Entelligence: One device to rule them all -- or not
Timely post on Engadget. E-books are the wild card, in my opinion, since the e-ink experience is so different (and necessary) for reading vs. a color display system (ala the iPad).
I can't speak for e-book readers, but I do agree with respect with other devices. The rapid improvements on specialized devices are leaps and bounds more appealing to me. While camera phones are still hovering on average on 3-5 megapixels with pretty crappy quality, many consumer digital cameras - just as portable and pocketable as phones - are increasingly superfantasticamazing. I mostly find myself cursing the quality of the shots from my (our) at-the-time top-of-the-line Motorola ZN5.
In general, I think the high price point of convergence devices are huge barriers to MOST people considering them for any small subset of their functions. I'd be much more willing to buy a $99 e-reader and/or a wi-fi capable netbook at $200-300 than buy an iPad and data plan for $(ABSURDAMOUNT).
I can't speak for e-book readers, but I do agree with respect with other devices. The rapid improvements on specialized devices are leaps and bounds more appealing to me. While camera phones are still hovering on average on 3-5 megapixels with pretty crappy quality, many consumer digital cameras - just as portable and pocketable as phones - are increasingly superfantasticamazing. I mostly find myself cursing the quality of the shots from my (our) at-the-time top-of-the-line Motorola ZN5.
ReplyDeleteIn general, I think the high price point of convergence devices are huge barriers to MOST people considering them for any small subset of their functions. I'd be much more willing to buy a $99 e-reader and/or a wi-fi capable netbook at $200-300 than buy an iPad and data plan for $(ABSURDAMOUNT).
Good point about the data plan -- one of the biggest things I love about my iPod touch.
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