

Tell HN: Why the iPad may be invulnerable - cpr

First off, yes, I'm an Apple fan, but now they're the over dog, so I'm no longer interested in them for that reason.<p>I think all this discussion about iPad competition misses one huge point that no one has noticed: just watch the keynote and the whole GarageBank application demo in particular.<p>Is anyone ever going to build an application like this (think about its depth--probably man-years of work, partly based on existing Mac code, but clearly with a huge effort to make all the virtual instruments with their life-like controls and more) for Android? I really doubt it. Google wouldn't and probably can't. The hardware manufacturers are a joke. Somem third-party could, but would anyone invest the time required on a risky venture like this?<p>Couple this serious play tool, which every teenager with a shred of curiosity about music would want, with the serious work tools like Pages, Keynote and Numbers, and you begin to see that Apple's main advantage in the tablet wars (at least in the volume business) isn't hardware but their own software apps.<p>Yes, at some level, if you just want to browse the web and check your email, all tablets are equal. But what really fires people up are these serious work/play apps. Once you see them in person, you're hooked.<p>I seriously wonder if any iPad competitor really has a chance, no matter what their hardware offering. I'm not trolling, honestly, and it'd clearly be a bad thing if other pads can't compete. I just think people are missing the forest for the trees.
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brudgers
> _"Couple this serious play tool, which every teenager with a shred of
> curiosity about music would want, with the serious work tools like Pages,
> Keynote and Number"_

The first part correctly identifies the conceptual basis for the iPad's appeal
to consumers. The latter part [mis]identifies the reason the iPad has less
appeal to enterprise. Apple's productivity apps don't scale well, and the iPad
versions of iWorks alter permanently documents.

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bockris
I'll see your 'GarageBand' and raise you a 'SketchUp' and 'GoogleEarth'.

Now I don't mean to get in a tit-for-tat because that's not the point. They
just concentrate on different things.

