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Microsoft acknowledges iPad's effect on netbook market

ipad.v.netbookJust in case you haven't heard, the iPad is having a rather large impact on the computing world around us. And if you don't believe the numerous analysts, business adopters and retailers, then perhaps Microsoft's own Gavriella Schuster, general manager for Windows product management, will sway you.

In response to Nick Eaton from the Seattle PI, speaking to Schuster about the success of the iPad and other pending tablet devices threatening Windows' hold on the netbook market, Schuster said (referring to her pink netbook in front of her), "These [netbooks] are definitely getting cannibalized. These are really a second device. But they are getting cannibalized."

We know that Windows dominates on the netbook scene. It's a huge market for Microsoft (according to Nick Eaton, over 90% of netbooks ship with Windows installed). So, for Schuster to openly admit that the netbook market is being cannibalized by the iPad further illustrates how it is changing the way we use computers today.

[via ComputerWorld]



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Just in case you haven't heard, the iPad is having a rather large impact on the computing world around us. And if you don't believe the...
 

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AndyL

And here I thought I'd be the first to nitpick about the word "cannibalize." :)

That said, I agree it's an interesting admission from Microsoft.

November 07 2010 at 8:23 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Eric

It's not really cannibalizing anything... they're simply competing. It would be cannibalizing if (and when) HP releases a tablet and HP netbook sales decline.

November 06 2010 at 2:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rob

Instead of analyzing the story guys who comment in tuaw proud themselves to the meaning of a single word and lost track of the world around them. Maybe they are all tuaw writers. But I wouldn't care less if the word is canabalise or fxxx

I think they should discuss the netbook market instead of arguing over a silly word

November 05 2010 at 9:48 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
chris

No, 'cannibalize' is the appropriate term when referring to secondary devices.

November 05 2010 at 3:08 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John Kirk

I see more and more people objecting to the incorrect use of the word "cannibalize" and I applaud their efforts. If you misuse a word, then the original meaning becomes meaningless.

Sharks don't "cannibalize" swimmers; people don't cannibalize cows, cats don't cannibalize mice; and iPads don't cannibalize netbooks.

November 05 2010 at 2:34 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
aardivark

2nding the previous poster, only Apple can cannibalize Apple. If it's a competing company's product that is being **displaced** it's not cannibalization.

Please don't perpetuate the misuse of "cannibalize".

November 05 2010 at 1:58 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to aardivark's comment
warreno

Yup. Displaced, or superseded, but certainly not eaten by its own kind.

Now, of you were going to argue that Acer netbooks running XP are being cannibalized by other Acers running Ubuntu netbook remix, I'd probably agree.

November 05 2010 at 2:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Rdnymllnsktr

It's not getting cannibalized.

For something to be a cannibal, it has to prey on its own kind or species.

As Jobs said in his keynotes, the iPad is NOT a netbook. It's above a smartphone and below a computer. But that it is NOT a netbook, and should not be classified as one.

Thus, since it is not a netbook, it is interfering and detracting from the netbook products, but it is not cannibalizing netbook sales.

November 05 2010 at 1:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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