The iPad 2 may be on backorder for consumers, but Apple doesn't seem to have any shortage of them when it comes to its own uses. On Sunday, the company started using the popular tablet to replace paper signs at its retail stores.
Visitors to Apple's Palo Alto store on University Avenue can interact with nearly 60 iPads placed next to many products on display. The iPads are inside a plastic case attached to the table, making it impossible to pick up or walk away with. The devices' home buttons are disabled, so visitors can only browse the information dedicated to the product. The iPads do allow you to page a sales associate.
It's easy to imagine how other retailers could use tablets to promote products -- tennis shoes to turnips. A clothing retailer could use it to help customers see if their size or favorite color is in stock or if its available or elsewhere. I could easily imagine a waiter handing you an iPad 2 instead of a menu which would not only display your options, but send the order directly to the kitchen and tally up your bill.
Tablets versus book readers
As tablets grow in popularity though, we're also seeing increased demand for e-readers, which tend to be less expensive, have longer battery life and can be used in bright sunlight.
The new Nook downloads books from the Internet but connects only via Wi-Fi; there's no 3G option. Barnes and Noble said that it's phasing out its earlier black-and-white e-reader, selling for $119 for the Wi-Fi model and $169 for the Wi-Fi and 3G version.
However, the e-ink displays -- which look like black ink on paper -- aren't great in dark room. Personally, I'm more likely to read in bed than at the beach, so I'm happy reading books on my iPad or my new Samsung 10.1 Android tablet. Both work with Amazon software, which allows me to read the same books as I can on a Kindle e-reader.
However, dedicated book readers will likely favor Kindle's low start cost of $114 and its light weight.
Barnes and Noble annnouced Tuesday the release of its $139 Simple Touch Reader, which is a touch-screen version of its Nook book reader. The new Nook, which will go on sale in June, features a six-inch touch screen, weighs under eight ounces and measures 6.5 inches tall and 5 inches wide. It comes with 2 gigabytes of memory, enough to store about a 1,000 books. If that's not enough, you can plug in a microSD card for an additional 32 gigabytes of storage. Barnes and Noble said the Simple Touch Reader has the longest battery life of any e-reader, claiming "you can read for up to two months on just one charge" assuming you have Wi-Fi turned off.
One problem with the e-reader market is that if you purchased books from Amazon's Kindle bookstore, you won't be able to read them on a Nook and vice versa. This is an enormous disincentive for people who purchased books from one company to switch to another company's products, regardless of price and features.
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Visitors to Apple's Palo Alto store on University Avenue can interact with nearly 60 iPads placed next to many products on display. The iPads are inside a plastic case attached to the table, making it impossible to pick up or walk away with. The devices' home buttons are disabled, so visitors can only browse the information dedicated to the product. The iPads do allow you to page a sales associate.
It's easy to imagine how other retailers could use tablets to promote products -- tennis shoes to turnips. A clothing retailer could use it to help customers see if their size or favorite color is in stock or if its available or elsewhere. I could easily imagine a waiter handing you an iPad 2 instead of a menu which would not only display your options, but send the order directly to the kitchen and tally up your bill.
Tablets versus book readers
As tablets grow in popularity though, we're also seeing increased demand for e-readers, which tend to be less expensive, have longer battery life and can be used in bright sunlight.
The new Nook downloads books from the Internet but connects only via Wi-Fi; there's no 3G option. Barnes and Noble said that it's phasing out its earlier black-and-white e-reader, selling for $119 for the Wi-Fi model and $169 for the Wi-Fi and 3G version.
However, the e-ink displays -- which look like black ink on paper -- aren't great in dark room. Personally, I'm more likely to read in bed than at the beach, so I'm happy reading books on my iPad or my new Samsung 10.1 Android tablet. Both work with Amazon software, which allows me to read the same books as I can on a Kindle e-reader.
However, dedicated book readers will likely favor Kindle's low start cost of $114 and its light weight.
Barnes and Noble annnouced Tuesday the release of its $139 Simple Touch Reader, which is a touch-screen version of its Nook book reader. The new Nook, which will go on sale in June, features a six-inch touch screen, weighs under eight ounces and measures 6.5 inches tall and 5 inches wide. It comes with 2 gigabytes of memory, enough to store about a 1,000 books. If that's not enough, you can plug in a microSD card for an additional 32 gigabytes of storage. Barnes and Noble said the Simple Touch Reader has the longest battery life of any e-reader, claiming "you can read for up to two months on just one charge" assuming you have Wi-Fi turned off.
One problem with the e-reader market is that if you purchased books from Amazon's Kindle bookstore, you won't be able to read them on a Nook and vice versa. This is an enormous disincentive for people who purchased books from one company to switch to another company's products, regardless of price and features.
More Business News:
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