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Comment by bo1024 | Hacker News Reader

I'm not sure, I felt (and feel) the same way about tablets, and about smartphones except in limited cases. But tons of people got them and now they're standard.

So I wonder if a good litmus test for this sort of review might be to find/replace Glass with iPad and see if any of the criticism doesn't apply. Very little in the article seems to pass the test, so even though I tend to agree with the sentiments, I'm not sure most consumers will feel the same.

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That's fallacious reasoning. Just because people said the iPad wouldn't fly doesn't mean that when people say something won't fly, it's valid to bring up the iPad as a counter example. 90% of the time people pan a product, it really does fail.

"But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright Brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown." - Carl Sagan

But if 90% of products fail anyway, then the panning carries no signal.

I am trying to point specifically to the parallels, which I think are valid ones, and seem to cast doubt on this line of reasoning (which apparently was incorrect in the past).

The thing is that being in the tech industry (I assume based on the fact that you're posting on HN in the middle of the day), you don't really need a smartphone because you're likely at your computer most of the day on most days. I don't have one either, or a tablet because there's no value added for me since I need a "real" computer with a keyboard anyway.

But folks outside the tech industry are dropping PCs completely in favor of these types of consumption-centric devices.

Smartphones and iPads don't make you look like a dork while using them.

I remember iPads felt that way for some when they first came out.

Depends on context. I saw someone using an iPad in a movie theatre (before the movie started). I'm not sure if he looked more like a dork or an ass (with that ultra bright screen).

I take it you've never seen someone taking photos at a wedding with an iPad.

Any product can make you look like a dork depending on how you use it. Even if you're Spike Lee:

http://i.imgur.com/OY5RBuo.jpg

They definitely did when they were new. Hell, when cell phones were new they made people think you were a drug dealer.

They do when you take a picture in a crowd... It's funny.

EDIT:

I see this is a repeat comment, but yeah I love watching people take photos with tablets.

I remember a time when I was literally the only person around me who had a Smartphone. I would play with it on transit. Did a feel a bit like a dork? A little bit, yes. Now everyone has them, it's way more obvious, and nobody feels like a dork.

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