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The great iPad death watch

By
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
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By
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
Philip Elmer-DeWitt
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March 9, 2010, 1:38 PM ET

Even before Apple ships Steve Jobs’ latest creation, the critics are dancing on its grave



Photo: Apple Inc.

AAPLinvestors‘ Terry Gregory, a longtime Apple (AAPL) stockholder, likes to collect what he believes to be misguided quotes about the company’s products.

His site hosts a fascinating list of early Macintosh reviews and what may be the definitive collection of dumb iPhone quotes.

In that spirit, he has started a “death watch” collection for the iPad tablet computer. A sample:

Bill Gates, Microsoft, 10 February 2010:

It’s a nice reader, but there’s nothing on the iPad I look at and say, “Oh, I wish Microsoft had done it.”

Jeremy A. Kaplan, FOXNews.com, 28 January 2010:

Call it the iPad or the iPlod, but the message seems clear: Apple may have lost its mojo.

John Dvorak, MarketWatch, 29 January 2010:

The tablet market has only succeeded as a niche market over the years and it was hoped Apple would dream up some new paradigm to change all that. From what I’ve seen and heard, this won’t be it.

John Breeden II, Government Computer News, 28 January 2010:

Unless Apple has also developed some new type of power source, such as nuclear cells or magical hamsters on tiny spinning wheels for the iPad, don’t expect the claims about battery life to hold true.

Scott Moritz, TheStreet.com, 28 January 2010:

Behold: The Apple iFlop. Neither “truly magical” nor “revolutionary,” the cluelessly named Apple iPad tablet device has dropped like a shiny wedge into the gadget game, dividing tech watchers in to opposing views — the critical and the adoring.

David Coursey, PC World, 28 January 2010:

What do the new Apple iPad and Google’s Nexus One have in common? Both were DOA: Disappointing On Arrival.

Dan Lyons aka Fake Steve Jobs, 27 January 2010:

The press weren’t cheering and whooping. I didn’t see anybody pee their pants … Not one!

Linen DeFiller, MillionFace.com, 27 January 2010:

Apple iPad — failure, joke or fiasco? Pick one

You can read AAPLinvestor’s full list here. Spot a quote you think should be added to it? Send it to Terry Gregory at info@aaplinvestors.net.

See also:

  • The great iPhone death watch
  • Jan. 1984: How critics reviewed the Mac

[Follow Philip Elmer-DeWitt on Twitter @philiped]

About the Author
By Philip Elmer-DeWitt
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