Toshiba Prepping Windows 7 And Android Tablets

Let’s hope they avoid making the same mistakes as Apple and include a few tings like a camera, SD slot, USB port, and the ability to load ebooks and things that they cannot void or delete as well as overcharging for. A user-replaceable battery would be good, too.

Apple is getting entirely too greedy.

I kind of agree with you, sirman, but Apple is also making some quality compelling products. Not much of that going around at this point.

But the greed is getting sickening.

Agreed, bignumone. The greed of Apple as well as oher companies is eventually going to backfire on them and cost them customer enthusiasm and support.

I agree about the products it is the quality and attention to detail in every phase of the design that makes Apple products Stand out above the rest. If they cost more, it is because they are worth more.IN most cases, they are also cheaper to own. But items like non-replaceable batteries are nothing more than a desire to extract every post-sale dollar possible. I suspect that many buyers will recognize this and, no matter how loyal an enthusiast they are, will cause them to turn away from the product.

I’ve been an Apple fan and user for over two decades. I currently have an iMac and two Apple laptops. But I will not be purchasing an iPad. I might buy a competing product such as the wePad or a Toshiba product, but Apple will have to fix the glaring omissions before the iPad will be attractive to me.

You know, sirman, since we seem to have a bit of a “conversation” going here, I will do something I am reticent to do…expand on a previous comment.
I do agree with the you to an extent. It sure looks like a growing culture of greed at Apple. But I am not sure, because there are good reasons to do some of the things they do.
The battery for instance, it is proprietary because it has a shape, chemistry and size very carefully designed to fit the iPad and to maximize battery life and how long the product stays on. And from what I have heard, 10 hours of hard use is a low estimate of time. My iPod touch battery is a couple years old and works fine. My iPod Photo’s was 3 years old before it died. I don’t think it would make business sense to manufacture the battery for general sale as it would be a money loser due to the lack of sales (numbers). I don’t think even 1 million batteries every 3 to 4 years wouldn’t not support manufacturing. (Let’s hope they get 3 to 4 years)
You could call the price “greed”, and at it’s face I would agree. But on the other hand, remember when the Xbox and PS3 came out? The ebay sales? Maybe they simply figure there is an “early adopters” fee in a way. They price for being the first to own. I am don’t think that is unreasonable…charge what the market will bear. They are a company, they have share holders to answer to, and they have to maximize profit. Seeing that there are still iPads on the shelf, but they sold a ton of them, I think they hit it on the mark.
I agree with you on the current product, they need to add some glaring omissions (and frankly drop the price a little) before I am going to buy. I have used a lot of different computer equipment, and Apple is still the only one that delivers on their promises.
But since I am waiting for G2 on the iPad anyhow, I am open to looking and listening to the alternatives. You never know who will surprise you!

I understand about the need for a unique battery. But why can’t it be user-replaceable? Yes, you might have to buy it from Apple, (at least at first) but that doesn’t mean you have to take it to an Apple store to replace it. Here in Brazil, the closest place I could do that is in São Paulo, almost 2,000 miles away and it would take weeks.

I don’t live in the hinterlands, either. João Pessoa is the capital of Paraiba state and the immediate area contains well over one million people. Recife, about 60 miles to the south, is even larger. So is Natal, about 100 miles to the North. So it’s not exactly a 3rd world situation. If I suspect a battery is dying, I could order one and replace it myself. This is exactly what I do with my two laptops.

Why can’t we do the same with an iPad? Is the revenue from the labor involved more important to Apple than good customer relations? I suspect that the competing tablets emerging almost daily will avoid these mistakes. The iPad, while it might be one that changes a lot of things, will not be the success from a sales standpoint Apple expects.

The original Macintosh OS changed everything, but better marketing by the Microsoft imitation made it a niche product. Will the iPad have the same place in digital history?

Yeah, I get that, I mean your frustration. Knowing your situation sheds some light. I tried replacing a battery on my first iPod once. It ran fine but the case never quite fit together right again. (And I regularly work on computer guts)
I agree, I don’t see the iPad design being really crippled by a few tiny screws and a levered opening. It is not like the thing is sealed and water proof to begin with. And for people not comfortable replacing it themselves, it would give them a reason to go to an Apple store and browse while it is done.
As for competing with the products coming out, don’t you find it amazing that the iPod, iPod touch and iPhone have such a dominance of the market? I am really shocked that no one has come out with a product that takes more of the market. I just don’t see where it should be that hard…well, for a Microsoft, Sony, or SOMEONE! (I understand the difficulty for small start-ups, the competition is BRUTAL.)
For those larger companies, the computer OS may not be worth it, but the iPod? I just keep waiting for that day.
Mainwhile, I keep buying products that deliver on the promises. I have bought enough junk that I have given in to the price.