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Out of interest, for those that crap on netbooks for being cheap, low profit crap flooding the market, what makes this any different?

I've seen numerous complaints and digs at the netbook market here, now we have the iPad with fewer features than a netbook but it's the best thing ever.

What makes Apple selling a crippled (to some) device any different than HP, Asus, Dell, Toshiba, Sony (et; al) selling netbooks?

Netbooks fail because they try to be full fledged computing systems in a small package. This device gives people what they want for casual activity without having the overhead of an entire OS slowing the thing down.
 
The ugliest Apple product since the FatBoy iPod...
On the design esthetics's its a total let down, at first look it does not have that "apple" feel to it and looks more or less like a cheap Chinese copy product.

The user interface feels suppressed by the dominating black edges on the device making it look like its wrapped in some sort of plastic bag or protective casing.

From a design point of view i would call it a expensive picture frame, something i wouldn't want to have around on my desk but rather hidden away in a drawer.

I don't know who from the design team they fired, or if Ive have lost the touch, bringing this 4 year old design back to life in a even worse condition than its original counterpart. This is simply such drawback.
 
I see a lot of complaints about a front facing camera, but seriously, how the hell would that even work? Unless you have it on a dock, where it's somewhat steady, you would probably have a hell of a time keeping yourself in view. What happens when it's in your lap or flat on a desk? I suspect it just wasn't very good, so they took it out.

The iPad is good for what it does. No more, no less. Someone compared it to a Macbook Air, and I think in a way it is a lightweight (netbook?) piece of hardware. The Air was a lightweight laptop, for a very niche market. This is really targeted at the lower end of the market. Not a full laptop, but better for reading / web surfing than your iPhone.

I can definitely see this taking some of the MBA's market away with the iWork app's. This would probably fit in a briefcase really well.
 
People are getting too bogged down in details here. This this is a major new platform. This is Apple's attempt to build a device that isn't a personal computer -- that starts the process of pulling the center of computing away from traditional desktop operating systems (and Microsoft Windows) -- that's optimized to provide the best experience for ~70% of what people do with their computers. It's not perfect yet, but it's a really, really good start, and it's going to be very important in the long run. Mark my words.
 
I like the shiny new look.

I have a few questions that most noobies (me) would have:

1. Why could it not just use the wifi in home like any apple computer product. Why must one have to purchase a data plan for it all?

I understand part of the charm is the portability, but I would love to get my mother a lite/cheaper version of a macbook. Her needs are very simple on the computer, however I can't see her getting one if she has to pay extra to access internet with it when they already have an ISP. I don't want to sink the cash into a new laptop for her, but would love her to have the Apple experience.

2. Without a USB port, how would one copy or convert photos from a PC or stand alone hard drive into the device?

3. How much storage would you actually have to watch or store a couple of movies if you are travelling?

4. As an e-reader, can you access other e-book stores if the ones that iBook have are not available?

Just curious.

WW
 
Out of interest, for those that crap on netbooks for being cheap, low profit crap flooding the market, what makes this any different?

The claim is that performance is much better (and the hands on so far say it seems blazing fast for web surfing). I wouldn't be surprised if this has better battery life than many netbooks as well.
 
I'm expecting a iPad Pro to come out in the next few months. The price point is excellent, might have to buy one...or two!

Battery life is 1 month on standby, 10 hours of video, thats astounding!
 
Yup, and a small version of a REAL OS, which has done well enough to limit them to manufacturing and freight. If they have been so well-done, then why aren't they widespread?

You are talking about the past. Take a look at this creature: http://blog.laptopmag.com/lenovo-merges-slate-and-notebook-design-with-the-groundbreaking-u1-hybrid

U1_Hybrid_gallery_01_3.jpg
 
Regardless of anyone's personal feelings about the iPad, what about an actual comparison to a competing unit? What is the best PC offering in a similar price range?

At $699 for the 64GB unit I would say that there are plenty of offerings in the similar price range. You can buy a LOT of laptop power for $699 that will allow you to do much more than what you could do on the iPad...and hey, they can multitask too! How about that? :p

brad
 
Does it allow you to store files?

I really would love to be able to connect this to a portable external HD and transfer and open/save files - haven't seen anything on this? Also can I download pics from my camera directly to this? If so, I'm getting one...
 
The claim is that performance is much better (and the hands on so far say it seems blazing fast for web surfing). I wouldn't be surprised if this has better battery life than many netbooks as well.

Blazing fast with ARM processor. This must be a joke.
 
so has anyone realized that in the tech specs it pretty clearly states no GPS on the wifi only version?
 
Seems there's a thin line between "not light" and "surprisingly light." :D

Actually, yeah it all comes down to what the person *expected* it to weigh. If you were subconciously expecting it to weigh in around 2.5lbs, it would be 'surprisingly light'. If you were expecting .5lbs, it's 'not light'.
 
I'm disappointed on this thing, but seriously, why can anyone want a camera on a device this big? I can understand a front camera, but a back camera? I can not see the point, as nonsense as a laptop with a camera with flash :p
 
Although the device didnt wow me, the price did wow me.

But reading the complaints so far, I just want to ask an honest question about multitasking.

Can someone please give me a example of a everyday practical use of multitasking? Cause I really have never WISHED for multitasking on the iPhone and the fact that without it makes the hardware run smoother is a bonus.

I don't really see the tears from no multitask cause when I use my full featured macbook pro what multitasks am I really using? The only time you need multitask is if you are doing WORK e.g have photoshop running while checking emails etc.

Obviously, listen to music while reading an e-book. That's the most obvious one. You can even do that on a Kindle, for heaven's sake, and that's a very limited device. Maybe Apple will carve out an exception for your iTunes music?
 
I really would love to be able to connect this to a portable external HD and transfer and open/save files - haven't seen anything on this? Also can I download pics from my camera directly to this? If so, I'm getting one...

Yes. The new sdk allows apps to declare that they share files, in which case docking with a computer will mount it as a drive).
 
From an investment standpoint I think this may cannibalize Apple Laptop sales. I would have to guess that 80-90% of Laptop users only use them for Web browsing, email etc. With iWork and the add on Keyboard what else does the average user need?

The average Person will walk in to the Apple store, and if they only need the above, the answer especially in this economy will be iPad instead of Apple Laptop

I think Apples missing the Boat. I think the better solution would have been a Paperback sized iPhone, with all the iPhone Functionality, camera/phone etc.. but a better screen to read on and Web browse and something you can still relatively easily carry around. With a Bluetooth Headset you just need to have it nearby.

Maybe next time.
 
Originally Posted by *LTD*
I'm freaking out because the potential of this product is UNREAL. Apple took the galactically successful iPod Touch platform and blew it up into a full computing platform...

Except that the ipad is NOT a FULL computing platform, maybe in the future it will be, but today is certainly not.
 
yawn yawn yawn.... whine whine whine. Let me know how that netbook works for e-reading, textbook replacement, etc... and general tactile quality? Ah yeah, that's right... everyone who runs around with a netbook TRIES to treat it like a fully functional machine, which it, also, is not. As for apple keeping control over their dev process? Boo hoo, it's called quality control, something many MS devs could and should exercise from time to time.

Who the f*ck is crying? I've never owned a netbook but I have used them and they are functional, not for gaming but web browsing, word processing, and other light duty activities. As far as the iron fist dev process, I guess u won't be happy until Apple tells you what, where, when, and how u f*c*in like it:eek:! Why are you making this an Apple/MS debate:confused:. I never even mentioned them. :confused:
I don't do what people say is cool, I do what the **** I want because i'm not a tool. Don't get mad at me because your idol came up short this time!
 
I like the shiny new look.

I have a few questions that most noobies (me) would have:

1. Why could it not just use the wifi in home like any apple computer product. Why must one have to purchase a data plan for it all?
It can.
2. Without a USB port, how would one copy or convert photos from a PC or stand alone hard drive into the device?
There is a gadget on Apple's iPad page that allow uploads directly from a camera or an SD card through the dock connector. Also photos will sync over via iTunes just like an iPhone does.
3. How much storage would you actually have to watch or store a couple of movies if you are travelling?
Typical standard-def movies are roughly 1GB each
4. As an e-reader, can you access other e-book stores if the ones that iBook have are not available?
Apple's reader uses a standard eBook format but it was not made clear if or how books already purchased outside the iBook Store could be moved to the iPad.
 
Obviously, listen to music while reading an e-book. That's the most obvious one. You can even do that on a Kindle, for heaven's sake, and that's a very limited device. Maybe Apple will carve out an exception for your iTunes music?

That's doable on an iPhone. Why isn't it doable on an iPad???:confused:
 
You are talking about the past. Take a look at this creature:

I have often used PC tablets.
The low-powered one are still too warm, have a very very low processing power & an ineffective interface.

You should really try one to understand Apple's reason for not making a Mac tablet.
 
I don't see why people/reviewers are disappointed that it does not have a camera. Sheeeeez...it's more of a netbook meets iPod Touch meets Kindle than it is a camera. How stupid would you look holding up a gigantic device to take a photo?! Use your $159 camera or your iPhone. When did the world revolve around cameras?!
 
Obviously, listen to music while reading an e-book. That's the most obvious one. You can even do that on a Kindle, for heaven's sake, and that's a very limited device. Maybe Apple will carve out an exception for your iTunes music?

You can currently do that on the iPhone, so I'd imagine you can do it on the iPad.
 
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