Low Prices are Driving Rapid Tablet Adoption...

...Where Does That Leave Surface?

"There is no question that Microsoft is in this tablet race to compete for the long haul. However, devices based upon its new Windows 8 and Windows RT operating systems failed to gain much ground during their launch quarter, and reaction to the company's Surface with Windows RT tablet was muted at best," said Ryan Reith, program manager, Mobile Device Trackers at IDC. "We believe that Microsoft and its partners need to quickly adjust to the market realities of smaller screens and lower prices. In the long run, consumers may grow to believe that high-end computing tablets with desktop operating systems are worth a higher premium than other tablets, but until then ASPs on Windows 8 and Windows RT devices need to come down to drive higher volumes."

Low Prices are Driving Rapid Tablet Adoption, Where Does That Leave Surface? | Maximum PC

 

[pparks1]

You can do pretty much everything on a mobile phone nowadays as well, it's just that the screen size isn't ideal for everyone. My smartphone is significantly more powerful and capable than some of my older PCs (harking back to the 80s).

You must have a terribly old smartphone, since when did they have a quad core 1.5GHZ CPU back then. My smartphone is quicker than the latest iPads.

I'm going to take this onto tangent.

WHY in the blue hell do smartphones have quad core processors and two gigs or more of RAM?! What are you people doing? Running android or something?!

I never understood why we need more processing power in phones. All I want us more battery life..I would give up power for that every day of the week.

 

[Coke Robot]

You must have a terribly old smartphone, since when did they have a quad core 1.5GHZ CPU back then. My smartphone is quicker than the latest iPads.

I'm going to take this onto tangent.

WHY in the blue hell do smartphones have quad core processors and two gigs or more of RAM?! What are you people doing? Running android or something?!

I never understood why we need more processing power in phones. All I want us more battery life..I would give up power for that every day of the week.

I know right?! On a phone, I just want superior call quality, very long battery life, and video calling with superiority. Some apps can be still used, but there is LITERALLY NOTHING in any app market that would really require a quad core ARM processor. If you need to use Photoshop, use the proper device of which is a PC!

Shoot, even Windows Phone doesn't even need a dual core processor. Comparing a Lumia 900 with Windows Phone 7 and the 920 with Windows Phone 8, there hasn't been a significant improvement with the overall user experience, they're both smooth and slick regardless of processing power.

I just want superior HD crystal clear call quality, very long all day and then some battery life, and video calling that makes me feel I'm with the physical person!! It's a phone, not a PC!

 

[pparks1]

If my phone was 10 times slower and lasted twice as long on a charge, I would be very happy about it. My phone is almost instant in every single thing I do and I don't need that.

 

[Ray8]

I never understood why we need more processing power in phones. All I want us more battery life..I would give up power for that every day of the week.

That's why I got rid on my smartphone and bought one that is much simpler, battery life is excellent and when I want to connect my tablet to the internet, I just tether it to the phone.

 

[BillWindows]

Some of you obviously don't understand smart phones. When I go on a trip, I can bring up Google Maps and pinpoint my position in an instant. I can see where all the petrol stations are, all the restaurants and all the hotels. When I find the hotel the number is there I touch it and I'm ringing the hotel. I can use it as a navigator with the car app on the HTC absolutely brilliant. The Navigator finds the satellites in an instant, much faster than my $400 Navman, and it looks better and is more accurate.

If I get bored I can watch Adele singing in HiRes or watch a video on YouTube, get the latest weather reports in an instant from BOM. I suppose I could go on all day, but theses powerful smartphones are truly unbelievable.

 

[BillWindows]

I never understood why we need more processing power in phones. All I want us more battery life..I would give up power for that every day of the week.

That's why I got rid on my smartphone and bought one that is much simpler, battery life is excellent and when I want to connect my tablet to the internet, I just tether it to the phone.

Oh, and I can also use it as a wireless Hotspot for my iPads.

 

[Coke Robot]

Some of you obviously don't understand smart phones. When I go on a trip, I can bring up Google Maps and pinpoint my position in an instant. I can see where all the petrol stations are, all the restaurants and all the hotels. When I find the hotel the number is there I touch it and I'm ringing the hotel. I can use it as a navigator with the car app on the HTC absolutely brilliant. The Navigator finds the satellites in an instant, much faster than my $400 Navman, and it looks better and is more accurate.

If I get bored I can watch Adele singing in HiRes or watch a video on YouTube, get the latest weather reports in an instant from BOM. I suppose I could go on all day, but theses powerful smartphones are truly unbelievable.

You don't need a quad core ARM processor for that, you don't even need a dual core processor for that. A single core ARM CPU can literally bode quite well for all of that, along with a good GPU as well for HD video playback. I know this as fact as I use a Windows Phone that runs a single core processor and half a gig of RAM. If it had a better GPU and a 720p display, all of what you listed can be easily achieved.

Going from a Windows Phone with a single core CPU to a one with a dual core CPU, I've only noticed somewhat faster load times for recoded Windows Phone 8 apps, as well as being able to view 720p video. It's a nice improvement for sure, but ain't nobody going to be using a quad core for that!

 

[BillWindows]

Some of you obviously don't understand smart phones. When I go on a trip, I can bring up Google Maps and pinpoint my position in an instant. I can see where all the petrol stations are, all the restaurants and all the hotels. When I find the hotel the number is there I touch it and I'm ringing the hotel. I can use it as a navigator with the car app on the HTC absolutely brilliant. The Navigator finds the satellites in an instant, much faster than my $400 Navman, and it looks better and is more accurate.

If I get bored I can watch Adele singing in HiRes or watch a video on YouTube, get the latest weather reports in an instant from BOM. I suppose I could go on all day, but theses powerful smartphones are truly unbelievable.

You don't need a quad core ARM processor for that, you don't even need a dual core processor for that. A single core ARM CPU can literally bode quite well for all of that, along with a good GPU as well for HD video playback. I know this as fact as I use a Windows Phone that runs a single core processor and half a gig of RAM. If it had a better GPU and a 720p display, all of what you listed can be easily achieved.

Going from a Windows Phone with a single core CPU to a one with a dual core CPU, I've only noticed somewhat faster load times for recoded Windows Phone 8 apps, as well as being able to view 720p video. It's a nice improvement for sure, but ain't nobody going to be using a quad core for that!

Unfortunately when you start upping the resolution and colours that's where the extra power is needed, both in the CPU and GPU. It's easy enough to do anything in low resolution but you need lots of power for high resolution, that's why the iPad Mini is so crappy because of its low resolution.

I've had both the HTC Desire and One X, believe me you need those quad cores on a big bright screen, unfortunately battery life does suffer. Although with very heavy use I can easily get a full day and a half, with moderate use 3 days and light use 4 days since the Jellybean upgrade.

 

[pparks1]

I have been working with an iPad mini at work and I don't consider the display crappy.

 

[Lee]

I'll stay with Razor (2006), and my horse Bill to get me home (he doesn't use GPS).

 

[Ray8]

You have to admire these old fellers who own more devices than a tech store, have knowledge of every possible device and OS out there, and make today's 30 somethings writing for technology magazines look like they came down in the last shower.

 

[BillWindows]

I have been working with an iPad mini at work and I don't consider the display crappy.

It doesn't look too bad for a little while, but try going on the net with it for a while, you'll see what I'm talking about, you nearly go blind after a while, the fonts are all blurry, the resolution is too low for the stupid thing, I know I've got one.

 

[BillWindows]

You have to admire these old fellers who own more devices than a tech store, have knowledge of every possible device and OS out there, and make today's 30 somethings writing for technology magazines look like they came down in the last shower.

Thats the problem, the young ones are the ones who think they own the tech age, until they meet me that is. I've been a tech nut since my teens so I do know a little bit about it. And don't worry I've had plenty of arguments with tech writers on the net.

 

[Rickkins]

I bought an hp touchpad 32g when they had the firesale, and only because they had the firesale. I have since, of course, put android on it. Still can't say that I use it much. Little more than a toy, imho.

 

[Ray8]

Some more figures on tablet sales:

IDC has just published its tablet sales findings for Q4 2012. The headlining fact was that sales of tablets worldwide “outpaced predictions” with a total of 52.5 million units sold worldwide in Q4 2012. That’s a year-on-year market growth of 75.3 per cent.

Tablet shipments up 75 per cent from a year ago - Tablets - News - HEXUS.net

Though for some, it's not good news:

IHS iSuppli: Microsoft Surface RT Sales Low, Returns High | Maximum PC

 

[phillipduran]

I know a number of people who use an iPad for far more than games. While the majority may use it for very basic tasks, many use it for doing a lot more. Putting the iPad down as a means of defending Windows 8 is stupid and narrow minded.

The ipad IS stupid and narrow minded. I'm not using true put downs such as limited hardware support and limiting software as a means to defend Windows 8. I'm saying that because IT IS A FACT.

And yet, it is the device that people want.

People don't seem to want a jack of all trades device that you hold so high. You seem to like it. Everyone else. . . not so much. The lack of acceptance will probably end up being that devices undoing.

Tell us again how amazing it is please.

 

[BillWindows]

Some more figures on tablet sales:

IDC has just published its tablet sales findings for Q4 2012. The headlining fact was that sales of tablets worldwide “outpaced predictions” with a total of 52.5 million units sold worldwide in Q4 2012. That’s a year-on-year market growth of 75.3 per cent.

Tablet shipments up 75 per cent from a year ago - Tablets - News - HEXUS.net

Though for some, it's not good news:

IHS iSuppli: Microsoft Surface RT Sales Low, Returns High | Maximum PC

I'm not going to bother reading these stories, because I know it'll be all about Microsoft bashing.

The FACTS are that when Android tablets first came out they were a total disaster, not one manufacturer made any money out of their tablets. Most of them disappeared off the face of the planet, it took well over a year for Android to gain any momentum.

Now they're starting to count little tiny toys as a comparison against Surface. I know there's a market for these things but there's also a market for more grownup tablets.

I don't think business people want to be using $80 7" Android tablets as part of their business plan.

 

[Lee]

For those who don't read any news when it comes to pads or tablets you are missing learning about what it is the "Average Joe" is looking for in a pad or tablet.

A good deal of Apple's iPads are starting to go to business of all sizes. Look at the airline industry as an example. They are giving the pilots and others in the industry iPads. Why? Simple, because they can carry the complete fleet instruction manual for the aircraft they are going to be flying or dealing with.

My oldest son is The Director for Water Born Sports for a large firm that deals in sports equipment. He as outfitted all his managers and sales staff with iPads, so that they can carry all the information they may need when dealing with clients. His people can keep up with all the newest information even when on the go.

No, computers will not disappear they are only taking a back set at the moment. People are starting to look at different way to approach how they do things in their everyday life. And, the smartphone and tablets at present are what they are looking for. Even in this high mountain community I live in people are headed in that direction; the only problem that we have up here is the lack of cell towers (there are none). We have to depend on either broad band dishs or dial up. Myself and two neighbors went together and installed a T1 broad band system (very nice).

 

[Coke Robot]

I think it was American Airlines or some other air carrier that is going to be adopting the Surface RT tablets this year for in-flight entertainment and for the staff as well.

 

[Ray8]

If Apple and Android products are so bad, why do so many people own them; multiple copies of the same even, as demonstrated on this forum?