Hankster
macrumors 68020
Spoken like a true blind follower. Also, if Netbooks aren't "real computers" are you saying the iPad is a "real computer"?
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what can a netbook do better then a ipad
- Thread starter flyguy206
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Spoken like a true blind follower. Also, if Netbooks aren't "real computers" are you saying the iPad is a "real computer"?
anthonymoody
macrumors 68040
The iPad is most decidedly a "real computer" when examined through the lens of real world usage patterns which is exactly what Apple did. Classic 80/20, and in this case more like 95/5.
95% of the people use 5% of the features/power of their computers. We hear the list ad nauseum - email, web, music, chat/skype, light office, etc. Last I checked the iPad could do all that.
I am among those "most of the people most of the time" scenarios, which is why I will be using an iPad as my primary computer.
For the other 5% of the people, for those few scenarios wherein you truly need to do something the iPad cannot, it's all good. Buy/use something else, no harm no foul.
Netbooks are not necessarily inferior to the iPad.
Lets start out by saying that while there are 144k apps in the app store, so many are duplicates not to mention crap that the number of unique, worthwhile apps is considerably lower.
For the price of an iPad with decent storage you can get a decent netbook that handles web video just fine, not to mention many can either hold a 3G SIM or a USB 3G/4G modem. Many can be Hackintoshed easily. There is a Lenova that will be netbook sized with a Core 2 Duo that also has a removable screen that serves as a 9" Android tablet. Soome are convertibles as well that flip the screen around to be a tablet.
So while the iPad will be superior, compared to a netbook, at surfing the web/eBooks, Netbooks can play an equal number of regular apps, any flash content including Hulu and flash games. So while the iPad will be nicer at play TV shows, you will have to pay for any movies or tv shows as opposed to free ones on Hulu and Adult Swim, for example.
Before you go tot he easy cop-out. I've have iPhones since the 2G launch day, and like the iPad.
Actually the only features complaints that we hear are very valid. No Flash and no non-Apple multitasking.
Until Hulu, for example, provides an iPad/iPhone alternative, not to mention the majority of the web that integrate Flash in their sites, that's a glaring omission.
The latter is also valid to anyone who is used to an iPhone with Background and Kirikae/Proswitcher.
anthonymoody
macrumors 68040
You're looking at this through your own eyes. Sorry, but those are not the right lenses through which to look.
YouTube is the 800 pound gorilla on the web. Already available. Hulu, wonderful as it is, remains relatively nichey by comparison. And it (or a suitable replacement) will come sooner or later in any case.
Multi-tasking...again, your needs. Apple will deliver a way that satisfies most of the people most of the time.
It seems clear you're not those people. That's totally fine.
Mr Bigs
macrumors 6502a
Which is more valid, looking through the eyes of someone who wants it, or someone who doesn't? There is no empirical evidence as to which is the majority. Especially since ignorance as to what it can do for you is not the same as not knowing but wanting it.
If YouTube played full TV shows than it would be a replacement to Hulu or any of the other TV-websites out there. An iPad-friendly replacement that arrives a year or two from now is not relevant to a discussion on the iPad's "missing" features now.
Apple initially didn't include Flash or Multitasking because the processor and RAM weren't up to the challenge. Now those aren't included so Apple can protect its revenue streams as much as to dumb the device down so my mom can easily use it.**
** I am buying her one because it has been dumbed down enough.
The iPad's keyboard is almost full-sized.
flopticalcube
macrumors G4
anthonymoody
macrumors 68040
Why do you feel the majority matters? Has the majority of the public purchased an iPhone? No - not even close. And yet it's an undeniable smash hit in the market.
The iPad will sell in the millions/year, and be a terrific hit for Apple. Let's revisit in 12 months, shall we?
As to what it can do for me, I am not remotely ignorant about it. I know because I've watched the keynote, read every hands on I could find, and have used an iPhone for year. I'm crystal clear as to the capabilities of the iPad, thank you very much.
Floptical: I believe the post you are quoting is correct. The internal - on screen - keyboard is "almost" full sized. The external one is - to my knowledge - the same physical size as the existing Apple BT keyboard, only with a few iPad specific keys.
Yup found it on Apple's site:
"iPad Keyboard Dock
The Keyboard Dock combines a dock for charging your iPad with a full-size keyboard. The dock has a rear 30-pin connector, which lets you connect to an electrical outlet using the USB Power Adapter, sync to your computer, and use accessories like the Camera Connection Kit. An audio jack lets you connect to a stereo or powered speakers."
flopticalcube
macrumors G4
No. My netbook has a 92% sized keyboard. The keyboard is 1" wider than the 10" 16:9 screen. It would be physically impossible for the iPads virtual keyboard in landscape mode to be anywhere near that of the the netbook. Many people are missing the point of the thread, its "what a netbook can do better than the iPad", not "is the iPad sufficient to do something".
To quote you: "Multi-tasking...again, your needs. Apple will deliver a way that satisfies most of the people most of the time."
That would be the majority we're discussing. And because we're trying to be relevant, we're discussing the majority of iPhone/iPad users. Non-users aren't relevant.
I said ignorant of what MT can do for you on the iPad not ignorant of the iPad itself. Its the same thing as copy & paste. Until it came out many were ignorant of how nice it was to have on the iPhone. Now that its out, even if you hardly use it I'm sure you're glad its there for the times you want it.
Look at photos of the on screen keyboard. There are fewer keys visible in a row. So having fewer keys allows the visible keys to be larger.
flopticalcube
macrumors G4
flopticalcube
macrumors G4
Sorry, I should have said "I", not we're. Personally I don't have an issue with netbook keyboards. Then again I don't have big sausage fingers.
That's like saying you don't see why anyone would want a barbecue grill over a toaster. They're two completely different products for two very different uses (slightly overlapping, you can warm hot dog buns with either).
People got over complaining that their keyboard, microwave oven, ABS brakes, wifi router, etc. are really computers (e.g. contain CPU, memory, IO), why can't they run other "stuff".
The ipad is not a over sized ipod touch they are to different things that run the same os. is the mac pro the same as a macbook? a ipod is a music device that can do many other things. do you know what revolutionary means? it does not mean making something new it about making something you already have better.
if you buy a ipad would you have any need for a netbook?
TuffLuffJimmy
macrumors G3
This is the saddest excuse for an argument I've seen in a while.
You have yet to give a single reason as to why a netbook is not a real computer, yet the iPad is. Please, just one good reason.
I won't hold my breath though.
TuffLuffJimmy
macrumors G3
🙄
I guess you can't compare all iPads either considering there are six versions. To say, "the iPad is cool" would be terribly inaccurate. You'd have to say something like, "the iPad with 32GB of internal storage without optional 3G AT&T connectivity is cool."
Apps: FAR MORE available for netbooks, and you can install whatever you want. You don't have hitler...I mean Apple telling you what you can and can't install.
All of the your other features are available for netbooks too, including 3G.
Netbooks let you multi task. You can listen to internet radio or keep all of your IM clients running whilst doing whatever else you need to do.
Flash...play all of your favourite games, be it on facebook or elsewhere. Watch youtube, hulu, etc.
TuffLuffJimmy
macrumors G3
Astro8973
macrumors regular
Who hands out CD based homework? I have been a student for over 15 years and have never received CD based homework. I am sure a teacher could email the student the homework if need be...
But you also have the international variations. "the iPad with 32GB of internal storage without optional 3G O2/Orange/Vodafone/T-Mobile/3/Virgin Mobile/Tesco Mobile* connectivity is cool" (*delete as appropriate). 😉
You just MIGHT be a bit presumptuous that you know how every school in the country issues homework...
Yeah, I believe it does. I've been hoping for a long time that keyboard manufacturers would redesign the basic computer keyboard and finally remove all those pointless keys nobody ever uses (Caps lock should be first to go). Apple's done this with the iPad's virtual keyboard — Does that make it a better keyboard that they 'removed' features? I certainly think so.
Even though I'm not the guy you addressed, I can give you a few reasons…
All the netbooks I've used have been slow, fiddly, video (particularly Flash video) playback was never smooth, and the battery life just sucked. Sure, it was cheap, and sure it could do multi-tasking and run a full copy of Photoshop but, as far as I'm concerned, it was just a shoddy, poor excuse for a laptop that was not good for doing any single thing well.
The iPad I actually like, because it's actually a decent user interface; whether browsing the web or checking my email - it, as the Apple saying goes, 'just works'. Of course this isn't to everyone's taste, but you're uninformed if anyone thinks a netbook is better than an iPad for the majority of users.