Apple's iPad Megathread

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by photon

Have you ever tried to jog with that iPod? Does it have a 10" LCD that needs power as well? Does it need much more space than just the space for a battery and the hard drive?

Ever wonder why companies (not just Apple) often have two different players, one with flash memory with a small capacity, and one with a hard drive with a large capacity?

There's a huge difference between hard drives and flash memory, and flash memory is many times more expensive.

EDIT: And if you didn't know there was a difference, then isn't a bit foolish to be calling someone a fanboy based on not knowing something?

I didn't know I didn't know.

Fanin80 - Now that I know better please accept my apology.

[photon]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Thanks I understand now. I still think it would be nice if there was a USB port you could plug a jump drive or whatever into, but maybe that points to my lack of understanding of the technology.

Now that is a criticism I can get behind. Or an internal SD card slot.

But that's part of establishing the upgrade treadmill

[photon]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

So, if I decide that I can wait for a 2nd generation iPad to be released before buying one, how long are estimates that I'll be waiting? I know no one knows, crystal ball, etc., but what is Apple's typical revision pattern with its other portable hardware?

iPhone was in 2007, iPhone 3G 2008, iPhone 3GS 2009, and rumour has it a new iPhone this summer, so 1 year intervals.

The computers and laptops much less often, this might fall somewhere in between.. 18 months for a refresh?

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by SebC

To be fair, it's not just the detractors who are making the comparison. Steve Jobs trashed netbooks while announcing a product with a similar form-factor and price and some people have said that this might replace their laptops. I don't see you getting all uppity at posts like this:

Because there's nothing wrong with someone CHOOSING to replace their laptop with it. I personally wouldn't replace mine with it because I use my laptop for a lot more than just email and media consumption, but how can I complain about someone else doing it?

It doesn't mean the device was ever meant to be a laptop replacement. Apple makes the majority of their revenue from selling high end laptops, why would they make a $500 gadget that was supposed to replace the very thing that keeps them in the game?

It's like a butter knife and a screw. A butter knife was never meant to be used as a screw driver, but sometimes people use it as one. Why would I get angry about that? But... if I created a thread to talk about a new butter knife that I want to buy for putting butter on my bread, and someone rags on it because it sucks as a screwdriver... that's something I would get upset about, and I think I'd have a right to be.

[Antithesis]

Originally Posted by photon

iPhone was in 2007, iPhone 3G 2008, iPhone 3GS 2009, and rumour has it a new iPhone this summer, so 1 year intervals.

The computers and laptops much less often, this might fall somewhere in between.. 18 months for a refresh?

Ugh. I was hoping for more like a one-year thing, like cars. 18 months? Hm.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

It's like a butter knife and a screw. A butter knife was never meant to be used as a screw driver, but sometimes people use it as one. Why would I get angry about that? But... if I created a thread to talk about a new butter knife that I want to buy for putting butter on my bread, and someone rags on it because it sucks as a screwdriver... that's something I would get upset about, and I think I'd have a right to be.

Yeah, but what if someone pointed out that you could have a Swiss-army knife for the same price? That's the problem with analogies. Which one is valid?

IMO you're using "it's not a netbook" to dismiss some valid criticisms. It's the same price, same shape, and shares a lot of the same functions. In a lot of ways, for a lot of people, the iPad and a netbook are substitutes. Maybe not perfectly direct substitutes, but substitutes none the less. It makes sense to compare them. I'd even go so far as to say that you can't really assess anything without comparables, and it makes sense to compare things to the best alternatives as well as the most similar. If you have to exclude comparables on the grounds that they do more... that's kind of cherry-picking.

[QuadCityImages]

Originally Posted by photon

Sure, except you can't just wave a magic wand and make it more storage without making trade-offs elsewhere.

A 32 gig micro-SD card is the size of my thumbnail. If you look at the iPad teardowns, there's tons of empty space inside. You could throw in plenty of solid state memory, but as you say, there is a trade-off. In that case, trade-off would be price.

I think those of you dismissing the entire idea that storage space is an issue are not giving enough credit to a reasonable concern.

[The Ditch]

Originally Posted by SebC

Yeah, but what if someone pointed out that you could have a Swiss-army knife for the same price? That's the problem with analogies. Which one is valid?

IMO you're using "it's not a netbook" to dismiss some valid criticisms. It's the same price, same shape, and shares a lot of the same functions. In a lot of ways, for a lot of people, the iPad and a netbook are substitutes. Maybe not perfectly direct substitutes, but substitutes none the less. It makes sense to compare them. I'd even go so far as to say that you can't really assess anything without comparables, and it makes sense to compare things to the best alternatives as well as the most similar. If you have to exclude comparables on the grounds that they do more... that's kind of cherry-picking.

I'm using one right now, it's not a netbook, trust me. If you don't think it's for you than don't get it. I know I'm super surprised with it though, and I was someone who was against it at first.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by QuadCityImages

A 32 gig micro-SD card is the size of my thumbnail. If you look at the iPad teardowns, there's tons of empty space inside. You could throw in plenty of solid state memory, but as you say, there is a trade-off. In that case, trade-off would be price.

I think those of you dismissing the entire idea that storage space is an issue are not giving enough credit to a reasonable concern.

Nobody's saying that we wouldn't want more storage. We're just saying that there's a tradeoff. It's flash memory for a reason, but flash memory is very expensive.

If they made it 500GB of flash memory, the thing would've cost at least $2100 and then everyone would have just bitched about the price.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by SebC

Yeah, but what if someone pointed out that you could have a Swiss-army knife for the same price? That's the problem with analogies. Which one is valid?

IMO you're using "it's not a netbook" to dismiss some valid criticisms. It's the same price, same shape, and shares a lot of the same functions. In a lot of ways, for a lot of people, the iPad and a netbook are substitutes. Maybe not perfectly direct substitutes, but substitutes none the less. It makes sense to compare them. I'd even go so far as to say that you can't really assess anything without comparables, and it makes sense to compare things to the best alternatives as well as the most similar. If you have to exclude comparables on the grounds that they do more... that's kind of cherry-picking.

I'm not saying "don't compare it." I'm saying "compare it to the things it's meant to be compared to."

Things it's meant to be compared to:
- Android Gemini
- JooJoo

Things it's not meant to be compared to:
- 15" HP laptop
- 11" Acer netbook

[SebC]

Originally Posted by FanIn80

I'm not saying "don't compare it." I'm saying "compare it to the things it's meant to be compared to."

Things it's meant to be compared to:
- Android Gemini
- JooJoo

Things it's not meant to be compared to:
- 15" HP laptop
- 11" Acer netbook

It doesn't matter what it's "meant to" be compared to. The Kindle isn't "meant to" be compared with the iPad, but it now has to measure up to it anyways. So why does the iPad get a free pass vs. netbooks?

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Is it difficult to add more storage space or something?

Is it so difficult to realize that this is not a mass media storage device, it is one to consume media that you have already have and sync to take with you.

64GB is plenty of space for a device like this.

[FanIn80]

Originally Posted by SebC

It doesn't matter what it's "meant to" be compared to. The Kindle isn't "meant to" be compared with the iPad, but it now has to measure up to it anyways. So why does the iPad get a free pass vs. netbooks?

I have no idea. I don't consider the iPad an "ebook reader" so I don't have a problem with you not wanting to compare it to a Kindle.

I suppose if you go back to the beginning of this thread, I might have made a comment about the iPad being more useful than a Kindle (since it does so much more than just read books), but I would never condemn the Kindle for not being what the iPad is. It was never meant to be.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Barnes

Is it so difficult to realize that this is not a mass media storage device, it is one to consume media that you have already have and sync to take with you.

64GB is plenty of space for a device like this.

Wouldn't it be handier if it was both though? I would prefer to have all my media with me instead of having to sync all the time...that's all I was saying.

Honestly, how much do you think it would cost Apple to add more flash memory? $5 for 32 gig? $200 for $32 gig? You guys are saying it's expensive but can't you buy a 16 gig stick for like $20 or am I thinking of something else?

[Temporary_User]

I've actually read most of this thread. I currently own a iphone and a 15" laptop. The laptop is a little big to carry around daily (occasionally I'll bring it to campus to study though).
I actually don't know what the difference between a laptop and a netbook are. I've seen netbooks before, but just always thought they were laptops with smaller screens.

So with having a iphone why would I want a ipad over a netbook?
I don't really see the size of the ipad as a totally portable device. I've already laid out some instances where I would use it (larger screen for changing songs with itunes remote). Other than that though I don't see a need for it.
What apps does it have over the iphone?
I don't really want/need an ebook reader. I still prefer actual paper pages with bookmarks.

[Barnes]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Wouldn't it be handier if it was both though? I would prefer to have all my media with me instead of having to sync all the time...that's all I was saying.

Honestly, how much do you think it would cost Apple to add more flash memory? $5 for 32 gig? $200 for $32 gig? You guys are saying it's expensive but can't you buy a 16 gig stick for like $20 or am I thinking of something else?

Sorry, I somehow missed a bunch of posts between the one I quoted and my reply.

It is estimated that the 16GB iPad costs Apple about $230 for parts plus manufacturing, marketing, transport, Touch OS development, R&D, testing etc.

16GB is estimated to cost $30 and 64GB is estimated to cost them about $120 so I would guess that the next size up at 128GB would cost $240. Apple would need to account for price fluctuations since it is a commodity putting the cost of a 128GB iPad at around $1000+ for the 3G. Probably way to high.

What they WILL do is, in about 6 months they will drop the price by $100 across the board. In a year, you will see 32, 64, and 128 at those prices as well. At $399, everyone will have one.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

So with having a iphone why would I want a ipad over a netbook?
I don't really see the size of the ipad as a totally portable device. I've already laid out some instances where I would use it (larger screen for changing songs with itunes remote). Other than that though I don't see a need for it.
What apps does it have over the iphone?
I don't really want/need an ebook reader. I still prefer actual paper pages with bookmarks.

The problem with many of the apps on the iPhone is the size in my opinion. For instance the Marvel Comics App for the iPad looks awesome. I haven't actually bought a comic in probably 10 years but I could see myself subscribing to a few different books with that.

I understand your point about preferring paper. But I never thought I would actually download whole albums that I was willing to buy all electronically. Never thought I would give up CDs and I have.

[Russic]

My favorite Twitter message through all of this: "The people who love the iPad they haven't used yet actually have a lot in common with the people who hate the iPad they haven't used yet."

if there's one theme I've read in all reviews (gushing and not), it's that you do really need to try it to make a final opinion. Sure you still may find it's not the device for you, but the impression I get from actual users is that you find that it isn't what you thought it was.

If we're going to compare ipads and netbooks, I'd be more interested in customer satisfaction after a year. Let's not forget when the iPod debuted it was quite a bit weaker than many comparable products. Many of these faults exist to this day. Still doesn't really matter though because the driving force behind the iPod is how it feels to work with. I get the same vibe from people who have used the ipad. Sure it's missing x, y, and z, but there's something in how it feels.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by Temporary_User

I've actually read most of this thread. I currently own a iphone and a 15" laptop. The laptop is a little big to carry around daily (occasionally I'll bring it to campus to study though).
I actually don't know what the difference between a laptop and a netbook are. I've seen netbooks before, but just always thought they were laptops with smaller screens.

So with having a iphone why would I want a ipad over a netbook?
I don't really see the size of the ipad as a totally portable device. I've already laid out some instances where I would use it (larger screen for changing songs with itunes remote). Other than that though I don't see a need for it.
What apps does it have over the iphone?
I don't really want/need an ebook reader. I still prefer actual paper pages with bookmarks.

I could see taking it to school to take notes on rather than taking the laptop that's a little too big and bulky to carry around daily. Anybody who has one....would that be feasible?

[FanIn80]

Here's the "Guided Tours" videos from Apple's site. They show all the different selling points, etc.

The Numbers (Excel) video looks hella cool, btw.

http://www.apple.com/ipad/guided-tours/