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

[coleridge78]

Excellent post. The iPad is basically for MAC Collecters aka fan boys

I've bought one Mac in my life, over a decade ago, and this is the first one that's made me consider it again. And MAC stands for Media Access Control, while a Mac is a computer (short for Macintosh... not an acronym, you'll notice).

 

[sanford]

Excellent post. The iPad is basically for MAC Collecters aka fan boys

MAC is a cosmetics line. You have the wrong forums.

 

[mashinhead]

This event had a lot to live up to, and it had a bit of the wind knocked out of it in terms of what they delivered. I think its good but not great.

There are software issues but those are software issues they can be fixed easily:

No sms or phone app
No groundbreaking publication content like a magazine/newspaper subscription service.
No easy wireless solution to transfer content to and from (hence camera kit adapters)
No flash
This needs a Finder app
multitasking

But it's really obvious hardware stuff that keeps me on the fence,

No camera
Storage capacity options should be double
Would like to have it dock both ways but i can see that as just a nice to have not a deal breaker.
Can't output video to TV (this is a big deal as i don't put movies on my iphone but i would on this and i would like to hook it up to hotel tvs)
The have a usb adapter but can i plug any usb device into it or just a camera, same with the SD card one, can I transfer files to and from that aren't just pictures?

Its like they made something that acts like the first iphone, when they are technologically at the third one, so i don't get why they would just forget all that in this. Maybe worth waiting for Rev 2

 

[Speedy2]

So when all other point's are hard to beat, bring up the OS again?

It's running a dual boot of Windows 7 and Linux, but if I want to load up Mac OS X, it will do that too. Oh yeah, a full Mac OS X, not iPhone OS, and all the benefits and advantages granted to it

In fact, I should put this under another advantage of the netbook over the iPad

You've obiously never used your brain cells to think about why all tablet computers have failed so far. Havbe you ever tried to use a standard UI with a finger? No? Then you'd better do that before posting nonsense. To answer the question: yes it's very much the OS, an OS that is specifically tailored for a device with a small screen,and no you can't run that on your netbook, and even if you could, it would not make any sense.

And why is tablet better than a netbook? Well that is personal preference, don't you think? The people who need to run Excel and Word and similar applications will prefer netbooks, the ones who surf the web and want to read eBooks will prefer somthing like the iPad. Easy as that.

 

[gnasher729]

Actually there are two kinds of "assisted GPS". One uses full GPS PLUS cell tower info, the other uses cell towers only, with no satellites. I believe the iPhone uses the latter, so this probably is as well.

There's only one kind of "assisted GPS", using GPS plus cell tower info to find the GPS satellites quickly when a device is turned on. The other thing is cell tower triangulation, and is most definitely not GPS. Another method that is used for finding your location is locating nearby WiFi hotspots and using a database of locations for these hotspots.

The original iPhone used the last two methods. The newer iPhones and the iPad with 3G use the first method (GPS + quick first fix using cellphones). The iPad without 3G would probably be able to use the third method, but only in the presence of a WiFi hotspot that allows Internet access.

 

[surferfromuk]

no worries, the url is freshtxt.com.

There are a few issues with iphone compatibility.

1. there is just too much information going on to have an iphone handle it - there is not enough resolution.

2. Some of the calls we do on the back end would not be supported, since we handle text messages and some other things that I cannot talk about right now.

There is a possibility that the iPad could handle it (the resolution is there) but we also rely on being a web-based app so we can roll out updates and changes and there is nothing for our customers to download or install. (We are dealing with some of the most un-tech savvy people out there.)

Javascript, ruby, python, etc would not be able to handle all of the info without loading HUGE files that would slow the app down a ton. This is why we decided to go with flash. To make our web app more touch screen friendly, we even programmed our own touchscreen keyboard in flash because we weren't happy with the options that existed.

If you want to see how it works, click the login button and use demo demo. You wont be able to send texts, but you can play with pretty much everything else.

Hey looks like a really nice solution. Man, it's almost ready made for iPad! You should give it a whirl - really, could be huge for you. I'd email Apple about the lack of features in the SDK that are causing a problem, I'm sure ythey'd love to help you get that running on the iPad/iPhone. They may have a 'few tricks' that could help you out of whatever it is that can't be accomplished.

I'd bet on the June iPhone having near enough the same screen res as the iPad and the same Apple 1ghz chip - maybe worth pre-empting that and getting ready for it?

 

[gentleman00]

You missed the point. Its primarily an e-reader and a gaming device. You mistake is that you are comparing it to the iphone and the macbook. This is intended to capture the news media market. Why do some people think that every apple product introduced has to meet their needs otherwise it is a piece of junk?

is it for gamers? Yes
Is it an e-reader? Yes
Can I use it to view my photos? Yes
Can I listen to music? Yes
Is it more portable than a laptop? yes
Is it supposed to replace a notebook? no
Is it cheaper? yes
Is it a multitouch device? yes

I'm not sure why people are raving on about how amazing this device is and how it's going to 'revolutionize' the world.

Is it a laptop? No.

Is it a netbook? No.

Is it a graphics tablet? No.

So what is it exactly?

It's an enlarged iPod Touch. Enlarged in physical size and speed. That's it. It will have some extra new software available for it (like iWork) that you cant get now.

Can it be used properly without already having another computer to feed resources to it? No.

If i dont have my own computer, can i put existing resources onto the iPad? No.

Can it replace an existing netbook, or graphics tablet, or notebook so i dont have to have multiple devices? No.


Don't get me wrong, it LOOKS great. It's visually pleasing. Hey, i like the iPod Touch. It's a great device. But i don't see how taking an existing product and making it huge in size, is "revolutionary" and "amazing".

Making the iPod Touch gigantic takes away all the compact, portable advantages that make it so successful. There is nothing new here (besides software.)

If i take any other popular and successful product, like a N95 or a Sony PSP or even a Sidekick, and make them all 5 times bigger than what they are now, wack on some new software and release it as a new product, will they too be this crazy new amazing revolutionary device that will "change the world"?

Apple took an existing product and made it huge. That's it.

Oh and please, its getting really old labeling anyone who doesn't praise the iPad as some amazing work of genius as an 'Apple Hater'. I have many apple products and if i didn't like the products i simply wouldn't own them.

 

[niuniu]

No one else think the name reminds them of sanitary towels? Can't believe I lost sleep over this useless oversized iPod Touch.

Hope remains that someone will come up with a hack and get Snow Lep on this thing, because it does look nice, and I imagine it does feel good to use. Just a shame, terrible shame that it's an expensive piece for junk. And that's coming from an Apple fan.

Again, why on earth call it something so ugly. Sounds like someone with a strong accent trying to pronounce iPod, 'iPaaad'.

Revolutionary! LOL!

Maybe tomorrow we'll wake up and this will all have been a big joke and there'll be a proper App tablet with serious functionality to boot.

BTW. 16GB on a machine pegged as a media device? For 500 dollars?

 

[Speedy2]

It's not 720p screen. 1280x720 is 720p. 1024x768!=720p.

That is soo pathetic.
It's a small difference and I bet you all my money that you would not be able to see the difference if you held the two resolutions next to each other when watching a film .
(well, of course technically you will because of the different aspect ratio, but let's cover that with a sheet of paper, just for the comparison)

 

[surferfromuk]

Or the minor demographic called "Two-thirds of middle-class people the world over". Those of us who spend our workday staring at BS on a computer, and want to get home and relax with a little light web surfing and photo editing/uploading with a device that we can carry around when we really want/need to (on vacation, to the diner/bakery/coffeeshop on sunday mornings, to night classes) without the hassle of a laptop.

Spot on - and it'll sell half a billion over the next five years.

 

[JayInNJ]

There is NO CONTRACT. You can use it with ANY CARRIER.

No you can't. You either can use it with AT&T or no one. There is no contract, just pre-paid for life data with AT&T.

 

[ecualegacy]

.

Put it on a t-shirt and people might actually buy it as a gag gift (based on the posts I'm seeing here). Heck, donate the proceeds to Apple so that they can say their new flop generated revenue. Sorry to see things go this way. I was hoping Steve would do better.

 

[ecualegacy]

Spot on - and it'll sell half a billion over the next five years.

It will sell some. I don't foresee gen 1 iPad doing too well though.

 

[sanford]

Put it on a t-shirt and people might actually buy it as a gag gift (based on the posts I'm seeing here). Heck, donate the proceeds to Apple so that they can say their new flop generated revenue. Sorry to see things go this way. I was hoping Steve would do better.

Why is it almost every adamantly negative and mostly unsubstantiated and unreasonable post on these forums is written by a MacRumors member who signed up maybe a couple or three months ago?

 

[JayInNJ]

No, it does not. I wish everyone would stop saying that.

* Wi-Fi
* Digital compass
* Assisted GPS (Wi-Fi + 3G model)
* Cellular (Wi-Fi + 3G model)

Thats not GPS. Thats approximating your position through AT&T's towers and whatever wifi spot you're connected to. Not GPS.

That is not what Assisted GPS is. Look it up. It is full GPS with assistance from the cell towers to improve startup time.

 

[goobot]

No one else think the name reminds them of sanitary towels? Can't believe I lost sleep over this useless oversized iPod Touch.

Hope remains that someone will come up with a hack and get Snow Lep on this thing, because it does look nice, and I imagine it does feel good to use. Just a shame, terrible shame that it's an expensive piece for junk. And that's coming from an Apple fan.

Again, why on earth call it something so ugly. Sounds like someone with a strong accent trying to pronounce iPod, 'iPaaad'.

Revolutionary! LOL!

Maybe tomorrow we'll wake up and this will all have been a big joke and there'll be a proper App tablet with serious functionality to boot.

BTW. 16GB on a machine pegged as a media device? For 500 dollars?

eh not complete snow leopard but a mix. also i agree 16 gigs is a joke.

on another note att did very well with their pricing and no contact. thx att

 

[sanford]

It will sell some. I don't foresee gen 1 iPad doing too well though.

But how's that eMachine working out for you?

Please... go away.

 

[RazHyena]

Revision B

Revision B is the name of the game now. There's just too many missing features. I mean...... SERIOUSLY! $500 for a giant iPod Touch?!? Rofl!!

I'll wait for version 2. My 2gen iPod Touch is more practical than the iPad.

 

[macaus]

False in any meaningful sense (that is, it's no more true than it is for your laptop).



Also false.



Depends on the user, not to mention, non-sequiter. Do any of those devices replace each other? No? Why is that not a strike against them?

These comments aren't getting labeled "apple hater" and "troll" because they're critical, but because some of you haven't bothered to read the specs or watch the demo (for example, of iWork) and are simply wrong. And when you are wrong yet present your "facts" so boldly, what else can a person call you? "Idiot" or "lying douchebag" would be impolite.

There had to be one smart-ass in the bunch.

What are you going to do, e-mail 10,000 files to yourself so you can save them on your iPad?

You cannot put your EXISTING photos, music, documents etc etc etc (also known as 'resources') onto the iPad without the use of an additional PC or Mac to Sync it with.

It's not that hard to understand.

 

[nagromme]

Don’t forget to Google for thread 500 to get some perspective on this announcement

Now we know what will replace a laptop for many people in the future.

 

[SeaFox]

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

Too much information.

In a world where we are FINALLY appreciating widescreen movies and TV's are ALL moving to a 16:9 format why do we go back to a 4:3 aspect ratio on a brand new 2010 device!!

They should have made it the same aspect ratio as the iPod Touch/iPhone (16:10?). I'm sure the developers would appreciate it when trying to make iPad enhanced versions of their apps.

Is Apple going to develop custom processors for all of their products?

Well, it does make it more dificult to compare their products side-by-side to competitors (like people are doing now with the iPhone).

Because it's not just for watching movies. Would you really want to type an email in 16:9?

I dunno. Let's ask all the display manufacturers who have moved to 16:9 for desktop and laptop monitors now.

They did. It's unlocked so you can use it with any carrier. I don't get all the whining about ATT, didn't people even read the info?

Does the iPad have a radio that supports the necessary frequencies to be used on other carrier's 3G service is the question. Being unlocked doesn't mean anything if it only works with one company to start with.

 

[surferfromuk]

It will sell some. I don't foresee gen 1 iPad doing too well though.

I agree - it'll be somewhat like gen 1 iPhone - maybe 10 million (which is still pretty damn good !) - next iteration next year will be the one that goes through the roof.

 

[macaus]

You missed the point. Its primarily an e-reader and a gaming device. You mistake is that you are comparing it to the iphone and the macbook. This is intended to capture the news media market. Why do some people think that every apple product introduced has to meet their needs otherwise it is a piece of junk?

is it for gamers? Yes
Is it an e-reader? Yes
Can I use it to view my photos? Yes
Can I listen to music? Yes
Is it more portable than a laptop? yes
Is it supposed to replace a notebook? no
Is it cheaper? yes
Is it a multitouch device? yes

You just described an iPod Touch.

I don't need to say anything else.

 

[ecualegacy]

Why is it almost every adamantly negative and mostly unsubstantiated and unreasonable post on these forums is written by a MacRumors member who signed up maybe a couple or three months ago?

That was hyperbole. I know full and well this has the potential to sell at least half-way decently. But the overwhelmingly negative reacation ON ALL THE FORUMS I've checked today pretty much says it all. I predict that this first gen model will get Apple mediocre returns at best. Better luck next time.

 

[craigiest]

Sometimes, it's several hundred yards away.

And sometimes, when you're in a rural area, it gives you a big blue circle miles across. Or, if you have no signal, it doesn't know where you are at all, even if you had a 3rd party no-internet-needed map app.