Is the iPad Overpriced and Underspecced? What should it have...

[heesey1010]

For me it's not so much Flash or even lack of a camera as much as it is software. I'm really disappointed that all they did was scale up iPhone OS (albeit the improvements are cool and definitely needed on a device this big...but still, functionality seems to be lacking).

But the keyboard also strikes me as a big negative for some reason...now granted, I know Apple will never make a convertible tablet in their lifetime, it would just be offensive to their aesthetics. But there's just something about typing on a tablet that just doesn't seem right without an actual physical keyboard. With an iPhone, you can actually type fairly quick with your thumbs (assuming you don't have massive thumbs), but with an iPad it seems apparent that you really have to use your full hands, yet in an awkward way. It's cool that iWork will be available for it, but I find its use to be more of "in case of emergency" rather than a true productivity app.

It'll be interesting to see if they develop the iPad line in more ways than just amount of storage...a "more advanced" iPad with actual OS X on it and such. Obviously more expensive, but still a possibility.

also, is anyone else other than me worried that we might see another "transition" to Apple processor chips in notebooks and desktops? Or am I just being highly irrational today haha.

 

[hundleton1]

The consensus across the internet is that the iPad is a massive disappointment. Why do YOU personally feel this way. Pick your reasons from below or pick a new reason and post it here...

No Multitasking
No Real GPS
No Camera (with LED Flash)
No Videocalling/conferencing/iChat
An extremely disappointing 256 MB of RAM!
No Additional Touch Gestures
No Java or Flash support (no hulu.com)
Only 16-64 gbs of HDD space when most tablets offer 250 gbs minimum!
No USB Port (can't hook it up to a printer to print off an iWorks project, cant connect a USB key that has some documents stored etc)
No ability to connect to an extrernal hdd, or even to pop in an SDCard Slot
The enormous bezel is a massive eyesore. I thought Apple was all about design, so how they could make such a large and fugly bezel for a premier device escapes me.
No Handwriting Recognition or Support for a Stylus. A huge selling point of any Tablet is to be able to take notes in classes and such.
No Wireless Syncing or File Transfers
No File Management or Freedom to download files (even documents) from online
No Ability to run custom Apps not preapproved by Apple and sold via the App Store
No OLED Screen
A Very Low Resolution Display with 25% fewer PPPs than the iPhone or iPod Touch, the display should have a higher resolution
No integrated TV antenna or Radio antenna (They even developed a HD DTV Tuner for use in cellphones to allow users to pick up OTA HDTV signals on the go! Why they didn't include this technology in this device I won't understand). They could've even included a record function on the tablet to give it PVR functionality
No Video Out
According to Apple's page on the product, the maximum resolution it is capable of playing MPEG4s at is 640x480 resolution at 30 fps. Not even HD! It features a 1 Ghz processor that significantly slower than just about every single notebook on the market today.
No OTA Sync With Apple TV or Servers To Stream Video
No Low Reflective Screen Mode for high contrast Ebook Reading that doesn't hurt your eyes
No Gamepad attachment for Gaming With Physical Buttons/Tactile Feedback
No ability to connect to a bluetooth mouse/keyboard
No RFID/IR to use it as a remote, or to tag it to yourself
No Replacable/Removable Batteries

i agree with you on most of this however i believe there is a simple reason why these things are missing, it Price, apple could have build the best most advanced tablet ever seen by man however that would have cost $1500+, it would unquestionably been more expensive than all there other products packing all these functions in to such a small platform including a completely custom OS that would be expensive to make and maintain, the simple fact is the only way this platform can survive is if it can compete with net books on price, yes they may have more functionality however 99% of people don't understand the difference or even care, now that can get an apple computer for $499. its that simple.

it was a far safer option to build a device based on a platform that works the iPhone/Ipod Touch, for apple to make another custom version of OS x could mean a whole new development costing more money,by using the Iphone OS the same dev team can support both devices.

the fact is all the Hardcore Apple fans wanted the Holy Grail of devices but sadly even if they had built it no one could afford it, the economy across the world is shot, what would the point apple selling the Ultimate tablet then it only selling very small quantities, Apple had to produce a device that was with in the reach of the masses, then by locking it down they get money from the app sales pushing the profit up from the low initial margin.

the biggest fail was the launch, it felt very rushed, its not ready to ship for 2 months, no carrier details until june, they would have been better keeping the lid on it until everything was in place, i thing they decided to rush the conference out to take full advantage of the current hype level, as for the other stuff i think if they can add multi tasking and downloading options then its going to be a decent product, obviously we want flash but i have stopped believing thats ever going to happen

in the end i get the feeling this was not built for us, it was for the unconverted.

 

[object88]

You crack me up! What percentage of the male population walks around town with a freaking BAG?? Get real!

Hm, projecting your insecurities? What do I care what other people do, and why should you care?

On topic, however, if you're complaining about size, and therefore portability, and if your criteria for acceptance is something that will fit in your pocket, then the only thing that would make you happy is another phone-size device. So you had no reason to be interested in yesterday's product announcement to start with, and have come here to troll.

 

[wikoogle]

The point isn't the bag.

The point is that this device is wholly lacking the portality, and a lot of the functionality of an iPhone. It's basically a SEVERELY crippled Netbook. It's no more portable than a Netbook either. So why does it exist?

 

[jamesapp]

For me it's not so much Flash or even lack of a camera as much as it is software. I'm really disappointed that all they did was scale up iPhone OS (albeit the improvements are cool and definitely needed on a device this big...but still, functionality seems to be lacking).

But the keyboard also strikes me as a big negative for some reason...now granted, I know Apple will never make a convertible tablet in their lifetime, it would just be offensive to their aesthetics. But there's just something about typing on a tablet that just doesn't seem right without an actual physical keyboard. With an iPhone, you can actually type fairly quick with your thumbs (assuming you don't have massive thumbs), but with an iPad it seems apparent that you really have to use your full hands, yet in an awkward way. It's cool that iWork will be available for it, but I find its use to be more of "in case of emergency" rather than a true productivity app.

It'll be interesting to see if they develop the iPad line in more ways than just amount of storage...a "more advanced" iPad with actual OS X on it and such. Obviously more expensive, but still a possibility.

also, is anyone else other than me worried that we might see another "transition" to Apple processor chips in notebooks and desktops? Or am I just being highly irrational today haha.

I agree, when I bought my first iPhone a 3g it couldn't take video. Even though other phones could I bought an iPhone anyway because I loved the interface. So when I heard rumors of what the tablet was going to be like, and then when it came out, I thought I could live without a camera, although I couldn't understand why it didn't have one. But what really dissapointed me was that the os is a beefed up iPhone os. And I hear people say that a full blown mac os wouldn't work on a multi touch tablet device, but why couldn't they have created a mac os x like tablet os? With the multi touch interface acting kinda like an iPhone, but with some of the power and versatility of a computer?

 

[dave1812dave]

Hm, projecting your insecurities? What do I care what other people do, and why should you care?

On topic, however, if you're complaining about size, and therefore portability, and if your criteria for acceptance is something that will fit in your pocket, then the only thing that would make you happy is another phone-size device. So you had no reason to be interested in yesterday's product announcement to start with, and have come here to troll.

I'm not insecure at all! I sometimes wear a fanny pack for needed medical supplies, so that just shot down your moronic ideas. How many men walk around with backpacks, bags, fanny packs (which would be too small for the iPad, btw)? You can't give me an answer, because to do so would utterly destroy your argument about how one would carry the iPad around, outside their home. VERY FEW MEN WOULD HAVE THE DESIRE TO SCHLEPP AN IPAD AROUND TOWN. You really aren't too bright if you can't grasp that simple fact of life.

 

[XboxEvolved]

A few reasons. Mostly though it was a massive disappointment. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but Apple really dropped the ball on this one. If Apple wanted me to really, really want it they would have to do just a few things that I think they would do with a "One more thing" event later this year, in June, or sometime next year, including:

-Actually making it more than a big iPod touch
-Multi-tasking (which Apple could probably do in iPhone too)
-Make the 3G model THE model, for $500. Lose money? How is Apple losing money? You mean by all that crap they are selling on iTunes?
-Make the keyboard attachment able to "pivot" so that it can be used in landscape view
-add a camera, and seriously Apple couldn't have been anymore obviously stupid about this. They make comparisons against netbooks but you know what every single damn netbook has? A camera
-SD Slot should be included on the device
-a USB port should be included on the device
-you want to say you have the ultimate web viewing experience but you can't even support flash? NIOCE
-Make it more mac os x than iPhone OS X..or actually why not make a OS X just for it?
-Also wish Apple would quit patting themselves on the back about something from a crowd that got more snickers, sneers, and claps from applause signs and actually work at something.
-Wish that Apple wouldn't have gotten lazy.

Basically for just $150-200 more than the highest end Maxi I mean iPad you can have a Macbook.

 

[SimonMW]

No USB Port (you can't connect a camera to download photos to this thing while on vacation. You'll need to take a laptop with you where you got to get the photos, and then later sync them to this device,

Wrong.

Only 16-64 gbs of HDD space when most tablets offer 250 gbs minimum!

The iPad has up to 64GB of flash memory, NOT a HDD. And for all fools complaining about this, just go and take a look at how much it costs to buy 64GB of ram for your computer. Rather more than the cost of the entire iPad I think you'll find!!

A 32GB SxS card for the Sony EX cameras costs as much as an iPad. People here need to get a grip and actually think about what they are saying.

No ability to connect to an extrernal hdd, or even to pop in an SDCard Slot

Really? You have amazing powers of knowledge considering that you can't even buy the device yet. And on the SD card front you are wrong anyway. Have you even bothered to look on the Apple site?

No Handwriting Recognition

Wrong again. It runs all the apps in the app store, which as you should know contains hand writing recognition software.

No File Management or Freedom to download files (even documents) from online

How in the hell do you know if this is the case or not? It hasn't been released yet.

No OLED Screen

Again, try to make the effort to look up technology before you make such stupid comments. OLED is expensive and cannot be made in the quantities Apple would need at the size that they need it.

ccording to Apple's page on the product, the maximum resolution it is capable of playing MPEG4s at is 640x480 resolution at 30 fps.

You clearly can't read. It handles 720p no problem.

 

[object88]

So why does it exist?

I think that it exists because of the massive acceptance of the user experience around the iPhone / iTouch. I think that Apple sees tapping, swiping, pinching, and other gestures as a revolution in personal computing. And they've made a device with that paradigm at the core.

The crippling problem that I have with a netbook is that the primary input device -- the trackpad -- is minuscule and (at least for me) very unpleasant to use. If you take the size & portability of a netbook, and replace the most damaging aspect with an approach that's more intuitive, direct, and fun, and I think you have something with great potential.

 

[dcnblues]

...How many men walk around with backpacks, bags, fanny packs (which would be too small for the iPad, btw)? You can't give me an answer, because to do so would utterly destroy your argument about how one would carry the iPad around, outside their home. VERY FEW MEN WOULD HAVE THE DESIRE TO SCHLEPP AN IPAD AROUND TOWN. You really aren't too bright if you can't grasp that simple fact of life.

You don't drink coffee, do you?

 

[object88]

How many men walk around with backpacks, bags, fanny packs (which would be too small for the iPad, btw)?

Every student, to start off with. And just about every businessman (the briefcase). Photo enthusiasts (myself included). People going to the gym. In fact, anyone who already carries a laptop to a cafe of coffee house.

The iPad is a tablet -- a portable device by definition -- so how is the fact that it's portable a detriment?

 

[MT0227]

So why does it exist?

a conduit to sell books and apps.

 

[Elixer]

I can't really justify buying an iPad (I really wish they thought of a better name). I can't see enough reason at the current time to spend that much on something that has about the same functionality as an iPhone. I think future versions will improve upon that.

 

[cathyy]

In essense, it has all the restrictions of the iPhone with none of the portability, and a great deal less funtionality (it can't take video, it can't take pictures, it can't make phone calls, it doesn't have GPS). It has the size/inconvenience of a laptop but without any of the functionality or freedom.

Whole heartedly agree with this. This is exactly what ran through my mind when I read about the iPad today. I honestly can't imagine any practical use for it in my daily life. It's too big and cumbersome to bring out just to watch videos/surf the net on the bus or train. Yet if I'm at at home or in school, I'd either be using my laptop or one of the desktops. It's much more convenient to use my iPod Touch to surf the net/watch videos/read books on the go.

Furthermore, because it runs on the iPhone OS, I won't be able to install software on it. I mean, at least with a netbook I can get some basic stuff done, such as some programming or photoshop. Can't do that with the iPad.

The only use I can think of for this would be around the house. Like if I wanted to do some light stuff while moving around the house where it'd be too cumbersome to bring a laptop. Say, surfing the net while watching TV. Reading a recipe/watching a movie while cooking. In bed when I want to read a book. Perhaps in the toilet to keep myself entertained. In such situations, I would definitely prefer an iPad over a laptop, netbook or iPhone. But it's too little stuff to even consider paying so much for it.

I would honestly have been way more excited if they came out with the iPad 2.5 years ago, then announced today that they invented the miniature iPad - the iPhone/iPod Touch. Otherwise, I'd might even display more interest if this came with OS X instead of the iPhone OS.

 

[cathyy]

Every student, to start off with. And just about every businessman (the briefcase). Photo enthusiasts (myself included). People going to the gym. In fact, anyone who already carries a laptop to a cafe of coffee house.

The iPad is a tablet -- a portable device by definition -- so how is the fact that it's portable a detriment?

I can't really justify bringing such a huge device around when it has so little functionality. My iPod Touch can do pretty much everything the iPad can and it fits in my pocket. If I need more functionality, I can bring my Macbook Pro which can do so much more.

I see the iPod Touch/iPhone filling up all the gaps that a laptop/netbook couldn't fill. The iPad on the other hand seems to be trying to squeeze so hard to find a position between the two, but there's almost no space for it. It does partially fit under the netbook, but it's highly crippled without a keyboard and without a proper OS. Seriously, if you're going to lug around the keyboard with it, you might as well just take a laptop instead.

IMO the biggest disappointment is that it doesn't come with OS X.

 

[XboxEvolved]

I think what is great is Apple is proving half of their point, and if they were the kind to actually thank their fans for being so faithful (which they aren't they hate all of us) they would thank every person in this forum that justifies why it doesnt matter it has no camera, or why somehow putting a crappy slow flash based drive in instead of a 250GB drive somehow is justifiable.

On behalf of Apple, if Apple were the kinds to thank the customer, thanks suckers for your pursuit to have things just to say you do, in your never ending quest of smugness, your fortress of confidence solidified by buying every iPod, and then every iPhone, and now to continue the tradition, wait in line at your local Apple store while news crews come to give their viewers a good laugh. Thanks guys for being total suckers.

 

[elurscam]

Its not.

its just a disappointment to people who want everything and want it in a way that cannot be deliever.

cry me a river, go buy a MBP then.

why can't you people just be happy.

 

[kellen]

Here is my problem with it:

I would have liked a computer vs. a ipod, but I realize thats my needs and apple doesn't cater to me. However I will still give it a look at the store and it may still do what I want it to. But it has too much already going against it in my mind to make it useful to me. No SD, USB, apps only (can't install own software) and its Rev. A.

 

[dgree03]

Wrong.

A 32GB SxS card for the Sony EX cameras costs as much as an iPad. People here need to get a grip and actually think about what they are saying.

2 TOTALLY different memory standards...

You clearly can't read. It handles 720p no problem.

PLease tell me how a 4:3 screen handles 720p HD content....

 

[SimonMW]

How many men walk around with backpacks, bags, fanny packs (which would be too small for the iPad, btw)?

Jack Baeur does.

2 TOTALLY different memory standards...

That doesn't mean jack. Even if you look at normal memory for desktop PC's 64GB of ram would cost more than an iPad. Look at the cost of SSD's too. Yet a lot of fools are complaining about this device *only* having 64GB of storage. The fact is that it would be prohibitively expensive to put hundreds of Gigs in there. Deal with it.

 

[Compile 'em all]

"It's just a big iPod touch" is the new "less space than a nomad".

 

[object88]

Furthermore, because it runs on the iPhone OS, I won't be able to install software on it. I mean, at least with a netbook I can get some basic stuff done, such as some programming or photoshop. Can't do that with the iPad.

It's this exact reason that if my MBP took a fatal dump when the iPad comes out, I would not buy the iPad as a replacement. But I don't think that we are the target customers.

On the other hand, I *hate* browsing the web on my iPhone. The screen is just too damned small. Too small to read lengthy content, too small to easily click on links, too small to be enjoyable. (And still way better than many other smartphone browsers, don't get me wrong.) So I can definitely see the usefulness of this product, for the casual user (i.e., not the photo editor, designer, programmer, etc.).

 

[heesey1010]

It's this exact reason that if my MBP took a fatal dump when the iPad comes out, I would not buy the iPad as a replacement. But I don't think that we are the target customers.

On the other hand, I *hate* browsing the web on my iPhone. The screen is just too damned small. Too small to read lengthy content, too small to easily click on links, too small to be enjoyable. (And still way better than many other smartphone browsers, don't get me wrong.) So I can definitely see the usefulness of this product, for the casual user (i.e., not the photo editor, designer, programmer, etc.).

It's interesting that you say this because I can't really agree or even disagree fully. When Apple first came out with the iPhone it said that you can view web pages in all of their glory...hence the advent of multi-touch, double-tap to zoom, etc. But web developers never really saw it that way and instead made just newer mobile-friendly web pages (recall mobile-friendly dates WAY back to even flip phones that had crude web access). The iPad at least allows for this fuller, higher-resolution web browsing...but still without 'essential' features such as Flash. (Like I said before though I really do believe in the future of HTML5 and credit Google for making YouTube HTML5 compliant. Once get they kinks out, it'll be a major blow and wake-up call to Adobe).

After being practically infuriated (sadly) about the announcement, I have since seriously calmed down and realized to just wait and see the potential this product has. People are right...this kind of negativity was said about the original iPod and iPhone. The iPod got sort of lucky (IMO), and the iPhone did it right once it got to iPhone OS 2.0. iPhone OS 3.2 may prove to be proof of concept...and then iPhone OS 4.0 will be iPad's saving grace. But Apple needs to do this rather quickly...because now that the spotlight's on them, everyone is looking to see what they do next. They got away with Apple TV, but when you create so much hype and don't deliver adequately...expect to be burned.

 

[maclook]

Furthermore, because it runs on the iPhone OS, I won't be able to install software on it. I mean, at least with a netbook I can get some basic stuff done, such as some programming or photoshop. Can't do that with the iPad.

The App Store is a source of software for you to install on the iPhone. Imagine if Adobe released a proper Photoshop App for the iPhone. It may not have even been considered before since the iPhone's screen is so small, but with the release of the iPad, maybe they will consider a more capable set of iPhone programs that are more like their OSX counterparts (similar to what Apple is doing with iWork). The cards are in the developers hands now and they can make the gap between the iPhone OS and OSX disappear

On the other hand, I *hate* browsing the web on my iPhone. The screen is just too damned small. Too small to read lengthy content, too small to easily click on links, too small to be enjoyable. (And still way better than many other smartphone browsers, don't get me wrong.)

Exactly my thoughts. Many iphone users including myself have dreamt of the a gadget with the fluid browsing experience of the iphone with a bigger screen for reading websites/emails/text easier. I love the multi touch iPhone UI. I don't think it's as easy as people think to turn OSX into a touch tablet OS, especially with the thousands of 3rd party software that are being written for mouse and keyboard inputs. The App Store is for multitouch specific software and I think it works great that way.

 

[neonuke]

no camera is the biggest issue, I like Skyping with my iPod Touch at the moment, but they could have really easily put a front facing camera for this purpose.

Agree also that the bezel is too big, it looks kinda ugly.

I just had a thought too, since iWork Keynote on the iPad only works in landscape mode, what if you were using the keyboard dock for the iPad, it would be ridiculous looking at the landscape layout with the iPad in the portrait orientation in the dock. DUH! How could have missed this?