the tablet war is heating up

[Janx]

Sounds like ipad is a better piece of hardware with a better price.

I also saw a recent article on google news, that devs are switching back to focus on apple, away from android, due to lesser interest in android.

To my eye, any problem with ipad is probably due to apple enforcing artificial constraints (allowed apps) than any mechanical problem.

The android side has all the opportunity to dominate, less regulation on the software side. Ironically, its the hardware that seems to be missing its chance.

 

[IronWolf]

The android side has all the opportunity to dominate, less regulation on the software side. Ironically, its the hardware that seems to be missing its chance.

The early Android tablets were all having to run an OS that was not really designed for a tablet. I think this had a factor in slowing some of their early sales. With Honeycomb I would expect the Android tablets to become a little more refined and polished.

I suspect given a bit more time there will be some more serious Android tablet competitors to the iPad. But for the moment the iPad is definitely the one to beat and has a significant head start.

 

[Lalato]

Here's a review of the Playbook.

It's unfinished, but we definitely want more: Ars reviews RIM's PlayBook

Very promising, but not an iPad killer. Give it another iteration.

 

[nedjer]

Android should be taking over the market. There are more types of android phones than Iphones. But if you took each company selling android phones and compared their phone sales ( one company at a time) against Apple Iphone you get a different picture. Heres some info on iphone sales for the last three months.


In the last three months, Apple sold a whopping 8.75 million iPhones. That’s a jump of 90% from the same period last year. The last three months also made up Apple’s best non-Christmas quarter ever! Needless to say, Apple is now swimming in cash from the sale of all those phones: They made $5.3 billion in revenue, or an average of $600 per phone. Which is a huge chunk of the total $13.5 billion in revenue. And that growth, 131 percent over the year ago quarter, is insane.

I've understated the slice of profits and influence the iPhone will have for a while yet, but the iPad has a few concerns down the road, e.g. its tablet rivals are its main manufacturers. Suits them to sell on iPhones for now, but two or three years down the line. Then there's the immense slice of the market which can afford Android, but can't afford Apple as it stands . . .

 

[IronWolf]

Here's a review of the Playbook.

It's unfinished, but we definitely want more: Ars reviews RIM's PlayBook

Very promising, but not an iPad killer. Give it another iteration.

Of course today Slashdot was posting an article about the inevitable demise of RIM.

RIP, RIM | ITworld

Yes, I know only one article and because it says it doesn't make it true....

 

[Relique du Madde]

Of course today Slashdot was posting an article about the inevitable demise of RIM.

RIP, RIM | ITworld

Yes, I know only one article and because it says it doesn't make it true....

I won't count them as being dead yet. Since Blackberry OS is on the downward slide, what might be extremely profitable for them would be to switch to creating WM7 or Android powered Blackberry devices. Considering that Blackberry already an established business phone, their lending their brand to a rival OS would actually be quite beneficial, maybe even more so then Nokia's joining the ranks of the WM7 army.

 

[IronWolf]

I won't count them as being dead yet. Since Blackberry OS is on the downward slide, what might be extremely profitable for them would be to switch to creating WM7 or Android powered Blackberry devices. Considering that Blackberry already an established business phone, their lending their brand to a rival OS would actually be quite beneficial, maybe even more so then Nokia's joining the ranks of the WM7 army.

Yeah, I wouldn't count them down for the count either. While I think more and more mid to small sized businesses are moving away from them, they seem to be the device of choice for the federal government which could keep tem going for a good while.

 

[Fast Learner]

The cheapo stylus I picked up for around that $4 price point was a complete waste of $4: the tip was so rubbery that it effectively stuck to the screen, making writing impossible.

I predict that RIM is toast for a whole variety of reasons. The fact that the company has two co-CEOs and three co-COOs is itself a very, very bad sign.

 

[IronWolf]

The cheapo stylus I picked up for around that $4 price point was a complete waste of $4: the tip was so rubbery that it effectively stuck to the screen, making writing impossible.

That sucks. The Targus I bought seems okay so far. I have only used it once since I bought it on game night. Worked well though. Nothing to compare it to though.

 

[John Crichton]

I predict that RIM is toast for a whole variety of reasons. The fact that the company has two co-CEOs and three co-COOs is itself a very, very bad sign.

Couldn't agree more.

The cheapo stylus I picked up for around that $4 price point was a complete waste of $4: the tip was so rubbery that it effectively stuck to the screen, making writing impossible.

That sucks. The Targus I bought seems okay so far. I have only used it once since I bought it on game night. Worked well though. Nothing to compare it to though.

Gah. I wish I could let y'all borrow my extra stylus. Loving it so far and it's held up well for 2 weeks now and a dozen plus meetings.