iPad 3 out!

[EternalOptimist]

No it isn't. It's a handheld computer that happens to have phone capabilities built in.

Personally I hate telephones and never use them. Antiquated Victorian technology. I'd prefer it if telephony was abolished.

you're a nerd mate, compared to me

I have
no moblie phone
never texted anything to anyone
never used book face, or whatever its called
never twittered
never skyped

I do admit to having a tug whilst browsing the interweb
but only once a day

[doodab]

I do admit to having a tug whilst browsing the interweb but only once a day

Although it may be uninterrupted I'm pretty sure doing it continuously for 10 years counts as more than once

[d000hg]

I don't think Windows 8 will be a big threat to Apple or Android in mobile devices, if anything it will hurt Microsoft on desktop.

Much as W8 is getting a bit of a kicking on the desktop, WP7 and W8 for tablet are generally pretty well received in tests/reviews. MS might gain tablet share at the expense of desktop - or more probably gain tablet share and everyone will stay with W7 on the desktop until/unless touch-screens become common.

[TimberWolf]

No it isn't. It's a handheld computer that happens to have phone capabilities built in.

Personally I hate telephones and never use them. Antiquated Victorian technology. I'd prefer it if telephony was abolished.

Partially agree. The iPad is a bit big to lug around though and the 3.7" iPhone too small for non-phone consumption. Which is why I went for a 5 inch Galaxy. It has no expensive phone (Skype excepted), is small enough to fit in the pocket and large enough to view and interact with media in relative comfort while out and about. The iPad's size seems more suited for stay-at-home purposes. A 4 inch screen might work, not tried that, but 3.7 inches, while okay as a phone screen, seems too teensy for man-sized finger roaming jobs.

[d000hg]

The iPad mini (an iPad2 shrunk down to 7") still seems to be regarded as a good bet.

[AtW]

Much as W8 is getting a bit of a kicking on the desktop, WP7 and W8 for tablet are generally pretty well received in tests/reviews.

Apple + Android will sell vast majority of tablets, very few people will develop good apps for Microsoft especially after their "fook you" attitude towards developers - Microsoft is being run right into the ground at the moment, I personally blame Sinofsky.

HTH

[d000hg]

It's not like phones where Android got in and established a strong base... on tablets even they are struggling because to the public iPad IS a tablet, unlike phones which already existed.
So I think MS have a reasonable chance. And it's really only you they are antagonising not developers in general. Developers will go wherever the money is.

[AtW]

It's not like phones where Android got in and established a strong base... on tablets even they are struggling because to the public iPad IS a tablet, unlike phones which already existed.

Android came from behind quickly after iPhone redefeined what it is a smartphone - previously that was a tulipy expensive boring Nokia brick.

Strength of Windwos has always been backwards compatibility with software that goes back decades, they won't have it on ARMs and even though new Intel mobile CPUs look promising the momentun, excitement etc is with other players.

Microsoft is way too late and should have focussed how not to piss off desktop users with tulipy new GUI.

[NickFitz]

And, as nerds debate the finer points, Apple takes 75% of the profit in the mobile phone market from 9% of unit sales.

Units shipped count for jack tulip. The idea is to make money, and Apple's the company making serious coin.

Oh, and the tablet market? There isn't one. The only tablet selling in volume is the iPad. It's the iPad market.

So it looks like Apple have it both ways: they take the vast majority of profit out of the phone market despite their competitors selling loads more units; and their competitors in the tablet market don't actually have any market to speak of.

Good luck upgrading your 3 month old Android phone to Ice Cream Sandwich any time soon. Now excuse me while I upgrade my 3 year old iPhone to the latest version of iOS, released last night

[AtW]

WHS

Even I got suckered into getting a New iPad...