[NTLK] OT: Mossberg gives thumbs up to iPad

[Forrest Buffenmyer]

>We'll see if Apple has guessed right on this one or not.  I have to wonder if the Microsoft Courier will benefit from the iPad going to market first and showing what ideas do/don't work (à la the Newton and Palm) or if Apple will dominate the market simply by being the first to make their device available. [muses thoughtfully]


I think Apple has benefited greatly for being the "standard-bearer" of cool, as in devices that set the bar and are perceived as being cool, must-have devices. This happened first with the iPod and then the iPhone...despite Microsoft's throwing gobs of money at their own Zune, it was never really received as a device that would seriously threaten the iPod. Nearly every phone that you see advertised is either some sort of take-off on the iPhone (even the BlackBerry Storm and Storm II with touch screens), or an Android-type which itself is based on popular features of the iPhone. And yet, it controls an estimated 25% of the market. 25% in three years---that's pretty impressive.

Better and more full-featured tablet-style computers will likely be introduced, but I'm betting they won't be able to achieve the perceived cool of the iPad...which admittedly has yet to be defined. Past history, though...redefining first the portable music player, then the cellphone.

Thanks,
--Forrest