This is my first graduate school paper at Florida Institute of Technology, which is based on an article originally posted on Entrepreneur’s website. Please note before reading this article that going into this paper, I was firmly against the iPad and did not believe there was any marketability for this product. As you will see, it absolutely has a very stable and growing market waiting for its release on April 3rd. Once again, Apple has amazed me… it was just a VERY delayed reaction.

Please post your reactions and thoughts.

Without further delay: Continue reading »

Ok, just watched (sort-of… live-blog) the iPad release. Well, I don’t know really what to say… The only thing announced was the iPad (no iPhone OS4, no Verizon… actually, a reiteration of the AT&T service). This device is basic. This product is just a larger screen version of the iPod Touch, not an iPhone… and iPod Touch (no phone capability) with a slightly more powerful chip, and an eReader App.

I have to say, this was quite possibly the most disappointing thing I’ve seen in a while, as the preceding hype was huge, but the release was immensely anti-climatic.

Buzz Out Loud on CNETTV said it best when they stated that the success of the iPhone and iPod Touch was primarily achieved due to the nice blend between ‘need’ and ‘want’. This product is almost purely a luxary item… a ‘want’ with no ‘need’. This was not game-changing, wasn’t even impressive… In my opinion, this product will go the way of the Apple TV or MacBook Air. Not a massive failure for Apple, but I do feel it will massively under-achieve their expectations.

So all eyes (including mine) are on the Apple ‘Latest Creation’ event at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco, CA. Among the potential news at this event? How bout the unveiling of the iSlate (aka MacTablet, iTablet, iAmazing), or the potential announcement of Apple dropping its exclusivity contract with AT&T on the iPhone this summer? Whatever the case, at 1:00 PM EST today we have a chance at seeing the unveiling of something big… and I mean huge, as in game-changing. Well, enough blabber from me, I’ll post my wrap-up thoughts on this event tonight, but until then, tune into engadget.com for a live report from the event. Engadget Live Coverage of the Apple ‘Latest Creation’ event.