4 ms·

"Ordinary consumers will not feel comfortable buying non-Apple tablets until they have a better idea what a tablet actually is and how to shop for one." Bizarr

by ergo98 16y ago

"Ordinary consumers will not feel comfortable buying non-Apple tablets until they have a better idea what a tablet actually is and how to shop for one." Bizarre. The Tab hasn't sold well simply because it's not that great of a product (largely because it came with Froyo which is decidedly not ready for the form factor), sold at a really high price. I'm an Android guy, but I had zero interest in the device (just as I have no interest in the Nexus S). The upcoming Honeycomb devices are far more convincing, however.

dkarl 16y ago
When expectations were on the order of millions of units, they must have expected some non-hacker consumers to buy the units for themselves or as gifts. Even if every Android guy and HNer in the world bought a Galaxy Tab, they still wouldn't sell a million without significant numbers of ordinary consumers deciding to buy one on the basis of ads, retail displays, and consumer electronics reviews. But that won't happen, because consumers won't pay several hundred dollars when they don't know how to distinguish a quality product from a crappy gimmick, especially when they know from past experience that (at least some) electronics manufacturers will rush to bring out a superficially similar competitor without waiting until they can replicate the technology. Imagine if there was no Android -- you think there would be no competitors to the iPad? Someone would toss together something worthless based on Windows CE or Palm OS and call it an "iPad killer." Consumers do NOT want to fall for that, and the only way they know how to avoid it is to steer clear of non-Apple tablets for now. Uptake of Android tablets will depend on tech-savvy folks buying them, showing them to their friends, who will buy Android tablets and show them to their friends, and so on. It will be slow.
- chc 16y ago
  Geek opinion can go further than just the people who hold those opinions. For example, device enthusiasts' lack of acceptance means that everybody's "Guy who knows about computers/phones/electronic gizmos" is giving the Galaxy Tab a thumbs-down. When you're selling a pricier alternative to an established brand, you need those cheerleaders.
technomancy 16y ago
> The upcoming Honeycomb devices are far more convincing, however. Really? I must be missing something, because I just don't see the appeal. My Nexus One appeals to me because I can't put my laptop in my pocket. My laptop appeals to me because I can't really type on my phone. A tablet really just sounds like the worst of both worlds. Not trying to be a buzz-kill, but genuinely curious: what's the driving factor here?
- ergo98 16y ago
  At home I find that even with multiple traditional computers, I resort to using my smartphone for convenience and enjoyment reasons a lot. Little things like looking up a movie review, pulling up a phone number, or to answer questions like "what are the guys who play that position in the NFL?" I pull it up on my smartphone and voila. Now of course the restrictions of the smartphone are a bit of a pain. I would like something larger to more enjoyably interact with, hopefully with a higher resolution, but small enough and easy enough to use that it's just some accessory sitting on a coffee table. Of course in the connected world it can also control the cable box, start DLNA streams, etc. That's where a tablet comes into play. Preferably one in the 7-9" range.

by ergo98 16y ago

dkarl 16y ago

When expectations were on the order of millions of units, they must have expected some non-hacker consumers to buy the units for themselves or as gifts. Even if every Android guy and HNer in the world bought a Galaxy Tab, they still wouldn't sell a million without significant numbers of ordinary consumers deciding to buy one on the basis of ads, retail displays, and consumer electronics reviews. But that won't happen, because consumers won't pay several hundred dollars when they don't know how to distinguish a quality product from a crappy gimmick, especially when they know from past experience that (at least some) electronics manufacturers will rush to bring out a superficially similar competitor without waiting until they can replicate the technology. Imagine if there was no Android -- you think there would be no competitors to the iPad? Someone would toss together something worthless based on Windows CE or Palm OS and call it an "iPad killer." Consumers do NOT want to fall for that, and the only way they know how to avoid it is to steer clear of non-Apple tablets for now. Uptake of Android tablets will depend on tech-savvy folks buying them, showing them to their friends, who will buy Android tablets and show them to their friends, and so on. It will be slow.

chc 16y ago
Geek opinion can go further than just the people who hold those opinions. For example, device enthusiasts' lack of acceptance means that everybody's "Guy who knows about computers/phones/electronic gizmos" is giving the Galaxy Tab a thumbs-down. When you're selling a pricier alternative to an established brand, you need those cheerleaders.

technomancy 16y ago

> The upcoming Honeycomb devices are far more convincing, however. Really? I must be missing something, because I just don't see the appeal. My Nexus One appeals to me because I can't put my laptop in my pocket. My laptop appeals to me because I can't really type on my phone. A tablet really just sounds like the worst of both worlds. Not trying to be a buzz-kill, but genuinely curious: what's the driving factor here?

ergo98 16y ago
At home I find that even with multiple traditional computers, I resort to using my smartphone for convenience and enjoyment reasons a lot. Little things like looking up a movie review, pulling up a phone number, or to answer questions like "what are the guys who play that position in the NFL?" I pull it up on my smartphone and voila. Now of course the restrictions of the smartphone are a bit of a pain. I would like something larger to more enjoyably interact with, hopefully with a higher resolution, but small enough and easy enough to use that it's just some accessory sitting on a coffee table. Of course in the connected world it can also control the cable box, start DLNA streams, etc. That's where a tablet comes into play. Preferably one in the 7-9" range.