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Don’t Read Too Much Into Every Number You See [NUMBERS]

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We’ve been tipped off by multiple people to the results of an interesting “survey” that came out not too long ago: how many people prefer an iPad over the Galaxy Tab? The survey was run by analyst Gene Munster of the Piper Jaffray group, and he came up with the following number: 85%. I wouldn’t call foul if actual market performance reflected this “research,” but there’s a reason I put that word in quotes: he only asked 65 people. I’m not saying that the iPad isn’t highly favored over the Galaxy Tab by a large margin (I even told folks they should buy an iPad over a Galaxy Tab if they needed a tablet this holiday season), but we won’t report on research where the sample size is not much larger than the amount of players on an American football team. Actually, we just did. But for all the right reasons. [via Business Insider]

Quentyn Kennemer
The "Google Phone" sounded too awesome to pass up, so I bought a G1. The rest is history. And yes, I know my name isn't Wilson.

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18 Comments

  1. I’ve read some of his “analysis” regarding Apple before. That guy is the ultimate Apple fanboy, and is often not even close with his predictions.

  2. I own the galaxy tab.

    I bought it for a couple reasons… Its good, its a better size, and i can’t support Steve Jobs even though the iPAD is a wonderful product. Maybe after he’s gone i’ll go back to apple purchasing.

    But here are my concerns about android and the tablet.

    Why are publishers not making apps for android or if they are why are they way late?

    I suspect there are some under the table exclusivity deals going on here because when someone gives the excuse of lack of android developers… thats horse dung.

    Why is amplitube only on the iPAD. Can the Galaxy not handle it? Why isn’t there ANY similar app on the android platform?

    Why is netflix giving me an excuse about DRM? Hire a company to make the universal DRM for android standard and charge for it and make it a prereq. Simple enough. I’ll buy it.

    Why are people like branson and others making iPAD only apps? (under the table deals are a question here?)

    Don’t give me the fragmentation crap… just draw a line in the sand and stop being a wimp, publishers. Android 2.2+ or Android 2.1+

    whatever.

    Release the software and let the comments fuel the bug fixes to slowly make the apps more device compatible.

  3. I have seen people say the same thing on a few different sites but I am surprised no one has put up survey of there own to try and see what people are really saying. For me right now I would probably go for an ipad since I had an evo and that was good enough for me. I am sure in a year or two I ll want an android tab but once things are developed more for those.

  4. What I love is that this is getting around the Apple fan sites and the hardcore fanboys are pulling out their statistics books trying to justify this survey in any and all means.

    “Who cares if the error on this is 2-3 times higher than many similar surveys? It puts an Apple competitor in a bad light so we must hoist it as our flag!”

    Pathetic…

  5. I like how you used the Huskers.

    Awesome.

  6. 1. The guy sells Apple stock, I know a real shocker.
    2. He only asked which device feels like it cost more and people said the 10in. iPad did over the 7in. Tab.
    3. He would not even tell Engadget where he did the survey.
    4. It was 65 people (LMFAO)
    5. He has lied before according to Engadget.
    6. Of course people would say the iPad would cost more, its a natural reaction because its bigger.
    So bottom line the guy set this up so that he could get a certain type of reaction from people who for all we know don’t even know how to turn on a computer. On Engadget’s podcast last night Josh spent a good amount of time talking about how much of a douche bag this guy is and to make it worse Josh really likes Apple products. I hope for now on the media never takes this guy serious again.

  7. I work in Market Research and execute surveys monthly and this survey setup is idiotic and unreliable. If anyone passes off “findings” from a survey with 65 people they should close up shop. Surveys need at least 300 respondents to have statistically valid findings.

    Also, I’m not sold on the Galaxy Tab but won’t be buying a iPad. I’m holding out for either the MOTOTAB or HTC’s Tab. I see those two manufacturers as the preeminent Android Hardware manufacturers (granted Samsung is a close 3rd).

  8. I’m agree with Joe. I’m holding out for the HTC tab as well.

  9. What he didn’t divulge is that all 65 said “What the hell do I need either one of these items for?”

  10. Go Huskers!

  11. GO BIG RED!!! Beat OU!

  12. It’s funny how everyone dogs this guys survey but the results are completely believable.

    I haven’t bought an iPad but I was close to. If it was $425 like these people valued it I well might have. $350 or so and I would have bought one for sure.

    I’ve played with the Galaxy Tab a bit less and my main objection again is the price (the OS and app environment will doubtless improve). I’m not lured at all at 6 hundy but at $300 or so no contract I might have picked one up. At $200 no contract I’d be considering buying 3.

  13. Steko, it costs $200 to build a Galaxy Tab. If they sold it for that, they’d go out of business, and so would the carriers. At $300, everyone would still be losing money.

  14. Couple of things, first, even with 65 surveys, as long as it was random is enough to have an accurate number. If you poll 65 people from this site I would highly doubt that IPAD would win. (mostly on our stubborn principle and general opinion of Apple) That being said, Galaxy tab is a fun toy so is the IPAD. Currently the IPAD has a little more going for it but it has been on the market for a long time at this point. I am with Joe and Alberto on the HTC tab! And most important GO HUSKERS!

  15. Go Big Red!

  16. Gene Munster and puppet Jaffray are a fraud. They have absolutely no credability especially when it comes to Apple. He’s made some ridiculous statements in the past all glossing Apple. I don’t know why people don’t just ignore that dork.

  17. @whap…There is more to it than just picking random people. You could easily stand near an Apple store and pick random people and the iPad might come out on top. I’m no expert on surveys but I know theres more to it than that.

    As far as this survey I’m glad someone finally called attention to it. Believe it or not pointing these things out is very much needed. There are many people that get like 100% of their tech news through Apple fanboy sites. I have a coworker like that along with some of his friends. And they take that Apple biased news and spread it…discouraging others from purchasing stuff. I can’t count the times I catch him spreading some ridiculous mess only to bust him in front of people with facts.

  18. I would rather have ANDROID, but not until they get bigger screens. 7″? Hell, I would rather have 17″.

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