iPad Now or iPad In A Few Months - Yes, Now Is Still A Good Time To Buy An iPad

The latest iPad (4th generation, or iPad 4) was introduced back in November of 2012.  It's only been four months since the last update, which was not all that different from the 3rd gen iPad except for some component updates over the 3rd generation iPad.  In fact, I think iPad 4 was the iPad with Retina Display that Apple wanted to release in the first place.

Having said that, is now still a good time to buy an iPad?  The answer is yes.  I just bought one a couple of weeks ago.  It's a white WiFi-only iPad 4 with 32 GB.  As you can see, I've got my original iPad from 2010 in the background playing an anime on Crackle.  

I bought the iPad 4 now because I needed it.  That's first reason for buying any tech.  If you need it and you don't have the time to wait another week, month, or even just a big longer, get it.  I bought it and had Apple came out with a new one today, there would be no regrets.  Simply put, the iPad 4 is awesome with its beautiful display.  Now, the original iPad has been relegated to a backup role or as a remote for the Apple TV, streaming videos, and some simple gaming.  The battery life is still pretty impressive by even today's standard so it'll be around as one of my main mobile arsenal for a while.

The second reason why I would still go out and buy today's iPad is because it's only been four months.  Now, if you want to wait until June or summer to pick one up, well, the problem with that is we just don't know when Apple will release a new iPad.  There's just too many moving pieces going on at Apple, the competitive environment, the economy, and who-knows-what that makes trying to game an iPad release particularly hard.  What has also made it difficult to decipher is that Apple did release the iPad 4 less than a year after the iPad 3.

And lastly, let's not forget that Apple just added a new 128 GB iPad to the lineup.  The move was particularly interesting.  Did Apple add the 128 GB iPad just because?  Did it do it to signal to the market that this was the first half iPad release in 2013?  Or did Apple do it to screw with Microsoft's Surface Pro debut?  However you look at it, it's only been three months since the iPad 4 and a newer 128 GB version came out about a month ago.

So, I think now is a good time to get an iPad because it simply is the best tablet out there on the market.  You can't go wrong with it.  Given the improvements in speed and graphics, you're future-proofed for a couple years at least.  

Look at me, two weeks ago, I was still hacking/swiping/touching away on the 2010 iPad.  

If you wait, what can you expect from the next iPad?  Well, you'll assuredly be rewarded with a redesigned form factor, possibly lighter than previous iPads.  Conventional thinking also suggests faster CPU, graphics, and maybe better camera.  

Personally, the only that that could have made me wait for this 5th generation iPad would be even longer battery life.  Now, that I've transferred the bulk of my work onto the iPad, 10 hours of battery life is great but I would like an additional 2-3 hours of insurance. 

Anything High-End Like iPhones, Purses, Cars Are Huge In China - So Why A Need For A Low-End iPhone?

No one denies that China is a big market for just about anything you can sell.  Take this report from NBC News that China is on the verge of coming the world largest luxury car brand.

China is already a big market for high-end European brands like Louis Vuitton.  Rolex is huge there too.  Apple reports that China is about to become its biggest market.

Cars, high-end fashion likes purses and watches, and Apple devices.

I still don't see a need for a cheap-ass iPhone, do you?

Apple Patent Allows Reselling of Digital Content

Source:  CNet.

The impact of this Apple patent that allows users to sell their digital content to another is very important, more than just getting of things you no longer want:  music, video, apps.  And it could lead to lowering of prices of expensive TV and movies over time.

First, music and apps in app stores are very cheap.  You can't argue against ninety-nine cents.  However, I do have a beef with TV and movie prices that cost more to buy and download than to have to go to Best Buy and picking up a copy, be it DVD or HD versions.

That just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.  And over time, prices will come down as physical media sales continue to nosedive.  However, if Apple implements this patent, it could drive costs lower.

Essentially, this is how Apple's patent would work: you buy a movie and you own the digital rights to watch it.  But you're disappointed with the quality of this crap out of Hollywood so you sell it to your wife's father who you hate.  He pays you for that rights and it transfer to him, gaining him the ability to watch that movie, and you no longer can.

What's ingenious about this patent is that a portion of the transaction fee for the resale could go to the original content producer/provider.  This would negate any whining from music studios or movie/TV makers.

What's interesting is Amazon has a scheme to allow users to resell their own content.

I guess the next step is for Amazon and Apple to negotiate with content rights owners and producers to enact this.  Personally, I can't wait.

It's stupid that I have to pay for a $20 HD movie that is a year old when Best Buy may have the Blu-Ray disc on sale for $5 on a given week.  I'm not one to have to go out and buy a movie right away. I'm cheap and so I can wait.

I hope we see this sort of reseller market soon.  It'll very dynamic and could even lead to sort of an exchange based on demand.

Twitter's App Upate Is Very Meticulous and Applesque

Source:  iMore.

Twitter just updated their iOS app in ways that is very Apple-like and so much so that I started writing this post with "Apple just updated their iOS app...".  What is much improved is search and a bit on looking at a webpage within the app.

Small incremental updates to an improving app.  so much so that I've deleted one other Twitter app because the official one is already good enough.

What also very Apple like is removal of features.  Additional video upload services is now gone.  Remember now Apple sometimes get rid of competitions from their Macs or iOS?

One feature I really would like for a future update (sooner rather than later) is the ability to have more than one account.  It would really become the one true Twitter app for power users.  This isn't something that the average mobile warrior would need but it would silence that vocal minority once and for all.

Back to the Apple-like improvements.  There were more than a few folks who about a year ago talked about how Apple should acquire Twitter because it would be a natural fit and that Apple would have its own social media platform.

I found that to be very unlikely to happen as it is not in Apple's DNA.  After all, Apple wants some form of control on iOS and OS X but it also wants to place nice with the likes of Facebook in the very competitive mobile market.

And that is what Tim Cook did even when Steve Jobs wouldn't play ball with Facebook's Zucker (I know that's not his name but that's my pet name for MZ).

It also says a lot about how Apple's influence has changed its competitors and those who are striving to be like Apple.

Apple Store: You Don't Wanna Sit On This When You Visit An Apple Store

Source:  Mac Blorge.

See those black round balls where people can sit on them?  They're mostly for kids.  Which means they'll pee on them too.  

iWhatever: That’s the Danger to Apple’s Dominance

Apple HDTV.  iWatch.  Cheap plasticky iDevices.  What they all have in common is that they could be Apple’s potential downfall in diluting the brand too much.  Just as Apple did not make a small slow netbook when people were clamoring for it, Apple is now being pressed to release products to satisfy the irrational and manufactured doomsday scenario that for some reason, Apple’s $130 billion+ in cash won’t allow it to weather.

Supposed if Steve Jobs caved to analyst pressure and release some cheap $400 Mac netbook that sluggishly ran the full OS X .  Apple would be crucified by the tech punids.  And then, how would Apple try to justify releasing $500 iPads or $329 iPad mini that doesn’t do all that the Mac netbook could run.

Instead of the netbook, Apple answered with the iPod touch for a few years before killing off the market entirely with the iPad.

Apple innovated instead of releasing a $400 garbage and waited for the right time to release a truly innovative solution.

Innovative product.  At a time of Apple’s choosing.

Apple’s strength has besides it’s innovative history is something that many other companies do not have.  Consider how much more products Apple’s competitors have on the market and the number of categories that they’re involved in.  If the key is getting into as many markets as a company possibly can and then try to cover the whole spectrum of the market with one or two flagship product and then cover the bottom with a flood of cheap products, Nokia, Motorola, and Samsung should be making much, much more money than Apple or anyone should.

And yet, Apple’s mobile profit has been twice that of its nearest competitor, Samsung, and bigger than many of its competitors put together.

Innovative product.  At a time of Apple’s choosing.  It’s called discipline.  Remember what Steve Jobs said in 1997, "I'm actually as proud of the things we haven't done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things."

 And this was not the first time Steve Jobs has said this.  He gave a similar quote to Fortune in 2008 in saying “we tend to focus much more. People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I'm actually as proud of many of the things we haven't done as the things we have done”.

I have no doubt that Apple is still the most innovative company in the world and will continue to be so in the near future.  Now, let’s see if Tim Cook and Apple’s management has the courage and discipline to say “no”.

Traditional Watch Companies Need Not Be Blinded By The Coming Onslaught Of Smart Watches

With all the talk about Apple and other tech guys getting into wearable gears like watches, I wonder how many of those folks are shaking in their boots right now about.

Or should they even be worried?

Watches, along with those high-end purses, really speaks to status than anything.  So, while some brands could potentially suffer, certain brands should be able to weather any onslaught the mobile guys are likely to dish out.  It’s unfathomable that Apple, Google, or Samsung will have the cool factor to come out with $10,000 smart watches that can challenge Rolex’s name.

Forget the uber-rich brands for now.  Even some of your more mainstream brands will continue to have appeals as regular watches simply because they are regular watches.  These days, everyone has a mobile device that could tell time and, yet, the companies that make watches, likely were hit hard during initial surge of smartphone adoptions,  have survived and still managed to keep on ticking.

It’s likely that they will continue to have their customers even when smart watches do hit the market.  They’ve got two options.  One, they can continue to make watches.  Sure, they’ll get hit a bit more but those companies that survive should continue to endure.  Second, they can join in the smart watch war.  They can consider both options and even bloody the noses of the mobile guys.

I recently just bought a pretty nice watch that does nothing but tell time.  It’s got a style I like and also because it was not a smart watch.  I totally see other folks who love watches and the style they bring to continue buying and wearing time pieces that do nothing more than tell time (or date if at all).

There will be a market for watches.  Just like there is a market for dedicated GPS devices even though they were hit hard when every mobile device makers added GPS chips to their phones.

Yes, the watch makers have to worry.  However, if they plot their future strategies carefully, I think they’ll do well.  Not all but most top tier guys and those who are able to market themselves smartly can even thrive.