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Why Are Some People So Anti-iPad?
- Thread starter ChocolateApple
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Its very difficult to argue against 'but its just a big ipod touch' because in essence thats exactly what it is. Its just a big piece of glass with a button, and people are familiar with ipod touch UI etc.
The key point is whether the experience and potential on a screen a lot larger than an ipod touch is significantly different. I'd say of course it is but I haven't had a play with one yet.
think about laptops/netbooks. How many people say 'oh a laptop is just a big netbook'? They don't, its usually the other way around, using the smaller netbook screen as a negative.
After trying it out at the Apple store this weekend, I am sold. Yes it is a bigger iPod Touch, but that's the point that matters most to me. Everything just feels better using it than through my iPhone. It's like holding a piece of every-changing paper.
I tried using it for the same thing, the lack of being able to annotate it or anything gets really frustrating.
you would probably marry the iPad if you could (or already haven't)...
biggest pad fanboy of all!
The analogy floating around the web is, you know, the iPad is a big iPod Touch like a swimming pool is a big bathtub. Sometimes a difference in degree is a difference in kind.
Yeah, this amuses me to no end. Had Apple introduced the iPad three years ago, and only now introduced the iPhone and the Touch, everyone would be really impressed that they'd managed to shrink this really capable multitouch platform. But since they released them in the opposite order, people complain.
Here is a very simple comeback for most of the iPad hater/comparers.
Yes you can get a more powerful netbook/laptop than the iPad but think why.
If you take an average 5 year old Apple G4 iBook and install Leopard on it, the iBook would still run pretty well ever being 5 years old. Take a 5 year old PC, and install Windows 7 on it. Wait, you can't as the machine is too underpowered and installer knows this. The bottom line being, Windows (whatever version) needs quite a bit of horsepower to simply install not to mention run. Mac OS X and Mobile OS X (iPhone/iPad version) are optimized to run with less resource requirements.
Yes you can get a more powerful netbook/laptop than the iPad but think why.
If you take an average 5 year old Apple G4 iBook and install Leopard on it, the iBook would still run pretty well ever being 5 years old. Take a 5 year old PC, and install Windows 7 on it. Wait, you can't as the machine is too underpowered and installer knows this. The bottom line being, Windows (whatever version) needs quite a bit of horsepower to simply install not to mention run. Mac OS X and Mobile OS X (iPhone/iPad version) are optimized to run with less resource requirements.
Not anti-iPad but Apple definitely left the thing underwhelming. Why won't they allow me to sync my iPhone to the iPad? Why can't I download photos from my camera to the iPad? How is this thing "magical"? Yes, if I didn't have an iPhone I probably would get one, but at this point in time, what can it do that my iPhone cannot? I've been messing about with a friend's iPad for the past couple days...just cannot figure out why I would need one right now.
I love how the easy answer is "don't buy one". Hilarious.
I love how the easy answer is "don't buy one". Hilarious.
While "don't buy it" may not be the best answer, it is probably the right answer. Rather than purchase something to complain about, the best thing to do is to simply ignore the product. The iPad is not a device for techie's or geeks, but is the perfect device for someone that wants a product is simple to operate and does 95% of what a computer can do. No it can't run Flash but thank God for this. Flash simply sucks. No other way to put it. Adobe knows this which is why they are now suddenly trying to fix it to work on Mac OS X. Apple asked Adobe years ago to fix it or at least let them fix it and Adobe said no, so now Adobe is out in the cold.
You are correct, the iPad is not magical or even revolutionary. It is however evolutionary and the next step in computing. I have a brand new MBP 17 and for the most part, the iPad allows me to leave the MBP at home most of the time. I will even be better situated when the 3G versions drop.
Well, I was just on another forum trying to defend it and it doesen't work well. I'm getting one, I'm not gonna get worked up over people who don't want one trying to put me down because they aren't getting one.
its not just the easy answer, its the right answer, not sure why its hilarious.
Netbooks are hugely popular. My wife has one. Would I have one as an 'only' computer in the house? Not on your life. Its a handy portable web browser due to its size and the battery life is pretty good. Keyboard isn't great for fast typing as it isn't fullsize, but its fine for basic web posting and email. If I wanted to do serious work I'd probably want to use a larger laptop or a desktop.
Sound familiar?
I think the fact that it has sold over 500K in about a week is proof enough that you are in the majority and they are in the minority. They are most likely Apple haters in the first place so don't worry about it.
+1
We have it, works wonderfully for annotating PDFs.
(I love it how many times I've seen this now: someone posts that the iPad can't do something the way they want, followed by the perfect app that does exactly what they were asking for. That's why this product is going to be revolutionary. A year from now there will be over 100,000 apps.)
And the easiest reaction for a lot of people is "I don't seem to want one, therefore no one else could legitimately want one, therefore anyone who has one is a brainwashed fanboy."
It doesn't have anything to do with reality, of course, but it's easy and good for the ego. Plus, doesn't require much imagination to reach for an insult you've seen spewed all over the forums.
The iPad is a frivolous cost. By this point, most people own (in many cases both) a macbook of some sort and an iphone/ipod touch. I saw one when at my girlfriend's house. While yes it is interesting and nice looking, there seems to be no reason to get one. All three devices are portable. The iPad is too bulky to go on my arm or in my pocket, so I will never use it for music. My macbook pro has a much better screen for movies. And the 'I'm too lazy too get out a bulky laptop to write a report so I'm going to do that report on my iPad' is pretty unlikely. The macbook pro is really not that bad at taking around. So really, where are you going to put that iPad so the screen is not damaged and then write that report? Might as well carry a laptop bag for it.
I don't hate the iPad, but everyone who raves about it obviously doesn't donate enough money to the less fortunate.
I don't hate the iPad, but everyone who raves about it obviously doesn't donate enough money to the less fortunate.
If you read peoples comments on here many say it has become their main internet surfing device at home, so apparently it must have added sometthing to the experience.
Why you wouldnt just bring your Macbook? Because your Macbook weighs 3 times more than your iPad.
But do you really need videochat, downloading files outside of iTunes that much?
I don't see why there is any reason to hate a product. No one is forcing anyone to spend money on it.
Maybe if you bought the product and you found out afterwards it was a worthless piece of crap, could you hate it - I certainly came to hate my old Packard Bell laptop.
Heh, that's funny. I thought the iPad was all about wasting time: browsing the Internet, playing games, watching movies... I'll give exception to the actual reading of eBooks.
totally...
they don't know what they are missing on
atleast they should first try it and the comment on it.
Heh, that's funny. I thought the iPad was all about wasting time: browsing the Internet, playing games, watching movies... I'll give exception to the actual reading of eBooks.
You didn't get the point I was trying to make. That is what the device is supposed to do. Why a mechanic or a student would buy an iPad. They don't want to spend their time fiddling with the command line or running some script. A nerd on the other hand enjoy these things. Just look at how many iPhones/iPods have been sold to date and nerds still complaining about how the iPhone lacks their "essential needs".
ps: You are judging too much why one would buy an iPad or what they would do with it. Not everyone uses the iPad to waste time. Don't you think some photographers can use the iPad? Students to jot down their notes? A news ticker? I could go on and on. Just go and take a look at the Apps in the store to see how the iPad tries its best to integrate seamlessly into the lifestyle of the avg. person. Whether it is for entertainment or productivity. It doesn't matter.
I've been wondering about all the hostility and negativity as well. I think what I'm seeing and hearing is a lot of people are still just flat out confused by it. I've already fielded numerous questions from different friends/family and I think even after I'm done they are still confused. There was even a joke in the SNL news about "trying to figure out what it is". Ultimately people have to see and try it for themselves (assuming they are open minded enough to give it a real chance), or you really need to demo it with some specific usage cases.
Apple's got their work cut out for them for the iPad; it's almost like it is too many different things to different people, and the lack of coherency is confusing to people. Is it a portable gaming machine? An eBook Reader? A portable web surfing/email device? A portable media device? A laptop replacement? If you own one you know it's a bit of all these things, and more importantly you can choose the Apps that suit you the best to personalize your experience. For people who don't I think it really comes across as just a "giant iPod" - as that's their only/easiest frame of reference.
One thing that crossed my mind this morning while reading an article in the LA Time about iPad vs. Kindle; Apple could very easily have marketed this as the "Ultimate Reader" - it reads books, Kindle books, comics, newspapers, magazines, pdfs - all in bold, brilliant color with a great touch interface. That's something definitive people would understand with a solid, defined target customer base. They could have called it the iRead and sold a single $499 model that would pit it right against Kindle DX. But instead, all of that is just a fraction of what the iPad is capable of, yet Apple gets punished by people's confusion. Kind of ironic, or just sad might be a better word.
Anyway, my personal feeling is it will just take some time to gain more definition and clarification by a broader range of people. I suspect once it starts hitting high school and college campuses it's going to really take off.
Apple's got their work cut out for them for the iPad; it's almost like it is too many different things to different people, and the lack of coherency is confusing to people. Is it a portable gaming machine? An eBook Reader? A portable web surfing/email device? A portable media device? A laptop replacement? If you own one you know it's a bit of all these things, and more importantly you can choose the Apps that suit you the best to personalize your experience. For people who don't I think it really comes across as just a "giant iPod" - as that's their only/easiest frame of reference.
One thing that crossed my mind this morning while reading an article in the LA Time about iPad vs. Kindle; Apple could very easily have marketed this as the "Ultimate Reader" - it reads books, Kindle books, comics, newspapers, magazines, pdfs - all in bold, brilliant color with a great touch interface. That's something definitive people would understand with a solid, defined target customer base. They could have called it the iRead and sold a single $499 model that would pit it right against Kindle DX. But instead, all of that is just a fraction of what the iPad is capable of, yet Apple gets punished by people's confusion. Kind of ironic, or just sad might be a better word.
Anyway, my personal feeling is it will just take some time to gain more definition and clarification by a broader range of people. I suspect once it starts hitting high school and college campuses it's going to really take off.
Envious of what? I'm happy that the iPad works for you! Just don't call someone a [fill in your favorite label] because it doesn't suit them.
I think the attitude that "people who don't see the iPad as the 8th Wonder of the World are chiclet-keyboard dragging morons", put forth by some of the iPad supporters, doesn't help matters.
The problem isn't with people who don't agree with enthusiasts, don't want to buy an iPad, so on. The problem is with people who go out of their way to slander your purchasing choice.
For example: I took an Art History class on "Media Theory" around the time the iPhone came out. Often the professor would show youtube videos in class, so I would find them on the iPhone and bookmark them. I thought it was a good idea, but the geeks in the class would make fun of my "Apple Phone" and reassure me that the new Blackberry would be the "iPhone Killer."
I kept trying to tell them, "Dudes... I don't care what phone you use to be honest. I mean... I really like my phone, but it doesn't matter. I'm sure the Blackberry is nice too." the message never got through, and I think one of them bought an iPhone anyway. Apple-itus, man.