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iPad Reactions

Policenaut said:
I find the revelations about this device today pretty ridiculous. Apple products are notorious for leaving out logical features that people want. But with the iPad it's gone to a new level. No real OS. No expandable memory. No multitasking. No mini-displayport or mini-hdmi out. No built in camera. No usb port without an adapter. No elegant typing solution. No elegant way to play complex games. I was kind of interested in this before today. But now I really have no interest in this toy.
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Sounds like a lot of the same complaints I heard when the iPhone came out. And we all know what a failure that was. :rolleyes:
 
how long is the battery life? Surely that's a crucial element, especially if they're going after the Kindle market...and seeing as how the Kindle hardly uses any battery power it would seem like their battery life is going to have to be pretty impressive to match up. Is it?

The genuine tablet computer revolution is going to be when they get the flexi-plastic computers up and running - until then everything's going to be too heavy, too clunky and too prone to breakages....
 
Jobs says: 10 hour battery life. I can fly from San Fran to Tokyo, watch video the whole time
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Ok so that flight is over 11 hours. However if this is correct the device is either optimized to play video or you may get slightly more than that for none video use.
 
hmm is 10 hours enough? (and bearing in mind my laptop claims 4hrs and rarely seems to rise much above 2....) I suppose it is as long as the charging times aren't too onerous. Still, if i want an e-reader i'll buy a kindle, if i want a portable-computer i'll buy a laptop, if i want a hand-held computer i'll buy an i-phone....

doesn't seem to have a niche to me....though what do i know? I never thought 3rd generation phones would take off :D
 
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So far, it sounds as if beyond the hate leveled at Apple as a company, the complaints here come down to

  • it's not a tablet, and doesn't do all the things I expect a tablet-sized device to do
  • the Kindle is a better e-reader
  • it's not expandable, as I would expect portable computer form-factors to be
  • no camera
  • sucky 3G network provider
  • Steve Jobs overhyped it

I think all of those are true, and generally fair criticisms. I think when we put it in the context of Apple as a company though, you've got to look at this product on its own terms, as an attempt at being another new type of appliance rather than an entry into an existing competitive market. Apple never saw itself as a game player - they don't show up at all the computer trade shows to invite side-by-side comparisons of their stuff with PCs. They only reluctantly permit 3rd party retail channels, driving the majority of consumers to their own stores and web channels (resulting in a LOT of overhead for the company, a fact which has brought other companies to their knees). They have pioneered a lot of ideas, not all of them commercial successes, but off the top of my head I can think of (they didn't invent these but are the primary company responsible for their market adoption):

  • WIMP interface
  • Mouse-driven personal computing
  • Appletalk, easy home networking
  • common peripheral connectivity options
  • Home media computing
  • Newton - pdas, handwriting recognition
  • All-in-one desktop computers (no separate components)
  • User-friendly wi-fi networking
  • Designer-colored computers
  • The Cube - silent computing
  • MP3 player with online music store
  • Simple video editing
  • Video player with online availability of video content

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few but the point is, whether you liked how Apple implemented these or not, or whether you personally saw value in these or not, that is what Apple is, and that's what they are attempting with this new device. Not an entry into an existing space but trying to carve out another new one. Because it is about the same size and does some of the same things as a tablet PC they will inevitably be compared to it, but I don't think that that's what will determine the fate of this class of devices. The "think different" strategy has often (though not always) worked for them in the past so it's wrong (and lazy) to call it a "piece of fail" (or however you young people so eloquently put things nowadays) because it doesn't do what you can do with other, less costly devices.

The glaring exception to this notion is their ubiquitous "I'm A Mac/I'm A PC" campaign where they are directly trying to carve out home computing market share, but that is in their most-established category.

The challenge is, is there a space for this device? Can they convince people (like them seem to have convinced my daughter, and back2basics) that this will improve their life and is worth the price tag? For a lot of you the answer appears to be (at least for now) "no." Market success, more iller apps, or some other minor tweaks might change that answer. Personally I don't think that I need this yet (and I was a very early adopter for other gadgets - still have my original first gen iPod) and I agree with the sentiment that they will shake out the bugs in future generations, and I can see getting one for my kids in about a year or so.
 
Sooo........

Do we get to change our own battery on this thing?

The inability to change batteries + having to buy apps from apple are the reasons I don't use an iphone.
 
Not yours

grunion said:
Come on people. This thread is well into its second page and no snark yet about the hi-end config being called the MaxiPad or comments about iPad purchasers getting "soaked." You have let me down.
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This is not Fark.
 
Doubt said:
Sooo........

Do we get to change our own battery on this thing?

The inability to change batteries + having to buy apps from apple are the reasons I don't use an iphone.
Click to expand...

The iPad will not be for you then...
 
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