Is the ipad a good buy for my technophobe mother

matt987106

BillScarab wrote: »

Marty, they may be pushing for a technology to replace Flash or it could just be an excuse. They don't allow anything on their devices that might impinge on the App Store. It's not just Flash, it's Java, Python, Ruby and .Net.

Basically they don't like anything that they can't control.
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thats about it

BillScarab wrote: »

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Having said that they control their ecosystem and it's up to them what they allow and up to consumers whether that suits them. It seems to suit a lot of people so they must be doing something right.

the jailbreak community would argue with that

lewt

kai666 wrote: »

You won't be able to load any photos, it has no sockets or plugs except for the power cable. It's just an over sized ipod. I really can't see the point of them

There is an adapter. Which plugs into the bottom that you can run SD cards OR plug in a digital camera.

lewt

scottishblondie wrote: »

My mother has a netbook we got for her 60th, and she loves the little thing! I don't know how she would feel about an iPad, I think she would actually find it difficult to adapt to the lack of a physical keyboard. Also I have heard that it's heavier than it looks and so can be tough on the arms when holding it at a good viewing angle.

It is. not loads and loads but the way they were going on about it being light, i was surpised.

lewt

She only needs something to bowse the internet and load/browse photos.

edgex wrote: »

the answer to your question: NO


it is not a computer, so cannot do what youve mentioned as wanting to do

Er, yes it can mate.... Maybe you should look into that.

[Deleted User]

Marty_J wrote: »

Given that the widespread adoption of HTML 5 will give Apple less control over what people do on their devices, how do you envisage this working exactly?

Apple are fully aware of the time scales in implementing the entire HTML 5 standard and therefore it's a pretty safe bet for their platform to favour it over Flash because the functionality of HTML 5 is in no way advanced enough to be in a position to replicate the advanced functionality that Flash offers, and will long continue too.

HTML 5 is not mature enough, Flash designers aren't programmers therefore their skills aren't going to be easily translated and like it and over 75% of people are still using browsers that don't support it. That figure is going to fall over the years, but the two are going to exist side by side for the next five years at least.

RobTang

Marty_J wrote: »

Flash will have a slow painful death, hastened in part by websites such as YouTube switching over to HTML 5.

Given that the widespread adoption of HTML 5 will give Apple less control over what people do on their devices, how do you envisage this working exactly?

HTML5 party tricks pretty much stop at video, writing a pure javascript RIA or animation is a complete waste of a developers time. as well as being much easier to steal.

Apple looses next to no control over what is avaliable on the device, javascript from a brower wont be able to tap into the phone API. everything else can be done on existing html/javascript
Not supporting javascript would hurt them much more as iphone / ipad is unless as an internet device without it. If apple could get away with no javascript support they would... but they cant so are forced to support it.

Leopard

Pythagorous wrote: »

Well thanks for all the replies. Some very useful, others not so!

Best to take ma down the apple store and let her play with the thing before deciding.

That is absolutely what to do. Never mind what anybody else (including you, and I) thinks; let her decide for herself whether or not she likes it and it is what she wants. :money:

23n1th

Relevant for the ipad too.