the tablet war is heating up

[IronWolf]

Does anybody in this thread have an Android tablet? There's a few of us who have an Android phone, but that's not entirely the same thing.

If it turns out the majority of us have iPads, and not Apads, that's a clue as to the market direction.

I do not have one. When the iPad was announced I said to myself I was going to wait for an Android to come out that could do more for less. Practically mocking those snapping up the iPad. Yeah, didn't happen - Android tabs that came out that were cheaper were not that great and the ones that came out that could keep up with the iPad or do more were as expensive or more so.

So when the iPad 2 came out I picked up an iPad Gen1 on the cheap. Haven't regretted it. In fact I am pretty sure I wouldn't have regretted shelling out for the iPad 2 at this point. Things work like they are supposed to, I get great battery life and I have access to the currently popular apps.

Now I am sure over the upcoming month or years someone with an Android tablet will hit a winning combination - but I am happily using my iPad until then.

 

[JoeGKushner]

How long is each 'generation' expected to last? iPad1 didn't make it that long (much like the original iPhone) but I see a lot of parallels with PCs which can last from a few years to a much longer scope depending on its use.

 

[IronWolf]

How long is each 'generation' expected to last? iPad1 didn't make it that long (much like the original iPhone) but I see a lot of parallels with PCs which can last from a few years to a much longer scope depending on its use.

I am not sure what Apple's announced or unannounced plans are, but I suspect they will release near yearly in this early phase. In order to not be passed by the Android tablets as they start to catchup Apple will likely feel the pressure to add new features in a timely manner.

I am not sure how long it will take for the older generations to not be useful anymore. I am hoping mine lasts for at least a while, though I can easily see myself upgrading to a generation 3 when they are released and passing this one down to IronPup. We'll see how that plays out.

 

[falcarrion]

How long is each 'generation' expected to last? iPad1 didn't make it that long (much like the original iPhone) but I see a lot of parallels with PCs which can last from a few years to a much longer scope depending on its use.

One has to remember that Apple went out on the limb by putting out a tablet. It was so well received that compatition ensued. Once they found out what people liked and wanted and how they used it. They needed to put out a new version to stay on top. I don't see the Ipad1 being obsolete for a very long time.

As a side note: Just think if FaceTime was available on other devices such as android phones. Would this change how you talk to people?

 

[Janx]

One has to remember that Apple went out on the limb by putting out a tablet. It was so well received that compatition ensued. Once they found out what people liked and wanted and how they used it. They needed to put out a new version to stay on top. I don't see the Ipad1 being obsolete for a very long time.

As a side note: Just think if FaceTime was available on other devices such as android phones. Would this change how you talk to people?

Yeah, the iPad1 was a no-brainer in a way. Take an iPod Touch and put it on a bigger screen, and publicly, Apple was resistant to it for awhile. But that might have been PR cover while they were designing one.

It's highly probably Apple will keep pumping a pad out each year. And based on the pattern with iPhones, a given model will be supported (able to get fw updates) for 2-3 years. The 3g went out when the iOS4 came out for iPhone4, and odds are good it'll happen to the 3gs when the new gen iPhone comes out this fall. The iPod Touch gen1 wasn't eligble for iOS3 updates. Not getting fw updates blocks an device from the App Store for practical purposes, because Apple regularly boots apps that don't have "new" fw support, and at some point all apps will requirre newer fw to run

On FaceTime:
it's a neat idea, and obviously we've finally gotten the video phones AT&T promised us in the '60s. However, I've used it twice on my phone. My wife has a 3gs, can't use it on her. It only works on other iPhone4 devices, and only on wifi which basically means "when both parties are at home or work"

I've only used the video chat on my Kinect once. While it seemed like it would be pretty handy (and it works with PCs on MSN Messenger), the opportunities to use it were slim.

A friend of mine made a good point. When he's on the phone, he wants is hands and eyes free (as you're already tying up his ears). FaceTiime locks u into position. U are stuck holding the phone so your friend can see u. Which means u can't freely move about the house doing laundry, dishes, getting dressed or driving

 

[falcarrion]

The iPod Touch gen1 wasn't eligble for iOS3 updates. Not getting fw updates blocks an device from the App Store for practical purposes, because Apple regularly boots apps that don't have "new" fw support, and at some point all apps will requirre newer fw to run

My Itouch gen 1 has 3.1.3 iOS. As long as developers make there app compatiable with 3.0 then I will not have any problems.

 

[Fast Learner]

My Itouch gen 1 has 3.1.3 iOS. As long as developers make there app compatiable with 3.0 then I will not have any problems.

More and more apps require 4.0, which isn't surprising because (a) about 90-95% of active iOS devices are running 4.0 or later, and (b) 4.0 offers a ton of features to developers that make apps easier to write and provides access to new frameworks and phone abilities.

All of the new development projects I've started this year target a minimum of 4.0. It's likely you'll find more and more apps that you can't run in the coming year.

 

[falcarrion]

I guess you missed my point. Just because a new unit comes out doesn't mean the older one is useless. I see a long useful life for the Ipad 1.

 

[Fast Learner]

Wasn't trying to negate your point, just providing some information on the likely "still modern" state of iOS devices.

History thus far shows that 2.5-3 years is the point at which the older devices start to have issues, not being able to update their OS and therefore run apps. Hasn't been much history yet, though, so who knows.

It's a very young industry, which tends to mean lots of advances that are more likely to obsolete older equipment more quickly. Nearly all of today's Windows apps will still run on XP, and many of them will still run on Win2k. That's a solid 10 year span. Windows 1 couldn't (generally) run Windows 2 apps, despite being only 2 years apart, and Windows 2 couldn't run Windows 3 apps despite only a 3 year span.

It makes sense, I think, because the most innovative ideas are likely to come early in a technology's life cycle.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Wasn't trying to negate your point, just providing some information on the likely "still modern" state of iOS devices.

History thus far shows that 2.5-3 years is the point at which the older devices start to have issues, not being able to update their OS and therefore run apps. Hasn't been much history yet, though, so who knows.

It's a very young industry, which tends to mean lots of advances that are more likely to obsolete older equipment more quickly. Nearly all of today's Windows apps will still run on XP, and many of them will still run on Win2k. That's a solid 10 year span. Windows 1 couldn't (generally) run Windows 2 apps, despite being only 2 years apart, and Windows 2 couldn't run Windows 3 apps despite only a 3 year span.

It makes sense, I think, because the most innovative ideas are likely to come early in a technology's life cycle.

Not really. It depends on the nature of the device. People expect a iMac or a PC to last between 4 to 10 years ideally before it is completely useless, hence all the innovations those machines receive reflect this nature and tend to be purely hardware or peripheral based and often take long periods of time to pan out due to their viability. Portable devices are expected to last 2-3 years since they receive an extreme amount of abuse and could easily be damaged or lost. This almost necessitates for their to be at least one new model every year to prevent people from waiting more than two years for their next purchase.

This may also be why the iOS "innovations" are staggered quarterly rather then having every new idevice come out in February since if your iPhone, iPod, and iPad all have the same hardware and software there is no need to purchase a new iPhone in 6 months, Pod this month or a iPad in 9, you'll just get the iPhone now, iPad next year, and hold off until one of the breaks. However, since you know the iPod will have something your iPhone won't for another year you are more likely to cycle between the three devices every year or two due to the expectation that one of the devices will become completely obsolete every other or every third iteration.

On the android side, since the platform is so young it is hard to tell how long it takes devices seem to become completely obsolete (considering that about 25% still run 2.1 and about 10-15% run versions under 2.0.