What comes after the iPad?

While browsing through the blog archives, I found a nugget I had written in August of 2009, with the title "After the tablet, what's next?" 

It seems more timely now that we know what the "tablet" actually is, so here it is again for fresh discussion:

In the world of trying to predict what's next for Apple, you can never be too far ahead. So we say, let's leapfrog over this whole tablet thing, and go straight to the next paradigm-shifting device: The _______. After the tablet, what's left? Apple has conquered the world of digital music. The iPhone is well on the way to dominating smartphone and/or all phone sales. The tablet could re-invent a sleepy product category, but then what? 

Maybe we see an Apple-branded TV, but that would feel like a small evolution: most likely taking a monitor from one of the big manufacturers, and throwing an Apple TV in it. 

While we would never count Apple out when it comes to re-defining a product category, or creating a brand new one, perhaps we're nearing the end of the golden age of hardware advances. Apple could conceivably put a gaming console on the market, but the Pippin didn't do too well. Sure, these are different times, but it's also a market with three strong console manufacturers, and becoming the fourth wouldn't guarantee success. (bear in mind no one is making iPhone money in console hardware sales, with most breaking even.)

One possible future frontier for Apple would be services. Who wouldn't want to see cable television re-envisioned? Or maybe Apple would become a phone carrier. As far-fetched as these ideas sound, the company will have to go further and further afield to find new product categories/services. iPhones will get cheaper, iPods will get smaller, Macs will get faster, and tablets will get whatever it is tablets get. But the question is, will that be enough for Apple, or will they branch even further from their computer roots?

Uh-oh: iPad Overheating Issues When Used Outside?

Hey, there'll always be a few bumps in the road when a new tech product is introduced, right? Well, you might not expect the inability to use a portable device outside to be one of those concerns, but that seems to be the case for at least one user.

From cnet:

PC Magazine editor Zach Honig posted on Twitter that he took his brand new iPad out in the sun in New York City (it's been over 70 in New York the last few days) and ten minutes later it shut down with the message, "iPad needs to cool down before you can use it." Honig stuck his iPad in the fridge and it was fine a few minutes later.

While reviews indicate the iPad is surprisingly cool, especially compared to MacBook Pros, this issue could be a thorn in Apple's side, or a one-off fluke. Time will tell. Let us know if you're having any iPad quirks.

The iPad: Day One

Whether you're in line, picking up a pre-order, or sitting this one out, we want to hear your thoughts on the iPad now that it's finally out in the wild. Did you buy one? Are you waiting? Did you play with one in the store? Let us know in the comments.

You will not pay "more" for iPad apps, relatively speaking

Some screenshots have leaked from the upcoming iPad App Store, and some classic iPhone apps in their "HD" flavor are running $2.99 and $1.99, rather than $.99. Run for your lives! Of course, there's a little bit of perspective to keep in mind here: When the iPhone app store launched, many of those same apps were $4.99 or even, gasp, $9.99! Those were crazy days, kids.

The point being, relative to where the prices were at the debut of the last app store, you're actually paying less than for those same apps on the iPad. Why didn't Apple include the iWork apps in the device, rather than charge $10 a pop? Well, they were probably trying to signal to developers that a higher price point was acceptable (and maybe even preferable) for the iPad. If a majority of the apps at launch cost more than their iPhone counterparts did at launch, it would seem developers didn't get the message. Either that, or they know the ceiling of what people will pay for apps, and it's about $4.99.

TDL Live This Week: (2/1 - 2/8)

Since most people didn't get to see our live-only TDL special on the iPad, we take a few minutes at the top of this show to recap our thoughts, then its a look at the other tech news of the week which was, admittedly kind of a slow week. At any rate, here's this week's show: