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Hands-On Impressions of Apple's New iPad
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I'm really impressed by the iPad (but not by the name...), but there are a few things wrong here...
Apple is an extremely creative company - how the hell did they think of something "magical" and "revolutionary" (NOT), and the best they could come up with was a huge iPod Touch? That's pretty sad, and I'm a big fan of their products.
I'd call this device EVOLUTIONARY...it's overtaking and "standing on the shoulders of" Amazon's Kindle. I'm sorry, but a large "Touch" is not a breakthrough product.
*Apple's video makes it seem like the iPad is the Holy Grail which will save the Internet from being dull and boring. "It just feels right to hold the Internet in your hands."
Still, it does have more good than bad points. I'm planning to get one primarily because I always wanted a Kindle, but now that this does as much as a Kindle DX and runs all my iPhone apps besides...what's not to like?
Apple is an extremely creative company - how the hell did they think of something "magical" and "revolutionary" (NOT), and the best they could come up with was a huge iPod Touch? That's pretty sad, and I'm a big fan of their products.
I'd call this device EVOLUTIONARY...it's overtaking and "standing on the shoulders of" Amazon's Kindle. I'm sorry, but a large "Touch" is not a breakthrough product.
*Apple's video makes it seem like the iPad is the Holy Grail which will save the Internet from being dull and boring. "It just feels right to hold the Internet in your hands."
Still, it does have more good than bad points. I'm planning to get one primarily because I always wanted a Kindle, but now that this does as much as a Kindle DX and runs all my iPhone apps besides...what's not to like?
Um, no. The 1024x768 pixel resolution on the iPad's built-in screen isn't quite 720p (1280x720).
Tru dat.
Recently the Mac mini that I had been using as an
TV fracked its hard drive. Sold it on eBay and bought a replacement in working order for $60 more.
I have an app by HP on my iPod touch and i can start printing wireless. So it can definitely happen on the iPad
(im still not getting one )Again, I said playback (obviously limited to the iPad's screen size, resolution and aspect ratio):
"iLounge also reports that while the iPad's 1024-by-768 display isn't quite capable of displaying 720p videos at full resolution, the device can play 720p H.264 video files (albeit downscaled to the native resolution of the iPad's screen), so I'm curious whether it'll be possible to rent and watch an HD movie on the iPad itself."
Why I will be buying an iPad...
Paper-free:
The iPad will be great for reading documents and books, which is great for my line of work where I read a lot of documents (either on screen or printed out on paper). With the iPad I can view the documents like they are on paper, without them being on paper! Instead of carrying around pounds/kilos of paper and books or my MacBook, I have a single, light weight unit containing all my documents, etc.
The iPad with e-books/e-newspapers/text is like the step from CDs & a CD player to an iPod. Apple have put reading material onto a really user friendly electronic interface, sweet!
More boring work type reasons:
With iWork I can give presentations directly from the iPad. I no longer have to take my MacBook Pro on business trips...
Play: ...And traveling between trips, sitting in the garden, or anytime I have free time I can do lots of other stuff.
...So all of the above (except the 'Play' section) will be used by me to try and convince my boss that he should buy me an iPad. Any further work related advantages/suggestions are most welcome
Paper-free:
The iPad will be great for reading documents and books, which is great for my line of work where I read a lot of documents (either on screen or printed out on paper). With the iPad I can view the documents like they are on paper, without them being on paper! Instead of carrying around pounds/kilos of paper and books or my MacBook, I have a single, light weight unit containing all my documents, etc.
The iPad with e-books/e-newspapers/text is like the step from CDs & a CD player to an iPod. Apple have put reading material onto a really user friendly electronic interface, sweet!
More boring work type reasons:
With iWork I can give presentations directly from the iPad. I no longer have to take my MacBook Pro on business trips...
Play: ...And traveling between trips, sitting in the garden, or anytime I have free time I can do lots of other stuff.
...So all of the above (except the 'Play' section) will be used by me to try and convince my boss that he should buy me an iPad. Any further work related advantages/suggestions are most welcome
Oh, you can playback a 720p movie on the iPad but you'll never, ever be able to actually view it in 720p resolution on the iPad itself or even via an external monitor.
Apple adding more software functionality?
Anyone else think that Apple is rushing to add more functionality (software wise) to this iPad before the release date? I do. Better browser support (Steve J. must have loved that mini-crash on stage!)...maybe the ability to stream iTunes music from another pc onto the iPad. Maybe a tool to "back up" the iPad to a remote computer (thanks to the lack of a USB port)?
I think Apple has read the online forums (like here) and found a lot of people think this is just another iPod/iPhone mishmosh for $500-$700...and that the $500 model ain't worth diddly if people are to TRULY buy into the "magic" of owning/playing music, videos, books, etc...16GB?! That will be full in weeks for a lot of people. Too late to make any hardware changes but software could be done relatively quickly. And I'm sure within 90 days of the release there will be an "iTunes update for the iPad" that offers some extra features.
Not sure what Apple would add but maybe a way to print something to a wireless printer (my $119 wirless Lexmark printer rocks).
I doubt I would buy this...mainly because I already have an iPhone, iPod, netbook, and laptop...but if I could try it out for 7-10 days with a 100% full refund no-restocking-fee policy, that would make me give it a real test-drive...not 8 minutes in a store...would make me really confirm if $500 is worth it (for me and my usage).
Anyone else think that Apple is rushing to add more functionality (software wise) to this iPad before the release date? I do. Better browser support (Steve J. must have loved that mini-crash on stage!)...maybe the ability to stream iTunes music from another pc onto the iPad. Maybe a tool to "back up" the iPad to a remote computer (thanks to the lack of a USB port)?
I think Apple has read the online forums (like here) and found a lot of people think this is just another iPod/iPhone mishmosh for $500-$700...and that the $500 model ain't worth diddly if people are to TRULY buy into the "magic" of owning/playing music, videos, books, etc...16GB?! That will be full in weeks for a lot of people. Too late to make any hardware changes but software could be done relatively quickly. And I'm sure within 90 days of the release there will be an "iTunes update for the iPad" that offers some extra features.
Not sure what Apple would add but maybe a way to print something to a wireless printer (my $119 wirless Lexmark printer rocks).
I doubt I would buy this...mainly because I already have an iPhone, iPod, netbook, and laptop...but if I could try it out for 7-10 days with a 100% full refund no-restocking-fee policy, that would make me give it a real test-drive...not 8 minutes in a store...would make me really confirm if $500 is worth it (for me and my usage).
I have an app by HP on my iPod touch and i can start printing wireless. So it can definitely happen on the iPad
As far as I can see the HP app prints only photos (hP iPrint Photo). Not web pages and emails. Is there another app that I am missing?
Would it not have been great to be able to tether an iPad to a Iphone 3G for net access? I guess AT&T knew what they were doing when they blocked it.
that was an option for me too, i thought, "well maybe i should just wait for the second version, because I HATE the iPhone 2G. i had the 3G for less than a month, and upgraded to the 3G, it looks more professional.
i have my macbook pro, which I carried YESTERDAY to school for the first time, and as light and small as the specs are, my back was hurting, and the 15 inch is 5.5 pounds! so this 1.5 lb iPad will be heaven.
the resell part would be nice, i plan on buying either the WiFi 16/32GB version. I wont be putting music or anything like that on it, so that will be enough, and i have my macbook pro already! so selling it down the line for 300/400 is....SORTA nice.
[/end quote]
as far as the questions about apple finalizing the iPad...has their been any recent product that changed from the keynote to finalized product in the past.....3-5 years?
That is nice but............. but requires a computer. I think it would have been much better to just have wireless printing built in.
Misdirection? We are talking about multitasking for computers - not people. Here is an example that I already posted in another thread.
Take for example an application like Instant Messenger. iPad's screen is rather big. So many people (not you, I understand) would like to be able to keep a small IM window in the corner of the screen so that they could see immediately when they get a message. As I understand, you prefer to close your current application every 3 minutes or so, open IM and check your messages, then go back. Well, as they say: "To each his own."
1. Jailbreak iphone
2. Get Pdanet through Cydia
3. Pdanet will turn your iPhone into a wifi access point you can then connect with the iPad, it even works with Android, PalmOS, and Blackberry. You also save yourself $130 by not buying the 3G ipad, not to mention the monthly fees.
4. ???
5. PROFIT!
I'll keep on loving it.
I think this is the right product at the right time. I like the the price is only a little higher than the best iPod Touch. I like that I have something that is better than a netbook for all the things that I would have used a netbook for. I have a workhorse computer (and will be getting another one), but if we're all being honest, I'm not a road warrior. A smaller laptop for me is a surfing and email machine. I do not want to fingerpaint in Adobe Photoshop. The "large iPod Touch" comments don't get it. That is Apple's Touch OS. If you want to call a cursor chasing your finger a "touch OS" then buy a windows 7 slate. No one else did. A proper touch OS lets you launch stuff and gets out of your way.
I said this on another site, so forgive me anyone who read it twice, but: a week ago no one knew what they wanted a tablet computer for and now everyone is an expert on what would make one successful.
I'll be buying one of these for sure. I like casual games, I love surfing, I love email, reading, industrial design, looking at photos, listening to music and podcasts, movies, and the promise of the app store. This is the best device for doing the things I want a carry-around computer to do.
I'm looking forward to the time that I can lie on my couch or bed and have a better surfing experience than with my iPhone or Macbook Pro.
I've been disappointed with all the negative comments everywhere. The PC guys (who never got a slate right) are calling me stupid for aching for this thing. I'm sure the iPad will get better with time (front facing camera and multi-tasking), but for now (and for a starting $500) this is my new hotness and I'm feeling it!
I was thinking of how great iLife is gonna be on this thing, but the app guys are going to make some AMAZING stuff... I know it.
I think this is the right product at the right time. I like the the price is only a little higher than the best iPod Touch. I like that I have something that is better than a netbook for all the things that I would have used a netbook for. I have a workhorse computer (and will be getting another one), but if we're all being honest, I'm not a road warrior. A smaller laptop for me is a surfing and email machine. I do not want to fingerpaint in Adobe Photoshop. The "large iPod Touch" comments don't get it. That is Apple's Touch OS. If you want to call a cursor chasing your finger a "touch OS" then buy a windows 7 slate. No one else did. A proper touch OS lets you launch stuff and gets out of your way.
I said this on another site, so forgive me anyone who read it twice, but: a week ago no one knew what they wanted a tablet computer for and now everyone is an expert on what would make one successful.
I'll be buying one of these for sure. I like casual games, I love surfing, I love email, reading, industrial design, looking at photos, listening to music and podcasts, movies, and the promise of the app store. This is the best device for doing the things I want a carry-around computer to do.
I'm looking forward to the time that I can lie on my couch or bed and have a better surfing experience than with my iPhone or Macbook Pro.
I've been disappointed with all the negative comments everywhere. The PC guys (who never got a slate right) are calling me stupid for aching for this thing. I'm sure the iPad will get better with time (front facing camera and multi-tasking), but for now (and for a starting $500) this is my new hotness and I'm feeling it!
I was thinking of how great iLife is gonna be on this thing, but the app guys are going to make some AMAZING stuff... I know it.
I agree totally with the multitasking EXAMPLE...just because an operating system provides multitasking ability does not mean you need enterprise applications to take advantage of them...or need 11 apps running at once to prove that multitasking is a worthy cause.
What about being able to surf a site and play song at the same time?
Play solitaire and listen to tunes at the same time?
Keep my email pop-up-alert-thingy open in the corner like the chat example?
What about downloading a large file (book, video, whatever) and being able to surf or do something else?
It doesn't have to be 39 things trying to work at once...just 2.
I love my iPhone 3GS but it does get on my nerves every now and then that I can't have more than 1 app/thing running at once.
-Eric
You can surf + listen to music simultaneously on the iphone. ipod, mail, phone and safari are the allowed background apps. Of course if a program has its own audio, there is no mechanism for a built in mixer that would disable the program's audio and keep listening to your tunes, that's left up to the developer.
well there you have it. no usb, no webcam, no flash, barely anything new over iphone OS... but hey, you can run all your touch apps in overstretched glory on the ginormous screen
FAIL!
Next gen might be better, but ms is probably up to something.
You can drag & drop files to and from the iPhone and iPod Touch with apps like DiskAid and PhoneView, I'm sure they'll support the iPad, too.
I agree that this should be a standard feature rather than needing 3rd party software, but at least it's available.