iPad. Whut of it?

[Dreadnaught]

Anyone here get it? Desperately want to get one soon? Think it's kind of a waste?

I'm in the "waste" camp at the moment. It's basically a giant iPod Touch, except it can't play Flash and most sites are still far away from using HTML5 videos (though hopefully this will encourage that).

I also can't stand how much journalists are in love with it because they think people will pay them tons of money for special content applications...when the device already has a browser that can access the same content.

[littlelolligagged]

I haven't decided yet. Saw a commercial during Lost, it looks like it might be kind of entertaining. But it doesn't look to me like it is worth $500.

[Catgrrl]

Just get an iPhone....way better.

[LittleFuzzy]

If I haven't bought an iPhone or even an iPod, what are the chances I'm going to be interested in their latest toy?

[CitizenCain]

It's like a tablet PC, only without the PC part. I personally don't see why anyone would bother.

Also, your poll needs an option that recognizes that Apple, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Satan himself.

[littlelolligagged]

I was thinking of it as an e-reader that actually does more.

But therefore it should be in the same price range as an e-reader, because it's not like everyone doesn't have an internet capable cell-phone these days that they can't leave behind, so the slight extra functionality over a regular e-reader that the iPad might have isn't worth a hell of a lot.

[Catgrrl]

The reader part was the only thing that did catch my eye.

I'd still say to get a small laptop.

[littlelolligagged]

I have a perfectly good laptop already. It's just not so good for curling up in bed with, you know.

I'm considering an reader of some sort. I really prefer my books on paper; they are more satisfying that way. I do, however, have a few hundred ebooks as a result of the space issue.

[Lor]

Not going to bother personally. I've got a iPod Touch already + a laptop for various other needs.

[Timbuk2]

Don't know what it is so won't bother.

[Hazir]

The funny thing is that because of this ipad I foud out my Touch can be used as a perfectly acceptable eReader so it actually reduced chances of me buying one any time soon. Once I start replacing phone/mp3 player I may change my mind about it. I don't really see myself replacing any of my computers.

[RandBlade]

Since I've got an iPhone, I see little point in having one 4 times the size. Yes a big screen iPhone may be useful at times, but its not a shade of a computer and won't fit in my pocket.

[Dreadnaught]

It would be interesting if you could plug a smartphone into a bigger screen and keyboard at some point. EG, let's say the iPhone and Android browser could run some sort of flash. Or the Internet became entirely friendly towards HTML5.

If you mostly used cloud computing services like Yahoo Mail, GMail, Google Docs, etc, you could possibly just plug your iPhone/Android/PalmPre into the big screen and keyboard and use it when you are at a desk. Then take the same machine with you on the go.

[Hazir]

Dread, why the hell would you want that? Smartphones are lagging lightyears behind in processing power.

[EyeKhan]

I hear really good things about it, but I don't like the apple phenomenon. I don't want to have to use iTunes to acquire or manage all my media. Apple keeps too much control.

[CitizenCain]

It would be interesting if you could plug a smartphone into a bigger screen and keyboard at some point. EG, let's say the iPhone and Android browser could run some sort of flash. Or the Internet became entirely friendly towards HTML5.

If you mostly used cloud computing services like Yahoo Mail, GMail, Google Docs, etc, you could possibly just plug your iPhone/Android/PalmPre into the big screen and keyboard and use it when you are at a desk. Then take the same machine with you on the go.

Yeah, that's called a PDA, and there's a reason those haven't been popular for many years. They're too small and focused on having a battery life of more than 5 minutes to do any useful computing, and the minute you attach it to something which is useful as a computer ("docking station" is the term you're looking for), it's too big to fit in your pocket or clip onto your belt.

[Dreadnaught]

Dread, why the hell would you want that? Smartphones are lagging lightyears behind in processing power.

Yeah, that's called a PDA, and there's a reason those haven't been popular for many years. They're too small and focused on having a battery life of more than 5 minutes to do any useful computing, and the minute you attach it to something which is useful as a computer ("docking station" is the term you're looking for), it's too big to fit in your pocket or clip onto your belt.

The argument is similar to the netbook argument. My Nexus One has a 1 GHz processor. Arguably faster/better/smaller ones are on the horizon.

But more fundamentally, I have less use for heavy processing power for most of my tasks. I do most of my computing with browser-based applications connected to the Web. If I want to keep my computing in one place, it could be smaller/cheaper to just have my phone on me all the time and then connect it to a cheap docking station with a screen when I'm at home.

[Hazir]

I hear really good things about it, but I don't like the apple phenomenon. I don't want to have to use iTunes to acquire or manage all my media. Apple keeps too much control.

That's the main reason for me not owning an iPhone.

Dread, you really believe in the cloud ?

[CitizenCain]

The argument is similar to the netbook argument. My Nexus One has a 1 GHz processor. Arguably faster/better/smaller ones are on the horizon.

But so are more computer intensive applications. Computer apps (even browsers) are designed based around the specifications of the computer market, which is why new versions of the same product generally require more horsepower than their predecessors. So it doesn't really matter that smaller/better/faster technology is on the horizon, since the software that's on the horizon is going to require more powerful hardware to run it anyway. Your new Nexus Two won't be running IE 8 or FF 3 or whatever to browse the web when it comes out in a couple of years, it'll have to run IE 10 or FF4 (or whatever), so when all is said and done, its new, better system specs will probably deliver the same performance as your current smart phone, because the new software requires better hardware to pull the same performance.

[Lor]

Is there any other piece of software thats as good as iTunes though?

[EyeKhan]

That's the main reason for me not owning an iPhone.

Dread, you really believe in the cloud ?

About a year and a half ago I bought an iPod. I liked the device but iTunes strangled my PC. There was an immediate performance hit when I loaded it and an immediate improvement when I removed it. And I want my mp3 player to accept pics, videos and music like it was a hard drive. Too bad because apple makes really nice devices.... Fortunately for me I accidentally destroyed it, in a responsibility-ambiguous way, the second week I had it so I returned it and got a Sandisk. Happy ending.

Is there any other piece of software thats as good as iTunes though?

I use MS Media Player. I have no trouble with it at all.

[CitizenCain]

Is there any other piece of software thats as good as iTunes though?

Really?

What other alternatives have you tried? I've used a bunch of alternate "media management" software, and I honestly can't think of one that I liked *less* than iTunes (though there probably were one or two that got deleted so fast I don't remember). iTunes is awful, awful, awful garbage - even the Microsoft Zune software is better, if you ask me.

[Lor]

I've used MS Media Player before, can't say i like it. Not touched anything else. I will confess i'm quite an Apple fan, i like the products but won't be roped into buying every new piece that comes out because it's 'the in thing to do'.

[Ominous Gamer]

Don't we already have an ipad thread that covered why this thing was a piece of crap?

Its not a phone
not an ereader
not a computer

Apple fanboys wanted a JooJoo that ran MacOS, not an itouch thats 4 times the size. Considering how much love morons show the AppStore though, you can't blame Apple for that move.

Is there any other piece of software thats as good as iTunes though?

Mediamonkey, by a fucking mile.


--------
EDIT:
Forerunner

[Timbuk2]

Reported on the Beeb today that Apple suppliers have received hundreds of complaints about weak wi-fi signals and problems connecting up ...

Some owners of the newly-available iPad have reported problems with connecting their devices to wi-fi.

Hundreds have complained about weak signals on the tablet computer.

Apple acknowledged on its support page that "under certain conditions, iPad may not automatically rejoin a known wi-fi network".

It offered a fix, but suggested that it was a router issue, despite some users saying that other devices worked fine on the same wi-fi connection.

Some speculated that the problem might be related to the position of the wi-fi antenna on the device, while others said it could be a software bug.

Apple said that the problem could be caused by dual-band routers and suggested users created a separate network name for each band.

But this will not solve the problem for everyone, pointed out Adam Leach, principle analyst at research firm Ovum.

"If you are using public wi-fi, then you are not going to be able to make changes to router settings," he said.

If the bug proves to be software-related, it will be easily solved, but if it turns out to be a problem for the device, it could be more of a headache for Apple.

"If the wi-fi problem is hardware-related, it will force a number of returns, which will be costly for Apple and ruin the experience for the first adopters," he said.

Other reported glitches with the new device include some complaints about charging it and uploading applications.

The iPad went on sale in the US on 3 April and sold more than 300,000 units on its first day.

[Ominous Gamer]

I've heard a lot of complaints about charging it. Easily the dumbest design Apple has created so far. The USB connection won't charge via Windows PCs, or even some Apple products. The only official way to charge it is via an AC outlet . Even Sony figured out how to charge the PSP via a USB to PC connection.
The best part? The Ipad manual doesn't mention that:


There is also the problem of having to activate the ipad with an internet enabled PC with iTunes installed before you can start using it. Thats a bunch of crap, and only confuses even more (if thats possible) exactly what type of product Apple wants the ipad to be/compete with.

[littlelolligagged]

I don't see why how to charge the iPad should be included in the directions to how to sync it.

I also don't think they were trying to compete with/be a computer replacement. It certainly isn't being marketed that way based on the commercials.

[Ominous Gamer]

I don't see why how to charge the iPad should be included in the directions to how to sync it.

Guess they shouldn't put "charge" in the title then

[littlelolligagged]

Guess they shouldn't put "charge" in the title then

And further down the carefully cut off instructions, does it say how to charge it?

I assume they include an AC charger? Who would be so stupid as to think that is there just for the fun of it, again?

[Ominous Gamer]

I assume they include an AC charger? Who would be so stupid as to think that is there just for the fun of it, again?

AC chargers are for those that don't want to be tethered to a computer, sadly Apple already removed that option for users before they can even start to use it.

An AC charger also doesn't mean the product should only work with certain USB connections. My PSP charges via USB, as do both of our Motorola phones. They all came with AC chargers. The ipods/nanos also used to come with an AC charger (don't know if they still do), who ever used that?