Will The iPad Hurt MacBook Sales?
The Inquirer laughably asks if the iPad has doomed the company. Certainly not, but the point raised about the iPad affecting MacBook sales is an interesting one. I don’t think so (know two people who recently bought MacBooks, now that the product line was just refreshed), but it’s worth contemplating.
And personally: I have a nearly four year old white MacBook that was nearly replaced twice, after a water spill and when it suddenly died last year. Had it gone kaput then, I would have bought a new MacBook without hesitation.
Now, in the “post iPad era” — the MacBook sits in the corner, barely used. And if it died today: I don’t think I’d rush out and replace it.
It seems based on usage, the desktop MacMini is used for all the productive stuff, while the iPhone and iPad take over for productivity. Plus, I already have too much Apple gear.
But the iPad might begin interesting shift: instead of a MacBook, there’s a good argument for getting a desktop Mac and an iPad instead. Instead of cannibalizing MacBook sales, maybe one should consider its effect on boosting Mac desktop sales.
After all, one can buy the cheapest Mac Mini plus the cheapest iPad for about the same price as a MacBook Pro. That’s a pretty good deal as far as I’m concerned, and a template I plan to follow for the foreseeable future. Until Apple announces something else…
Two different products entirely! I gave my wife who is an art director/designer my original WiFi iPad, and she loves to use it as a companion device to her iMac and MacBook.
You can do so much more with the main macs, so I don’t think it will cannibalize MacBook sales.
When I gave her the iPad, I told her “This is your Fun and Convenient Anywhere Personal Time device”. I think that holds true, I find myself reaching for my new 3G iPad for main email and just goofing around functions. Serious work still requires powerful Macs for our design business.
Heh TYFCAPTD a little unwieldy acronym, but very apt description.
An amazing device nonetheless, my friends!
Got the 3G 64 GB iPad Saturday am on day after product release, it is really great, especially for use at work (Corporate doesn’t see the live baseball games streaming on their network).
I can stream my movie videos via 3G, watch Comcast DVR on my SlingPlayer HD, listen
live streaming Sirius/XM, Slacker Radio, Pandora Radio, access all my files on idisk, track weather in HD, use the iPad as a Harmony Remote Control or an HD-Radio using a dongle, create multi-track music using iSequence, the list goes on!
I really enjoy using it, my wife is amazed at
quality of the display screen. Also just purchased Expedition VGA Out Browser which shows web browser on your PC input on TV or a Regular VGA Monitor, and it looks awesome.
The constant-on 3G/GPS-assisted connectivity is the killer app on this, though. Using it as GPS
with Navigon’s iPhone app, which is acceptable but not high quality display. Looking into CoPilot Live HD for iPad as native GPS app, haven’t purchased yet.
All in all, the 3G iPad is quite a fast and capable device, and I have only had it ONE WEEK!
Are you using Expedition VGA with the Apple VGA dock connector to connect an iPad to TV? Looks like that app only mirrors the web browser?
I believe StreamToMe will output streaming movies via the Apple VGA… I gotta get one of them connectors and try it out.
I’ve done what you’ve described, ditching my MacBook Pro for a desktop iMac/iPad combination, and I couldn’t be happier. I definitely think the iPad is more likely to boost desktop sales than cannibalize MacBook sales, but in my case, it did both. And Apple still ended up making more money off me in the process.
Funny how that “making more money” happens… had the amusing thought of buying another iPad for the spouse, but that will have to wait til next year and the inevitable new model.
As mentioned, the MacMini is also very capable, if Apple pumped up the specs it would really rock! Have the latest version and it is speedy, so yes the Mini and iPad combo price and performance wise would be excellent as Jason suggests.
Jason:
Yes, using the Expedition VGA Browser app with the Apple VGA Display Adapter ($29). It works as advertised with Excellent signal quality when plugged in Sony Bravia HDTV’s PC VGA input. Would imagine it also works on a VGA Monitor as well. It does mirror output, but with no ghosting and very sharp image.
So with this Apple iPad VGA adapter I can now output movies from iPad’s Video App, Web Browser output from Expedition, slideshows from Photo App, as well as Presentations from Keynote. All in really high quality HD just using one simple connection! Way cool!
The Expedition app is only version 1.0, so I am sure they will be coming up with more features in next release.
Sweet, think I’ll pick up an Apple VGA display adapter tomorrow. Thanks for the info.
Make sure it is the new IPAD-specific adapter, Apple sells an older generic VGA adapter that will NOT work with the iPad.
Will have to test out the StreamToMe video output with the iPad VGA Adapter — if that works then that would make the iPad a portable WiFi/3G Slingbox-type device outputting to any VGA-capable TV or monitor, which is even cooler!
OK, just tested out the iPad VGA Adapter cable with StreamToMe and IT WORKS!!!
You need to add a 1/8″ to RCA stereo audio cable from the headphone Jack on the iPad to get the accompanying audio output on your tv, but it does work!
Also tested a new $2.99 app called “Cinema for iPad” which is like a theater showing different movies at scheduled times each day, and surprisingly that also worked, so it really is like a theater since you can watch the movies on your tv!
The VGA adapter also works with the iPad YouTube app!
Pretty sure more current and future apps will be able to do this.
So there you have it in all its awesomeness.
Jeff, just picked up the iPad VGA adapter; you’re right it works well with StreamToMe — that’s pretty sweet. Also works with Photos, YouTube, and Movies — played an iTunes purchased video and another video stored on the device. Didn’t play anything from ABC or Netflix app. Wish there was a mode to mirror the iPad screen. But even barring that — getting the Netflix app to work with the VGA adapter is my personal wish; here’s hoping Netflix updates their app to work with the adapter.
Will write a more formal review of this VGA adapter…
Portable Netflix player FTW!
Jason:
That’s excellent! Just for the record, just tested my older analog Composite and Component iPod video cables (the type still sold by Apple and Radio Shack for $49.99) and they also work just fine for all the apps mentioned and you don’t need the VGA input, so they are great for older TVs. The video output of the iPad is geared towards traditional 4:3 screens anyway, not 16:9 widescreen.
You can actually find these iPod video cables in other brands for lots
cheaper, I found one for $10 on clearance and you can search eBay or amazon for similar bargains.
Jeff, just picked up the iPad VGA adapter; you’re right it works well with StreamToMe – that’s pretty sweet. Also works with Photos, YouTube, and Movies – played an iTunes purchased video and another video stored on the device. Didn’t play anything from ABC or Netflix app. Wish there was a mode to mirror the iPad screen. But even barring that – getting the Netflix app to work with the VGA adapter is my personal wish; here’s hoping Netflix updates their app to work with the adapter.
+1
Check out the latest video of the updated Expedition — via out web browser for the iPad. Scrolling is A lot faster now on the external display. They also added support for authenticated websites.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUn4ryLUZFA&feature=youtube_gdata
Just updated my apps today and now Air Video supports TV out, will have to test it out with the VGA and RCA composite cables!