Apple's iPad Megathread

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I said jealousy-inducing, not bug, security-hole and crash inducing.

I used to jail-break my phone all the time, just so I could install "other" apps. Most of them were complete garbage, and caused me more headaches with crashing and creating loopholes and everything else bad they do. The few apps I did like were just eventually built into the OS anyway.

The only time an app doesn't get approved these days, is if it is buggy, creates a security concern, or tries to mimic a native device function. Why would I even want to install those anyway? He'll, even VOiP over 3G has been enabled now.

Oh wait a minute... Unless, when you say "a program not approved by the manufacturer," you really mean to say, "a program I can download illegally and use without paying for it."

If that's the case, then you got me. The iPhone OS is much better at making sure people aren't allowed to steal, than a regular old netbook is. What's really ironic, though, is I probably have access to 80,000 legally free apps in the app store, and not one of them carries any risk of maliciousness at all. I'll take that over the constant threat of viruses in Shareware World any day.

Off the top of my head, some real things I can and do use on a Real OS can... stream netflix, run flash, sync my phone (non-iphone), stream nhl game day, play online poker AND MULTITASK!

and use my existing 3g usb card, so I don't have to have a data plan for my phone, my laptop and my tablet (and stuck on crappy at&T to boot).

[MickMcGeough]

I'd buy an iPad the day it came out if I could install OmniGraffle on it. I was really hoping for something more closely resembling the desktop OS X than the iPhone's OS.

But what I wish it was and what the market is, are completely separate things. I have a netbook, iPhone, and a beefy laptop and I do more "netbook" stuff (surfing, email) on my iPhone. Since I don't use my netbook for anything heavy, an iPad hits my couch-surfing/email need perfectly.

It's just a bloody shame that there's no flash. I want flash to die but it's still kicking. It's obvious why there's no flash but come on...

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

Off the top of my head, some real things I can and do use on a Real OS can... stream netflix, run flash, sync my phone (non-iphone), stream nhl game day, play online poker AND MULTITASK!

Those are all just Flash apps. None of which has anything to do with the OS.

What can your OS do that the iPhone OS can't?

Wait a minute... did you just say "sync my phone?" Wtf...

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

It takes 30 seconds to set up a free US iTunes account.

In short, "it does everything you want, so long as the only things you want are provided by Apple."

This looks like an interesting computer type thing that is rather uninspiring, except to Apple fanbois.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by MickMcGeough

I'd buy an iPad the day it came out if I could install OmniGraffle on it. I was really hoping for something more closely resembling the desktop OS X than the iPhone's OS.

But what I wish it was and what the market is, are completely separate things. I have a netbook, iPhone, and a beefy laptop and I do more "netbook" stuff (surfing, email) on my iPhone. Since I don't use my netbook for anything heavy, an iPad hits my couch-surfing/email need perfectly.

It's just a bloody shame that there's no flash. I want flash to die but it's still kicking. It's obvious why there's no flash but come on...

Exactly. Like they said in the the presentation, a netbook isn't an inbetween device, it's just a really cheap laptop. The iPad is the first true device that fits nicely between a phone and a laptop. It doesn't care about the laptop stuff and it doesn't care about the phone stuff. If people want a laptop, they can get a MacBook... if they want a phone, they can get an iPhone. If they want something in between, they can get an iPad. I think some people were just hoping for a $400 MacBook, but anyone with have a thought process already knew that wasn't going to happen.

Some people will see value in it and others won't. Those that do, will benefit from it, and those that don't won't benefit from it but probably also won't even miss it. It ain't no thang. If someone doesn't want it, then they should just not buy it.

Also, I would love to see some kind of a handwriting/calligraphy/fingerprinting app for it. This thing is just screaming for some really creative... err creativity... apps.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

In short, "it does everything you want, so long as the only things you want are provided by Apple."

This looks like an interesting computer type thing that is rather uninspiring, except to Apple fanbois.

The iBook stuff will obviously be coming to Canada. In the meantime, just make a US account or put your own eBooks on the thing.

Edit: I had some other stuff here, but It's just a waste of time on this board.

[You Need a Thneed]

The iPad is almost exactly what I was guessing it was going to be. A simple machine to surf the web, email, read, and use apps that are optimized for the larger screen.

Sure, it has a few things that need to be worked out (multitasking), but the iPod and iPhone in their original form were the same way.

Mark my words, this is the inbetween format that almost everyone wants, even if they don't know it yet. Version 1.0 might not be a hge hit, but by version 3.0 or so, EVERYONE will want one, and soon after that, like the iPod today, EVERYONE will have one. Sure, not everyone will own one made by Apple, but Apple's will still be the Gold standard.

As for myself, there's no way I ever buy a laptop or netbook for my personal use. This iPad is exactly the format I need. 95% of the people out there don't need the power of a full OS, they just want to surf, email, read, and watch a movie occasionally.

[Slava]

Honestly I think that I will buy this for everything that it can do that I can't do on my iPhone...unfortunately for Apple that appears to be nothing.

One thing that drives me crazy on my iPhone is that I'll be using it for something and get an email. Shut down what ever I'm doing, read the email and then re-open everything I was doing before. I tolerate that because its a phone...but I would never go for that on a laptop (or whatever this is supposed to replace). I also can't believe that any device that will supposedly be the latest and greatest laptop has n USB port. Pretty much the lack of multi-tasking and this are the dealbreakers for me.

[FanIn80]

Yeah I don't really like the lack of multi-tasking either. I was really hoping for that.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Those are all just Flash apps. None of which has anything to do with the OS.

What can your OS do that the iPhone OS can't?

Wait a minute... did you just say "sync my phone?" Wtf...

Um, what? NHL game center is the only example there that uses flash. Online poker and netflix have nothing to do with flash. Even for NHL GC, just having flash might give you a stripped down version of game center, but adaptive bandwidth, dvr controls require a plug in.

And why does syncing your phone to your tablet generate a wtf?

Why so defensive? I'm not really anti-apple. I've had and enjoyed Ipods, I would have bought an iphone if I didn't have to switch to a network incapable of providing satisfactory phone service, but this device looks like the most expensive, useless device I can imagine.

[Human Torch]

Kinda underwhelming, screw it I'll just wait for this instead:
http://www.axiotron.com/index.php?id=modbookpro

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

The iBook stuff will obviously be coming to Canada. In the meantime, just make a US account or put your own eBooks on the thing.

Actually, I think the Kindle is exceedingly useless as well, and it doesn't cost nearly as much as the iPad will.

Not saying the iPad is useless. I am quite certain there is going to be plenty of use for it for some people. But it is not groundbreaking in any way. It is just another device in the mobile computing crowd.

Edit: I had some other stuff here, but It's just a waste of time on this board.

Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. If all you are looking for is a giant pro-Apple circle jerk, then yes, you are obviously at the wrong board.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

The iPad is almost exactly what I was guessing it was going to be. A simple machine to surf the web, email, read, and use apps that are optimized for the larger screen.

Sure, it has a few things that need to be worked out (multitasking), but the iPod and iPhone in their original form were the same way.

Mark my words, this is the inbetween format that almost everyone wants, even if they don't know it yet. Version 1.0 might not be a hge hit, but by version 3.0 or so, EVERYONE will want one, and soon after that, like the iPod today, EVERYONE will have one. Sure, not everyone will own one made by Apple, but Apple's will still be the Gold standard.

As for myself, there's no way I ever buy a laptop or netbook for my personal use. This iPad is exactly the format I need. 95% of the people out there don't need the power of a full OS, they just want to surf, email, read, and watch a movie occasionally.

Although this isn't it for me, I can see the attraction of an in between device. However, if 3g providers are not willing to figure out a way to share a data plan amongst multiple devices, they will lose a big part of the market. How long are people going to pay for multiple data plans for their phone, tablet, laptops, cars, home, etc? I'm not going to add a tablet data plan on top of all the other plans I have.

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by Flames0910

The way I see it: one of the things that makes the iPod Touch and iPhone great is the app store. It's an ecosystem where developers with a cool idea can create it and be discovered (the last part is important) and be profitable as well.the iPad only extends this. Developers now have more screen real estate to work with and more processing power. We're going to see some cool innovations, I'm sure of it

Sure it will give developers more processing power and screen real estate to play with, but it won't broaden their reach that much. This thing is a toy that will serve a small niche market. It's not a fundamental need device (cell phone) like the iPhone that Apple was able to put in hundreds of millions of people's pockets.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

Although this isn't it for me, I can see the attraction of an in between device. However, if 3g providers are not willing to figure out a way to share a data plan amongst multiple devices, they will lose a big part of the market. How long are people going to pay for multiple data plans for their phone, tablet, laptops, cars, home, etc? I'm not going to add a tablet data plan on top of all the other plans I have.

I agree that amalgamating all the data plans into one is going to be a big step going forward for this kind of device. All these devices have Blutooth and wireless, someone needs to make a way for devices to recognize when they are in range of each other, and borrow data from the other (without slowing down the processes on the other device). It shouldn't really be that hard.

If the iPad could thether wirelessly to an iPhone, not many of the 3G versions would sell, but Apple would easily make up for it in sales of the wireless only ones.

[The Ditch]

$500 but what are you going to do with 16 gigs? Also, it needs multitasking, if it had that (along with a front facing camera) I would probably get it, I want to be able to surf the web while typing on MSN/AIM, and have my twitter up.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

It's not a fundamental need device (cell phone) like the iPhone that Apple was able to put in hundreds of millions of people's pockets.

The iPod is less of a fundamental need device, and apple has sold far more of those than iPhones.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Why does everyone want to have sexual relations with e-ink? The iPad has a 133ppi screen and if anyone knows how to antialias a font, its Apple. You don't get eyestrain from high contrast, sharp text that can be displayed on a panel of this quality. This isn't a 65Hz CRT.

That's interesting. One of my concerns is the eyestrain from reading on a screen. I'm not really concerned about eyestrain in general from looking at a monitor, I sit in front of one for 9 hours a day at work and I go home and either look at the TV or my computer. But there is still something about reading on an LCD monitor long term that is not as good as real paper (in my limited experience).

Now I haven't read a book on a monitor with the quality of the iPad on a software format designed to mimic a book. I also haven't read anything with e-ink either. So I'm not married to e-ink, but they have ran a good campaign smearing LCD and it's not without cause in most cases. But if Apple has developed a product that can combat eye strain when reading (remains to be seen) and has a killer battery, I don't see why anyone would buy a Kindle anymore.

I don't think I would buy one of these before I could hold it in my hands and try reading a book on it. Or if the reviews come in and people love it for reading and don't experience eye strain.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

The iBook stuff will obviously be coming to Canada. In the meantime, just make a US account or put your own eBooks on the thing.

Edit: I had some other stuff here, but It's just a waste of time on this board.

Not everyone in here came to post how much they are not going to buy it. Other people will be interested in the information. I personally would be interested if you were going to post more information about the books.

[Igottago]

I think the Ipad is ok for those who have a desktop, and want some form of compact computing, more for media than anything. Is there a lot of those people? I don't know.

However, for some one like me, I already have a macbook and an iphone. When I need to do some pretty detailed computer based work, I turn on the laptop. Its portable enough to move anywhere with me, and does everything.

If I really seek ultra portability I've got the iphone. Plays my music, has a huge vareity of apps, web surfing isn't bad.

I just dont see a place (for me) that the Ipad would really be useful. I'm not into the whole e-book thing either.