| Author |
Message |
    
Brinnutz
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 10:48 am: | 
|
The iPad...
 |
Not_purple_s2
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 10:52 am: |
|
Screw the iPad
Check this out!
Microsoft Courier
http://gizmodo.com/5365299/courier-first-details-o f-microsofts-secret-tablet |
Hex
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 10:53 am: |
|
|
Midknyte
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 11:01 am: |
|
Brin' that's hella funny!
It also needs to function without a damn monthly charge for a service
Then just get the Wi-Fi only model... |
Froggy
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 11:05 am: |
|
quote:It needs the zip drive accesses, and the external ports.
Well with even 1 USB port you could use an external zip drive. They screwed it up already.
quote:It also needs to function without a damn monthly charge for a service.
You can get the Wifi only version. My tablet I listed above runs on Wifi and I can use bluetooth to leach off my phones data plan when I am in the sticks.
I am reading that this thing lacks multitasking and flash support, both of which work great on my 3 year old beat to hell tablet. |
Spike
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 11:51 am: |
|
The more I think about it the more I like it- and I'm a PC guy.
I've always liked the idea of making the web portable. Smart phones do a decent job, but they're too small to give a 'full' browsing experience. I hate navigating forums on such a small screen and there's no way I'm going to sit and read a book on an iphone for an hour.
Laptops give the full web experience, but they're too big to be really portable and you get all the downsides of carrying a computer with you everywhere- battery life, startup/shutdown time, more OS than you need, etc.
Netbooks are a nice attempt to bridge the gap, but they don't actually do much of anything better than a traditional laptop. They're smaller and get better battery life, but elsewhere they seem to lose ground to a traditional laptop. The smaller interface becomes more troublesome to use, and typically they have slower hardware than laptops.
The first time I saw a Kindle I realized it was *almost* exactly what I wanted. It's small enough to hold and operate with one hand, yet the screen is large enough to prevent tiny font or excessive scrolling. It also has tons of battery life and can be turned on/off quickly. The problem is that it doesn't do anything other than books and some limited newspaper stuff. If the Kindle had a color screen and the ability to browse the web and do email it would be ideal for travel and light internet use (like checking badweb while you're sitting on the couch watching TV).
The iPad strikes me as a great balance between all of these devices. It has all the features of a laptop/desktop that I'd like to make more portable. It has great battery life and a quick startup time. It has a big, bright screen yet it's small enough to use with one hand. It has a slick, multi-touch surface that eliminates the need for a keyboard or a touchpad. Best of all, the whole device was designed from the ground up as a package, so that the software and hardware are perfectly integrated. |
Hex
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 11:59 am: |
|
Good insight spike.
I would like to see applications like Professional Photoshop available on the web. Meaning the high power application works through the web on your limited hand held device. You upload a thumbnail or something small, the high power application works to create an instruction set to send back to your device to modify the larger file on your limited device. |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 12:05 pm: |
|
The IPad is by far the most compelling netbook I have seen yet, and the price looks a lot more affordable then I expected. |
Andymnelson
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 12:10 pm: |
|
I think it has some specific uses that would be great- watching movies on a plane for example. I do a fair amount of trade shows, and do quotes on the spot for customers. I could easily do a bluetooth printer and do it all wirelessly...sweet.
I could also have a well organized bunch of pictures of our trucks on it to be able to point things out to customers on the fly.
The fact that I don't need 3G data other than 1 or 2 months out of the year (while at trade shows), coupled with the ability to get only 1 month of 3G data for $29 and just use it with wifi the rest of the year is very attractive.
It would make a great kitchen computer- for recipes and such.
The lack of ports and drive don't bother me- other computers are available through my network...problem solved.
As far as price etc, it is largely being marketed to the e-book crowd. It's $10 more than the Kindle DX! ...and it does SO much more! Heck the DX doesn't even have a color screen.
I think it has potential....I may purchase one someday. |
Chadhargis
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 12:24 pm: |
|
I think it's genius.
As an IT professional, I know the "typical" computer user doesn't use a 1/10th the potential of their computer. Everyone wants the latest, greatest, most powerful machine they can get and what do they do with it???? Browse the web and read email. That's pretty much it.
For someone like my mother, who doesn't play games, use apps, or anything like that...the iPad would be perfect. She could sit in her EZ chair, clearly see the screen and surf Facebook and read email. She might not like the touch keyboard at first, but I'm sure she'd get used to it.
I think Apple does a great job of targeting the "average joe". They aren't going after corporate power users, gamers, or geeks. They want to sell to the people who like something simple, that works well, and looks really "pretty". Even Apple's packaging is fantastic.
That being said, I work in a Wintel environment. Our global network consists over over 10,000 nodes. Most of those being Microsoft Windows boxes.
I have three Macs at home. When they made the jump to Intel processors and a UNIX based OS, I got interested. I love that I can jump to the command line and use UNIX commands to do what I need to do. There is plenty of "geek" built into Apples products underneath the user friendly interface. I've enjoyed learning the Mac OS. So much so that I don't plan on putting a Windows box in my home anytime soon. The only one I have is an old laptop I gave to my daughter that she plays with. She gets the best of both worlds as she uses Macs at school and a PC at home. |
Gentleman_jon
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 12:33 pm: |
|
Well said Chad.
I think a lot of computer pro's started asking themselves the wrong question.
It not what this can do for the pro's, it's what it can do for the rest of the world who, as you say, only use 10% of their computer's capability and have to suffer from a high level of complexity and unreliability as a result.
+1
 |
Firebolt020283
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 12:44 pm: |
|
I think It is neat. My wife wants one, as she said since haveing her iphone she thinks it is the greatest thing she has ever owned, now she says that they thought of her when they came out with this thing as she said her only complaint about the iphone was she would love for it to be bigger and have the ability to write her school papers on it and such. Well this thing you can. If you go to the apple web site they talk about the fact that they are coming out with the iwork office suite for this device.
I do agree it does have its set backs like being able to maybe allow you to plug external devices to it such as usb drives or something but it does have an adapter for you to plug in cameras to it so maybe they will make it to were you can plug these things in to it as well. Also it has a real keybord you can plug to it. |
Hex
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 01:06 pm: |
|
As well as a real cool bluetooth keyboard and mouse.
My nephew will be getting the best iPad offered when released. It will be interesting for all of us. |
Steve_mackay
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 04:27 pm: |
|
I'll wait for this...
10" touch screen.
Nvidia Tegra2
Android(Linux)
Multi-tasks
USB port & webcam
Etc...
$500 |
Cityxslicker
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 04:34 pm: |
|
I need to test drive it before I spend dime one.
and if it works the way I want it to... then I will pick it up at christmas when the price drops even below the initial offering. |
Edgydrifter
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 05:13 pm: |
|
Lack of a camera makes the iPad a no-go for me. As a web-and-widget device it's very slick, but my wife does frequent video calls with her sisters and a light, portable tablet with a good screen would be just the ticket for her to be able to talk from anywhere in the house or garden, not just sitting at our computer desk.
That Tegra2 looks intriguing... |
Midknyte
| | Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 - 05:41 pm: |
|
As an IT professional, I know the "typical" computer user doesn't use a 1/10th the potential of their computer. Everyone wants the latest, greatest, most powerful machine they can get and what do they do with it???? Browse the web and read email. That's pretty much it.
...and what do they do with it? They play f*king solitaire! I see it every time I get on the train.
The newest, bestest smartphones available, and they sit there draggin little cards across the screen! |
Pushrodpete
| | Posted on Friday, January 29, 2010 - 11:58 am: |
|
Pretty soon, they are going to run out of vowels, and will have to come out with iPud, iPeed, iPood...
Actually, Aerostich is already selling the "iPood"...
http://www.aerostich.com/ipood-pocket-trowel.html |
Loki
| | Posted on Friday, January 29, 2010 - 09:31 pm: |
|
I won't be getting one at first. Around Xmas one will be in the house of Loki.
For those that might have missed it. It will ship unlocked!
I see potential. Anybody for a tethering project. Not tied to a desktop or a laptop for synching. |
Midknyte
| | Posted on Saturday, January 30, 2010 - 09:50 pm: |
|
For those that might have missed it. It will ship unlocked!
Yes. Kinda. Sorta. But you're still going to suffer device/tech lock-in for a while until the new "micro-sim" they employed finds support outside of AT&T and Orange.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/27/apple-ipads-mic ro-sim-explained/
What a wonderful way to be able to get away with saying it's open when it really ain't... |
Hex
| | Posted on Saturday, January 30, 2010 - 09:58 pm: |
|
Yes, this micro sim technology IS unique to 3G and ATT. Verizon got screwed (I'm on Verizon). How long can an exclusive business relationship exist before it becomes an anti-trust issue? |
Ft_bstrd
| | Posted on Saturday, January 30, 2010 - 10:15 pm: |
|
My understanding is that the iPhone will be on Verizon some time this year.
The ONLY reason people are choosing AT&T over other networks is the iPhone.
It's why they did it. |
Hex
| | Posted on Saturday, January 30, 2010 - 10:42 pm: |
|
To bring AT&T up to speed so there would be two choices when it all plays out? |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Saturday, January 30, 2010 - 10:54 pm: |
|
I think it will be a really good entertainment device.
My Ipod touch has made my playstation redundant (I gave it to Jnr) and as a traveling entertainment system it's ,y favourite gadget.
I've got it pretty well all scripted so that I pick a you tube url and upload it automatically, then set my own playlists and TV programing on the road.
Webcasting photos live from events also has some pad potential I reckon.
The iPod will do me though, until the pad is half its current price in about 18 months time - and they give it better connectivity - and flash - then I reckon it will be a cool toy.
I think the potential to expand magazine readership on it is interesting too.
I've got us on issuu.com and have a few back issues of KIWIRIDER online here:
http://www.kiwirider.co.nz/backissues.html
I'm also looking forward to when we can do this type of stuff - on 'paper':
http://kiwirider.co.nz/vicload800/12.html |
Loki
| | Posted on Sunday, January 31, 2010 - 01:19 am: |
|
The last I heard, Verizon was not gonna get the iPhone anytime soon. |
Hex
| | Posted on Sunday, January 31, 2010 - 07:03 am: |
|
DD I loved your picture book interactive, second link.
Yeah, Verizon got screwed. Any answers for my anti-trust question? I'm not interested in a 'droid. |
Phelan
| | Posted on Sunday, January 31, 2010 - 02:14 pm: |
|
As long as the companies are separately-run entities, I don't think the law has a say in it. There's plenty of competition, it's just not strong enough competition to keep the sales level. And yes, I've heard that Verizon would get an iPhone sometime in the future. The problem is that one of the greatest, IMHO, features of the iPhone won't work on the current Verizon network. The simplicity of surfing the web or playing apps while talking on the phone isn't currently supported by Verizon. They dropped the ball on a single feature that's big in the upcoming market. Reminds of the demise of the Sega Dreamcast. It was awesome, but failed miserably once the PS2 and Xbox came out, because the lack of DVD support. |
Loki
| | Posted on Sunday, January 31, 2010 - 02:57 pm: |
|
I am liking the idea of magazines being delivered digital like an ebook.
Yes they can be read online and such. Something lacking with them though. It would be great to do a sub and just synch the new issue onto the iPad. Maintain a catalog of back issues. Just a thought. |
Danger_dave
| | Posted on Sunday, January 31, 2010 - 05:54 pm: |
|
Cool - there's a couple of size options for the picture book here.
http://kiwirider.co.nz/vicload/cover.html |
F_skinner
| | Posted on Thursday, February 04, 2010 - 10:56 pm: |
|
I use a iPod touch when traveling. I can throw it in the saddlebag and charge it from the bike and can check in via Internet and listen to music when camped. It meets my needs save two things. The size of the keyboard and the size of the screen. I think the ipad will fit my needs very well.
I am not a Mac or a PC, I have both and I buy what meets my needs. I have no complaints about my Mac Book, Dell desk top (except it is very old), ipod, netbook or iMac.
The only thing I had that went south on me was a Dell Laptop but it was over 10 years old and got very abused. It worked a lot longer than I expected it to.
I will get a iPad. |
|
