Tag: Dell »

It's no secret folks love using the Facebook app on their iPhones and it seemed like just a matter of time before a dedicated Facebook app made its way over to the iPad. Funny story - sometimes foregone conclusions aren't as foregone as you think, and it would seem that Facebook currently has no immediate plans to create an iPad app. The reason? Company CEO Mark Zuckerberg says that the iPad "Isn't mobile."

The initial response to such a statement is one of sound and fury, but it seems that Facebook's true planning is actually a bit more elegant than Zuckerberg let on. According to company Mobile VP Erik Tseng, Facebook is trying to figure out a unified strategy across all tablet devices so that there can be one tablet-optimized Facebook for Apple, Dell, HP, etc. The thinking goes that Facebook is currently tinkering with an HTML5 version of the service which will present a user-friendly, unified experience across all devices.

Furthermore, Facebook fanatics can still put up wall posts or upload embarrassing pictures via the traditional Facebook website which is easily accessible on the iPad's web browser. It may not be as streamlined or elegant as the iPhone's Facebook app, but it's still perfectly functional.

Even though there's no official iPad Facebook app on the immediate horizon things are far from dire. While it would be nice to go to an tablet optimized version of the social networking site in one click, having to navigate for a few more seconds has never killed anyone and it won't start now. I'm sure we'll all find a way to manage somehow, and we'd rather Facebook take their time and get it right then rush out a half-baked app that barely works and proves to be more cumbersome than helpful.

[via Mashable]

As 2010 draws to a close, our eyes begin turning to 2011 and the promise it holds. For Apple, the question becomes how its smartphone can retain the market dominance it's seen to this point, and can the iPad break through as a must-own device for consumers? According to at least one analyst, the answer is a resounding yes, as Wedge Partners member Brian Blair believes 2011 will be a huge year for Apple. How huge? Blair predicts global sales of iPads reaching 48 million, and the iPhone moving 100 million units between January and December.

“We believe Apple remains the best-positioned company in the tech sector as we exit the year and look into 2011,” says Blair. “With the iPhone and the iPad, the company continues to experience tremendous product momentum across two core areas that we believe are still in the early stages of growth: with global handset units at 1.1 billion/year and the tablet opportunity still nascent.”

Among his predictions, Blair believes the coming year will see the release of the iPad 2, which will showcase a front-facing camera and an even thinner profile thanks to new manufacturing techniques. He's also predicting that the iPhone will grow at a rate of 100 percent and that once 2011 is over Apple will own a full 10 percent share in the global handheld market. Not bad when you consider that Apple basically only has one product in the mobile market, albeit an impressive and in-demand one.

Of course, as with any forward-looking analysis, we have to take all these predictions with a grain of salt. Serious competitors such as Dell and HP are looking to make a splash in the tablet market, though given the iPad's head start they'll have to debut truly impressive machines. The iPhone is in an even better position, as even though there are plenty of other smartphones out there, Apple's phone is still the first one many people think of and often the device of choice by those looking for a certain "coolness factor," as well as ease of use. All in all there's little reason to disagree with Blair on his predictions, so 2011 is looking to be a very good year for Jobs and friends.

[via Barron's]