08-31-2011, 10:08 PM
RAMd®d wrote:
People want a tablet.
As evidenced by the tons of non-Apple tablest sold, and the faltering sales of iPads.
To paraphrase Steve "Other tablets do not need to beat the iPad in order to succeed." Apple owns the market above $500. But that isn't the only market and the overall market is in its infancy right now. And all of a sudden the TouchPad is now the number two tablet. And once a number of pieces of equipment hit a tipping point, then that market can sustain itself. Of course the stampede of purchasing was due to the cut rate prices. But that isn't the point anymore.
You keep focusing on whether the TouchPad can displace the iPad or is even better. Of course it won't and it isn't when the prices are equal. But now there is a large TouchPad marketplace and HP may decide to keep webOS because of that or raise the price of webOS.
HP may have taken a bath to get the number two market in tablets. But the point is they now have the number two market, that market has real value, and they are looking at their options. Of course, and I can't believe I have to type this, they aren't planning to sell tablets at a loss in order to make a profit. But TouchPad tablet advertising revenue has passed android tablet advertising revenue and the HP app market usage has gone up dramatically. That is why they are re-evaluating their position. It could mean different tablets (doubt it), webOS licensing (maybe), more webOD development (maybe), or selling webOS at a much higher price than a month ago (most likely).
Buying a TouchPad at $150 or $100 gives the buyer the same warranty as someone buying a used iPad that is over a year old.
No way would I recommend a TouchPad over an iPad at a similar or even slightly lower price. But if someone only has $100 then I would not hesitate recommending a TouchPad.