∞ Examining the fate of iPad rivals

Written by

Technologizer:

More than thirteen months after we ran that iPadversaries story, I decided it might be instructive (or at least perversely fascinating) to follow up on all 32 machines…
Spoiler: If you like happy endings, you should stop reading now.

In retrospect, it’s almost comical how bad some of these products fared in the market. And in some cases, at least, it’s not a matter of a company bringing a lousy product to market, either – marketing missteps and fundamental misunderstands of how consumers use these devices seem to be prevalent themes.


  • http://twitter.com/VGISoftware Daniel Swanson

    What it is is inept management, born most likely from our shoddy educational system which teaches students not real-world job skills but how to take shortcuts to obtain worthless diplomas and degrees by getting others to do their work or by cheating on tests in order to “pass” or “get good grades.”

    Any product not only has to be conceived wisely (NOT via committee or gleaned from survey results or market studies, but from the keen observations of (usually) some inspired individual whose intelligence transcends “conventional wisdom”), but then be brought through all the departments of the organization and phases of production smoothly and in a continuously coordinated manner. This requires that all employees know what they need to know in order to make correct decisions and take correct actions along the way from their respective departments and jobs. This requires competent management and organization.That’s a tall order which Apple, thanks to Steve Jobs’ leadership, has been able to get right, especially over the last decade.I remember him saying in his premiere OS X keynote a decade ago that Apple was betting its future on this OS.That was a truly bold, brave, and wise decision, which is proving very hard for anyone else to beat or even match.