How important is this to you? I don't know if it's going to cause me to wait to buy one, but I think it'd add a lot to the iPad in terms of what it can do.
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Yet another friend of mine (3rd this week) is "waiting on Apple to put a camera in".
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It won't stop me from getting one at all. Simply put, it meets my needs without it. I don't even use iSight on my MB, so the absence on the iPad is meaningless to me. However, I can see where people could make great use of video conferencing, such as people who travel, etc.
I think it simple for most people. If it meets your needs, get it. If not, then don't.
I think it simple for most people. If it meets your needs, get it. If not, then don't.
"have they even thought about it. how will you even hold it straight. it will be like people look up your nose. and it just doesnt make sense to take pictures on a device this big, have the even though about it" that pretty much sums up the counter argument, right?
I had the same thoughts. And while the lack of a camera won't deter me from picking up an iPad, they could easily just sell a kickstand to set this on a desk or table to do video conferencing.
I personally know a lot of people who think that using iChat on video conferencing with a full blown os is just too much of a bother. However the idea of 1 app taking over your screen and just touching everything with your finger on a nice 9+ inch screen seems like a great idea. Whether these people would ever actually use this feature is up for debate. But then Apple doesn't really care if they use it or not, they just want to make the sale and keep the customers happy enough to make another down the road.
I'm in a long distance relationship and skype with my girlfriend almost every day. I would've loved for Apple to include a camera with the iPad but it will not deter me from being in line April 3rd 
I still have my fingers crossed that Apple will add the feature last minute into the first gen iPad (I mean the SDK does support video calls) but am more than a little doubtful that this will happen.
I still have my fingers crossed that Apple will add the feature last minute into the first gen iPad (I mean the SDK does support video calls) but am more than a little doubtful that this will happen.
no. ill just sell gen one if i had to and maybe make a profit if there is a special hack in it like my bootloader 5.8 3g and 24k pwn 3gs. tho i like to keep my 
things. tho like i said, seems like us earlly people get some nice hacks
things. tho like i said, seems like us earlly people get some nice hacksYour friends are suffering from 'featuritis' . Once they realize that the way you use a device is far more important then its bullet point list of features they will be cured.
A webcam in a device you will hold on your lap or cradled in your arm is silly.
A webcam in a device you will hold on your lap or cradled in your arm is silly.
I too have a friend considering the iPad but is deterred by a lack of camera.
He is a moron. Cell phone, touch, yeah, i get it, for taking snaps.
No one I know video chats enough to need it walking around.
I asked him, what he would do with it. His answer was that he wasn't sure but wanted the option based on what he has read in new stories.
I informed him he was a bigger moron than I thought.
A camera for video conferencing would be useful to me, but not so much that I'd wait. Likely revision B will have one, maybe in the fall.
I could care less about having a camera in the iPad. In fact, I don't want one in it - just something else to increase the cost. That is what I have my iPhone for as well as my digital camera.
I have had a camera in my last 3 MBP's, and current iMac. Total usage time... maybe an hour. I don't see "video" calls coming anytime soon to AT&T considering how slow and overloaded the network is already. I would much rather take the casual photo with my iPhone than something the size of the iPad. The size and weight would be tough to keep it steady and if I'm on a trip I would much rather use a higher quality camera or HD camcorder vs even my iPhone's camera.
A front facing VGA cam like the one in the nano would be neat for video chat, I suppose, but not all that useful as a way to do extended chats (orientation and holding it, etc). A rear facing cam is pretty useless, other than augmented reality applications, which isn't likely to be that convenient to use in the iPad form factor.
I'm curious to see if Apple brings back the iSight as a wireless (wifi or BT) webcam accessory more than I am interested in an iPad camera.
I'm curious to see if Apple brings back the iSight as a wireless (wifi or BT) webcam accessory more than I am interested in an iPad camera.
this is perhaps the most ridiculous post of the day. Maybe longer.
What principle? And if it did have a camera - would you NOT buy one? Why would you care either way if it makes other people happy.
WOW. Obnoxious.
With 802.11n and a fast home internet service, the iPad would seem to have the right stuff for video skype and related use. Properly located on the top edge, properly aimed, the camera wouldn't be any worse than those on netbooks or notebooks. Sure you could get a great shot of your chin while holding it on your lap, but most would probably have it standing up on the keyboard dock. My Dad loves seeing his distant grandkids, no matter the pose or view, thanks to the webcams their parents have. My (college) students like seeing their parents and current love interests over the free WiFi offered on campus. It's not hard to see why some would prefer an iPad with a camera. Perhaps, in the same way you can choose between the 3G and Wifi iPads, Apple will eventually throw in a camera option just for those who want one. They could easily charge another $50 for that $5 part, and threads like this one would go away.
A camera can also deter businesses from adopting the product. I recall there being issues with the iSight cameras built into MBP's when they first started including them. Some businesses cannot have cameras that can take pictures of confidential documents and other such things. It is smart of Apple not to have a camera on this device in some cases. It depends on if they want businesses to adopt it or not. A better choice would be to make an optional camera that connects through the dock connector.
and those complaining that it would be hard to hold it straight for a video chat - I find that "argument" against silly. How long are your video chats anyway? You can't hold the iPad steady(ish) for a few minutes? I hold my kindle and other devices still for a long time with no problem.
The argument that it's too hard to hold straight is nothing but whining from people who are just arguing for the sake of arguing without any merit. If you wouldn't use the camera - then don't. I don't use bluetooth - but I would never say a device shouldn't have it when a) it could b) OTHER people would find it useful.
The argument that it's too hard to hold straight is nothing but whining from people who are just arguing for the sake of arguing without any merit. If you wouldn't use the camera - then don't. I don't use bluetooth - but I would never say a device shouldn't have it when a) it could b) OTHER people would find it useful.
I use iChat on a daily basis, and while in principle the idea of a front facing camera for video chats would be cool, it just wouldn't work too well in reality.
The battery on my 13" MBP depletes really quickly on iChat or Skype, plus it burns red hot, so much so I hate chatting with it on my lap. So I imagine tt would be unpleasant at best with a handheld device, and having to have it connected to a power source defeats the point. Although I guess it would work for quick chats I guess. At this point I should say I have no idea if my extrapolation of my experience with my Mac would apply to the iPad, just a guess.
But I still think Apple should release some form of native iChat application for the iPad, if not for the iPhone as well. I can imagine just listening to some music whilst chatting to someone on iChat on a hot summers evening in the garden.
The battery on my 13" MBP depletes really quickly on iChat or Skype, plus it burns red hot, so much so I hate chatting with it on my lap. So I imagine tt would be unpleasant at best with a handheld device, and having to have it connected to a power source defeats the point. Although I guess it would work for quick chats I guess. At this point I should say I have no idea if my extrapolation of my experience with my Mac would apply to the iPad, just a guess.
But I still think Apple should release some form of native iChat application for the iPad, if not for the iPhone as well. I can imagine just listening to some music whilst chatting to someone on iChat on a hot summers evening in the garden.
I see a lot of arguments defending the lack of a camera and I think they are valid, but not important enough. I think the only reason the device doesn't have a camera (yet) is that Apple couldn't do it just right in the time frame that they had. Same reason we didn't have copy/paste on the iPhone for so long, Apple just decided to hold on and focus their energy elsewhere until they could take the time to integrate it just right.
And by the way, this isn't to be interpreted as "Apple knows better". Rather it should be interpreted as "Apple is not Superman", they have to deal with hardware/software and time constraint like everyone else.
And by the way, this isn't to be interpreted as "Apple knows better". Rather it should be interpreted as "Apple is not Superman", they have to deal with hardware/software and time constraint like everyone else.