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Apple Tablet Media Event Today: 'Come See Our Latest Creation'
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Apple's website lists the following "location" items on the iPad:
- Wi-Fi
- Digital compass
- Assisted GPS (Wi-Fi + 3G model)
- Cellular (Wi-Fi + 3G model)
So it apparently only has WiFi (Skyhook) locating in the base model.
For locating by cell id or GPS, you'll need the 3G model. By specifying only A-GPS, it does not let us know if the 3G model's GPS will also work in a standalone mode, although it seems likely.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Before you blow that $730 on the idea that textbooks that might cost $550 next semester are going to be had on this thing for only $20 or $30, I suggest you think long and hard about exactly why the book publishers are going to sell their books at about 94% OFF, when you HAVE to buy them for class anyway?
That $730 burning a hole in your pocket will pay for next semester's $550 worth of books. Else, don't be surprised if you spend the $730 and then need to come up with just about $550 for the e-version of the same books IF the ones you need are even available on the iPad.
I seriously doubt the media will make up for the expense of the iPad. Just let the pricing vs. the "printed" versions of other media in the iTunes store help you reset your new book media pricing expectations.
I hope your dream comes true, but I just don't see the book companies shooting themselves so thoroughly in the foot just to help Apple justify the sale of more iPads. Put yourself in THEIR shoes and think about why you would want to do that.
Yes, it is an iPad on steroids but what I saw in "Courier" could be done
with an app for the iPad. It's got the capabilities
You know, my wife is not an enthusiast. She couldn't care less about computers. But she hogs my MacBook most of the time. For just $499, I'll be the sole owner of my MacBook again, and she will be a lot happier with the iPad than with a computer. And I'll be happy when I get a new MacBook with an i3 or i5 processor
If you count all the wives, girlfriends, parents and children of the "enthusiasts" here, and then you go on and count the 99.99% of the population that are _not_ "enthusiasts", you get an awful awful lot of potential customers.
I completely agree with you. I don't really find much interest in this, bc I have a Kindle, a MBA, and a Mac Pro; however ,the wife constantly uses the MBA or my Mac Pro, so spending $499 on a pretty object that she wants so I can gain back control of my Mac Pro 100% of the time is well worth it
Yeah, the Lenovo looks very impressive, being that it doubles as a latptop and detachable tablet computer. Being that it is essentially two computers in one, I have a feeling it may be a little expensive though.
Apple is big enough to take the hit and develop the product. A lot of people are going to wait for a camera and multitasking, plus other stuff.
At&t costs
Funny... days after posting reduced rates for unlimited calling along comes the iPad which will cost the same as the reduction. Great marketing even if accidental. Huh, well... it's not a big deal... I was already spending that so I'll get reallocate that money my iPad.... Kudos!
Funny... days after posting reduced rates for unlimited calling along comes the iPad which will cost the same as the reduction. Great marketing even if accidental. Huh, well... it's not a big deal... I was already spending that so I'll get reallocate that money my iPad.... Kudos!
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
...and you can use it (the iPhone) as a phone. I read this as more of a bigger iPod Touch.
I wonder if VOIP apps will run. Via wimax (which it has)? Via the prepaid (cheap?) 3G?
See I remember being absolutely blown away when the iPhone was launched, even before it was opened for 3rd party development. I had the opposite feeling today.
I love the 3rd party apps on my iPhone, some of them are great and I can't live without. However, Apple still makes some of the best apps IMO and I was disappointed with the lack of new ones today. Again, the lack of Flash support, camera, and multitasking are the real killers. But I guess 2 of those 3 can be fixed with software updates.
All that being said, I have a lot of HOPE for this device, it just seems incredibly unfinished/unpolished right now. The iPhone locked screen (with it's tiny little clock and unlock slider) and sparse scattering of app icons on the desktop just looks laughable to me.
Newsflash: It's called a Tablet PC. Thinkpads have had it for like 10 years now. I'm writing this post on my HP Elitebook 2730p tablet with a stylus.
It's amazing how sheltered some of the Mac-only fanboys are.
Untrue. The Macbook Air lid doesn't have a touchscreen. I'll bet you think that comparison was pretty clever.
Really? You're going to buy a Windows tablet when it comes out, just for anti-Apple spite? You probably said the same thing about the Palm Pre when it was announced.
Newsflash: It's called a Tablet PC. Thinkpads have had it for like 10 years now. I'm writing this post on my HP Elitebook 2730p tablet with a stylus.
It's amazing how sheltered some of the Mac-only fanboys are.
You're uninformed. Nothing exists until Apple creates it. Except Apple itself, which is eternal.
what ever happened to common sense? $500 per kid is nuts, not to mention whatever the textbook companies will charge per book.
kids will lose them, break them, abuse them by playing games or messaging. it's crazy to even consider this.
this idea wont happen till you can make a reader that is well under $100, rugged as hell, unable to do anything but text.
Apple is changing. Apple used to be a company that got it's money from selling computers and gadgets, so it made them sexy and magical so they stood out from the crowd and offered features and functionality that were so irresistible that people just had to buy their stuff.
But now Apple doesn't see its products as the final, revenue-generating commodity. Instead it sees them as mere platforms over which they can continue to make money on an ongoing basis. So instead of putting the effort into a wonderful device - period, the effort now goes into how easily and nicely the device lets you spend money on music, apps, videos and books. Apple used to make wonderful gadgets, now it makes pretty iTunes interfaces.
Just my thoughts after a disappointing event.
But now Apple doesn't see its products as the final, revenue-generating commodity. Instead it sees them as mere platforms over which they can continue to make money on an ongoing basis. So instead of putting the effort into a wonderful device - period, the effort now goes into how easily and nicely the device lets you spend money on music, apps, videos and books. Apple used to make wonderful gadgets, now it makes pretty iTunes interfaces.
Just my thoughts after a disappointing event.
Newsflash: It's called a Tablet PC. Thinkpads have had it for like 10 years now. I'm writing this post on my HP Elitebook 2730p tablet with a stylus.
It's amazing how sheltered some of the Mac-only fanboys are.
HP Elitebook 2730p tablet 1599$
http://computershopper.com/laptops/reviews/hp-elitebook-2730p
No optical drive; no touch capability; mediocre performance for price 1600$
Probably gonna order the 64GB with 3G as soon as they're available here in Norway. And add in a cheap, ~$8 for 100MB per month, dataplan for whenever I'm "out".
I think this will be perfect as a MacBook substitute at home, along side my Mac mini server. All I ever do on my MacBook at home is surf, listen to music, and fiddle with the additional Pages/Numbers document.
Every now and then I need to fire up some other app, like Coda, but I can do that from the server, I guess (unless "there's an app for that", too). I've already moved all iTunes, iLife and Handbrake work over to the server, anyway, so the adjustment should be minimal.
And, if I don't like it, then I can always get myself a MBP whenever they're updated, right...?
I think this will be perfect as a MacBook substitute at home, along side my Mac mini server. All I ever do on my MacBook at home is surf, listen to music, and fiddle with the additional Pages/Numbers document.
Every now and then I need to fire up some other app, like Coda, but I can do that from the server, I guess (unless "there's an app for that", too
). I've already moved all iTunes, iLife and Handbrake work over to the server, anyway, so the adjustment should be minimal.And, if I don't like it, then I can always get myself a MBP whenever they're updated, right...?
Now that is some scale.
I thought the dock connector was an SD slot at first.
Wow, you never say a damn thing good about Apple. Why do you even bother to say anything?
I see alot of potential here.
one of the most minute features of it, i was impressed by was the landscape mode of the "home screen".
I like the book reader...im hoping there will be some form or way to highlight within the books, as I tend to do that alot and would be ever convenient to do that.
it has al ot of potential in my eyes...I Just hope theres more to this than what was displayed here...if the iPhone is any indication of what could happen...then Im sure this will definitely be a great mobility device.
Storage & space on this device...is probably my only qualm aboutit now...while its not a full fledged computer;yet... more space would be ideal for the digital lifestyle transition esp with music, movies and now books.
i wonder if more advanced apps would ever port to a device like this...an audio editing suite or film editor? graphic design editing?
perhaps it can be used as a design tablet for desktop apps too?
hm, itd seem like itd be a very fun toy to play with.
one of the most minute features of it, i was impressed by was the landscape mode of the "home screen".
I like the book reader...im hoping there will be some form or way to highlight within the books, as I tend to do that alot and would be ever convenient to do that.
it has al ot of potential in my eyes...I Just hope theres more to this than what was displayed here...if the iPhone is any indication of what could happen...then Im sure this will definitely be a great mobility device.
Storage & space on this device...is probably my only qualm aboutit now...while its not a full fledged computer;yet... more space would be ideal for the digital lifestyle transition esp with music, movies and now books.
i wonder if more advanced apps would ever port to a device like this...an audio editing suite or film editor? graphic design editing?
perhaps it can be used as a design tablet for desktop apps too?
hm, itd seem like itd be a very fun toy to play with.
I was quite skeptic going into this event whether I actually needed something like this. The main thing that put me off was the rumoured price. $800-$1000? That is something I can't afford.
When I think about it now, I realise that when I use my laptop then I am in bed, on the couch etc. I only ever browse the web, listen to music and watch the occasional video. For anything I need to more with I can sit at my desk at my iMac. As well as that it will double up as an e-book reader. I am hoping there is a hack that will enable tethering with my iPhone so I don't have to get the 3G version.
I think more people are realising they don't require hugely powerful computers as most people just surf the internet while at their computers. To me this is Apple's version of the netbook and for most people this could possibly replace their laptop especially with the keyboard dock. You will then probably have a more powerful laptop or desktop on your desk. Obviously, people who work in video and photo editing will want to keep their powerful MacBook Pros but for most other people this will be more than sufficient and at $499 is affordable. With iWork you could make adjustments to documents on the go and for a reasonable amount of time with the physical keyboard. I would expect Microsoft Office to come to the iPad soon.
For this price I could sell my MacBook get the iPad and possibly even make a profit. The only downside is that you need iTunes and a computer. Even though most people have computers, if you are going to sell it to people with less money and developing countries like India then the price is right but they still need a computer. Sure it doesn't have OS X, although this could be the future of operating systems as we know it with an app store.
When I think about it now, I realise that when I use my laptop then I am in bed, on the couch etc. I only ever browse the web, listen to music and watch the occasional video. For anything I need to more with I can sit at my desk at my iMac. As well as that it will double up as an e-book reader. I am hoping there is a hack that will enable tethering with my iPhone so I don't have to get the 3G version.
I think more people are realising they don't require hugely powerful computers as most people just surf the internet while at their computers. To me this is Apple's version of the netbook and for most people this could possibly replace their laptop especially with the keyboard dock. You will then probably have a more powerful laptop or desktop on your desk. Obviously, people who work in video and photo editing will want to keep their powerful MacBook Pros but for most other people this will be more than sufficient and at $499 is affordable. With iWork you could make adjustments to documents on the go and for a reasonable amount of time with the physical keyboard. I would expect Microsoft Office to come to the iPad soon.
For this price I could sell my MacBook get the iPad and possibly even make a profit. The only downside is that you need iTunes and a computer. Even though most people have computers, if you are going to sell it to people with less money and developing countries like India then the price is right but they still need a computer. Sure it doesn't have OS X, although this could be the future of operating systems as we know it with an app store.
I imagine a computer will replace text books one day, but such a device will most likely be restricted to textbook use and possibly have limited internet access, controlled by the school's network.
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