http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
Someone will eventually mention the so called Apple Tablet in the comments. I'm just here to express my disgust for benchmarking vaporware with even further in the future vaporware.

]]>Dec 10th 2009 6:36PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 7:40PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
....HA!]]>Dec 10th 2009 11:23PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 6:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 6:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
Why would Apple need to read this article? Not one word of the hype about an Apple tablet came from Apple. NOT ONE WORD. As far as Apple is concerned, they haven't once mentioned the word tablet, except when Steve Jobs mentioned that he didn't think tablets were a good idea. And that statement was made YEARS AGO.

All this Apple tablet hype comes from websites like this and from tech enthusiasts who believe (and no doubt with good cause) that IF Apple made a tablet, they would make it right.]]>Dec 10th 2009 6:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 7:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 6:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/That's a good point. I hate to bring up Apple again but they have a power over their users that can get niche products into the mainstream.

Imagine for a second that the JooJoo was the fabled Apple tablet and Apple had just announced it EXACTLY as it is now. How many millions of drooling Apple fans would be camping in line to get one? I wonder if Michael's article itself would have a different tone of "Jobs is about to hit another one out of the park."

Let's face it, Apple can crap in a box and there would still be some people who buy it.]]>Dec 10th 2009 6:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
I also think the jury is out on whether the Apple Tablet will go anywhere. Normal people don't have any use for a $1000 tablet (if they did, the JooJoo wouldn't seem so ridiculous at $500). Even among the Apple-faithful, how many really will drop $1000 for a device wedged so awkwardly between the iPhone and MacBook that they already have?]]>Dec 10th 2009 7:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
when the iPod was first introduced it was smaller than anything before it, at that storage size (apple had an exclusive on those tiny Hitachi drives) and it was the first time software/hardware had been paired (iTunes) for such a high level of seamless integration. Even the power of Firewire (super fast syncing, power recharging) brought amazing features to the iPod. And, of course, the impeccable design.

Saying that it had fewer features is, not telling the whole story. It did amazing things. The fact that it was only on the Mac was because Jobs wanted it to attract people to the Mac. When the iPod because a profit maker in its own right, there was less incentive to 'bring people to the Mac'.. iTunes for WIndows came out, and Voila, the iPod is its own business.

First of all, saying niche products never succeed is idiotic: do you have any idea how much money Apple makes on the Mac desktops and laptops? Their success proves the OPPOSITE: you can be successful at any marketshare level, as long as you make great products.

Saying that Apple only ever had two successful products is somewhat insane, considering the iPod not just one product, but a family of products, moreover, has spawn an entire industry of accessories, and, oh yea, the iTunes Music Store and App Store bring in billions every year.

So keep telling yourself that Apple only has two mass market successful products, as long as within those 'two products' you include tons of hardware devices, accessories, and tons of online services, which all bring in lots and lots of money.]]>Dec 10th 2009 7:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 7:46PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
You can make a case for iTunes, but in my opinion, iTunes was only successful because of the iPod. There weren't millions of Windows users installing iTunes, loving it, and then running out looking for compatible MP3 players, and bringing home an iPod as a result. They were buying iPods, and were made to use iTunes. To argue the opposite, you'd have to find a meaningful percentage of people who use iTunes and DON'T own an iPod. You won't.

But yes, iTunes is, in a manner of speaking, a mainstream product. However, the iTunes Music Store still isn't. I haven't heard specific numbers in a while, but the vast majority of songs in the libraries of iTunes users were not purchased through iTunes. I'd say a hundred to one would be a decent estimate, but even that seems pretty charitable.

Likewise, the App Store may seem like a huge success, and it kind of is. However, the average iPhone owner (which is still a small percentage of the overall cell phone market) only downloads about 10 of the 100,000 apps in the store. Of those, most are free, and the percentage that gets used for longer than 30 days after the initial download is pretty dismal.

Don't get me wrong - Apple makes very good products, knows how to fill a niche, and is incredibly profitable. However, they generally avoid the mainstream on purpose. They don't even make laptops or desktops for less than $1000. (No, the Mini doesn't count. Talk about a niche product!) If Apple does make a $1000 tablet, I'm sure it would be profitable for Apple, but it's not going to be the next iPod.]]>Dec 11th 2009 1:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 11th 2009 2:22AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 11th 2009 3:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 11th 2009 3:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
mp3 was anything but a niche format. Before the iPod the portable player market was niche, but growing. Apple blew the doors off the hinges with it's marketing know how.

If Apple never launched an iPod, I'm sure that hard drive and flash memory based mp3 players would have penetrated through to the average person, but at a slower pace, and with a less one-sided outcome - or if someone else capitalized on it (say Sony leveraging the Walkman brand better) a different one-sided outcome.

In a lot of ways mp3 players was Sony's game to lose, and they did so spectacularly... ATRAC and Memory Stick anyone? ;)

]]>Dec 11th 2009 10:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 6:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
It take a special kind of asshole to talk as much crap as Michael Arrington, here on planet Earth we call them "lawyers"]]>Dec 10th 2009 8:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
The problem was execution and hardware choices. Using an Atom and netbook-like internals means that the device will cost at the bare minimum as much as a Netbook or even more (ultimately $500).

In the future, as bigger players get involved, we will see the internet tablet concept come to fruition; much like how the OLPC concept evolved into the modern EeePC and netbooks.

Maybe with cheaper eneragy-efficient ARM chips, Chrome OS, Google, or Apple involvement. We may see a $199 internet tablet yet.]]>Dec 10th 2009 6:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/From touch based phones, to netbooks, to tablets.
I say we skip the third step and move straight to hologram based devices. ]]>Dec 10th 2009 6:58PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
With ARM processors, and Chrome OS, yes, it is possible we may get to the $199 price point at some point in the future. But Apple involvement, you say? There is no way Apple would come out with a tablet anywhere near the $199 price point,...not even close.]]>Dec 10th 2009 8:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
Amen Brotha! ]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
You have to be more specific here. Apple is most probably coming out with a multi-functional large multi-touch handheld device of some kind. And because it's going to be multi-functional of course they will charge more than $200 bucks.

But a $200 buck web only tablet is I believe still do-able. Mike screwed up the execution is all.]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:17PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
"Whom Gods destroy, they first make mad"

As in, insane. If you're going to quote and not paraphrase get it right. That buzz you hear isn't the caffeine in your coffee but Euripides spinning in his grave.

Of course there's plenty of madness to go around in this whole sorry tale. And a bit of anger too I suspect.]]>Dec 10th 2009 7:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
OK, I'll take half of your salted bagel for misattributing this quote to Euripides. I was wrong, as no one knows who to whom to attribute this ancient bit of wisdom. That's what I get for going from memory and not looking it up. . .]]>Dec 10th 2009 7:08PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 7:20PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 7:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
Euripides or not that's the best line I've read all day.]]>Dec 11th 2009 1:13AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 11th 2009 9:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 7:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 7:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
]]>Dec 10th 2009 7:41PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
the reason it has its own system is because its a totally new UI.

if you think every device should have the same OS, I suggest you go work at Microsoft. Their pathetic Windows Mobile team has been pushing this idea uphill for about 15 years. Only now they're starting to copy the iPhone and move towards a very un-Windows-y UI. Does that upset you?]]>Dec 10th 2009 9:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/totally new UI ? you must have seen a video that i did not.
why the Microsoft hate. im open to any os. no real preference although with 1 gig android or linux would be nice. but now that you mention that capacitive screen sure would be nice on the multi touch win7 features or say that DVXA hardware acceleration for Mkvs.
ps if you got a spot for me at microsoft , id take it. i need a job. thanks.]]>Dec 10th 2009 9:51PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/ A device that does nothing but run a web browser with no specific or
> tailored services offerings behind it is a bad idea.

Pretty bold statement from a blogger - who are you to say? What do you have to back that up? Have you done some consumer studies? Prototyping? ]]>Dec 10th 2009 7:47PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 9:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 10:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
Yeah yeah, and he likes bagels. . .]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 11:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 7:50PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Au contraire, I think the hardware looks great, but I have strong reservations myself on the point of spending $500 for a glorified web surfing tablet.

Who spends $500 on a one-trick pony?]]>Dec 10th 2009 11:11PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 11th 2009 3:17AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
The second has been software, interface design is the most esoteric process in computer science and just as it took time to develop the concepts of windows and drop down menus and radio buttons, its taken time to get the interface right for a tablet.

The Joojoo (and its a fine name, no dumber sounding than "iPod" or "Boxee" or "Macintosh" or "Google", the point is you remember it), has some nice looking hardware. Its capable of doing anything you want to do software-wise. The software (while I admire its moden design) looks like beta and lacks what we expect.

But, as the iPhone has taught us, software problems are not such a big deal when there is a solid hardware/design foundation. When the iPhone first came out it cost $500, ran no apps, was SEVERELY deficient in even basic phone features, and people practically killed each other to get it. I know, its Apple, but over the course of a a few years its become an amazing product. Even a non-fanboy would want one.

I actually think it will probably be a very niche market when it comes out, but once the hacks come along (new OSes, expanded memory) and FG responds to those hacks by making them features (like Apple did with the App Store, which was up until then, a hack) the device will come into its own.

So far this OS looks essentially identical to ChromeOS in capability, except it doesn't come with links to Google products as default.

I would love to have one, it would be a great document reader (since I can read pdf's in print-size). I think this is the most undersold part of the device.

I just hope you people don't inseminate your trousers when the iTablet comes out (costing $1000) and you proclaim it the best thing ever.]]>Dec 10th 2009 7:57PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 8:29PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
i am pretty sure that conceptually the idea of a tablet is sound and even very attractive. However i believe that reality is another matter and it goes beyong things like multi touch.

the issue is that it simply does not fill any role or need except in the most specific of roles (i.e. Medical). Noone has yet explained how the average consumer will use the tablet. It is also very unwieldly. There is just no way to make it work comfortably for any extended period of time. The mobile phones can fulfill the role much better and doesnt suffer from those issues.

I just cant see it working out. It is a pretty dream but not a practical or even useful device unless we go out of our way to convince ourselves otherwise.]]>Dec 10th 2009 8:48PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 9:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/Dec 10th 2009 9:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
The Joo Joo will never ship, and if it does, the company will go belly up within a year. Any number of major manufacturers can build a tablet & kick the crap out of what I saw demo'd.

I would pay money to never see the dude from Fusion Garage's face ever again, damn he's freaky...

I owned a Dell tablet for 2 months, it was one of my few recent purchases I wanted to actually destroy rather than resell on eBay.

Jobs will clean up with the iFap or whatever the hell they call it.

]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/10/entelligence-lessons-from-the-crunchpad/
Btw ......the tablet is in my eyes a totally new market which cannot be compared with netbooks.]]>Dec 10th 2009 10:54PM