Discussion > Apple iPad
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@eckie, I'm severely disappointed. This isn't a netbook. This is a toy. I'd a consumer device for folks to play with. If they didn't want to go after the netbook market, that's fine, but don't position it as such.
Not to mention, Apple set expectations very high just from their history. They have a great brand and reputation, and now we're getting an incremental evolutionary move forward instead of an exponential innovative revolutionary move?
Give me a touch screen computer on the go. Give me a device I can use as a computer (because it is one). Don't give me a crippled device we've had for 3 years now with a bigger screen.
There are a handful of reasonable use cases, none of which fall into the spectrum of the netbook market. This isn't an iPad/MacBook in-between, this is an iPhone XL. Nothing more.
Thoughts?
Mark Burstiner
My 0.02 cents on the #ipad (expanded tweets from @fredericg):
1. it's a giant "vanity" convergence project: combination of the A4 chipset + leveraging of iPhone OS & merging of the app stores on 1 device
2. "incremental" game changer with unlocked 3G functionality (bye at&t) and iBooks store w/ $4.99 books (Stephenie Meyer!)
3. $499 intro price point vs 2007 iPhone of $599 is pretty awesome ! My prediction: the price will be reduced by $200 by the summer. A $299 tablet will attract a large market of "on the fence" users looking for an all in 1 device
4. conclusion: APPL & Jobs, yet again, are gambling on a shakeout of the non-existent tablet market in their favor (the first Bill Gates demo of the tablet PC was in 2001!)
Frederic Guarino
@frederic:
1. Agreed.
2. Kinda agree. T-Mobile isn't any better than AT&T as far as coverage is concerned, and AT&T is much faster when you can get yet to work, but yes, you do have the option.
3. Yes, the price points are reasonable, but for and oversized iPhone, I'm not sold we even need one. We needed a small computer, not a big crippled device.
4. Agreed.
What's going to happen when an iPhone 3GS owner sits down with his new iPad, puts them side to side and goes "Uh.....now what?". This isn't different enough. This isn't groundbreaking in the least. This is a (as you said) vanity project. The iPad is for funsie-wunsies. Folks who think they'll be able to replace a netbook with this are going to be severely dissapointed.
Mark Burstiner
I'm not sure how this is not a netbook. It browses, it does word processing, it does e-mail. And according to hands-on reporting, it does this VERY WELL. The fact that it looks extremely sleek, and toyish maybe, doesn't change it's functionality. Considering this I think it fits the netbook market very well.
Second, it's the best e-reader around. The screen, graphics and processing power are unprecedented and we all know how well the iTunes store works.
Just to be clear: This product is not for me at the moment because it doesn't have a camera or video editing capabilities. But especially video editing can't be done at netbooks anyhow and I'm kinda expecting a camera for a later incarnation. (We should keep in mind that this is v1.0)
Concluding: If I was looking for a netbook, I would definitely buy this device. I love the sleekness of the iPhone/iPad OS and doing simple tasks like e-mail, browsing and word processing just is not that comfortable on an iPhone. Also, watching shows on this device is probably a dream come true. That's a toy feature, but who cares?
Robert-Jon
@eckie
Do you have a netbook?
A netbook is a small laptop, a computer. To date, netbooks run an OS that might run on a computer of any size. I can, for example, partition my drive and install Windows 7, Ubuntu, and OSX(hacked) if I want to. I can leave it alone and just wun any of the above, or I can turn it into a server. When I'm running any OS, I can install anything I like. Is there an Apple governed fenced-in repository of apps for OSX? No, and same goes for WIndows Ubuntu.....you name it.
Let me ask you this: What happens when you want to listen to pandora while you work in a starbucks on their wifi while trying to type an email while sitting awkwardly? What happens when you realize what you're holding is an oversized iPhone and that in order to really get what you get from a netbook, you need to just get a netbook.
On a netbook, you can pick your OS, browser, and so on and so forth. On a netbook you can run flash, you can upgrade components, you can do your work without worrying about whether Apple will let the iPhone version of your favorite coding app through (or any for that matter).
Pretty, yes. Netbook, hardly.
As for an e-reader, yes it looks pretty. It looks gorgeous. The battery life is great, too. But pretty isn't important if I'm reading a book. I own a Kindle, and I don't find myself wishing I had a brighter more vibrant screen in color to read my books on. They're words. For a textbook with images, sure, a color screen would be great, but I'm sure my eyes and concurrent headache wouldn't be pleased with me come 3AM as I"m studying for that final. Besides, color e-ink exists already.
10 hours of video playback is great and a month of standby is awesome, too. But lets take this down to real-world, ignoring battery life. How long can you stare at your computer screen in a dark room before feeling strain on your eyes? There's a reason solutions like e-ink were developed. Backlights cause eye strain, it's not a matter of opinion. Our eyes are intended for reflective surfaces. So, until we evolve past this and adjust, I'll never read a book on a backlit screen, and transitively, an iPad. (god, the name sounds idiotic)
The processing power isn't unprecedented. The processor in the Nexus One is clocked at the same speed. And the iTunes store is the same model that Amazon is moving towards, plus Amazon is their partner for the iBooks anyway, so that's kind of a moot point.
I'd be fine without the features you say you wouldn't get it for. I don't need a camera necessarily, or even to edit video. I was just expecting a mobile, touch version of OSX, which they would argue that the iPhone platform is, but I can't treat the iPad as a computer, like my MacBook Pro, can I? So, it cails to deliver in that regard.
If you're looking for a netbook, I suggest you pick up a Dell 10 and hack it to run Snow Leopard. That is the best, most affordable netbook solution in 2010. But, if you're looking for an iPhone with a faster processor and a 9.7" screen, the iPad might be for you. Just keep in mind that what you're getting is a an entertainment device that can so some worky things, and that you shouldn't expect to replace an actual computer with a device that can do only a fraction of what a computer can do, albeit in an appealing way.
Mark Burstiner
From my point of view, this is an amazing device. I would totally buy one the minute it became available if I had the lettuce. It most certainly cannot be considered crippled because it's not a netbook - sorry Mark. I don't want to look at photo galleries on a netbook - or manage my calendar. Don't want to browse the web, read a newspaper or an e-book on a netbook. Nor do I want to watch TV and videos - on a netbook.
If you want a netbook, buy a netbook.
If you want to consume mass amounts of beautiful media like books, videos, photos and video - buy an iPad. I would. Did you see Brushes?! An iPad with Brushes alone would be worth $499. #justsayin.
Don't even get me started on the whole “it doesn't do Flash... and what, no multitasking?!” - nobody cares about that on their iPhone and I suspect nobody will care about that on their iPad. Now, back to you in the studio, Mark!
esquareda
Totally a very nice device, yes, but you hit the nail on the head when you say it's not a netbook. The problem is it's being positioned as such. I was hoping for a device to augment my work life not my entertainment life.
That said, as a big 'ol iPhone, yes. It's gorgeous. But as a device to bridge the gap, not so much.
Multitasking falls into the work augmentation category, so I won't touch on it, because if we're assuming we're treating it as an entertainment device, then it doesn't matter. But as an entertainment device, Flash is still important especially on the iPad. They want us to consume media, right? What about shows on Hulu? Do we wait for Hulu to conform? Why should they have to?
Yes, most folks won't care one way or another because it's aimed at crowd who hasn't made a decision yet between a netbook, ereader, etc... but for those of us who have used an iPhone for a long time and were expecting a bold move from Apple, it's a bit of a letdown.
All that said, like I say in the blog post on this, I'm finding all the problems with the hardware are excusable if the software had been gotten right. So, I'm hopeful that with the next big OS release, they give me the work companion I need.
Mark Burstiner
I think it's half-baked like the first iPod, but can quickly be made buyable if they make some changes:
1. Drop the price $200 (worked for the iPhone...)
2. Roll out the keyboard docking tray immediately, start showing them together all over the place.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10443236-1.html
3. Either put a customized full Mac OS X on it or beef up the iPhone version so much I don't notice what's missing
4. Get a camera and GPS into the next hardware release.
5. Have some crazy case so you can strap the iPad to your palm and then do some commercials with Tony Hawk on a skateboard using the iPad.
robkelley
Today somebody asked me what hole they were trying to fill here - the one where in which the smartphone market lays or laptop market? I said forget it, they are digging a new hole in between them, that will be so deep that everything else will collapse inside.
I was a little hesitant about something that is a giant iPod touch, but after seeing the Keynote I get it. This thing is going to rock. It's going to be something we look back on in 20 years and say "oh yeah, remember the iPad version 1? It changed everything."
Here are the key points
1. For the 95% of the population that aren't programmers or media "Pros", this eliminates the need for a laptop and maybe even a desktop. Most problems are solved using an iPad. If you need to get serious with typing (writing a paper), hook it up to the keyboard dock and pound away until your fingertips bleed.
2. Apple is setting a great precedent by selling iWork for $9.99 a part. Now users have the expectation that desktop quality software will be available at that price. It's not for programmers and pros now, but who knows, maybe in the near future it will be thanks to 3rd party devs.
3. Seeing it in action, I do agree that scrolling around with your fingers is a far superior interface to using a keyboard/mouse or a trackpad.
4. It's hard for a lot of people to switch from Windows to OS X. It's not hard to switch from Windows to the iPad, because everybody either already knows how to use an iPhone, or learns how in about 90 seconds.
The only shortcomings to me are the lack of a front-facing camera (I'm guessing this was a political AT&T-influenced decision) and tthe fact that iPhone OS still doesn't support multitasking. That'll come eventually, I guess it's just not ready for it yet.
I don't see the reason to buy a netbook or E-Reader anymore. This is going to be a hit.
Brian Papa
@rob
1. I agree.
2. I agree it would help, but the software's gotta be bumped up too.
3. Agreed.
4. Agreed.
5. I SECOND THIS MOTION WITH A VENGEANCE.
Mark Burstiner
@bpapa
I'd tend to agree with you on most points. Just isn't there yet. I have hope but I won't be getting this iteration, though I know many will.
I don't agree with you on the ereader front though. Reading on my kindle is so much more pleasurable than on my computer because after a few hours I can feel my eyes threatening to punch me.
Mark Burstiner
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It's official: the Apple iPad.
What do you think?