News - AMD revises down Q3 revenues, iPad effect?

[HEXUS]

The chip-maker says consumer notebook demand is down, we wonder why.

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[scaryjim]

While this is still a relatively small fraction, it's still quite a lot of disruption from a product category that effectively didn't exist before the launch of the iPad ...

Me and my HP TC1100 would like to take issue with that statement

The 10" tablet existed long before Apple highjacked it, and the earlier versions were considerably more useful than the iPad. Apple have simply brought an existing form factor into the mainstream - something they're particularly good at. But saying the product cateogory didn't exist before the iPad is like saying that smartphones didn't exist before the iPhone. It's patently not true.

[bradyjames]

I just don't buy the argument that all iPad sales take sales away from Laptops. Most of the people I know with iPad's already have laptops and bought the iPad as an additional device. The primary usage model for it seems to be for access to web based apps from the sofa and it does this very well. I don't know anyone that was thinking about getting a new laptop and decided to buy an iPad instead. There may be a few people like this but nowhere near 100% of iPad buyers. I'd estimate it's more like 30-40% at the most.

[Scott B]

Me and my HP TC1100 would like to take issue with that statement

The 10" tablet existed long before Apple highjacked it, and the earlier versions were considerably more useful than the iPad. Apple have simply brought an existing form factor into the mainstream - something they're particularly good at. But saying the product cateogory didn't exist before the iPad is like saying that smartphones didn't exist before the iPhone. It's patently not true.

That's why I said "effectively". AFAIK the tablet/slate form factor's sales were negligible before the iPad.

I've no doubt your HP TC1100 is a lovely device.

[scaryjim]

AFAIK the tablet/slate form factor's sales were negligible before the iPad.

I take your point, but I'd still argue that's a very different thing from "effectively didn't exist". And I guess a lot depends on how you view the overlap between convertible tablet PCs (which had a fairly healthy distribution, albeit in the professional / enterprise, rather than home, market) and the more modern "slate" devices (i.e. no physical keyboard).

I'll also accept that the battery life on my TC1100 can't even stand in the same room as the iPad's...