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OK iPad Sucks...What About The Competition?

S

Spudracer

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Oct 4, 2009
257
0
We've heard ad infinitum about all the failings of the iPad
  • No Flash
  • No Keyboard
  • No PC OS
  • No E-Ink
  • No Camera
  • No "Multitasking"
  • No Cure For Cancer

So what about the competition (that actually exists)? I'll start. I bought my wife a Kindle DX back in October for her birthday. She kept it for two weeks and returned it for a refund. Why?

  • E-Ink not that great. Text was sharp but the background was greenish gray. Not paper like at all to us.
  • Klunky size because of the clumsy keyboard at the bottom
  • One trick pony. You can read a book. Or you can read a book. Or you can read a book.
  • No backlight.
  • Amazon books have some room for improvement. No page numbers and no contents or index. You can't tell where you are in the damned book.
  • The OS. Navigation is sequential stepping through menus by pushing buttons. Really?
  • The price! People are whining about a $499 iPad. The Kindle DX is 10 bucks less and has a single purpose.
  • No flash
  • No camera
  • No multitasking

Also, who the hell actually reads outside in the sun? I've tried it a few times at the beach or lounging beside our pool but I find it annoying even with a traditional book. Too much light makes it a PITB for me.

On the other hand, how many people will hop in bed with a book for an hour or so before shutting your eyes for the night? I do. My wife does. Our 12 year old does. Our 18 year old does. One thing that really disappointed my wife was the Kindle's lack of backlighting. She likes to read in bed but doesn't want the lights on. Well actually, she objects to the lights when I read in bed. With Kindle, you either need to have a bed lamp on or buy some kludgy clip-on book light. When she realized there was no backlighting she got a look on her face like a kid who got clothes for Christmas. It was funny. Oh well, that's my take on the competition.

We ordered the 64GB WiFi iPad and we think it looks like a bargain on paper (pun intended).
 
I happen to like the iPad very much. I'm not going to buy one right now but probably will in the future. My wife really wants one but is also going to wait until the 2nd rev. comes out.
 
It sounds to me like you're just whining and complaining instead of actually looking for advice.
 
Very good post. Thanks for sharing your experiences. Not to mention how fragile the eink screens are (Btw the plasticlogic que is possibly the first device to solve this issue) and once it cracks, guess what, amazon voids the warranty...

I will say though that e-ink is a great technology that has some way to go, there are distinct advantages to paper like tec. I hope I find the backlit in the ipad easy to read, for sure the ips and high ppi will be really good, but it's a ? for me because I tire and can't read a long time on computer screens, but the different form factor that you hold close up might solve this. since we all read from a distance which is not favourable.

Prolif1k said:
It sounds to me like you're just whining and complaining instead of actually looking for advice.
Click to expand...

What? where did you get that from? Did you pull it out of your ... elbow? Enough with the kids projecting here....:rolleyes:
 
Prolif1k said:
It sounds to me like you're just whining and complaining instead of actually looking for advice.
Click to expand...

He gave his experience with the Kindle then mentioned why he's getting an iPad. He looking for similar experiences with other devices to see if there's anything potentially better than the iPad.
 
Prolif1k said:
It sounds to me like you're just whining and complaining instead of actually looking for advice.
Click to expand...

Well, you're right. I'm not looking for advice. I was just pointing out the fact that everyone seems to be throwing rocks at the iPad but I don't hear much whining about overpriced single purpose eBook readers and Windows Vapor Tablets or cheaply constructed netbooks.

But no, I'm not whining. For me, the camera is irrelevant. I think Apple did the smart thing by designing a custom OS for the device. Multitasking is useful on a laptop or desktop, this is neither. Dumping the keyboard for a sophisticated touch OS is the only way to go in the form factor. I don't like e-ink all that much. You misread my making fun of all the whiners as me whining. Not at all.
 
Yeah, I think some were confused by the OP's post. He was not trashing the iPad but pointing out CONs that people have brought up. Then he went on to give this account of one of the competitors.

However, IMO the Kindle is not an iPad competitor and shouldn't be considered one. I have a regular Kindle and I enjoy it very much, but like any product it has its short comings. The Kindle is only designed to do one thing really well and that is be an e-reader. The iPad is a multipurpose/multimedia device and really should only be compared with others of its kind. That's actually the main reason I'm getting an iPad is because it will replace the need for multiple devices that i own. I really like my Kindle, but if I can comfortably read on the iPad then the Kindle will be for sale soon.
 
jedolley said:
The Kindle is only designed to do one thing really well and that is be an e-reader. The iPad is a multipurpose/multimedia device and really should only be compared with others of its kind.
Click to expand...

Exactly right. The iPad does not (imo) replace a computer. It's a great addition to already having one that does everything like flash, multi-task, etc.

The iPad is an amazing way to bring apps to a device that can just be taken around the house or on trips without the weight of a computer. I really see the apps as being the most important part of the device rather then the "lack of hardware features"
 
There is currently no competition for the iPad, and none that I know of that is going to be showing up any time soon.

So it is hard to talk about competition when none exists. A device like the Kindle DX is about the same size as a iPad with about 3% of the functionality. So that is not really comparable.
 
Spudracer said:
We've heard ad infinitum about all the failings of the iPad
  • No Flash
  • No Keyboard
  • No PC OS
  • No E-Ink
  • No Camera
  • No "Multitasking"
  • No Cure For Cancer

So what about the competition (that actually exists)? I'll start. I bought my wife a Kindle DX back in October for her birthday. She kept it for two weeks and returned it for a refund. Why?

  • E-Ink not that great. Text was sharp but the background was greenish gray. Not paper like at all to us.
  • Klunky size because of the clumsy keyboard at the bottom
  • One trick pony. You can read a book. Or you can read a book. Or you can read a book.
  • No backlight.
  • Amazon books have some room for improvement. No page numbers and no contents or index. You can't tell where you are in the damned book.
  • The OS. Navigation is sequential stepping through menus by pushing buttons. Really?
  • The price! People are whining about a $499 iPad. The Kindle DX is 10 bucks less and has a single purpose.
  • No flash
  • No camera
  • No multitasking

Also, who the hell actually reads outside in the sun? I've tried it a few times at the beach or lounging beside our pool but I find it annoying even with a traditional book. Too much light makes it a PITB for me.

On the other hand, how many people will hop in bed with a book for an hour or so before shutting your eyes for the night? I do. My wife does. Our 12 year old does. Our 18 year old does. One thing that really disappointed my wife was the Kindle's lack of backlighting. She likes to read in bed but doesn't want the lights on. Well actually, she objects to the lights when I read in bed. With Kindle, you either need to have a bed lamp on or buy some kludgy clip-on book light. When she realized there was no backlighting she got a look on her face like a kid who got clothes for Christmas. It was funny. Oh well, that's my take on the competition.

We ordered the 64GB WiFi iPad and we think it looks like a bargain on paper (pun intended).
Click to expand...

You can't compare the Kindle to the iPad. The Kindle was and is marketed as an ebook reader and nothing more. The iPad is a MID (multimedia internet device)

I wish people would stop comparing the two to each other.
 
sactownbwoy said:
You can't compare the Kindle to the iPad. The Kindle was and is marketed as an ebook reader and nothing more. The iPad is a MID (multimedia internet device)

I wish people would stop comparing the two to each other.
Click to expand...

I disagree with this. I love the concept of e-books, but will not spend the money on a dedicated e-book reader. The iPad is a perfect solution for me since it does so much more. Since the iPad has what looks to be a very robust ebook reader function, I think it's a pretty fair comparison.

e-ink means little to me. Sure, its nice and makes reading easier, but that's the key word, easier. I don't have any problem reading books on my iPhone, so the iPad will likely be much, much easier to the point e-ink will be a non-factor to me.
 
Spudracer said:
We've heard ad infinitum about all the failings of the iPad.
...
I bought my wife a Kindle DX back in October for her birthday. She kept it for two weeks and returned it for a refund.
Click to expand...
Nothing on your Kindle "problems" list was promised by Amazon. If those were the real reasons you sent it back then you're an idiot shopper for not knowing anything about it before buying it.

As for your list of iPad failings:
iPad specs don't list a camera, e-ink, multitasking, or cancer curing. No one expects those things. The complaints about it are simple comparisons against the features netbooks and early tablets all have. Why? Because Steve Jobs implied the iPad would be better than a netbook. Take this features list:

My Archos 9 tablet ...
  • has a web browser that displays FLASH content. The "whole web".
  • uses a PC OS (Windows 7, and will run any Windows 7, Vista, or XP app).
  • includes a web cam.
  • does multi-tasking.
  • includes a USB port and supports USB splitters/hubs.
  • includes a MicroSD slot.
  • has expandible storage space (60gb to start).
  • can run several (free) e-book apps.
  • will play back far more media types (photos/videos/music) than the iPad.
  • can run the full version of iTunes.
  • does email.
  • has a weather app.
  • runs google maps.
  • accesses the original Youtube site.
  • comes with notepad.
  • has a calendar/reminder gadget.
  • has contacts within windows live email.
  • will search itself or the web.
  • has many accessibility features including voice command.

It's not just the features that make one device better than the other. My weather app may be no better than the one on the iPad. My home screen is my only screen, and my processor isn't as efficent as the one in the iPad. My Archos cost essentially the same as the iPad though, and shows that we "should" have gotten more hardware for our iPad money if not more functionality.

I didn't post this to claim the Archos 9 is better than an iPad. I used it's specs simply to demonstrate how different (yet more similar than a Kindle is) devices are being compared to the ipad. Are you paying attention, OP?
 
4DThinker said:
The complaints about it are simple comparisons against the features netbooks and early tablets all have. Why? Because Steve Jobs implied the iPad would be better than a netbook.
Click to expand...
'Better' doesn't mean 'more'. The iPod was "better" at what it did than the competition even though it did less than other devices.

I'm not saying the iPad is or is not better, because that depends entirely on what you're planning to do. But it is pretty clear that netbooks are pretty miserable at a lot of things, and at least some of those, the iPad will do much better.
My Archos 9 tablet ...
Click to expand...
...is a device whose reception can be charitably described as "lukewarm." Even CNet, whose reviews are little more than fluff pieces, comments on unbearably slow performance and a disappointing touch interface.

It's heavier, slower, thicker, with a smaller, mediocre LCD and low-end resistive touchscreen, and less than half the battery life to top it all off. More storage, direct USB access, and a full desktop OS are points in its favor if those things are important enough to overcome its limitations.

I'm also a little confused about the card slot--the reviews say it doesn't have one, and the manufacturer seems to agree.
My Archos cost essentially the same as the iPad though, and shows that we "should" have gotten more hardware for our iPad money if not more functionality.
Click to expand...
Based on the specs and user reviews I've encountered while shopping, I'd say the opposite as CNet did--the Archos should offer more for the money in the hardware department.

I'm sure the Archos 9 works out beautifully for some people, and if you're one of them, that's fantastic, but your use of its supposedly superior specs highlights the two key differences that seem to be repeating with the iPad as with the iPod: emphasizing hardware quantity over quality and likewise, functional quantity over quality.

General consensus on the Archos 9 is that it's okay, but severely hampered by user frustration, caused in part by hardware that's not up to snuff. We'll soon see how the iPad fares.
 
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You can use a keyboard with the iPad (not the digital one, but a real one). And why does it need a PC OS? That's one of the problems why all tablets have failed to sale well.
 
I think some of you are missing the point of the OP's post. The list he made of the iPad's "failings" weren't his, but a collection of what has been said on the web.

The whole point of his post was to talk about the competition even if he used a poor example (Kindle).
 
Great post Spudracer

Your views on the iPad as a book reader closely match mine. I too only read books at night, for about an hour to wind down. I too prefer the idea of the backlit display.

The added functionality of iBooks (search, dictionary look-up, links etc) make the concept very appealing. I just hope that Apple and the publishers get the pricing right.
 
sactownbwoy said:
You can't compare the Kindle to the iPad. The Kindle was and is marketed as an ebook reader and nothing more. The iPad is a MID (multimedia internet device)

I wish people would stop comparing the two to each other.
Click to expand...

Their form factor is similar and their functions overlap, of course you can compare them.
 
splashnader said:
A lot of people on here don't actually read the message. They only read the title and then assume the message is going to be negative.
Click to expand...

You can't blame them, however... havin to bear another one of "these threads" is almost - well, unbearable. But to the OP, clever title I was skeptical of even clicking this thread but good post.

Prolif1k said:
It sounds to me like you're just whining and complaining instead of actually looking for advice.
Click to expand...

-1

Read the post.

ravenvii said:
Whoa, hold the horses there, the iPad sucks? Meaning you have one or at least played with one?

Where and how? Do tell.
Click to expand...

-1
 
1DThinker said:
Nothing on your Kindle "problems" list was promised by Amazon. If those were the real reasons you sent it back then you're an idiot shopper for not knowing anything about it before buying it.

As for your list of iPad failings:
iPad specs don't list a camera, e-ink, multitasking, or cancer curing. No one expects those things. The complaints about it are simple comparisons against the features netbooks and early tablets all have. Why? Because Steve Jobs implied the iPad would be better than a netbook. Take this features list:

My Archos 9 tablet ...
  • has a web browser that displays FLASH content. The "whole web".
  • uses a PC OS (Windows 7, and will run any Windows 7, Vista, or XP app).
  • includes a web cam.
  • does multi-tasking.
  • includes a USB port and supports USB splitters/hubs.
  • includes a MicroSD slot.
  • has expandible storage space (60gb to start).
  • can run several (free) e-book apps.
  • will play back far more media types (photos/videos/music) than the iPad.
  • can run the full version of iTunes.
  • does email.
  • has a weather app.
  • runs google maps.
  • accesses the original Youtube site.
  • comes with notepad.
  • has a calendar/reminder gadget.
  • has contacts within windows live email.
  • will search itself or the web.
  • has many accessibility features including voice command.

It's not just the features that make one device better than the other. My weather app may be no better than the one on the iPad. My home screen is my only screen, and my processor isn't as efficent as the one in the iPad. My Archos cost essentially the same as the iPad though, and shows that we "should" have gotten more hardware for our iPad money if not more functionality.

I didn't post this to claim the Archos 9 is better than an iPad. I used it's specs simply to demonstrate how different (yet more similar than a Kindle is) devices are being compared to the ipad. Are you paying attention, OP?
Click to expand...

You should change your screen name to 1D Thinker. But OK, lets also cover...
  • That odd 1024 X 600 screen resolution
  • That 60GB HDD :eek: Really, a spinning platter from yesteryear vs a 64GB SSD in the iPad?
  • WiFi B/G but no N
  • Off the shelf chipset video decoding that's been labeled "disappointing" by reviewers
  • A "thin and flimsy stylus" to quote one reviewer
  • To quote one reviewer "The matt touchscreen (resistive) is reasonably bright and sharp although it doesn’t ‘pop’ like other screens we’ve seen."
  • No content delivery portal (iTunes / iBook / App Store)
  • No content agreements with music, book, magazine, newspaper, or movie publishers
  • No app development for the platform and no army of developers tripping over each other to be on the platform
  • CNET editors gave it 2.5 stars out of 5 :eek::eek:
  • CNET users gave it 1.5 stars :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

The summary of the Archos 9 from one review was rather condemning...

The Archos 9 is neither the next generation of netbooks or even the next generation of mobile entertainment. What we’ve got here is lightweight PC tablet that really fails to push boundaries in mobility, entertainment or productivity.

So what exactly are you going to do with this mediocre device and no content? Use it to multitask spreadsheets while browsing the web and listening to music? I don't think so. But ya got flash so it's OK.
 
Schtumple said:
I'd love to see Leopard run on it, but 7 isn't all that bad.
Click to expand...

I think the moment I was convinced on the iPad was when they demod iWorks during the presentation. To me, the reason why a desktop OS might be desirable on a tablet is the ability to run existing applications. With the addition of iWorks, the iPad does 95% of what I need a computer to do, making running existing desktop applications a non-issue for me. (For the other 5%, I'm happy to do that on my desktop computer.)
 
What I find amusing about these comparisons between the iPad and other devices is that none of them speak to how easy to use the device is or how reliable it is or how fast it runs both startup and operating speeds. All the comparisons do is talk about how many features one has over the other. Can you imagine turning on a Windows tablet computer and sitting there for a minute or so while it upgrades it's antivirus protection? Or browsing the web and it becoming infected with some form of spyware? But the whiners and complainers don't speak about this. They just keep talking about no flash, no camera and no multitasking as if their entire lives revolve around these features. Personally I'd much rather have a device that is rock solid, dependable and fast at the expense of perhaps some extra bells and whistles.
 
applesupergeek said:
Their form factor is similar and their functions overlap, of course you can compare them.
Click to expand...

Their only overlap is that they both can be used to read ebooks so I guess you can compare them in that sense. In my opinion they are not in the same category.

It's like comparing a regular dumb phone to a smart phone. They can both make calls but you can't realistically compare the two to each other
 
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