On Feb 8, 5:40 pm, "iPad: Read e and save a tree"
<vic.hea...@gmail.com> wrote:

Consumers lose interest in iPad after Apple's unveiling - survey

By Katie Marsal
Published: 10:15 AM EST

Despite a highly publicized public debut, potential customers lost a
great deal of interest in Apple's new touchscreen iPad after it was
unveiled, a new study has found.

A survey of more than 1,000 randomly selected customers at the online
marketplace Retrevo found that 52 percent of respondents have heard of
Apple's iPad, but are not interested in buying one. Another 18 percent
said they had not heard of the product, but also were not interested.

Prior to the product's unveiling, 26 percent of those surveyed had
heard of the then-mythical "Apple tablet," but were not interested in
buying one. That total doubled after the iPad's official Jan. 26
unveiling.

"It's the apps that sell smartphones like the iPhone and it could very
well be those same apps that motivate buyers to run down to the Apple
Store and get in line to buy a shiny new iPad," the company said.
"Whether this device becomes a big hit is anyone’s guess but based on
this study it sure looks doubtful."

The survey found that awareness of the iPad is high -- more than 80
percent of respondents said they had heard of Apple's product. Of
those, 21 percent said they need more information on the iPad before
they purchase, and 9 percent said they would likely buy one. The
company even tracked conversations on Twitter, and found the iPad
announcement rivaled talk of the U.S. presidential State of the Union
address, held the same day.

The survey results suggest consumers may not see how the iPad would
fit into their lives. While 5 percent said they "definitely" need one,
61 percent said they do not think they need an iPad.

In addition, the $130 premium cost to add 3G connectivity was found to
be a turn-off for potential buyers. While 12 percent would pay the
extra money for 3G and 29 percent would think about it, 59 percent of
respondents said they would not pay any extra for 3G.

Retrevo 1

Retrevo's latest survey was conducted between Jan. 27 and Feb. 3
following Apple's announcement of the iPad, starting at $499 and
scheduled to arrive in late March. The results were compared to a
previous study done between Jan. 16 and Jan. 20, before the iPad was
unveiled.

Retrevo 2

Last week, another study of medical professionals found that one in
five physicians said they are likely to purchase an iPad. Of more than
350 clinicians surveyed, 9 percent said they plan to buy the product
immediately, while another 13 percent intend to purchase one in the
first year.

Analysts mostly expect the iPad to have a moderate but successful
start, selling between one million and five million in its first year.
The product's aggressive $499 starting price is seen to be its
greatest asset. One analyst believes a sales "catalyst" must emerge --
as the iTunes Store did for the iPod, and App Store for the iPhone --
before the iPad sees significant growth.

Why not?  That strategy worked wonders for the iPhone!  ;)

    What do you mean already?  They were considering it in the
engineering phase, and the first reduction will come 6 months after it
goes on sale.

On Feb 8, 5:40 pm, "iPad: Read e and save a tree"
<vic.hea...@gmail.com> wrote:

What you will likely see is a 64GB non-3G model at the $499 price
point. The $499 price point was great marketing, but as everyone
quickly realized a 64GB, 3G model, with the connectivity kit, is going
to cost nearly $1000. They really need only two models--with and
without 3G. With a lot of new tablets hitting the market, they have to
be very careful about pricing.

AT&T is not the USA's biggest cellular carrier, they are the 2nd
biggest.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/10-Things-Apple-Doesnt-Want-You-to-
Know-About-the-iPad-118317/?kc=EWKNLBOE02122010FEA1

Apple has been touting its iPad since it was first announced a few weeks ago. But after the hype wears off and we take an
honest look at the iPad, we quickly find that there are some major flaws with the company's tablet device that it just
doesn't want us to know about. When a consumer picks up the iPad expecting a top-of-the-line experience, they might be
surprised to learn that it can't quite provide that. They might be even more upset when they find out that the iPad isn't
as appealing as Steve Jobs wants the world to believe. So before you pick one up, let's take a look at what Apple doesn't
want you to know about the iPad.

Hobbled Web surfing
Although Steve Jobs didn't talk about it during his keynote, the device's browser doesn't support Flash. That omission
ensures that a large percentage of Websites won't work on the iPad. It also ensures that some elements of popular
Websites that don't entirely rely upon Flash won't work either. It's a major problem.

No multitasking
Those who are hoping to work in iWork and surf the Web at the same time will be disappointed with the iPad. Once again,
Steve Jobs failed to mention that, due to iPad software limitations, users won't be able to multitask. Being able to work
with multiple programs is not only a desired feature in today's tablet space, but it's quickly becoming a necessity.

Where's the video output?
Although the iPad will boast HD content through iTunes, a quick glance around the iPad reveals that there isn't a video
output slot, making it impossible for users to transfer video content to an HDTV or monitor. For now, it seems that the
iPad's video capabilities will rely only on iTunes.

Try printing
When a user receives an important e-mail on their Mac and decides to print it out, they simply click the "print" button
and do it. The iPad doesn't boast that luxury. Although Apple is marketing the iPad as the device that can bridge the gap
between the iPhone and the laptop, the company's tablet computer won't allow for printing to a connected device. It's a
major omission that could make some think twice about the iPad.

No DVD/Blu-ray drive
The iPad lacks an optical drive. Admittedly, the iPad is meant to be a mobile product that won't replace a computer. But
if Apple wants to market it as an entertainment product, wouldn't it make sense to make it easy for users to view or rip
movies and television shows on the device?

The $499 version is not a deal
Some point to the iPad's $499 price tag as a reason to pick up the device. Let's be honest, the $499 version lacks 3G and
it has the smallest available hard drive. The device's price tag is great for folks who want to only use the iPad at home
and won't add much content to it, but the iPad is meant to be a portable iPod Touch that can house entertainment content.
A 16GB hard drive with no 3G connectivity won't adequately deliver that experience.

Reading won't be fun
Since the iPad doesn't offer E-Ink technology or an OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diod)] display, reading on its display
might be difficult for extended periods. It's another feature that Apple has glossed over. Yes, the iPad's technology
allows for viewing e-books in color, but E-Ink is so successful as an e-reader technology because it mimics a real book
and allows for longer reading periods without eye strain. The iPad will be like reading a book on a larger iPhone
display. That's probably not best for most readers.

Forget about USB
Although Steve Jobs touts the iPad's many built-in features, what about all those peripherals that users might want to
add to the device? Since it lacks a USB (and FireWire) port, connecting to peripherals won't be so easy. Admittedly,
Apple has said that the dock will be used for some add-ons, but that requires users to buy yet another device to get
their products to work. Omitting a USB port was a major blunder on Apple's part.

The apps won't all work well
Apple spent considerable time with developers showing off applications for the iPad. It even said that every app in the
App Store will run on the iPad without any extra tinkering on the developer's part. That said, it conveniently glossed
over the fact that any app that hasn't been updated to work with the iPad won't fit the device's display. That's a
bummer.

There are potentially better products out there
Steve Jobs said the iPad was revolutionary during the iPad announcement. But further inspection reveals that it's really
nothing more than a larger iPod Touch. More importantly, it's competing in a space where several products, including
those from Dell and HP, might provide a better tablet experience. Of course, Apple doesn't want users to know about the
competition. But they might be surprised to learn that when it comes to tablets, the iPad isn't necessarily the best
offering.