Early iPad Reviews Appear

[sonicboom]

Pogue is a putz.

Did he even have an iPad?

Everything in his "review" is common knowledge... at least to anyone who has been following the iPad (e.g., anyone reading this).

 

[cvaldes]

Wake me up when Apple releases new computer hardware. This is getting boring.

Go back to sleep, son.

And if you hear loud sounds of partying, it's just us AAPL shareholders. Sorry about that.

 

[btcutter]

who knows if iPad will be a huge success or not. The public will determine that. It will vote with it's $$.

So far people who had their hands on the iPad seems to love the "experience". It's not about the specs of the gadget. It's the experience of using "it".

Rest of us can pass judgement now but until we actually have our "hands on it", our "reviews" are fairly baseless.

There is no PERFECT device out there (phone, computer, DVD player, car etc.). If you buy a product knowing it's limitations and it fit your need then it's a good product for YOU. If not, don't buy it.

 

[Eidorian]

Go back to sleep, son.

And if you hear loud sounds of partying, it's just us AAPL shareholders. Sorry about that.

I need to own Apple stock now to enjoy the company? Though I do somewhat regret not buying some AMD stock.

I'll see if I can get a Tiger machine once my Macbook dies.

 

[CBGEEK626]

Off topic but let's squelch this right %$#% now.

"serious writing"

All my serious writing is done with a pad & pencil or in a basic editor and saved as plain text. Can the Ipad handle that? I'm willing to bet it can.

What you're referring to is "formatting" which is something that you should do with content AFTER it has been created. Ever wonder why so many pretty but vapid reports and presentations are the plague of the modern office? GD word processing programs, that's why.

Maybe if people spent less time doing layout and writing simultaneously they may produce a document that was actually worth reading.

So yeah, I'm confident that my Ipad will be used for "serious writing."

Dave

- written in TextEdit and copy/pasted into the reply box

 

[cvaldes]

I need to own Apple stock now to enjoy the company?

Your logic is incredibly poor.

There is no requirement to being a part owner to enjoy a company. However, based on Apple's recent financial performance, most shareholders are quite happy with the company's fiscal results. And you don't need to be a customer and/or shareholder to admire a company. Also, shareholders aren't required to be customers either.

Steve Jobs was voted the most valuable CEO. The senior management does a good job at increasing shareholder value.

Go back to sleep, sonny, or at least crawl under the sheets and read a book on logic.

Good luck.

 

[btcutter]

A longform essay. A term paper. You know, the stuff you actually want a word processor for.

And until strong multi-tasking is added, you are unable to grab articles and data from online and look at it while incorporating it into what you are writing.

That's serious writing.

It works for emails. It works for little notes you might like to make. It doesn't work for creating in depth business proposals, term papers, etc.

Even on emails it can be somewhat lacking if you wish to multi-task while writing the email. First close out your web browser then do your email.

It's a gizmo, not a serious tool. Touch typing will be difficult, if near impossible on the thing. I think it could work well for showing pre-prepared PPT presentations if you plug it into a projector, but creating a complex presentation might not be easy on it. And space is limited. If you load it with media, etc then you crowd it even further.

The tweener 'puter is already here - it is the Netbook. Around 70 million PLUS netbooks will be sold this year. The estimates are for them to go over 100 million fairly soon, possibly next year. These are slightly stripped down, fully functional PCs that actually have a copy of Windows on them.

Had the iPad been loaded with something closer to a full copy of OS X then maybe things would be different. Had they gone with Intel and made it compatible with Mac apps like Netbooks are compatible with PC apps (and the HP Slate will be as well) then maybe it would be different.

Realize that within about a four year period that Netbooks will have sold better than the iPod has sold in its first NINE years. That's massive growth and that's ultimately why Apple is coming up with the iPad. They don't want to copy others with the Netbook. I think that has a lot to do with Jobs' ego on the matter. He thinks Apple innovates. It doesn't. Apple didn't invent the MP3 player. They made the MP3 player practical. They gave it an interface.

But the MP3 player really just inserted itself into a market that already existed. The iPod didn't create a new market, it just pushed an old market in a different direction. I don't see the iPad as doing the same.

Remember, for all the accolades of the iPhone, it accounts for around 2-2.5% of the entire cell phone market. It's very profitable for Apple and good for them, but it's far from being the iPod of the cell phone market.

I'm one who thinks that Apple has gotten lazy. They know there are a bunch of people who drink their Kool-Aid and will fork over money to them no matter what. They could scoop a couple of floaters out of the nearest toilet, fire them in the kiln, coat them with shiny white or shiny black paint, and sell them on the market as the iTurd for $400 and a bunch of people (many hear) would get excited about it and make excuses for why it is so wonderful.

The iPad is a neat gadget. I consider it a waste of money, but Apple will make money off of it. There's a sucker born every minute and Apple is well aware. And that's what makes them brilliant. They know how to get you to pay out big bucks to them so they can get their awesome 19% profit margin. That's why I own Apple stock, though I don't buy Apple products any more. I don't like getting ripped off, but I don't mind making money off the suckers getting ripped off.

But the iPad will see limited success. People will tout six million in sales as a huge success and will likely try not to compare the number to netbook sales overall. And it'll be great for the stock price, but the challenge will be expanding beyond a core or beyond large scale sales to school systems, etc that want the iPad for some kind of dedicated usage.

It's not a laptop/desktop. Don't make it one. If that's not what you need, don't buy it. Buy a laptop.

Ipad is for people who just use "it" mostly to view/download content not create content.

 

[Eidorian]

Your logic is incredibly poor.

There is no requirement to being a part owner to enjoy a company. However, based on Apple's recent financial performance, most shareholders are quite happy with the company's fiscal results.

Steve Jobs was voted the most valuable CEO.

Go back to sleep, sonny, or at least crawl under the sheets and read a book on logic.

What does Apple's recent financial performance have to do with me?

 

[JZ Wire]

Im glad to hear it was received. Andy Ihnatko did a review on Twit and he also confirmed on some of the topics such as heat, weight, battery, etc.
And yes, the battery does last as advertised according to him. Im pretty sure under typical use, people will find the battery will more than suffice.

 

[cvaldes]

What does Apple's recent financial performance have to do with me?

Your reading comprehension is also poor.

Apple's recent financial performance has nothing to do your issues.

It is just cause for celebration amongst AAPL shareholders.

You really need some more schooling: both in reading and logic. Go back and reread my previous posts.

 

[btcutter]

What does Apple's recent financial performance have to do with me?

Maybe it should.

Maybe you are already a millionaire but if you are not maybe consider reading Peter Lynch's One Up on WallStreet. It's for the average joe like me.

 

[Eidorian]

It is just cause for celebration amongst AAPL shareholders.

I can't come up with a meaningful response to your posts. I would ask you not to reply to me anymore.

Maybe it should. Maybe you are already a millionaire but if you are not maybe consider reading Peter Lynch's One Up on WallStreet. It's for the average joe like me.

I'm deeply wary of such things.

 

[cyberddot]

Reviews

What would really be surprising? If Apple offered a new product that didn't instantly get folks frothing at the mouth about how much Steve Jobs just screwed up. If this thing is as popular as the iPod and iPhone, then shareholders are in for a world of hurt. Alas Apple, once again, the bell tolls for thee.

 

[JGowan]

So... all of us use laptops and smartphones... the question has arisen; is there room for something in the middle. We've wondered for years as well -- in order to create that category, they have to be far better at doing some key tasks... better than the laptop, better than the smartphone.

What kind of tasks? Browsing the web. Doing email. Enjoying and sharing pics. Watching videos. Enjoying music. Playing games. Reading ebooks.

If there's gonna be a third category, it has to be better at these tasks -- otherwise it has no reason for being.

Jobs didn't say it could do everything a full-fledged laptop (or netbook) could do! He said it needed to do some very key things better than ANYTHING else. That's the point. Jobs is making the claim that iPad is better at certain things than ANY OTHER TYPE OF COMPUTING (better than on the best phone [iPhone] or better than even the best laptop [Macbook Pro] and I dare say he'd think even a Mac Pro)!! Think about that! Better experience for 7 of the top most things we do... Web Browsing, Email, Photo viewing, Video viewing, Music, Playing games and reading eBooks!

That's where Jobs wants to compete! Of course, let's not forget that 150,000 apps will work out-of-the-box on the iPad.

Yes, iPad, aside from the iWork suite forthcoming on day-one, is primarily a machine for unwinding and enjoying some downtime with your media and having fun. Which is what a lot of people buy netbooks for. Something small to keep in your bag to surf the web and do email while out and about until you get home. The techies who are all bent out of shape about not being able to do "real work": you are most likely in the minority in wanting to do "real work" -- most want to "stay connected" on the road until they come home to a desktop or a bigger laptop. However, I think the demos of what iWork is like on the iPad is phenomenal and will be an awesome way to get some common tasks done without having to be tethered to your desk.

I think comparisons are fine just as long as they're kept in the confines of what Steve is trying to do with iPad, namely those 7 things that he claimed were the iPad's "reasons for being".

However about Work -- Omni Group seems to be wanting to be bringing some important programs to the iPad and the App "Brushes" was demoed the same hour as the intro of the iPad. Seems to me, that the iPad will be getting some real-work apps this very year. I would not doubt that eventually if the iPad truly takes off, that we'll see MS Office on the device.

 

[vvebsta]

It all hinges on people loving the keyboard for everyday use. They tolerate it for everyday use with a cell phone, though the popularity of QWERTY cell phones tells you that a lot of people want a physical keyboard. That's one reason I don't want an iPhone (that and AT&T). The iPhone is a terrible texting phone in my experience whereas my enV Touch suits my purpose well - and I know tons of people like that.

totally disagree with your comment on the iphone being a terrible texting phone... the iphone is probably the fastest way to text. my analogy while it maybe a terrible one is physical keyboard phones are like roller skates and the touch screen keyboard is like a bike.. its faster to pick up skating because you already know how to walk. riding a bike is a whole new experience that takes practice but once you've figured it out you can run laps around skaters.

i do agree that it hinges on the loving of the keyboard... either people will be too comfortable with the traditional method or too scared to try something new... or they will embrace it

 

[alaki]

There is one thing I am sure about it: I don't want iPad.

I will buy the new iPhone as it is portable , and this one (if it really works):

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/30/switched-on-courier-courts-the-creative/

 

[Millah]

Verifies what I thought - not a serious content creation device. Basically a big iPod Touch with a few extra bells and whistles.

If you want something on the go bigger than your cell phone then it could work. If you want something portable to create serious documents, etc with then you'll want a regular laptop or even a more capable netbook.

The most interesting comparisons will come when HP's Slate hits. It runs Windows 7 and uses an Atom processor, so it basically is more of a computer capable of multi-tasking, running Flash, etc. If the Slate works well then I think a lot of reviewers will begin to badmouth the iPad for its limitations.

I still think it is a niche product. Early sales look good, but the AppleTV put up nice numbers early too. Once all the Applephiles buy, it is then we'll see how well it does. The iPhone was tapping a market that already existed - a massive cell phone market. Apple has generally been spotty at creating markets. They did create the PC market, though they floundered a bit a decade in. And they worked wonders with the iPod and iTunes all tied together. But the Apple TV, the Newton, and a computer like the G4 cube are all testaments that Apple doesn't always come up with big hits.

The response from the general public seems a bit tepid and any bad reports could make that worse. I don't think the iPad will be a failure by any means, but I don't think it will create the kind of growth that some expect it to.

The real question will be how much it gets used a month after someone buys it? Two months? Does it change their life or do they eventually get frustrated with the touch screen keyboard and lack of full functionality.

The fact is that it pales in comparison to a fully functional laptop. I'm not sure how ready people are to ditch their keyboards. And you can bring up the bluetooth keyboard, the keyboard dock, etc, but that limits the whole intent of the product. It's difficult to hold a keyboard and iPad in your lap simultaneously and if you do that you might as well get a laptop. And if you set it in the keyboard dock on a desk, why not just have a desktop or laptop?

It all hinges on people loving the keyboard for everyday use. They tolerate it for everyday use with a cell phone, though the popularity of QWERTY cell phones tells you that a lot of people want a physical keyboard. That's one reason I don't want an iPhone (that and AT&T). The iPhone is a terrible texting phone in my experience whereas my enV Touch suits my purpose well - and I know tons of people like that.

Preorders really tailed off quickly. I'll be interested to see what the sales end up being when Apple first reports.

I'm sorry but people like you really have such a narrow, simple minded way of looking at things.

 

[MikhailT]

Who cares? Their units have replaceable batteries, right? That makes those units far better than the iPad according to many people here.

Sealed integrated battery can last pretty long and better than separated battery that might not be integrated well. Not to mention, majority of people don't need to replace battery, most don't in 3-4 years of use. Apple'll just send you a new iPad if your battery does die for 100$ or something like that.

iPad has been confirmed by those reviews to last over 10 hours of use, full brightness with WiFi. That's good enough for majority of people who'll charge the iPad when they go to sleep. You don't need more than 12 hours of battery life.

It's friggin awesome to see more than 10 hours of usage in a device like that, and it doesn't get hot either.

 

[JGowan]

And another thing...

I suppose those on a serious budget are a little chaffed that the iPad doesn't completely replace the need for a laptop. For me, I'll always have 4 devices:

1) Desktop Mac -- I need the serious HORSE and the BIG SCREENS to do "real work". This won't be replaced by even a 17" laptop (which I have--the first Apple 17" PowerBook released in 2003)

2) iPhone -- I need this for making calls and the ability to casually surf the web, play games or use one of 200 apps I have downloaded. It's a really decent screen for even entertaining myself with video when I'm waiting for someone (my wife, generally)

3) Laptop -- The iPad won't replace my laptop. I need my laptop for things that simply won't happen on the iPad, including my SNES emulator to play classic Nintendo SNES games (!) -- I like to surf all sites, even including the resource-hogging Flash sites. A full-size keyboard with backlit keys are also something I'm not willing to give up.

4) iPad -- Last but not least, before I even turn mine on (64GB/3G version is pre-ordered), I know I will always have one of these. Very thin, very portable, incredibly beautiful screen, 12-hour battery life, ... with all that this does, It will definitely replace my iPhone for the day-to-day of entertainment while I wait for my beloved. At 1.5lbs, there's not a lot of places that I won't take this device.

 

[MacTheSpoon]

I used to associate Apple with people using their products for creative purposes... but they have come out with this iPad that ignores creatives' needs, their Mac Pros languish without updates, their MacBook "Pros" get glossy screens and unswappable batteries and lose ports, even Firewire, their iMovie 6 got junked for a stripped-down piece of crap...

Maybe I've been misled all these years into thinking that Steve's enjoyment of his own creativity meant that he would empathize with others' pursuit of their creativity, too.

 

[alaki]

I used to associate Apple with people using their products for creative purposes... but they have come out with this iPad that ignores creatives' needs, their Mac Pros languish without updates, their MacBook "Pros" get glossy screens and unswappable batteries and lose ports, even Firewire, their iMovie 6 got junked for a stripped-down piece of crap...

Maybe I've been misled all these years into thinking that Steve's enjoyment of his own creativity meant that he would empathize with others' pursuit of their creativity, too.

I agree. The funny thing is that they mention iPad: MAGICAL
Don't get me wrong. I bought Macbook pro two years ago and I love it.
I am not professional... but as many people say iPad is selling because of fanboys.
Take a look at Microsoft Courier. If it works as advertised, that is magical.

 

[BTW]

Just makes me want one even more.

 

[puckb]

There is one thing I am sure about it: I don't want iPad.

I will buy the new iPhone as it is portable , and this one (if it really works):

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/30/switched-on-courier-courts-the-creative/

When do preorders start? How have physical--not virtual--demos gone? What sort of kernel does this thing run? Who manufactures it?

Unless you have information to the contrary, the Courier, for all intents and purposes, does not exist. It's a fabulous concept--and I mean that in both connotations: fabulous in the sense that it's just a delight to behold, but also fabulous in the sense that it is "fable-like."

Continue waiting for your vaporware; I'll purchase the iPad now and the Courier if it ever comes out (and works, opposite to Microsoft's track record, as they say it does).

 

[emulator]

Paid journalism, this type of advertising already has a long history.

 

[RT2020]

Mark your words. The iPad will be huge. How can one not see the potential of this magic device? You think 6 million will be a success? How many iPhone and iPod Touches has sold? 70 million. And more every day. That is a success my friend, that is a big success. And I have 2000 shares of APPL that I know will be a huge success as well. Who cares about netbooks? Apple has never been about numbers, they have been about profit and customer loyalty. Let HP and others make ten bucks on a cheapo netbood, it is not about that. You think Jobs cares how many netbooks sell? He just makes products he likes to own and many other folks like them too. Buy your netbook, buy your Kindle. Just realize that me and probably 20 million or so will go with iPad even with your brilliant argument against. Peace brother.

Are you kidding me? you just called it a magic device! Soo magical and revolutionary...shiny....buy buy buy $$$$