iPad

[ahoythematey]

This is insane.  Why would anybody who is familiar with modern technology buy this?  No Flash, on what is supposed to be competition against a netbook, are you for real?

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.

I think I've spotted the problem here: you've bought into apple's bullshit.  Netbook culture?  Please, these are tools, made for function.  If you are buying into the aesthetics of a device that is wholly inferior to less-expensive alternatives already out in the market, you deserve to lose every penny they overcharge.

EDIT: The main positive I can see out of this so far is that hopefully we will see some much more impressive copycats from the competition.

[K9]

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.

I'm puzzled too, the main thrust of his argument seems to be that a lack of wireless capacity and the superiority of the Nomad mp3 player means that the iPod wasn't the best mp3 player when it first came out. Neither of which make any sense.

 

[BitWarrior]

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.

Oh for sure, hindsight is 20/20. The comment is really in response to the complaint that X product might lack X, Y or Z features, and thus be inferior. Sometimes people can be rather short-sighted and think the product with the most features wins, and my train of thought is looking back, we can see the same feature-lacking complaints existed when the now wildly successful iPod was first introduced. The hilarious thing is the message that "feature pumping doesn't matter" is continually re-enforced in our culture (any Apple product, the Wii, etc), yet we often fail to listen to the message.

Personally, and like I said when I first joined the conversation, I think it's a neat little product which will enjoy a niche market. You shouldn't expect every Apple product to reinvent how we do things.

[Draegan]

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.

Thanks for letting us know you also said that on Twitter.  I was wondering.

[Hawkbit]

We just bought a Sony Vaio notebook for my wife about two months ago for $735 after tax from Best Buy.  Outside of the added "benefit" of being required to buy everything through Apple, I'm not seeing how it's any different.  We can curl up in bed and watch Fringe on Hulu with her system, we can watch Blu-Rays, we can play webgames and Diablo 2... what else does one need?  

Oh yeah, and we don't pay a monthly fee for it.  

[BitWarrior]

Oh yeah, and we don't pay a monthly fee for it.  

Monthly fee is for 3G. Do you want 3G? If not, then buy the cheaper ones without 3G support and don't get a plan.

Literature, people.

[AutomaticZen]

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.

Correct.  If you have any number of those above items, there's no reason to get this.  It's far more general purpose.  Jack of Many Trades.

[ahoythematey]

Personally, and like I said when I first joined the conversation, I think it's a neat little product which will enjoy a niche market. You shouldn't expect every Apple product to reinvent how we do things.

Nonsense.  They are doing the same thing they always do: exploiting their idiot fanbase for first and second generation sales before finally making something close to worth the price-tag on the third revision.  The upsetting thing is the smugness coming from these beatnik wannabes while they happily let themselves be completely ripped off.

[BitWarrior]

Personally, and like I said when I first joined the conversation, I think it's a neat little product which will enjoy a niche market. You shouldn't expect every Apple product to reinvent how we do things.

Nonsense.  They are doing the same thing they always do: exploiting their idiot fanbase for first and second generation sales before finally making something close to worth the price-tag on the third revision.  The upsetting thing is the smugness coming from these beatnik wannabes while they happily let themselves be completely ripped off.

 

[waffel]

AT&T runs commercials goofin on Verizon for not being able to talk on the phone and check email/surf the web at the same time.

Yet, AT&Ts new bastard-baby the iPad can't.... surf the web and check email at the same time. Or do two of ANYTHING at the same time.

 

[Samwise]

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.

I get that, but where does this particular set of features fit into an actual human being's life?  I mean, I can't think of any use case where my iPod is too small and a laptop is too big and an iPad is just right.  Certainly not any use case that's worth $500.

[Trippy]

AT&T runs commercials goofin on Verizon for not being able to talk on the phone and check email/surf the web at the same time.

Yet, AT&Ts new bastard-baby the iPad can't.... surf the web and check email at the same time. Or do two of ANYTHING at the same time.

 

Apple's own apps can support background processing. E.g. Mail can pull or be pushed email while another app is running.

[schild]

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.

Thanks for letting us know you also said that on Twitter.  I was wondering.

 

[Trippy]

I get that, but where does this particular set of features fit into an actual human being's life?  I mean, I can't think of any use case where my iPod is too small and a laptop is too big and an iPad is just right.  Certainly not any use case that's worth $500.

A lightweight tablet is a better form factor compared to a netbook/laptop for surfing on the can

[Samwise]

I get that, but where does this particular set of features fit into an actual human being's life?  I mean, I can't think of any use case where my iPod is too small and a laptop is too big and an iPad is just right.  Certainly not any use case that's worth $500.

A lightweight tablet is a better form factor compared to a netbook/laptop for surfing on the can

And an iPod has a better form factor for stuffing in your pocket so nobody knows you're surfing on the can.   

[ahoythematey]

Exactly.  I already have an iphone for that. 

[Trippy]

Exactly.  I already have an iphone for that. 

That's too small for me when I'm at home.

[Samwise]

What, your eyesight suddenly diminishes when you walk in your front door?

[Trippy]

Okay maybe that wasn't worded as well as it could've been...

[fuser]

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.

That's what kills it for me. If it was a full blow OS X you would have a lot more options and even start providing a broader SDK framework for OS X desktop.

Also I don't have ogre hands and would have to constantly lay the device down to type.

[Sjofn]

iPad makes me think of sanitary pads. One that, I dunno, sends you an email when you should change it.

[Trippy]

Just wait till there's a version that supports Sprint's WiMax network

[Soln]

so any bets now on when the tabletop products will be out?  iTray?

[Trippy]

so any bets now on when the tabletop products will be out?  iTray?

There are rumors Apple is working on a touch screen iMac. I think something like that would be better for "embedding" into a tabletop.

[Nonentity]

iPad makes me think of sanitary pads. One that, I dunno, sends you an email when you should change it.

The topic #iTampon is a trending topic on Twitter. You're not alone.

[Sjofn]

I figure pretty much any lady nerd thought of that immediately. Dunno about dude nerds!

[01101010]

so any bets now on when the tabletop products will be out?  iTray?

Think bigger.... iWall

Now once they get the LCARS set up on it, Mr. Roddenberry will have truly become immortal. 

[Surlyboi]

 

[Fabricated]

If you buy this piece of shit, you're a bad human being.

[Lt.Dan]

so any bets now on when the tabletop products will be out?  iTray?

There are rumors Apple is working on a touch screen iMac. I think something like that would be better for "embedding" into a tabletop.

I don't understand how embedding a touch screen in a horizontal surface would be that comfortable to use.  My back goes into spasm just thinking about hunching over a desk to work/play/etc.  If they get the ergonomics right it would awesom-o.

[Lt.Dan]

I was awaiting this announcement like a giddy school girl waiting for whatever boy band du jour's concert.  I was curious if there was some way I might use it as a replacement for an aging laptop.  Part of me is going "squeeeeeee" but the rational thinking part of me is going "Nope better off with a new laptop".  That's my preference and I can sleep better happy in my own special place.

Now to the other big question: will Apple sell a bazillion of these things.  Absolutely, and people will love them.  Do I care?  Nope.

[Mattemeo]

Personally, and like I said when I first joined the conversation, I think it's a neat little product which will enjoy a niche market. You shouldn't expect every Apple product to reinvent how we do things.

So... you're just going to pretend the 8 minute long video back-slapping session of digitally cleaned up Mac Honchos extolling the fabricated virtues (BEST WEB OMG 10 HOURS OF USE LOL) of their exquisitely designed yet useless slab of empty promises doesn't exist, then?

[Fabricated]

10 Hours of Webbrowsing with no Flash folks. Wrap it up netbookfailures.

[Surlyboi]

Oh, the hate in this thread is delicious.

[schild]

Name is no stupider than the Wii.