I'd settle for just a decent camera - the 3GS one is crap. It doesn't have to be that way. Some of the Nokia phones manage to take pictures as good as many compact cameras.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Was Working on Video Conferencing in iPad?
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
v1 products are *never* full featured
It's not just Apple, it's every product manufacturer - you can't put all the desired features in the first release. You could but you'd never end up releasing the product.
It's not just Apple, it's every product manufacturer - you can't put all the desired features in the first release. You could but you'd never end up releasing the product.
Withholding efficiency
It's deliberately withholding efficiency. It means they can make more even more money by introducing incremental upgrades in the short-term and have more people buy more stuff while the old bits go to landfill. Highly recyclable? Have you seen the scrapheaps in China where the US ships their crap off to? Exit warm fuzzy feelings for Apple.
Whenever I consider buying an Apple product, indeed any technology, I remind myself that, whatever they have in their labs, it's a number of years ahead of what's in the market. They have spaced all these 'upgrades' to coincide with new financial quarters and shareholder meetings. Apple is better than most at doing it.
If I buy anything, I buy refurbished. My MacBook Pro is a couple of years old, but, compared to the new MacBook Pro, there are just superficial changes.
It's deliberately withholding efficiency. It means they can make more even more money by introducing incremental upgrades in the short-term and have more people buy more stuff while the old bits go to landfill. Highly recyclable? Have you seen the scrapheaps in China where the US ships their crap off to? Exit warm fuzzy feelings for Apple.
Whenever I consider buying an Apple product, indeed any technology, I remind myself that, whatever they have in their labs, it's a number of years ahead of what's in the market. They have spaced all these 'upgrades' to coincide with new financial quarters and shareholder meetings. Apple is better than most at doing it.
If I buy anything, I buy refurbished. My MacBook Pro is a couple of years old, but, compared to the new MacBook Pro, there are just superficial changes.
Well that showed them.
Did the new version suddenly affect the functionality that led you to buy the 3G in the first place? I bought a 3G first day and I still love it. Of course I prefer to have the latest version of every device, but realise that sometimes that's just silly. Don't succomb to the marketing hype and allow them to make you think the decision you made was retroactively stupid because there's a new feature which they want you to think you can't live without.
Well, I see your personal argument, why a front facing camera would be useful to you. Nevertheless you can believe me, the pineapple thing is not far fetched.
What are you supposed to do with your iPad, when you are video-calling on the road? You are in no way capable of getting a decent pic of your face without a cradle or a strong arm.
You can't compare video conferencing on an iPad with video conferencing on a MacBook (as you rest it on a surface an tilt the iSight to the according angle) nor to using a mobile handset (weighing in at merely 200 g).
I personally believe, that a front facing camera would have produced lots of unsatisfied customers. It would've spoiled the experience, as there is no perfect solution for the weight problem.
And considering your own personal situation. In case you have a MacBook Air, why not invest in one of those 3G-USB-dongles? They are dirt cheap and even available as prepaid (at least in Germany).
You will still have a better video conferencing experience than you would've had with a medium weight device that is not supposed to be fixated with anything else but your hands while in use.
I for one never expected a front facing camera in a Tablet device, because a Tablet device is not supposed to do video conferencing. It is the personal media device on the go with a hook to the internet. Nothing more, but nothing less.
And to meet my self imposed quality standard in video conferencing (which I don't do and never have done btw), the device has to stabilize the image and best be properly stabilized. Therefore the best option (if I had to decide) would be to integrate an iSight into the iPad-case or the dock.
But that's just me.
I would laugh my ass off if Apple.com home banner in March pre-launch night read
'Just one more thing..."
Ipad ships with a camera!
It'd be like a knock-out punch.
Man, it'd just be a ludicrously cool thing to do, even just to confuse the web-haters for evermore - they'd never be certain about an Apple pre-release product ever again!!
Still, it won't so never mind.
Kinda spoils all those augmented reality gaming options that are so popular in Japan.
'Just one more thing..."
Ipad ships with a camera!
It'd be like a knock-out punch.
Man, it'd just be a ludicrously cool thing to do, even just to confuse the web-haters for evermore - they'd never be certain about an Apple pre-release product ever again!!
Still, it won't so never mind.
Kinda spoils all those augmented reality gaming options that are so popular in Japan.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I find feature-list comparisons to be technobunkum of the highest order. Technology exists for people, not people for technology and so what matters more than the presence or absence of a single feature is how how a piece of technology works within people's lives (something which is far more complex than a sum of the features if you read the HCI literature).
With that in mind, I want to know how you know that 'millions and millions of people' would say this was a 'deal breaker'. Can you give me a two-sample t-test of the survey data so we can determine significance? I dislike arguments that invoke quantitative data when no such quantitative data is present, merely qualitative or (more frequently alas) anecdotal data. If all you have is your opinion, and the opinions of people you know, then please do us the courtesy of not dressing it up with numbers you cannot possibly have. It is dishonest and cheap (this goes for both people who tend to be pro- and those who tend to be anti- something).
That said, I would love to know what the numbers were (even though I personally doubt the relevance given the product hasn't been launched or used yet by the majority). Still, more data is always interesting. Pity a survey on MacRumors would suffer from selection bias (it isn't a group of 'typical' consumers; rather a group of technically minded people who feel strongly enough to participate in a technical forum). Guess we'll all have to wait and see before knowing whether or not a webcam is a marketing disaster. It's only 60 days until launch after all.
planned obsolescence.
i won't get one until it has a camera. to me that is the most glaring omission. multitasking as well, but my guess is that will come with iphone 4.0.
i won't get one until it has a camera. to me that is the most glaring omission. multitasking as well, but my guess is that will come with iphone 4.0.
Exactly. Thank God others realize why the camera isn't there.
I'd put big cash on a camera coming in the second version, and a price upping going with it.
What business is it of yours what other people buy? Don't like Apple stuff? Don't buy it, moron.
Can somebody just ban this cretin?
Sorry is asked and answered ... but do we know for a fact the iPad doesn't have a forward facing camera now? Has anyone seen inside it?
Well said! I totally agree.
To the camera point that is mentioned a lot too, some are saying..."ahhh but you will only get video of your nose. Apple are waiting to implement the perfect solution".
Hmmm. So I want to create a big document in iWork. Oh - use the dock and keyboard. Oh...wait...that won't work. I am sitting on my sofa. It feels unstable. I can't use the dock in bed...etc etc.
Apple - RECALL that accessory NOW!! It won't work EVERYWHERE I sit!!
Get real, folks. The fact is...this device can be used ANY way YOU want. If I want to put it in the dock (with keyboard) and video chat...why can't I?
Yes...that means you have to use a desk or table! Shocker! To save $1K on a laptop - I can live with that - and yes, this product COULD replace laptops if your usage is covered.
To kill the "perfect solution" debate - What about Bluray? HDMI? Take any example above...it's not always about the UI or ergonomics!
The reason (IMHO) is a Bluray reader/burner will detract from iTunes movie sales. No HDMI? It's in ATV! That will detract from Apple TV Sales (although I may concede that one)...I could go on. No excuses Apple.
Apple drip feed features - FACT. It drives consistent revenues over time - unlike the Wii who totally oversold (yes, that can be a bad thing), and now their revenues are dropping (10% last quarter).
My situation: I want to replace my Wife's windows laptop. An iPad would have been PERFECT for her needs if only it had iSight. Why is this important? Many folks work or live away from family. We web cam at least 4 times per week.
Don't get me wrong, I am an Apple customer. Will I buy iPad version one? No. I now need a MB with iSight. I would have paid $599 (probably a little more) with iSight. With a laptop, I don't need an iPad.
Casual internet surfing and email reading on the sofa is VERY expensive (even at $499) when you have a laptop. I think folks who don't have a laptop, will still look for this basic feature, and possibly go netbook instead.
I think Apple cut back a little too much this time! That, or they folks should really start questioning the "Industry leading" and "Innovators" tags they keep getting...I am not seeing it anymore.
Oh, ok then - if you demand it like that in blood red font and all, and with this violent aggressive edge. You convinced me!
Say, your not...Steve Ballmer are you ? I half expect you to be throwing a chair at me next.
P.S - I'l still be buying one!
I would love a camera but I think leaving it out was a good move
I agree with the person who said the camera could be a security concern. Especially when you think of how many places they envision this thing- schools, hospitals, government, business ... and children. There is already enough weird camera stuff going on with youth these days, if my kid has one for school I don't WANT it to have a camera.I think a wireless or more likely a dock camera attachment makes more sense. Also the price. If you want the camera buy the 29 or 39 dollar attachment. It needs to have this option for grandparents or people who don't otherwise use computers.
I agree with the person who said the camera could be a security concern. Especially when you think of how many places they envision this thing- schools, hospitals, government, business ... and children. There is already enough weird camera stuff going on with youth these days, if my kid has one for school I don't WANT it to have a camera.I think a wireless or more likely a dock camera attachment makes more sense. Also the price. If you want the camera buy the 29 or 39 dollar attachment. It needs to have this option for grandparents or people who don't otherwise use computers.
Judging by the reaction from the multiple Einsteins here on MacRumors to virtually EVERY new product Apple has introduced in the last ten years, this site and the majority of people who post here aren't even CLOSE to representing Apple's buying public. If you think the reaction to the iPad is intense, go back and look at the reaction to the iPod when it was introduced. Go back and look at the reaction to the iPhone.
If the reaction to the iPad here on MacRumors had been positive, I'd have sold off all my Apple stock immediately. Trust me, this place DOES NOT in any way represent Apple's market. The problem is that everyone here THINKS they do.
As to the lack of a front camera...I agree that would have been nice if they have a good video chat paradigm (Skype too, not just iChat). Whether they took it out to keep the cost down (main reason, I suspect), or to save battery consumption, hardware/software problems, or part of some vast marketing conspiracy, I don't know, I don't care. Even if it is, at least I can admire a company who's taking care of its shareholders. I'll buy version 1.0 because I need it now. Like you, when version 2.0 comes out, I'll evaluate it and if I need what it has, I'll buy it too. As I sit here, I note my three iPods here on my desk.
Here.....check out this thread about the iPod from 2001. Look familiar? Sheesh. If these MacRumors geniuses WERE actually running Apple...well, we'd all be trying to type on crippled netbooks right now.
Sad to say it, but I must agree. Unless they are making it a real bargain and including a camera behind the display (as one futuristic patent showed), and it's some gigantic surprise, that's something that may well be included in a future revision. I too was burned by the first iPhone. And even if it weren't about the features, the first few months for most of their products often comes with news about color-changing surfaces, intermittent reboots, etc etc.
If the iPad can print and accept handwriting input, I would probably want to buy it, even without a camera, though.
I'd rather be a moron (who by the way has cameras in each computer and NEVER uses them so I have no need for one) enjoying a wonderful device that provides loads of pleasure than a judgmental jerk who thinks I'm a moron for misunderstanding my own needs and wants.
Nah, the iPod still wouldn't be released because it's not got every feature v1 it potentially *could* have.
Yes.... you probably have an IQ around 100 (average) or less... and steve is betting on this...