Apple is Now World's Largest PC Company (If Tablets Are PCs)

[sarcasm]

Tablets aren't PCs, heck isn't it Apple themselves that claim the Mac isn't a PC? So if you think about it, Apple is the world's largest Mac Company.

 

[leon2006]

Apple makes 75% profit..Samsung the closest makes ~16%
http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/02/03/with-8-7-market-share-apple-has-75-of-cell-phone-profits/

Apple accounts for ~ 20% of the market but takes 75% of the profit. Andriod phone maker barely makes money.

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/02/03/canalys-apple-led-the-way-as-smartphones-overtook-pcs/?iid=T_Blogs

W/ the acquisition of Motorola Google is to adapt Apples business model to approach similar profit numbers.

 

[wardoc22]

[citation][nom]leon2006[/nom]Apple makes 75% profit..Samsung the closest makes ~16%http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/0 [...] e-profits/Apple accounts for ~ 20% of the market but takes 75% of the profit. Andriod phone maker barely makes money.http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/0 [...] id=T_BlogsW/ the acquisition of Motorola Google is to adapt Apples business model to approach similar profit numbers.[/citation]

Which is exactly why almost all techy people hate apple. All their overpriced mid ranged shit is just stuffed into a nice cased and is called an excellent computer

 

[rantoc]

[citation][nom]wardoc22[/nom]Which is exactly why almost all techy people hate apple. All their overpriced mid ranged shit is just stuffed into a nice cased and is called an excellent computer[/citation]

And all that while their workers die in the factories while making the sheeps shiny toys... Its an awesome and innovative company! /end sarcasm.

 

[upgrade_1977]

[citation][nom]supall[/nom]I will be the first to say that the iPad should not be counted as a PC, simply because the OS it uses is the same as that of the iPhone and iPod. And if the iPad should be counted as a PC, then so does the iPhone/iPod since the only major difference between two is the size of the screen. And that's just ludicrous.[/citation]

Completely agree...

 

[ivyanev]

PC can be in all form factors. But what is the "Personal" when you can't put any program you want without approval from someone else before? PC is stand alone device that can be freshly installed with OS without other PC(except for writing DVD, flash drive or SD card).

 

[CaedenV]

[citation][nom]jjdidtiebuckle[/nom]I could do more with an iPad than I could with my first Hewlett Packard in 1996. Is that old HP not a PC anymore?[/citation]
A PC is a personal computer. It is a device that consists of a processor (mobo/cpu/ram/gpu), a storage device (HDD, ODD, Floppy, Flash, etc), an interface (keys, mouse, display, touch, motion, EEG, etc.), and (this is the important part) must support the installation of an OS of choice. Macs are traditionally not PCs because they are tied to the Mac OS, now they are because you can install Windows on them. Tablets are not PCs because changing the OS will void the product. Are they computers? Absolutely, but PCs? Absolutely not.

 

[alidan]

[citation][nom]wizzlebippi[/nom]Tablets are not PC's because they're gimped by restrictive software. Until that's fixed, they're never going to be more than glorified smart phones.[/citation]

what do most people use a pc for?

email
web
video
music
typeing

and im fairly sure that everything above can be done on a tablet...

YES a pc can d more, is more powerfull and all that crap, but i say it often, we reached a point where a computer is fast enough for people a LONG time ago... hell any dual core is good enough for most peoples needs.

 

[Deleted member 978]

Tom's cracks me up ... I remember the days when Tom's wouldn't even hint a posting articles about Apple. I remember asking Tom's (multiple times) to have a more expansive Apple section and forums, in every case I was told Apple is "irrelevant".

Now Tom's has at least 2-3 articles per day about Apple ... I guess even Tom's is enjoying the support and hit count from those of us that use Apple products as much (or more than) we use Microsoft OS on x86 and 64bit software/hardware.

Most people that use the term PC refer to a non-portable device (desktop) running a Microsoft Windows OS. Be it accurate or not, that's the common understanding when someone says "I have a PC". Not the first time that a commonly used term "PC" is not accurately being used.

However, a Personal Computer ... Personal as in is associated to a human and can be setup, configured, and used by a human ... Computer is a computational device. iPad, iPhone, iPod, Android phone, laptop, MacBook air, Windows Phone, etc. etc. are all Personal Computers.

As defined in Wiki:

A personal computer (PC) is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator.

 

[back_by_demand]

Apple is Now World's Largest PC Company (If Tablets Are PCs)

OK, if that's how we are going to play it
...

Toyota is Now World's Largest PC Company (If Cars Are PCs)

...
See how easy that was?
...

Hershey is Now World's Largest PC Company (If Chocolates Are PCs)

...
Hey, I can do this all day, i'm on a roll
...

Anheuser-Busch is Now World's Largest PC Company (If Bottles of Beer Are PCs)

...
Honestly guys, jump in at any time, this is fun!!!

 

[back_by_demand]

A personal computer (PC) is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator.

You mean like this?

gen·er·al-pur·pose
   [jen-er-uhl-pur-puhs] Show IPA
adjective
useful in many ways; not limited in use or function

...
Not limited, that's the killer thing here, limited - every single point listed next is capable on garden variety PCs but not on an iPad
...
Cannot type, print stuff, use a flash drive, play CD's/DVD's, watch Flash videos, play Flash games, install existing software, watch videos in different codecs, listen to music in different codecs, use SD memory cards, upgrade or replace the RAM or HDD/SSD, have a spare battery, install a different OS should you desire or have a multi-booting OS choice, can't watch widescreen without having to choose between stretch distortion or black bars, can't run Office, No HDMI out

And unless you count Apps that are iOS exclusive, that will already have a Windows counterpart 10 times over and probably even some free ones on download.com, there isn't a single thing that a iPad can do that a "Real" PC can

 

[COLGeek]

Sure a lot of Apple envy on display today. A few folks seem to be a bit insecure about their definition of personal computing.

 

[memadmax]

The correct designation of an iPad is a PDA device.........

 

[Usersname]

Flat, cuboid, etc., if it computes and is personal to you (though not as personable as an Apple product, obviously) the it is a PC. Heck, Smartphones are now PC's. Learn to live with this and you'll grow up faster.

 

[hoomanium]

It's the biggest company in the world anyways.

 

[K2N hater]

A MacBook is a PC. A Mac Mini is a PC. An iMac is a PC.

An iPhone is NOT a PC. An iPad is NOT a PC. An iPod is NOT a PC.

For those who think otherwise, consider a microwave oven can be a computer but never a PC.

 

[jimmysmitty]

[citation][nom]supall[/nom]I will be the first to say that the iPad should not be counted as a PC, simply because the OS it uses is the same as that of the iPhone and iPod. And if the iPad should be counted as a PC, then so does the iPhone/iPod since the only major difference between two is the size of the screen. And that's just ludicrous.[/citation]

I agree. The only tablet I will consider to be a PC is the ones that will be coming out when Windows 8 hits and even then it will be barly the same.

Even then, the only ones I can see even being PC based will be Atom based and thats still a bit away.

[citation][nom]leon2006[/nom]Apple makes 75% profit..Samsung the closest makes ~16%http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/0 [...] e-profits/Apple accounts for ~ 20% of the market but takes 75% of the profit. Andriod phone maker barely makes money.http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2012/0 [...] id=T_BlogsW/ the acquisition of Motorola Google is to adapt Apples business model to approach similar profit numbers.[/citation]

As said, its why a lot of people hate Apple who are techs anyways. Their computers always use dated hardware, that they mark up like crasy and are closed. I work on some Apple stuff, mainly data recovery, and it makes me sick to see people think its superior when its clearly not.

 

[monsta]

So does that also make the Kindle Fire a pc?

An ipad is just an oversized ipod touch

 

[jimb0b]

[citation][nom]back_by_demand[/nom]You mean like this?...Not limited, that's the killer thing here, limited - every single point listed next is capable on garden variety PCs but not on an iPad...Cannot type, print stuff, use a flash drive, play CD's/DVD's, watch Flash videos, play Flash games, install existing software, watch videos in different codecs, listen to music in different codecs, use SD memory cards, upgrade or replace the RAM or HDD/SSD, have a spare battery, install a different OS should you desire or have a multi-booting OS choice, can't watch widescreen without having to choose between stretch distortion or black bars, can't run Office, No HDMI outAnd unless you count Apps that are iOS exclusive, that will already have a Windows counterpart 10 times over and probably even some free ones on download.com, there isn't a single thing that a iPad can do that a "Real" PC can[/citation]

Pocket PC's from eight years could do over 50% of what's listed there.

 

[CaedenV]

[citation][nom]jimmysmitty[/nom]As said, its why a lot of people hate Apple who are techs anyways. Their computers always use dated hardware, that they mark up like crasy and are closed. I work on some Apple stuff, mainly data recovery, and it makes me sick to see people think its superior when its clearly not.[/citation]
Exactly, apple sells an Apple Computer, not a Personal Computer. A Personal Computer is not one that is 'customizable', or one that you use for 'personal use', it is simply a computer that can be used for whatever purpose you want. Apple computers are designed as limited use (all be it a wide use) machine. Think of it from a business perspective. When buying tools for a business you purchase things that perform a specific function, do that function well, but have relatively little use outside of that stated function. Like a business product, macs are intended and designed (very well I might add) for stuff that people tend to do with a computer. If they were PCs then they would enjoy the freedom of interchangeable parts, easier upgrade-ability, and a wide variety of software choices. However this is not the case. It is a specific user interface tied to specific (all be it a wider range of) hardware that is designed to run an environment for web browsing, and a few multimedia creation/editing suites. You start doing something wierd, or off the beaten path then you need Windows, and when you really tread in interesting waters then you move off to Linux, Unix, or some other monster. Mac 'will let you' use Windows (and it will run faster than OSX oddly enough), but outside of that is beyond the bounds of what you are 'allowed to do' with 'your computer'.

This is even more interesting with ARM tablets running Linux/Android, and even laptops to some extent. The hardware is still a relatively closed system, and the OS in many cases is a closed system, with an interface provided by and often required by the manufacturer of the product. These are not PCs, they are products. When the x86 tablets come out later it will be a different story because you can put whatever you want on them, and they should (more or less) run whatever you want them to.

Anywho, the point is that you don't have to have a PC to have a great computer. And really, unless you are one of the few who has a black box/home built system, you technically don't have a PC; You have a Dell Computer, or a HP Computer (Or Acer, or ASUS, etc). All brands have great products, and all of them have crappy ones. I still dont see the point in a tablet; They seem like an excellent exercise in frustration to me, but they are popular, and when it comes down to sales of computers (everything from a calculator to a Server) then Apple has everyone beat. But they only have 10% of the 'PC' market... and I don't think they give a damn.

 

[kewlmunky]

Well technically anything that computes is a computer, but Apple always claims their Mac's are not PC's so therefor nothing else they produce is a PC. Thus the iPad does not count.

 

[kronos_cornelius]

I hope Tom's editors read these comments and figure out their audience for once. If I wanted to read Apple propaganda, I would go to AppleInsider.com

I come to Toms for CPU benchmarks, mobos, graphic cards,... pretty much everything except Apple news.

Tom's has good articles, so re-posting news does not bode well for the reputation I think they want to have.

 

[husker]

Excuse me for expecting logic and the English language to still mean something. Whether the iPad and tablets in general are personal computers is irrelevant to the question of whether or not Apple is the largest computer company. By definition, the largest computer company would be determined in 2 simple steps. Find all companies that make computers. Out of that group, pick the largest company. Leaving the iPad out of consideration, Apple does make desktop and laptop computers, so it makes computers. Now, is it a larger company than Dell, Asus, Samsung, and every other company that makes computers? The size of the company could be determined by total asset value, further modified by annual gross revenue (net revenue would not be a factor, since the stated goal was to determine the largest company and is not, as defined in the headline, concerned with profitability) weighted by the number of employees. Perhaps title should have teased with a question of who sells the most computers, not who is the largest company. If that were the headline, then the question of whether or not tablets are computers would be relevant. But as the article stands, either the author is deliberately trying to mislead, or is just not in command of logical thinking and/or the English language.

 

[Usersname]

Computationally alone, Alan Turning and Tommy Flowers would have been absolutely astounded by an iPad. Whatever airheads here may think about what does and doesn't constitute a personal computer. Try walking around with a Colossus.

 

[in_the_loop]

Let's see.
My Pc have 10 usb ports, sd-card reader, can be expanded with pci, pci-express cards. I can put in more memory, a better CPU. I can attach printers, scanners or whatever I like without problems.
I can add more hard drives.
If a part breaks, I can put in a new one myself.

The Ipad has no USB-ports, no sd-card reader, no expansion ports like pci, you can't put in more memory or change the cpu, you can't add a hard drive, don't know about printing ability but guess it isn't as straight forward as with a pc. And if a part breaks, you are left to a service man doing the job.

In now way or form the i-pad is even remotely close to be called a "pc".