the EDP solves that. Though my next barrier is, do I really want to fork off a dev team to learn and master that platform, when I can just write a web-app that everybbody can code for? I choose the latter.

Case in point, I've one client who wants to buy iPads for all his sales guys, so they can get sales data and handle orders in the field. At $500 a pop, I'm inclined to hope an Android tablet of lesser price and decent quality (what care I what other apps it has, I only want the browser to not suck and the internet to be fast).

On relique's comment. I kind of asssume the other guy meant "complete" to mean features that Apple didn't do on purpose that another vendor could get away with.

I have plenty of room on my 16GB iPad with just WiFi. Don't need an SD card. I think some folks want it for the "just in case" scenario. Or for practical transferring of data.

I do wish Apple were a bit more practical with getting data in and out. It's understandable that each application is effectively buffered from each other. But why do I have to email myself a Word document to work on it in Pages?
If Google Docs came out with a proper client app, they'd nail that little problem.

I also don't like that Apple has blocked certain apps on the basis that it competes with their own product line. Amazon snuck their Kindle reader in, but Sony was too late with their E Reader app.

When my Droid finally gets here (missed it at Lunch, so I have to wait another day for Fedex), I reckon I'll see what the Android can and can't do for me in practical terms. I do know I'll get my Sony Reader so I can read the last Dresden Files short story anthology my wife bought.

 

[Fast Learner]

For instance apple just forced Toyota to close an app they have been propagating on iJailBroken stores and alternate sources because it was essential an ad for scion which didn't go through iAd. I bet they also threatened to kick Toyota (and the adfirm) out of the walled garden if they didn't pull the app, which Toyota did.

That's your assumption about why they pressured Toyota (well, it's an assumption on everyone's part that they even did pressure Toyota, but it's certainly very likely). My assumption is that Toyota advertising in the jailbreak ecosystem implied legitimacy of that ecosystem, something Apple certainly doesn't want.

Though my next barrier is, do I really want to fork off a dev team to learn and master that platform, when I can just write a web-app that everybbody can code for? I choose the latter.

In many circumstances that's a great solution. Where that doesn't work is (a) extensive offline use, (b) a need to access a variety of lower level device functionality, and (c) when you want native-app speed. Still, Mobile Safari is a very good web browser and works well for web apps.

Case in point, I've one client who wants to buy iPads for all his sales guys, so they can get sales data and handle orders in the field. At $500 a pop, I'm inclined to hope an Android tablet of lesser price and decent quality (what care I what other apps it has, I only want the browser to not suck and the internet to be fast).

Also keep battery life in mind, which is especially important for people like salesfolk. It often surprises people that the 10-hour battery life claim of the iPad is actually accurate, that the device can be, for example, streaming full-screen video for 10 straight hours. In practice it means that even after a long day of using my iPad in what seems like nearly all the time, I'm still never in danger of having to find power. Most (all?) of the current Android tablets don't have that kind of extensive life, though there's no good reason they couldn't; it's just good engineering and component quality.

 

[Relique du Madde]

That's your assumption about why they pressured Toyota (well, it's an assumption on everyone's part that they even did pressure Toyota, but it's certainly very likely). My assumption is that Toyota advertising in the jailbreak ecosystem implied legitimacy of that ecosystem, something Apple certainly doesn't want.

Sorry, to break it to you, the "jail broken" and "rooted" ecosystem is entirely lawful and legitimate as per this 9th circuit court of appeals decision. (TLDR; "Jailbreaking is lawful because apple does not own your phone and they do not claim they are leasing it or the operating system to you. Also, Jailbraking does violate copyrights due to the fair use doctrine, however it does still void your warranty..).

However, it should be noted that Apple has said they will to black list companies from the iStore for various slights. So yes, I'm certain they told Toyota and their marketing patterns to C&D or be risk being banned from the garden and having their ads and apps yanked from iOSphere. Sadly, for a company who is hurting as bad as Toyota, having their coolness downgraded by their lack of Apple exposure would be suicidal.

 

[John Crichton]

Jailbreaking anything is a pain in the butt. Probably best to just leave it out of these types of conversations when comparing products and such.

 

[Janx]

To FastLearner's comment about offline use:
The need for offline use is generally constrained to what I consider productivity or general purpose apps. A word processor, PDF reader, etc.

At the business app category, this is stuff accessing the corporate databases to view current orders, enter in new orders, etc. Imagine your banking program. Pretty useless without a live connection to your records. And the scale of data is not such that you would copy it down to the client.

Though a dedicated app can still have benefit (not having to transmit UI content and data content), Generally, you need to be online to use a business app.

Also, like your bank program, this stuff is generally secure, and only for direct customers or employees. Not the general public ordering books from amazon.com

On the topic of jailbreaking:
I have no clue why Toyota bothered with doing a jailbroke app. It would have been just as easy to publish on AppStore and based on all the other vendor crApps, it would have been approved.

I also agree with Crighton on the merit of Jailbreaking as it concerns the product. It's a technical process, that narrows the % of the market willing to do it, or even concerned with it.

As it is, the arguments on why Android is better smells more like NerdRage with Apple, as the people making those arguments tend to be the same people willing to jailbreak or mod their phones. Normal people don't care about that stuff.

 

[catsclaw227]

Interesting article about the rise in popularity of the Android phones and iOS based devices.

CHART OF THE DAY: Android Blows Past iPhone -- Even If You Include iPod Touch

 

[Fast Learner]

Sorry, to break it to you, the "jail broken" and "rooted" ecosystem is entirely lawful and legitimate as per this 9th circuit court of appeals decision.

You're confusing my use of the term "legitimize" with any implication that it's otherwise illegal. If major advertisers were supporting jailbreak apps or sites the general public would be more inclined to perceive them as a good idea, something Apple doesn't want. Toyota would make jailbreaking seem like a legitimate -- "in accordance with established or accepted patterns and standards" -- way to use your phone.

FWIW, there's very little information in this arena that you would "break" to me: this is my profession. I spend hours a day reading news and analysis, and more hours a day advising my clients on mobile strategy and tactics. I well-understand the legal issues surrounding jailbreaking and even helped one client with the development and publishing of an app to Cydia, though only at his insistence (it has not proven to be financially viable, as the market is too small).

 

[Fast Learner]

The need for offline use is generally constrained to what I consider productivity or general purpose apps. A word processor, PDF reader, etc.

At the business app category, this is stuff accessing the corporate databases to view current orders, enter in new orders, etc. Imagine your banking program. Pretty useless without a live connection to your records. And the scale of data is not such that you would copy it down to the client.

I think it's more nuanced than that. I've designed and developed multiple mobile applications where having a subset of the data on the device in situations where you don't have a connection is extremely valuable. Many order-placing applications, for example, don't require live access to inventory. Being able to review recent orders from clients and related information while on a plane is great, as another example, and live background syncing while the device does have connectivity can keep the data sufficiently fresh.

One enterprise app I designed and developed (for Windows Mobile, a few years back) was for a company that made deals at construction worksites, commonly out in the sticks where a connection was far from guaranteed. Despite the fact that a lot of what the salesman needed to know was live data, because it was a native app I was able to store enough information on each device to allow the salesforce to have reasonable certainty when making deals.

Of course I absolutely agree that there are many situations where a connection is vital, and that a web app/access is an excellent solution. I'm simply noting that there are many more valuable uses for a native app than productivity or general use. You might be surprised what clever data caching can do.