iPad

[waffel]

Yeah, can't wait to crawl into bed and curl up with my iPad. Watching 2 hour movies on a screen a foot away from my face sounds totally awesome.

[Mattemeo]

This thing is "an order of magnitudes" more farcical than the fucking Air.

Holy shit Mac, yet another crazily off-the-mark swipe at a slice of the netbook pie. Just cut a fucking 15" Macbook Pro in half already.

That it is so thoroughly inept despite the massive leaps in technology means few people beyond slavering must-buy Mac fans will be very forgiving for at least this and most probably the next generation version of it. Right now, it's a gloriously expensive Fisherprice iPhone with half the capability.

[K9]

So fucking underwhelming, makes me glad I'm not an apple fanboi.

Time to have some fun with those smug fucks.  

[BitWarrior]

I think it's pretty awesome, definitely makes a fun little niche market for itself. I can easily see getting one and using it as my online gaming help machine rather than my current laptop. The laptop suffers from being big, clunky, takes a while to boot up, and its just awkward to use at times. For the low price point, I could easily see scoring one of these had I not already had a laptop. If I didn't already have a long list of fiscal priorities I might just got one right now anyhow.

I definitely think it gives the netbook culture a run for its money, and I would suspect it would also meet the needs of 90% of laptop users out there as well. It's a fun little platform.

[fuser]

Is anyone boggled at how this is suppose to kill the netbook market?

So is this suppose to kill off the macbook air?   

[K9]

Okay, so I still haven't dealt with the question of what this device actually does. The reason is because I just don't know. I don't get it. It makes no sense to me. What exactly does it do that my Android smartphone and laptop don't do perfectly well already?

Nobody has a fucking clue. I can't find one person who can tell me what the fuck this device actually does. Nobody. I've been in bars, I asked the Polish guy in the delicatessen I get my lunch from, I asked around work, and all I got was "who are you looking at," "co? pomi?dzy inteligentny telefon i laptop," and "it fills the gap between a phone and a laptop."

What gap? This is not a gap I have ever experienced in my working or social life before. You can't just make up a gap and then invent a product to fill it. That's like saying there's a gap between a fridge and an oven, and trying to sell a kitchen unit that keeps all your food lukewarm to fill it. Or saying there's a gap between cars and bikes, so lets make a car you can pedal. Who the hell wants a car that you can pedal? Who the hell wants an iPad?

 

sauce

[waffel]

I think it's pretty awesome, definitely makes a fun little niche market for itself. I can easily see getting one and using it as my online gaming help machine rather than my current laptop. The laptop suffers from being big, clunky, takes a while to boot up, and its just awkward to use at times.

Wait, so you want to use this as a "shit, where is the quest NPC!? I could alt-tab but I'd rather grab my iPad, turn it on, wait for it to boot, navigate to google, bring up the on-screen touchpad and awkwardly type my query, and wait for it to load" device?

Well worth $500, imo.

[BitWarrior]

I think it's pretty awesome, definitely makes a fun little niche market for itself. I can easily see getting one and using it as my online gaming help machine rather than my current laptop. The laptop suffers from being big, clunky, takes a while to boot up, and its just awkward to use at times.

Wait, so you want to use this as a "shit, where is the quest NPC!? I could alt-tab but I'd rather grab my iPad, turn it on, wait for it to boot, navigate to google, bring up the on-screen touchpad and awkwardly type my query, and wait for it to load" device?

Well worth $500, imo.

You probably could have easily deduced that I am a console gamer rather than embarrassing yourself.

[waffel]

I still am at a loss at how being a console gamer makes this a better purchase than an equally-priced netbook.

[BitWarrior]

I still am at a loss at how being a console gamer makes this a better purchase than an equally-priced netbook.

You could make the same argument for *any* of Apple's products - their computers, iPods, iPhones and laptops are all more expensive than their counterparts. If you haven't figured out what makes them successful yet, then no, the iPad isn't going to be some stunning revelation for yourself.

[dusematic]

hahahahahhahahaha Apple fanboys are the worst.  They've been eating shit for years and screaming "mmmmmmm! Delicious!"  I mean seriously, who wouldn't want more expensive products with less functionality? I mean c'mon, they have style.

[AutomaticZen]

You could make the same argument for *any* of Apple's products - their computers, iPods, iPhones and laptops are all more expensive than their counterparts. If you haven't figured out what makes them successful yet, then no, the iPad isn't going to be some stunning revelation for yourself.

Some people have money to burn and like style?

His point is for your specific use a $200 netbook would do just fine.  Hell, some of them you can put OSX on the damn thing.

[BitWarrior]

You could make the same argument for *any* of Apple's products - their computers, iPods, iPhones and laptops are all more expensive than their counterparts. If you haven't figured out what makes them successful yet, then no, the iPad isn't going to be some stunning revelation for yourself.

Some people have money to burn and like style?

His point is for your specific use a $200 netbook would do just fine.

The same could be said for every single iPod that exists - it's not like the iPod did something amazing with the music it contains, any other portable MP3 player will suffice, and they're cheaper to boot!

[K9]

I still am at a loss at how being a console gamer makes this a better purchase than an equally-priced netbook.

You could make the same argument for *any* of Apple's products - their computers, iPods, iPhones and laptops are all more expensive than their counterparts. If you haven't figured out what makes them successful yet, then no, the iPad isn't going to be some stunning revelation for yourself.

iPods do what they do better than anything else that existed when the debuted and have pretty much stayed in the same position to this day. iPhones were similar; this is just a locked-down overpriced e-reader with games, true tablet PCs will eat this for breakfast.

[BitWarrior]

I still am at a loss at how being a console gamer makes this a better purchase than an equally-priced netbook.

You could make the same argument for *any* of Apple's products - their computers, iPods, iPhones and laptops are all more expensive than their counterparts. If you haven't figured out what makes them successful yet, then no, the iPad isn't going to be some stunning revelation for yourself.

iPods do what they do better than anything else that existed when the debuted and have pretty much stayed in the same position to this day. iPhones were similar; this is just a locked-down overpriced e-reader with games, true tablet PCs will eat this for breakfast.

No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame.

[AutomaticZen]

Some people have money to burn and like style?

His point is for your specific use a $200 netbook would do just fine.

The same could be said for every single iPod that exists - it's not like the iPod did something amazing with the music it contains, any other portable MP3 player will suffice, and they're cheaper to boot!
[/quote]

Hence the 'style' part of my comment.  Your point?  I have, at times, owned an iPod, iPod nano, Creative Zen, IPod Touch, and a Zune HD.  The Zen was probably the worse of them, but the Zune occupies much the same space as the Touch, with a better screen.  It's not like I burned my iPod Touch after I got it.  It's still around the house.

None of that has anything to do with this product.  They are saying, independent of the Apple brand, there are cheaper products with equal parts style and workmanship at half the price.  Your response has been nothing short of....BUT APPLE!  I'm not holding a raging hard-on for the HP Slate either.  I've had a tablet at work. 

These are the same issues with the Macbook Air.  It was a nice piece of tech that was well designed, but there was really no reason to aim for it over a number of other laptops of the time.

Did people forget that Apple sometimes has bad ideas?

[raydeen]

I'm totally disappointed by it but I see where they intend to go with it. It's not made to compete with a computer. It's meant to be a paid content delivery machine. Any more functionality and it would probably either cannibalize their low end laptop line or be so expensive that it would be an even bigger joke. It's meant to make them oodles of money distributing games, books, newspapers, movies, etc. It's a one way entertainment device with some internet thrown in. If they'd added a digitizer, multi-tasking and a camera, it would be Robot Jebus (IMO) but that would make too much sense. Plus, no standard apps would work on it due to it's ARM CPU. I'd love to trade my work MacBook for something like this but that ain't happening. And yeah, I know there are third party retrofits but I'm not too fond of the execution.

edit for spelling. Got my 'their/there' mixed up.

[HaemishM]

As I said on Twitter, it's an iPhone (actually an iTouch) the size of one of Flava Flav's clocks and I'm supposed to get all dewy with excitement?

Fuck that. 64GB of storage? Those data plans? $500? Fuck off.

[BitWarrior]

None of that has anything to do with this product.  They are saying, independent of the Apple brand, there are cheaper products with equal parts style and workmanship at half the price.  Your response has been nothing short of....BUT APPLE! 

Actually, all I said is that I'd like one if I didn't already have a laptop. Are you arguing that I shouldn't, in fact, feel that way?

Hahaha, keep letting me know what I should think :)

[Ingmar]

Yeah there's some weird confusion here. The iPod actually was significantly better than the other stuff on the market and is still a well-designed thing that has all the features it should to do what it is supposed to. The iPhone is similar (although I'd personally grab a Droid over it, I need real buttans.)

The iPad is not in the same league, it would appear, particularly in the "has the features it needs to actually do its job" department.

[BitWarrior]

Yeah there's some weird confusion here. The iPod actually was significantly better than the other stuff on the market and is still a well-designed thing that has all the features it should to do what it is supposed to. The iPhone is similar (although I'd personally grab a Droid over it, I need real buttans.)

The iPad is not in the same league, it would appear, particularly in the "has the features it needs to actually do its job" department.

No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame.

Are you kids going to research this or what?

[Trippy]

Is anyone boggled at how this is suppose to kill the netbook market?

I don't see how it would as $500 is the high end of the netbook market ($299 is the low end). I guess if you consider extra $200 you pay for a iPad as the premium for an "ultra-portable" netbook you could sort of shoehorn the iPad into the same market.

So is this suppose to kill off the macbook air?   

If it actually ran the full Mac OS X it might have had a chance to do so. Since it's running the iPhone version of OS X though, not so much.

[raydeen]

As I said on Twitter, it's an iPhone (actually an iTouch) the size of one of Flava Flav's clocks and I'm supposed to get all dewy with excitement?

Fuck that. 64GB of storage? Those data plans? $500? Fuck off.

Funniest quote I saw today on Digg was 'Shrek sized iPhone'  

[Samwise]

I think it's pretty awesome, definitely makes a fun little niche market for itself. I can easily see getting one and using it as my online gaming help machine rather than my current laptop. The laptop suffers from being big, clunky, takes a while to boot up, and its just awkward to use at times. For the low price point, I could easily see scoring one of these had I not already had a laptop. If I didn't already have a long list of fiscal priorities I might just got one right now anyhow.

See, that's what I use my iPod Touch for.  It's great for that.  (In fact, it does that job so well that I ended up giving away my laptop, which had previously filled that role.)  It also fits in my pocket, and is way cheaper than this thing, and has more storage space.  

I can't fathom what this thing does that is not done better by something that already exists and costs less.

[Trippy]

Less space than a Nomad. Lame.

That's a ridiculous comparison.

[BitWarrior]

Less space than a Nomad. Lame.

That's a ridiculous comparison.

Of what? F13 vs. Slashdot?

[AutomaticZen]

Actually, all I said is that I'd like one if I didn't already have a laptop. Are you arguing that I shouldn't, in fact, feel that way?

Hahaha, keep letting me know what I should think :)

Forgiveness.  Missed this part.

And thus you've pointed out the problem of this.

[Ingmar]

Yeah there's some weird confusion here. The iPod actually was significantly better than the other stuff on the market and is still a well-designed thing that has all the features it should to do what it is supposed to. The iPhone is similar (although I'd personally grab a Droid over it, I need real buttans.)

The iPad is not in the same league, it would appear, particularly in the "has the features it needs to actually do its job" department.

No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame.

Are you kids going to research this or what?

Yes, CmdrTaco being wrong about the iPod automatically means that everyone who ever says an Apple product is lame will be proven wrong and made fun of for the rest of the internet's existence.  

[K9]

Yeah there's some weird confusion here. The iPod actually was significantly better than the other stuff on the market and is still a well-designed thing that has all the features it should to do what it is supposed to. The iPhone is similar (although I'd personally grab a Droid over it, I need real buttans.)

The iPad is not in the same league, it would appear, particularly in the "has the features it needs to actually do its job" department.

No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame.

Are you kids going to research this or what?

I hear the market for wifi devices was huge in 2001 

OT:

[BitWarrior]

Yeah there's some weird confusion here. The iPod actually was significantly better than the other stuff on the market and is still a well-designed thing that has all the features it should to do what it is supposed to. The iPhone is similar (although I'd personally grab a Droid over it, I need real buttans.)

The iPad is not in the same league, it would appear, particularly in the "has the features it needs to actually do its job" department.

No wireless. Less space than a Nomad. Lame.

Are you kids going to research this or what?

Yes, CmdrTaco being wrong about the iPod automatically means that everyone who ever says an Apple product is lame will be proven wrong and made fun of for the rest of the internet's existence.  

That's the problem with continuous threads, the kids get so confused what you're referring to, it becomes a gong show.

The comment is in response to "iPods do what they do better than anything else that existed when the debuted"

 

Thanks for playing!

[Ingmar]

I'm not sure why you're being a douche about this, I didn't insult you. And I'm 35 and read /. at the time, thanks. 

CmdrTaco was wrong about the Nomad being better in the first place. The iPod was a better product.

[K9]

The original iPod came out on November 10th 2001, the NOMAD Zen wasn't even announced until October 14th 2002.

[BitWarrior]

The original iPod came out on November 10th 2001, the NOMAD Zen wasn't even announced until October 14th 2002.

Yes because we like to invent famous quotes which are easily verified on the net.

Do we have a hole digging emoicon?

[Trippy]

I can't fathom what this thing does that is not done better by something that already exists and costs less.

The thing is you can't look at the features individually. It's like those stupid car ads that say Car A has better acceleration than Car B, has better braking than Car C, and cheaper than Car D.

E.g.

The Kindle is cheaper and lighter and has an e-Ink display but it doesn't have color and it can't run thousands of apps
A netbook is cheaper and can run a non-crippled OS but it's heavier, has a crappier screen and doesn't have the tablet form factor
Media player X is cheaper and can store more but it doesn't have a large screen

and so on and so forth.

In other words there's nothing like an iPad (yet) that has the same or a superset of the features of the iPad and is cheaper.

[Trippy]

The original iPod came out on November 10th 2001, the NOMAD Zen wasn't even announced until October 14th 2002.

Yes because we like to invent famous quotes which are easily verified on the net.

Do we have a hole digging emoicon?

I'm still confused what the hell you guys arguing about.