The Apple iPad

Marty_J

shandypants5 wrote: »

Ya. I get the whole book thing.;)
Its just like a book, in fact its so much like a book i may as well just read a book.

But what if I need to type something? I mean type with both hands.
or maybe list lots of things on Ebay, should I go get my netbook now?
Or just get up and sit at the desk top.

I agree with what the poster above said, its just an Ipod that wont fit in your pocket, it doesnt do anything that other devices are not already doing better.

It does look nice granted, but I think I will still browse the net on my laptop and watch movies on my tv and read BOOKS when I need to relax and read.;)

I think you're really missing the point. It's not intended to replace your desktop (or laptop) computer. Steve Jobs said at the start of his keynote:

Let's go back to 1991, when we first shipped our Powerbooks. The first with a TFT screen, the first with palm rests, and had an integrated pointing device. Just a few years ago in 2007 we reinvented the phone... and a few years later we got the iPhone 3GS.

So all of us use laptops and smartphones... the question has arisen; is there room for something in the middle? We've wondered for years as well - in order to create that category, they have to be far better at doing some key tasks... better than the laptop, better than the smartphone.

What kind of tasks? Browsing the web. Doing email. Enjoying and sharing pics. Watching videos. Enjoying music. Playing games. Reading ebooks.

If there's gonna be a third category, it has to be better at these tasks -- otherwise it has no reason for being.

Now some people thought that was a netbook - the problem is that netbooks aren't better than anything!

We think we've got something that is better. And we call it the iPad.

shandypants5

Marty_J wrote: »

I think you're really missing the point. It's not intended to replace your desktop (or laptop) computer. Steve Jobs said at the start of his keynote:

Yeah I am just winding you up really, it does look a good gadget, but if I still need a laptop then it is really just a luxury toy.
The Ipod/phone is a truly portable device that does fill a usefull role.

I think this looks to big to be truly portable and not usefull enough to replace my house/office based devices.

It will be popular though as the Icrowd sheep will buy it in their hoards, just to look "cool" or "trendy".

[Deleted User]

Any Flash or Multitasking support?

BillScarab

Are netbooks OK if they run Linux as it only seems to be ones with 'PC Software' that are no good.

I must admit I've never been convinved by the whole netbook thing. When the original Eee came out I could just about see the point but as they've got bigger, heavier and more expensive they seem pointless. You may as well have a laptop.

Personally I'm not sure about tablets in general. they sound great but I sit in front of a computer at work so I've got access to all my email and the web. I've a desktop at home for similar purposes and when I'm out and about I have a phone.

If I'm sat on the settee watching the telly then I'm watching telly not messing about with a computer.

So I don't think it's for me but if it's cheap enough and I cna think of a good enough use who knows.

It's bound to do reasonably well though as there are enough Apple zealots who'll buy it because they buy anything with an Apple logo.

By the way I'm not referring to you with that comment MartyJ, you're one of the saner Apple fans I've encountered.

EDIT: From what I can see after a quick google, there's no Flash support.

Bowling_4_Gold

Hmm... Don't really think Apple are on to a winner with this.

A 9.7" Touch Screen device with no 'real' OS (i.e. has capabilities of average PC/Mac) and next to no connection ports. What market is it trying to get in? All I can think of is PMP, but who would want to carry a 9.7" screened device everywhere?

You can claim all you like that it has amazing potential for books, newspapers etc, but in reality, are you going to sit on the tube looking at this, when you can pick up a newspaper for a fraction of the cost (& hardly any effort) or even invest in a comparatively cheap Kindle or similar device?

One of the only really 'good' things with this device is the claimed 10 hour battery life. This would be the only thing that would tempt me. Oh, wait... as with Apple's other portable devices, once you've run that battery down enough, you have to fork out for Apple to replace it themselves. No removable battery

Marty_J

shandypants5 wrote: »

Yeah I am just winding you up really, it does look a good gadget, but if I still need a laptop then it is really just a luxury toy.
The Ipod/phone is a truly portable device that does fill a usefull role.

I think this looks to big to be truly portable and not usefull enough to replace my house/office based devices.

It will be popular though as the Icrowd sheep will buy it in their hoards, just to look "cool" or "trendy".

Fair enough, but the iPad looks as though it can do many things better than the iPhone, thanks in large part to its much larger screen. And internet browsing looks much more intuitive than using a traditional computer. I don't sit at my computer (laptop or desktop) and read books, so why should I read this forum or my emails that way?

BillScarab wrote: »

So I don't think it's for me but if it's cheap enough and I cna think of a good enough use who knows.

I think the price seems reasonable. If it had been priced at $999 (as rumoured), then I probably wouldn't be interested. But at $499 and up, I'm seriously considering buying one. I was going to wait for Chrome OS to make an appearance, as I noticed that 90% of what I do with my computer happens in the browser, and having a lightweight OS that did a limited number of things, but did them well, was very appealing.

But if I can get an iPad for not much more money, and it provides a more intuitive interface for most of what I do, then I'm very interested in it. They're certainly making a big deal about it's web browsing - I'm thinking it's the sort of thing you need to experience for yourself.

It's bound to do reasonably well though as there are enough Apple zealots who'll buy it because they buy anything with an Apple logo.

By the way I'm not referring to you with that comment MartyJ, you're one of the saner Apple fans I've encountered.

Wow, that's one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me!

EDIT: From what I can see after a quick google, there's no Flash support.

Nope, no Flash. It's hardly surprising given that Apple don't like it very much. Their goal of using open web standards instead might be starting to achieve fruition though; YouTube have a trial that uses HTML 5 instead of Flash for their videos (you need to use Safari or Chrome though).

Marty_J

Bowling_4_Gold wrote: »

Hmm... Don't really think Apple are on to a winner with this.

A 9.7" Touch Screen device with no 'real' OS (i.e. has capabilities of average PC/Mac) and next to no connection ports. What market is it trying to get in? All I can think of is PMP, but who would want to carry a 9.7" screened device everywhere?

You can claim all you like that it has amazing potential for books, newspapers etc, but in reality, are you going to sit on the tube looking at this, when you can pick up a newspaper for a fraction of the cost (& hardly any effort) or even invest in a comparitavely cheap Kindle or similar device?

One of the only really 'good' things with this device is the claimed 10 hour battery life. This would be the only thing that would tempt me. Oh, wait... as with Apple's other portable devices, once you've run that battery down enough, you have to fork out for Apple to replace it themselves. No removable battery

The Kindle DX is $489, or only $10 cheaper. And it only does one thing (though admittedly, it does it very well).

BillScarab

Marty J, the price does seem reasonable, but you live in the US. Whether it will be quite so reasonable when it hits Europe is another matter.

As I'm sure you can remember technology companies often seem to have a strange exchange rate where $1 = £1.

To me it looks good but is filling a very small niche, a niche that may not even exist.

I'll give it time though and see what happens.

S0litaire

BillScarab wrote: »

Marty J, the price does seem reasonable, but you live in the US. Whether it will be quite so reasonable when it hits Europe is another matter.

As I'm sure you can remember technology companies often seem to have a strange exchange rate where $1 = £1.

That's the only thing which, for me, takes it from a "oh! might pick it up at an Apple store & play about with it and I'll think about getting one"

to

"oh? Might pick it up to play with it but not ever gonna buy it!"

If they did correct thing and sell the base one for £310 (at current exchange rate of 1 GBP = 1.61737 USD) then i'd finally be tempted to break my "No iDevil devices ever!!!" vow!! ;¬)
...just this once....

i8change

Originally Posted by BillScarab
To me it looks good but is filling a very small niche, a niche that may not even exist.
I'll give it time though and see what happens.

The screen will have to be held at a good angle for viewing, but at 1.5 pounds it will be a bit hefty to use like a book. I would soon be looking for a pillow to rest it on, but then it might get very hot.

The screen at 1024x768 is 4:3 aspect ratio, so a lot of that 9.7 inch diagonal screen isn't going to be used if viewing typical 2.35:1, or even 16:9 widescreen, movies. Also, built-in speakers on small thin devices are usually poor quality, so decent headphones will be required.

It will be interesting to see what happens, but I think you are right about it being niche.