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What's with the overpriced 8" tablets?
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olePigeon
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Oct 22, 2010, 03:15 AM
 
I don't get it. They cost more than iPad. They don't actually weight any less than an iPad. They're also an annoying 8". It's too big to fit in your pocket, but not big enough to read a newspaper or magazine without zooming.

Worst of all they run a desktop OS instad of an OS designed for a tablet, which means 99% of the applications will be designed to be used with a mouse and keyboard... which it doesn't have.

Even worse, what does it offer that you can't get with a convertible tablet PC? You get the same touch screen and desktop OS, but you at least you get the keyboard and mouse so it's actually functional.

I don't think the PC industry knows what to do with the iPad because they're beholden to Microsoft, and Microsoft doesn't have a tablet OS.

Android maybe? Beats me.
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numbers25
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Oct 22, 2010, 04:12 AM
 
what do you mean by overpriced? an iPad is more expensive than a a 8" tablet.
Are you refering to this 8"?
     
Spheric Harlot
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Oct 22, 2010, 04:38 AM
 
^ what

Tablet, not Netbook.
     
OreoCookie
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Oct 22, 2010, 05:11 AM
 
No, I assume he thinks of devices like HP's 8.9" tablet $800, RIM's PlayBook with 7" display or Samsung's Galaxy Tab with 7" display for $599 -- just to name three.
( Last edited by OreoCookie; Oct 22, 2010 at 06:09 AM. Reason: I can count to two, I mean, three.)
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Spheric Harlot
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Oct 22, 2010, 05:30 AM
 
Well, yeah.

Tablets.
     
numbers25
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Oct 22, 2010, 05:33 AM
 
Ok sorry my bad it's too late and i'm not focused i should go to sleep
     
Maflynn
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Oct 22, 2010, 07:40 AM
 
Perhaps they're hoping a cellular network will carry it and sell it for a subsidized price (for those that have 3G connectivity) and of those that are running windows, the cost of windows in all likelihood adds to the cost overhead.

I agree though, you're trying to compete with the iPad, it does not make sense to provide a product that is more expensive and is not as intuitive to use
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OreoCookie
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Oct 22, 2010, 08:10 AM
 
I think Apple has a big advantage in terms of volume: they are the largest buyer of flash memory, they have their own cpu and they produce the iPad in relatively large volume. I think the other manufacturers can't match the price if they used equivalent specs.
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osiris
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Oct 22, 2010, 09:01 AM
 
It's the Flash and Silverwhateverthehellitscalled penalty that makes them more expensive.
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ort888
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Oct 22, 2010, 11:23 AM
 
I just think it's funny how all of the Apple-haters couldn't shut up about how overpriced the iPad was... and now the first round of competition costs more and gives you much less.

You would have to have a irrational hatred of all things Apple to pick any of these devices over an iPad.

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Eug
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Oct 22, 2010, 11:26 AM
 
Yeah, so far all the tablets suck. Then again, I'm not a big fan of the iPad either.
     
Eug
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Oct 22, 2010, 03:12 PM
 
     
OreoCookie
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Oct 22, 2010, 03:22 PM
 
Hehe, I bet that headline didn't come out the way RIM expected
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Snow-i
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Oct 22, 2010, 04:46 PM
 
If RIM is going to take it, I can see why they'd prefer to see seven inches instead of 10. Ouch.
     
Spheric Harlot
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Oct 22, 2010, 04:47 PM
 
Now that's a ******.

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torsoboy
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Oct 23, 2010, 10:50 AM
 
I'd pay extra to have flash and to get away from the App Store.
     
Eug
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Oct 24, 2010, 08:07 AM
 
Urban Dictionary

4. ******
buy ****** mugs, tshirts and magnets
A job at Research In Motion (RIM)


EDIT: Heh. Even the Urban Dictionary link is censored.
Originally Posted by torsoboy View Post
I'd pay extra to have flash and to get away from the App Store.
I prefer having Flash and not necessarily having to deal with the App Store, but I wouldn't want to pay extra for that.
     
CRASH HARDDRIVE
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Oct 26, 2010, 03:30 AM
 
IMO, It's a little too early to pass proper judgement on the tablets at this point.

Currently there seem to be two types: the no-name Chinese knockoff variety that are woefully underpowered, running some ancient version of Android on what's little more than an oversized/underpowered cellphone (minus the phone) for under $200.

Or:

The barely off the drawing board name brand variety that's been rushed into production so fast that a price point below $600 is a vaporous as the hardware itself. (And one really has to wonder what sort of early-adopting knucklehead is going to pay a cellphone provider $30+ a month for a cellphoneless gadget.)

What's missing is a midrange between the two extremes- decent quality, great stats, Gingerbread-running, name brand, in the $300-$400 (retail) range.

Either that- or everyone else will just give up on the whole idea of an 'iPad killer'.
     
OreoCookie
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Oct 26, 2010, 03:59 AM
 
Well, the other companies feel such a great pressure that most of them run OS that are simply not fit for tablets. Google officially says that you shouldn't use the Froyo and the other current version of Android on tablets -- yet that's what most tablets that are about to be released run. So basically, I don't they can compete with the iPad -- even if the 8" form factor turns out to be a success with people.
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Eug
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Oct 26, 2010, 09:03 AM
 
I might be a little more interested in the iPad if it were smaller... but not enough to spend $500 (or $600) on one.
     
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Oct 26, 2010, 09:19 PM
 
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olePigeon  (op)
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Oct 26, 2010, 09:26 PM
 
Originally Posted by Shaddim View Post
Why 7" screen? You still have to carry it. It's only marginally lighter than the iPad.
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Eug
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Oct 26, 2010, 10:13 PM
 
Originally Posted by olePigeon View Post
Why 7" screen? You still have to carry it. It's only marginally lighter than the iPad.
Well, 7" is more manageable, but I agree, if the weight is in the same ballpark as the iPad, then they need to lighten it.
     
Shaddim
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Oct 26, 2010, 10:22 PM
 
Well, it's still a lot lighter than an iPad, a half pound lighter. And, since I own an iPad, I can tell you that the thing is really unwieldy and isn't much easier to carry around than a netbook. Given the Nook Color's size, it'll easily fit into a jacket pocket or cargo pants. I do that with my current Nook and they're just about the same size.
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Laminar
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Oct 27, 2010, 01:36 AM
 
Cargo pants? Snicker...
     
Shaddim
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Oct 27, 2010, 02:15 AM
 
Yep. Some people just need more pockets.
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Brien
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Oct 27, 2010, 02:49 AM
 
Originally Posted by OreoCookie View Post
No, I assume he thinks of devices like HP's 8.9" tablet $800, RIM's PlayBook with 7" display or Samsung's Galaxy Tab with 7" display for $599 -- just to name three.
When I had first heard the Slate had a Wacom digitizer, I was ecstatic. Now I've learned it's a much crappier one.
     
olePigeon  (op)
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Oct 27, 2010, 12:23 PM
 
Speaking of Wacom, I wonder if all these new readers will make those nifty LCD tablets cheaper. Drawing directly on the screen seems pretty cool.
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Spheric Harlot
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Oct 27, 2010, 01:00 PM
 
You know what's weird?

That nobody comes out and says the unthinkable:

Apple's iPad is just TOO CHEAP for what it offers.

I think that escapes people because everybody knows that Apple always overpriced their stuff (though they haven't, generally for the past five, possibly ten, years - now that economies of scale work in their favor).
     
Eug
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Oct 27, 2010, 01:15 PM
 
I don't think the iPad is cheap for what it offers. However, I think a 7" $600 phone-OS tablet is far too expensive.

And yeah, I find the iPad a bit more unwieldy than I'd prefer. I'd prefer a 7-8" iPad. But then again, I'm the type of guy who thinks an 11.6" MacBook is the perfect size, and that my 13" MacBook Pro is too large and unwieldy.
     
Spheric Harlot
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Oct 27, 2010, 01:55 PM
 
So you're saying that Apple isn't undercutting, but still, no competitor is able to offer a similar price?

I'm not saying that iPad is too cheap for what it offers to the consumer - sorry for the misunderstanding. I'm saying that Apple is charging less for the hardware than they should be, and that's because they're able to get supply prices none of their competitors can.
     
Eug
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Oct 27, 2010, 02:05 PM
 
Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot View Post
So you're saying that Apple isn't undercutting, but still, no competitor is able to offer a similar price?

I'm not saying that iPad is too cheap for what it offers to the consumer - sorry for the misunderstanding. I'm saying that Apple is charging less for the hardware than they should be, and that's because they're able to get supply prices none of their competitors can.
I'm not saying that. I agree that Apple's economies of scale have allowed it to set a reasonable price for the product. However, I think the price for it given what it offers is just that, reasonable. OTOH, a 7" 2nd tier tablet for $600 is a recipe for failure, cuz it's horrendously expensive. They may not have the economies of scale to price it lower, but that's not my problem. I simply won't buy it, because at that cost it's just not worth it.

EDIT:

Now that I think of it though, I don't understand why their pricing has to be so high. If companies can sell 10" netbooks running Windows 7 for under $200, why can they not sell 7" tablets for under $500?
( Last edited by Eug; Oct 27, 2010 at 02:14 PM. )
     
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Oct 27, 2010, 02:19 PM
 
touchscreen?
     
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Oct 27, 2010, 02:30 PM
 
Powah?
     
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Oct 27, 2010, 02:32 PM
 
Profit.
     
kmkkid
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Oct 27, 2010, 06:26 PM
 
Originally Posted by Eug View Post
Now that I think of it though, I don't understand why their pricing has to be so high. If companies can sell 10" netbooks running Windows 7 for under $200, why can they not sell 7" tablets for under $500?
Touchscreen, metal enclosures v.s. plastic, better batteries, and flash memory.

Also slates are newer to the market so I'm sure ramping up production costs a lot more than a few years of netbooks being manufactured by the millions.
     
Eug
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Oct 27, 2010, 07:36 PM
 
Originally Posted by kmkkid View Post
Touchscreen, metal enclosures v.s. plastic, better batteries, and flash memory.
I thought most non-Apple tablets are plastic. And 16 GB of flash memory is actually not that expensive these days, not to mention Samsung makes the stuff.
     
kmkkid
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Oct 27, 2010, 09:06 PM
 
Originally Posted by Eug View Post
I thought most non-Apple tablets are plastic. And 16 GB of flash memory is actually not that expensive these days, not to mention Samsung makes the stuff.
Ok, you're right, they just have metal trim, and plastic backs. To be honest I haven't seen the backs of the competitors products I just assumed if the trim was metal the whole thing would be.


That's probably because I have an iPad
     
Shaddim
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Oct 27, 2010, 11:22 PM
 
Originally Posted by Eug View Post
I'm not saying that. I agree that Apple's economies of scale have allowed it to set a reasonable price for the product. However, I think the price for it given what it offers is just that, reasonable. OTOH, a 7" 2nd tier tablet for $600 is a recipe for failure, cuz it's horrendously expensive.
I agree. I've never had an issue with the iPad's price, just with the iPad itself.
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