Robert Pogson

I am not sure what this means but Apple has deprecated Java and may not include Java in future releases. Whether other Java releases will be available is another question but it looks like the App Store may not permit Java… This could be just more Apple control-freakiness or it could have something to do with reducing vulnerability to Oracle’s control-freakiness.

see http://blogs.computerworld.com/17205/apple_hints_no_java_support_in_tiger_os

Perhaps this is another nail in the coffin of Java. What stupidity. Languages should be FREE. OTOH, maybe the world will be a better place if Apple deprecates all programming languages on their kit. They can dig their own grave/nail the coffin shut from the inside.

2010 has been full of announcements of products that have not been delivered: smart-thingies and tablets. Now MSI is announcing the delay of a Wintel tablet and an Android 3 tablet about March 2011. What ever happened to rushing to market with new technology to gain mindshare? Is the iPad so good that folks need to wait for Android 3 to fight it? Is price not sufficient leverage?

It seems there is a lot of jockeying for second place in tablets and other new devices. Perhaps no one wants to be the next ASUS, starting strong and fizzling out in the wave of competition. If I had a product in the pipeline I would be anxious not to miss the Christmas season or any season for fear the competition would get out there first. Perhaps the iPad is first and no one really wants to be second. iPad’s price should make it a niche product. A good tablet running Android on ARM could make a huge volume.

I suspect OEMs are still not sure the tablet makes sense. Tablets make sense as a competitor to mobile notebooks. Tablets do not make sense as a desktop replacement or competition to a stationary notebook. The reason for the reluctance may be a fear that the market will be flooded so there will be a quick drop in prices. It is easier to respond to the competition if they go first… They also seem to want to produce their best product first and development is on-going.

In the short-term this is more good news from Apple. I wonder what superlatives Jobs will have left.