I think I know what Apple is going to do!

[tebore]

There's one group of people who the iPad will win over. Who you ask? Old people.

People over 40 who don't have kids at home (no free tech support) and think the touch is too small on the eyes and have lots of money and like to read (ebooks and iBooks to sell them) will buy it.

I just listed 3 of the iPad's strengths and how it'll work out.
For me the iPad's a "bust".

Reasons:
- $20 more than the Kindle (Kindle has free 3G).
- Pricing in netbook territory but less functionality.
- The dock... interesting. Especially if it works with the iPhone imagine teaming it up with your iPhone for a full on mobile workstation that you can dock at home and throw in your pocket. Especially now with the BTstack mouse & keyboard software from Cydia.
- The USB/SD adapter thing, how stupid do they think people are?
- 10 hour battery life is a joke. If you consider that it's basically a bigger iPhone (bigger battery) with a tweaked chipset you should get way longer battery life. It could be argued that an IPS panel uses more power than traditional panels. I believe the iPhone also uses IPS panels.

One thing is certain this will make money for Apple because of iBooks and to some Apple electronics ARE fashion accessories. Apple will bring more functionality through updates and through hard revisions . When they come up with an "iPad 3GS" I might consider it.

JS: Can you explain how it can multitask? I understand this device runs the iPhone OS and will not have multitasking. Though if jailbroken backgrounder can fix that, but out of the box it cannot. iPhoneOS 4.0 will bring it but this won't run it for a while.

The worst thing is this thing won't even run F@H. jk

 

[TriChrome]

For multitasking, he probably means what a stock iPhone can do; run iPod, Safari, and Mail in the background as you run another program... it's just too bad that's all that can be run in the background, and nothing else.

 

[tebore]

For multitasking, he probably means what a stock iPhone can do; run iPod, Safari, and Mail in the background as you run another program... it's just too bad that's all that can be run in the background, and nothing else.

That's what I figured and is too bad. If this is the case you can't defend the position on multitasking js, otherwise please enlighten us. I love my iPhone and would love a mobile Apple device with real multitasking.

 

[Empath]

There's one group of people who the iPad will win over. Who you ask? Old people.

People over 40 who don't have kids at home (no free tech support) and think the touch is too small on the eyes and have lots of money and like to read (ebooks and iBooks to sell them) will buy it.

"Old people...........People over 40"???

"Old people" are the ones that developed computers and high tech gadgets, and taught the youth how to use them. The "old people" that have waited this long to learn of these appliances don't need whippersnappers to come rescue them. Their friends and peers invented and developed the things. A little help from the friends, and they'll be right up with you kids.

These things aren't something the kids have given the "old people". The "old people" gave them to the kids.

 

[jtr1962]

"Old people...........People over 40"???

LOL. :laughing: Now after reading Tebore's post I really feel old.

NOT!

Hasn't anyone heard that 40 is the new 30 ( or is it 20? ). I keep forgetting. Must be a sign of getting old.

 

[fizzwinkus]

http://stevenf.tumblr.com/post/359224392/i-need-to-talk-to-you-about-computers-ive-been

this is why i think the ipad is so polarizing. all complaints about the iphone and now ipad are valid - they are limited use devices. but these limitations bring huge accessibility wins that have made the iphone a giant success. i have no doubt that eventually, we will be capable of running xcode on the ipad, with all the bells and whistles and ports you need, just not yet.

 

[tebore]

My over 40 comment is a bit tongue in cheek. I guess the truth would be closer to the over 65 crowd. Ones who did not grow up or work with computers.

I don't agree with what the author in the article said that most devices would be moving towards a closed sandbox type computing environment. For example we'll use the iPhone it's a very unremarkable device until you jailbreak it which brings in much of the functionality that Apple decided you shouldn't have.

The big issue and what jailbreaking fixes is access to the file system. The article says you'll be working with data instead of files but the issue is Apple makes it hard for you to even get files on to the device so you can manipulate the data. My Nokia N95 out of the box has better functionality than the iPhone ever did when out of the box. Yes a closed/controlled approach to computing can allow for a better computing experience in some cases. For example when you have backgrounder on your touch/phone it makes you decide what you want to keep running instead of letting everything run in the background. It's inspires a conservative mind set such as if you know you have no fresh water you're not going to wash your car every weekend.

The big push for Apple and it's iPod/iPhone brand is their whole synergistic business strategy with iTunes. iBooks and iWorks will be another push for the iPad.

 

[fizzwinkus]

Unless a significant majority, say 75% of people who buy the iPhone dis so with the intention of using jail broken apps, I think it is hard to say a non-jailbroken iPhone is "very unremarkable."

 

[BentHeadTX]

I was reading about to whom the iPad is aimed towards, very interesting.

It is not aimed at tech heads, Apple fanboys, geeks or people that want a fully functional computer. It is aimed at people that are not technically savvy, want something simple to use and don't mind paying to one source to get that capability.

Apple is pretty smart in that area, the iPod was solid white and for tweens, teens and 20 somethings it was a fashion accessory. The iPhone looked so slick it was obvious what it was, you got it...high fashion tech that worked well and for the most part, worked very well.

Tablets have been out for years but they were expensive full operating system models that were not easy to use. Now that Apple brought out a really shiny, pretty thing called the iPad--it should be a fashion hit at Starbucks. Get the cheapest one for $500, sip your latte and it sure is pretty.

This is something that really wrankles the tech heads but such is technology I guess. The fashion hit in 2005 was to have a laptop--any laptop at the coffee shop. 2007--2009 it was a small netbook or Macbook Air, thin is in!

The iPad should do well at the markets it is targeted at, people that don't want to mess around with operating systems, tweaking, hacking...switch it on and go. Yes, it don't do a lot of things but it looks good, is easy to use, it is not too expensive and all the cool kids will have one.

Apple knows the tech heads would hammer the iPad, that is OK...it is not aimed at them anyway. Makes sense I guess, the iPod was never aimed at audiophiles either.

I see a problem with this though, Apple kept the hype machine going for years on their tablet so there are a flood of tablets about to arrive also. Everything from 5" Dell tablets, dual 7" and dual 10" touch screen netbook/tablet things from MSI, Google Android tablets from Asus, MSI and Dell to who knows what from HP. This stuff is not coming two years from now, it will start showing up as the iPad launches.

The tech heads will get their Win7 dual touch screen MSI netbooks that beat up the iPad on specs and functionality. Other folks will snap up the 10 to 12" Asus touch screen netbooks so they can have the "tablet cool" but also fold it up to throw in a backpack. The market is starting to flood with tablets but is the market big enough to hold them? Is there a huge pent up demand for a tablet?

For the tween/teen/college crowd it will be very fashionable to carry that thing around. Not sure how happy they will be when they drop it and scratch up the screen. The iPhone is small enough to not make it a big issue but a 10" tablet might be. I can see a foam thing to go around the edges (in many different color options) those might sell well so if it falls on it's face, it won't tear up the screen.

My belief is the iPad will arrive with Adobe Flash enabled as a "gift" from Apple and it will have a camera built in. They have two months, not like it is hard to do. Just another way Jobs can yank your chain.

I can see an "uparmored" iPad that you can drop, kick around and spill things on being a big seller in business, medical and LEO/Military use. Basically, a much lighter, much, much, MUCH cheaper Panasonic Toughbook. Steve Jobs is probably playing with one and caressing the OLED screen as I type this. The rubber edging could seal the ports so it can operate in really nasty environments since the rest of the thing is sealed. It will have to run an OLED screen for durability, a glass panel would not last in industrial use. Bar code scanner is optional.

Since we tend to talk flashlights, flashlight technology and many of us know the bin codes of Lumileds, Cree, Lumisus and Nichia LEDs--we are not the intended market for the iPad or all those other tablets about to hit the market.

I can see people trying to figure out the total lumens put off by tablets though. Think of it! The iPad/Dell/HP/Asus/MSI/Samsung/Lenovo/Sony/Toshiba/Acer tablet lumen shootout! Beam shots, run times and throw (?) charts to ponder.

Now I go back to watching what is coming out in 10 to 12" touch screen net books, dual-core Atom and ION2 or ????? Should I put Hackintosh OSX on a SSD or hard drive? Hmmmm....

 

[fizzwinkus]

i agree with most of what you wrote. just wanted to add some explanations to some key points. netbook manufacturers were aware and preparing for an apple netbook/tablet/sliced bread. what they weren't prepared for, though, was the price. everyone had been saying $1000. netbook manufacturers, being used to selling cheaper machines, were developing for the ~$700-800 range to undercut apple. now, at $500, they've got a problem.

flash is a problem with the web because it's the only point controlled by a single company. apple is eschewing flash to weaken it's stranglehold and push html5 - a web standard that no one company controls and can be relied upon to be the same everywhere. they are doing the same with epub, the book format the ipad/ibooks will use.

epub is an open standard, but 99% of all current epub files use private adobe drm to lock them, giving adobe the same control over all epub files. without their registration servers, you or any publisher is dead in ther water. apple is using their own drm until book publishers can be pushed into drm free epub, just like music. (for everything the music publishers have done, video, and then print are worse)

lastly, the iphone may be fashionable, but the best reason for it's success is that normal users don't need to manage it. they don't want the task manager, or uninstall procedures, or registry hacks. they want something that can be relied upon to not screw up after a couple months. the app store takes freedom away from the developer to ultimately ensure one thing: that users can install and uninstall any and all apps at will, over and over, without screwing up the system.

I love hacking and tinkering with things as much as the next person here (which we should admit, are not an average cross section of users), but some things i don't want to manage. i want them setup to be a workflow, easy and reliable. there will always be room for both.

 

[fizzwinkus]

http://speirs.org/blog/2010/1/29/future-shock.html

i think this explains nicely what i'm trying to say

 

[Saaby]

I agree that a camera would have been nice, and I'm almost sure they'll eventually add one.

But honesty. Honestly. When was the last time you used the Webcam on your laptop? My laptop has one, and it's nice or fun once in awhile -- but I'd call it more novelty than necessity. Perhaps I'm wrong and there's a big group of people who rely on their Webcam daily...even weekly...but most of us don't really use it that often I'd guess.

It's the same mentality that causes people to think they need an AWD car for the 1 or 2 days a year when there's 1/2" of snow on the ground.

 

[LEDninja]

iPad? That's so 2002
http://thespec.com/News/article/715113
Fujitsu, which applied for an iPAD trademark in 2003, is claiming first dibs, setting up a fight with Apple over the name of the new tablet.

 

[kwkarth]

They should add a REALLY effective voice recognition software program that types as you talk and launches command driven programs. Even if they started with their MacSpeech which I think uses the Dragon Naturally Speaking software...would make it a more useable package deal.

I agree that voice recognition would be a boon to the UI, but how do you implement that without it becoming awkward? You have to block out all but the owner's voice. I noise canceling bluetooth earpiece like the Jawbone might be one way, but then it's another gadget you have to carry around...

Handwriting recognition is another feature for the UI that would be good.

 

[LuxLuthor]

I agree that voice recognition would be a boon to the UI, but how do you implement that without it becoming awkward? You have to block out all but the owner's voice. I noise canceling bluetooth earpiece like the Jawbone might be one way, but then it's another gadget you have to carry around...

Handwriting recognition is another feature for the UI that would be good.

The best Dragon programs require a noise cancelling mic. That's essential if you are ever operating in any environment with background noises. Another feature I think would be a winner combination is the technology used by Livescribe, with a QUALITY recording interface and taking notes with linked replay all digitally stored.

 

[kwkarth]

The best Dragon programs require a noise cancelling mic. That's essential if you are ever operating in any environment with background noises. Another feature I think would be a winner combination is the technology used by Livescribe, with a QUALITY recording interface and taking notes with linked replay all digitally stored.

I've been using a Livescribe Pulse SmartPen since they first came out. Love the technology and utility. I would never be without my SmartPen if it were just a little bit smaller, retractible, and had a pocket clip.

 

[Jesseri]

I don't understand Apple's policy on flash support. I would hate to use devices which would not render big part of pages correctly. Flash is so widely used on web pages today, that it takes many many years before we are out of "flash hell" on the internet. It'll take at least couple years before we see any welcomed changes with HTML5 standard.

I dig the idea of iPad, but device itself leaves me cold, like so many Apple devices before.

 

[fizzwinkus]

in apple's view, flash has one pro: it plays videos on some websites. in many of those websites, there are already iphone alternatives, and the web as a whole is moving to html5 to replace flash.

in the cons list:
efficiency. flash on a computer consumes upwards of 50-100 times more resources to do it's thing. playing flash video on windows has gotten better because adobe has hooked flash directly into your graphics card hardware. this is a bad thing. (more later) if flash can cut hours off your laptop, what will it do to you phone? here's a video of flash on a smartphone. is that really worth a significant chunk of your battery life? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iraafWLkPb8

second, flash is buggy. on the mac, over half of all system and application crash reports are because of flash. the firefox team just disabled flash on their windows and mac browsers for similar reasons. as i said before, flash is hooked directly into your hardware on windows. that leads to it's buggyness affecting your gpu and likely taking down an important part of your system when it does crash. the mac uses a code abstraction layer (quicktime) to access the hardware exactly so things like this don't happen and adobe doesn't want to use quicktime.

over the next year, as virtually all browsers move to support html5, and existing support for either iphone optimized websites or apps grows, flash will become less and less a part of the web and your computers will crash less and battery life will grow because of it.

 

[gorn]

That's the beauty of the iPhone, not in it's native locked-down form, but jailbroken and free. The iPhone can transmit it's own WiFi network which any Laptop, or the iPad with WiFi can connect to and use the iPhone's internet connection. AT&T knows nothing of it, neither should they since you pay for, and I quote "unlimited internet".

What app do you use for the wifi router ability? I just installed PDAnet on my iPhone and it seems to work good. It is a little picky on which wifi cards it talks to. It works fine with my HP and Acer laptops but will not get past a local only connection with my Asus. I have to use the USB cord for the Asus to get Internet.

 

[TriChrome]

MyWi, available on Rock. Best $10 I ever spent. You can also link them up over bluetooth or USB if you don't want to setup a WiFi network.