So you really want an ipad

[Fishu]

I would love something like iPad, it's just the right size too. If there isn't any unreasonable europe fine in the price with it I just might buy it, even though I generally dislike Apple's products. Although there may be limitations that may well prevent me from buying it.

Too bad that laptops and such usually only provide DVI/VGA out but not DVI/VGA in. Touchscreen computer could be then easily used as a second display at home - with the touchscreen!


Another thing that I would like would be a similar concept of the size of a 4" GPS navigator along with the functionality. I tend to have navigator in the pocket every now and then, but it can't be used for anything else, even though it would be a perfect electronic notebook. Navigators can be easily carried with you when you need it. They're also bigger than cellphones, which makes them much more convenient to use. I prefer to have a smaller cellphone than a brick.

[eagl]

iPod?  I think it's more like an iPhone then anything.

It's mostly a big ipod touch, which is an iphone without the phone part.  The ipad does everything an iphone does, except let you make phone calls.  I think this will be the sole reason it will see lower than expected sales.  If it could make calls, an ipad with a bluetooth headset would be very trendy and useful.  As it is, you'll have to carry both a phone and the ipad, and people will end up just leaving the ipad at home because their phone will be almost as useful and why carry duplicate gadgets.

And that's the second major drawback to the ipad...  It is still an appliance or gadget, not a computer.  The applications are all locked down, to the point where it is clear that even after the sale, the ipad still isn't yours to do whatever you want with it.  At least with a real apple computer, you could freely write and run any program you want.  Or buy/download any program and run it.  With the iphone, ipod touch, and now ipad, you are buying a gadget, a fancy kitchen appliance with utility limited to whatever apple deems appropriate.

To heck with that, I don't need a gadget nanny.  My kindle is the only appliance of this sort that I'll buy.  Everything else I do needs a real computer, not a gadget.

[Vulcan]

What eagl said...

As above, no USB (host): why do I need USB host: I'd like to use my phone or 3G stick I already own. Or attach my camera to download photo's to it. I still have to own a computer of some sort to get photo's from my phone to it, if I travel that means a laptop. If I have a laptop why do I need an $1000 ipad?

No flash slots: as above with regards to the camera. Or even exchanging files/pdf's with people. If I go visit someone who has some documents for me, they have to email me (assuming I'm within wifi range - screw having Mb's of 3G data charges). Once again I need my laptop to get the documents on there.

No multitasking? For me that means no 3rd party networking apps, like SSL VPN clients, which means no access to my corporate intranet, or client sites that I support. I still need my laptop nearby. But the ipad would still need my laptop to exist.

No camera? Hello apple? How simple would a camera be?

GPS? No, it's aGPS, which means no GPS on the wifi models on GPS on the 3G models (not due til mid year) only if your telco supports it.

It probably means no tethered phones either, I don't want to have mobile phone accounts. I want to use my cellphone as either a bluetooth or USB modem (but apple won't let me do that).

IMHO the ipad is to reliant on the host pc/mac to be useful. It needs to be more of an independent device.

I use an ultraportable notebook (NEC S9100), and it's great, I could easily move to a device like the Ideapad, it woudl cover pretty much all I do now.

[trax1]

Another thing it's missing is that is doesn't support Flash which is something you might want in a product that's gonna be used to surf the net, because if it supported flash then you would be able to use Flash apps that you didn't buy from their app store.

[68Wooley]

Yeah all it is is a giant iphone. 

Either that or Steve Jobs has shrunk...

[sntslilhlpr6601]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsjU0K8QPhs&feature=player_embedded    

lol

What's even more hilarious is the fact that that video is over two years old...

[Spikes]

That ideapad looks cool, mini version of the Gateway one...really don't see much use for it though. Like said above, why would you want to carry that and a phone, when most phones can do that everything the ipad can anyway...just a bigger screen.

[stran]

There will be plenty of clowns who buy it. Look at the ebook reader market. This could be one of those with more bells and whistles.

[JimBear]

As an e-book reader it could be a winner. I could see these doing really well if apple managed some content arrangements with text book publishers. much easier to truck a iPad about the uni than bound books.

[stran]

As an e-book reader it could be a winner. I could see these doing really well if apple managed some content arrangements with text book publishers. much easier to truck a iPad about the uni than bound books.

but school textbooks will be the last to go digital. i could almost say never.

[Fishu]

So, apparently iPad does have the same operating system as iPhone. That'll make it an expensive brick. I really didn't think that Apple would be that stupid.

[steely07]

What eagl said...

As above, no USB (host): why do I need USB host: I'd like to use my phone or 3G stick I already own. Or attach my camera to download photo's to it. I still have to own a computer of some sort to get photo's from my phone to it, if I travel that means a laptop. If I have a laptop why do I need an $1000 ipad?

Not to disagree with anyone, but there will be a new camera connector, I have the old connector, doesn't work on iphone, but am mildly excited about the camera connection kit (if it's like the old one, you'll plug your digital camera into the iPad, and it'll download all images to your photo library)

"Connectivity, the 30-pin connector on the bottom of the iPad allows you to dock and charge it. It also lets you connect to iPad accessories like the Camera Connection Kit and the Keyboard Dock."

I'll be honest, I would like one, but would use it mostly as an e-reader I think.

Steely

[RTHolmes]

So, apparently iPad does have the same operating system as iPhone. That'll make it an expensive brick. I really didn't think that Apple would be that stupid.

  explain?

[trax1]

explain?

Not sure but I think he means because it wont have a filing system in it.

[Fishu]

explain?

From what I've heard it doesn't have Flash or multitasking in the background, just like iphone.. Who knows what else is gimped.