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I just tell them they have to actually use one to get the full affect. Before I had ever used an iPad, I always thought it wasn't anything very special. When I actually used it myself, I realized it's pretty amazing.

I read a good quote about using the iPad today:

http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2010/05/13/here-on-gilligans-isle/

I’m not saying you want an iPad or need one (or any of the upcoming tablets) — I don’t get commission. I’m just saying, what’s the big deal? It’s a computer and television and radio and newspaper and book and magazine and game console and Internet the size of a piece of paper and the width of a Mitch Albom book. It’s freaking amazing, that’s the big deal.
 
Great quote, and that sums up its appeal.

Usually, I just tell people "it inserts its way into your life in a lot of ways. I use it for hours most days." I give more details on request.

The iPad happens to perfectly fit my needs/goals. That doesn't mean it fits everyone's, I don't have the right perspective to make that claim. But in my case, I happen to spend a lot of time sitting at a bar hanging out reading, because a) I read a lot, b) the bar is attached to a restaurant so not many people come to it as a bar, c) it has a good menu due to the restaurant part of the business, d) I am friends with the bartender.

So basically, I spend quite a bit of time there with - formerly a Kindle 2, now an iPad. I've brought a laptop a time or two, but it's such an ordeal, and you have to plug it up to use it at length (which is possible but a hassle).

The iPad is a dream for that use. At home, I mostly use my PC. I haven't booted my laptop up for weeks.

The iPad is also great for travel.

To me, the iPad's killer apps are Internet anywhere (wifi or 3g), battery life (9 hours plus), and pretty screen. I l like the touch interface, but to me, that's a side effect of the other factors I just listed. It would be hard to make a device that's as portable and has as nice a screen if you also gave it a keyboard. That would require larger total size, or clamshell, or smaller screen, or some combination of two of those things.

A lot of people here, including me, say this a lot ... but if you know what the iPad is, you will know if one will be valuable for you. In my case, it fits perfectly. But I am pretty sure most people will never get in the habit of sitting at a bar using a Kindle or iPad either one, some people may not find the advantages big enough to outweigh the device's limitations, etc.
 
1) Set said friend on your couch

2) Put your MBP in his lap

3) Wait for the smell of burning flesh

4) Exchange the MBP with an iPad

5) Watch him run off to the Apple store to buy an iPad

I would only do this will a female friend...
 
4DThinker said:
iPad? It's an amazing job of product design with the guts of an iPod Touch inside. It won't do anything the Touch can't do, but everything it does do it does bigger.

Awesome! The iPod Touch has an A4 in it now?!? How long have I been asleep for? :)

Seriously, my 3GS runs circles around the Touch performance wise, and the iPad smokes my 3GS, so it's not quite an accurate statement...

There is no iWork suite on the 3GS or Touch, no Korg iElectribe on the 3GS or Touch, no Elements on the 3GS or Touch, and there ain't about 5,000 other apps and growing every day...
 
it really does annoy me that the first thing people think when it comes to the ipad is a giant ipod touch. It's like people can't think for themselves. They just believe what others think and just stick with it.

it's quite sad. People need to be themselves.
 
it really does annoy me that the first thing people think when it comes to the ipad is a giant ipod touch. It's like people can't think for themselves. They just believe what others think and just stick with it.

it's quite sad. People need to be themselves.

Why should it annoy you? The iPad shares far more in common with an iPod Touch than it does with a Netbook. Other than the size differences that give the iPad more utility value for typing, long-term browsing, screen image quality, etc.

How is this such an unfair comparison?
 
Why would you want this "bigger screen TV" when you already own an even bigger screen TV (your laptop or desktop). This would be like buying a 40 inch TV when you already own a 25 and a 55 incher at home. This TV analogy of yours is pretty flimsy.
Oh what the $&@$ ever dude. Are you able to carry your 40" TV around the house and watch it. Your argument is just as lame.
 
I will simply say:

"it's like a GPS system, you don't need it and can get by without it... But once you have it, you can't imagine being without it."

:cool:
 
Except, your laptop isn't the same thing and you interact with it in a completely different way. Comparing an iPad with a laptop is a horrible comparison at best.

I generally get asked why not a laptop when people see my iPad 3G. I then ask them what they use a laptop for in particular when they are not at home. They generally reply that they surf the web, check emails, watch movies or listen to tunes, look at/store photos when on vacation.

That's when I will take an if time permits show off the Photos, iTunes, iBooks, Safari, and Pages Apps for starters for those that are more simple use folks. And if even more time is available love showing off these Apps - Alice, Emerald Observatory, Star Walk, and Elements.

Then I finish off with letting them hold it. :D That generally wins them over. (BTW Steve Jobs - I need my commission check here as well. LOL)

Why wait for 2nd gen iPad? It's a toy, who cares. It's only money.

I bring mine to work everyday and people talk sh*t about it and say there waiting for a price drop in 6 months... lol

That 6 months I'm enjoying something that you can't have or afford. Jealous much? :D

Ah... the one stumble that Apple made with the iPhone 1G - dropping the price so soon after launch. Don't think Apple will make that same mistake twice. :eek:

The only way I see that happening is if sales totally drop off by lets say October. Which I don't see happening. As more folks get the iPad, the Hype Machine is only going to build.

At work the reaction to my iPad has been different - I work in a camera shop. And they like what I have shown them so of my iPad. One Applehead did say he was going to wait for the iPad 2gen - but reminded him of what he could loose out on in that years time. We both shrug. I still love my iPhone 1G - does what I need and want even three years later. He has either the 3G or 3Gs and never uses it for more than I do - so what if I am on Edge Networks... it is enough for me on the iPhone.

1) Set said friend on your couch

2) Put your MBP in his lap

3) Wait for the smell of burning flesh

4) Exchange the MBP with an iPad

5) Watch him run off to the Apple store to buy an iPad

Sadly I have a very bad burn mark from a Christmas Eve nod-off after a hard day at work. :eek: :( Not to take this thread down a different road - I stand behind Apple's choice of HTML5 over Adobe Flash on the heat and power use side - I do have the scar to prove it! Will never be able to be a underwear model ever! ROFL But really it was a bad situation.

Great quote, and that sums up its appeal.

Usually, I just tell people "it inserts its way into your life in a lot of ways. I use it for hours most days." I give more details on request.

The iPad happens to perfectly fit my needs/goals. That doesn't mean it fits everyone's, I don't have the right perspective to make that claim. But in my case, I happen to spend a lot of time sitting at a bar hanging out reading, because a) I read a lot, b) the bar is attached to a restaurant so not many people come to it as a bar, c) it has a good menu due to the restaurant part of the business, d) I am friends with the bartender.

So basically, I spend quite a bit of time there with - formerly a Kindle 2, now an iPad. I've brought a laptop a time or two, but it's such an ordeal, and you have to plug it up to use it at length (which is possible but a hassle).

The iPad is a dream for that use. At home, I mostly use my PC. I haven't booted my laptop up for weeks.

The iPad is also great for travel.

To me, the iPad's killer apps are Internet anywhere (wifi or 3g), battery life (9 hours plus), and pretty screen. I l like the touch interface, but to me, that's a side effect of the other factors I just listed. It would be hard to make a device that's as portable and has as nice a screen if you also gave it a keyboard. That would require larger total size, or clamshell, or smaller screen, or some combination of two of those things.

A lot of people here, including me, say this a lot ... but if you know what the iPad is, you will know if one will be valuable for you. In my case, it fits perfectly. But I am pretty sure most people will never get in the habit of sitting at a bar using a Kindle or iPad either one, some people may not find the advantages big enough to outweigh the device's limitations, etc.

Hear you there in some ways. I know folks are tired of the "magical and revolutionary" catch phrase. :eek: But in some ways that fits the iPad. Haven't touched my MBP much other for some Hulu watching on it. Most of my time is with the iPad now for books (rediscovered reading the free classics), keeping up on a few magazines on PixelMags, watching the few TV shows I do watch from ABC (are you listening NBC, CBS, and Fox?) with the ABC App. Turning in to less of a news hound - I get that on my driving around the DC area listening to WTOP News and then browsing the web for news I want to read in-depth.

I love people watching, so I may have to find a cafe or bar/restaurant to hang out and chill out at with my iPad in tow in my area. In particular if there is free wifi - I have found that Netflix is the greatest to see films that I would have never seen before without their view on demand for some films.

I will simply say:

"it's like a GPS system, you don't need it and can get by without it... But once you have it, you can't imagine being without it."

:cool:


And some of the car mount solutions for the iPad offer promise for the right GPS navigation company to help us on that end as well. :)
 
Where does the 2 Million figure come from?

The site that tracks actual iPads accessing the internet. Can't think of what is called off the top of my head. Apple will keep their reports conservative so they can amaze wall street after the quarter.
 
I'm happy with my purchase. I don't care what people think of it. It's changed the way I consume content, and made my life easier. I don't feel the need to justify how I use the device with someone who's main objective is to find fault with it.
 
I just let them know, if you have to ask, you probably don't need one. Though, the ones I let play with it, have gone out to purchase afterwards. It doesn't replace anything, but it enhances some computing experiences.
 
I just let them know, if you have to ask, you probably don't need one. Though, the ones I let play with it, have gone out to purchase afterwards. It doesn't replace anything, but it enhances some computing experiences.

In some ways we have been duped to think we need a full blown laptop to do things. Now to get Adobe to fix Flash or others to get on the HTML5 Bandwagon (you hear us Hulu?)....
 
Tell people in doubt to go to an Apple Store and test one. It's really an unknown until you use it. I checked out iBooks just to see what an eBook would be like, and it was very impressive. The extra screen size was extremely helpful for that and for news Web sites. Most of them scroll down a LONG way, so the form factor is awesome for that.
 
Tell people in doubt to go to an Apple Store and test one. It's really an unknown until you use it. I checked out iBooks just to see what an eBook would be like, and it was very impressive. The extra screen size was extremely helpful for that and for news Web sites. Most of them scroll down a LONG way, so the form factor is awesome for that.

I went out the day after the launch of the wifi models and was underwhelmed.... But kept reading here on the MR and saw that I was missing something... and in the end I was. Now a very happy owner of an iPad 3G :)
 
The best response I have heard to the big iPod touch line is:

That is like saying a pool is just a big bath tub.
 
A woman once asked Fats Waller, "What's jazz?"

He famously replied, "Lady, if you don't know, I can't tell you."
 
I pre-ordered an iPad on the German store last Monday. Since then I have been having second thoughts mainly to do with what else I could spend all that money on.

But today, purely by chance, I got to try one in a shop. It really is true what people on here are saying, you have to try it for yourself to fully appreciate it. This iPad also had nothing on it, no movies, photos, apps etc. just the internet. Even so I now feel so much happier with my soon-to-be purchase; bring on the 28th! So yes, anyone on the fence, take one for a test drive if you can.
 
Not sure which post to respond to as there are so many touching on iPad utility. I have found my 64G 3G iPad an amazing addition to my lifestyle. I use the Apple case which makes it's portability even better as I don't fear dropping and can protect easily while traveling. Its portability allows use in many situation where I would never bring MBP. Easier to use on airplanes and air ports, during biz meetings, at shopping malls while I wait for my wife, you get the picture. Primary limitations for me are file usage as I rely on mobile me iDisk and have to do some workarounds there, but I figure that will be fixed eventually. I believe iPad will be the laptop of the further as more functionality evolves. Still use MBP and iMac, like for writing this post, but I do use IPad quite a bit in many situations. Also like book function, both iBook and Kindle App. So, maybe nit right for everyone now, as I could live without, but I'm really enjoying my iPad!
 
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