This guide will tell you how to:
1. Configure your Android Device for locating. 2. Locate your Android Device on Google maps. 3. Lock your Android Device. 4. Reset the PIN on your Android Device.
1
Configure your Android Device:
2
Go to the android market and install the Google Apps Device Policy Application.
3
Go to Settings> Accounts> and Add a new account (This will be your Google Apps Account).
4
While adding the Google Apps account you may or may not be redirected to the Google Apps Device Policy App.
5
Once you finish adding the Google Apps Account in the Accounts Section, go to the Google Apps Device Policy App and configure the app to link with the newly added account.
6
Viewing the device on the Internet:
7
Log in to your Google Apps Account on the web.
8
Once logged in, copy this URL (https://www.google.com/apps/mydevices/b/0) into another tab in the browser you are currently using.
9
You will be redirected to a page with your device and Information pertaining to it.
10
Use the Service:
11
You will be given options to -
12
Manage (Reset PIN, Ring Device, Lock Device etc.)
13
Locate using Google maps
14
View your device information -
15
Model: XXXX
16
Hardware Id: 012XXXX043XXXX5
17
Android Version: 2.X.X
18
Last Sync: 14 Dec, 20XX 05:X2 AM
19
Registered: 13 Dec, 20XX 03:X2 PM
20
Status: Active
•Make sure the Google Apps Device Policy application is installed on your phone via the android market (The corporate email sync will not function without this).
•Multiple devices can be located using the My Devices feature in Google for Business and Education customers.
•Your company's system administrator can see your device information when the device is linked to the Google Apps Account.
You'll Need
A Google Apps Account (more information in sources below).
Google Apps Device Policy App installed on your Android Device
Your Google Apps Account to be linked with the Google Apps Device Policy App.
What is the best tablet and what makes it so?
Friday, October 25, 2013
How to Get the Right Tablet the First Time
So you want to get a touch tablet, right? If so, this is probably the best article you could be reading because there are not many guides for choosing the best known tablet out there. This guide is a little bit different. You actually can choose between your price range, and get the right tablet, the first time! Hence the title.
1 Have an idea what its primary purpose will be. What kind of tablet do you want to invest or spend on? This can be a variety of answers. And don't be afraid to spend a little more then you bargain for; in the end, you will most likely enjoy your tablet. •Want to do work and play at the same time? Choose the iPad. •Need to design artwork, Photoshop? Choose the Wacom brand. •Want to use a stylus with your tablet? Just go to the electronics store. •Want to just play (games, books, shopping)? Choose the iPad.
2 Choose a price range that's right for you. Never buy a tablet for over $1,000 if you just intend to spend less than a couple of hours on it.
3 Consider the storage you think you will need. How much storage do you plan on using? In most cases, when the storage (example: 16GB) goes up then the price goes up about $150 every time it doubles. If you're planning on having a low storage, a 16GB (gigabyte) storage is fine. If you plan on using a whole lot of storage, such as playing games or just using it for a while, try 32GB to 64GB. Having anymore than that would just cost more money, and you're probably not going to use it all.
Tips •Don't buy a tablet for over $1,000. There are many tablets that can fit your budget for your need foe less than that. •Don't get a storage capacity of more than 64GB. Why? Because it takes a while to fill that up.
1 Have an idea what its primary purpose will be. What kind of tablet do you want to invest or spend on? This can be a variety of answers. And don't be afraid to spend a little more then you bargain for; in the end, you will most likely enjoy your tablet. •Want to do work and play at the same time? Choose the iPad. •Need to design artwork, Photoshop? Choose the Wacom brand. •Want to use a stylus with your tablet? Just go to the electronics store. •Want to just play (games, books, shopping)? Choose the iPad.
2 Choose a price range that's right for you. Never buy a tablet for over $1,000 if you just intend to spend less than a couple of hours on it.
3 Consider the storage you think you will need. How much storage do you plan on using? In most cases, when the storage (example: 16GB) goes up then the price goes up about $150 every time it doubles. If you're planning on having a low storage, a 16GB (gigabyte) storage is fine. If you plan on using a whole lot of storage, such as playing games or just using it for a while, try 32GB to 64GB. Having anymore than that would just cost more money, and you're probably not going to use it all.
Tips •Don't buy a tablet for over $1,000. There are many tablets that can fit your budget for your need foe less than that. •Don't get a storage capacity of more than 64GB. Why? Because it takes a while to fill that up.
How to Use an Android Tablet
Android tablets are easy-to-use devices that can be used for multiple purposes like: checking e-mails, playing games, watching videos, listening to music. It can also be used as a camera or camcorder. However, an Android tablet is a bit different from an Android mobile phone. Not only are the hardware specifications different, the user-interface is different too.
1 Set up your Android. While the OS is very easy to use, you'll need a Google account to download apps via the Google Play Store.
2 Understand the functionality of the three-basic touch-capacitive keys. These basic control keys are used for controlling applications and other basic commands: •The home button: This is used to jump to the home screen of your Android device. If pressed in between another activity (game, or application), the OS puts the activity in the background. Using this button will, usually, not shut down any application or game; instead, it will run in the background. •The back button: This is used to go to the previous page or activity. •Multi-tasking button: Android tablets running Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0) and higher will have a multi-tasking button (parallelogram-shaped button). Tapping this button will give a list of all applications running in the background. Swapping a running application to the left or right (in the multi-task screen) will close the application. This is particularly useful to clear RAM and speed up the device. •Older Android tablets may have an Menu (or settings) button (represented by three parallel horizontal lines). This button gives the user access to additional options for particular apps. This button is not found on devices running Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean out of the box.
3
Check the version of Android your tablet is running on. Different tablets run on different versions of the Android OS. The Android version can be found in the About Phone section of the settings panel. •Most tablets run on Android Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0) or higher.[1] The latest version of Android is Jelly Bean (4.2.2). Generally, the higher the version of Android, better will be the device performance.
•Some older tablets run on Android Honeycomb (3.x). Honeycomb was a tablet-specific version which wasn't available for mobile phones running on Android.
•The OS version gives a brief idea of the features packed in a tablet. For example: Tablets (and phones) running on Jelly Bean version have Google Now[2] (voice-assistant service by Google) in-built.
4
The Play Store application icon on an Android deviceThe Play Store application icon on an Android device
Download applications. Google Play Store has a vast collection of tools, applications and games that will make your Android experience much better. •Download an office app that will help you view and/ or edit documents. Most Android tablets come with an in-built document viewer. If you want to download a free office editor for Android, try downloading the Kingsoft Office application.
•Try using your Android device to take notes, add calendar events and get directions.[3] It can be used for various other activities too.
•Try installing wikiHow's Android application that contains our huge collection of how-to articles!
5 Customize your Android. Google's open source[4] Android OS gives you the power to customize your device. •Make custom Android smart actions. Setting up smart actions will carry out specific activities when specific conditions are met. Smart actions can be customized to suit your needs. Note: Smart actions may not be available on all devices. However, you can download similar apps from the Google Play Store. •Adjust Screen Timeout. The screen timeout time can be a drain on the battery, especially if it is too long. Setting up a screen timeout is the one of the best ways to save power while your phone is on. •Create your own wallpapers, widgets, etc.
6
Speed up your device. Speeding up your device can be done in a number of ways[5]: •
An OTA (Over The Air) software update option, found under Settings > About phone > Software Update > Update
Update your version/ firmware. Device manufacturers roll out updates occasionally to fix bugs, reduce lags, and improve performance. Be on the look out for updates for your device.
•Download a task-killer and anti-virus applications. Some devices come with an in-built task manager while most don't. Task manager will allow you to close the apps that are running in the background (and use up RAM). Anti-virus application will keep you safe from any external threats.
•Remove unneeded widgets from the home screen. Widgets are useful to quickly access important apps or get information. However, unneeded widgets use up a lot of processing power and will slow down your tablet.
7 Configure Sync options. Syncing is an efficient way to transfer data like pictures, videos, contacts, messages, emails, and more, between many devices (including your PC). To configure synchronization options for apps or accounts, go to Settings -> Accounts & sync.[6] •Sync your Gmail emails, contacts, calender with Windows Outlook or other accounts.[7] •Set up Gmail in Microsoft Outlook. Set the server type to IMAP. Set the incoming mail server to imap.gmail.com and outgoing mail server to smtp.gmail.com. Enter log-in information (Gmail username and password). Under "More Settings", open the Advanced tab. Set incoming server to 933 with SSL encryption and your outgoing server to 587 with TLS encryption.[8] •Set up Gmail in Mozilla Thunderbird. Mozilla Thunderbird is a cross-platform open-source email client. To set up Gmail in Thunderbird, first, enable IMAP in your Google account settings. Open Thunderbird and go to Tools -> Account Settings. Add a new mail account; and input your name, email-address and password. Thunderbird will automatically try to configure your Gmail account for Thunderbird.[9]
8 Back-up your data. Back up your data to your computer, mobile phone or an external storage. You can also try backing up on the Google Cloud.
Tips •Set up a maze lock (if your device supports it), for additional security. To set this up, go to Settings --> Location & Security. •Switching off your device completely will clear temporary data and the device will run faster. •Try downloading a file manager that will allow you to access external storage easily.
Warnings •Installing Custom ROMs might give you additional features, but they will void your warranty and could affect the device's performance. If this is not done correctly, it could cause irreversible damage to your device. •The path for setting up the steps might vary, depending on your manufacturer and Android version.
1 Set up your Android. While the OS is very easy to use, you'll need a Google account to download apps via the Google Play Store.
2 Understand the functionality of the three-basic touch-capacitive keys. These basic control keys are used for controlling applications and other basic commands: •The home button: This is used to jump to the home screen of your Android device. If pressed in between another activity (game, or application), the OS puts the activity in the background. Using this button will, usually, not shut down any application or game; instead, it will run in the background. •The back button: This is used to go to the previous page or activity. •Multi-tasking button: Android tablets running Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0) and higher will have a multi-tasking button (parallelogram-shaped button). Tapping this button will give a list of all applications running in the background. Swapping a running application to the left or right (in the multi-task screen) will close the application. This is particularly useful to clear RAM and speed up the device. •Older Android tablets may have an Menu (or settings) button (represented by three parallel horizontal lines). This button gives the user access to additional options for particular apps. This button is not found on devices running Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean out of the box.
4
5 Customize your Android. Google's open source[4] Android OS gives you the power to customize your device. •Make custom Android smart actions. Setting up smart actions will carry out specific activities when specific conditions are met. Smart actions can be customized to suit your needs. Note: Smart actions may not be available on all devices. However, you can download similar apps from the Google Play Store. •Adjust Screen Timeout. The screen timeout time can be a drain on the battery, especially if it is too long. Setting up a screen timeout is the one of the best ways to save power while your phone is on. •Create your own wallpapers, widgets, etc.
7 Configure Sync options. Syncing is an efficient way to transfer data like pictures, videos, contacts, messages, emails, and more, between many devices (including your PC). To configure synchronization options for apps or accounts, go to Settings -> Accounts & sync.[6] •Sync your Gmail emails, contacts, calender with Windows Outlook or other accounts.[7] •Set up Gmail in Microsoft Outlook. Set the server type to IMAP. Set the incoming mail server to imap.gmail.com and outgoing mail server to smtp.gmail.com. Enter log-in information (Gmail username and password). Under "More Settings", open the Advanced tab. Set incoming server to 933 with SSL encryption and your outgoing server to 587 with TLS encryption.[8] •Set up Gmail in Mozilla Thunderbird. Mozilla Thunderbird is a cross-platform open-source email client. To set up Gmail in Thunderbird, first, enable IMAP in your Google account settings. Open Thunderbird and go to Tools -> Account Settings. Add a new mail account; and input your name, email-address and password. Thunderbird will automatically try to configure your Gmail account for Thunderbird.[9]
8 Back-up your data. Back up your data to your computer, mobile phone or an external storage. You can also try backing up on the Google Cloud.
Tips •Set up a maze lock (if your device supports it), for additional security. To set this up, go to Settings --> Location & Security. •Switching off your device completely will clear temporary data and the device will run faster. •Try downloading a file manager that will allow you to access external storage easily.
Warnings •Installing Custom ROMs might give you additional features, but they will void your warranty and could affect the device's performance. If this is not done correctly, it could cause irreversible damage to your device. •The path for setting up the steps might vary, depending on your manufacturer and Android version.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
As Tablet Wars Heat Up, Apple's New iPads Get Serious Upgrades
BY Amy Gahran | October 22, 2013|
Not that Apple would ever admit it, but the new line of iPads launched today are responding to some key challenges that have emerged as the tablet market has grown more crowded and fierce.
New research from Gartner shows that tablet shipments are expected to jump 53 percent this year, compared to 2012. Apple can no longer take for granted its initial dominance in this fast-growing and increasingly diverse market. Consumers want choices -- which may explain why in September Android tablets collectively overtook iPads as the most popular type of tablet.
Today Apple unveiled the new iPad Air: a thinner, lighter full-size tablet. Apple also announced upgrades to the iPad Mini.
Here's a look at some of the new features and what they mean for consumers.
Weight: One of the main criticisms of full-size (10-inch) tablets has been their weight. So lighter is probably the biggest benefit of the iPad Air. This device weighs just one pound, down from 1.4 pounds for the iPad 2. For a device that you’d likely hold in your hands for significant chunks of time (reading books, watching videos, video calling, etc.) the decreased weight would make it less tiring to hold your iPad longer -- something users are likely to value.
Meanwhile, most other 10-inch tablets still weigh in at around 1.3 to 1.4 pounds. The newly released Microsoft Surface 2 weighs in at more than 2 pounds, not even including its much-touted snap-on keyboard accessory. Microsoft doesn’t even list weight under the specs for the Surface 2, it’s probably not something they’d want to highlight.
Related: Tablet Wars: Nokia Lumia 2520 vs. Microsoft Surface 2
Performance: In tablets, performance has been a weak spot. Tablet users often complain about how these devices are generally slower to render images, open files, etc. compared to desktop or laptop computers.
All new Apple mobile products launched today, including the iPad Air, offer faster performance thanks to Apple’s new A7 64-bit processor -- which debuted earlier this year with the iPhone 5S, and has been getting positive reviews. They also all feature MIMO Wi-Fi, which offers faster data throughput (up to 300 mbps), and a Retina display (now also on the new iPad Mini). These hardware features should make the new Apple mobile devices feel noticeably snappier and more responsive than many competing devices.
Cost: This has gotten to be a key market pressure for tablets. Apple has always been able to sell their products at a substantial price premium, but they appear to be less ambitious in terms of pricing for the iPad Air.
The iPad Air should be available in retail stores November 1. Prices for the iPad Air start at $499 for Wi-Fi only ($629 Wi-Fi + cellular, including LTE on some carriers), making it the highest-end iPad offering. If that’s too pricey, Apple is continuing to sell the full-size iPad 2, and it has dropped its price as it now starts at $399 for Wi-Fi and $529 for Wi-Fi + 3G.
This means the iPad Air isn’t hugely more expensive than Google’s Nexus 10 tablet (Wi-Fi only, starts at $399), and it’s also less pricey than the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1- 2014 Edition, which starts at $529 for Wi-Fi only. So, quietly, Apple's mobile products are easing off on the premium pricing.
Related: Why iPads Are the New Retail Design Must Have
For the first couple of years after the debut of the first iPad, Apple contended that the 10-inch tablets were what consumers wanted. So the company didn’t debut the 7-inch iPad Mini until last year, well after several other 7-inch tablets had hit the market (including the unexpectedly popular, though lower-performing, Kindle Fire tablets from Amazon). But new research from Gartner shows that smaller tablets are highly popular: 47 percent of consumers surveyed own a tablet that’s 8 inches or less.
One of the main attractions of smaller tablets, aside from how they’re more portable, is the smaller price tag. The new iPad Mini with a 7.9-inch Retina display, which will be available later in November, starts at $399 for Wi-Fi ($529 for Wi-Fi plus cellular, including LTE on some carriers).
Apple also will continue to sell the original iPad Mini (no Retina display), and it has dropped the starting price to $299 (down from $329). This puts an iPad Mini in at roughly comparable price range to the new 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX, which starts at $229 -- but for that extra $70, iPad Mini users get markedly superior features, performance and battery life.
Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229570#ixzz2ieAo9LOZ
New research from Gartner shows that tablet shipments are expected to jump 53 percent this year, compared to 2012. Apple can no longer take for granted its initial dominance in this fast-growing and increasingly diverse market. Consumers want choices -- which may explain why in September Android tablets collectively overtook iPads as the most popular type of tablet.
Today Apple unveiled the new iPad Air: a thinner, lighter full-size tablet. Apple also announced upgrades to the iPad Mini.
Here's a look at some of the new features and what they mean for consumers.
Weight: One of the main criticisms of full-size (10-inch) tablets has been their weight. So lighter is probably the biggest benefit of the iPad Air. This device weighs just one pound, down from 1.4 pounds for the iPad 2. For a device that you’d likely hold in your hands for significant chunks of time (reading books, watching videos, video calling, etc.) the decreased weight would make it less tiring to hold your iPad longer -- something users are likely to value.
Meanwhile, most other 10-inch tablets still weigh in at around 1.3 to 1.4 pounds. The newly released Microsoft Surface 2 weighs in at more than 2 pounds, not even including its much-touted snap-on keyboard accessory. Microsoft doesn’t even list weight under the specs for the Surface 2, it’s probably not something they’d want to highlight.
Related: Tablet Wars: Nokia Lumia 2520 vs. Microsoft Surface 2
Performance: In tablets, performance has been a weak spot. Tablet users often complain about how these devices are generally slower to render images, open files, etc. compared to desktop or laptop computers.
All new Apple mobile products launched today, including the iPad Air, offer faster performance thanks to Apple’s new A7 64-bit processor -- which debuted earlier this year with the iPhone 5S, and has been getting positive reviews. They also all feature MIMO Wi-Fi, which offers faster data throughput (up to 300 mbps), and a Retina display (now also on the new iPad Mini). These hardware features should make the new Apple mobile devices feel noticeably snappier and more responsive than many competing devices.
Cost: This has gotten to be a key market pressure for tablets. Apple has always been able to sell their products at a substantial price premium, but they appear to be less ambitious in terms of pricing for the iPad Air.
The iPad Air should be available in retail stores November 1. Prices for the iPad Air start at $499 for Wi-Fi only ($629 Wi-Fi + cellular, including LTE on some carriers), making it the highest-end iPad offering. If that’s too pricey, Apple is continuing to sell the full-size iPad 2, and it has dropped its price as it now starts at $399 for Wi-Fi and $529 for Wi-Fi + 3G.
This means the iPad Air isn’t hugely more expensive than Google’s Nexus 10 tablet (Wi-Fi only, starts at $399), and it’s also less pricey than the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1- 2014 Edition, which starts at $529 for Wi-Fi only. So, quietly, Apple's mobile products are easing off on the premium pricing.
Related: Why iPads Are the New Retail Design Must Have
For the first couple of years after the debut of the first iPad, Apple contended that the 10-inch tablets were what consumers wanted. So the company didn’t debut the 7-inch iPad Mini until last year, well after several other 7-inch tablets had hit the market (including the unexpectedly popular, though lower-performing, Kindle Fire tablets from Amazon). But new research from Gartner shows that smaller tablets are highly popular: 47 percent of consumers surveyed own a tablet that’s 8 inches or less.
One of the main attractions of smaller tablets, aside from how they’re more portable, is the smaller price tag. The new iPad Mini with a 7.9-inch Retina display, which will be available later in November, starts at $399 for Wi-Fi ($529 for Wi-Fi plus cellular, including LTE on some carriers).
Apple also will continue to sell the original iPad Mini (no Retina display), and it has dropped the starting price to $299 (down from $329). This puts an iPad Mini in at roughly comparable price range to the new 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX, which starts at $229 -- but for that extra $70, iPad Mini users get markedly superior features, performance and battery life.
Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/229570#ixzz2ieAo9LOZ
Why Android Is Winning The Tablet Wars
Android tablets took the lead from Apple AAPL +0.98%‘s iOS tablets in Q1 of 2013 (source). This is a huge change from three years ago, when Apple invented the modern tablet.
Global electronic tablet market share by OS and Vendor; data via IDC and Strategy Analytics.
What is happening and where is this going? I see four driving forces:
1.Tablets are more than a media consumption device now 2.Android has matured 3.The rise of Samsung 4.Democratization of tablets
Tablet computing is well beyond the control of Apple’s iTunes content delivery system. In the early days of the iPod and the iPhone (ancestors of the iPad), you could hardly use the product without periodic plug-ins to iTunes to get content and configure the device. After that Apple’s App Store held hegemony on the apps that give tablets value.
Data via CivicScience.com; See end notes on category definitions.
Those days are over the biggest usage mode for tablets is communications: e-mail, web, social media, etc., where Apple has no advantage in content access. Work usage is also important, and the productivity apps for Apple and Android are fairly comparable.
The second biggest use is media and entertainment. Apple had a big advantage at the start here, but the playing field here has been leveled to a large extent. eBooks and music are equally available on Android, a wide selection of video is available from Google GOOG +2.42% Play, Netflix NFLX +2.39%, and Amazon, and there are numerous Android tablet games, although probably fewer options than iOS.
Android itself has come a long way, most recently on tablets. Android 3.0 “Honeycomb” two years ago was weak and buggy, however the current 4.2 “Jelly Bean” release is full-featured and slick. Market research suggests that Android users love their OS just as much as iOS users love theirs (more). Combined with a nice hardward platform like the Nexus7, Android delivers a very competitive tablet.
And, Samsung is a force of nature. At CES in 2011 they had a Galaxy product targeting every Apple mobile product from the iTouch to the iPad. They experiment with many size and design variations: they were early with the now-dominant 7 inch tablet and pioneered the surprisingly successful “phablet” concept (~5″ devices that are big phones or small tablets). Consumer research showed that Samsung’s brand did not match Apple’s, and they responded with a brand marketing blitz that makes them the biggest U.S. spender in mobile electronics, including LeBron James in a Superbowl ad. Samsung is now arguably a stronger brand than Android; the two together are formidable.
Global electronic tablet market share by OS and Vendor; data via IDC and Strategy Analytics.
What is happening and where is this going? I see four driving forces:
1.Tablets are more than a media consumption device now 2.Android has matured 3.The rise of Samsung 4.Democratization of tablets
Tablet computing is well beyond the control of Apple’s iTunes content delivery system. In the early days of the iPod and the iPhone (ancestors of the iPad), you could hardly use the product without periodic plug-ins to iTunes to get content and configure the device. After that Apple’s App Store held hegemony on the apps that give tablets value.
Data via CivicScience.com; See end notes on category definitions.
Those days are over the biggest usage mode for tablets is communications: e-mail, web, social media, etc., where Apple has no advantage in content access. Work usage is also important, and the productivity apps for Apple and Android are fairly comparable.
The second biggest use is media and entertainment. Apple had a big advantage at the start here, but the playing field here has been leveled to a large extent. eBooks and music are equally available on Android, a wide selection of video is available from Google GOOG +2.42% Play, Netflix NFLX +2.39%, and Amazon, and there are numerous Android tablet games, although probably fewer options than iOS.
Android itself has come a long way, most recently on tablets. Android 3.0 “Honeycomb” two years ago was weak and buggy, however the current 4.2 “Jelly Bean” release is full-featured and slick. Market research suggests that Android users love their OS just as much as iOS users love theirs (more). Combined with a nice hardward platform like the Nexus7, Android delivers a very competitive tablet.
And, Samsung is a force of nature. At CES in 2011 they had a Galaxy product targeting every Apple mobile product from the iTouch to the iPad. They experiment with many size and design variations: they were early with the now-dominant 7 inch tablet and pioneered the surprisingly successful “phablet” concept (~5″ devices that are big phones or small tablets). Consumer research showed that Samsung’s brand did not match Apple’s, and they responded with a brand marketing blitz that makes them the biggest U.S. spender in mobile electronics, including LeBron James in a Superbowl ad. Samsung is now arguably a stronger brand than Android; the two together are formidable.
If Tablets Are Replacing Computers, Why Doesn't the iPad Have a Keyboard?
By Will Oremus
Apple unveiled its new iPad Air on Tuesday, and as expected, it’s impressively light and sleek. But it’s missing something that a lot of Apple-watchers had hoped it would have: an attachable keyboard.
There were rumors ahead of Tuesday’s event that Apple was looking into iPad keyboard covers along the lines of Microsoft’s Touch Cover, which doubles as a touch-sensitive keyboard and touchpad for Microsoft’s Surface tablets. But the covers didn’t materialize. Instead Apple simply rolled out a new batch of smart covers, which is something of a misnomer: The only thing smart about smart covers is that they put your computer to sleep when you close them and wake it up when you open them. There’s no keyboard, no touchpad, no accessory port. Sure, you can add a separate wireless keyboard to your tablet, or buy a third-party keyboard case. But these tend to be ugly and bulky to carry around, which rather defeats the purpose of getting an iPad Air. Without a real keyboard, a tablet can’t plausibly claim to replace anyone’s laptop for work purposes. So why didn’t Apple build one? As I wrote in my (admittedly harsh) first take on the Microsoft Surface 2, the fact is that almost no one today uses tablets for work. People use computers for work, smartphones for communication, and tablets for entertainment when they’re on an airplane, on the toilet, or relaxing on the couch. Some may also use tablets in mobile work environments, like a doctor’s office or an Apple store, but rarely if ever for Word processing, or while sitting at a desk. Microsoft is trying to change that. And, to be fair, it’s on the leading edge of what many industry watchers are convinced will be an inexorable trend toward convergence of tablets and laptops.
But trying to change people’s habits is a risky business model. It might make sense for Microsoft, which came late to the game and is struggling to carve out a niche. For Apple, whose iPads dominate the market, it’s much safer to keep optimizing those devices for the purposes to which they’re best-suited: movies, email, games and the like. To Apple, even a beautiful, ultra-slim touch keyboard probably seems like a distraction from the ultimate goal of building the perfect mobile entertainment machine.
The big question is whether Apple is sacrificing long-term market leadership for short-term profit. Those who believe convergence is just a matter of time might view Microsoft as the plucky insurgent in the market, slowly but surely disrupting the established business model upon which Apple relies. In that scenario, Apple’s iPad sales—not to mention the sales of those fancy new computers it just announced—will continue to plateau and eventually decline unless or until it gives in and follows Microsoft’s lead. How’s that for a tech-industry turnabout?
It’s also conceivable that Tim Cook is right, and that the tablet-laptop convergence has been overhyped. As he told investors last year:
Anything can be forced to converge. The problem is that the products are about tradeoffs. You begin to make tradeoffs to the point where what you have left at the end of the day doesn’t please anyone.
So Microsoft is banking on people replacing laptops with tablets, and Apple is banking on people continuing to buy both.
Here’s an idea: They’re both right. Tablets will replace computers, but only for people who can’t afford computers. As the global masses continue to come online, they’ll increasingly use Surface-style hybrids for both work and entertainment. (Whether Microsoft can actually capture that market is a question for another story.) But the world’s wealthy will reject the tradeoffs that those devices require. Instead, they’ll continue for the foreseeable future to own at least three devices: a desktop or laptop for work, a tablet for mobile applications, and either a smartphone or smart watch for instant communication. And they’ll continue to largely prefer Apple’s finely honed products to those of its less tightly focused competitors.
The downside for Apple in that arrangement is that its iPads will never conquer the world. Indeed, as the Statista chart below shows, iPad sales growth has tapered sharply in the past year, and the iPad Air may not change that. But this fits with the approach that Apple took earlier this year when it declined to produce a really cheap iPhone. The upside is that Cupertino gets to keep its grip on the high end of the global marketplace, with all the fat profit margins that entails. And if Apple can’t make its next fortune selling tablets to people who can’t afford multiple devices, maybe it can make it selling smart watches to people who can.
Apple unveiled its new iPad Air on Tuesday, and as expected, it’s impressively light and sleek. But it’s missing something that a lot of Apple-watchers had hoped it would have: an attachable keyboard.
There were rumors ahead of Tuesday’s event that Apple was looking into iPad keyboard covers along the lines of Microsoft’s Touch Cover, which doubles as a touch-sensitive keyboard and touchpad for Microsoft’s Surface tablets. But the covers didn’t materialize. Instead Apple simply rolled out a new batch of smart covers, which is something of a misnomer: The only thing smart about smart covers is that they put your computer to sleep when you close them and wake it up when you open them. There’s no keyboard, no touchpad, no accessory port. Sure, you can add a separate wireless keyboard to your tablet, or buy a third-party keyboard case. But these tend to be ugly and bulky to carry around, which rather defeats the purpose of getting an iPad Air. Without a real keyboard, a tablet can’t plausibly claim to replace anyone’s laptop for work purposes. So why didn’t Apple build one? As I wrote in my (admittedly harsh) first take on the Microsoft Surface 2, the fact is that almost no one today uses tablets for work. People use computers for work, smartphones for communication, and tablets for entertainment when they’re on an airplane, on the toilet, or relaxing on the couch. Some may also use tablets in mobile work environments, like a doctor’s office or an Apple store, but rarely if ever for Word processing, or while sitting at a desk. Microsoft is trying to change that. And, to be fair, it’s on the leading edge of what many industry watchers are convinced will be an inexorable trend toward convergence of tablets and laptops.
But trying to change people’s habits is a risky business model. It might make sense for Microsoft, which came late to the game and is struggling to carve out a niche. For Apple, whose iPads dominate the market, it’s much safer to keep optimizing those devices for the purposes to which they’re best-suited: movies, email, games and the like. To Apple, even a beautiful, ultra-slim touch keyboard probably seems like a distraction from the ultimate goal of building the perfect mobile entertainment machine.
The big question is whether Apple is sacrificing long-term market leadership for short-term profit. Those who believe convergence is just a matter of time might view Microsoft as the plucky insurgent in the market, slowly but surely disrupting the established business model upon which Apple relies. In that scenario, Apple’s iPad sales—not to mention the sales of those fancy new computers it just announced—will continue to plateau and eventually decline unless or until it gives in and follows Microsoft’s lead. How’s that for a tech-industry turnabout?
It’s also conceivable that Tim Cook is right, and that the tablet-laptop convergence has been overhyped. As he told investors last year:
Anything can be forced to converge. The problem is that the products are about tradeoffs. You begin to make tradeoffs to the point where what you have left at the end of the day doesn’t please anyone.
So Microsoft is banking on people replacing laptops with tablets, and Apple is banking on people continuing to buy both.
Here’s an idea: They’re both right. Tablets will replace computers, but only for people who can’t afford computers. As the global masses continue to come online, they’ll increasingly use Surface-style hybrids for both work and entertainment. (Whether Microsoft can actually capture that market is a question for another story.) But the world’s wealthy will reject the tradeoffs that those devices require. Instead, they’ll continue for the foreseeable future to own at least three devices: a desktop or laptop for work, a tablet for mobile applications, and either a smartphone or smart watch for instant communication. And they’ll continue to largely prefer Apple’s finely honed products to those of its less tightly focused competitors.
The downside for Apple in that arrangement is that its iPads will never conquer the world. Indeed, as the Statista chart below shows, iPad sales growth has tapered sharply in the past year, and the iPad Air may not change that. But this fits with the approach that Apple took earlier this year when it declined to produce a really cheap iPhone. The upside is that Cupertino gets to keep its grip on the high end of the global marketplace, with all the fat profit margins that entails. And if Apple can’t make its next fortune selling tablets to people who can’t afford multiple devices, maybe it can make it selling smart watches to people who can.
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