iPad

[audreyh1]

Since most apps are so cheap I suspect that revenue is very small compared to the rest of Apple's revenue.

Audrey

 

[FIREd]

Yeah, I have a feeling that all these consumer electronics were originally the brilliant idea to get people to consider and then adopt the Apple computer platform. Little did they know these products would take on a life of their own and ultimately become the biggest part of the business!

I may be an app whore (I don't dare tallying how much I have spent on apps since I bought my first iPhone), but I have no desire to get an Apple computer. I am very happy with my PC. My wife and my sister were both Apple computer freaks for the longest time. Nowadays, they both have iPhones and love the iPad too, but they have given up on mac computers a few years ago and have no desire to go back. As long as PCs are the dominating computer platform we will stick to it.

 

[audreyh1]

You are an exception to the general trend. It appears that over the last couple of years, Apple consumer electronics devices have driven a lot more of Mac sales than previously.

Audrey

 

[Nords]

... but they have given up on mac computers a few years ago and have no desire to go back. As long as PCs are the dominating computer platform we will stick to it.

Yeah, but who's doing the bug fixes, updates, reboots, and the "Honey, can you help me with this?" calls?

 

[MichaelB]

I think the designs of the iPads (and the iPhones and the iPods and the iMacs and...) include a tremendous amount of intellectual property and systems integration engineering.

Exactly. It’s called packaging – not in the retail marketing but in the engineering sense. Combining the functionality, processing and design into something that does not melt, has the right look and feel and can be assembled in large volume. I would be surprised if the product component costs were more than 25%.

Anyone know what portion of Apple's profits come from revenue sharing on app sales? That seems like a huge profit maker potential as the markets for their tech goodies matures. More than selling tech gear. If they can maintain a significant market share that is, and don't get trust-busted.

I bet they are trying hard to keep the prices down and the supply of new apps flow as high as possible. Applications open new markets with incredible upside potential.

I may be an app whore (I don't dare tallying how much I have spent on apps since I bought my first iPhone), but I have no desire to get an Apple computer. I am very happy with my PC.

You don’t have to go to Apple. Slowly, but very surely, Apple is going towards you.

The convergence of computing and electronics devices, and business and retail consumer is still to be determined but Apple clearly is dominating in both share of heart and mind.

 

[DangerMouse]

Not sure of the revenue from Apps, but I think I heard somewhere Apple takes 30% of the revenue from each App sold.

 

[FIREd]

Yeah, but who's doing the bug fixes, updates, reboots, and the "Honey, can you help me with this?" calls?

Ah hum, that would be me... But I am the go-to guy for a lot of things...

 

[FIREd]

You don’t have to go to Apple. Slowly, but very surely, Apple is going towards you.

The convergence of computing and electronics devices, and business and retail consumer is still to be determined but Apple clearly is dominating in both share of heart and mind.

It sounds ominous....

I bought an iPhone (my first ever Apple product) because it was a revolutionary new product with no equivalent on the market. The first time I tried the iPhone, I knew I had to have it. I bought my iPAd and my 2 Apple TVs for the same reason. But unless Apple comes up with a revolutionary way to do personal computing (and they might), I'll pass. Their computers are pretty expensive (still not that different from the competition), they require pretty expensive OS upgrades, mac versions of popular software are usually neglected by developers, and there are compatibility issues since most people out there use PCs.

Come on Apple fans, I have the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Airport Extreme router, can I keep my PC or are you going to turn me in to the Apple police?

 

[FUEGO]

Come on Apple fans, I have the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Airport Extreme router, can I keep my PC or are you going to turn me in to the Apple police?

This could be an example of mere lack of knowledge about their products. You do know that the Mac computers also come with the cool, stylish Apple logo on them too, right? And for only a 100% markup above what a similar PC computer would cost.

 

[explanade]

You don't have to do anything.

But iTunes on Macs run much better and all your Apple devices interact with iTunes.

The industrial design and build quality tends to be better than the run of the mill PC though.

 

[audreyh1]

Come on Apple fans, I have the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Airport Extreme router, can I keep my PC or are you going to turn me in to the Apple police?

That doesn't bother me! As an long time holder of AAPL stock, I'm just delighted you buy all the other toys. Beyond that - to each his own!

As for me - I have all my creative software tools that run seamlessly on my Apple platform, and have for years. Not interested in hassling with a PC. I had way too many years in developing software and hardware for PCs at w*rk!

Audrey

 

[Nords]

Ah hum, that would be me... But I am the go-to guy for a lot of things...

This "feature" didn't make itself apparent until our kid started using her Macbook.

She literally just started using her Macbook. Pulled it out of the box, ooohed & aaaahed over some of the parts, turned it on, and started using it.

No "Dad, can you help me configure the wireless access", or "Dad, can you help me configure the network printer", or "Dad, can you help me figure out what I need for updates and firewalls and anti-virus utilities and malware scanners", or "Dad, can you help me with..."

She just started using it and doing what she wanted to do. And it just works.

The one time in the last four months that I've had a help request was when she had a download window hiding behind another window of exactly the same size. That's the most difficult problem she's had to contend with.

 

[Bestwifeever]

When DH got his MacBookPro last summer he wouldn't even take it out of the box until he could meet with someone at the Apple store. It took several trips to the Apple store for him to get up to speed with its settings (and he had worked with Macs most of his career, but there he had techies setting things up and solving problems). He popped for the three-year Apple extended care program ($350) and just re-enrolled in the one-on-one for a second year. And he had them teach him how to use his iPhone too

Just today he told me there's no way he can transfer just some photos from the photo card to his computer--it's all or none, he said, and he can't just copy them, he says, the computer has to delete them from the card to be able to transfer them (I know this cannot be true, hut I just smile).

Just thinking of him dealing with an iPad makes me laugh. Not everyone finds things intuitively easy, even if they are Apple products and even if they are very smart people in other ways, like my DH.

 

[FIREd]

This "feature" didn't make itself apparent until our kid started using her Macbook.

She literally just started using her Macbook. Pulled it out of the box, ooohed & aaaahed over some of the parts, turned it on, and started using it.

No "Dad, can you help me configure the wireless access", or "Dad, can you help me configure the network printer", or "Dad, can you help me figure out what I need for updates and firewalls and anti-virus utilities and malware scanners", or "Dad, can you help me with..."

She just started using it and doing what she wanted to do. And it just works.

The one time in the last four months that I've had a help request was when she had a download window hiding behind another window of exactly the same size. That's the most difficult problem she's had to contend with.

The kind of calls I receive usually go like that:

FIREdreamer's house, 9:30pm. FD is chilling out watching "24", his favorite TV series... The phone rings:

FD: What's up?
Nameless relative (NR): hey, you got a minute?
FD: Not really.
NR: well I am trying to print an email and nothing is coming out of the printer.
FD: umph... Is the printer on?
NR: how can I tell if it's on?
FD: Do you see any lights on the printer?
NR: no, no lights
FD: you have to turn on your printer.
NR: Do I have to open the printer program?
FD: no press the big round button on the front of the printer
NR: on the front?
FD: yes
NR: the big round button?
FD: yes
NR: woaa, everything's flashing, what did I do?
FD: it's just initializing. It's normal.
NR: OK thanks. It's working now.
FD: don't mention it. Click. Shoot, how did Jack Bauer end up in a Chinese Prison?

Soooo, somehow I don't think that slapping an Apple sticker on it is going to help any.

But somehow I am still grateful because at least it's not the dreaded midnight call about a toilet backing up... Oh life!

 

[Nodak]

Living in a small town my name gets given to anyone that has a computer problem. I get calls from friends of friends of friends. Most times it turns out to be a simple problem and I get lots of free drinks at the local bars. I don't have a Squadron Commander after me for solutions anymore so I don't mind.

 

[Moemg]

Yesterday when the market had it's glitch the first thing that came to my mind after Sh--not again is I need an IPAD . I'm leaving tomorrow for an eight day cruise and no way am I lugging a lap top ever again . I found out there is an Apple Store about half hour away and as soon as they have one it's mine . This is finally a tech item I can get excited about . I"ve been looking at Kindles for awhile but they just seemed too limiting to me . For $150 more this has it all I'm officially an Apple geek !

 

[W2R]

Yesterday when the market had it's glitch the first thing that came to my mind after Sh--not again is I need an IPAD . I'm leaving tomorrow for an eight day cruise and no way am I lugging a lap top ever again . I found out there is an Apple Store about half hour away and as soon as they have one it's mine . This is finally a tech item I can get excited about . I"ve been looking at Kindles for awhile but they just seemed too limiting to me . For $150 more this has it all I'm officially an Apple geek !

Sounds like a good choice for what you are looking for! The iPad looks like a lot of fun.

 

[REWahoo]

Yesterday when the market had it's glitch the first thing that came to my mind after Sh--not again is I need an IPAD .

Moe, this is one of the most interesting reactions I've seen to yesterday's little 'market anomaly'.

 

[audreyh1]

The problem is - most people who wanted to take action couldn't log into their brokerage accounts during the "crisis". So even if you have your iPad with you - you might not be able to do anything.

But I definitely agree with the "no way am I lugging a lap top ever again" sentiment!

Still haven't ordered mine yet.......

Audrey

 

[calmloki]

Know at least one of you has both Iphone and Ipad - what are the advantages of having both vs just running w/ the Iphone? Isn't the Ipad just bulky duplication that doesn't even have a camera?

 

[W2R]

Know at least one of you has both Iphone and Ipad - what are the advantages of having both vs just running w/ the Iphone? Isn't the Ipad just bulky duplication that doesn't even have a camera?

I don't have either, but...

I think it would be a lot easier to surf the internet, or read an e-book, with the iPad. Isn't the iPhone pretty small? Looks small on the commercials. But to me, the biggest attraction of the iPad is FUN - - a big, colorful, gorgeous touch screen that you can use for all your applications.

 

[FIREd]

Yesterday when the market had it's glitch the first thing that came to my mind after Sh--not again is I need an IPAD . I'm leaving tomorrow for an eight day cruise and no way am I lugging a lap top ever again . I found out there is an Apple Store about half hour away and as soon as they have one it's mine . This is finally a tech item I can get excited about . I"ve been looking at Kindles for awhile but they just seemed too limiting to me . For $150 more this has it all I'm officially an Apple geek !

Good for you Moemg! I think you will really enjoy it.

 

[calmloki]

Have a birthday coming up and was suggesting it to the gal, who is tethered to her Iphone. Did a wooden cutout and suggested it would be more fun for her and better battery life than her Iphone - she was pretty convinced it offered nothing but the opportunity to break while adding nothing to her Iphone + laptop combo. The wooden cutout was not a good fit in her purse, BTW.

 

[W2R]

Have a birthday coming up and was suggesting it to the gal, who is tethered to her Iphone. Did a wooden cutout and suggested it would be more fun for her and better battery life than her Iphone - she was pretty convinced it offered nothing but the opportunity to break while adding nothing to her Iphone + laptop combo. The wooden cutout was not a good fit in her purse, BTW.

Looks like you'll need to spring for a diamond pendant instead....

 

[calmloki]

Gee thanks? Luckily, she's more a turquoise & silver kinda gal.