Today is a rough day for me. As someone who ordered the 3G version of the iPad I still have a few weeks before I receive mine. Which makes all the excited tech journalists reviewing the device now more of an annoyance than anything else. That in mind I thought I’d go in a different direction and address what I think Apple’s competitors can do to combat the iPad.
Microsoft
Bottom Line: Microsoft needs to create a touch centric interface for PC based “Slates” if they’re ever going to compete and they need to get all the manufacturers on board.
Microsoft is in the worst place here because the iPad could represent a danger to their Windows franchise and I don’t think they realize it yet. The iPad could easily become a person’s personal computer. Think about a world where you carry your desktop around like a tablet and then just hook it into a docking station when you get home. It’s not that hard to imagine.
(I’m not saying this will happen tomorrow but it could some day happen)
So Microsoft needs to fight this much harder than they are right now. That means getting the various manufacturers to agree to a common interface that lays on top of Windows 7. One that is designed around touch but which allows the user to run desktop applications as a secondary. Then they need to work on blending those two worlds in a way that makes SlatePCs usable.
There’s a lot more to this (enough for another post someday) but the lesson, IMHO, is that Microsoft’s on the wrong track with their current “just slap Windows 7 onto a Tablet” strategy.
HP, Asus and Others…
Bottom Line: Apple’s weaknesses is it’s rigidness and hardware manufacturers need to realize that and exploit it to their own ends.
Apple values it’s view of perfection over everything else. This is the root of their success but it’s also a weakness. Because companies with a singular goal don’t realize that most of their customers would prefer a compromise.
Example: I think most people wouldn’t care if a device was .25” thicker if it meant they could get USB ports to plug in peripherals. This is something that PC companies can exploit (and is something PC manufacturers have been using against the Mac for years).
On the software side Apple’s rigid rules give the manufacturers an opportunity. Again I’ll give an example: Apple restricts input interfaces to the ones they provide. If SlatePC manufacturers decided to embrace companies like Nuance (makers of Dragon NaturallySpeaking) they could make a tablet that’s a lot more usable.
(yes there’s a Dragon App on the iPad but you have to open it, record your message, copy it to the clipboard, go to the app you want to paste it into and paste it. Kind of tedious)
These are just a few examples but there are many more and that’s what hardware manufacturers need to look at when taking on Apple
Amazon (and to a lesser extent Barnes and Noble)
Bottom Line: The Kindle is a “single use device” and in that single use it’s better than the iPad. Amazon needs to focus on that single use and forget the rest
The most important thing for Amazon to remember is the deck is stacked against them. They have the more refined solution to reading books. The e-ink display really is easier on the eyes.
But reviewers are short sighted and, let’s be honest, most of these tech site reviewers don’t read that much. So while the Kindle might be perfect for those who love to read the iPad is going to be declared the better machine in almost every comparison.
Given that I think Amazon needs to take a couple actions…
1. Significantly drop the price: The time when they could charge a premium is long since over.
2. Screw the API: The Kindle is not an interesting device. Developers aren’t lining up to work on it nor will they. The beauty of the Kindle is that it’s great at one thing. Try to make it an all purpose device and it will just pale in comparison to the other all purpose devices (it is inferior to the iPad when looked at in that light)
In the end Amazon needs to create the best device for readers regardless of what Apple is doing. There’s still an argument to be made for single use devices and that should be where Amazon’s focus is.
Conclusion
For all the press the iPad actually has a lot of weaknesses. If competitors can ride the increased awareness the iPad brings and provide more they’ll both beat Apple and create a whole new revenue source for themselves.