wow at all the iPad haters out there...

[Wayne]

Sitting here this morning breezing through the news and articles from the weekend and I just can't believe all the haters out there trashing the iPad.

I'm actually trying to be neutral here, even though I like mine (even with it's serious flaws), but the more I look around, the more it just gets to me that people won't let go of the "just a big iPod Touch" idea, even though those who blindly parrot that mantra have obviously not even used one...

I also note that people who either can't afford one, hate Apple out of principle, or (insert their reasons here) are quick to fall back on the "why would I buy one when I can just buy a Kindle?" but absolutely refuse to compare it, in price and features to the very similarly priced and sized Kindle DX.

The iPad isn't perfect. Particularly the wi-fi version has serious flaws (no constant connection and charging issues) but it's no more "a big iPod" than saying a "Kindle is a computer".

I spent Sunday night watching "Wild Hogs" and "Hot Fuzz". I played Monopoly with a friend (he on his iPhone, me on the iPad), I read "Sun Tzu: The Art of War" (80 pages, just to see if my eyes got tired), I checked my mail, browsed the web, including using the e-bay, craigslist, USA Today, and other apps. Even after all that, still had 80% battery left.

Let's see a damned Kindle do THAT...

In a very real sense, the iPad is more like the "ultimate pda meets laptop" than just an iPod. It's very much like the ultimate PDA we always dreamed of when we were walking around playing with our Palm IIIc and Visor Prisms, except -- unlike those devices -- the iPad is actually usable for literally EVERYTHING that a normal person wants to do on a regular basis.

True. It won't edit video. True, it won't allow you to create podcasts (though it does have voice recording). True. It doesn't have a USB port, but I have yet to find a single person who can give me a legitimate reason for wanting a USB port. Hey, stop thinking about it as a "retarded laptop" or a "big iPod Touch". It's a bleepin' PDA folks. A big, beautiful, ultimately useful PDA. Get your damned mind right.

Forgive the rant. I'm finding the level of hater ignorance a bit much and needed a place to spout..

Wayne

 

[redrumloa]

I haven't said much of anything except I'm not much interested. I will say that lack of USB or any other port is a show stopper for me, among other things. I'm glad you like it, I just don't get the hype.

 

[faethor]

iPad wins Nobel peace Prize See no hating... :roflmao:

 

[Wayne]

I haven't said much of anything except I'm not much interested. I will say that lack of USB or any other port is a show stopper for me, among other things. I'm glad you like it, I just don't get the hype.

Ok... So.. What legitimate purpose would you have for a USB port on a PDA?

 

[cecilia]

iPad wins Nobel peace Prize See no hating... :roflmao:

:shock: belated April fools joke???

 

[Glaucus]

I think what irks many about the iPad is that really it's nothing that special and yet some people are drooling all over it like it's the second coming of Christ - mostly because of it's Apple badge . Also, I wouldn't really compare it to a Kindle as it seems to be more general purpose then that.

But ya, some people just hate the iPad:

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[cecilia]

I haven't said much of anything except I'm not much interested. I will say that lack of USB or any other port is a show stopper for me, among other things. I'm glad you like it, I just don't get the hype.

Ok... So.. What legitimate purpose would you have for a USB port on a PDA?

I personally wish Everything had a USB port. I'm not sure why. maybe I like the shape of the port ???? :mrgreen:

also, wouldn't this be a nice way to plug in your cell phone to juice it up without carrying around another AC plug?

just a thought

 

[Glaucus]

Well, with a USB port you could tether your phone to it and get wireless data that would compete with the 3G feature.

 

[redrumloa]

I haven't said much of anything except I'm not much interested. I will say that lack of USB or any other port is a show stopper for me, among other things. I'm glad you like it, I just don't get the hype.

Ok... So.. What legitimate purpose would you have for a USB port on a PDA?

How do you plug in real life devices?

Like this?

Lack of multitasking on a $500 device in 2010 seems downright silly too.

 

[JoBBo]

Sitting here this morning breezing through the news and articles from the weekend and I just can't believe all the haters out there trashing the iPad.

The amount of negative comments I have seen is not higher than it has been for any other Apple product launch, actually.

I'm actually trying to be neutral here, even though I like mine (even with it's serious flaws), but the more I look around, the more it just gets to me that people won't let go of the "just a big iPod Touch" idea, even though those who blindly parrot that mantra have obviously not even used one...

Personally, I do not consider "big iPod Touch" to be an insult. Many of the usability issues people experience when they use an iPod Touch are related to its size (web surfing, etc.). The iPad is less portable, but ultimately more comfortable to use for many common tasks.

I also note that people who either can't afford one, hate Apple out of principle, or (insert their reasons here) are quick to fall back on the "why would I buy one when I can just buy a Kindle?" but absolutely refuse to compare it, in price and features to the very similarly priced and sized Kindle DX.

To be fair, the Kindle series is the not only line of ebook readers out there. There are plenty of devices that are far cheaper than an iPad but are strictly optimized to serve as a reading device. It is easy to point out that the iPad has more features, the question is whether consumers are interested in them. Plus, for all its benefits, the iPad does have a number of drawbacks compared to devices with e-ink displays.

Many reviewers have noted the "heavy" weight of an iPad compared to a Kindle or Sony e-reader that can be held in one hand for hours. If you are reading for extended periods of time, you will probably appreciate a substantially lighter device.

Likewise, if you spend a lot of time reading outside, you will most likely prefer an e-ink display as well. In a sunny environment, the iPad's otherwise very nice display easily becomes unreadable, which renders colored book illustrations and fancy page transitions to be fairly useless features.

If you spend most of your time reading indoors and do not read many (text-heavy) books to begin with, then the iPad can be a nice alternative compared to a pure e-book reader device. But considering that e-book readers are expected to be sold in high volumes for around $100 by the end of this year, I think quite a number of people will end up owning one in addition to an iPad.

I spent Sunday night watching "Wild Hogs" and "Hot Fuzz". I played Monopoly with a friend (he on his iPhone, me on the iPad), I read "Sun Tzu: The Art of War" (80 pages, just to see if my eyes got tired), I checked my mail, browsed the web, including using the e-bay, craigslist, USA Today, and other apps. Even after all that, still had 80% battery left.

Let's see a damned Kindle do THAT...

The Kindle was not designed to do that. It allows you to read a book in bright sunlight, however, a rather basic function that the Apple iPad is not quite capable of fulfilling.

(Plus, for the price of an iPad, you could buy a Kindle and a netbook / laptop. For some folks, these two devices combined would be more attractive than a single iPad. For good reasons too.)

In a very real sense, the iPad is more like the "ultimate pda meets laptop" than just an iPod. It's very much like the ultimate PDA we always dreamed of when we were walking around playing with our Palm IIIc and Visor Prisms, except -- unlike those devices -- the iPad is actually usable for literally EVERYTHING that a normal person wants to do on a regular basis.

There are actually many usage scenarios for the iPad as a device that is primarily (or even exclusively) used in a home. Why buy a TV, an e-book reader, a radio and a clock to put next to your bed if you can buy an iPad instead? Obviously, you could use a laptop for this purpose too but the iPad is just more convenient and easy to use even while you are half-asleep. Also, an iPad arguably looks better and more stylish on a nightstand than a typical laptop.

It doesn't have a USB port, but I have yet to find a single person who can give me a legitimate reason for wanting a USB port. Hey, stop thinking about it as a "retarded laptop" or a "big iPod Touch". It's a bleepin' PDA folks. A big, beautiful, ultimately useful PDA. Get your damned mind right.

To be honest, I do not like the PDA comparison too much. For me, a PDA is a highly portable device that I can carry around with me everywhere at all times. The iPad is just too big (and heavy) to be that type of device, unlike the iPhone or iPod Touch.

 

[JoBBo]

Lack of multitasking on a $500 device in 2010 seems downright silly too.

Well, there is some level of multitasking at least. You can choose a song in iTunes and it will keep playing in the background while you are surfing in Safari. Apparently, you cannot run two third-party apps at the same time, however.

 

[ilwrath]

I guess I really don't get it...

I'm actually trying to be neutral here, even though I like mine (even with it's serious flaws), but the more I look around, the more it just gets to me that people won't let go of the "just a big iPod Touch" idea, even though those who blindly parrot that mantra have obviously not even used one...

You're right, I genuinely haven't used it, so I guess I really don't get it. But what does the iPad do that the iPod Touch can't, then? I really don't understand. Are you still locked to the ITunes App Store? Or can I just plunk some GPL software on it? How about an emulator, or whatever else I might want? If it's not a larger iPod Touch, what IS it? All the stuff you mentioned is also available for iPod Touch, if I'm not mistaken?

And as for thinking of it as a PDA... Egads! How huge of a PDA do you use? The iPod Touch is already bigger than my PDA was. (Also, I had no problem putting any software I wanted on my PDA, as well. In fact, my favorite was the excellent Pocket Commodore 64.)

 

[Wayne]

Well, with a USB port you could tether your phone to it and get wireless data that would compete with the 3G feature.

Only if the software was written to allow it, and unless you jailbreak it, it's not.

 

[Wayne]

I haven't said much of anything except I'm not much interested. I will say that lack of USB or any other port is a show stopper for me, among other things. I'm glad you like it, I just don't get the hype.

Ok... So.. What legitimate purpose would you have for a USB port on a PDA?

How do you plug in real life devices?

That's what you call a real life device? Seriously Jim, I know I'm baiting you, but I really want to know.. Considering the iPad is not supposed to be a full 100% desktop replacement, what do you need to plug into an iPad via hard wire (defeating the purpose) that you can't do wirelessly?

Keyboard? Bluetooth.
Mouse? (if needed) Bluetooth.
Printing? Wireless app. (need to upgrade your printer? Not the iPad's fault)
External storage? Just set up a VPN wireless or bluetooth connection.

Seriously, I get the feeling that most of you don't really "get" that it was never designed to replace a laptop or desktop machine. That being said, it sure does do 99% of all the things I do rather well and effortlessly.

Lack of multitasking on a $500 device in 2010 seems downright silly too.

1) It multitasks all of the Apple written apps just fine. I can listen to music and answer this mail without any problems (as I'm doing now btw). It doesn't however multitask third-party apps.
2) Reportedly OS 4.0 fixes that by adding multitasking.

Wayne

 

[Wayne]

@ilwrath,

I had a well-written point by point response written, but the network here flickered. Dammit.

Suffice to say that you really need to actually see / use one for more than an hour to really begin to understand how the iPad may use the same OS and it may look the same, but the extra screen real estate, combined with the bigger processor and more memory make it a completely different animal where usability is concerned.

Wayne

 

[faethor]

2) Reportedly OS 4.0 fixes that by adding multitasking.

Hasn't the Amiga always multitasked? This isn't new to OS4.x.

 

[Wayne]

2) Reportedly OS 4.0 fixes that by adding multitasking.

Hasn't the Amiga always multitasked? This isn't new to OS4.x.

Yes, and it's hilarious to think that in only 15 years since it's demise, we can hold a computer 100x more useful in the palm of our hand...

(I'm getting a kick out of the fact that the moobunnies are trashing the iPad to high hell but will blindly defend the Amiga as a legitimate computer to the death)

Wayne

 

[redrumloa]

That's what you call a real life device? Seriously Jim, I know I'm baiting you, but I really want to know..

Yes of course, look at my desk.

A device performs tasks you want done, that was just one example. I don't see the iPad doing anything I need done.

Considering the iPad is not supposed to be a full 100% desktop replacement, what do you need to plug into an iPad via hard wire (defeating the purpose) that you can't do wirelessly?

A ton of useful stuff I like are homebrewed, both hardware and software. Again, the iPad accomplishes nothing for me.

Seriously, I get the feeling that most of you don't really "get" that it was never designed to replace a laptop or desktop machine.

OTOH what many iPad buyers don't "get" is the iPad fills no niche :wink:

It doesn't however multitask third-party apps.

And I take it that 3rd party open source software will be seriously crippled, another show stopper.

For the home, I have desktop computers. For the road I have a laptop. If I need something ultra mobile, I'll get a Gamepark, PDA or a Smart phone. The only thing this accomplishes is being an electronic book, but other devices fill that niche better and often less than $500. Me? I'll be an old man before I read $500 worth of books, considering I get most of my books second hand for $3-$4 shipped.

 

[Wayne]

@red

Wow... a true hater. Cool enough. I'll leave you to tinker with your C128 then.

 

[Glaucus]

Wayne, I think you have to admit that omitting a USB port on the iPad is something that does limit the device in many ways. Honestly, I never knew about this until I read it here today, but to me that's gotta be one of the biggest drawbacks I've heard yet. Apple does a good job of simplifying things, but that's usually at the cost of removing flexibility or functionality (and in the case of the iPad, both). You can't blame someone for not appreciating those limitations.