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Hands-On Impressions of Apple's New iPad

ericinboston said:
Me: It's a netbook!
Apple: No!

Me: It's a book reader!
Apple: No!

Me: It's a drawing device!
Apple: No!

Me: It's a web surfing device!
Apple: No!

Me: It's a gaming system!
Apple: No!

Me: It's an iPod!
Apple: No!

Me: It's an iTouch!
Apple: No!

Me: ok...I give up...what is this thing?
Apple: It's a mish mosh of everything you mentioned!...but everything is stripped down so we can moosh it all together.


Me: So as a representative of millions of Americans who own an iPhone and/or recent iPod and/or netbook and/or laptop and/or iTouch...why should I buy this?
Apple: Because!


The only consumers who will buy this (other than Apple enthusiasts and people with $500 to blow during a recession) will be people who do not own a single Apple product and more importantly, do not already own a netbook or laptop.

Apple Product Marketing has failed big time on creating a use case (they actually just put too much stuff into this). Shoulda just released an iBook or iSurf and leave all the gaming, videos, music outta the picture...and sell the thing for $299.

-Eric
Click to expand...

I do believe this is the cheapest most powerful Apple technology experience ever made. It is not a $2000 Macbook Pro.

It proposes to do all of the things on your list better that the iPhone or iPod Touch does them so why you should consider it a second-rate experience before trying it I don't know.

Have you watched the video on Apple.com? Really, don't become a 'downer' on it until you've tried it - you might like it. If you need it is another story...

I think out of 300 million Americans, 80% of which do not own an Apple product so I am led to believe, that a good percentage of them might like to experience the Apple joy. I believe this is why the 'astro-turfing' is occurring in these forums tonight at a rate I have NEVER witnessed before.
 
CupertinoBob said:
I guess I just don't get it. Why come here and complain and say you are not going to buy one. So good for you. Who cares? Do you go on Lexus and say I am not buying one, or to NBC and say I am not watching. If you have some information to share that is one thing. But just complaining about no camera or some other thing that is not going to be there is juvenile. These comments remind me so much of the iPhone when it was announced. Just bitch after bitch, probably by people who couldn't afford one in the first place. It is what it is. If you think it is just a big Touch and you don't want a big Touch then just forget the whole thing. I don't see folks going to a car show and then spending all their energy yapping about the cars they don't want. My guess is the iPad is going to do very well for Apple. It may not surpass the iPhone but it sure as heck will outsell the Kindle and other readers, and that is the target I would assume. Will make a nice profit for Apple and as a shareholder that is what I care about most.
Click to expand...

this post def come from one of apple shareholder as he strongly hinted in the message
 
dvalle said:
Why there isn't a camera and flash support is beyond me. I mean really, flash? Still not available in iPod touch or iPhone either? I don't get it.
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CupertinoBob said:
I guess I just don't get it. Why come here and complain and say you are not going to buy one...
...It is what it is. If you think it is just a big Touch and you don't want a big Touch then just forget the whole thing.
Click to expand...

It's the same people years ago complaining there's no floppy-drive in it...
There's no flash in it because Apple knows HTML5 is here and it works!

Let's put this more positively: I see why a camera would not work, since it would be very hard to get a good view, holding it on your lap somehow.
I hope soon there will be a keyboard/dock that also contains an iSight.
I hope soon tethering the iPad through iPhone will be legal.
I hope soon people will see this as the ultimate handheld game-device there is.
I hope soon people will see this as the only serious eBook+ reader there is.
I hope the next hype will be the MacBook Pro with detachable iScreen ;-)
 
It does look sweet, and indeed things like browsing the internet and such will be more convenient on this device but..... is it only me or they could just put OSX in it?? Less effort, much much more powerful device for the end user. It would just need better hardware. Taking an ipod touch and making it bigger, would be nice on gaming, internet and all that, but if i was about to buy such a big device (well its not too big, but it certainly cant it in my pocket) i would expect it to have computer os capabilities, otherwise i'd be better off with a real laptop. Could be just me, just throwing my 2c here
 
My all-time favorite quote on the MacRumors forums, from the now legendary thread 500:

iCan't believe it!
It's now at the online Apple Store!

$400 for an Mp3 Player!

I'd call it the Cube 2.0 as it wont sell, and be killed off in a short time...and it's not really functional.

Uuhh Steve, can I have a PDA now?
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https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/5285/

Maybe the iPad will fly, maybe not. Even Jobs ended the keynote with some skepticism. But you have to admire him and love Apple for taking chances and introducing something new. Maybe in a few years when we're all surfing PadRumors on our iPad v5s we can look back on thread #9161104 for some good laughs.

This is just the beginning. Is there any doubt that the Mac OS and the iPhone OS will take cues from each other, and eventually as the hardware permits, merge into a powerful hybrid OS that will run on a future gadget with an iPad form factor? A generation of kids is already growing up on this paradigm will and look at keyboards and mice the same way we look at typewriters and rotary dial phones.
 
2mcdrg2.jpg
 
SG1-1 said:
Originally Posted by milo
Quote:
BT keyboards are supported

Link?

http://www.apple.com/ipad/design/

"Accessories"
There are lots of great accessories that have been specifically designed for iPad. The Keyboard Dock, for instance, is a dock with a full-size keyboard. There’s also a standalone Dock.And because iPad has built-in Bluetooth 2.1, it’ll work with an Apple Wireless Keyboard, too. There’s also a Camera Connection Kit that lets you import photos from a camera or SD card. There’s even an iPad Case that not only protects it, it also allows you to use iPad in various positions, to make it easy to type, look at photos, or watch movies. And through a range of accessories, iPad can output to TVs, projectors and displays. Learn more about iPad accessories in Tech Specs"

As others have said, "Over And Over" it’ll work with an Apple Wireless Keyboard, too.

END.
Click to expand...

Wow, all that from just asking for a link. (You could have even looked at the thread and seen that three people gave it already and saved yourself the trouble)
 
Dimensions?

So, I see that it's .5" thick and that it has about a 10" screen but does anyone know the overall height and width of this thing? The bezel is bigger than I thought it would be so it adds a lot to the size.
 
ctdonath said:
Credit card at the ready.

As always, reality is a letdown after extreme baseless hype & hope.
Giant iPod Touch with 3G support - not more, but that's still a win to me.
Click to expand...

Same type of comments as after the ipod and iphone, everybody didnt get everything they wanted so it sucks huh. Well as with the iphone and ipod this product will evolve
 
MXChristian11 said:
It's epic. That is what sold me, I'm not kidding! haha
Click to expand...
Ditto on that. i had posted earlier on one of the other threads how disappointed I was following the Keynote. However after looking at the video clip on apple.com, it certainly did pique my interest. But again, Apple is the marketing master.

Wonder if we'll see John Hodgman and Justin Long do their schtick with this?
 
surferfromuk said:
I do believe this is the cheapest most powerful Apple technology experience ever made. It is not a $2000 Macbook Pro.

It proposes to do all of the things on your list better that the iPhone or iPod Touch does them so why you should consider it a second-rate experience before trying it I don't know.

Have you watched the video on Apple.com? Really, don't become a 'downer' on it until you've tried it - you might like it. If you need it is another story...

I think out of 300 million Americans, 80% of which do not own an Apple product so I am led to believe, that a good percentage of them might like to experience the Apple joy. I believe this is why the 'astro-turfing' is occurring in these forums tonight at a rate I have NEVER witnessed before.
Click to expand...

1)I think it's a cool device...but I have no use for it. I'm not saying it sucks...I'm saying it LACKS DIRECTION of what it will be used for.

2)300 million Americans does not equal 300 million Americans capable of buying said device...that means all Americans under the age of 10 and the elderly...that's quite a lot of people. If you read my posts again, I'm saying that for the people of this nation (and world) have have been using laptops and iPods and iPhones for years (and netbooks), explain to me why they should own ANOTHER device that essentially, to most people, does the same thing as their CURRENT deviceS


Maybe this will be better in version 2.0 or whatever. Personally, I think they put too much stuff in this to make it an all-in-1.
 
hmm

Like the iPhone the iPad seems to be a closed product.
I was at least expecting:

A basic Finder so i could view all of my Pdf magazines and other files independently of an app.

An SD slot so i could transfer my cameras photo's and movies whilst mobile and away from home and even expand the iPads Storage.

A USB slot for adding a mini hard drive/other adapters etc.

A camera for vid chat is pretty standard these days.... why no cam?

I'm not sure if it has a dedicated GPS unit, is the iPad using triangulation like the old iPhone wifi/2g scenario? I didn't quite understand apples short description (anyone care to expand)
Dedicated GPS would be great on this device!

Seems a little crippled in my humble opinion, time and revisions will tell i guess.

Aesthetically not that pleased with the thick bezel and the 4:3 aspect ratio. I guess apple have valid reasons for this such as rotation content scale and accidental touching at the edges.

I did like the Brush app, will have to wait and see how arty sketchy painty apps work.
 
sishaw said:
I don't know. All the reviewers absolutely say "no multitasking whatsoever." You tell me.
Click to expand...

They are talking about third party apps. It would be ridiculous if they removed the multitasking of things like mp3 playback that the iphone already has.
 
bluetooth

Would be nice for those of us who balk at paying yet another fee for 3G if you could directly sync phone and address book with your iphone. Tethering the iphone to the ipad would be good too.
 
The bitching in these threads is hilarious.

Most of these people seem to slight the device for containing everything that makes the iphone/touch so amazing - and then some - while displaying it on a larger screen footprint. Paired with one of the cheapest data plans available (which is optional, not to mention unlocked) for any portable device.

And what do they miss? A front facing video camera. Absurd. Do you guys really video chat so often. So often that you'd feel compelled to bust it out at random points throughout your day? At best I use video chatting several times in a month. And these same people bitch about how difficult it will be to type, without ever thinking about how awkward it would be to hold this thing out in front of you so the front facing camera can capture their face. The typing doesn't seem nearly so onerous.

Was I a bit disappointed? Yeah, sure. That's what happens when you spend months reading rumors that accumulate into the perfect device that can do everything and costs $300. Everyone knew that what we finally saw would be 'disappointing'. A few minutes after the announcement though, I let go of all the things I wanted the device to be. Now, I think it looks like a pretty great product, and I'll definitely consider buying one.

However, I'll have to wait and see what kind of software developers put out for it. I've said from the beginning that the hardware on this device is ultimately of little importance, it's success depends on the software. If the iPhone has been any indication, there are going to be some amazing things happening on the iPad for both fun and productivity. The Brushes demonstration alone blew me away and almost sold me on the spot. It's basically the same feature set we already have on the iPhone, but free of so many limitations imposed by the iPhones small size. I can think of dozens of apps that will benefit in similar ways if they are ported.

Do I have complaints? Sure. I wish the iPhone OS would have been tweaked a bit more. The four icons to a row and their symmetry with the dock looks odd and awkward. It works on the iPhone, but we should have more control this time around. Who knows, maybe it will be an option in the settings. The 'slide to unlock' bar is similarly unattractive. 'iPad, iBooks, etc.'... lame. I also wanted Wacom style pressure sensitivity, but thats unrealistic at these prices. I think the upscaled iPhone apps look cheap, and were the low point of the show today. I would have preferred all brand new apps. But I understood why Apple did it.

I'm glad this thing won't function like a laptop or my desktop. I like the iPhone for this very reason. I think the iPad will have a similar strength.

Mostly I just think the 'EPIC FAIL APPLE LOL' posts are idiotic. Yeah, epic fail apple - for expanding on the ideas that made the iPhone one of the greatest and most revolutionary consumer electronics ever. Glorified iPod Touch?!! You guys are suddenly acting like it's some ****** device. I don't think the fact that people are unable to video chat will hurt sales.
 
Jony Ive: "It becomes magical, and that's what the iPad is"?!

I've lost a little faith in Apple today. An over-sized, over-glorified iPod Touch? This must be some cruel joke they'll set aright with "One more thing..." next week. One can only pray...
 
milo said:
They are talking about third party apps. It would be ridiculous if they removed the multitasking of things like mp3 playback that the iphone already has.
Click to expand...

OK, I hope you're right.

<edit> However, PCMag says this: "There's no multitasking in the OS at all, and not even multiple active web pages in Safari. You can't listen to Pandora while you surf the Web..." That makes it sound to me like REALLY no multitasking. Hope I'm wrong and you're right. </edit>
 
thehouseofdis said:
So, I see that it's .5" thick and that it has about a 10" screen but does anyone know the overall height and width of this thing? The bezel is bigger than I thought it would be so it adds a lot to the size.
Click to expand...

Never mind. Apple finally posted the information on their site. For those of you that haven't seen it:

Size and weight
Height:
9.56 inches (242.8 mm)
Width:
7.47 inches (189.7 mm)
Depth:
0.5 inch (13.4 mm)
Weight:
1.5 pounds (.68 kg) Wi-Fi model;
1.6 pounds (.73 kg) Wi-Fi + 3G model

So, almost exactly half the width of the 15" MBP and almost the same height as 15" lid, but twice as thick.

I'd say it would be a much nicer than a laptop or iPhone to carry around or hold in bed if you're just looking to read or look at websites. Shame about not having a camera and Flash capabilities.
 
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