Apple Releases iPad Tablet, New SDK, iBooks and iWork Apps

[Jaydhil24]

I have no use for a iPad to justify a purchase. I own an iMac, iPhone, and MacBook Aluminum. I think the iPad will evolve in a couple of years along with the iPhone to become ONE piece of hardware.

Thank you Apple but I will wait to see the evolution of your new product.

 

[br0adband]

Changed my sig so it makes it a bit more clear.

 

[masmullin]

At the excessively low resolution and dot pitch of 1024x768 @ 132 dpi? I don't think so... and not once in those on-stage demos did they EVER show an eBook being read or displayed in Landscape mode, that's silly to think it's even an issue.

Does the Kindle do Landscape? Does any eBook reader? Nope.

But the Tablet PC I'm on right now does, at 1400x1050... go figure.

My sony PRS 505 does landscape... but reading a book like that is.... weird.

 

[coleridge78]

If you wanted to email a photo and-or other docs (Works files etc) to someone, you would probably want to browse and make sure you're attaching the right docs.

Oh wait, I forgot, there's no multitasking.

Oh wait, you forgot, you have no idea whether you can do this or not because nobody has used one yet.

Sigh.

 

[diabolic]

Have fun saving its files...

Really? If they have Pages and Numbers running on the iPad, then you can obviously create and save documents...

The demos they showed today showcased the ability to create and manipulate. That capability will extend to other apps.

 

[stil29]

Apple store for education pricing

Please let there be Uni student discount .... i doubt it though.

There will be!!

 

[friedmud]

At the excessively low resolution and dot pitch of 1024x768 @ 132 dpi? I don't think so... and not once in those on-stage demos did they EVER show an eBook being read or displayed in Landscape mode, that's silly to think it's even an issue.

Ummm.... yes they did.

 

[steve-p]

I don't want to unnecessarily scare anyone, but I do find it highly surprising how most people don't think about that fact that sitting with this thing in one's lap for long periods is a radiation risk - I wouldn't do it, especially if the device is actually in contact with the abdominal or genital area.

No worse than keeping a cell phone in your pocket though, which many people do.

 

[br0adband]

My sony PRS 505 does landscape... but reading a book like that is.... weird.

Yes, it does, but that's for reading half a page (middle to top or middle to bottom) of a regular document page, not two full pages side by side which is what was being referenced in the post above.

 

[cualexander]

In the style of the famous slashdot ipod quote...

No usb host. Less space than an archos. Lame.


Hahaha... JK. I love it.

 

[SAN66]

Dock in landscape mode

I was really hoping for a dock in landscape mode.

The thing is 9.56" wide, the mac keypadless keyboard is 11" wide, with a little tweaking they could easily shave off 1.5" and make it the same width as the pad.

Add on hinges and counter weight the keyboard at 1.5-6 lbs and the thing turns into a netbook, no heavier than the air.

Instead we have a landscape dock with a static stand.

I hope someone comes out with a 3rd party landscape dock, it could have a swing arm with the dock connector that it slides into and locks in in place. Then it can be closed clamshell to protect it, just like a laptop.

Once I have that and an OS update introduces multitasking I'll buy one, it would be the perfect companion to a desktop computer. A Pad to read with, a keyboard to chat with and light enough and quick enough to do what I want.

 

[chewietobbacca]

What, like the thousands of apps for Mobile OSX that currently save files? And can even share them between apps, if the app makers so choose?

Ignorance is really unattractive. Pay attention: lack of a traditional desktop file browser =/= "no filesystem". People saying this has "no filesystem" are clearly impaired, or shills for competitors.

Of course they save files on the iPhone! But it's a very very limited filesystem, and will not replace the capabilities or versatility of a netbook, unlike what Steve believes

 

[br0adband]

Ummm.... yes they did.

Ok, you got me there, I didn't catch that image on the 5 different live blogs I'd been keeping up with.

I'm man enough to admit when I'm wrong...

 

[brendu]

What i want to know is... say im working on a pages document, and want to include a link to a website... Do i have to save my document, close it, open safari, find my site, copy the url, close safari, open my document back up and paste it in? what a PITA! BRING ME MULTITASKING and ill consider your tablet useful for more than entertaining myself... oh and offer me HULU or something equivalent, I dont want to pay hundreds of dollars for TV just to have to go and pay apple again to catch a show I may have missed...

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

I wanted to get excited over this, but all I can muster is a resounding "meh." Looks like it does everything an iPhone does...only less. Big screen and no-contract data is very cool though. So 140 something million iPhone and iPod touch owners already know how to use it...that's how many people have little use for this thing since they already have a device with the same functionality.

No, not necessarily. I have an iPhone, but I could use this iPad. I'm on my Mac Pro all day long at work. I come home to my MacBook Pro. What do I do most on my MacBook Pro at home? I surf the web, do some instant messaging with friends, and email. I can do all of that so much better and more comfortably with an iPad, and in cozy intimate places where my MacBook Pro just wouldn't cut it!

Didn't we all feel rather let down when Apple first introduced the iPod? "What? Who needs another MP3 player?" We all said that. But look what happened, and what Apple did with it. The iPod became insanely popular, morphed into the iPhone, and now the iPad is creating a whole new market segment. Who knows what will evolve from the iPad in a few years.

 

[pmjoe]

Flash is actually a really great platform for the people that know how to program for it correctly.

No. It isn't. It's really a useless proprietary platform for people who don't know how to program, which will eventually become historically irrelevant.

 

[friedmud]

Ok, you got me there, I didn't catch that image on the 5 different live blogs I'd been keeping up with.

I'm man enough to admit when I'm wrong...

Hehe... I hear you... I had to go look back through the few liveblogs I had open to find one that had the image I was thinking of. Found it at live.gdgt.com which was a very pleasing liveblog of the event...

 

[newConvert]

Eh, basically what should have been (realistically) expected. I'll think about getting 2.0 next year..... or if the jailbreak community can do some cool stuff with this. Emulators for n64 etc, would be pretty damn cool on this I think.

People are saying it'd be good for old people, but i disagree. Type on this would be tough for an old person who has a slight tremble. You can't rest you fingers down and get lined up with the keys properly.

 

[surferfromuk]

Re: file management



If you wanted to email a photo and-or other docs (Works files etc) to someone, you would probably want to browse and make sure you're attaching the right docs.

Oh wait, I forgot, there's no multitasking.

Seriously, I left Microsoft for Apple years ago largely because I hated how they pushed so hard for me to use their software only for all my needs. A computer (or computer-type device like this) is something I want to buy and then use however the hell I want. I said "no thanks" to most of the Apple apps when I bought my first Mac and have enjoyed them for their hardware and OS ever since (and the few apps of theirs that meet my needs.)

This device sounds like a nightmare given how limited to running only certain apps in only the ways Apple wants. Maybe if I fit whatever profile of "average user" they designed this around, I'd be excited, but mainly I wish they just went back to making better hardware and interfaces than the other guys, and letting us decide how we want to use our computer (ultra-portable one in this case).

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the original iPod did NOT have anywhere near as many limitations as to what you could use it for compared to other MP3 players of that time as this does compared to netbooks today.

Of course your smart enough to at least try one, though?

I mean with push notification multi-tasking is a bit irrelevant isn't it?

In answer to your question, The original iPod played music that you uploaded from your computer - you selected it via a black and white screen using a click wheel. That was it - cost about as much as an iPad!

This lets you choose from 140,000 applications, runs pretty much any media you have, browses the web and is designed to make sure that ONLY the OS components you need to fully use that app are presented to you as and when they are needed - apart from muli-touch that's the genius of it.

 

[AZREOSpecialist]

Looks great. I bet it really is great to use 'very natural' but really for me if I bought one it would be used for web surfing and thats pretty much it. And because I have an iphone thats with me all the time the actual need for the ipad is nil.

This is probably the first Apple product (since the MacMini) that I think wont do as well as they hoped. It wont be bad but not great. Theres just no real 'killer' app.

You don't think games are a killer app for this device? This product will be HUGE among gamers.

 

[masmullin]

Yes, it does, but that's for reading half a page (middle to top or middle to bottom) of a regular document page, not two full pages side by side which is what was being referenced in the post above.

Yeah no, it doesn't do what the picture above does... you can turn it on its side and set to landscape mode, but the lines are too long and reading is strange.

 

[xerent]

I'm not sure about this one. I wanted i) another name than MaxiPad ii) multitasking and iii) not 4:3. Now it's not very good for watching movies. Sorry Apple, but I'll stick to my iPhone and MacBook Pro. Maybe my old mother will want one, though.

That's funny, pants on Oct. 21, 2001 said exactly the same thing (verbatim) about the iPod here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/apples-new-thing-ipod.500/ (#6).

Recycling?

Hilarious.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

If you are in the market for an e-reader this is actually a great deal. I don't see how a kindle would be better:

e-ink: overrated obsolete technology.

Says who? You? How about the people who won't be replacing their e-ink readers with an iPad specifically because it ISN'T e-ink? Are you smarter than they are?

Price points for the entry iPad and Kindle DX are the same. Same screen size, same book prices, more apps on iPad and better usage. Pretty amazing deal if you ask me.

Keep comparing the price point of the worst iPad to the Kindle model most people don't buy.

 

[raysfan81]

I can picture buying this and using it exclusively in the bathroom while I go number two...

WIN!

So, the 3G version doesn't require a contract??

 

[friedmud]

One thing I know...

After having my parents drop ship their crappy Dell laptop to me last month so I could nuke it and reinstall Windows on it (backing up their music and photos during the process of course).

I believe I'll recommend them getting an iPad next time they go to buy a computer. Literally all they do with it is Web/iTunes/Photos.... which the iPad does perfectly.

And I know this isn't just me seeing this...