People look down on the iPad because they think it's a computer

[BobHail]

>>> People look down on the iPad because they think it's a computer

No. Plain and simple, I look down non it because it is a worthless of piece of SHlT. It has no purpose in life.... I can get an iTouch, or a MB(p). I do not need a hobbled version of a compromise of the WORST of both items.

Hahahah! Well said.

 

[stewart715]

>>> People look down on the iPad because they think it's a computer

No. Plain and simple, I look down non it because it is a worthless of piece of SHlT. It has no purpose in life.... I can get an iTouch, or a MB(p). I do not need a hobbled version of a compromise of the WORST of both items.

What's an iTouch?

 

[dgree03]

Reowned. It is not a personal computer as we know it today. I hate when people respond trying to be funny "well it has a calculator application."

The thing isn't running Windows or OS X...it's its own device in its own entity.

No its not.. its a large Ipod Touch... Is a 40in sony tv and "different entity" that a 26in sony tv

 

[jajohns8]

To be fair, Jobs compared it to (in fact, suggested it's better than) a netbook. Which is a computer.

And netbooks look like they are for 4 year old kids.

Part of this is about aesthetics. Sorry, but you can take your clamshell, fisher price looking 'netbook' and try and code java apps to your heart's content. No thanks, I'll use a real laptop anytime I need real computing power. Not a 'netbook.'

That's not what I want this type of device for.

The iPad looks awesome and will do exactly what I want it to do, nothing more.

 

[stewart715]

No its not.. its a large Ipod Touch... Is a 40in sony tv and "different entity" that a 26in sony tv

No, it's its own entity aside from computers. Yes it is a large iPod touch but there are things you can do on the iPad that you can't do on an iPod touch. A 40 in and 26in TV serve the same exact function, just at different sizes.

 

[eawmp1]

Show me an iPod touch I can comfortably type on, run versions of iWork, really enjoy surfing the web and watching video without a magnifying glass, AND has 3G and I'll admit there is no need for an iPad.

 

[dgree03]

No, it's its own entity aside from computers. Yes it is a large iPod touch but there are things you can do on the iPad that you can't do on an iPod touch. A 40 in and 26in TV serve the same exact function, just at different sizes.

Well a 40in tv can use DLNA functions.. while the 26in cant... but they are still sony tv's, one is just bigger with 1 or 2 extra features...

Ipad should be ipod touch 10in... or something, that along with SJ not trying to assert that its a better netbook... and ill then shut up about it

 

[dgree03]

Show me an iPod touch I can comfortably type on, run versions of iWork, really enjoy surfing the web and watching video without a magnifying glass, AND has 3G and I'll admit there is no need for an iPad.

Better yet ill show you a netbook, with 11in LED FULL 720 HD... with 160gb hd.. 2 usb ports... nvidia graphics... 96% physical keyboard all at about 3.9 lbs.... oh and you can run Office 2008, Watch Hulu and connect devices to it..

This magical devices has existed LONG before the ipad...

 

[Brazzan]

Part of this is about aesthetics.

Now I'll grant you that the iPad does look better than a netbook, but that's about the only advantage I can think of.

Price? About the same.

Size & weight? About the same. Netbooks are harder to break, though, as the clamshell design protects the screen. Mine takes horrendous abuse without problems. Never bothered with a case or gentle treatment - just chuck it in whatever bag is at hand & go.

Screen resolution? About the same.

Typing? Massive win for netbooks. Their keyboards may not be as good as full notebooks, but they're much better than a touch screen.

Doing anything resembling real work? Again, massive win for netbooks. Whether you run Linux, Windows or Hacked OSX on them, they have all the applications of the real computer of your choice. The Atom's a pretty powerful chip for the price and as long as you get enough RAM (1-2G), you can do anything you really need. I've run some pretty heavyweight mathematical simulations on mine. Slower than a real computer, to be sure, but fast enough for when you're on the move.

Entertainment? You can run full iTunes on a netbook, plus you can use the BBC iPlayer properly, hulu, etc. Again, a win for the netbook. They can even play some undemanding games. I've run WOW adequately on a non-ion netbook, so with ion it would be excellent.

I'd happily pay for a mac netbook, but the tablet just seems ... well ... useless. Too big to put in your pocket, not enough grunt to do anything useful. Ultimately, my problem with the iPad is just what the OP originally alluded to. It's as big as a proper computer, but not as useful.

 

[bossxii]

I look down on the iPad because it's MAJORLY handicapped as a browser. Steve Jobs says it's the "best browsing experience". Sorry, but if it doesn't even have a FULL browser how can it bring you the "best browsing experience"? With the iPad there's a good portion of sites I can't visit because it won't render on the iPad.

Sites like Hulu.com in particular are very - very - popular yet an iPad user can't go there. There are thousands of sites that use Flash to display content. It's sad that any "browsing tool" can't support Flash.

Flash again... so why is it that Firefox mobile has now killed off Flash? Because it's kills the experience in mobile devices. Youtube already has the option to kill flash and use HTML5, which is the beginning of good things with regard to online video.

IF Apple was only blocking Flash because the theory they are "forcing" you to buy iTunes content why in the hell would they not disable flash on their full version of Safari for OSX?
Flash kills battery life, kills the speed in which you can move around the web and is a bloated pig that is needs to be put down. Mobile (smart phone) and netbook browsing is a slow, sluggish pc of trash with flash.

Hulu has stated in the past it was working on an iPhone app, my guess is wit this new iPad they will likely figure out a way to not use flash and bring the app to the market this year.

 

[dgree03]

Now I'll grant you that the iPad does look better than a netbook, but that's about the only advantage I can think of.

Price? About the same.

Size & weight? About the same. Netbooks are harder to break, though, as the clamshell design protects the screen. Mine takes horrendous abuse without problems. Never bothered with a case or gentle treatment - just chuck it in whatever bag is at hand & go.

Screen resolution? About the same.

Typing? Massive win for netbooks. Their keyboards may not be as good as full notebooks, but they're much better than a touch screen.

Doing anything resembling real work? Again, massive win for netbooks. Whether you run Linux, Windows or Hacked OSX on them, they have all the applications of the real computer of your choice. The Atom's a pretty powerful chip for the price and as long as you get enough RAM (1-2G), you can do anything you really need. I've run some pretty heavyweight mathematical simulations on mine. Slower than a real computer, to be sure, but fast enough for when you're on the move.

Entertainment? You can run full iTunes on a netbook, plus you can use the BBC iPlayer properly, hulu, etc. Again, a win for the netbook. They can even play some undemanding games. I've run WOW adequately on a non-ion netbook, so with ion it would be excellent.

I'd happily pay for a mac netbook, but the tablet just seems ... well ... useless. Too big to put in your pocket, not enough grunt to do anything useful. Ultimately, my problem with the iPad is just what the OP originally alluded to. It's as big as a proper computer, but not as useful.

Netbooks now have 1366 x 768 res now... FULL 720hd... so that a massive win for netbooks...

 

[dgree03]

Flash again... so why is it that Firefox mobile has now killed off Flash? Because it's kills the experience in mobile devices. Youtube already has the option to kill flash and use HTML5, which is the beginning of good things with regard to online video.

IF Apple was only blocking Flash because the theory they are "forcing" you to buy iTunes content why in the hell would they not disable flash on their full version of Safari for OSX?
Flash kills batter life, kills the speed in which you can move around the web and is a bloated pig that is needs to be put down.

Hulu has stated in the past it was working on an iPhone app, my guess is wit this new iPad they will likely figure out a way to not use flash and bring the app to the market this year.

They dont block it on Safari because they dont control the apps you install or buy on a laptop or Desktop... they dont control whether or not you can DL from torrents or p2p...

Everything you do on the iphone or itouch is controlled(unless JB)

SO that is a poor example...

 

[Brazzan]

Netbooks now have 1366 x 768 res now... FULL 720hd... so that a massive win for netbooks...

True. Mine's an old one!

 

[stewart715]

Well a 40in tv can use DLNA functions.. while the 26in cant... but they are still sony tv's, one is just bigger with 1 or 2 extra features...

Ipad should be ipod touch 10in... or something, that along with SJ not trying to assert that its a better netbook... and ill then shut up about it

It's only better than a netbook because netbooks run windows. But maybe a tablet running OS X would have been the better option for the iPad? Who knows. But I guarantee you, a full fledged OS X running, USB porting tablet would be quadruple the price of the iPad..but then again, if you want that..

http://www.axiotron.com/index.php?id=modbook

 

[vannibombonato]

So what you need is a 'bridge' device. Looking pretty cheap. Doing most of the things people do online, web browsing, light gaming, streaming audio. Throw in basic WP and presentation software. Make it look cool. Apple is an aspirational brand - Bingo! They have access to computers at school and home, so don't care that they can't build a database or complex spreadsheet on the iPad. Its a device to hook them in and keep them using Apple products, consuming via iTunes. After a few years of that, they are used to using Apple so buying a desktop/laptop is a natural progression.

Or maybe I'm just a conspiracy theorist.

Yes, it could work for these guys, and for my parents as well. Well...if my parents were the type of people enjoying browsing 140,000 apps....

Point is, this ipod XL does not work without a computer running iTunes able to feed him. It simply can't exist without an extra computer attached. You can't even turn it on.

This takes out 100% of the market which was looking for one device.

As it is it's certainly a cool gadget. Everyone's pissed because it was sold as being magic and revolutionary, which factually is not.

 

[Cole Slaw]

Yet another device chained to that exponentially growing app, iTunes.
Apple may as well stop development of OS/X all together and just make iTunes their OS. Just add a browser to it (no flash, of course).
With the iTunes store as home page, of course.
I swear, I really believe if Apple made a blender it would have to be "synched" to iTunes for some reason.

 

[Hankster]

Flash again... so why is it that Firefox mobile has now killed off Flash? Because it's kills the experience in mobile devices. Youtube already has the option to kill flash and use HTML5, which is the beginning of good things with regard to online video.

IF Apple was only blocking Flash because the theory they are "forcing" you to buy iTunes content why in the hell would they not disable flash on their full version of Safari for OSX?
Flash kills battery life, kills the speed in which you can move around the web and is a bloated pig that is needs to be put down. Mobile (smart phone) and netbook browsing is a slow, sluggish pc of trash with flash.

Hulu has stated in the past it was working on an iPhone app, my guess is wit this new iPad they will likely figure out a way to not use flash and bring the app to the market this year.

We're not taking about the iPhone or an iPhone app. If the iPad is suppose to be "the" experience in web browsing and it can't support a staple in web development - Flash - then it's not complete! It's not rocket science.

I dare everyone to turn off Flash in their browser for a week, watch how many sites stop working. It's unreal how much Flash is used, especially in marketing/PR/design/business.

Flash may drain battery life but that is not the reason Apple did not include it. There could easily be an option to turn off Flash, it should be up to the user. My issue is Apple is selling and marketing the iPad as "the" web browsing experience, yet it can't support something as basic as Flash which is a staple of web development. And yes, Flash IS a big deal!

Also, Apple would never - ever - block Flash on Safari (laptops or desktops) because everyone would simply use FireFox or IE. They know this.

 

[Kristenn]

IS iPad a computer? Is it a Macintosh? It doesn't run Mac OS. But it IS more like a computer than the iPhone/iPod Touch if just for the bigger screen and the ability to run iWork.

I'm a little concerned, it looks nice but how well does it serve? I won't judge till I try it. Do you think Apple will add multitouch support straight before release seeing the complaints?

What is iPads aimed market? I have a feeling it's confused as to what it wants to be, thats all...

The name sounds like something I would put in my undies during a certain time of month, yet people don't make fun of mousepad either so... what gives xD

 

[surferfromuk]

I look down on the iPad because it's MAJORLY handicapped as a browser. Steve Jobs says it's the "best browsing experience". Sorry, but if it doesn't even have a FULL browser how can it bring you the "best browsing experience"? With the iPad there's a good portion of sites I can't visit because it won't render on the iPad.

Sites like Hulu.com in particular are very - very - popular yet an iPad user can't go there. There are thousands of sites that use Flash to display content. It's sad that any "browsing tool" can't support Flash.

Just RDP to your Mac and watch it on that.

Actually, also regardless of parental control, lack of flash pretty much ensures your kids won't be accidentally watching any porno video!
Could actually be a MASSIVE plus point

 

[thatguysmells]

Thumbs up on this one...Flash is very important for web use. Personally, I blame Adobe on the lack of support of Flash on the iPhone...

Also, Things like Hulu wouldn't be supported by the iPhone because they want you to buy TV shows from iTunes store :/ Corporate greed gets in the way of good things..

Adobe? Why can't apple just make their own flash player? Why does it always come back to Adobe?