anyone rushing out to get an overgrown iPhone - the iPad?

[aedipuss]

what a pos. could have been at least interesting, but it looks like another over-hyped toy. locked down and proprietary, not a good direction for apple to continue in. the iPad jokes on major news networks are not kind.

[stiltman]

It will go down the iToilet

[MOVIEGEEK]

You mean the iFlop?
It doesn't do anything my smartphone and laptop can't.

[edDV]

iPad is a larger screen iTouch. At least it makes web browsing and book reading more practical. It isn't an OSX computer.

The wifi model + MyFi card or a tethered phone makes more sense to me than the G3 model. Why another AT&T account?

[MOVIEGEEK]

The top 10 reasons the iPad will flop:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/01/ten-things-missing-from-the-ipad/

[rallynavvie]

Wow, tough crowd.

I think this device is aimed at folks who have a laptop but no smartphone or vice versa. Those of us with both won't see much of a need for a device in between. I was fine with it up until the mention of AppStore and then I tuned out for the most part. It will sell. The iPod Touch still sells even though the iPhone is a "better" version of it. Think of the iPad as a big iPod Touch. I might buy one after a memory increase, $100 price drop, and the addition of a webcam and GPS chip. 3G support is useless to me since it'll tether with my phone for internet access, and I'd probably never really use it outside of my house where I have wireless anyway.

Look at other devices in that price group or feature list. The nearest true competitor is the JooJoo and I'm not even sure if that thing is real (order one and tell me if it arrives). We were looking at Motion tablets but they cost $2000 (granted they're full PCs) and are much bulkier due to increased components. Even the touchscreen Logitech remote cost nearly the same as the entry level iPad and it has only one function. I wouldn't count a netbook as a competitor until the netbook has a touchscreen because that's the big draw with this device is the way you interact with media.

I'll be getting a few units of them in next month when I meet with Apple and VMware so I guess I'll get to actually see if they're worth it or not to the general consumer. I know I already have a use for them internally within our company for a specific use, and they come in at a much cheaper price point than the Motion tablet.

[HotDamn!]

From what I've heard the one that Amazon has may be just a bit better. Slightly smaller screen and my not have "i" in front of the name. It's about half the price and connects with a wifi connection. I believe the Apple one you have to make monthly payments for internet access.

Just tossing that in

[videobread]

Apple is an amazing company. They have survived the Microsoft juggernaut and thrived. Good luck to them on all new product releases.

[edDV]

From what I've heard the one that Amazon has may be just a bit better. Slightly smaller screen and my not have "i" in front of the name. It's about half the price and connects with a wifi connection. I believe the Apple one you have to make monthly payments for internet access.

Just tossing that in

But the Kindle is just a book/mag reader (no web browser, no email and no iTunes).

I need neither but I'd take the iPad over a Kindle.

[HotDamn!]

Isn't it made to be a book/mag reader?? the one that Apple made does do more but they already have products that can do that at a much cheaper price.

If people by these to download books and read from it then why the hell would they care for the other crap. Or if they do care for the other stuff then they can buy a netbook and a Kindle for less and you can do more.

I just don't think this product is worth getting at all. Just my opinion..

[darkknight145]

It only has a max capacity of 64gig ....... not really sufficent for todays needs.

[RabidDog]

Its a first gen product .. no camera ? No usb? they're 'aving a laff mate. Will appeal to some, niche users. Most expensive photo frame on the market. Underpowered in the CPU dept.. sounds too heavy (1.6pounds), not e-ink
Who? Why?

[rallynavvie]

If the Kindle is still using e-ink then you're getting monochrome/greyscale display with a very slow refresh rate. Comparing the iPad to a Kindle, Nook, or Sony Reader will never stack up. Those reader devices use a special display type that is MUCH easier on your eyes than any lit screen for reading text which the iPad does not have. I have a Sony Reader and would probably never use the iPad for reading books. The Kindle DX is meant for larger media like newspapers or magazines which would be nice since the grayscale is actually pretty decent.

However a coworker mentioned that the iPad could put new life in comic books and the like as it is color (something e-ink displays are still not ready for) and artists could add motion video or interactive features to comic frames. I might use an iPad for that if I were into comics.

[lowellriggsiam]

As for myself I have a laptop computer, although the ipad is nice looking with a good display and nicely portable I certainlly don't see anything in it that my life is missing.

[MozartMan]

Apple iPad Comedy Skit & Steve Jobs iPad Announcement

[Baldrick]

I have preordered!

[budz]

Looks like a gigantic Itouch! I don't care for Apple products since they're so freaking high priced and so proprietary. I don't even own a Ipod. LOL!

[guns1inger]

http://www.funnyordie.co.uk/videos/167d70800c/the-ipad

[lordsmurf]

Some good points summed up here: http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/showthread.php/apple-ipad-more-2002.html
...with amusing commentary.

Links to some others, too.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/tablet.shtml
http://www.techlearning.com/blogs/27308
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/01/28/ipad.irpt/index.html?hpt=C2

iPad -- the answer to a question nobody asked.

[MJ Peg]

It will be a huge success simply because it will be trendy. It doesn't matter what it does or doesn't do - the number of people who want to be seen with one far outweighs the number of people who care how functional it is.

[rallynavvie]

It will be a huge success simply because it will be trendy. It doesn't matter what it does or doesn't do - the number of people who want to be seen with one far outweighs the number of people who care how functional it is.

Except that they're already predicting most owners will leave them home because it's just too large to simply carry around with you like an iPod or iPhone. I know if I had one it wouldn't leave the house except on rare occasions.

[oldfart13]

I'll be getting a few units of them in next month when I meet with Apple and VMware so I guess I'll get to actually see if they're worth it or not to the general consumer. I know I already have a use for them internally within our company for a specific use, and they come in at a much cheaper price point than the Motion tablet.

Who exactly is this "general consumer" you are referring to? Though I'm pretty tech savvy, the bad economy is making sure I don't go spend way too much money on tech toys I'll never use. The thing just isn't practical for me. Until we can get some kind of reading unit that can be rolled up like a newspaper and the screen is much larger I won't be buying ANY of these toys. I still prefer (as do most people it seems) to read physical media like newspapers, books and magazines anyway...

[MJ Peg]

It's not until you actually play with these things that you actually want one. I didn't want an iPod Touch either, until a mate of mine showed me his. I was impressed so much that I ended up looking up prices online, reading reviews etc. It was only after reading negative comments about sound quality that I questioned the value of an mp3 player far behind the quality of the Best of Breed. Now I don't want an iPod Touch. I'm cured. Until the next time he lets me play with it again......!

[Seeker47]

The thing just isn't practical for me. Until we can get some kind of reading unit that can be rolled up like a newspaper and the screen is much larger I won't be buying ANY of these toys. I still prefer (as do most people it seems) to read physical media like newspapers, books and magazines anyway...

Exactly right. These "roll-up readers" (computers too, where the flexi-screen doubles as the user-interface) have been a fixture of the more plausible type of sci-fi literature for at least 20 years now, and I'm skeptical that we'll see it in our lifetimes, but I'd sure like to.

While I do have a lot of respect for Steve Jobs, as LordSmurf said, an answer to a question no one was asking.

[yoda313]

THats what I was thinkiing. Its too big to be portable and its too underpowered to be a laptop replacement.

Netbooks fit that category more. Netbooks are a more appropriate mid step product between a smartphone that isn't powerful enough for full apps and a full laptop that might be too large to carry around for certain occasions.

This ipad (though they might change the name since the local news said there are many other products with the ipad name already) is a niche that I don't think will take off.

And even if its going to be a gaming platform its too big to be portable. The Nintendo DS and dsi as well as the sony psp have that market cornered. While they may play games on a iphone or itouch I don't think people line up to buy them "just" to play games. That just wasn't their original function unlike a psp or ds. Granted the psp is much more multimedia friendly then the ds so its more utiilitarian though the dsi does have the flash drive add on now so its moving in that direcetion (what is it a sd card slot?).

In the end this will probably be a niche market competiting with the ebook readers from sony and amazon. Though I don't think it will go mainstream like a ipod or iphone. And if you "have" to have a monthly account to use internet and stuff that is a bad idea. If it can do wifi access for general stuff without a seperate account that would be ideal. Then it could act as a more comfortable couch or bedroom wifi surfing unit.

Also it doesn't have usb and only 64 gigs? That is not wise. How is it supposed to charge? Another proprietary power cable no doubt. I'm also sure that any file transfers will take forever on a wifi link versus a usb2 connection.

[ocgw]

hmmmm....an light thin netbook w good screen size for its dimensions, intriguing

Then factor in Apples proprietary bs, no usb and, and double the cost of a basic netbook

pass for now

I would get something llike this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220588

a 5" iphone would have made more sense

ocgw

peace

[rallynavvie]

I don't see any netbooks with interactive displays? Am I missing them somewhere? Where can I buy a netbook or laptop with a screen I can interact with just like my smartphone? $500 is outrageous, I want a touchscreen netbook for less than that!

[ocgw]

I don't see any netbooks with interactive displays? Am I missing them somewhere? Where can I buy a netbook or laptop with a screen I can interact with just like my smartphone? $500 is outrageous, I want a touchscreen netbook for less than that!

I could get by w/o the interactive display, but they do make ultraportable tablet netbooks w/ full PC functionality starting around $454USD

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/635395-REG/ASUS_T91SA_VU1X_BK_Eee_PC_T91_Tablet.html

and you can get a aircard from att for free w/ rebate that will work in its usb, I THINK you can remove the flash memory card reader to install a pc slot aircard

While a touchscreen netbook sounds nice I really like something like the iphone but just a little bigger, I would pay good money for a 6-7" screen iphone w/ a usb port, but I will probably settle for a ultra portable net book w/ an aircard

ocgw

peace

[rallynavvie]

This one has a larger HDD and the same cost as that one you linked:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220661

It's a smaller screen for the price and I don't need the physical keyboard since Win7 has an onscreen keyboard so it's just extra bulk. The webcam is a nice addition though.

My previous post was dripping with sarcasm, I just couldn't think of a way to get people to step back from being so critical of the device when it actually stacks up pretty well against any sort of competition.

And people really need to stop comparing it to an e-reader. There is a HUGE difference between an e-ink display and an LCD (IPS or not). For those who read as much as I do a tablet PC with a current-gen backlit LCD will never replace an e-ink display. And to those people who are planning to get an iPad primarily as an e-reader: enjoy your eyesight while you have it suckers!

[ocgw]

This one has a larger HDD and the same cost as that one you linked:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220661

It's a smaller screen for the price and I don't need the physical keyboard since Win7 has an onscreen keyboard so it's just extra bulk. The webcam is a nice addition though.

My previous post was dripping with sarcasm, I just couldn't think of a way to get people to step back from being so critical of the device when it actually stacks up pretty well against any sort of competition.

And people really need to stop comparing it to an e-reader. There is a HUGE difference between an e-ink display and an LCD (IPS or not). For those who read as much as I do a tablet PC with a current-gen backlit LCD will never replace an e-ink display. And to those people who are planning to get an iPad primarily as an e-reader: enjoy your eyesight while you have it suckers!

No harm done, actually I think the ipad would be cool if Apple didn't omit a usb, and if I could figure out how to carry it where it would be as accessible as a phone and I not damage it "in the field"

ocgw

peace