I have a MPB and iMac at home, and would use my MBP when on the couch, or out and about. My opinion, the invention of the iPad, tablet in general, has been the greatest tech invention in some time. Im not saying that it makes my MBP obsolete, but if Im not using certain OS based programs, I do not turn on my MBP. My Air is much more convenient for me than my MBP now, and has changed the way Im doing personal and business work forever. Just wanted to get thoughts of my opinion from others.
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iPad (tablet) greatest tech invention in recent history?
- Thread starter The.316
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I had a couple of tablets before iPad, including compaq tc4200 and lg xnote. Before iPad, tablets were crap. iPad (iPhone/iOS) changed everything.
I wanted to say the greatest tech creation of our era, but it could be seen as a reach. We have seen tablets used in movies for years, even before the iPhone, but I never imagined something to come along like it, where it would play such a role in everything from education, to health, to army use, etc.
I have an iPad from work and 98% of the time, its sitting on my desk without being used. I don't see the point of it other than a certain app that's exclusively on the iPad.
The Remote Control is the greatest tech invention EVER! Kids nowadays do not truly appreciated it like old timers do.
When I was a kid, I had to stand up and WALK to the damn TV if I wanted to change channels. And it wasn't just clicking a button, either. There were these knobs. Big ole bastards. And you had to turn them a whole bunch to get to where you wanted.
...not that that happened all that often, since we only had three channels that came in well regularly at my house back then. Sometimes we'd have a 4th pop up on UHF, but that only happened on perfectly cloudless afternoons.
Yes, it's great.
But not as much as what the iPhone did for smartphone's starting in 2007, a mere 7 years back. Crappy resistive touch with stylus, or billion tiny button cluster****, to the smooth projected capacitive iPhone display.
Look at how the smartphone market has exploded since.
They are our true portal computers.
Actually I would say that the iPhone (original version) or the T-Mobile G1 as the two greatest inventions in tech world.?
Really greatest tech invention ever? I never had to go to the TV to change the channel but I don't think it can be the greatest tech invention ever. I vote the internet best tech invention ever. http://thehockeyshop.com/
Is it fair to say that it was the iPad that got tablets going? If so, it is truly great. Remember the Newton (1987)? This was Apple's idea. Probably the same thing can be said for the iphone too, not the first smart phone, but the first great smart phone. 
Is it fair to say that it was the iPad that got tablets going? If so, it is truly great. Remember the Newton (1987)? This was Apple's idea. Probably the same thing can be said for the iphone too, not the first smart phone, but the first great smart phone.
I wouldn't say that. I had seen some pretty damn good smartphones around before the iPhone hit the scene.
...though I will give credit where credit is due and say the iPhone was the first cool smartphone.
Not arguing but it seemed like the iPhone was incredibly expensive when it first came out but took off like a shot and not because it sucked.
The first iPhone sold alright, but I'd say it really take off until the 3G hit the scene with the app store in tow, and the new subsidized prices gave people beyond the Apple faithful a reason to give it a try.
After that, it did take off like a shot. Not because it was the first good smartphone, but because it was the first smartphone that looked fun to use.
I remember the first time I saw one in stores. I had seen Blackberries and Windows Phones long before that, so the concept wasn't all that new to me. But when I picked one up, one of the first things I did beyond check out the phone and internet features was play Pac-Man...
...and that was kinda cool.
Sometimes an invention in itself doesn't last long but sets technical gears in motion.
PDA - started the hand computer that was more powerful than a calculator. Some even had attachments for being used as a phone. Apple reversed the order and made a phone that had computer-ability.
Newton - Apple in the past had a good run but failed with this tablet. It wasn't until years later and better technology that a good tablet that was both powerful and thin could be made.
A while back, there was an outfit that Apple licensed to convert the Apple laptops into touch screen capable devices. If I recall correction the screen either could fold back or be turned around and lay flat against the rest of the laptop body. All these pre-dated the iPhone and iPad.
I can't think of a single invention that is tops on my list of the modern era unless we went into categories. Perhaps tools for micro-circuitry/hardware would be primary as it allows for memory, CPU, GPU etc. to be smaller, faster, cooler and produced in mass quantities. Without the latter, we wouldn't have any of the above.
PDA - started the hand computer that was more powerful than a calculator. Some even had attachments for being used as a phone. Apple reversed the order and made a phone that had computer-ability.
Newton - Apple in the past had a good run but failed with this tablet. It wasn't until years later and better technology that a good tablet that was both powerful and thin could be made.
A while back, there was an outfit that Apple licensed to convert the Apple laptops into touch screen capable devices. If I recall correction the screen either could fold back or be turned around and lay flat against the rest of the laptop body. All these pre-dated the iPhone and iPad.
I can't think of a single invention that is tops on my list of the modern era unless we went into categories. Perhaps tools for micro-circuitry/hardware would be primary as it allows for memory, CPU, GPU etc. to be smaller, faster, cooler and produced in mass quantities. Without the latter, we wouldn't have any of the above.
Poppycock! The World Wide Web (WWW), what most people know as "the Web" and mistakenly think of as "the Internet", ranks as one of the top blockbuster tech developments of recent times. The invention of the WWW gave the Internet a much need graphical interface, basically a "desktop environment" that could handle both graphics and text.
Tablets and smart phones are merely the appliance version of the personal computer, e.g., a microcomputer. Most of today's tablets are touch-responsive appliances that utilize a ver. 2.0 user input interface, i.e., a touch interface, as opposed to the old ver. 1.0 user interface, e.g., a mouse and a keyboard.
Without the Web, and all of the Web's (and the Internet's) magical protocols, tablet (and smart phones) wouldn't be more than glorified Game Boyz.
Tablets and smart phones are merely the appliance version of the personal computer, e.g., a microcomputer. Most of today's tablets are touch-responsive appliances that utilize a ver. 2.0 user input interface, i.e., a touch interface, as opposed to the old ver. 1.0 user interface, e.g., a mouse and a keyboard.
Without the Web, and all of the Web's (and the Internet's) magical protocols, tablet (and smart phones) wouldn't be more than glorified Game Boyz.
The tablet is far more interesting to me than the iPhone etc... The internet was the best innovation back in the 1970s (I know some people can't read...as 30 or 40 years ago isn't exactly recent.) However for recent times I'd say the best innovation is the iPad. The iPhone for me was not a must have...the iPad was...
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Flat LCD panels are the best invention of recent times. Imagine what we wouldn't have without them.
Yeah, that's a good one too. If we didn't have flat panels we'd still be watching some puny, 32" CRT TV with a crappy picture in 4:3 aspect ratio. YUK!
The tablet has been good too though. The iPad in particular has been amazing.
I actually think smartphones are the greatest tech creation of our era, with the iPhone leading the charge. They got a strong penetration in society (almost everyone has one of those now), they are the basis of many cultural phenomen (the "selfie" craze, part of the popularity of Facebook is due to instant access everywhere, etc), and having access to a (relatively) good camera all the time has changed people a bit.
Would consider the original iPod or iPhone more.
The original iPad was really just a big iPod touch.
It would be in the top 10 but other tech inventions deserve more credit.
The original iPad was really just a big iPod touch.
It would be in the top 10 but other tech inventions deserve more credit.
Right, because reading books is the primary purpose of an iPad? If you want to save a few dollars, don't even try an iPad. It's the sort of the thing that just takes on a life of its own once you start using it.
As hearing impaired, I found out that Research in Motion 950 was the best invention of our time to help deaf people to communicate with other deaf people in the world. 