Related
This is probably all over the forums but I just saw this at hot-deals.org:
Thursday, March 24, 2011 last update: 4:26pm (EDT)
* Verizon Wireless - HOT! - iPad Generation 1 Wifi 16GB $299, 32GB $399 in-store
Available at Verizon Wireless stores nationwide today is the Apple iPad Generation 1 Wifi 16GB model for $299 (in-store only, not online, not by phone). Also the 32GB is available for $399, and the 64GB for $499. No limit. This is a clearance, since the new iPad 2 is available and sold in the same stores.
This was confirmed both in-person and by phone at in 3 US cities before this post. Store reps may hold one for you if you call in advance.
Update (4:15pm EDT, 1:15pm PDT): Apple just sent a memo to Verizon Wireless stores, asking them not to allow telephone holds on the product. Stores are now selling them on a first come, first serve basis. As you can expect, the 16GB versions are sold out at most stores or already spoken for to those who called and reserved one earlier. Most stores still have 32GB iPads for $399.
I don't get it. Why would anyone actually *want* an iPad?
I don't get it...why would you post about the iPad on a Nook forum?
Sent from my rooted stock 1.1 Nook with XDA Premium.
Regardless, what one may feel about the ipad and iphone, both products have a large quantity of high quality apps.
i bought one to sell but now i might just keep it and sell the nookie. after doing some reading, it looks like the open source for honeycomb won't be coming for a very long time, if ever. by then, there will probably be a lot more cheap options much like the NC available, some already running honeycomb natively. the developers will move their interest towards those platforms and this subforum will be pretty dead. meanwhile, the ipad just works out of the box and is even better after jailbreaking. i hate apple but for 50 bucks more i think the ipad wins here
Posted because I've already seen multiple iPad related posts that were well-received here, because the Nook Color is constantly touted (by me as well) as the next best thing to an iPad currently available, and because this makes the iPad <b>extremely</b> price competitive with the Nook Color.
It changes the game, that's why!
Won't lie. I have an Ipod Touch and love it. But that's where I draw the line, I just don't like apple as a company. I don't like how their software is completely closed sourced so that it can have no competitors. I don't like that the Ipad 2 won't even touch the Xoom in hardware.
I won't be selling my Nook Color for an Ipad anytime soon, even if the Nook doesn't get HC. CM7 is working exceptionally well, and less of youtube, I really have no problems with it.
I will however be buying a G-tab or Xoom very soon... Can't wait for HDMI output!
wth ipad 2 destroys xoom in 3d performance.
ever scroll a website with a ipad, its so freakin smooth its ulmost unreal
Why is this thread in a Nook Color forum? Move it to some Apple Kool-Aid drinking forum. This is about us tinkering-types making the NC into something that we want. Nook vs iPad is completely irrelevant.
ryan you're just being silly. If there were decent and affordable Android tablets, neither one of us would be quite as keen on hacking a Nook Color. I don't own a single Apple product and probably never will. There's just no kool-aid involved.
If anything, refusing to consider a brand name on principle is the more fanatical practice. At least some of us are here because we want a tablet we can afford and control, not merely to hack for the sake of hacking. We can't control jailbroken iPads as well as we can control Android tablets -- 'cause Jobs is a smart and vile dictator -- but I think it's incredibly important to know what kind of competition the Nook Color has.
$299 with no contract is nice. $299 on two years... forget it..
"Contract" price? How could that be - it's WiFi only, isn't it?
They have the 32 GB model for $399.
Double the fun!
ryanmcdonald said:
I don't get it. Why would anyone actually *want* an iPad?
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Click to collapse
My wife has an iPad for work & I have the NC- both are cool in their own way. I personally like the size of the NC a little better, but I'll have to admit that when just web surfing, the iPad is a joy to use. And the ability to watch Netflix is pretty rockin' too...
xdabr said:
"Contract" price? How could that be - it's WiFi only, isn't it?
They have the 32 GB model for $399.
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Click to collapse
ah.. i missed that. doh!
Better not let the wife find out, or i may wind up $299 poorer..
rcsrich said:
My wife has an iPad for work & I have the NC- both are cool in their own way. I personally like the size of the NC a little better, but I'll have to admit that when just web surfing, the iPad is a joy to use. And the ability to watch Netflix is pretty rockin' too...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Other than the Netflix app, iPad SUX!!!
Divine_Madcat said:
ah.. i missed that. doh!
Better not let the wife find out, or i may wind up $299 poorer..
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Click to collapse
For the record, there are no "contract price" iPads. Even the AT&T 3G are month-to-month, no-contract, turn on and off as needed (there's no such thing as a Verizon 3G iPad 1).
I agree, the nook is very cool, though love/hate the ipad has great apps, garageband, for xample, im a singer my cousin plays drums but we dont have guitarist or bassist, and neither of us really play actually we suck at guitar/bass,lol, but garageband(gb) allows power chord playing with smart guitar and bass, its not bad either. Also does drums n piano, i believe it mixes the tracks, upto 8 cuz its like an 8 track recorder, like a 4 track..
Dont get me wrong i like android and really really like webOS, but they both need to charge less for their tabs for the equivalent memory. Cuz mainstream consumers, ppl who dont really know like we all do, will pick ipad over xoom or touchpad most of the time, now xoom and touchpad will trump ipad when $$$ is involved. $499-16gb wifi,ipad2, htc flyer, hpalm touchpad all same price. Now if flyer n touchpad were $399 or $450 itd help, just until people spread the word, then charge equal$$ on touchpad2, etc....just my opinion idk
513fabe said:
I agree, the nook is very cool, though love/hate the ipad has great apps, garageband, for xample, im a singer my cousin plays drums but we dont have guitarist or bassist, and neither of us really play actually we suck at guitar/bass,lol, but garageband(gb) allows power chord playing with smart guitar and bass, its not bad either. Also does drums n piano, i believe it mixes the tracks, upto 8 cuz its like an 8 track recorder, like a 4 track..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can buy a microkorg synth for the same price as an ipad and itll be 1000 times better than anything the ipad with garageband can do.. and ill say this cuz it hasnt been out right said yet in this thread but needs to.. f*ck apple.
cowballz69 said:
ever scroll a website with a ipad, its so freakin smooth its ulmost unreal
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Yeah, I wonder why it doesn't feel the same in Android tablets... is this a kernel issue? does anyone know if the developers are working on this? does it also happens with honeycomb tablets?
So, here we have this nifty tablet device, and those of us running CM7 know what it can do. There's no technical reason why B&N couldn't just do a straight upgrade all the way to Honeycomb as their standard OS, including all of their proprietary apps (like the reader software). They would then have an e-reader that was also the cheapest good tablet out their, with the best display, etc. The things ought to sell like hotcakes on a cold Sunday morning.
I can only think of three reasons for this:
One, there's some corporate person who is married to the idea that B&N is a book seller and not a tablet maker. I've known people like this.
Or
Two, they lack the technical support staffing to support a full-blown tablet -- where there customer support calls could be expected to increase dramatically.
Or
Like a lot of big lumbering corporations they are just slow to catch on. Somebody went out and shopped the hardware for a color e-reader. Turns out that what they bought ran Android and had extra stuff like Bluetooth. People (like us) starting exploiting what the hardware was capable of. B&N was slow to notice and now they're playing catch-up.
Anyone have any real insight (gossip) about this? Other ideas? They sure are slow rolling out the upgrades...
Well, for one thing Honeycomb is barely here now, and they would have probably had to pay something to get cozy early with Google's development team (as we've seen, they were quick to limit Honeycomb access to formal partners).
B&N seems more clueful, rather than less, when it comes to Android, but they also seem a little greedy in wanting to establish their OWN app store and walled garden for the Nook Color. So I'm sure that plays a large part of it. They need a way of ensuring their own revenue stream even as they (slowly) open up the Nook.
But if they could make money selling a full blown $250 tablet (and from what little I've read they can and do) I agree I would much have preferred to see it go that way.
even if BN wanted honeycomb to be on the NC, google probably wouldn't let that happen
at least not yet.
there is a reason google has kept honeycomb closed so far
also, while android is 'free' for all of us, it is very expensive for those manufacturers that choose to support it, by putting a fully functional honeycomb or even gingerbread environment onto the NC they are liable for a lot of costs to support/develop it and for the IP that others will claim which has been substantial for android products thus far. Its not a simple or cheap process and I don't see BN seeing themselves venture that far into the market to make the costs worthwhile.
B&N is not making enough money on the hardware to have it be a viable stand alone sale. They make money from book, magazine & now app sales. They are essentially breaking even on the device and making money on content. There is no economic incentive for them to sell the NC as an open system.
Reason 3, Profit margins suck on the nook color and they are counting on book sales to make up the rest.
Common sense, look at the hardware and what they are charging. I would not be surprised at all to find they are just breaking even on the device itself. If they where to get into the game as a tablet manufacturer the price on the NC would have to be about $100 more for any real profit to be made.
making their own app store and keeping the nook color as closed as they can is not greedy. Its the only business model that makes sense. If they shipped it with full market support it would completely undermine what they are doing and cost them millions in lost book sales.
Yes it's a nice tablet, but it's lacking some tablet functions that will need support like bluetooth (ok it's there but they don't support it), a 3g connection, a camera or two (I think honeycomb requires two cameras as minimum spec but don't quote me I'm just a user). Honestly I had a hard time finding a good use for a tablet and that's why I never bought one, I never liked the 10 inches ones and the 7inches never felt complete (galaxy tab). Recently though I realized that I could use a 7" tablet to read comic books/manga, I was going for a galaxy tab but found the nook more than capable to fulfill my needs at a much cheaper price! I have to say that I think the nook color is a terrific reader, i'm hooked on magazine too now and I didn't even think I was going to care about that function. It does one aspect only of a tablet experience but it does it extremely well, in a very polished and functional way. Ok it doesn't look like android but whatever, when the platform is so functional for what it was intended to be I think android was just a faster way to get there instead of writing an entire linux operating system for reading books. I'm glad there's an android behind it so I can load a cbr or cbz reader and avoiding converting files but if it was based on something else, at the same price (i doubt it, they would have paid more) I wouldn't really care.
I think people can get mislead by the fact that the nook packs an android system, it doesn't mean that it has to do everything that a phone/tablet android will be able to do.
DBBGBA said:
Yes it's a nice tablet, but it's lacking some tablet functions that will need support like bluetooth (ok it's there but they don't support it), a 3g connection, a camera or two (I think honeycomb requires two cameras as minimum spec but don't quote me I'm just a user). Honestly I had a hard time finding a good use for a tablet and that's why I never bought one, I never liked the 10 inches ones and the 7inches never felt complete (galaxy tab). Recently though I realized that I could use a 7" tablet to read comic books/manga, I was going for a galaxy tab but found the nook more than capable to fulfill my needs at a much cheaper price! I have to say that I think the nook color is a terrific reader, i'm hooked on magazine too now and I didn't even think I was going to care about that function. It does one aspect only of a tablet experience but it does it extremely well, in a very polished and functional way. Ok it doesn't look like android but whatever, when the platform is so functional for what it was intended to be I think android was just a faster way to get there instead of writing an entire linux operating system for reading books. I'm glad there's an android behind it so I can load a cbr or cbz reader and avoiding converting files but if it was based on something else, at the same price (i doubt it, they would have paid more) I wouldn't really care.
I think people can get mislead by the fact that the nook packs an android system, it doesn't mean that it has to do everything that a phone/tablet android will be able to do.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you wanna use Nook as a "real" tablet, you should try CM7... you will have access to everything that you are looking for... including Bluetooth
lets change the definition of this topic and rewrite it a little away from the Barnes and Noble Nook Color.
i think the main point trying to be made here is that genuinely great piece of hardware can be manufactured for under $300.
if B&N is breaking even at $250 then i think a company can put out a tablet with the B&N specs for under $400.
the market is getting caught up in tablets and none of them are under $500. B&N specs for under $400 and i think it would shift the weight a little and get other manufacturers to reconsider ripping people off for a 1ghz machine @ $700+.
it doesn't necessarily need to be Barnes and Noble that does this.
pxldtz said:
lets change the definition of this topic and rewrite it a little away from the Barnes and Noble Nook Color.
i think the main point trying to be made here is that genuinely great piece of hardware can be manufactured for under $300.
if B&N is breaking even at $250 then i think a company can put out a tablet with the B&N specs for under $400.
the market is getting caught up in tablets and none of them are under $500. B&N specs for under $400 and i think it would shift the weight a little and get other manufacturers to reconsider ripping people off for a 1ghz machine @ $700+.
it doesn't necessarily need to be Barnes and Noble that does this.
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Click to collapse
For a 7 inch tablet, the Nook Color is the one. Takes modding, but still the best you can buy at a reasonable price.
For $400 though you can pick up a tegra 2 10" ASUS Eee Pad Transformer TF101 running Honycomb:
http://www.excaliberpc.com/604588/asus-eee-pad-transformer-tf101.html
Available mid May (first stock sold out already)
I think the NC is the best value, but good android tablets are going to be coming down in price in a hurry.
BN is not selling an "Android tablet", they are selling an "e-Reader" with BN software on it (that happens to be run on Android). Bottom line... if the sell it as a Android tablet, then the are compared against iPad, Galaxy Tab, Xoom, etc. They are in a high speed foot race in a highly competitive market and they lose. They would give up their competitive advantage. As soon as you go Honeycomb, you become something else. You are going to be compared to other Honeycomb tablets and they will lose their e-reader niche and get slaughtered.
If they sell it as an e-reader, they are compared against Kindle, iPad (as a reader), etc. For those who are not xda-saavy and just want a reader, the nook color actually has a lot to offer. The Nook reading experience is actually quite good... and now that they integrate apps with book, magazines, newspaper, etc., they have a coherent reading eco-system that many will love. Advantage BN. If you look at the Nook Color through the lens of what they are trying to do, it makes sense to stick with Froyo (at least for the time being).
smuook said:
BN is not selling an "Android tablet", they are selling an "e-Reader" with BN software on it (that happens to be run on Android). Bottom line... if the sell it as a Android tablet, then the are compared against iPad, Galaxy Tab, Xoom, etc. They are in a high speed foot race in a highly competitive market and they lose. They would give up their competitive advantage. As soon as you go Honeycomb, you become something else. You are going to be compared to other Honeycomb tablets and they will lose their e-reader niche and get slaughtered.
If they sell it as an e-reader, they are compared against Kindle, iPad (as a reader), etc. For those who are not xda-saavy and just want a reader, the nook color actually has a lot to offer. The Nook reading experience is actually quite good... and now that they integrate apps with book, magazines, newspaper, etc., they have a coherent reading eco-system that many will love. Advantage BN. If you look at the Nook Color through the lens of what they are trying to do, it makes sense to stick with Froyo (at least for the time being).
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Click to collapse
Very good points. The NC was "born" an e-reader. Tech-savvy users have have recognized the "possibilities" built in (intended or not) and morphed it into something it really quite probably was never envisioned to be. Would not be surprised if some mucky-mucks at B&N are kicking themselves as at even $275 or $299 this little "tablet that could" might have moved almost as well (units sold) even with the acceptable albeit limited hardware.
Bottom line our little NC's are probably little "mutants" on the tablet evolutionary tree perhaps fated to grow into CM7 and stall. Don't get me wrong, my NCs are thriving on CM7 (OC 1.1) doing far more than "Daddy BN" perhaps ever thought it could (or would!) so I ain't complainin'! The Devs here are absolute genius seeing what "could be" instead of "what is" and allowed us all (gratefully)to hitch a ride. I've enjoyed the trip as it's taught me a new OS in Android and whetted my appetite more more!
HC would be cool but CM7 works for me!
skeeterpro said:
Very good points. The NC was "born" an e-reader. Tech-savvy users have have recognized the "possibilities" built in (intended or not) and morphed it into something it really quite probably was never envisioned to be. Would not be surprised if some mucky-mucks at B&N are kicking themselves as at even $275 or $299 this little "tablet that could" might have moved almost as well (units sold) even with the acceptable albeit limited hardware.
Bottom line our little NC's are probably little "mutants" on the tablet evolutionary tree perhaps fated to grow into CM7 and stall. Don't get me wrong, my NCs are thriving on CM7 (OC 1.1) doing far more than "Daddy BN" perhaps ever thought it could (or would!) so I ain't complainin'! The Devs here are absolute genius seeing what "could be" instead of "what is" and allowed us all (gratefully)to hitch a ride. I've enjoyed the trip as it's taught me a new OS in Android and whetted my appetite more more!
HC would be cool but CM7 works for me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
these are the points i was trying to make in my post. B&N could compete with the tablet market if they had honeycomb natively on the NC and probably rebranded the NC itself. at the selling price it is right now, it would shift the weight of the market i think. well especially compared to something like the galaxy where the specs are almost identical but the price is $600 with contract i beleive. $250 for a honeycombed tablet is ridiculous but B&N proved that a tablet can be done at that price range.
i think the price has a lot to do with the simple wording....E-Reader (doesn't really pique the interest of the mass market).....Tablet (everyone wants one, lets jack up the price by a few hundred.)
it'd be interesting if not funny to see B&N break into the tablet market without even being a big electronics manufacturer. i'm not saying they will - i'm just saying it'd be funny.
robedney said:
So, here we have this nifty tablet device, and those of us running CM7 know what it can do. There's no technical reason why B&N couldn't just do a straight upgrade all the way to Honeycomb as their standard OS, including all of their proprietary apps (like the reader software). They would then have an e-reader that was also the cheapest good tablet out their, with the best display, etc. The things ought to sell like hotcakes on a cold Sunday morning.
I can only think of three reasons for this:
One, there's some corporate person who is married to the idea that B&N is a book seller and not a tablet maker. I've known people like this.
Or
Two, they lack the technical support staffing to support a full-blown tablet -- where there customer support calls could be expected to increase dramatically.
Or
Like a lot of big lumbering corporations they are just slow to catch on. Somebody went out and shopped the hardware for a color e-reader. Turns out that what they bought ran Android and had extra stuff like Bluetooth. People (like us) starting exploiting what the hardware was capable of. B&N was slow to notice and now they're playing catch-up.
Anyone have any real insight (gossip) about this? Other ideas? They sure are slow rolling out the upgrades...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think it's mostly support issues, they don't want to answering calls all day about why app xyz doesn't work right or crashes, etc and they don't want any associated negative reviews. This way, they control the user experience a little more tightly and can make things a little more integrated with all apps tested to work, but they obviously left some easy back doors open for the tinkerers.
New Nook?
I just read this article about a possible new Nook Color. I've been waiting for the current Nook Color to go down in prize, if this happens I will probably buy my own and root it. Right now I've been playing with my wife's Nook Color and trying stuff out from the microSD card.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2011/05/is-a-new-nook-coming-may-24.html
It's a new regular nook. Nuff said?
BN has a big problem - they have been losing print and e-book customers to Amazon. Their core business is going south because customers' buying habits have changed and and traffic to the stores has fallen off dramatically in the last decade.
The Nook and NC are aimed at retaining and regaining customers. The Nook product family is directed at their core customer base. Remember many of BN's most loyal customers are not tech-savvy, early adopters. Thus the simple bookcentric user interface, slow introduction of apps, and marketing ploys - coupons, access to books in store, etc.They aren't interested in getting into the device business - they want to sell content and retain (regain) loyal customers.
BN understands that e-books are definitely here to stay. E-books outsold hardcovers in Q1 and represent a major solution to a bookstores biggest problem - inventory. So, if BN can ride the e-book curve and serve its core customers, that's a big win for them.
Thus, from BN's perspective, the NC is an e-reader not a simple tablet. It beats every other dedicated e-reader by a long margin. It allows BN to sell content that isn't available on Amazon's Kindle (children's books, magazines, graphic-oriented books) because of its technical (primarily color) capabilities and opens the door for them to sell music and video - both of which are significant revenue steams in their stores.
I wouldn't expect them to embrace the tablet race any time soon. While traffic to their stores continues to decline, they have produced a device that essentially lets their customers take the store home with them.
What's fascinating is that they have also left the door open for the tech crowd to make the NC into something much more sophisticated. I don't think this is unintentional. In a way, they have the best of both worlds.
My bet is... a newer, faster, slimmer, cooler device... ;-)
I'm happy with mine though the way it is, only major complaint is that you can't buy content from B&N store while overseas. I travel a lot for work and the other day I tried to purchase a magazine to read, only to get rejected b/c I'm not in the US right now. Annoying... Meanwhile, it's rooted so I just went to the Kindle app and bought a book from Amazon. That's my answer to B&N's stupid policy.
colorado_al said:
B&N is not making enough money on the hardware to have it be a viable stand alone sale. They make money from book, magazine & now app sales. They are essentially breaking even on the device and making money on content. There is no economic incentive for them to sell the NC as an open system.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Almost, but not quite, the entire picture. The NC hardware and official B&N accessories are now available everywhere--you'll be able to buy an NC and an Industriell cover at your local convenience store in a week--and the mark-up on the first-party accessories has got to be *massive*. I bought my NC used, but I've already bought an Aalto case ($30) and the B&N antireflective screen cover (~$16). They're raking it in on accessory sales even for those of us like me who have not and probably will not buy a single app or book on the official platform (or even the Nook Android app).
smuook said:
BN is not selling an "Android tablet", they are selling an "e-Reader" with BN software on it (that happens to be run on Android). Bottom line... if the sell it as a Android tablet, then the are compared against iPad, Galaxy Tab, Xoom, etc. They are in a high speed foot race in a highly competitive market and they lose. They would give up their competitive advantage. As soon as you go Honeycomb, you become something else. You are going to be compared to other Honeycomb tablets and they will lose their e-reader niche and get slaughtered.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, and by not marketing it as a tablet, but kindly leaving in amazingly useful backdoors, they're all but encouraging the modding community to do what they will with their Nooks while counting on accessory sales to make money even from the tablet crowd.
bobzdar said:
...they obviously left some easy back doors open for the tinkerers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly.
doehlsen said:
What's fascinating is that they have also left the door open for the tech crowd to make the NC into something much more sophisticated. I don't think this is unintentional. In a way, they have the best of both worlds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely right, and a brilliant move on their part, IMO. The only people they're not making money on (assuming NC hardware sales are break-even) are the people who don't use it in its official capacity and who also never purchase a single first-party accessory--I'd imagine they foresaw that would be a small enough percentage of NC owners that they didn't worry about it when hatching their master plan for the NC.
nope its the beauty of open systems, is why this is an almost tablet. They elected to chose a already working free operating system then just implemented the barnes and noble frameworks.
I've looked at one very prominent supply chain estimator (rhymes with iComply) bill of material (BOM) estimates. The Nook Color BOM is estimated to cost $200. The display and touchscreen alone accounts for $100 of that.
In comparison, the BOM estimate for Amazon Kindle Gen 3 (w/3G) is estimated at $155.
Those are some very very thin margins.
Think about this: the iPhone 4 CDMA is estimated to cost less than $200. It sells for $750 here without contract.
Would you look at that... somebody actually gets the appeal of the nook
http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/01/lenovo-announces-ideapad-a1-the-199-android-tablet-we-go-hand/
7" 1024x600 screen, $200. Dont see anything on the other specs, but unlike most competitors the screen is there.
Jotokun said:
Would you look at that... somebody actually gets the appeal of the nook
http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/01/lenovo-announces-ideapad-a1-the-199-android-tablet-we-go-hand/
7" 1024x600 screen, $200. Dont see anything on the other specs, but unlike most competitors the screen is there.
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Click to collapse
I saw this earlier too.... sounds *real* familiar overall. It's even running Gingerbread, a la CM7, etc. It will be interesting to see how it does, but it comes off sort of like a slightly tweaked, slightly more mainstream CM7 NC. It's kind of a credit to the NC that this thing is coming out a year+ later for a similar price point and doesn't really blow it away, as far as I can tell.
The story also doesn't talk about the display quality. If it is on par with the NC, then maybe...
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA App
PC World is listing the processor as a single core 1Ghz Cortex A8 and 2GB internal memory. Only info so far on the screen is that it's Capacitive touch with a 1024x600 resolution. Still no info on any kind of hardware acceleration which can make or break it as a media player.
Edit: They do mention a GPS receiver, which is rather interesting.
Looks pretty sweet! $200 is definitely the right price point.
Has advantages over the NC - camera, GPS
You can buy a refurb NC for $170 these days though.
Also article says the 8GB model will not be for sale in the USA. 16GB model will at $249.
Unless the screen and battery are total lemons, I would say the 16GB model blows the NC out of the water going head-to-head at $250 retail. Of course, it would be a little ridiculous to buy a NC at full retail right now, this late in the production cycle and with full-warranty refurbs fast approaching the $150 mark.
The recent Vizio tablet is also a decent contender in the NC's retail range and nearly the same form factor.
I'm digging that widget in the middle of the screen. Anyone know what it is?
caifan said:
I'm digging that widget in the middle of the screen. Anyone know what it is?
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Click to collapse
I would guess it's a proprietary UI element, but it may just be a pre-loaded market widget.
Taosaur said:
Unless the screen and battery are total lemons, I would say the 16GB model blows the NC out of the water going head-to-head at $250 retail.
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Click to collapse
Um, well, except for the fact that probably 95% of the people who buy a NC buy it because it's an eReader with apps.
khaytsus said:
Um, well, except for the fact that probably 95% of the people who buy a NC buy it because it's an eReader with apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which has little bearing on the question of whether said "eReader with apps" is comparable in value to an almost identical device with several advantages, nor on the question of whether a year-old and decreasingly unique piece of electronics is still worth the initial retail price.
Or are you simply arguing that B&N can continue selling NCs for $250 on the basis of consumer ignorance?
Hmm... if i ever upgrade I might hold out for Sammy's 7.7" super amoled with GPS and 0.7 pound weight and 10 hour batt life. But only at $250!
Taosaur said:
Which has little bearing on the question of whether said "eReader with apps" is comparable in value to an almost identical device with several advantages, nor on the question of whether a year-old and decreasingly unique piece of electronics is still worth the initial retail price.
Or are you simply arguing that B&N can continue selling NCs for $250 on the basis of consumer ignorance?
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Click to collapse
I'm obviously saying that the vast majority of people who want an eReader aren't getting a tablet, and vise versa.
The price point to beat will be the one that Amazon sets with its new tablet. If a decent tablet from a known company is available below that price point, that can use the kindle app and nook app, then consumers will catch on. The real issue however is that Lenovo has no stake in an app store or media store, so they can't afford to lose money on hardware, while Amazon and B&N can.
caifan said:
I'm digging that widget in the middle of the screen. Anyone know what it is?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the Lenovo Launcher, a custom widget that comes on all their tablets.
colorado_al said:
The price point to beat will be the one that Amazon sets with its new tablet. If a decent tablet from a known company is available below that price point, that can use the kindle app and nook app, then consumers will catch on. The real issue however is that Lenovo has no stake in an app store or media store, so they can't afford to lose money on hardware, while Amazon and B&N can.
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Click to collapse
Supposedly Amazon's tablet will be a $250 7" 6GB tablet with wifi, negotiating 3g/4g. There's some rumor that 3g access will be "free" (along with 1 year Amazon Prime free membership) but... man that's a lot of bandwidth to be giving away free for a tablet.
No camera, and also apparently no HC --- "a system prior to 2.2".
Personally I'm not really all that jazzed, kind of disappointed at the mediocre (so far) specs.
The articles should be filtering in for this about now.
angomy said:
Supposedly Amazon's tablet will be a $250 7" 6GB tablet with wifi, negotiating 3g/4g. There's some rumor that 3g access will be "free" (along with 1 year Amazon Prime free membership) but... man that's a lot of bandwidth to be giving away free for a tablet.
No camera, and also apparently no HC --- "a system prior to 2.2".
Personally I'm not really all that jazzed, kind of disappointed at the mediocre (so far) specs.
The articles should be filtering in for this about now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read that this morning too. I'm sure they will sell a lot due to brand recognition, but it sounds like they're late to the party with that one. The NC is essentially the same, but has been out for a year. And it sounds like they are readying a new one.
Too bad. I was hoping for better hardware at a subsidized price. The Lenovo looks much better than the Amazon Tab.
Don't know how credible it is, but this was posted over on mobileread:
Dulin's Books said:
The AmTab will have a AFFS lcd panels provided by Hydis which is a subsidiary of PrimeView/Eink Holdings http://www.hydis.com/eng/04_rnd/rnd_03.asp
AFFS or Advanced Fringe Field Switching Displasy are a Hydis patented tech which produces bright displays with very good color and 180 degree viewing angles with lower power usage then similar size IPS displays
http://www.hydis.com/eng/04_rnd/rnd_03.asp
http://www.hydis.com/eng/04_rnd/rnd_02.asp
http://www.boehydis.de/techno/techno.html?reload_coolmenus
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So, it sounds like at least a minor screen improvement over the NC, but maybe this also explains the rumors of B&N acquiring "e-paper backing" from eInk for the next-gen NC.
Wow free 3g!
Ill buy this or the amazon tab if theres a 250gb HD like the Archos tabs. I need that space to replace my ipod classic sometime...
captainskyhawk said:
Ill buy this or the amazon tab if theres a 250gb HD like the Archos tabs. I need that space to replace my ipod classic sometime...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a 250GB tablet from any of the top tier manufacturers. The 8/16/32GB flash memory model seems to be pretty much standardized now. Some of the lower-end, fringe companies like Archos might come out with hard-drive based tablets, but the big guys won't.
Amazon certainly won't, because they want you to use their cloud services to store your MP3s, and putting a huge storage capacity in their tablet would be counterproductive for that goal.
The best we can expect in terms of storage is 64GB SDXC support and/or multiple SD slots. The Lenovo actually has one micro and one standard SDHC slots, creating the potential for 16/32GB internal + 32GB uSD + 32GB SD = up to 96GB storage for a total of around $400 (less if you have the cards on hand), which is pretty massive by tablet standards.
As has been said, though, tablets and the mobile OSes they run are better optimized for cloud computing than managing substantial quantities of files locally.
ETA: honestly, if this thing materializes and reports on performance and screen quality are positive, I may consider it as a trade up from my NC.
Pocket-Lint (June 27, Updated content & pics June 29)
From our quick play it looks like an impressive tablet from Google. The quad-core Tegra 3 processor with 12 core GPU is astounding on a device that costs £159, offering class-leading performance for Android. Just like the Kindle Fire in the US, this device could very well be the one that takes another bite out of Apple's rather large share of the tablet market pie.
Engadget (June 27) (Updated June 28)
That IPS panel looks great from all angles, showing good brightness and good contrast even in a brightly lit room. We'll need some more time to see how that compares to other competing 7-inchers, but it's certainly a screen that is aiming higher than its price point.
The Verge (updated June 29)
The speaker isn't bad: a Verge editor who will go unnamed had Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" ready in a Google Music account, and it blasted out of the slit in back of the device fairly crisply and loudly considering that we were in a large conference hall, and bounced nicely off a table when we set it down. We'll have to see how it fares in a real-world environment. The placement of the speaker slit at the bottom of the back of the device does mean that you can block it and muffle the audio with your hand if you're holding it low, though.
ABC News (June 27)
Jelly Bean — the nickname for the new Android 4.1 operating system — sails along on the tablet and the new notification tray and Chrome browser are very nice additions. But Google made a big push at the announcement today about its Google Play store and how the device was built for reading magazines, watching TV or video, and playing games. I can attest that videos on the screen look great and magazines, like Men’s Fitness, are visually appealing. But Google simply doesn’t provide the same selection as Amazon; I came up empty handed when looking for US Weekly and People Magazine. (Don’t judge me on my magazine choices.)
SlashGear (June 27)
What you’ve got here is a fun machine. Google worked with ASUS and NVIDIA here to bring on a media beast like no other, offered at a price that, sold exclusively through the Google Play store online (for now), is almost undeniable. Even those who want a tablet just to fiddle with should and probably will be considering this device first in the near future – unless they want an iPad.
The Guardian (June 27)
The Nexus 7 is impressive, though: a valuable addition to the tablet market. Google's challenge now is to put some real welly behind getting the device into people's hands, securing more innovative, high-quality apps for its store, and ensuring that its music, films, TV shows, e-books and magazine offering is good around the world, not just in the US.
AnandTech (June 27) (Check the benchmarks)
Honestly I think ASUS and Google have really done an excellent job here with the Nexus 7. The combination of a quad core SoC, IPS panel, solid construction, and the latest version of Android all for such a killer price point pretty much make it hard to really find any faults. Sure, it'd be useful to have a full size USB host port, microSD slot (though no Nexus has shipped with one since Nexus S), 5 GHz WiFi (Nexus 7 is 2.4 GHz only), or cellular, but the tablet wouldn't be $199 anymore. I also really feel like the 7 inch diagonal form factor is an ideal one, and the Nexus 7 is quickly growing on me.
Gizmodo (June 27) (Thanks jonnyg1097); (New Review, July 2 - Thanks Eclair~)
Google just let attendees to today's hardware-filled I/O conference love up on the new Nexus 7 tablet. It's light, it's compact, and holy crap, it's faster than hell. In short, you won't believe this is a $200 tablet.
Mashable (June 30)
The Nexus 7 may not be the best tablet ever built, but its media savviness and low price make it a crowd-pleaser. For the vast majority of people, it’s more than good enough, and if you aren’t yet married to the Apple platform, you should be pre-ordering one now.
Ubergizmo (June 30)
A key component of a tablet is the display, and when manufacturers take the affordable route, usually they have a hard time to provide a decent display. The Nexus 7 features a 1280×800 IPS display covered with scratch-resistant Corning FIT Glass. I played the same video both on the iPad and the Nexus 7 and the image quality was similar. See the display comparison in the photo above (iPad latest edition on the right).
PCMag (June 30) (Thanks yerand)
Meanwhile, our large-screen Editor's Choice, the New Apple iPad, is a totally different beast. It's much bigger, heavier, and more powerful with a cellular option, and a much wider array of apps. And it costs more than twice as much as the Nexus 7. Think of the iPad as a better replacement for another home PC, while the Nexus 7 is for toting around wherever you go.
Technology Review (July 1)
The Nexus 7's display is slightly higher-resolution than the Fire's—1,280 by 800 pixels, or 221 pixels per inch. It's impressive, given the tablet's price. An episode of the TV show Smash that I downloaded from the Android app and digital content store Google Play looked excellent on the Nexus 7's screen, with rich colors, high levels of detail, and good viewing angles. Videos streamed via Wi-Fi from YouTube looked great, too.
Betanews (July 1)
My Galaxy Nexus outperforms Pad 300 in just about every way, and Nexus 7 more so -- in part benefiting from Tegra 3 quad-core processor and superior graphics. This tablet is a screamer, which is part of the allure over 10.1-inchers -- then there is price-for-performance consideration. You get all this buttery smoothness for $199 -- $200 less than Transformer Pad and Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 or $300 less than entry-level new iPad. Anyone dissatisfied with performance at this price needs a brain scan.
Business Insider (July 2)
Should You Buy It?
Yes, but there are a few caveats here.
First of all, if you can afford the extra $200 or $300 for an iPad 2 or third-generation iPad, you should buy that instead. The iPad is still the best tablet on the market.
TechCrunch (July 2)
The Nexus 7 lacks expandable memory and only comes in 8GB ($199) and 16GB ($249) trim, which explains why video content is streamed by default. There’s also no way to output any content to a larger screen, so you’re stuck with whatever content you download to the 7-inch display. Luckily the screen is vibrant and offers pretty decent viewing angles but it definitely reflects a lot of light. Compared to the Kindle Fire, the 1280 x 800 screen on the N7 is much, much better. The display is listed as having Corning Glass. Whether that means it’s sporting Gorilla Glass or GG2 is anyone’s guess.
Associated Press (July 2)
In the 1982 sci-fi movie "Blade Runner," there are hints that the hero, played by Harrison Ford, is an artificial human — an "android" or "replicant." His job is to go out and kill other, rogue androids.
If he's an android, he's of the latest model, Nexus 7. That's also the name Google Inc. has picked for the first tablet to bear the Google brand. Clearly, its mission is to go out and kill rogue tablets running Google's Android software.
Android Police (July 5)
Here at Android Police, we look at the benchmark as one of those occasionally useful tools for certain scenarios, and rarely as good overall indicators of performance. However, they're a widely requested feature in our reviews (who doesn't like seeing something you bought beat something somebody else bought at numbers?), so I'm going to provide you a few.
Android Central (July 6)
The Nexus name means one thing to some of us -- wide-open, balls-to-the-wall-hacking. The Nexus 7 is no different. Unlock the boot loader with a single command, then have your way with the system, flashing any image your heart desires. It's not yet widely available, but we already have a custom recovery and developers are champing at the bit for the day they can order one. Development and custom ROMS are going to explode on the Nexus 7. It's going to be a ton of fun.
Ars Technica (July 8) (Thanks revmra)
Movie watching: WiFi on, 100 percent brightness, 100 percent volume
From playing that modern cinema classic Transformers: Dark of the Moon, we found that the Nexus 7 got a solid nine hours and 15 minutes of battery life. This is 15 minutes longer than Google estimates even with the most taxing settings. We love a high and honest battery estimate, but we love a high and modest one more.
Thanks for taking the time to put all of these reviews in one place
Just a heads up, gizmodo did one also. http://gizmodo.com/5921827/nexus-7-tablet-hands-on-brave-new-world/gallery/1?tag=nexus-tablet
Long story short, they recommended the tablet.
You're welcome. Since I pre-ordered one I'm out looking anyway.
New reviews added.
Added new 5 hour old review from Betanews
Google Nexus 7 is a joy to use. I can't yet comment whether it meets the stated, 8-hour battery life. But based on preliminary usage, the claim looks pretty good.
The tablet is the Kindle Killer and is sure to woo people who want an exciting tablet that offers curated content without spending $300 or more -- $499 to $829 for new iPad.
Some recommendations. If you:
Want a rear-facing camera, choose another tablet. You won't get it from Nexus 7.
Plan to create content on a tablet, choose iPad. Nexus 7 is more for consumption.
Use more than, say, three or four different Google services, Nexus 7 is best choice.
Are looking to buy a 7-inch tablet, choose Google's. I wouldn't recommend any other over Nexus 7.
Want to always have the newest version of Android, without skins or other enhancements, choose Nexus 7.
Long for Apple's Siri on a tablet, choose Nexus 7 -- and right now Google's assistant is better than Apple's.
Nexus 7 isn't for everyone, but it is for anyone looking to spend $249 or less on a tablet or one that offers sound performance and 7-inch display.
Washington Post's is same as Verge's. Verge licenses its content to WP's tech section.
You should specify those that aren't full reviews, such as Anandtech.
Secondly, most of these aren't reviews per se, but more of "detailed hands-on," without usability or benchmark testing. IMO, calling these "reviews" discredits the term, and potentially misleads the buyer into an overly rosy outlook. That said, I recognize that many who read these cheery pieces are early adopters who've already pre-ordered, and are looking more for confirmation of their buy.
New Review from Business Insider
You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll fall to your knees in gratitude for confirming pre-ordering the Nexus 7 will set things right in the universe and stop the Mayan calender from ending.
Atmazzz said:
Quoting Joe Wilcox (betanews):
Plan to create content on a tablet, choose iPad. Nexus 7 is more for consumption.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How many folks agree with the above comment?
Define content...
I certainly would not use the 7 as a replacement for my laptop.
I would not even code applications for the 7 ON the 7...
I would not use it for creating documents and spreadsheets.
So I guess I will use it for consumption...
Qualifier: I sure would not use the IPad for those things - for the same reasons.
Atmazzz said:
Plan to create content on a tablet, choose a laptop. Nexus 7 is more for consumption.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hashibahoohaa said:
How many folks agree with the above comment?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I fixed it.
hashibahoohaa said:
How many folks agree with the above comment?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What kind of content? What kind of content does someone create on the iPad?
As an owner of an N7 I/O device, you can create content on the N7 but you are limited due to storage space. I already ran into storage issues with 2 nandroids, FF3, ME:I & a bunch of apps.
If you were to get the 16gb then yes, create content to your hearts desire.
RMXO said:
I already ran into storage issues with 2 nandroids,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How big is a nandroid on the N7?
Atmazzz said:
How big is a nandroid on the N7?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Opps, hit thanks instead of Quote.
to answer your question all my nandroids ranged from 1-1.5gb & a bad nandroids ran to 3gbs for some reason but I just deleted it. I'm currently performing a nandroid now & will report back once its done.
EDIT:
The nandroid I just did was 1.58gb
Updated Gizmodo Review
Gizmodo has released an official review of N7. :fingers-crossed: Can't post the link, sorry, but it should be on the front page.
WindyCityRockr said:
Gizmodo has released an official review of N7. :fingers-crossed: Can't post the link, sorry, but it should be on the front page.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gizmodo's Full Review
You can argue that the iPad is a better tablet, but is it really $300 better? As useful as tablets are, they're still kind of luxury items. $200 for a full-fledged, seriously-spec'd, fully-capable tablet is an absolute steal. Get it. Seriously.
Read the Gizmodo review - and make sure you follow the Matias Duarte interview link. If you like the 7 - you owe him a lot.
Has anyone done a teardown yet?
I'm secretly hoping there is a sdcard inside lol, or a way to attach one.
If not I'm going to order a mini Wifi drive.
timskyline86 said:
Has anyone done a teardown yet?
I'm secretly hoping there is a sdcard inside lol, or a way to attach one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haven't seen one but I share your hope. :laugh:
So when The Kindle fire came out, there was press about the ipad mini... this was dispelled by jobs a month later.
Now with the Google Nexus 7, wow.. the press go's wild again with ipad mini stories!
This vaporware they say will be out in Nov... funny they write just before google and amazon launch 7" tabs...
Pure play to keep the ipad users from jumping ship.
That's my guess, too. The ipad mini has a sucky resolution, so it's out for me anyway.
So what?
It would be a good product and this is for sure. Competition is always healthy and I like it. The only thing I hate about Apple is the patent war. Their products are awesome.
I have both google and apple devices and even microsoft. I don't like to restrict myself to one camp and get whatever is best available no matter from whom it is.
Steve Jobs is dead... what he brought to Apple died with him and no one in the world, not even Tim Cook will be able to replicate that. Everyday Apple is turning more corporate which is why we will see a smaller Ipad. If Steve was still alive, there wouldn't any question about a 4" screen in the iphone5, he would simply say "that is what the ipad is for".
Simply... profit is king.
The fact that it's being talked about in the google nexus section of the forum indicates what Apple is doing is working. Buzz about it is exactly what they want. Like they say, the only thing worse than somebody talking about your product is nobody talking about your product.
If it does get released, I know many that will buy it. The resolution doesn't matter to them, as other than the new iPad and the as yet unreleased-to-the-public Android 1920px tablets, they aren't really far behind. Most 10.1" android tablets are 1280x800, not a huge huge jump for them.
saadi703 said:
So what?
It would be a good product and this is for sure. Competition is always healthy and I like it. The only thing I hate about Apple is the patent war. Their products are awesome.
I have both google and apple devices and even microsoft. I don't like to restrict myself to one camp and get whatever is best available no matter from whom it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The patent war is getting out of hand, its not just Apple although they do seem to be doing it more than most.
I own a mixture of manufactures products; Apple Macbook Pro laptop, Linux desktop, Samsung Android phone,Asus Android Tablet, Microsoft xbox.
I cant understand people who only buy from one manufacturer and never look anywhere else, my sister is a motorola loyalist, she has only ever owned Motorola phones and doesn't even consider any other make, when she was tablet shopping the only one she looked at was the Motorola Xoom. Personally I will buy the product that suits me best regardless of manufacture. the only reason I haven't tried a Win7 mobile yet is because I can't afford a decent one right now and testing out the OS with a bad phone will give me a negative impression.
I personally hope Apple do release a iPad mini, even though I have no intention of buying one, I just want to see more smaller/mid sized tablets coming out.
I actually think that the iPad Mini will be released this time, though. Apple can't just let their main competitor have the whole 7" market share, including the budget tablets (sub-$200). They're, of course, going to release a $200-250 iPad Mini to compete. Only they probably don't have the resources to make it as good as the Nexus 7. I'm guessing it will have the iPad 2 processor, a less crisp display, and, of course, be majorly locked down. But people will buy it because it's an Apple product.
I agree with "Simply... profit is king." thing is there is no margin in a 7" with google selling at cost. All it would do is pull sales from the 10" and loose them $$$
BamAlmighty said:
Steve Jobs is dead... what he brought to Apple died with him and no one in the world, not even Tim Cook will be able to replicate that. Everyday Apple is turning more corporate which is why we will see a smaller Ipad. If Steve was still alive, there wouldn't any question about a 4" screen in the iphone5, he would simply say "that is what the ipad is for".
Simply... profit is king.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
fenturi said:
I agree with "Simply... profit is king." thing is there is no margin in a 7" with google selling at cost. All it would do is pull sales from the 10" and loose them $$$
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They have the benefit of brand and vendor lock-in, so a $50-$100 premium is not off the table.
It could go either way, I think. But you're right about one thing: it's advantageous for Apple to leak this, regardless of whether they were making one or not. Any hesitation during which they can further lock-in their customers would only be beneficial to them.
fenturi said:
I agree with "Simply... profit is king." thing is there is no margin in a 7" with google selling at cost. All it would do is pull sales from the 10" and loose them $$$
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think Apple could probably sell a 7" tablet at £300-350 (cheapest ipad is £399.00) sure its more than what the Nexus 7 and other 7" tablets cost, but people are willing to pay more purely because its Apple. Also if its marketed as a premium product like all Apple products are I could still see people buying it.
fenturi said:
So when The Kindle fire came out, there was press about the ipad mini... this was dispelled by jobs a month later.
Now with the Google Nexus 7, wow.. the press go's wild again with ipad mini stories!
This vaporware they say will be out in Nov... funny they write just before google and amazon launch 7" tabs...
Pure play to keep the ipad users from jumping ship.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Press tricks with usual no press from apple. Blame the new companies.
markp1989 said:
I think Apple could probably sell a 7" tablet at £300-350 (cheapest ipad is £399.00) sure its more than what the Nexus 7 and other 7" tablets cost, but people are willing to pay more purely because its Apple. Also if its marketed as a premium product like all Apple products are I could still see people buying it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I pre ordered the n7 the day it was announced but I will also pick up an ipad mini when it comes out not just because it's an apple product but be a use of all the quality apps in the app store. I'm sure I'll love my n7 but the play store still has a ways to go before they can match the offering from the app store.
Sent from my GT-P1000 using Tapatalk 2
iPad Mini?
Or iPod Maxi?
With Steve Jobs gone, I suspect this is a more real possibility than the past.
People don't only want 7 inch tablets just because they are cheaper. The 7 inch form factor is really nice, some people prefer it. Others would probably buy a second tablet to supplement their existing 10 inch tablet.
I'm sure Apple would have released a 7 inch tablet earlier if Steve Jobs hadn't so famously put his put in his mouth.
jtc276 said:
I actually think that the iPad Mini will be released this time, though. Apple can't just let their main competitor have the whole 7" market share, including the budget tablets (sub-$200). They're, of course, going to release a $200-250 iPad Mini to compete. Only they probably don't have the resources to make it as good as the Nexus 7. I'm guessing it will have the iPad 2 processor, a less crisp display, and, of course, be majorly locked down. But people will buy it because it's an Apple product.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apple absolutely has the resources to pull this off. Though if their past has any say in how they run things they won't be willing to take a profit loss on this, mainly because they have already programmed their user base to pay a premium for their products. Whether or not it actually comes to market, well we will see. I think though that this would be a mistake for them to bow to this pressure to take a profit loss on a device as they are still the market leader in tablet sales by a long shot and their fan base would eat up a seven incher to sit next to their ipad 3. People who are buying a 9.7 inch ipad and the people who are purchasing the a 7 inch tablet are looking for different experiences fundamentally and they'd be fools not to tap into this market.