back to article iPad slaps Acer, pumps Dell's number two PC maker rank

Dell has strengthed its position as the number-two PC seller in the world, thanks to Apple's iPad kicking Acer in a place it'd have preferred not to have been kicked. And no, we're not talking about that place, we're talking about netbook numbers. "Acer's decline was spurred by rising competition for its consumer-focused …

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  1. J 3
    FAIL

    Hm...

    I don't see the evidence for the iPad causing this, at least in the article (haven't read the report). I'm sure at least a small part of netbook sales would get stolen by tablets, I just don't know if that part would be that big. Where is the evidence, for or against?

    Why just Acer, anyway? Do they only make netbooks (no), or at least mostly netbooks? Does no one else make netbooks in high enough numbers to be affected by the mighty iPad, as Acer supposedly was?

    Where is the evidence that the netbook sales declined because most people who wanted one have already got one -- and, due to the manufacturers refusal to evolve the product, are not inclined to upgrade, since a new netbook and one from 2 years ago are about the same thing in performance and price?

    Methinks this is just baiting for people to read the article.

  2. ElReg!comments!Pierre

    Gratuitous Apple fanservice

    Acer went to 2nd place thanks to netbooks, that's probably right. They kinda co-invented the concept, and were almost alone in that market for quite a while. Now they're seeing some serious competition, and so sales dip. From what I can see in the real world, tablets are far from even threatening netbooks in what is their core market (IMHO): people who need a small, cheap portable computer with a decent keyboard. As far as I can tell, over 50% of students still use "netbooks", for example. The ones who don't, have proper laptops. Tablets? Let me check... no, no tablets (try taking class notes on a tablet...).

    The one difference I can see, however, is that a year ago everyone had either an Asus or an Acer (with the odd McBook Air for the ones who had wealthy parents), and now the students who cruise our corridors carry "netbooks" (ie laptops under 12 inches) from over 10 different brands. Very few of them are proper netbook as I would define them, too (very small, lightweight laptop, preferably sporting flash storage instead of a HDD, running a streamlined system).

    The netbook, proper, was killed by the downsizing of full-fledged laptops (and by the wintel marketting machine), not by tablets (actually "netbook" salesstarted to slump long before the iPad was even announced). Of course that's just how it is, not what is fashionable to write.

    1. Giles Jones Gold badge

      Get a keyboard

      You can take notes on a tablet if you have a proper keyboard. You can get bluetooth keyboards that work with the iPad.

      Why take notes if you can just record the audio?

    2. tommy060289
      Jobs Halo

      I use an iPad at university

      The truth is, net books are crap, slow and underpowered and over filled with Crapware Laptops, I never seen one that copes even reasonably with basic tasks, their small screens also prove a pain when they are trying to render larger pages.

      On the other hand, I have a decent laptop for serious work and I take my iPad round with me at university as it is much easier to carry round then any laptop, can be whipped out in a lecture and will allow me to bring up presentiations or material that complements whist I looking at at the time.

      It's problem has been that it's an accessory so I'd advise any student if they are starting out with nothing, get a proper laptop (DEFINETLY not a netbook) and until recently the iPad has probably proved a bit too expensive an accessory to be had (I'm part time so get the joy of having a proper job to help with my studies:) ) but the recent cut to £329 for the iPad may make it an ideal portable partner for students, much better than any crappy netbook (which unless you have dwarf hands went much better for typing either - although I do cope very well my iPad On screen keyboard providing its just letters and numbers and basic symbols) and much more portable than a full size laptop!

  3. Anton Ivanov
    Flame

    Numbers for Lenovo

    36% year on year... That makes a way more interesting story than Acer blooper.

    As far as the notebook market being killed off - well, yes. In order to survive it required two things: using a non-Microsoft system and developing it (or supporting its development).

    Acer and its bretheren did not bother with either. If they did we may have seen slightly different numbers there.

    1. Paul Crawford Silver badge
      Linux

      @Anton Ivanov

      "using a non-Microsoft system and developing it (or supporting its development)"

      Exactly, the 'standard' Windows offering needed much higher hardware specs just to run, and lacked the usability on a small screen. Oh and cost as well, important for those looking for a cheap device, so we got XP kept on life support, and the miserable Win7 "starter" edition.

      Linux has the lower hardware requirements, but using is usually not that great due to the small screen (and some software *assuming* your menus can be > 600 pixels high) and often lack of decent hardware support. The Ubuntu Netbook remix is a so-so experience for me, often I just revert to using GNOME and accepting the limitations..

      Then you get something like the ARM-based Toshiba AC100 that failed miserably to be properly supported in the shipped system (older 2.1 Android and no touch-screen). The killer product that never was.

      Really, Apple did not work "magic" with the iPad, they just did what was needed competently, and the other netbook suppliers have failed miserably to respond, seemingly needing MS to help them out.

      Which is a pathetic state of affairs, and ARM-based Windows just not happening in anything like cost & time-effective way to threaten Apple.

      Tux, as I like to be in control of my own system.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    Ahhh!!

    The iPad isn't a PC anymore than a smartphone, iPod touch (which it's just an inflated version of), PSP, etc. Why aren't they counted?

  5. Justin Clements

    Surely

    If we are accepting that netbook sales are evaporating to the iPad, then the iPad figures need to be included in shipments, which should have put Apple in 5th place?

  6. Adam T

    Sucky hardware

    iPad didn't kill netbooks. Netbooks being crap killed netbooks.

    iPad simply took advantage of the vacant slot in consumer mindshare.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Acer too big in retail and dont exist in Corporate

    Thats the issue.

    If retail sales are not there for Acer then they have nothing left.

    They will never reach no.1 until they figure out they need a credible coporate strategy.

    Ask yourself why corporates don't use their kit and then ask yourself why consumers do?

    One word springs to mind and it begins with Ch and ends in eap.

  8. bep

    Acer and netbooks

    As an owner of an original Acer Aspire One, here is my take on it; clueless users and Linux zealots don't mix.

    Personally I liked Linpus but most users expected Windows. When they went to forums for help the usual reply was "First open a command line and hose that crappy Linpus and install My Favourite Linux Distro". They ran screaming for the door (or back to the shop) and said 'Windows or nothing'. Acer's Linpus support was pretty ordinary, which didn't help. This put Microsoft back in the game, and in the driving seat. Result, over-priced netbooks with low-res screens, Windows XP and slow as molasses, or wildly over-priced netbooks with medium res screens, Windows 7 and slow as molasses.

    If Acer want me to update they need to give me the same form factor with Linpus, a higher res screen and better battery life. But that's just me...

  9. Mark .

    This makes no sense; if anything, phones and laptops are a more likely cause

    1. Where is the evidence that the Ipad is responsible? Have netbook numbers in total fallen? Also note that correlation is not causation. If it is due to other products (and not simply market saturation), I would suspect that the continued improvement in power of smartphones from Nokia and other companies is a far bigger factor. Phones sell way more than the Ipad or any tablet. Speaking from personal experience: although I do now have a netbook, I bought it much later than I would have normally, due to my Nokia phone being good enough for most times when I'm travelling. There's also the point that most people have a need for a phone (hence buying a netbook is an additional cost). With tablets, it's a choice of a tablet or netbook - why would the device with less features at a higher cost win?

    ElReg!comments!Pierre makes a good point also about competition from ultra-portable laptops. What was so special about the first netbooks in 2007 was not just their size, but their low cost. At that time, you had to pay a premium to get a small laptop. Now you can get small low cost laptops much more powerful than netbooks (typically 11", versus 10" or less for netbooks - personally I went for the smaller netbook, but I can see that many people would find an 11" a better choice). Have laptop numbers fallen?

    2. And why is being third place bad? When Apple reach third place in a market, we get a fanfare of articles about how wonderful they are.

    3. Note how these companies are selling millions per quarter. But half a million of a brand new release of a product that's received loads of coverage in the media is impressive?

    I agree with the comments. It's sad that even articles that have nothing to do with Apple, still have to have an obligtary mention. It's like product placement.

    Giles Jones: I can take notes on a netbook. What's the point in spending more on a tablet, simply to turn it back into being like a netbook? And recording audio is much slower to skim through to find a particular part. Not to mention being useless for when the lecturer writes down material.

    tommy060289: "The truth is, net books are crap, slow and underpowered"

    And how powerful is the Ipad? When people say netbooks are underpowered and slow, they're being compared to full laptop PCs. I wasn't aware tablets were any better - worse, in fact.

    "On the other hand, I have a decent laptop for serious work and I take my iPad round with me at university as it is much easier to carry round then any laptop"

    Oh I see - so your wonderful Ipad isn't up to the job, and you need a laptop for any serious work. So why not have a netbook and a laptop?

    Sure, there are some people who will a niche for things smaller than a netbook - but then the Android tablets are better here, as they are smaller (not to mention phones).

    What if you're out and need something with more power, and all you have is your Ipad?

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