Acer founder insists tablets a fad again, MacBook Air too

updated 08:35 am EDT, Fri August 5, 2011

Acer's Shih still convinced tablets just temporary

Acer's creator Stan Shih tried to stir controversy Friday with remarks once again trying to dismiss primarily Apple-driven technology. He called tablets like the iPad, and now the ultrabook category created by the MacBook Air, "short-term phenomena" that would go away. The conventional PC was the cornerstone of technology; not only did the tablet and smartphone come from the PC, but everything had to go through it to make value, Digitimes recounts him as saying.

Apple was succeeding with the iPad primarily through "outside-the-box thinking," Shih said, and it was something that notebook makers should learn. He didn't explain the self-contradiction of praising a company for being innovative with tablets but insisting it was wrong to take that direction.

Touching on his former company, he thought the Acer Iconia Tab A100 would foster competition by putting more emphasis on price. It wasn't clear why he was encouraging Acer to continue in a field he had dismissed.

The comments as a whole were consistent with a pattern of attempts to primarily dismiss Apple's success, which he called a mutant virus last September. Heeding Shih's advice has so far proven dangerous for Acer. The company fell from second to fourth in PCs precisely because it didn't take competition from the iPad seriously.

Acer's fall was fast enough that the company ousted CEO Gianfranco Lanci earlier this year and refocused its entire mobile strategy, making tablets and phones important while moving its notebook strategy away from netbooks and cheap notebooks to higher-quality systems. The company is believed to be one of those in the first wave of those following Intel's ultrabook guidelines, suggesting that it's ignoring Shih's advice and planning to replicate the success of the MacBook Air.

By Electronista Staff

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TAGS :

computers, industry, MacBook Air, Apple, iPad, Iconia Tab

coffeetime

Junior Member

Joined: Nov 2006

+16

08/05, 09:01am | report spam | close reply

Thanks goodness.....

that he's not an occult leader...... was he the one predicted the second coming of Christ?

mgpalma

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2000

+31

08/05, 09:04am | report spam | close reply

Buddy

You are delusional. The iPad has literally changed the way I live. A lot, and I mean a lot, of things I used to do on the computer I now do on my iPad. It feels more natural and it is easy to use in a variety of circumstances, easy to transport, and easier on the hands and wrists. Maybe it's not for everyone (not sure about that) but I actually enjoy the digital life more now. Yes some things need a 'traditional' computer to do effectively, but half of what I do is now on my iPad.

Have fun storming the castle...

SergioRS

Joined: Sep 2004

+37

08/05, 09:08am | report spam | (1 reply) close | reply

Meanwhile in Taipei

Acer stock is down 61.49% from Jan 1 - can we start calling them beleaguered now?

macnnoel

Joined: Feb 2005

+23

08/05, 09:14am | report spam | close reply

if nothing else works

bury your head in the sand and blame someone else for your troubles.

vintagegeek

Joined: May 2007

+22

08/05, 09:32am | report spam | close reply

Wow!

How'd you like to work for this guy.....you sure he didn't come from RIM??

iphonerulez

Joined: Nov 2008

+19

08/05, 09:33am | report spam | close reply

What is this man's problem???

Analysts keep upping tablet sales figures for the next few years and businesses seem to be adapting iPads relatively quickly. Sure, the analysts could be wrong since they were certainly wrong about the increase of Windows netbooks in the industry and they were badly wrong.

However, I know for certain this dude is dead wrong about ultraportables such as the MacBook Air. Consumers will love them for their portability, quick start capabilities and battery life. If he doesn't see that, then he'd be better off giving his position to someone that understands what consumers are looking for. The MacBook Air-class notebook reference model is here to stay for the long-haul.

lamewing

Dedicated MacNNer

Joined: Aug 2004

08/05, 09:34am | report spam | (1 reply) close | reply

Could be right

He could be 100% correct. But even if he is right, by the time the "fad" ends...Acer will be out of business.

DiabloConQueso

Joined: Jun 2008

+17

08/05, 09:37am | report spam | (1 reply) close | reply

If tablets and ultrabooks are a fad...

...and the spawn of a "mutant virus," then why does Acer make tablets and ultrabooks?

prl99

Joined: Mar 2009

+18

08/05, 09:38am | report spam | close reply

me too boxes

The PC world is full of a bunch of box assemblers all trying to make their box meaningful. That's all Acer is. Have they developed/invented anything meaningful or are they just trying to push out the next fancy box? Price isn't everything. Quality of build, functionality, longevity of parts, and of course, it's ability to run proper software properly are all important and in many case more important that bottom line cost of materials. Apple provides the proper mix of these for me. I have never seen an Acer computing device that I would actually buy and it appears a lot of other people are feeling the same way.

johncarync

Joined: Oct 2002

+14

08/05, 10:00am | report spam | close reply

In a related story...

Royal Typewriter CEO, Fulla Shih, remarked that PCs are just a short-term phenomena and typewriter sale should begin to pick up later this year.

Paul Huang

Joined: Sep 1999

+10

08/05, 10:23am | report spam | close reply

He is full of Shih

The computer world has a new term. Instead of 'full of 5hit', it's now 'full of Shih'.

What a bloody moron.

Mr. Strat

Joined: Jan 2002

08/05, 10:28am | report spam | (1 reply) close | reply

Tard Time

Ah-so...we makee crappy computer and want to you to keep buying them. No lookee at iPad or little skinny Apple computer. You buy Acer poo-poo.

dmhuff

Joined: Apr 2009

08/05, 10:55am | report spam | close reply

are you kidding?

Personal computers are a fad. The mainframe in my basement is here to stay

climacs

Joined: Sep 2001

08/05, 12:20pm | report spam | close reply

also, too

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."-- Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."-- Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." -- Western Union internal memo, 1876.

"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out." -- Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.

"So we went to Atari and said, 'Hey, we've got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we'll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we'll come work for you.' And they said, 'No.' So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, 'Hey, we don't need you. You haven't got through college yet.'" -- Apple Computer Inc. founder Steve Jobs on attempts to get Atari and HP interested in his and Steve Wozniak's personal computer.

"Everything that can be invented has been invented." -- Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.

"640K ought to be enough for anybody." -- Bill Gates, 1981

"$100 million dollars is way too much to pay for Microsoft." -- IBM, 1982

"The Internet? We are not interested in it" -- Bill Gates, 1993

abburks

Joined: Apr 2011

08/05, 03:10pm | report spam | close reply

Trying to keep hos company afloat

He only is saying these things to keep stockholders from dumping.

His comparison is dumb. People use to travel by train, the cornerstone of transportation in the US, but we find better and faster ways because our way of life has changed and traveling by train now would suck.

woodsmanlw

Joined: Oct 2010

08/05, 04:00pm | report spam | close reply

Wishful Thinking

Remember when Ballmer poo poo'd the iPhone (and well, just about everything Apple releases)? He said it would never sell. It was a classic case of him not wanting it to sell so he's claiming thats what would happen in hopes of discouraging it from happening. In addition Ballmer seems to be stuck in the 90's and lacks the vision of where to take his company. The same goes for Mr Acer. He's stuck in what he's used to doing and doesn't see where the world is heading. Unless he comes around, Acer is done. Now that I think of it, whens the last time you heard of anyone buying an Acer.....

ADeweyan

Joined: Mar 2004

08/05, 04:01pm | report spam | close reply

Seeing the world through netbook-colored glasses

People see what they want to see. Viewed from the perspective of traditional, commoditized computing, more features are better, more power is better, cheaper price is better. What he's missing is that this perspective is in its waning phase. The emerging perspective suggests that for these devices, simpler is better, elegant beats cheap, and user-experience is king. It's not at all surprising that the old guard is having a hard time grasping that.

russellb

08/06, 03:17am | report spam | close reply

Bah ha ha ha ha

"short-term phenomena" that would go away. .... yes it Acer that will go away !!!!!

ArtimusMacimus

Joined: Aug 2011

08/07, 11:43am | report spam | close reply

the last time anyone bought Acer

For a good laugh, look at this pic, from before either the MB Air or iPad where even sold, to see when the last time anyone bought an Acer.

acer.jpg

Bobfozz

Joined: Jul 2008

08/11, 11:57pm | report spam | close reply

Where this nutcase is from...

price used to be ALL that mattered. I'm sure the Indians and Pakistanis who could afford them felt this way too, but a new generation has come along and these people like style, utility, great integration... and because they've gone MAC, they are now getting PRICE too!

That's really got to hurt the "old school" thinking. This guy Shih, he's irrelevant, inconsistent, but he does make for good copy!

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Acer founder insists tablets a fad again, MacBook Air too

updated 08:35 am EDT, Fri August 5, 2011

Acer's Shih still convinced tablets just temporary

Thanks goodness.....

Buddy

Meanwhile in Taipei

if nothing else works

Wow!

What is this man's problem???

Could be right

Dementia?

If tablets and ultrabooks are a fad...

me too boxes

In a related story...

He is full of Shih

Tard Time

DCW

are you kidding?

Dinosaur

also, too

Trying to keep hos company afloat

Wishful Thinking

Seeing the world through netbook-colored glasses

Bah ha ha ha ha

the last time anyone bought Acer

ouch

Where this nutcase is from...

Login Here

Most Read

Electronista Marketplace

Acer founder insists tablets a fad again, MacBook Air too

updated 08:35 am EDT, Fri August 5, 2011

Acer's Shih still convinced tablets just temporary

Related Articles

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Thanks goodness.....

Buddy

Meanwhile in Taipei

if nothing else works

Wow!

What is this man's problem???

Could be right

Dementia?

If tablets and ultrabooks are a fad...

me too boxes

In a related story...

He is full of Shih

Tard Time

DCW

are you kidding?

Dinosaur

also, too

Trying to keep hos company afloat

Wishful Thinking

Seeing the world through netbook-colored glasses

Bah ha ha ha ha

the last time anyone bought Acer

ouch

Where this nutcase is from...

Login Here

Recently Commented Articles

Related Forum Posts

Most Read

Electronista Marketplace