|
iPad denting, not canabalizing PC sales; Win Phone 7 Debut; Most Americans don't have smartphones; 3DS, is it 3D gaming's savior?
iPad denting, not canabalizing PC sales: The iPad is not descimating PC sales, however it is taking a byte. According to information from the NPD Group, 13% of new iPad owners made that purchase instead of a PC, and 24% purchased it instead of an e-reader. The research firm also found that people who purchased their iPad in the first two months it was available were very satisfied with with it, while 65% who purchased it later were.
Win Phone 7 Debut: Microsoft is expected to announce the launch of its Windows Phone 7 on Monday, October 11, and at the same time confirm that AT&T will be the exclusive carrier for the Win 7 phones, with one phone each available from HTC, LG, and Samsung. The phones themselves will be available four weeks later. The smartphones themselves have not been a mystery as Microsoft has shown the phone, and even given some preview units, to reporters. But the roll out plan, including carriers, has been unconfirmed until now. It may come as a surprise that AT&T, the exclusive iPhone carrier, will be the exclusive launch partner for Microsoft's iPhone competitor. Is AT&T exclusivity a wise move? That remains to be seen. Even with a big launch Windows Phone 7 will come out of the gate as an underdog in the highly competitive smartphone market.
Most Americans still don't have smartphones: If you're a tech-news junkie, you may have gotten the impression that everyone either already has, or desperately wants, a smartphone. However new research from Forrester indicates that while 82% of Americans own cell phones, and 73% report it is their most used device, only 17% of Americans own a smartphone. This holds true even among the tech-savvy Gen-X'ers (31 - 40) and Gen-Y'ers (18 - 30), with less than 25% of cell phone users in those groups owning a smartphone. Which means that the vast majority of cell phone users in the United States rely on cheaper, less feature full phones. Of course standard cell phones are getting smarter, with many models sporting multi-media messaging, email and mobile web applications such as Facebook connects. Granted use of these features are more difficult and limited on the standard phones, but this hasn't inhibited Americans from making use of their existing phones for new communication platforms, nor encouraged them to make the jump in price to the newer smartphones.
Nintendo 3DS: Is it 3-D gaming's savior?: The much anticipated Nintendo 3DS will arrive in Japan in February 2011, with a US debut to shortly follow in March. That's about three months too late for the holiday shopping season, and later than predicted by some. More noteworthy though is the device's potential to make 3D gaming a household commodity. Unlike 3D games for PS3 or PC, the 3DS does not require the user to wear, the historically annoying and undeniably goofy-looking, stereoscopic glasses.
_________________
Those that know, don't tell. And those that tell, don't know.
So say what you mean, and mean what you say.
And if its ain't broke, don't fix it.
|
