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Is it possible that a USB port could be in furtherance - at least in part - to the iPad itself being your actual iTunes library?

Very interesting!

I like the way you are thinking. If we get a battery update (which seems inevitable) this is very plausible.

Great thinking!
 
Had not thought about that, but what about battery life if you forget to take off the iphone; still could supplant the laptop for sure. :rolleyes:

I don't have a good answer for that. Good point. It just seems silly - as both the memory and hard drive space increase on iPads - for it to be necessary to have it tethered to another device that may, ironically, have no more memory/hard drive space than the iPad itself. I don't know the nuts and bolts on how to make it work, but looking broadly it seems the iPad could be, and should be, a stand alone device.

/my two cents


Very interesting!

I like the way you are thinking. If we get a battery update (which seems inevitable) this is very plausible.

Great thinking!

Thanks. I enjoy thinking about the broad direction of the iPad. I'd enjoy just owning one even more. ;)
 
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I like the host theory too. Especially if coupled to an improved Timecapsule.

The iPad need full iTunes and iPhoto apps anyway. It's especially well suited to managing photos.
 
Strange for people to think iPad 2 will be larger. Could it be a knockoff?



Yup. Even google is moving away from devices with SD card.

1. Google doesn't make phones.
2. All other manufacturers have been mocking the iPad and the iPhone so I don't take a lead from them. As a thing of substance itself, I have less reliance of physical media more than ever.
 
Ohhh... just tell me when Apple sets the date for their next press conference! The anticipation is building!

My guess for iPad2 is, slightly thinner, lighter, faster processor, better screen (but not OLED or Retna), SD Card, 2 camera's.... then there is the anticipation of what will Apple do to really change it up? I'm sure now after a year of product on the street and competition cropping up everywhere, there's going to be something more that was not anticipated. I know one thing that would be cool... make it so the iPad no longer requires it to Dock to a computer. Make it self contained or tethered.
 
That is exactly what he's thinking. I believe you've answered your own question, as any product that uses a USB cable can connect to the iPad or iPhone, it just won't do much since the software hasn't been written to do anything with the products.

Many USB devices like keyboards require power to be provided by the USB port, something I very much doubt the adapter does. ;) You'd probably need a new dongle, and I bet some modifications to the dock interface too.


I don't see the USB port on that. Now where do I attach my Bamboo tablet on that ?
 
How do I connect my USB keyboard to a dock connector and how is that a OS software issue ?

Unless you're thinking of a Dock to USB adapter dongle (which doesn't yet exist aside from the camera kit).



There will be no SD card slot, the camera kit works for the handful of people that actually want to import their pictures direct from camera without using the computer middle man.

I hope the flat rumor is true though. I do know a number of people that didn't like the rounded back as it causes interaction issues when the device is laid down. Though, like all issues it's easily solved with an add-on, in this case with the addition of a case that holds the device flat.
 
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As for the new look...

I think they'll try and make the new iPad look as close in style to the MacBook Airs. Just as they harmonise OSX Lion and iOS 5 to be as close in style as each other on the software side.

If that's the case I expect iPhone 5 to follow suit in July (and lose the external antenna, as beautiful as it is). Sorry, veered a little off topic there. :)
 
there's going to be something more that was not anticipated.

Picoesque HD projector for presentations?

Droool

ASIDE: Not commenting on the plausibility of the screen update, but everyone and their brother said is was IMPOSSIBLE for Apple to implement Retina Display on the iPod and retain the same price point.
 
I prefer wired peripherals when working at a fixed desk and this fool carries around a laptop with an integrated keyboard rather than dragging around an iPad, a dock and a keyboard with an extra set of batteries. ;)
 
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How do I connect my USB keyboard to a dock connector and how is that a OS software issue ?

Unless you're thinking of a Dock to USB adapter dongle (which doesn't yet exist aside from the camera kit).

You know what's easier than putting a USB port on every iPad? You nailed it: Selling an adapter to the 3% of you out there who don't want to use either the Bluetooth keyboard or the dock-keyboard.

Same thing for hard drives and flash drives. They already sell that adapter, you know. It's part of the camera connector kit. The fact that your keyboard doesn't work with it is a software issue...the hardware to hook your keyboard up already exists.
 
It almost sounds as though Apple is discussing multiple different variations—not just the “real” one—to track down just where NDA’s are being broken. Maybe.

That port opening looks like it’s the right size for a second dock connector. But I’m skeptical that there will be any additional ports beyond putting adapters on the dock connector. The general device shape is believable though.

The first port I’d expect Apple to add, if they added any, wouldn’t be a USB port of limited use to people, but an SD card slot for loading photos (which is the most likely use of a USB port anyway).

Anything that needs USB may as well just use an adapter: you have to carry a USB cable then anyway, so there’s no huge harm in making that small niche of users keep an adapter stuck on the cable. It’s not really anything more to carry in that case. (Whereas an external SD reader is truly an extra item to carry.)


Picoesque HD projector for presentations?

Droool

ASIDE: Not commenting on the plausibility of the screen update, but everyone and their brother said is was IMPOSSIBLE for Apple to implement Retina Display on the iPod and retain the same price point.

That’s why I’m expecting only a minor screen improvement—the usual boost in contrast or whatever, not in resolution. Plus, doubling the res of an iPad still wouldn’t meet the previous (artificial) definition of “retina” display, unless they assume you hold the device farther from your eye. (But just to throw out a random possibility: it would be interesting to see some kind of fractional increase, like 1.5x which would be 1536x1152. Older graphics would scale oddly, with a little softness that 2x wouldn’t cause.)

As for picoprojectors—that would be very cool! But not used often enough to justify making everyone pay for one. The cameras could be in the same boat, except Apple has reason to promote the FaceTime system, and they’re useful for augmented reality... and they probably cost less than a picoprojector (and occupy less volume too). If Apple wants the iPad to remain super-cheap and super-thin, a picoprojector sounds like something else to leave as an external (probably third-party) option.
 
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You know what's easier than putting a USB port on every iPad? You nailed it: Selling an adapter to the 3% of you out there who don't want to use either the Bluetooth keyboard or the dock-keyboard.

Same thing for hard drives and flash drives. They already sell that adapter, you know. It's part of the camera connector kit. The fact that your keyboard doesn't work with it is a software issue...the hardware to hook your keyboard up already exists.

That's the point, the USB port provided in the camera kit probably lacks power. It has no need because cameras use their own power source when connected to the computer.

Also, you can't hook up storage to the iPad to back up data on it, like a hard drive or USB thumb drives. Again, most of these require power coming from the USB connector, not just data (for the thumb drives at least, most hardware have a power cord). This isn't just a OS Software issue.

And keyboard is the only thing covered by the dock connector/bluetooth combo. What about tablets ? Much better for drawing apps than your fingers (I stopped finger painting at 5...). What about webcams ?

The simple fact is, and I agree with you (btw, why include me in the people who want USB on iPad ? I don't even want an iPad to begin with, much less one with USB ports) that USB isn't coming to iPad because Apple just doesn't want iPad to be a stand-alone Mac replacement. They very much want you to need to tether it to a desktop/laptop to make it functional.
 
The first port I’d expect Apple to add, if they added any, wouldn’t be a USB port of limited use to people, but an SD card slot for loading photos (which is the most likely use of a USB port anyway).

I hate built-in slots for photos. I had a TV with a port for that once. 6 months late I bought a little point-and-shoot camera. By that time everything was shipping with the faster version of that card which, you guessed it, the TV wouldn't read.

And even IF that doesn't happen, my SLR and my Point-and-Shoot use different cards (not to mention my iPhone, which as someone else said, can't hook up to an iPad yet). So even with the BEST CASE, a built-in slot only serves 1/3 of my cameras.

So, in short, built-in card readers are only barely useful to begin with and it's likely they'll go obsolete years before the rest of the computer does.

Waste of space.


The simple fact is, and I agree with you (btw, why include me in the people who want USB on iPad ? I don't even want an iPad to begin with, much less one with USB ports) that USB isn't coming to iPad because Apple just doesn't want iPad to be a stand-alone Mac replacement. They very much want you to need to tether it to a desktop/laptop to make it functional.

Overall I agree, but I think it's less "they don't want it to replace the Mac" and more "they want you to find a new solution."

Flash drive? Use Dropbox.
USB Keyboard? Use Bluetooth
Web-cam? We'll build one in for you.

Now, I'm sure you can come up with even more examples that have no replacement. That's not the point. The point is that this is like removing the modem from the Macbooks a year or two ago. Yes, I'm sure that makes someone, somewhere, angry. But Apple's prepared to deal with that lost sale. Same thing here. They'll find you a new solution. And if they can't...ok, too bad for you.
 
How do I connect my USB keyboard to a dock connector and how is that a OS software issue ?

Unless you're thinking of a Dock to USB adapter dongle (which doesn't yet exist aside from the camera kit).

Yes, it costs 35$, it's the Camera kit. It has both a Dock connector adapter for USB and for SD Cards. Of course, the USB port is not much use outside of cameras.

Many USB devices like keyboards require power to be provided by the USB port, something I very much doubt the adapter does. ;) You'd probably need a new dongle, and I bet some modifications to the dock interface too.

You might want to check your information before talking about something you don't know about. The camera connector dock to USB adaptor is 100% compatible with most USB keyboards. Yes, the port does supply power, though not very much (for example, it doesn't supply enough power to power a USB hard drive - not even close). So, before going on about how such an ability doesn't exist, you might want to ask the question of those who might just know a little bit more than you...
 
That’s why I’m expecting only a minor screen improvement—the usual boost in contrast or whatever, not in resolution. Plus, doubling the res of an iPad still wouldn’t meet the previous (artificial) definition of “retina” display, unless they assume you hold the device farther from your eye. (But just to throw out a random possibility: it would be interesting to see some kind of fractional increase, like 1.5x which would be 1536x1152. Older graphics would scale oddly, with a little softness that 2x wouldn’t cause.)

You do hold the device a little farther away than you would a phone, so it'd still fit their definition of a retina display. I do wonder if they'll choose the 1600x1200 route, or go all out for a full HD-capable (2048x1536?) screen when they choose to go ahead w/ the upgrade.
 
HTC and Samsung

Well if you wanna get technical, Apple doesn't make the iPhone. Foxconn does.

Can we all agree that it's obvious they're talking about who designed the phone? In the iPhone's case, that's Apple. For those 2 phones, it's Google. (Unlike other Android phones which are, in fact, designed by those companies.)
 
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