Comments on: iPad

By: BIGsheep

BIGsheep — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:58:45 +0000

As with the great unwashed, however, they don’t pay attention until there is an equivalent product that’s usually all black/white and has a piece of fruit attached to it somewhere so those 50 have slipped by unnoticed.

A few MS execs round here used to wander round with tablets so I’ve liked the idea for a while. At the time they were lacking the touch support to make them truly wide reaching, though. I hear Win 7 now comes with that as standard so that could be an avenue that some manufacturers could try and exploit.

The issue, though, as you say, is battery life. Which is strangely the reason I don’t have an iPhone. Recharging my phone every day is a little over the top for me, personally, but recharging a laptop after 3-4 hours whilst not ideal is at least the norm.

By: Robin

Robin — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:25:30 +0000

There are at least 50 tablets out there already and more coming. Personally I’d quite like one that operated on the Thin client model, bit of ram and enough oomph to run an embedded browser,storage on SD card, everything else run remotely on the cloud or on a optional little server box that offered up the kind of services we expect from a media streamer or NAS appliance these days.
While quite tempted by devices like the Archos9 or the iTablet, Atom/Windows powered devices are just not delivering the battery life one might expect from a portable device. ARM SoC devices are efficient little designs that are perfect for this sector, we don’t need full versions of Linux or Windows but a fully featured OS optimised for the hardware and tasks at hand.

By: friedgoldmole

friedgoldmole — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:10:02 +0000

I think it was misstep for Jobs to compare this to a netbook, because functionally the two are a world apart. I can certainly say that this would be brilliant for casual web browsing, email and for the emerging market of electronic comics.

The lack of multitasking, flash and the extensive back catalog of existing productivity software available for desktop grade operating systems, means in my opinion it’s not in the same category as a Netbook or small laptop, at least in its current form.

I think it looks like a cool device, but I see it as being the technological equivalent of a coffee table book. That said I’m sure there is a market out there for the less tech-literate.

By: BIGsheep

BIGsheep — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:56:58 +0000

From this Gizmodo it seems that there will be a 10W USB-to-AC adapater included in the box. Although I can still see some people trying to get radio alarm clocks with docs to charge this thing overnight.

By: zer0mike

zer0mike — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 08:50:07 +0000

I just can’t stop thinking about Bejewelled 2 on this thing.

How does it charge? got a super massive doc?

By: Dan B

Dan B — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:52:40 +0000

Well, I’m a “tech-head”, and I want one! Just because I’m a geek, doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate a nice, friendly interface. Of course, I need a “proper” computer to do more meaty things on (primarily extended typing sessions and tasks requiring multitasking), but the iPad looks like it could do quite a lot already, especially with third-party apps.

It certainly represents a step forward for bringing computing to more people though. Full personal computers (including Macs) are very complicated compared to the iPad, and the casual user doesn’t get a lot more useful functionality for that complexity. I think flexibility is slightly the wrong word: the iPad can be anything a developer wants it to be, pretty much. The only thing I can see that really puts a “proper” computer ahead is the multitasking thing. Apple still has yet to solve that one, but I’m sure they will soon, if only on the iPad.

By: Manuel

Manuel — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:59:45 +0000

It might be pointless to us Wee Fella, but it makes a whole heap of sense for a lot of people. It embodies all the functionality that most users want from a laptop – i.e. web browsing, email, pictures, music, video – rolled up into a neat little Apple glossy package. Agreed with Majikel on that one.

It’s not for me, mind you. I’ll keep the laptop with a physical keyboard, taverymuch. However, I can certainly see the appeal for the audience they are aiming at.

Ah who am I kidding… I’ll probably buy one.

Idiot that I am.

By: Weeman

Weeman — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:10:22 +0000

Sheep, your opening line was spot on, not too harsh at all. I just can’t see any point in this what so ever. I have heard some people say that this is a step in the direction of the demise of print. They say thinks such as “Why go to a shop and buy a paper when you can download it?”. To that i say: haven’t you people heard of paper boys?!! Having said that, there probably is some truth to Majikel’s comment but to me this piece of technology is totally pointless. If the price was more competitive it may make more sense, but really, I’m happy with the size of my iphone’s screen thanks!

By: BIGsheep

BIGsheep — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:06:28 +0000

Funnily enough, Majikel, that thought occurred to me too. I suppose that so much tech has built up around the hardcore that “casual” hardware is a light relief to some. I suppose my old UNIX OS on my netbook was testement to that with it’s locked down OS with its big friendly buttons and that you couldn’t break.

Mike, expect to pay a pretty penny for an iPad sock. Hopefully they use really chunky wool and look like a scaled up version of the iPod versions

By: zer0mike

zer0mike — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:47:34 +0000

Where would you keep it? i’m always loosing my Laptop around the house, would need a bell on it or somfinklikethat!.

I think its impressive technology, but so was the iPhone, but i think i’d still pick up a book, i stare at screens all day as it is… Mac, Laptop, Xbox, TV, DVD, Bluray, my Glasses…

Saying that, Bejewelled 2 on that badboy would make my life complete.

I’m not buying one, well I would if i had the pockets of Jobsie.

By: Majikel

Majikel — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:31:46 +0000

do you think its possible that we are seeing a shift in the technology market that mirrors the gaming market? by this i mean the advent of Casual technology users…..”tech-heads” for lack of a better terminology, use laptops/net books for a multitude of uses like games/marketing/networking/programming etc whilst listening to music and browsing the web, we demand alot from our little machines all at the same time. The majority however are more casual users, they may type up the odd word document, send an email, go on social networking sites. But they are not asking to do these things all at once. I think the ipad could be geared more towards the people who want something easy to use and pretty that isnt as technologically flexible as a “tech-head” would want. what do you guys/girls think???