Ipad

[didjamatic]

The Ipad was actually released in 2007

[elbowglue]

Lol: Apple releases the Ifad.

http://lucky13linux.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/jobs-announces-ifad/

[didjamatic]

Real iPad Video Here

[hyperlinked]

Real iPad Video Here

The real iPad video is eye rollingly bad. It sounds like a bad attempt at geek poetry.

It's an interesting device though. We'll have to see what happens. They're specifically not aiming it to be the Tablet PC that keeps coming and failing to catch on over and over again. I can definitely say that I sometimes do prefer to do my reading on a handheld, but the speed and size of my BlackBerry makes that inconvenient.

Much has been said about how this gets squeezed between a mobile phone and a laptop PC where it gets to share a Snuggie with netbooks. That well may be and if it could replace my mobile phone, I'll be a lot more interested in it. It'd be an awkward phone to be sure, but I spend very little time making phone calls these days and the ones I do make are usually done over a bluetooth headset. Since most of my calls are done over a headset, my BlackBerry has already become a netbook for my common everyday use. Place my calls over something like an iPad wouldn't really be that different.

[elservo]

It looks nifty-ish, but it still runs that damned iPhone OS.

[kishy]

I was amazed by the starting price until I heard "16GB", at which point it immediately became a freakin' rip off.

Storage has become one of the cheapest things that goes into a product like this, and yet THAT is what they skimp on? GTFO Apple.

[hyperlinked]

Storage has become one of the cheapest things that goes into a product like this, and yet THAT is what they skimp on? GTFO Apple.

It's a solid state drive. The cheapest SSD on Newegg is going for $150 and there's a $200 difference between the 16Gb and 64Gb iPad model.

[kishy]

It's a solid state drive. The cheapest SSD on Newegg is going for $150 and there's a $200 difference between the 16Gb and 64Gb iPad model.

Alright, that does change things a bit.

I was thinking it was using something less costly like your typical run of the mill flash memory as seen in SD cards and the like (which would have been acceptable, it's not like it's a super high speed device based on the lag I see in demo videos).

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

Common knowledge: Apple sucks! (except for the good old iPods and Mac OS X is an ok OS.)

[kishy]

As much as I agree with that assertion, I don't go around saying it without some sort of justification.

The people who agree don't need a justification, but the people who don't see it as senseless babble if you neglect to include it.

[zwmalone]

Congrats, you managed to troll both iPad threads... yes, you may think apple sucks, but take it elsewhere instead of here, where it contributes nothing to the discussion.

[devilcm3]

looks like this device doesnt make that much hype as iPhone

i still cant think of what market does apple wants to target....sexy secretary?

[elservo]

Apple wants to target ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE.  It's an awesome philosophy, and it's working.  

I just want a Macbook Pro.  ****, I'd even take a Macbook at this point.

[didjamatic]

It's a solid state drive. The cheapest SSD on Newegg is going for $150 and there's a $200 difference between the 16Gb and 64Gb iPad model.

I believe the storage in the ipad is more like a SD flash card than a SSD.  The dimensions alone indicate that.

[kishy]

I believe the storage in the ipad is more like a SD flash card than a SSD.  The dimensions alone indicate that.

...so we're back to a ridiculous price given the storage capacity and type.

[Xuan]

Congrats, you managed to troll both iPad threads... yes, you may think apple sucks, but take it elsewhere instead of here, where it contributes nothing to the discussion.

Hey, I was enjoining it. Please don't stop the trolling.

[devilcm3]

...so we're back to a ridiculous price given the storage capacity and type.

i think it is possible to integrate the flash chip into the motherboard

anyway...i found his brother in law



maybe apple should change their iPad into yet another unbelievable price : expensive

[hyperlinked]

...so we're back to a ridiculous price given the storage capacity and type.

Are we? How much does a 64Gb Flash drive cost? And BTW, what's the difference between a SSD and flash memory?

[ricercar]

what's the difference between a SSD and flash memory?

Speed. Raw blazing speed.

Actually it's all Flash RAM. (No one makes SSDs with SRAM or DRAM any more. While magnitudes faster, SSDs from SRAM/DRAMs forget when you remove the power, and Flash RAMs remember without power.) The difference between various Flash RAMs is mostly access time, but there's also the issue whether a single cell holds 8 bits (cheap) or one bit (dependable).

As far as the iSteve goes, the reason Apple will be more successful than decade-old Windows tablets is based solely on (1) software interface (2) marketing. While I wholeheartedly admire Jobs' decision to leave the unconscionably buggy Macromedia Flash out of the iPhone OS, yet without Flash there's nothing the iSteve does that i haven't been doing on my WindowsCE tablets for which I paid 1/10th of the iSteve's price.

[didjamatic]

I could be mistaken but I don't believe SSD drives could fit inside the thin iPad.  It does use flash memory which could mean chips soldered directly on the board or in some kind of module.  I think their cost on storage is minimal.

Apple uses storage capacity as a primary reason for upgrading.  The leaked iphone prototypes had 80GB of storage, but the final was 4/8GB.  The cost to create a 16GB vs an 8GB is very minimal, but they don't do it so it will coax users to upgrade in a year or two when the larger capacity devices are released.

IF they were only interested in saving money, they'd have minimal onboard memory and a SD card slot in the iphone like Android phones do, which would allow the user to upgrade storage themselves, but Apple doesn't like this, they like selling you another complete device.   And so it is with the iPad... no memory card slot.  And that is ridiculous no-holds-barred screwing the user into buying a new device to add capacity.

Steve Jobs' yogi guru would force choke him if he had the realization that he will have to buy a new device to increase mp3 mantra chanting capacity on his iPad.

[ricercar]

Apple is a hardware company. It's their core business model to make today's product obsolete (if only in your mind) as soon as the next refresh comes out. 100% of Apple's software model is based on generating more hardware sales.

[Oqsy]

100% of Apple's software model is based on generating more hardware sales.

This.

[Chao]

After reading the reviews by a handful of sites, and seeing video of some who got to try it out, my only real thought on the subject:
If Ars Technica, of all places, gives an Apple product a lukewarm-to-cold review, that simply can't bode well for the product in question.

[Mercen_505]

I'm honestly not seeing the market for this.

[Mental Hobbit]

100% of Apple's software model is based on generating more hardware sales.

And vice versa.

[itlnstln]

Gizmodo was even lukewarm-to-cold about it.  Freaking Gizmodo.  Even the non-techies on NPR were pretty "meh."  They thought the coolest thing about the annoucement was the eBook availabilty from iTunes.

[kishy]

It's not getting extreme love because it's lame...truly lame.

It would make more sense to buy a couple-year-old used tablet laptop than it does to buy one of these. You get more storage, more processing power, broader software compatibility, and just since it's been brought up...usually an SD card reader too.

It's a neat product and I bet it'll give the Kindle some pretty strong competition as far as eBook readers go, but if they're trying to suggest it's any more than that, that's why people are disappointed.

[patrickgeekhack]

I have no doubt that the iPad can be a successful product. On a plane, this product can be very nice to have especially if it's for a 12-hour flight. However, I don't agree with some of things Phil Schiller said:

"The best e-mail experience"? "The best movie watching experience"?

Maybe I'm missing something here? How can this slate be more comfortable for writing e-mails? First, the virtual keyboard takes up a huge portion of the screen real estate. If you are replying to a list of question from someone's e-mail, this means constant scrolling. And most importantly, how can typing on a glass be more comfortable than typing on a real keyboard, especially a good mechanical one? Don't get me wrong, I love some of Apple's products, but sometimes they exaggerate how good their products are.

[itlnstln]

"The best e-mail experience"? "The best movie watching experience"?

...And good luck doing both of those things at the same time.

[Mercen_505]

Let's look at the various angles and see how things stack up:


- As a business/work machine

You can bluetooth or use the external port to attach a keyboard, but you'll have to switch between typing and touching to interact with the screen. This will get old (and tiresome) quickly. Traditional laptops have the keyboard and mouse within easy reach so the transition is smooth. This... not so much. Also, as I understand it, this does not support multitasking. If that's true, then that effectively torpedoes the productivity aspect of this tablet.


- As a music player

You'll want to use headphones with it, but it'll be cumbersome to place next to you while working, or anything else for that matter. The iPod works because of its unobtrusive form factor. It's a "go anywhere" type device, unlike the iPad.


- As an Ebook reader

Apple might be on to something. E-ink is very easy on the eyes, but is currently only monochrome and has a hideously low refresh rate. LCD screens cause significantly more eye strain, and are harder to use outside where ambient light is strong, but have color support and good refresh rates. Comic book fans might like this.


- As a media player (other than music)

Good idea, but gimping the storage capacity is a bad idea. 16-64 gigs of video goes bye bye in a hurry, and you'll be paying a $200 adder to get to 64. This could work for watching a few episodes here and there, or SD streaming content, but it won't replace the need for a good HTPC.


- As a gaming device

Virtual buttons = fail. Good control schemes are hard to find in iPhone games, and this will carry over to the iPad.


- Casual net browsing

This is probably the best application of the device. The touchscreen should make the experience pretty smooth. The lack of Flash support out of the box is gonna suck on occasion.

[devilcm3]

but sometimes they exaggerate how good their products are.

its what they're good at

[didjamatic]

I just saw the latest Kindle yesterday and the screen is amazing, I think it's actually better than a book to read.  I don't know that the ipad will be as good as it will for reading.  That screen tech is patented.  If it is, then the device has some merit, if not, it's second or worse in class in every area I can think of, other than the "Ooooh look at me I have the latest fruity device and am superior to you" area.

LOVE my iphone, Love my ipod (wish iphone had same storage capacity as my ipod) but this ipad doesn't do anything well enough for me to purchase it.  I will stick to a PC at home, Laptop at work and Iphone in my pocket.

It's a tablet lacking most of the great qualities of a tablet PC.
Not an Ipod replacement
Not an Iphone replacement
Not a computer replacement
Not a GPS replacement
Not a gaming system replacement
Maybe a kindle replacement

It's just an extra device and I don't need another device, I would rather consolidate what I already have.

[itlnstln]

LOVE my iphone, Love my ipod (wish iphone had same storage capacity as my ipod) but this ipad doesn't do anything well enough for me to purchase it. I will stick to a PC at home, Laptop at work and Iphone in my pocket.
 
It's a tablet lacking most of the great qualities of a tablet PC.
Not an Ipod replacement
Not an Iphone replacement
Not a computer replacement
Not a GPS replacement
Not a gaming system replacement
Maybe a kindle replacement
 
It's just an extra device and I don't need another device, I would rather consolidate what I already have.

Well said.

[patrickgeekhack]

I just saw the latest Kindle yesterday and the screen is amazing, I think it's actually better than a book to read.  

Personally (just my opinion), I much prefer reading a printed book than an electronic book. If I had a choice, I would prefer the printed version, but a better option would be to have both.

Why:
- Personal taste
- I can lend my book to someone and start reading another one.
- I don't have to worry about battery life.
- Some books if well preserved can be passed on to generation and generations.

[elbowglue]

I love how apple never allows anyone to have replacable batteries, expandable memory, etc.  

I think the whole concept behind this Ipad thing was they figured they could sell books on the itunes store and get into the bookselling e-reader market.  

Boo. Hiss.

[cmr]

[kishy]

...while looking at a certain Esc key replacement?

[hyperlinked]

As far as the iSteve goes, the reason Apple will be more successful than decade-old Windows tablets is based solely on (1) software interface (2) marketing.

And with the latter comes developers. That's the only reason I find this device interesting. If Steve Jobs can convince developers that he can drum up a market for their efforts and they can already reuse knowledge they have from building iPhone apps, then we might start seeing some touch screen apps that are different from what we're used to. It's not often that you both see a device that doesn't quite belong to any existing family yet already has a built in base of developers. In the end, new hardware is still just hardware, but new hardware times developers is the interesting equation.

As a device, there's not a whole lot about it that makes me want to buy one. Like other people have said, I don't know what I'd do with another device. But I also know that I had no interest in the iPhone until I started seeing all these interesting apps for it and true a lot of the apps weren't necessarily ground breaking in terms of raw feature sets, they were truly ground breaking in the number of people who were using them. I still don't own or use an iPhone or iPod Touch, but I can better understand why some people are so enamored of them now.

The perception that it's not a computer, yet not a phone, and yet not an anything replacement is precisely the reason why I think it's interesting. I'm not saying I'm amazed, but just intrigued. That it doesn't fit in any known classification means that some creative developer may come up with something truly novel or it could bomb spectacularly and make the MacBookAir look like a stroke of genius in comparison. It could be the next iPod or it could be the next Segway.

I'm not planning on buying one, but I am planning on enjoying the show to see what a small army of developers will do now that they have a bigger iPhone to design against. I can put up with the marketing and spin if it means that we'll have a chance to see what a critial mass of users can do for something that for all intents and purposes has come and gone several times before.

[ricercar]

the only significant part of the iSteve announcement was that Apple makes its own CPU. Nothing else is new, not concept, implementation, hype. By making their own CPU, Apple establishes that they own the iSteve market, top to bottom, and no other company can match this. John Gruber gets this, saying "They’re not getting into the CPU business for kicks, they’re getting into it to kick ass. .... They’re Microsoft and Intel rolled into one when it comes to mobile computing."

[elservo]

E-ink, like in the Kindle, is incredible.  Very easy on the eyes.  I prefer my Kindle over books because I don't have to shift while I read at night.  I know this sounds odd but as soon as I get comfortable reading a page I have to flip the page, which makes me have to move my booklight.  If I'm reading a giant hardcover, as I'm known to do, my hands cramp up from holding the monstrosity.  Now it's all in a nice little device that I can hold comfortably until I pass out.  

I'm reading Moby **** on the kindle right now, which is almost like taking six valium and washing them down with a couple beers.  Didn't have to pay for that one because it's on feedbooks, which has a Kindle App, so every time I open that book up I feel like I've finally won in life.  

Also, the Kindle keyboard is made of a hybrid Cherry, Buckling Spring, and Topre switch scheme, and I caught my Kindle making me lunch the other day.

[exia]

I would wait and see what the app store can bring to this device. It will be what makes or breaks it.

As for me, as far as reading on a screen goes I would much rather do it on the Kindle DX. IPS screen or not, it cannot beat eink.

[kode]

the only significant part of the iSteve announcement was that Apple makes its own CPU. Nothing else is new, not concept, implementation, hype. By making their own CPU, Apple establishes that they own the iSteve market, top to bottom, and no other company can match this. John Gruber gets this, saying "They’re not getting into the CPU business for kicks, they’re getting into it to kick ass. .... They’re Microsoft and Intel rolled into one when it comes to mobile computing."

They were pretty heavily involved with Motorola back when they used the M68k too, though. The A4 is probably based on the ARM Cortex-A9, and that's just about the only thing that makes me interested in their slate. Not interested enough to consider getting one, though, because I'm not a real big fan of:
1. The slate concept
2. Not being able to run whatever I want on a piece of computerish hardware.
3. iFruit hype

If a decently priced ARM based netbook comes around, sporting a keyboard with a decent layout and good battery capacity, I'll get one of those instead.

[didjamatic]

From Adobe Blog:
"Adobe's been trying to get Flash on the iPhone with zero success since Steve Jobs first held the thing in the air in 2007, and it looks like the tension is only going to grow as the iPhone OS moves onto the iPad. We noticed that the iPad doesn't have Flash support almost immediately when Jobs was demoing the browser"
"It looks like Apple is continuing to impose restrictions on their devices that limit both content publishers and consumers. Unlike many other ebook readers using the ePub file format, consumers will not be able to access ePub content with Apple's DRM technology on devices made by other manufacturers. And without Flash support, iPad users will not be able to access the full range of web content, including over 70% of games and 75% of video on the web.
If I want to use the iPad to connect to Disney, Hulu, Miniclip, Farmville, ESPN, Kongregate, or JibJab -- not to mention the millions of other sites on the web -- I'll be out of luck."

[sethstorm]

...and if you thought the other ones were bad, here's this.

[kishy]

Supposedly HTML5 is phasing out the need for flash, and it is not too well known about yet, so I thought I'd throw it in here. Supposedly the iPad will do HTML5 just fine.

That said, I think I've explained my "segmenting of reality" philosophy where I categorize things and don't blend categories - for example, TV is for video and computer is for interactivity - so naturally I dislike that HTML, essentially a text display language (whereas CSS is the layout and appearance language), is going to shift towards multimedia...

[kode]

HTML5 is good for video and audio, indeed. For flash games, not so much.

[ricercar]

The fastest way to crash a stable machine is to install Flash.

[onowak]

if the ipad sells like hotcakes, it will implicitly splinter the search space into "apple-approved" sites and "the rest".

flash-based sites will have to make the choice to either move to HTML 5 for their multi-media presentation, or "opt-out"  on page-views/hits from the ipad. this wasnt such a bug deal when the platform was the iphone - but it will be if the ipad becomes a viable (and popular) web browsing platform.

this may be their part of their plan....

-0.

[onowak]

and btw, ricercar - the fastest way to crash with flash is by writing bad software. i have seen (and worked on) very stable multi-media flash apps. as with all software - the weakest link is the programmer - not the platform.

blame the programmer - not the tool, yes? when a c++ app segfaults - do you blame c++, , stroustrup, or the programmer who didnt properly clean up their pointers?
-0.

[ricercar]

blame the programmer - not the tool, yes? when a c++ app segfaults - do you blame c++, , stroustrup, or the programmer who didnt properly clean up their pointers?-0.

Am I blaming Flash because I won't install it?  Flash has a smaller learning curve than C++. What follows is we have more incompetent programmers distributing inferior 'wares in Flash than we have incompetent programmers distributing inferior 'wares in C++. Given the same OS, same hardware, same configuration, the system with Flash installed (not even running) will crash more often than the system without Flash. Flash is an inferior tool.

I agree with you, it is the inferior workman who blames his tools. Yet as a superior workman I'll avoid problems by avoiding inferior tools. My screwdrivers don't break because I buy Craftsman, for example, instead of the supermarket Chinese 'drivers. Craftsman is competent people making superior tools. Made-in-China is (most likely) less competent workers making inferior tools. Am I blaming a tool if I won't buy it? Nah.