iPads and Tablets May Be Killing Consumer PC Sales

[Michael Knutson]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/pc-sales-off-to-slow-start-in-2011-usurped-by-the-ipad/' target='_blank'>http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile...ed-by-the-ipad/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"A new analyst report suggests that tablet makers will have a very hard time keeping pace with Apple's iPad 2 moving into 2012."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1302152134.usr17748.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></p><p>According to an analyst from the Deutsche Bank, 45 million tablets will be sold in 2011, and 35 million will be iPads. The total expected to be in use by 2012 is about 70 million. His prediction is that the iPad will maintain a 70% market share, unless the competition beats Apple on price -and- offers a superior user experience. Accordingly, his prediction for PC growth has been lowered from nine percent growth down to four percent, and he opines that about one in three tablet purchases are a notebook replacement. Finally, he believes that corporate PC sales remains strong, and that tablets aren't killing PC sales in the business world. How many of you have replaced (rather than supplemented or complemented) a desktop or notebook with a tablet?</p>

[Brad Adrian]

Naw, my iPad's totally a supplement to my other PCs, which is probably what you'd expect among the people reading this site, who are probably mostly power users. I also think that among the business users, it will also continue to be a supplementary device in most cases.

The iPad is NOT a PC and cannot possibly stand up to the broad functionality of the PC. As an adjunct or specialty device, though, is where its strength lies.

[ebrandwein]

I got the ipad first and intended to get a notebook afterward. I'm skipping the notebook. The ipad gets the job done quite nicely.

[The Yaz]

It's kind of a strange arguement as far as iPads go, since they need the owner to have a computer to sync with iTunes :rolleyes: So by default iPad owners will still have or need to get a desktop/laptop...

[Brad Adrian]

It's kind of a strange arguement as far as iPads go, since they need the owner to have a computer to sync with iTunes :rolleyes:...

Not really. As long as you're happy storing all of your media files only on your iPad and you don't already have a library of files to put on your iPad, you can simply continue to download directly from the online store and never actually sync with a PC.

Not a good idea, of course, but it is possible. I can see some people (a few) who are entirely new owners and who don't have existing media files to sync forgoing the use of a PC sync.

[Jason Dunn]

Not really. As long as you're happy storing all of your media files only on your iPad and you don't already have a library of files to put on your iPad, you can simply continue to download directly from the online store and never actually sync with a PC.

Brad, are you sure about that? I thought the iPad was just like the iPod: you can't use it for ANYTHING until you sync it with a PC, establish the partnership, etc.

[Brad Adrian]

Brad, are you sure about that?

Er, um, ah, er, hmmmmm...

You might be right. I was just trying to recall how I used my iPad out of the box. I know that I never really sync it (except for my Exchange e-mail and calendar) with my PC and I might've been thinking of that.

[Jason Dunn]

You might be right. I was just trying to recall how I used my iPad out of the box. I know that I never really sync it (except for my Exchange e-mail and calendar) with my PC and I might've been thinking of that.

Probably. :D Of course, if you don't sync if, you're very much locked into Apple's world of content - without a memory card slot, the movies you watch are going to be downloaded from iTunes. Wait, can you even download movies over the air? :confused: That would be a lot of data transfer, even over WiFi...

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Brad, are you sure about that? I thought the iPad was just like the iPod: you can't use it for ANYTHING until you sync it with a PC, establish the partnership, etc.

Well, if there's a way to jailbreak it OTA, then yes, I'm sure a PC will not be needed for many things. :D

[Deslock]

I thought the iPad was just like the iPod: you can't use it for ANYTHING until you sync it with a PC, establish the partnership, etc.
That's true, though when I bought mine, they offered to set it up in the Apple store (I declined).

Of course, if you don't sync if, you're very much locked into Apple's world of content - without a memory card slot, the movies you watch are going to be downloaded from iTunes. Wait, can you even download movies over the air? :confused:
Yes (I don't buy movies through iTunes due to DRM, but I wirelessly downloaded a couple rentals while traveling).

You can also sync with programs other than iTunes (If you hate it or if you want to sync wirelessly).

And of course there are plenty of streaming options: Netflix, Pandora, PBS, ABC, Airvideo (from media center), EyeTV (from DVR), and iPod and Video apps (via Home Sharing). And I sometimes download podcasts directly to the iPad (free, but still "Apple's world of content" I suppose). There's Hulu too, but I don't use it.

But it's true that if you don't sync, and if you don't jailbreak, and if you want locally stored media, then you're looking at using the iTunes ecosystem (AFAIK).

[Deslock]

How many of you have replaced (rather than supplemented or complemented) a desktop or notebook with a tablet?
A tablet has replaced my notebook for 50% of my work and 99% of my casual use (the other 1% being that I use a Mac mini for a media center and to edit/upload photos). I no longer take my work laptop home, on trips, or to meetings.

Since giving my old iPad1 to my wife, she has stopped user her MacBook almost entirely. She prefers writing all her papers on the iPad with the keyboard dock. I scoffed at that product when it came out last year... my opinion was that if you're doing enough writing to need a physical keyboard, you should just get a laptop. But my wife likes the docked-portrait orientation (for writing) and I now see there are times when it makes sense: she keeps it on her desk at work and brings the iPad home for casual use.

She also has a computer at work, but she dislikes it and has lugged a laptop to work for years. It's not that she hates Windows (as she did the same thing before switching to OSX), but tech support is mediocre and her coworkers have had so many problems with their computers that she would rather avoid the hassle by using her own (the work computer is only 1.5 years old too... sad, isn't it?)

She enjoys using the iPad so much that we're gonna shell out $60 for a compatible printer and $50 for another keyboard dock (so she can do work at home) and sell her laptop.

[Brad Adrian]

...Wait, can you even download movies over the air? :confused: That would be a lot of data transfer, even over WiFi...

Sure you can. I can download a full-length movie via WiFi directly to my iPad in about 20 minutes.

[Jason Dunn]

And of course there are plenty of streaming options: Netflix, Pandora, PBS, ABC, Airvideo (from media center), EyeTV (from DVR), and iPod and Video apps (via Home Sharing). And I sometimes download podcasts directly to the iPad (free, but still "Apple's world of content" I suppose). There's Hulu too, but I don't use it.

Just remember that most of those services are USA-only. In must of the rest of the world, we're still kickin' it old school with ripped DVDs or other content we own. :D

[Jason Dunn]

Since giving my old iPad1 to my wife, she has stopped user her MacBook almost entirely. She prefers writing all her papers on the iPad with the keyboard dock...She enjoys using the iPad so much that we're gonna shell out $60 for a compatible printer and $50 for another keyboard dock (so she can do work at home) and sell her laptop.

Wow. She's living the tablet lifestyle! You should phone Apple and they'd shoot a commercial of her. :D

[Jason Dunn]

Sure you can. I can download a full-length movie via WiFi directly to my iPad in about 20 minutes.

Cool, good to know! I suppose because I have no iOS-compatible device hooked up to my TV sets, I'm loathe to buy movies on iTunes. I have a few, but they're mostly from Blu-ray discs that come with a digital version.

[Deslock]

Just remember that most of those services are USA-only. In must of the rest of the world, we're still kickin' it old school with ripped DVDs or other content we own. :D
That's what I use Airvideo and Home Sharing for.

Wow. She's living the tablet lifestyle! You should phone Apple and they'd shoot a commercial of her. :DHah! No thanks.

I dunno what a tablet lifestyle means, and I was skeptical that the iPad would actually become her primary computer, but I'm liking the part where we sell her almost-two-year-old laptop for $900+ (only slightly less than I paid for it).

[Jason Dunn]

I dunno what a tablet lifestyle means

The makers of these tablets market them as being these productivity power houses, but the reality is that they're still fairly immature - there's a lot that the software can't do yet (regardless of platform). It's cool to see someone being able to do everything they need to do on these devices that are still pretty new technology!

[Deslock]

The makers of these tablets market them as being these productivity power houses, but the reality is that they're still fairly immature - there's a lot that the software can't do yet (regardless of platform). It's cool to see someone being able to do everything they need to do on these devices that are still pretty new technology!

I guess I don't watch enough TV... I've seen commercials emphasizing that tablets can be good for reading, browsing, watching video, PIM, drawing, playing games, taking quick notes, viewing maps, and doing light work with office docs, but I've never seen anything that made me think the iPad or other tablets are productivity powerhouses.

The appeal to me is that when I'm doing casual stuff or light work, a tablet's low weight, quality screen, instant-on, and exceptional battery life make it care-free and interacting with a medium/large capacitive touchscreen is fun.

[Dyvim]

She enjoys using the iPad so much that we're gonna shell out $60 for a compatible printer and $50 for another keyboard dock (so she can do work at home) and sell her laptop.
This link (http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/11/11/inside_airprint_how_to_add_ios_printer_sharing_back_to_mac_os_x.html) might save you the $60. I've been happily using AirPrint from my iOS devices to an old printer for several months.

[Dyvim]

And on topic, while the iPad isn't going to replace my need to have at least 1 PC at home, it has killed any interest I once had in getting an extra laptop for personal use. So instead of say 3 PC's I have 2 PC's and an iPad. That's the market it's probably affecting- the spare or replacement PC market. I bet a lot of people are willing to live with an older PC for longer now and just get an iPad to go with it instead of upgrading the old PC.

[Deslock]

This link (http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/11/11/inside_airprint_how_to_add_ios_printer_sharing_back_to_mac_os_x.html) might save you the $60. I've been happily using AirPrint from my iOS devices to an old printer for several months.

Thanks for the link. Coincidently, a couple days ago I discovered a lifehacker article (http://m.lifehacker.com//5687186/how-to-enable-ios-airprint-support-in-os-x-right-now) about the same thing (while reading reviews of airprint compatible printers), and also came across Activator (http://netputing.com/airprintactivator/). The Activator v2beta didn't work (possibly because I have the printer wirelessly connected with Canon's proprietary setup), and if I don't have any success with v1.1.3 or 1.1.3, then I'll try the CUPS approach. If that still doesn't work I'll give printopia (http://www.ecamm.com/mac/printopia/) a shot.

Out of curiosity do you have any problems with large printouts? (I read that after a certain point they'll just stop)

[Dyvim]

Out of curiosity do you have any problems with large printouts? (I read that after a certain point they'll just stop)
I don't do that much printing. I doubt I've printed a job longer than 4 pages from iPhone\iPad.

I have my printer "networked" by plugging it in via USB to my Time Capsule and I guess my Mac mini acts as the print server (it's our home media server), but it works great.