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iPad Simulator in New SDK Hints at Possible But Unlikely Camera Support

The idea of having an adapter in the dock for camera usage is pretty poor. I thought Apple wanted users to lounge around on couches and look cool in cafes while using their new iPads. Who is going to dock the device while sitting on a couch? That's not very practical. At that point it may just be simpler to use your MB/MBP.
As much as I want a front facing camera in the iPad, it's not going to occur in the first revision. Apple will not add it within the next 60 days. It's a feature they are going to add in the next revision.
 
Anuba said:
Why? The iPad is so small, the camera doesn't necessarily have to be centered. For instance, they could put it in a corner (halfway between landscape and portrait, so to speak), and then they could fix it in a slightly tilted position so that it's pointed toward an imaginary line between the user and the center of the screen. This would be enough to frame the picture correctly and put the user in the center. The angle will be slightly off, but it won't be noticeable unless the user is so close he has his nose up against the screen. The automatic rotation of the image would be handled by the software.
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They wouldn't have to do that. You'll use the camera with Skype as on an iMac when you're talking to someone, not all the time. It will be on the top bezel when the iPad is in its dock, where 99% of the camera use would be (again, think a small iMac). That's it. Otherwise, when you're reading, surfing, watching a movie, etc., you'll just ignore the camera and go back to your favorite orientation.
 
DoktorFaust said:
On possibility is that the lack of webcam on the iPad is largely due to bandwidth limitations for the 3G model. In other words, the idea is to keep the AT&T networks from melting. Obviously a camera isn't expensive nor does it take up much room, so I have a tough time imagining that's the limitation.
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who said webcam? This particular article is about a still camera, snap, capture, done, AT&T doesn't feature in that equation at all. I don't know why they didn't put a camera on the Pad with the exception it would have been heinously ugly .. I'm surprised Steve even went for the big iPhone on/off button, but network bandwidth certainly isn't it.

And what's with the whole non-disclosure-doesn't-apply-to-me crap? I'm pretty sure the version of IPhone OS for the iPad is under NDA isn't it .. so what's this picture doing here?
 
Tethered Camera Shooting

I'm not interested in using the iPad as a camera. I can't imagine trying to hold it steady in one hand while using the other hand to click to focus and shoot. I've already got a "good enough" camera in my iPhone.

I agree with everyone who talked about apple not adding a camera because there is not supposed to be a wrong way to orient the ipad.

What I really want to do is hook up a camera via usb and have people write apps that allow me to fully control my dslr. Let me see the live preview on the gorgeous iPad screen. Have a histogram, full control of the camera. Touch to focus or set white balance.

Imagine all the cool iphone camera apps not using the dinky cameraphone lens and sensor, but with a full frame fast lens. That is my vision of photography with the iPad
 
rols said:
who said webcam? This particular article is about a still camera, snap, capture, done, AT&T doesn't feature in that equation at all. I don't know why they didn't put a camera on the Pad with the exception it would have been heinously ugly .. I'm surprised Steve even went for the big iPhone on/off button, but network bandwidth certainly isn't it.

And what's with the whole non-disclosure-doesn't-apply-to-me crap? I'm pretty sure the version of IPhone OS for the iPad is under NDA isn't it .. so what's this picture doing here?
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How would it have been ugly? You can barely see the camera on my 24" iMac, they've hidden it quite well. As for a rear-facing camera, I think it looks fine on the iPhone, so can't see why it'd be any different on the iPad. I don't think it should have a rear-facing camera however, only a front facing one.
 
Anuba said:
Why? The iPad is so small, the camera doesn't necessarily have to be centered. For instance, they could put it in a corner (halfway between landscape and portrait, so to speak), and then they could fix it in a slightly tilted position so that it's pointed toward an imaginary line between the user and the center of the screen. This would be enough to frame the picture correctly and put the user in the center. The angle will be slightly off, but it won't be noticeable unless the user is so close he has his nose up against the screen. The automatic rotation of the image would be handled by the software.
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But you have to keep your hands on it... and they could obscure the camera.

Just guessing ;)
 
Interesting post. I tend to think that the camera will be added for the first revision, but, if it is added before shipping, I may have to find the money and buy one asap. :D
 
Camera

The tablet is going to be released in 59 and 89 days now. Who said that there can't be tiny revisions such as a camera to be implemented within this device? Also, the multitasking option may be applied to iPhone 4.0. Maybe they are just waiting for the release of a new iPhone so the existing users won't be angry about all of this. My $.02
 
vettori said:
Yes, but just think about videoconferencing (for me the only thing that makes sense with a camera on a device like the iPad).

The position of the camera is important; you can't simply turn the iPad and turn the images from the camera and hope to get the same result in all directions.... The videoconferencing app has to be portrait or landscape only.
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I agree, the potential of video conferencing interests me as a feature too. I still think though the hardware/software can manage the image flipping (and show in either landscape or portrait modes). My iPod touch does this with images (but admittedly with no camera). I am optimistic about this thing. It is a game changer. Just wait and see...
 
mlblacy said:
Also, I thought there were two cutouts in the thick plastic cover from the leaked pics (see attached). One for the home button, and one for....??


Click for full size - Uploaded with plasq's Skitch
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Agreed, those pics that came out just before the keynote were probably real, and then what is that top cutout for??
Anyway, even if v1 ended up having a camera, it wouldn't surprise me if they made another version without, because cameras are more of a liability for institutional use.
 
I love the ipad and most likely will buy one but for me having isight type camera would make this perfect for what I would use this for. I would love to walk around the house and out in the yard and show my mom or whoever the place over wifi. I work out of my home and I have a imac in the shop and a macbook pro down in my other office but I use my iphone upstairs to check my emails and my sites. If I need to do some real work I go to the office or the shop. With the ipad I could pretty much do it right there in the living room without having my laptop there.

Like I said I most likely will buy the 499 version and hope that they add a camera at some point and then I'll give this one to one of my kids. :D
 
I'm sure there will be a future version with a camera, it will just take time. My feeling on the matter is Apple was pushing full force for the $500 mark for pricing and dropped some of the features that would have pushed it over that mark like a camera. It probably also has to do with the data plan. Also, since the OS is the same, wouldn't it be likely that features like that would be for the iPhone users in 4.0?
 
No deal...

No front facing iSight, and no family data deal from AT&T, no sale...

The camera part is cheap and they could always stipulate no video over 3G at this time, and why must the Wifi only users suffer?

Also until AT&T offers a combo data plan, no deal.

We already pay $60 for data (2 iPhones) and unless at&t says for ~$15 more we can tether the iPad, or reduce that $30 iPad data plan down for iPhone subs, no deal.

Sad really, a camera, and at&t bundling data usage fees, and I think this things would sell twice as fast.

I think it will still sell to major apple fans, but my money says 75% of the early adopters will wait for a camera, and it's the early adopter that drive v1 sales. (Ex we all paid $600 for the v1 iPhone)

Oh well, apple and at$t still have time to fix this... fingers crossed.

I think i'll email them feedback right now...

Cheers
-wsn
 
shardey said:
The tablet is going to be released in 59 and 89 days now. Who said that there can't be tiny revisions such as a camera to be implemented within this device? Also, the multitasking option may be applied to iPhone 4.0. Maybe they are just waiting for the release of a new iPhone so the existing users won't be angry about all of this. My $.02
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While I doubt it, there is the possiblity that whatever issue Apple had with cameras that kept them out of the iPod Touch may have still been a problem when they were getting iPads built for development and to show off yesterday. And maybe, just maybe, the final devices when they start being built will have the camera. But again I doubt it.
 
peterjhill said:
What I really want to do is hook up a camera via usb and have people write apps that allow me to fully control my dslr. Let me see the live preview on the gorgeous iPad screen. Have a histogram, full control of the camera. Touch to focus or set white balance.

Imagine all the cool iphone camera apps not using the dinky cameraphone lens and sensor, but with a full frame fast lens. That is my vision of photography with the iPad
Click to expand...

now your talkin, that is exactly what I am hoping for.
 
If they build a camera on it, I will buy it.

However whenever I use video iChat on my macbook pro, my battery life drains considerably more and the fans speed up.

I wonder if the CPU/GPU processor in the iPad could handle that type of video?
 
peterjhill said:
What I really want to do is hook up a camera via usb and have people write apps that allow me to fully control my dslr. Let me see the live preview on the gorgeous iPad screen. Have a histogram, full control of the camera. Touch to focus or set white balance.

Imagine all the cool iphone camera apps not using the dinky cameraphone lens and sensor, but with a full frame fast lens. That is my vision of photography with the iPad
Click to expand...

That would be cool for serious photographers. And you could integrate apps that help you calculate exposures and such. In fact, users will think of many more cool things to do with the iPad than Apple will allow.

I see a serious jailbreak in this device's near-term future!
 
peterjhill said:
What I really want to do is hook up a camera via usb and have people write apps that allow me to fully control my dslr. Let me see the live preview on the gorgeous iPad screen. Have a histogram, full control of the camera. Touch to focus or set white balance.

Imagine all the cool iphone camera apps not using the dinky cameraphone lens and sensor, but with a full frame fast lens. That is my vision of photography with the iPad
Click to expand...

Better yet, connect over WiFi. Any dSLRs building in WiFi yet?
 
I think a Bluetooth camera accessory would be the best solution and I hope this is what Apple has in mind. It could be designed to be able to attach to the tablet, or you could hold it in your hand or put it on the table or whatever if that was better for the use at hand. And a bluetooth camera wouldn't take up the connector, or have a cable to deal with.

Better than in integrated camera because you can face it any direction you like -- same direction as screen for video conferencing, or in the opposite direction for taking pictures of a subject.

Also, with an accessory camera, people can pick the image quality and form factor they need - an ultra compact, inxpensive model for the travelling businessperson who just needs a low-quality video image for videoconferencing, or a larger, higher resolution model for someone who wants to actually use the thing as a video camera.

Only disadvantages of a separate bluetooth accessory camera I can see are that (a) the camera would have to have its own power source (i.e., batteries), and (b) it would probably be a relatively easy thing to lose. IMHO, the additional flexibility an accessory camera provides is well worth the trade-off, though.


Cheers,

EQ17
 
Apple didn't overhype anything!! In fact, Apple didn't say anything about the tablet. We did. Macrumors did. Engagdet did. TUAW did.

The expectations and hype were so high, that there is very little Apple could have introduced that would have satisfied most. Here are my thoughts, now that I have slept on the debut:

1. If the next iPhone software will have multitasking (rumored), so will the iPad. Had Steve mentioned it yesterday, then we all would have said that he spilled the beans on the next iPhone software, which he does not want to do.

2. As 3rd party apps come out for the iPad, I think we will see how much more useful this device will be. If I was in college, I'd love to be able to have my texts on this, be able to highlight passages, be able to "copy/past/port" those passages into a document for studying (and have the ability to tap one of the passages to take me back to the place in the text from where it came). If you can't imagine what apps would make a difference on the iPad, it's because you are a reader here, not a developer!

3. It's so easy for us to bash a product that we have not touched. Let's see how this thing works in March....I think many of us may eat our words.
 
So much (less) for so much money!

JnDRader said:
http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/

Features page under the Photos description.

Seriously, nobody actually went to Apple's site and read through the iPad literature they put there?
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That page lists 'Home Screen' as a main feature. On the iPhone, it's 16 icons, unless you jailbreak. On the iPad's screen they managed (are you sitting?) TWENTY! Revolution! Brilliant! That must worth at least $100 of the purchase price!
 
LagunaSol said:
What is all the grief about the lack of a camera on this thing?
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I'm with you on that.

Sure, a lot of people use a camera. How many really need it? The iPad is an intermediate device which isn't necessarily reliant on video/photo capturing. It would be annoying as a camera. As for video chat, I never met anyone who relies on it or needs it. It's just a nice way to phone someone and not have to type.

I suspect you'll see cameras on iPad and iPodTouch in September, or earlier.
 
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