The iPad is the Gadget We Never Knew We Needed

[mlopinto2k1]

So what everyone is sayin is that they shoulda did better than this - http://www.archos.com/products/nb/archos_9/win7.html?country=us&lang=en

 

[jasperjones]

Agree with the cookbook, children's books, and comics books comment. That's why I was a bit disappointed McGraw Hill wasn't at the launch. It makes so much more sense to read textbooks on a LCD tablet than on an E-ink e-reader.

 

[zodiacfml]

the article has a point, we technically savvy won't buy this but it doesn't matter as the masses will buy anyway then find and adjust what it is for.

 

[keither5150]

I would rather buy this....... if I was in the market for a small portable tablet with a touch screen.
Asus Eee PC T91MT Black w/ Atom Z520, 1GB, 32GB SSD, 802.11 b/g/n, 8.9in Multi Touch WSVGA, Win 7 Home Premium for about $500.

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX27000(ME).aspx

It would be cool to sync this with my other HTPC which also have Win 7 Home Premium.

The only thing that I don't like about the Asus tablet is that they use the word "intuitive" in their description. That word is really gay when it comes to technology

Apple should patent that word.

 

[godwhomismike]

A new device for porn... Steve Jobs will make sure people think you'll look cool with your pants around your ankles, as long as your doing it with an iPad.

 

[fonzy]

[citation][nom]keither5150[/nom]Can it run windows 7?The fact that OSX is not on there is a epic fail.No USB.No HDMI out.No need for it.Instead of Ipad, they should call it Big ass Ipod or Big iphone that is not really a phone, but you need it anyway.Good one Steve,[/citation]

No Camera
No OLED

It would be a good Christmas present for my grandmother..... if it was affordable like for $149.

For everyone else theres a netbook or laptop.

 

[godwhomismike]

Thinking of $149, I am hoping Amazon puts the final nail in the iPad's coffin and drops the 6" Kindle's price to $149.

 

[aletoil]

Its overcosted. Also, its an oversided Iphone and undersized, underpowered laptop. I wont be looking forward to it.

 

[aletoil]

Bah, meant oversized Iphone. Edit function? Anyone?

 

[The_Prophecy]

The iPad is a joke. It's a larger iPhone that costs just as much, and can do less. Apple has taken a step back with this one.

 

[ch42832n]

I'll wait until the ipad comes with MAC OS X and not the iphone OS before I'm thinking of getting one.

 

[pcwlai]

It's great to read an article on tech centric sites with the similar angle or view as myself!

 

[pcwlai]

I want to point out, no one in the iPad's market care about multi-tacking. They just want the device to work as it is.

If programmers can really follows the design guidelines from Apple, which, when application quite, save the current state and restore it when application opens again, this is just the same as "multi-tasking" for the normal users!

Crowded screen of windows and obscure and complex switching of applications, those minimize and maximize little buttons on windows maanagement are not for normal people in their fun life! They are for geeks only!

 

[precariousgray]

Come to think of it, every person I've known named Steve has been a self-absorbed, loud-mouthed asshole.

 

[anamaniac]

[citation][nom]keither5150[/nom]Can it run windows 7?The fact that OSX is not on there is a epic fail.No USB.No HDMI out.No need for it.Instead of Ipad, they should call it Big ass Ipod or Big iphone that is not really a phone, but you need it anyway.Good one Steve,[/citation]
I'd consider buying it if it was named 'Big Ass iPod'.
[citation][nom]keither5150[/nom]I would rather buy this....... if I was in the market for a small portable tablet with a touch screen.Asus Eee PC T91MT Black w/ Atom Z520, 1GB, 32GB SSD, 802.11 b/g/n, 8.9in Multi Touch WSVGA, Win 7 Home Premium for about $500. http://www.memoryexpress.com/Produ [...] 0(ME).aspxIt would be cool to sync this with my other HTPC which also have Win 7 Home Premium. The only thing that I don't like about the Asus tablet is that they use the word "intuitive" in their description. That word is really gay when it comes to technologyApple should patent that word.[/citation]
I've considerd some of these touchscreen netbooks. Would be nice. Don't need portability though, and the last time I touched a solo 1.6GHz core was a long time ago (1.6Ghz Athlon bought ~5 years ago)...

Very nicely done article. You have me actually debating on the iPad now (gen 2/3 atleast though, I'm broke).

 

[dtm4trix]

[citation][nom]mlopinto2k1[/nom]So what everyone is sayin is that they shoulda did better than this - http://www.archos.com/products/nb/ [...] us&lang=en[/citation]

Now that's something I WILL buy......awesome. The iPad is useless for most things. It fails at the best browsing experience, NO FLASH support, it fails at a movie device, as someone pointed out in another article, the world doesn't revolve around apple and their lack of support for multiple formats is another FAIL. So this just leaves it as an over priced Max-I-pad.

 

[r3t4rd]

[citation][nom]precariousgray[/nom]Come to think of it, every person I've known named Steve has been a self-absorbed, loud-mouthed asshole.[/citation]
Thought about this comment...and wow..it is SOOOOO true. I just never thought about it that way before.... All the Steves I know are exactly as described.

Forget not having HDMI, USB, OLED, Removable Battery, etc...forget all that. One thing that regardless whether the iPad was not equipped with or was, if the iPad was loaded or running with a slimmed down version of OSX, would have been epic. It would have given stiff competition and a run for all the Windows based Tablets. OSX alone on the tampon would have worked! That is all that Apple had to do. Again, iFail.

Another note, Apple really isn't inovative or have magical items. Apple just rehashes what is already out and about in the world and make it look glossy, cute, asthetically superb, and then sells it to the common consumer in a closed environment. Like drones, people buy into the great marketing and purchase Apple products. Why do I say that? Look at the iPad, its an overgrown iPod/iPhone. You want 3G...well we'll charge you "X" $$$ for it. You want Wi-Fi...we'lll charge you $$$ for it etc. Its all a gimmick, ploy, and rehash of the what Apple already has. Reminds me of Nvidia rehashes of its G95 cards. Regardless People will still buy the darn thing because they are oblivious the reality.

Until Apple puts out a tablet running on some form of OSX and with full or close to full functionality of a MAC, its pointless.

But you say "Wait, the iPad is not designed to go aginst Netbooks/PC Tablet markets". Then FTW was it designed to go against? I've read the article above and don't buy into it. It goes back to my comment of rehashing and not inovation. Wut is Apple doing....being inovative in a new type or crossbreed of markets? Wuts sooo inovative when its just an overgrown iPod/iPhone?

 

[Guest]

People are unaware that Qualcomm have color e-ink technology already and products will be launched later this year. Methinks McGraw Hill and Co know better than Steve Jobs....

 

[amarok]

No matter what features they put in and no matter how slick a design - the ipads will for always be a useless gadget - hell, even if it could beam one up to the moon - it is still useless because it is forced to work with apples crappiest software ITUNES!

 

[Ciuy]

Apple SUCKS hard !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[killerclick]

I like buying proper computers. I'd like a tablet that can run Windows and Linux, and be at least as capable as a netbook. Apple want's to control which applications I run on MY hardware? They can go to hell

 

[fooldog01]

Is it just me or does a market for this device only exist because our perception obsessed society will buy anything from Apple as long as they can be seen using it in public or be able to autonomously tell everyone on the internet "this was sent from my iPad"?

 

[coolkev99]

Um.. it's a giant iphone.. that can't make calls. Why do I want this?

 

[Vestin]

[citation][nom]pcwlai[/nom]Thinking is not for the common people in their ordinary life! It's for geeks only![/citation]
There - I fixed it for you ;P.

Basically - the article says that while most of us tech-savvy people say "Only idiots would buy such a piece of crap !", the idiots don't hesitate to do so...

 

[Onus]

The article's points were all well-made. I'll never buy one; it would be a tremendous waste. Apple doesn't give a rat's butt, because they never anticipated selling one to me, or any techie, but to the legions of "commoners" to whom something they never had isn't "missing" (e.g. USB, multi-tasking, a web cam, or anything else whose absence makes the iPad a cripple).
What would allow me to even consider buying one? USB so I can easily load / transfer content. Phone functionality, with headphone/mic jacks, plus Bluetooth and RJ11 and/or digital interface. Multi-tasking. Make it into a desktop (I mean the uppermost surface of a physical desk) sidekick, able to replace a phone, act as a scratchpad, quick reference, clock, calendar, music player, etc to assist my PC (or use away from it) but without being a "computer" (no 802.11x or Ethernet needed). Oh, and a non-user replacable battery is a dealbreaker.
Want to sell it to other business users? Make at least two versions; one as above, and the second for use in more secure environments. No Bluetooth or USB, but add wired-only Ethernet (RJ45) so it can be attached to a managed corporate network to load designated content.