Apple's iPad Megathread

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

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

Decades of yellow walkmans, red walkmans, CD players, mp3 players and iPods disagree.

[The Ditch]

Originally Posted by Burninator

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.

How about that it might launch without ebooks.

http://gizmodo.com/5458585/ipad-coul...ries-at-launch

http://www.apple.com/ca/ipad/features/ (compare to the US one which specifically has an ebook part to it)

Also from what I've heard (rumours and speculation), books will cost more on the iPad.

I'll be interested to see how it is to read on the iPad, I love reading on my Kindle, my three concerns on the iPad would be eye strain, I look at a computer monitor all day at work, and then the weight, it's 1.5 pounds, I know it might not sound like a lot but I read by holding the Kindle in both hands, it weighs 0.65 pounds, and I can read for an hour or two at a time. Lastly reading in the sun or with glare from the sun.

I'll have to try it out myself though.

[Barnes]

[quote=Pastiche;2290802]Use industry standard software suites?[\quote]
Like what? Office? iWork opens office documents.

Use firefox with adblock?

Why?

Use the cloud?

BUZZWORDS!

Use SSL?

Check

Write commands, macros and batches?

I have heard that this is the number one requested feature for all consumer electronics ever made.

VoIP?

You think the microphone is just there for the T-Pain app?

Use software that YOU want to use not what Apple wants me to?

Name three iPhone apps that YOU would like to install but can't or are you talking about hypothetical apps that haven't been written yet.

Listen to music without using iTunes?

You don't listen to music with iTunes. You choose the songs you want to listen to from the iPod app and listen to them with headphones.

Watch movies without using Quicktime? Watch movies in different formats?

Formats that aren't industry standards? Industry standards like the Motion Pictures Experts Group formats that this would support.

Integrate seamlessly with open sourced home server software? Use open source media servers like Subsonic and Twonky?

Have you contacted the Freetards at Subsonic and Twonky to ask them why they don't support the iPad?

Oh and my netbook gets 9-10 hours of battery life too.

My battery powered lawn mower gets the same. Why are we comparing different devices?

It still amazes me that people don't get Apple. This is not a computer, it is a consumer electronic device.

Apple, from the very beginning set out to make the personal computer an appliance in the '70's. They still sell computers and the iPad is another appliance that compliments the digital home.

In your kitchen you have multiple appliances that meet specific requirements. No one complains that their microwave doesn't make milkshakes, one pulls out the blender to make a milkshake. If you want to make batch files, you use a computer. If you want to sit on the couch and read the news, you can use the iPad. Just because a computer can do some things that an iPad can do and an iPad can do some of the things a computer can does not mean that they are the same. One might prefer cooking in the microwave over the oven but that doesn't mean that the two can't exist in the same space.

The purpose of this device can only be clear when you stop thinking that it is the one device that will replace everything else. It's not supposed to. It is a new device category that fits somewhere between a laptop/netbook and a smart phone.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

Decades of yellow walkmans, red walkmans, CD players, mp3 players and iPods disagree.

That makes my point exactly. People wanted a portable music device, so they bought one.

In today's society, people are as much concerned about having access to their internet and email everywhere they go, as they are to have music wherever they go. Now, many devices can do this, but don't really do it well. That's where the iPad kind of device comes in.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by Burninator

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.

Eye strain could come from this device if there is a lot of reflected light coming off the glass screen. But as you said, most people spend a lot of time in front of a backlit display either watching TV or working at a computer. I also can guarantee that a lot of people reading books or from an e-ink screen aren't using adequate lighting and getting eye strain anyways.

One thing to remember about the books in Canada is that we have different publishers for titles than they do in the US so Apple will have to make all new deals for the same books.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by Barnes

In your kitchen you have multiple appliances that meet specific requirements. No one complains that their microwave doesn't make milkshakes, one pulls out the blender to make a milkshake. If you want to make batch files, you use a computer.

Perhaps Apple should get into this space. They can make a really cool looking, super thin oven. It is faster than an oven, but slower than a microwave. The great thing about it is, it is so simple to use even a dog could do it. All you do is hit one button, and voila dinner is ready. To your benefit all food must be bought directly from Apple to ensure it is quality stuff you are eating. And it is only $2999.

[Mike F]

Originally Posted by Flames0910

SebC it's not supposed to replace your laptop, iMac, AppleTV or iPod. Apple doesn't want to cannibalize their sales. That's what Steve Jobs was really saying when he was talking about product lines. It fits in between and works in conjunction with all those products, but doesn't act as a replacement.
I spend a lot of time sitting on the couch reading newspaper articles, blogs, forums, etc. For those tasks, I don't need to multitask. An iPod's screen is too small, and I don't always want to sit at my desk.

Right now I have a netbook that I take to class for taking notes and an iPod to listen to music on the go (and a blackberry pearl for phone calls, email, etc). Ideally, I would have a desktop for when I want to sit down and really do some work and a tablet for when I want to sit on the couch and relax with a book/blog/newspaper/movie. See? Different products, different functions.

See, that is the problem for me -- I don’t want another device and it seems like that’s what the iPad is offering:

“Here’s something to throw in your backpack along with your laptop and phone for some of those things that you could do on your iPhone but with a bigger screen and/or a few of the things you could do on your laptop but with a slicker UI. And don’t forget your connectors for each one!”

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by The Ditch

How about that it might launch without ebooks.

http://gizmodo.com/5458585/ipad-coul...ries-at-launch

http://www.apple.com/ca/ipad/features/ (compare to the US one which specifically has an ebook part to it)

Also from what I've heard (rumours and speculation), books will cost more on the iPad.

I am not too concerned about the iPad having books in Canada at launch. I probably won't be buying (if I do at all) the iPad when it's first available anyways. I'll end up waiting a bit and seeing how the reception goes. They will get their deals in place eventually. My larger concern about ebooks is the availability of the books no matter where I am buying them. Obliviously it's a new format and it would be unreasonable to expect every book to be available at launch. But I want to be able to read what book I want, not what books that are available to download.

I'll be interested to see how it is to read on the iPad, I love reading on my Kindle, my three concerns on the iPad would be eye strain, I look at a computer monitor all day at work, and then the weight, it's 1.5 pounds, I know it might not sound like a lot but I read by holding the Kindle in both hands, it weighs 0.65 pounds, and I can read for an hour or two at a time. Lastly reading in the sun or with glare from the sun.

I'll have to try it out myself though.

I too am concerned about eye strain. I'm not sure about the weight I'm not really sure how it would feel. It apparently weights the same as about 5 iPhones...which is not a great baseline. This might be better...I am currently reading The Greatest Show on Earth by Richard Dawkins and it's a 480 page hardcover. Apparently that book weighs 1.8 pounds. So you could probably hold the iPad like a book in one hand for a little while, but you might have to shift it from hand to hand. Two hand shouldn't be a problem longer periods of time. But the weight of the Kindle does seems nice and light.

As for the glare of the sun. I am guessing it would be useless in direct sunlight. The iPhone can be really hard to see in direct sunlight, I can imagine this is much different. Although one advantage over the Kindle that I can definitely see myself using is it doesn't require any light to read it. So reading in bed or on an airplane at night would have the added advantage (albeit small) of requiring no lamp.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

Perhaps Apple should get into this space. They can make a really cool looking, super thin oven. It is faster than an oven, but slower than a microwave. The great thing about it is, it is so simple to use even a dog could do it. All you do is hit one button, and voila dinner is ready. To your benefit all food must be bought directly from Apple to ensure it is quality stuff you are eating. And it is only $2999.

Yeah, maybe it could be called a convection oven.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by Burninator

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.

No no, it was nothing like that. It was just me going off about the ######ed "fan boy" comment just because I suggested someone create a US iTunes account.

Trying to argue with Apple haters is pointless on this board. I've finally figured out that it's much better if I just add them to my ignore list. People that have valid questions or raise significant issues with an intention to have a real discussion, I don't mind. Name-calling and acting like a dick is just pretty much an instant-ignore policy from now on.

Sanity, people. It's the only way to roll.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

That makes my point exactly. People wanted a portable music device, so they bought one.

In today's society, people are as much concerned about having access to their internet and email everywhere they go, as they are to have music wherever they go. Now, many devices can do this, but don't really do it well. That's where the iPad kind of device comes in.

This thing is going to be awesome for students. Lightweight, multi-purpose. Can take notes, read textbooks, full-text searching, highlighting, digital bookmarks with labels... music, radio, voice recorder, etc etc etc.

Students are going to love this thing. I mean, teenage boys probably won't like it since their parents are going to choose to buy this for $500 instead of a $3000 laptop that will let them play games in class instead of taking notes... but this will potentially be a post-secondary goldmine for Apple.

Edit: Whoops, that was kind of a brainless moment. There are lots of games for the iPad already, and there's only going to be more now... But I think people get my point.

[The Ditch]

Originally Posted by Burninator

So reading in bed or on an airplane at night would have the added advantage (albeit small) of requiring no lamp.

And that's the thing, the Kindle isn't perfect either, though I really enjoy it, for me the iPad would fit in as an ereader + websurfer and chat, so not having multitasking or front camera really disappointed me (hello multitasking in OS 4.0), so as far as an ereader, I'm going to have to try it out myself, and take a look at the catalog Apple comes up with.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

This thing is going to be awesome for students. Lightweight, multi-purpose. Can take notes, read textbooks, full-text searching, highlighting, digital bookmarks with labels... music, radio, voice recorder, etc etc etc.

Students are going to love this thing. I mean, teenage boys probably won't like it since their parents are going to choose to buy this for $500 instead of a $3000 laptop that will let them play games in class instead of taking notes... but this will potentially be a post-secondary goldmine for Apple.

Edit: Whoops, that was kind of a brainless moment. There are lots of games for the iPad already, and there's only going to be more now... But I think people get my point.

That was my thinking as well. I wish they had these back when I was a student. Instead of spending 2000 on a Performa 6300 (something like that), all I would have neeed was this - and I could have taken it to class to take notes.

[bomber317]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

That was my thinking as well. I wish they had these back when I was a student. Instead of spending 2000 on a Performa 6300 (something like that), all I would have neeed was this - and I could have taken it to class to take notes.

i was thinking if I did have this back in my uni days. The only concern I have is that they would have to create an easy way to write notes in your "textbook"

I took notes on paper, but I also made notes in my textbooks when referring to an example/problem from it.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by bomber317

i was thinking if I did have this back in my uni days. The only concern I have is that they would have to create an easy way to write notes in your "textbook"

I took notes on paper, but I also made notes in my textbooks when referring to an example/problem from it.

Annotations (notes in your textbook) are part of the reader app.

[bomber317]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

Annotations (notes in your textbook) are part of the reader app.

I guess it's easy to use? The only thing that I have used is entering comments into PDF docs.

How does it compare to that?

On another note, talking to sister about the iPad and mentioning how great it would be for her firm (web design) to have them at their meetings so they can see what their websites actually look like.

Believe it or not, they actually print out screenshots of their websites to bring to meetings.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by bomber317

I guess it's easy to use? The only thing that I have used is entering comments into PDF docs.

How does it compare to that?

On another note, talking to sister about the iPad and mentioning how great it would be for her firm (web design) to have them at their meetings so they can see what their websites actually look like.

Believe it or not, they actually print out screenshots of their websites to bring to meetings.

I haven't used Apple's reader app yet (hasn't been released), but I've used other ones available in the App Store. It's usually pretty simple stuff. Just click a "Note" icon, and type away.

As for demoing websites, that's another awesome use for the iPad. Say goodbye to expensive and clumsy laptop/projector combos... Maybe not for a huge-room presentation, but certainly for those small ones around a single table.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by The Ditch

And that's the thing, the Kindle isn't perfect either, though I really enjoy it, for me the iPad would fit in as an ereader + websurfer and chat, so not having multitasking or front camera really disappointed me (hello multitasking in OS 4.0), so as far as an ereader, I'm going to have to try it out myself, and take a look at the catalog Apple comes up with.

Neither of them are perfect. I think it will come down to what people what to spend, what features they want and who has the best catalog.

So as someone who owns a Kindle are you happy with the selection of books? So you miss having the physical copies? Do you miss having the books on a book shelf? Are you considering replacing it with the iPad?

[mykalberta]

Here is my take on this - preface to say I love it and will be buying the $500 version when it comes out.

Here is my take.

1 - This is meant to replace the netbooks that alot of people are currently buying that dont need it. My mom, aunt, cousin are perfect examples. All purchased one in the last 18 months, all they do is use it to read email, chat on messenger and light surfing while in the kitchen, in bed, watching TV etc. It has a camera and they could use it for skype but they never do.

2 - This is a big FU to (not amazon) Sony and Nintendo. I give it max 18 months before the iphone/itouch/ipad are bigger players in the mobile game market than Sony or Nintendo combined.

3 - Magazines. I think within 48 months digital magazine versions will outsell the print magazine versions for 5 of the top 10 magazines.

4 - Ecosystem. All I own from the iTunesStore is about 30 songs that I have purchased. Think if you have $100, $500, $1000+ more invested in that ecosystem. When you go to buy your netbook - I think most people (who already have a home computer of some sort be it a laptop or desktop) will purchase this instead of the crappy netbook that does everything worse than their current home computer.

5 - Price. I listened to the whole macbreak podcast and was frankly disappointed until $500 for the base model price was announced and I literally fell off my chair - at $600 Cdn, why would I buy some low powered netbook that does everything poorly rather than this which doesnt do everything, but what it does - it does the best.

6 - What does it to the best? Lap viewing movies, photos, web (ex flash), and email. No one can sit there and say that any netebook - heck any notebook does this better than the ipad.

A few things I thing that will truly put this in the "butterzone"

* Microsoft Office for iPad - I think you will see it within 18 months.
* Apps designed for iPad - while iphone apps work on the ipad, I want apps designed to take advantage of the horsepower and screen real estate.
* I want a cable to allow me to tether my future iphone to my ipad.

Negatives, camera, flash, internal memory card reader.

[BlackEleven]

It's a neat idea, I could see myself using it on the couch at home, but not beyond that. It's too big for a pocket and I don't want to carry a man-purse or backback around everywhere for this thing, so I'm just considering what I'd need for it to be useful to me and a couple things stand out as missing.

Multitasking. Apple really dropped the ball by not including it in this type of device. Until they have that I won't even consider buying one.

HDMI out. So I can use it to download movies from my couch, which is great, but it would be so much more appealing if I could just connect my iPad to my tv after the download and play it out that way.

Micro-sim. Another new "standard". Being able to share a SIM card (and therefore dataplan) among different devices would be useful, but this ensure you need a separate dataplan for this device. It's size limits its use outside the house, imo, this even more so.

I could somewhat see it being fun as a gaming system, but that totally depends innovative uses of the touchscreen. The small little tap type iPhone games that exist already aren't going to be more fun because they're on a bigger screen. And I have a hard time imagining existing games (like NFS shown in the demo) being any more fun just because I steer by touching the screen. In fact, I imagine that as more frustrating than playing with a controller/keyboard. However, if they can revolutionize games the way the Wii did when it first game out, it has big potential as a gaming platform for casual gamers.