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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 i
by 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 agoGeek 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.