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To: roadcat
I was pinged to this thread late, and I haven't read through the rest of the several hundred comments, but I figured I'd jump in here anyway.

Okay. But you do realize that most devices have moved beyond that, years ago, with wi-fi wireless transmission of data between devices. With my iPad, I manipulate data files wirelessly between my other computers. No more sneaker-net with floppies or cards.

There are times that sneakernet is still useful. I'm one of those who really likes having a slot for a card, especially as they just keep getting bigger and bigger capacity wise. You can get a 32GB micro-sd card at Frys for less than $20 today. That's freaking amazing. It's an easy (and cheap) way to expand the memory on your phone/tablet.

One really nice thing about Apple devices is that they aren't crap. I think the company is really smart in letting other folks have the bottom of the hardware market. You know when you're getting an Appl product that it's going to work, that it's going to perform, and that it's not going to give you much trouble. There is a need in the market for a company like that. If you only want to spend $300 on a computer, you're not going to buy an Apple product. Then again, if you only spend $300 on a computer, you get what you pay for.

All that said, when I was looking for a tablet a few months ago, the entire Apple line was pretty much immediately ruled out for me for 2 reasons.

  1. Lack of SD card - Yeah, pulling things across the air is nice, and even with my Galaxy, I pretty much use the SSH app I downloaded to move stuff to/from my desktop most of the time. However, if I'd like to have a few movies available for when I'm not connected, I like having a spare SD card with craploads of space that I don't have to dedicate on my tablet for that.

  2. Proprietary connectors - hate them. They are the bane of the computer world. It's bad enough that we have USB, USB-mini, and USB-Micro for various devices, but then you add in the 2 different connectors you have for various generations of Apple products, and it gets to be a real mess.

Fortunately, there is space in the market for both types of products. If you want external storage, you can get that. If you don't, you don't have to. Personally, I think it's a great state of affairs. We have both in my household, as my wife and MIL both like i-things. Doesn't bother me at all, because it's one more device I don't have to support (grin).

240 posted on 04/13/2014 8:39:16 AM PDT by zeugma (Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened - Dr. Seuss (I'll see you again someday Hope))
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To: zeugma
Fortunately, there is space in the market for both types of products.

Thank you for one of the more thoughtful and intelligent responses on this thread. You've pointed out pros and cons on both sides of the issue of Apple devices, many of which I can agree with. Too often there are posters who jump into one of these threads with the mindset of being disruptive, for instance saying an iPad can only hold one song at a time, etc.

I bought 64GB iPads for me and my wife. Having worked with computers for more than forty years, I try to buy the most storage space I can get because later on it will be needed. Remember that quote attributed to Bill Gates? "640K is all the memory anyone will ever need!" (whether he did say it or not, I remember it as news at the time back then). People are shortsighted, buying the least memory they can, then they complain later when they fill it up and can't stuff more stuff in the device. Is that Apple's fault? Perhaps to some degree, but people need to take ownership of their own decisions. Back in the early 1980s, I bought a 20MB hard drive for my PC for $400. My boss was whining at me that he paid $400 for his 5MB hard drive half a year before that. Well, people shouldn't complain about it, because better and faster and cheaper stuff keeps getting churned out. Every year or two we were replacing our PCs and hard drives with better versions. So if people buying a minimal memory iPad need more space, then suck it up and buy a better machine later. Just my two cents on the issue.

I own both PCs and Macs. I own desktop computers, laptop computers, and mobile devices. If you only want a single all-in-one device, there will always be tradeoffs and shortcomings to keep in mind. That's why I have multiple devices, so I can live with the shortcomings by using the best features of each device I have. Sort of why I have a truck as well as a sports car and sedan. Regarding computers, you said there is space in the market for both types of products. Absolutely!

242 posted on 04/13/2014 11:24:22 AM PDT by roadcat
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