iPad?

[Rekrab]

...and this is just the cane shaking old man on the porch in me, but I hate eBooks. Hate 'em with a passion. Books need to be on paper. Put your flashy magazines and newspapers in e-ink, but don't kill my printed word.

[glock_this]

Mediocre may be a bit harsh.

agreed

But it's still less than perfect.

come on.. what product is ever "perfect" - I mean, that is such an over used easy to throw out criticism. What, exactly, are you talking about? What could be improved? Multi-tasking, change your own battery, SD slot, Flash ... what?

This is one of those products that Apple could have done a lot better if they waited for market saturation, like they did with the iPod. See what everyone else is doing, then learn from their mistakes.

uhhh.. they did.. Look at what "everybody else is doing" and you will see (1) no one does anything like this so no one to look at and (2) those that do something kind of like it, like any current eBook reader - well, just use one 1 time yourself and compare it to this. Please, no comparison.

Crucial things like multi-tasking should not be left out of a modern computing device.

100% totally agree.. that is a bad move. BUT, if it is software addressable, an OS update could handle it. I admit, I am not sure if multi-tasking is a software only coding issue or if there are related hardware chipset requirements.

I know it's too much to ever ask Apple for an open platform, but the closed nature of this device means I'd never want one. Which makes me sad, because it's a cool idea.

I tend to agree here.. Google's open source will advance faster I believe. BUT, Apple does make the SDK available and if anyone is choosing to make apps for 1 or the other, they are making them for Apple. So, it is "open" to the degree that they allow others to make killer apps - but it is closed in that they do not allow others to improve the OS.

[glock_this]

...and this is just the cane shaking old man on the porch in me, but I hate eBooks. Hate 'em with a passion. Books need to be on paper. Put your flashy magazines and newspapers in e-ink, but don't kill my printed word.

paper print is dying off. not soon.. but the day will come.

I love books also, have nearly a 300 paperback collection.. but it's days are numbered.

[Rekrab]

paper print is dying off. not soon.. but the day will come.

I love books also, have nearly a 300 paperback collection.. but it's days are numbered.

LIES! It will never die! And I'll still be carting my diapered butt to whatever dusty section of town I have to to find my hard cover books with cloth binding!

come on.. what product is ever "perfect" - I mean, that is such an over used easy to throw out criticism. What, exactly, are you talking about? What could be improved? Multi-tasking, change your own battery, SD slot, Flash ... what?

Yes.

uhhh.. they did.. Look at what "everybody else is doing" and you will see (1) no one does anything like this so no one to look at and (2) those that do something kind of like it, like any current eBook reader - well, just use one 1 time yourself and compare it to this. Please, no comparison.

I disagree here primarily because I've played with tablet PCs already. I think that they didn't borrow from the tablet PC enough. Which, I wouldn't actually compare to the iPad if it weren't for the fact that they're basically the same device. The tablet PCs I've seen are considerably more expensive than the iPad but they can also do everything a good laptop can do with the added benefit of being touch sensitive.

100% totally agree.. that is a bad move. BUT, if it is software addressable, an OS update could handle it. I admit, I am not sure if multi-tasking is a software only coding issue or if there are related hardware chipset requirements.

I haven't actually seen the hardware specs on it yet so I can't comment much on it. But I suspect they'll have multi-tasking available whenever OS4 hits the market. If they don't, epic fail.

I tend to agree here.. Google's open source will advance faster I believe. BUT, Apple does make the SDK available and if anyone is choosing to make apps for 1 or the other, they are making them for Apple. So, it is "open" to the degree that they allow others to make killer apps - but it is closed in that they do not allow others to improve the OS.

Their horrible arcane and mysterious methods for approving apps is also highly suspect. If I can't just hop online and download any app I want, I'm not interested. God bless homebrew.

[Barbarossa]

iPad ballistic calculator

I can just imaging a 10" iPad hanging off some guys rifle. LOL

[Gryff]

...and this is just the cane shaking old man on the porch in me, but I hate eBooks. Hate 'em with a passion. Books need to be on paper. Put your flashy magazines and newspapers in e-ink, but don't kill my printed word.

Have you tried the Kindle? The text quality is amazing, and for me it has been a god-send since I HATE traveling for work and finishing my book while I'm on the road. I'm picky what I'll read, so having an eBook that can download new books from a huge selection is worth its weight in gold.

[Rekrab]

Yes. Books are an analog technology for me. I've tried them in many different formats, hardcover will always be my preference.

[Cokebottle]

For the haters...

It is just a theme for some to hate on anything Apple does, and they make it clear in their posts. Alway trying to diminish or marginalize their products, always finding fault and quick to dismiss, despite the fact the rest of the population can clearly see it for what it is and the competitors are scrambling to keep up.

They do drive innovation in the industry. I'll absolutely give you that.

Beyond that? Overhyped, overpriced, fail to function as promised (iPhone would have been a LOT better had they teamed up with VZW, or left it open to be used on any network), like the AT&T situation, they lock in proprietary formats (iTunes) that make life more difficult.... And in less than 6 months, it's available at a substantial discount... usually, but not always to make room for an improved model.

Much of the Apple hype is driven by an irrational hatred for Microsoft. Sure, MS has had it's issues, but I've been with them since DOS 2.11 (I actually started on TRSDOS 2.0), and I have yet to encounter any problems or regret any of my OS upgrades.

Granted, I lag. I'm not running Win7, I did not switch to Vista, and actually, right now I'm still on XP SP2... I haven't installed SP3 yet (I have installed all of the security updates). XP has worked fine on this machine since 2002, I have no need or reason to upgrade until software or hardware requirements force it. I did the same with Win3.1, Win95, and Win98se.

[JDay]

maybe im just WAY behind in the times but i remember when the ipod came out then the iphone, and i could not even have imagined the technology then. obviously with rapid moving technology it has come a long way but i would not have imagined this either. i cant wait to see what is in store for the future. im glad companies bring new things out even if people think its weak or a FAIL.. it just opens up the imagination for future products.

The iPod was nothing new when it came out, all apple did was release an mp3 player with an easy to use interface. other mp3 players that were already on the market had far better hardware already. Same thing with the iPhone, smart phones had already been out for many years. Apple loves to release stuff that's been done before and claim they are revolutionary when they are not. They didn't even invent the GUI that was used in the Macintosh, they stole it from Xerox. Why do you think they Macintosh team flew the Jolly Roger? For the price of an iPad you can get an actual tablet that has a full keyboard, faster processor, removable battery (can carry spares if you need them), webcam, USB/Firewire ports, ethernet, wireless, 3G card and much more storage space. Now tell me why I would want to buy one of these and be locked into using the apps that Apple allows onto the app store? If size if your concern you can get a netbook and spend the money you saved on ammo.

[JDay]

And for the hateboys, you can claim that it is because the product "sucks," but I have a hard time valuing the opinions of people who make $50K/year over a company with a 30-year record of insane success that generates $42 billion/year in sales.

Steve Jobs himself said he was taking a big gamble with this product. The only reason that it exists is because Apple's customers have been wanting a tablet for years. Apple screwed up with this big time by not having a physical keyboard (I know you can buy one for $79 but come on, $79 for a keyboard?) and not having it run full OS X. I really do not see this being a big success past initial sales. Its just too little too late.

[JDay]

you have made your disdain very well know and clear.

too bad you think it is "just" because Apple made it, people will buy it. There is more to it than that. For me, it is more about it just so happens they did and the fact, no one else is stepping up with advances like they are. So, they did it.

The only advance they may have made with this product would be in the processor they developed for it, maybe. Touchscreens have been around for years and so have computing devices and tablet pc's. I can do everything the ipad does with any of my computers. The interface may not be the same but that doesn't really matter.

[JDay]

100% totally agree.. that is a bad move. BUT, if it is software addressable, an OS update could handle it. I admit, I am not sure if multi-tasking is a software only coding issue or if there are related hardware chipset requirements.

They actually disabled it in the OS. That takes more effort than leaving it enabled.

[Loner]

Apple is the H&K of computers.

[MrNiceGuy]

I'm a brand whore.
I buy LMT, LaRue, etc just because "all the cool kids" have it.
When I first bought it I wasn't worried about if it's really worth the money, I only got it because everyone else thought it was awesome (turns out the majority was right in this particular instance).

Same thing for the iPad, I'm going to get it because most of the people "I" know are going googoo gaagaa over it.
I honestly haven't even looked at the specs or did any research but I know I'll get one.

I'm dumb and a follower and just want to be cool like everyone else, I know that.
And the majority of the Apple kool-aid drinkers are like me.
And Apple will sell alot on iPads.
That is all.

[Gryff]

So many hateboys. That much irrational hate, you'd think that someone used a Mac to beat you up when you were kids. Or that you've always lusted for a Mac, but just couldn't afford one.

Entertaining.

The iPod was nothing new when it came out, all apple did was release an mp3 player with an easy to use interface. other mp3 players that were already on the market had far better hardware already. Same thing with the iPhone, smart phones had already been out for many years. Apple loves to release stuff that's been done before and claim they are revolutionary when they are not. They didn't even invent the GUI that was used in the Macintosh, they stole it from Xerox. Why do you think they Macintosh team flew the Jolly Roger? For the price of an iPad you can get an actual tablet that has a full keyboard, faster processor, removable battery (can carry spares if you need them), webcam, USB/Firewire ports, ethernet, wireless, 3G card and much more storage space. Now tell me why I would want to buy one of these and be locked into using the apps that Apple allows onto the app store? If size if your concern you can get a netbook and spend the money you saved on ammo.

Steve Jobs himself said he was taking a big gamble with this product. The only reason that it exists is because Apple's customers have been wanting a tablet for years. Apple screwed up with this big time by not having a physical keyboard (I know you can buy one for $79 but come on, $79 for a keyboard?) and not having it run full OS X. I really do not see this being a big success past initial sales. Its just too little too late.

The only advance they may have made with this product would be in the processor they developed for it, maybe. Touchscreens have been around for years and so have computing devices and tablet pc's. I can do everything the ipad does with any of my computers. The interface may not be the same but that doesn't really matter.

They actually disabled it in the OS. That takes more effort than leaving it enabled.

Apple is the H&K of computers.

I'm a brand whore.
I buy LMT, LaRue, etc just because "all the cool kids" have it.
When I first bought it I wasn't worried about if it's really worth the money, I only got it because everyone else thought it was awesome (turns out the majority was right in this particular instance).

Same thing for the iPad, I'm going to get it because most of the people "I" know are going googoo gaagaa over it.
I honestly haven't even looked at the specs or did any research but I know I'll get one.

I'm dumb and a follower and just want to be cool like everyone else, I know that.
And the majority of the Apple kool-aid drinkers are like me.
And Apple will sell alot on iPads.
That is all.