Mouse vs Finger

[drjsway]

People who say "How could it offer the better browsing experience without flash, multi-task, etc..." are missing the point. This device offers a COMPLETELY different browsing experience than a laptop. Also, this is only Rev A and will only get better.

The big question then becomes: Does the iPhone OS interface offer a better, faster, more enjoyable, more productive computing experience than a mouse or trackpad?

I say yes. I can do almost every task faster with my finger on a multi-touch capacitive display than either a mouse or a trackpad (except typing, of course). To people who disagree, what are things you feel you could do faster with a mouse?

 

[zrbecker]

If you compare the iPad with a laptop/desktop computer you will lose. The iPad is not a either.

I would agree that in most situations (Certain games come to mind as exceptions) touch would be better than a mouse. The problem with the iPad is that it simply can not do as much as a laptop can do. Not even close.

If they made a laptop that had the touch abilities of the iPad then that would be something to write home about.

I think the iPad looks like a fun device. I would love to get my hands on one. However, between my macbook pro and my iphone I can not see what I would actually use the device for on a regular bases.

 

[samcraig]

To people who disagree, what are things you feel you could do faster with a mouse?

For me it's not a question of faster - but more accurate. But since Photoshop, illustrator and "precise" pinpoint accuracy won't really be needed in apps as far as I can tell - it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

For a lack of better example - WII games can only be "so" challenging because of the limitations of the controller and how it works. It's not pin point accurate.

You wouldn't expect to do anything pixel by pixel on a Wii - and I imagine the same holds true for the iPad. Unless you were to zoom in A LOT into a document where your finger would slide and create pixels. But you'd have to be zoomed in too much to be able to be productive on a bigger project...

 

[drjsway]

If you compare the iPad with a laptop/desktop computer you will lose. The iPad is not a either.

I am not saying iPad is as functional in its current iteration as a laptop, but if you agree that:

in most situations (Certain games come to mind as exceptions) touch would be better than a mouse.

then the iPad is the future of computing. To my knowledge, it is the FIRST full-size multi-touch capacitive display and that, in itself, makes it the most advanced technology Apple has ever created. People say "it's giant iPod touch" without realizing how complex it is to create a 9.7" screen with hundreds of thousands of touch sensors. Correct me if I'm wrong but there isn't another screen like that out there.

If you're using specialized applications where you need more accuracy, a stylus would certainly suffice.