Apple Launches "iPad" I am drooling over this gadget..Checkout!!!

[teky]

this is precisely the problem, if you compare it to a laptop or a netbook it is so crippled it's not even in the same ballpark. netbooks are portable and easy to carry, and about the same dimensions as the tablet, so they're similarly portable, and the netbook also has a keyboard and can multitask, and has USB and is infinitely flexible (especially if you put some linux on it). I can plug a USB stick into it and watch a movie. IF i want to do it on the iPad I also need to be carrying the USB adapter around......not exactly portable then huh?

The iPad is a hype-drive product, that I don't believe is going to replace even one of the categories of devices it is designed to compete with (netbook, smartphone, PMP, e-reader) forget all, because while trying to be everything it does nothing well.....even for web browsing it's a huge fail without flash.....website with huge gaps, no youtube, no dailymotion, no flash games, some entire websites will not load.....i seriously don't get what the apple fanboys are drooling about!

Of course, if in spite of it being such a crippled device it manages to sell, that will be the ultimate demonstration of the fantastic marketing machine that is Apple. But my money is on it going the way of the Cube or Apple TV.

Now for the iFans, I have a few of straight questions (and i'd genuinely like to see answers):

• Can you imagine reading books on this glossy, reflective backlit screen?
• Would you rather browse the net on something where you can't use youtube or flash games or view flash websites, or enter text by way of a keyboard (touchscreen typing on a big screen is a whole different ballgame btw) or on a netbook?
• Would you rather use the iPad for making phone calls or as a personal media player compared to an iPod or an iTouch?
• Would you rather watch movies on this iPad using a USB adapter and storage device or a netbook where you just plug in a thumbdrive?

If, as I expect, you've answered no to even 3 out of the above 4, why would you invest 600+ (you'd want 3G and a USB adapter wouldnt you?) dollars on something that does all these things in a clumsy, crippled fashion?

It's not aimed at us - Simples. We technical tribe can't get on with it.

It's aimed at those who just use for nothing more than browsing, e-mail and music aka Netbook users. I know the Netbook can do more, But most people around me only use it for Browsing Internet in office and lug away for long trips.

Re:Flash - I just don't care because it's a resource hogger. Also Youtube interface provided from iPhone is on par with the interface we get from PC. Also lots of websites are having a specific iPhone link/app to satisfy the ever growing crowd.

Also what've been reading over the internet is that the new OS 3.2 supports video calling. This is just from Internet don't take me on this - Confirmed: iPhone OS 3.2 has support for video calling, file downloads, and SMS (update: handwriting keyboard?) -- Engadget

Flash games - Agreed, they are free - But I'm not the one who plays them. However there are quite good games on the App store. I'm currently playing GTA - China Town wars, my favorite series on the move. Oh and touchscreen is silky smooth to operate on Iphone and I would imagine this being the same. It just takes some time to get used to.

Re:Ipad to attend calls - I think that's a response to Sam9s - Why would you use a tablet to attend calls. Also I will certainly use iPad as a personal media player - It's always on. You don't need to boot your OS and wait for a media player menu to come around and everything is certainly organised the way it should be.

Oh yes, I will be buying one when I've spare cash sitting around and I'm not a iFan

 

[psychotropic]

I keep hearing this "it is not aimed at the tech savvy", but why would even a non tech savvy person prefer this over a netbook?? Netbooks are as portable as these and far more usable. I do get the logic that these so called 'dumb' people want a device that doesn't need to boot up and should just DO stuff, but for those few seconds of their lives would they still want to sacrifice so much functionality?

I note your points on iphones apps being good at doing youtube, but i'd like to have the flexibility to view flash elements in any website i go to. If this is, like you said, going to be primarily a net-surfing device, shouldn't it at least have the full range of net-surfing functionality? I genuinely can't think of surfing the net without flash. And can I chat on this while surfing the net? When I am surfing the net I am almost always simultaneously using my google talk on my non-sexy windows PC .....can this sexy piece of apple machinery do that? ...oh ya i can do it on my blackberry as well.....

It's aimed at those who just use for nothing more than browsing, e-mail and music aka Netbook users. I know the Netbook can do more, But most people around me only use it for Browsing Internet in office and lug away for long trips.

 

[stevieboy]

Now for the iFans, I have a few of straight questions (and i'd genuinely like to see answers):

• Can you imagine reading books on this glossy, reflective backlit screen?
• Would you rather browse the net on something where you can't use youtube or flash games or view flash websites, or enter text by way of a keyboard (touchscreen typing on a big screen is a whole different ballgame btw) or on a netbook?
• Would you rather use the iPad for making phone calls or as a personal media player compared to an iPod or an iTouch?
• Would you rather watch movies on this iPad using a USB adapter and storage device or a netbook where you just plug in a thumbdrive?

hi psychotropic,

do you mean genuinely like to see answers or like to see genuine answers eh?

ok here goes. well i dont think you get what apple is all about. i dont mean this in a derogatory way, i'd like you start seeing things in a different way. apple isnt about playing a spec game, its about making interfaces user friendly, intuitive and a joy to use. if you get this point you'll start to understand why the people who use apple love it so much. now you might not agree that apple is value for money etc and that's definitely your right. but understanding what makes an apple product so successful requires you to understand how many people interact with a tech product or rather what they'd like and what they'd like to see relegated to the trash can. this interaction is where apple scores bigtime. nothing like the touch interface on any other product. that's it pure and simple.

if you look at the keynote address on apple site, you'll see that the ipad is posititioned between the iphone and the macbook. its not meant to replace either. its meant for those who love the touch interface of the iphone.

now for your points.

1. e reader. i hate reading books other than from a 'book' but if you've seen a macbook pro the screen is superb, superb colours which is why its a standard in graphic applications like ad agencies and the like. i expect this screen makes it good for reading too. how good it is in the open in sunlight? dont know but at home in normal conditions it ought to be as good as reading from a macbook pro. again mac users will prefer this standard to other screens which really dont match up to the macbook pro.

2. you need to get the facts straight. you can watch youtube videos on the ipad. also remember this is not a 'replacement' for your macbook, its an additional gadget for light use for when you dont want a full scale keyboard or prefer the lightness of one pad. the use is more likely to be general surfing. for specific sites that depend on flash one can always use the laptop. also most sites even youtube are moving to html5 so the day of proprietary software seem to be limited. including flash which is power hungry would majorly screw up performance. a trade off. people can decide which is better by buying it or not

3. you want to hold up the ipad to your ear to receive a call??? ummm psychotropic... ummm ??? again look at what i've said before its not meant to replace the iphone or your macbook.

4. movies i can always load from my laptop and watch. why would i want a pendrive sticking out like an antennae? also generally movies when played from the media's hard drive have fewer hiccups than when played from an external drive like a cd drive. many a times have i inserted a cd or watched a colleague insert a cd into a computer and its always been slower. most of those i know prefer to load the content onto the desktop and then hit play. so a usb is pretty redundant. also any content that one chooses can be synched from your laptop. then you take it with you!

bottom line if you love the touch interface that lets you interact directly with the screen you'll buy or consider buying the ipad. if you dont get the touch interface and prefer a stylus or clicking on the top and bottom scroll buttons you'll wonder what the fuss is all about.

for me, web surfing, viewing my photos, personal apps like calendar, language dictionary, finance apps to track my spends and perhaps a few games, all in a 'hold it like a book' format. a sure shot winner.

regards

 

[BLASTO]

wanting to use a stylus when you have touch. hmmm you did get the right word 'weird'

absolutely no offence meant blasto, but this statement just had me grinning away...

Iam not questioning its abilities as an isolated device.
Iam just commentsing on jobs rediculing which is out there as incompetent and framing this as innovation (while it is exactly the other way round)

This 'innovation' is supposed to take over the netbook and a tablet according to jobs..

I dont know what applications of the stylus you were referring to as not needed here, but I want to how to attain a typical usage of a tablet..

1) How do college students take notes in this?
2) A diagram? Can you draw with fingers?
3) Handwriting recognition? You just write "How are you" in the tablet and it actually converts to readable text which can be stored/emailed etc. In this, you need to pull out the virtual keyboard and type over the gloss screen.. Very intutive innovation? Really?

If this is not pitted against tablets by jobs himself and is destined to be used by housewives, I have no problem accepting it. But have a cat and claiming it to be a tiger has become the norm of jobs' release messages.

Obviously this fell short of netbooks.. No one even argues..

Summary..

MAC - Great but over priced. Locaked to hardware.
Macbook Air - Unbeatable mobility at double the price it is worth.
IPhone - A great overall device, average phone, interface overflows with innovation. Can not be replaced by any device for a long long time.
IPod - There are better alternatives. Great interface but average sound.
IPad - Junk.

 

[teky]

I keep hearing this "it is not aimed at the tech savvy", but why would even a non tech savvy person prefer this over a netbook?? Netbooks are as portable as these and far more usable. I do get the logic that these so called 'dumb' people want a device that doesn't need to boot up and should just DO stuff, but for those few seconds of their lives would they still want to sacrifice so much functionality?

I note your points on iphones apps being good at doing youtube, but i'd like to have the flexibility to view flash elements in any website i go to. If this is, like you said, going to be primarily a net-surfing device, shouldn't it at least have the full range of net-surfing functionality? I genuinely can't think of surfing the net without flash. And can I chat on this while surfing the net? When I am surfing the net I am almost always simultaneously using my google talk on my non-sexy windows PC .....can this sexy piece of apple machinery do that? ...oh ya i can do it on my blackberry as well.....

No offence to you - But it all depends on what functionality you really use, So an average user will not notice that he is missing multi-tasking. Also as Stevieboy has pointed the world will definitely move away from Flash to HTML 5 - SJ doesn't like Adobe

But I certainly agree with you & Blasto about Steve Jobs shouldn't have compared this with Netbooks which is what is creating all this noise in the Internet.

 

[stevieboy]

psychotropic a link for you on the flash issue. sure is a contentious one

Adobe wants Flash on the iPad, but Apple customers don't

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I'm not really interested in this market sector anyway, having no real ambitions towards owning a computer I can carry in my pocket --- but I am far from immune from gadget-drool, and if the salivation leads me to buy something I never really needed, it wouldn't be the first time!

Whilst I would not buy an ipod or an iphone, partly because I still suffer from the prejudice of a decade ago caused by the effect of installing itunes on pcs (it was one of those pieces of software best avoided if you wanted everything else to go on working; I don't know if it still is), I can recognise the drool-gorgeous design aspects of both, and, from what little I have seen of the iphone, i can see that using it is, doubtless, a better experience than using many others. Nokia's interface stinks (mine's an N82), for a start.

The ipod saved Apple from being just a manufacturer of an increasingly minority-interest computers. They were never going to put an Apple PC in every office, or in every home, but an ipod in every pocket is not such an unbelievable possibility; multitudes own ipods that never have and never will buy an Apple PC. It changed "Apple" from being what the media people meant by "PC" to being a household name.

The iphone compounded this. The ipad isn't going to --- it'll sell into the existing Apple-dedicated public, but I don't see it increasing that public.

I think Hitler (brilliant video; watched it twice) and others, such as psychotropic, have put it very well. It is not a case of techie or non-techie. It is a case of what it does or doesn't do: the technical terms are just a way of expressing that.

 

[psychotropic]

stevie, i do get the point of a great interface and i do "get" what apple is about, although it's probably not me.... but an interface facilitates functionality. It is by its very name the bridge between the user and the functionality. For a device to be all about the interface and have poor functionality i think is a pretty lame attempt to exploit an existing non-critical , fanatical fanbase.

ABout the specific points:

1. i am comparing it to an e-ink reader (like kindle or that infibeam reader i linked to) that simulates paper and not a mac monitor. It's a huge difference, and I don't see it doing anything significant in the e-reader space, because it's not a patch on e-ink.

2. again, this is a personal preference but i don't see why someone who owns a laptop and a smartphone would have any need for this device....except of course if you worshipped at the temple of the interface

3. precisely, so it's not 'betwen' a smartphone and a laptop, because it doesn't do the things a smartphone does. So it's just below a laptop and below a netbook.

4. again, this sounds like an excuse. a USB port is good usable functionality. Movies play smoothly off USB on all netbooks. and i am not talking about optical drives at all. so the fact that it can't do it can't be explained away by saying that you'd just prefer to use another device. When compared to a netbook, this is a genuine drawback. I don't mind a USB stick sticking out of my netbook (i am using a netbook to type this post....i couldn't do that on the ipad), but i'd mind my portable device not being able to play movies off my USB device.

Once again, I totally get touch as an interface and love how apple implements it. I think they're damn good at it. I like the idea of using it on a device that has some usable functionality. But to say that a device's existence is justified simply because it has a great interface is a lot like that iThing post that i linked above. At the end of the day, while I do get how good apple is at interfaces (except for itunes), and i probably wouldn't mind owning their computers or phones (if they were cheaper) I just don't understand why someone would pay so much money for a device with terrible functionality and doesn't do anything well....just because.....ooooh...it has a lovely interface!

yeah and to clarify again, i don't prefer styluses or d-pads, although the optical d-pad on my blackberry is pretty smooth, but for data entry, there's nothing like an actual keypad with tactile feedback. i'd never own a touch-only device......of the current crop of smartphones (apart from the BB) if i had to pick one i'd pick the Palm Pre....it is a lot like the iphone, has a lovely interface, plus it can multitask and has a keypad! oh ya.....but it's not as pretty....so i guess that's because i don't 'get' what apple is about.

hi psychotropic,

do you mean genuinely like to see answers or like to see genuine answers eh?

ok here goes. well i dont think you get what apple is all about. i dont mean this in a derogatory way, i'd like you start seeing things in a different way. apple isnt about playing a spec game, its about making interfaces user friendly, intuitive and a joy to use. if you get this point you'll start to understand why the people who use apple love it so much. now you might not agree that apple is value for money etc and that's definitely your right. but understanding what makes an apple product so successful requires you to understand how many people interact with a tech product or rather what they'd like and what they'd like to see relegated to the trash can. this interaction is where apple scores bigtime. nothing like the touch interface on any other product. that's it pure and simple.

if you look at the keynote address on apple site, you'll see that the ipad is posititioned between the iphone and the macbook. its not meant to replace either. its meant for those who love the touch interface of the iphone.

now for your points.

1. e reader. i hate reading books other than from a 'book' but if you've seen a macbook pro the screen is superb, superb colours which is why its a standard in graphic applications like ad agencies and the like. i expect this screen makes it good for reading too. how good it is in the open in sunlight? dont know but at home in normal conditions it ought to be as good as reading from a macbook pro. again mac users will prefer this standard to other screens which really dont match up to the macbook pro.

2. you need to get the facts straight. you can watch youtube videos on the ipad. also remember this is not a 'replacement' for your macbook, its an additional gadget for light use for when you dont want a full scale keyboard or prefer the lightness of one pad. the use is more likely to be general surfing. for specific sites that depend on flash one can always use the laptop. also most sites even youtube are moving to html5 so the day of proprietary software seem to be limited. including flash which is power hungry would majorly screw up performance. a trade off. people can decide which is better by buying it or not

3. you want to hold up the ipad to your ear to receive a call??? ummm psychotropic... ummm ??? again look at what i've said before its not meant to replace the iphone or your macbook.

4. movies i can always load from my laptop and watch. why would i want a pendrive sticking out like an antennae? also generally movies when played from the media's hard drive have fewer hiccups than when played from an external drive like a cd drive. many a times have i inserted a cd or watched a colleague insert a cd into a computer and its always been slower. most of those i know prefer to load the content onto the desktop and then hit play. so a usb is pretty redundant. also any content that one chooses can be synched from your laptop. then you take it with you!

bottom line if you love the touch interface that lets you interact directly with the screen you'll buy or consider buying the ipad. if you dont get the touch interface and prefer a stylus or clicking on the top and bottom scroll buttons you'll wonder what the fuss is all about.

for me, web surfing, viewing my photos, personal apps like calendar, language dictionary, finance apps to track my spends and perhaps a few games, all in a 'hold it like a book' format. a sure shot winner.

regards

 

[thevortex]

I keep hearing this "it is not aimed at the tech savvy", but why would even a non tech savvy person prefer this over a netbook?? Netbooks are as portable as these and far more usable. I do get the logic that these so called 'dumb' people want a device that doesn't need to boot up and should just DO stuff, but for those few seconds of their lives would they still want to sacrifice so much functionality?

I note your points on iphones apps being good at doing youtube, but i'd like to have the flexibility to view flash elements in any website i go to. If this is, like you said, going to be primarily a net-surfing device, shouldn't it at least have the full range of net-surfing functionality? I genuinely can't think of surfing the net without flash. And can I chat on this while surfing the net? When I am surfing the net I am almost always simultaneously using my google talk on my non-sexy windows PC .....can this sexy piece of apple machinery do that? ...oh ya i can do it on my blackberry as well.....

I am not one bit tempted by this gadget, psychotropic. However reading this post of yours I was reminded of a parallel.

Do you remember our conversation in another thread regarding using CD players versus HTPC (hard disk playback)? This is somewhat on those lines. There will be people preferring the limited ability of the CD players complete with moving parts and what not over the decidedly superior transport solution for various reasons.

This need not summarily be dismissed as consumerism or naivet or even a mental block. Individuals will have reasons. If nothing else, these will serve as status symbols.

There are so many items in the market which are like this. Where do we draw the line? Do we need a car for a few crores? Do we need a house covering a few hectares? Man is a complex creature and so are his motivations.

Apple knows better than most about aspirational values in the IT and allied markets.

 

[psychotropic]

hehe, i have to say i agree with the principle of the parallel, but the difference that i'd make out is that the CD player replicates the core function of the computer based transport (decoding and transmitting digital music) equally well, so then the toss up is on interface and flexibility and playlist configuration and so on where it's down to a personal preference.

Imagine the whole world was using HTPCs and regular CD players roughly equally, but then someone introduced a crippled but compact CD player, that didn't play half the CDs, plays the CDs only through built-in speakers, or if you wanted to connect it to an external amplifier you had to buy an overpriced adaptor...didn't have a remote...but was really sexy and had a lovely interface....and was introduced as a magical innovation that bridged the gap between CDPs and HTPCs....and then all loyalists fell to their knees and worshipped it....then this would be my reaction to that

i do realise i've been getting a bit zealous about this.....apologies for any offence caused!

I am not one bit tempted by this gadget, psychotropic. However reading this post of yours I was reminded of a parallel.

Do you remember our conversation in another thread regarding using CD players versus HTPC (hard disk playback)? This is somewhat on those lines. There will be people preferring the limited ability of the CD players complete with moving parts and what not over the decidedly superior transport solution for various reasons.

This need not summarily be dismissed as consumerism or naivet or even a mental block. Individuals will have reasons. If nothing else, these will serve as status symbols.

There are so many items in the market which are like this. Where do we draw the line? Do we need a car for a few crores? Do we need a house covering a few hectares? Man is a complex creature and so are his motivations.

Apple knows better than most about aspirational values in the IT and allied markets.

 

[stevieboy]

i do realise i've been getting a bit zealous about this.....apologies for any offence caused!

ah psychotropic, the world is divided into those who zealously denounce the ipad and those who will zealously wait in line before store opens, no apologies needed

then there are those like teky and myself who will wait a while for the next gen to come with added features, ironed out os issue etc...

confusion is indeed rife all over the net considering jobs' positioning of the ipad and its current functionality.

regards

 

[arj]

then there are those like teky and myself who will wait a while for the next gen to come with added features, ironed out os issue etc...

exactly the thing to do :clapping:. usually they would have ironed out some stuff by the time they launch it as well.

But Gen 2 and 3 should be interesting...as with the ipod. I was working with apple when this was launched and there were many naysayers there too

 

[kaushik]

Another one - Now it's Hitler's turn

YouTube - Hitler responds to the iPad

real funny !

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

ah psychotropic, the world is divided into those who zealously denounce the ipad and those who will zealously wait in line before store opens, no apologies needed

You forget the third, and possibly majority, camp; those who just don't see that all the fuss is about!

I'm not zealous, for or against Apple or any of its products.

In fact, curiously (I just now realise), if Apple ceased to exist tomorrow, I wouldn't even shrug my shoulders, whereas if MS, whose products I've used daily for years, ceased to exist, I'd do my share of grave dancing.

It is possible to live life without having any feelings about Apple!

 

[thevortex]

hehe, i have to say i agree with the principle of the parallel, but the difference that i'd make out is that the CD player replicates the core function of the computer based transport (decoding and transmitting digital music) equally well, so then the toss up is on interface and flexibility and playlist configuration and so on where it's down to a personal preference.

Imagine the whole world was using HTPCs and regular CD players roughly equally, but then someone introduced a crippled but compact CD player, that didn't play half the CDs, plays the CDs only through built-in speakers, or if you wanted to connect it to an external amplifier you had to buy an overpriced adaptor...didn't have a remote...but was really sexy and had a lovely interface....and was introduced as a magical innovation that bridged the gap between CDPs and HTPCs....and then all loyalists fell to their knees and worshipped it....then this would be my reaction to that

i do realise i've been getting a bit zealous about this.....apologies for any offence caused!

No need to apologize, psychotropic. I was not one bit offended. I am not too much bothered about the iPad. So Stevie, there is a third camp. I fall into Thad's camp. I am not too much bothered about this.

And psychotropic there are lots of articles about how supposedly PCs as a medium are better than the regular CD player in the core function (of playing CDs) of playing music.

Also I thought you example was apt and funny. You know, initially people were saying almost the same things about the iPod. See where they have come. The human interfacing really is important as Microsoft found out with their Zune. And with their Vista OS.

By no means am I defending the iPad. Simply put I dont know anything about the device. Just pointing out that it probably takes all kinds to make the world go round and all that...

 

[psychotropic]

hehe yeah, the computer + DAC/ CDP debate is something we should have on another forum, i have no experience of the computer transport, but i've read equally convincing descriptions from both camps, so I don't see it as a settled issue one way or the other.

Unfortunately I am a gadget freak and as much as I'd like to claim Thad's and thevortex's indifference to what happens to apple, i really can't

and stevie, i do agree that the form factor has potential, and maybe somewhere along the line they may come up with a useful device. Apple does have some superb engineers, only exceeded in competence by their marketing people

Oh and that Hitler clip which is a pretty popular internet meme and has been used on various contexts including michael jackson's death.......is from an excellent excellent movie called Der Untergang (the downfall), I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the second world war and hitler and such other fascinating subjects.

 

[sam9s]

:then there are those like teky and myself who will wait a while for the next gen to come with added features, ironed out os issue etc...

Count me in the same league as well.

Also I thought you example was apt and funny. You know, initially people were saying almost the same things about the iPod. See where they have come. The human interfacing really is important as Microsoft found out with their Zune. And with their Vista OS.

By no means am I defending the iPad. Simply put I dont know anything about the device. Just pointing out that it probably takes all kinds to make the world go round and all that...

That is exactly what I said in the first few pages of this thread, APPLE always had a very shrewed (if I may put it that way) marketing for its products, it always had takers, the initiall ones, the after ones and the more so tecky ones APPLES just follows the patterns, be it iPod, iPhone, iTouch and I am sure iPad would also follow in the same league.....

 

[sam9s]

Oh and that Hitler clip which is a pretty popular internet meme and has been used on various contexts including michael jackson's death.......is from an excellent excellent movie called Der Untergang (the downfall), I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the second world war and hitler and such other fascinating subjects.

Yep and have seen is, incedently, the movie is directed by a German director and pretty much German Actors and staff. Hollywood dispite of showcasing such huge talent in all aspets could not produce a movie as strong as this on Hitler and his Demise.

 

[Rajiv]

Hi,

No offense to anyone.

The following was posted on one of the horn loudspeaker forums by a member.

The Huffington Post in Canada asked its visitors to come up with a new name for the Apple iPad, because the name is being criticised all over the place. This is what one person wrote:

Let's see...

It looks slick. Is full of promise. Has under-delivered on some core features that independent consumers were hoping for. Is being touted by loyalists who promise that next year's version will be better.

I say we call it...


iBama.

Regards
Rajiv

 

[Asit]

Great find, Rajiv. I must thank and congratulate you for finding the iBama. People can be so imaginative! It (the name iBama and the person who created this name) certainly has lightened up the morning for me. Hope the day stays the same way.

Regards.