Don’t get me wrong – I’ve used and own several Apple products myself, and even though I’m mainly a Windows user I just love some of the features and the overall build quality and looks of their products – but I just can’t see myself paying for an Apple Tablet, or using it. And I have my reasons.
Being one of the main news posters on this site means I look through loads and loads of computer related news, and I have sifted through all the latest rumours surrounding Apple’s new device, so aptly named the “Apple Tablet.” After all these rumours, still, nothing really has grabbed my attention about the device apart from it’s coming and it’s probably going to be the next big Apple thing, like the iPod and iPhone.
So, I’ve compiled five reasons as to why I will not be purchasing Apple’s new Tablet:
1 – It’s bound to be overpriced
Now I’m a sucker for bargains and cheap deals on computers, and Apple really hasn’t been known for it’s crazily cheap deals on its hardware, as Microsoft pointed out in their “Laptop Hunter” ads. Knowing Apple, their Tablet will also be expensive for the hardware it contains. Even though it may come in a nice shiny package with an Apple logo on it, I’m not prepared to fork out a ridiculous amount for a device that isn’t going to be that powerful.
2 – It’s rumoured to be running the iPhone OS
Now I know this is just a rumour, but the iPhone OS? Seriously? It’s a tablet! What I want on my tablet is a serious operating system that can do some serious tasks, whether it be Mac OS X or Windows. If Apple is going to put the iPhone OS on the tablet, I won’t be able to run some of my favourite applications I would be able to run on a normal Mac operating system, such as Firefox, Photoshop or a decent media player like VLC.
And this is where it really bugs me: it would be so easy to put Mac OS X on it and do a tiny bit of coding to make it touchscreen capable with a decent on-screen keyboard, but Apple can’t be bothered to do that, instead chucking an OS that is more designed for smaller devices such as phones and iPods. What a waste of the 10″ screen
3 – It probably wont have the stuff I need
There are experiences to be learned from Apple’s previous products, such as the Macbook Air – they lack in features, especially connectivity. An Apple Tablet will probably be a re-hash of the Macbook Air: nearly no USB ports or any other ports, too thin to pack anything decent hardware in, and (like the iPhone), nearly no physical buttons. Oh, and it’ll probably take at least three hardware revisions to get features that were needed from the start.
4 – It’ll start something
Apple has done it in the past and this will probably do it again: the Apple Tablet will, like the iPod, Macbook Air and iPhone, will start up a trend with devices. Apple came up with the iPod – MP3 players started. Apple came up with the Macbook Air – ultraportables kicked off the ground. The iPhone revolutionised the touchscreen phone industry. The catch is, that with all these products, they are not the best to be had. If I wait after the Tablet is released, I’m sure a better, similar, cheaper device will pop up that I’ll be more inclined to buy
5 – It will be locked into Apple
Lastly, is my gripe with Apple over how it seems that you can’t use your Apple device with anything other than other Apple. Got an iPod/iPhone? Well you’ll probably have been forced into downloading and installing iTunes so you can update your device, and this is what I believe Apple will do with the tablet. If it’s running the iPhone OS (which I hope it wont), you’ll need to use Apple’s own software to do anything with it, stopping us from using better 3rd party applications
If I agree with anything in would be point 4. Apple can and will market in ways never thought possible. For instance no one really NEEDED an iPhone, but after Mr. Jobs showed the world the iPhone the need for it was created. There were other toucscreen phones in the market but Jobs knew how to create consumer need.
The tablet will be the same, you are right. Apple will create the need for a tablet by every mainstream consumer even though MS has been trying for years. They just suck at Marketing and Apple does not. Tell you what, though, if I had a choice between what I have seen so far between the Apple tablet and the MS. Courier, I would purchase the Courier the instant it came out. Thanks for the post.