[Logmix]

That's very well put. If you uninstall an app, all its data is gone. Unless you stored that data somewhere else of course, but the main thing is how Apple approaches data storage is not very professional or confidence inspiring.

For me this awkward storage makes it difficult to take the device seriously. I don't consider the iPad a work device, more of a device to surf the net on the couch. In Q4 2014, iPad sales were down year over year from 14M to 12M. Maybe other people are starting to think along the same lines?

The sad part is that this does not have to be that way. The iPad has more than enough resources to be a fully functional computing device.

But until Apple grows up and removes all those mandatory training wheels (can't develop equal citizen apps on the device itself and give it to anybody I like without Apple having the power to party pooping any of it), I don't consider iPad + iPhone real computers.

[api]

"The iPad has more than enough resources to be a fully functional computing device."

The thing preventing mobile "convergence" is not hardware capability and never really has been except at the high end. Mobile won't displace PC due to design choices that firmly exclude whole application categories. These include what we're discussing here, as well as jailed app stores and other policies.

A lot of people assume mobile is "the next platform," etc. based on what I consider to be faulty reasoning by analogy with the PC's displacement of mainframes and minis. The PC displaced mainframes and minis due to Moore's Law and economies of scale. Those same forces are in effect in mobile, sure, but there are other barriers in effect that are completely unrelated to CPU power or cost that will prevent this displacement from occurring.

Whenever I talk to valley people I feel like an atheist at a tent revival for questioning the idea that mobile is categorically "the future." It could be if it wanted to, but it'd have to fix some of its problems.

[Htsthbjig]

"A lot of people assume mobile is "the next platform," etc." based on what I consider to be faulty reasoning by analogy with the PC's displacement of mainframes and minis. The PC displaced mainframes and minis due to Moore's Law and economies of scale. Those same forces are in effect in mobile, sure, but there are other barriers in effect that are completely unrelated to CPU power or cost that will prevent this displacement from occurring."

I was one of those in the past, now it is just obvious, just look at the number of mobile devices out there compared to PCs. The fact that you don't like it does not make it less true.

Old people said the same about the command line, it was never going to be replaced for real work.

You assume that current restrictions will be maintained in the future. I don't think so.

Apple was right and created a product useful for many common people. Programmers and power users believed that it was not necessary because they were fine and frankly because knowledge gave them power over them.

I am using Ubuntu on a tablet and I like it. It is coming slowly but it will be possible to create much more content on tablets that on pcs.