Why I Love the iPad

[HD Fboy]

iPad provides me with a .5" thick package to provide audio, video, books, newspapers, and magazines when I travel. I can use the device to display tear sheets on my products. I can set it up to display a presentation at trade shows using battery power for 10 hours. I can't imagine a better device to access the web on an airplane. Give the device a plastic pointed pen and a program where I can take handwritten notes and drawings and it will be almost perfect. Sure a camera would be great ( include a front facing camera on the next iPhone for video conference please!), sd memory great, and a USB slot great. But at $500 with 16gig it is a travelers dream. Suck down a movie or book off iTunes on the way to your next flight. I have carried 3 magazines and 3 books on planes before. Backlit makes it just so much better than a Kindle. iWork for $30 wow. Give me an cable to plug into vga to display a presentation and I just might leave my laptop at home on over nighters (for me, that could be a stretch). Add a fully functional PDF viewer, where I can add text, signatures and flatten the file, this will be huge. iPad with iPhone will be powerful. I do need to be able to tether, even if it cost $$$. Don't kid yourself, iPad can be the laptop killer in a couple of years Office, Internet, Exchange connectivity, and personal content in that package is a winner, a big winner.

The anchor around Apple's neck right now is tethering to the iPhone. This HAS to be coming. In my view, this is the iPhone's biggest negative.

Background: I am a 51 year old executive. 30 years ago I was as geeky as any current 20 year old posting here. I am not a CS or network expert . I was a long term PC guy who could use a Mac. 2 years ago I went Mac all the way. I run a small company, manage our network, buy hardware and software, travel and work all the damn time. Give me my iPad, quick. I will sell the hell out of them for you.

 

[vini-vidi-vici]

I think you're right...

When this thing gets into stores, and into people's hands, when they see people using them, and they see what the apps feel like... People are simply going to want one - and that's what really matters. For $499 starting, a lot more of them will be able to "justify" it.

I don't "need" an iPad, but I'm going to get one. Some people complain that it's just a big iPod Touch. Ha! I know a dozen people who have iPod touches, and love them, and use them all the time for e-mail, browsing, apps... The only problem with the touch is that the screen is so small. Plus, now you can get 3G service for a reasonable price (no way I'm paying $70/month for a phone).

Anyway, it's funny reading all the naysayers write about how the iPad isn't as good as a laptop or whatever. These are the people who have no vision as to what technology can help people do. The iPad is gonna rock their worlds.

 

[HD Fboy]

When this thing gets into stores, and into people's hands, when they see people using them, and they see what the apps feel like... People are simply going to want one - and that's what really matters. For $499 starting, a lot more of them will be able to "justify" it.

I don't "need" an iPad, but I'm going to get one. Some people complain that it's just a big iPod Touch. Ha! I know a dozen people who have iPod touches, and love them, and use them all the time for e-mail, browsing, apps... The only problem with the touch is that the screen is so small. Plus, now you can get 3G service for a reasonable price (no way I'm paying $70/month for a phone).

Anyway, it's funny reading all the naysayers write about how the iPad isn't as good as a laptop or whatever. These are the people who have no vision as to what technology can help people do. The iPad is gonna rock their worlds.

And as much as the Naysayers don't like it $900 for 64g and 3G will be a real deal. The lifestyle impact will be huge. Look at the piles of mail order catalogs we have at home - ALL sent to the iPad. In a year, you will be able to equip a sales force with a $500 Mac Mini or PC equivalent and a iPad and they will love it.

 

[Gymgenius]

I was an iPhone naysayer - bigtime...then I saw one in-store and I was like O. M. G.

I found it just so incredible that I bought one a few days later.

My iPhone has been replaced by a company BlackBerry, but I still miss the wonderful UI, and I am so looking forward to using it again on a larger device.

I'm going to be one happy sofa-surfer soon!

 

[bossxii]

iPad provides me with a .5" thick package to provide audio, video, books, newspapers, and magazines when I travel. I can use the device to display tear sheets on my products. I can set it up to display a presentation at trade shows using battery power for 10 hours. I can't imagine a better device to access the web on an airplane. Give the device a plastic pointed pen and a program where I can take handwritten notes and drawings and it will be almost perfect. Sure a camera would be great ( include a front facing camera on the next iPhone for video conference please!), sd memory great, and a USB slot great. But at $500 with 16gig it is a travelers dream. Suck down a movie or book off iTunes on the way to your next flight. I have carried 3 magazines and 3 books on planes before. Backlit makes it just so much better than a Kindle. iWork for $30 wow. Give me an cable to plug into vga to display a presentation and I just might leave my laptop at home on over nighters (for me, that could be a stretch). Add a fully functional PDF viewer, where I can add text, signatures and flatten the file, this will be huge. iPad with iPhone will be powerful. I do need to be able to tether, even if it cost $$$. Don't kid yourself, iPad can be the laptop killer in a couple of years Office, Internet, Exchange connectivity, and personal content in that package is a winner, a big winner.

The anchor around Apple's neck right now is tethering to the iPhone. This HAS to be coming. In my view, this is the iPhone's biggest negative.

Background: I am a 51 year old executive. 30 years ago I was as geeky as any current 20 year old posting here. I am not a CS or network expert . I was a long term PC guy who could use a Mac. 2 years ago I went Mac all the way. I run a small company, manage our network, buy hardware and software, travel and work all the damn time. Give me my iPad, quick. I will sell the hell out of them for you.

The "hacker" community has already found a solution for this. It's a 5m fully automated, free way to enable what AT&T promised last summer and has the rest of the world using. AT&T cannot sit there and say they are ready for the iPad when they have not unlocked tethering on our iPhones. I have not JB my iPhone as I haven't needed to tether for personal use, but with the iPad that day may come soon.

If AT&T ever lives up to it's initial promises and updates their network off the fat profits they have been taking on the iPhone data plans, then they can talk about "were ready for the iPad". Currently they are just another lying, greedy business as usual network they have been since the iPhone came out.

 

[Gav2k]

It's not apple holding back on tethering really is it. O2uk allow it although it's chargable.

I'm pretty sure there is a little Japanese man working on a microsim card holder for the iPhone so u can cut your sim down and then swap it back and forward

 

[yegon]

I wouldn't bank on 10 hrs battery. Probably be 5-7 with real world usage, less when you're hammering games. Enough for me though.

 

[HD Fboy]

The "hacker" community has already found a solution for this. It's a 5m fully automated, free way to enable what AT&T promised last summer and has the rest of the world using. AT&T cannot sit there and say they are ready for the iPad when they have not unlocked tethering on our iPhones. I have not JB my iPhone as I haven't needed to tether for personal use, but with the iPad that day may come soon.

If AT&T ever lives up to it's initial promises and updates their network off the fat profits they have been taking on the iPhone data plans, then they can talk about "were ready for the iPad". Currently they are just another lying, greedy business as usual network they have been since the iPhone came out.

My issue here is that as a business user this is a big no-no. But, if they don't address, will they begin canceling corporate accounts because users begin to jail break? They have got to be figuring out owners are beginning to get bent on this issue. I talked to my AT&T rep about this, they say Apple won't let us, Apple says it is AT&T. Well, this is a quick way to drive customers to another carrier. The other issue is the stability of the AT&T network. If AT&T isn't careful they could loose it all. My local network which was nice and stable 6 months ago has gone to hell (I have seen this before, one day I will wake up and it will be nice and stable again). AT&T and Apple say it is your handset, I don't believe them. I think it is the network.

 

[Dammit Cubs]

I agree with you. The more and more I let things pass, the more I can see this being a huge hit.

I think the reason why tablet's have failed before is because you just threw an OS over the tablet and the tablet wasn't maximized for the OS. My simplifying the logic down to just using iphone OS 3.2, you are eliminating the hassles that come with running a full OS. (let's face it, 90% of the world hate computers when they start to bog down). It's brilliant, by going backwards with the tablet market, we as a society are pushing forward with tablet technology. The touch wasn't about a device that could do many things, it was about a device that can do one thing and do it well. The ipad bigger screen brings that logic to a bigger stage. It won't replace your computers (nor should it) and it can't do the best things. But its bringing the computer world to a more casual playing field. From a business standpoint, it does enough for the AVERAGE CONSUMER.

The tablet's software is so rare in that, the developer can control what market this tablet can go. With this "powerful chip" we can finally see an application that used for the medical field. (doctors can carry this around instead of the clip board). We can see this in many fields and when better organization software and documents will come out, it will send this tablet to new heights.

Right now, its just play-doh but i can be something greater. Not having a multitask or camera sucks. but most people don't use both. You have one screen for ONE APP. Thats the point, its not like you lose the apps if you close the window. It's all autosaved. The point is...open that one app and let that app take over. I am hopefully this will happen. I think its lazy in that Apple didn't create more software for it, but they had set the guidelines on what we can do with the extra space.

If the battery life holds up to 10 hours, this will be an amazing device. I can take it on the go. read all my tech news. I will have all my manga on this thing for reading. The design, even though it looks like a ipod touch XL, the bezel is needed for your fingers, this may have been a conclusion that was figured out.

I think they need to add more finger gestures but i think developers can really make so cool things. I'll say it a million times, we need developers to make this take off. If they make the right software, then this will an amazing device. Because it will be what you want it to be. That's the point of a tablet, to make it what you want.

• If you want internet (its got it, gimped but got it)
• if you want music (it can play music)
• if you want to watch movies (its got that). Hopefully a VLC viewer will be there for you use file sharing to transfer files to the app (cross fingers).
• if you want a photo frame when dock, its got that.
• if you want a word document suite, its got that

Future programs:

• Potential Medical apps for doctors on the field
• Field engineers and employees can use this with conjunction with Apple's API.
• A super tasklist for work or life (how amazing to have a true list that you can use to manage your life and integrated with online syncing and you can use it for project management)

The potential is so high for this thing and what makes it possible is that Iphone OS X is dumbing people down to thinking one app at a time. Concentrate on one app, make that app great, make it work for this tablet.

It's choice of using this processor combined with apple's battery life scheme (used in macbook/macbook pros) is causing new life. We don't want a tablet that lasts 4 hours!! I need a mobile device.

I'm not being a fanboy here, i'm just seeing the potential and how the market can change. This is just the dawn of tablets. It's 2010, a new decade. This is where the market will lead and i like that analogy of the transmission. It's like going from manual to automatic. For 80% of the world, automatic transmission of your PC is where its going and thats what people what. They dont' want to know everything that happens in the background. But there are some people who will always like manuals. (i have a manual WOOT!!!!).

That's my 2 cents. love it or hate it. It's here to stay.

 

[gr8ful]

Agree with the posts and I was a bit underwhelmed after the keynote but I have definitely warmed up to the iPad after giving it some thought.

Consider this, my unscientific poll of friends and collegues:

- ownership ratio of desktop to laptop is about 50/50%
- for about half or more of the laptop owners, it is their primary (only) machine
- of the laptop owners, less than 20% take it with them daily
- most laptop owners do most of their heavy content creation and editing (long documents, audio/video editing, cd/dvd ripping, etc) at home not on the go
- when they take their laptops with them they mainly use it to: check and respond to email, light document creation/editing (text, spreadsheet), web surfing, youtube/video watching, music

I think this describes a very large segment of people who would likely carry an iPad daily. Those who carry their laptop daily may find less use for it, but I think most people treat their laptop like a desktop most of the time.

 

[NathanCH]

I wouldn't bank on 10 hrs battery. Probably be 5-7 with real world usage, less when you're hammering games. Enough for me though.

I wouldn't say 10 either, but 5 seems a bit low. For eBook I'd say at least 10 (if not more)

 

[HD Fboy]

Agree with the posts and I was a bit underwhelmed after the keynote but I have definitely warmed up to the iPad after giving it some thought.

Consider this, my unscientific poll of friends and collegues:

- ownership ratio of desktop to laptop is about 50/50%
- for about half or more of the laptop owners, it is their primary (only) machine
- of the laptop owners, less than 20% take it with them daily
- most laptop owners do most of their heavy content creation and editing (long documents, audio/video editing, cd/dvd ripping, etc) at home not on the go
- when they take their laptops with them they mainly use it to: check and respond to email, light document creation/editing (text, spreadsheet), web surfing, youtube/video watching, music

I think this describes a very large segment of people who would likely carry an iPad daily. Those who carry their laptop daily may find less use for it, but I think most people treat their laptop like a desktop most of the time.

Right now my MBP is a mat screen unibody with 8gig ram and 3.06ghz processor. I run everything from Solidworks and Quickbooks under windows to the current Adobe suite. I figure just the s/w on my machine is worth $15K. Now, 98% I am not at home or the office all I use is email, web, access to my server via vpn and finder, and either MS Office or iWork for minor stuff. (excluding trips over 3 days).

Most of this is available already on my iPhone or touch but the screen is WAY too small. (Music is ok and I do watch video when I am on a plane.)

If they can give me a way to edit a PDF so I can add text and sign documents and a way to sketch with a pen and take hand written notes I am there from a work standpoint Leaving the 20 pound backpack for the big trips.

Add to this video, photos, print media... Well you see where I am going.

As much as the naysayers bash, I just can't imagine this not being a winner.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

I agree.

As all of you, after sitting for months reading through all the hype and about multitasking, and a "unique way to interact", video conferencing, possible face recognition for different profiles, proximity sensors for the screen, advanced gesturing, etc etc etc... i became more and more disappointed as the keynote went on. I mean a big ipod touch??!... that's it?

But, along with many of you, every passing day I began to see the utter, and wonderful, simplicity of it. Could it be better? Yes, it can. and it will. Here's hoping that Apple will pull out beautiful interactions and intuitive ways to incorporate multitasking on 4.0. But even as stands, it does what it needs to do. the more I think about it, the more right on Steve was during his keynote about the middle ground between iphone and macbook. The iPad is the perfect device for casually using around the house, commute (for you public transportation users), or just anywhere that you wouldn't normally feel like taking a laptop, but u still have time to kill.

Now will I get the rev A? Probably not... If I can restrain myself. I just can't convince myself that it's that much of a need at the moment. But by the time the second one comes around, all bets off! :-D

 

[MacVDS]

Well, I'm not a Mac guy but a PC guy. While Mac's are cool, they are not cool enough to justify the cost difference for hardware/software vs. PC platform transition. However, when I saw the iTouch it was the first Apple product I absolutely had to have. After seeing the iPad launch, it's the second Apple product I just have to have, so I'm in. It doesn't do everything, but it does do everything I love about the iTouch. I must be one of the "target" consumers. It's just cool, and there just isn't a whole lot of flat out cool, gotta have products out there for gadget junkies like me anymore.
I don't need another computer, just a portable web browser/email/movie player for trips and the couch, which is what I use the iTouch for. Now I will be able to see what is on the screen better and it should work better for guys with big old sausage fingers like me.

 

[Salty Pirate]

I am so going to get one. I think this so is the future.

on area I am interested in is light multitasking. I want to have music on in the background while I work on other stuff. my iphone will do this. I can start a playlist, press the home button and the music continues to play. I can then go into any other app, the music continues. Is that multitasking? I am hopeful the ipad can do that.

Also, my nike app on my iphone will run in the background. I start a playlist, start the nike+ and run. I can get a text or a call and both apps run in the backround.

 

[anthonymoody]

I'm with you. And not only am I getting one, it's going to be my primary computer from Day 1, not in a year after we've gotten the expected deluge or "real" apps to follow iWork.

The haters who don't see the potential here are truly baffling, ESPECIALLY after what we went through with the iPhone.

 

[gr8ful]

I believe the 2nd gen iPad will likely be much better than the 1st gen, but I see no reason to wait. I suspect that many of you will be pleasantly surprised that when the 1st gen is released it will be quite a bit better than what was demoed:

1. Speculation is building that it could be released with a front-facing camera (iChat).

2. iPad runs the iPhone OS, so I bet version 3.2 on the tablet was just enough changes to demo the unit. Jobs has already indicated the next iPhone update will be A+, which to me says major software overhaul --- much, if not all should apply to the iPad. You know Apple would not give you any hints about the OS changes. They showed the iPad with 4 icons on the dock and devs have already found in the SDK that it will hold 6.

3. Multi-tasking likely in next iPhone update v4. Multi-tasking is already possible in the OS; however, deciding how the system will handle it and how to allow users to know what is running, kill apps, etc is not an easy task. Other systems that allow it are often buggy, sluggish, or lean more toward the geek and not the "It just works" group.

4. Apple is still working out its deals with publishers of books, newspapers, and periodicals. So, I expect many of these will be in-place when the iPad is finally for sale.

5. The flood gates are about to open and let in a flood of new, mind-blowing iPad apps. Imagine seeing many of the action games and apps you love on a 9.7 inch screen in 720p (HD).

6. Finally, keep your 1st gen well protected with a screen shield and sleeve and it will sell for top dollar on eBay to offset the price of the 2nd gen.

I ain't waitin'!!

 

[HD Fboy]

Well, I'm not a Mac guy but a PC guy.

Come on over to the dark side.

I made the transition company wide almost 2 years ago. It has saved us about $25K in Windows Consultant costs including the cost differential on hardware. My apple server is so stable it is scary. I go in about once a month and check for Software updates, install them and lock the machine back down. I bet I only shut down and restated the server about 10 times last year (takes about 90 seconds unless it is installing software). My old windows server had to be shutdown and restarted at least one a week. The restarts on the windows box would take the better part of an hour.

Never say never but windows 2000 was a great OS. XP sucks, Vista Blows, Windows 7 who cares. I hear so many horror stories about windows all the time, I just don't see the motivation to return to a windows based system.

I run Windows XP on my Mac. In a virtual environment Windows is more stable than I have seen it in years. Of course very limited web exposure here. No emails.

With an iPad I PRAY I can leave my laptop at home, plugged up and use a VPN client to provide full access the MBP with my iPad. Real Power there.

And the Mac Mini Server for $1000 Not all that useful in large implementations but for Wikis and small offices (less than 30 users) coupled with Kerio Mail Server (Exchange clone for ~$600 for 10 users)it is a Windows Server giant killer.

 

[spaceballl]

iPad provides me with a .5" thick package

Say no more... say no more.... I'm sold.

 

[bobsentell]

I will say the iPad is growing on me. We shall see. My only question is why did apple put the volume controls on the opposite side as the iPhone. That's gonna throw me off.

 

[rgarjr]

well yeah from the looks of the pics, they are on the opposite side. I dunno why they did that, maybe just to distinguish it from the iphones/touch.

Its not like you're going to use those buttons a lot though.

 

[bobsentell]

Its not like you're going to use those buttons a lot though.

True. I only use the ones on the iPhone when it is in my case.

 

[grahamtearne]

I agree that at the moment it is a steal for travellers and I will be getting one for my travels later this year.

However to make it a DREAM (for travellers - forget the flash/multitasking crap right now) it should have these features:

-the ability to transfer files to and from an external source on the fly without a computer (ie use the usb camera connector and plug a USB stick in or small HDD and switch around the media I have on the device, good for long trips where the same media might get old (and I imagine it is like the iPhone too where files cannot be deleted on the device individually and again is all managed through iTunes, this even blocks the ability to remove a film that you have backed up on a drive or computer to free space to buy some new content from the iTunes store on the go))

-the ability to save webpages as a PDF to the device. This would be fantastic for travellers who may be in and out of wifi and 3g signal areas, for those visiting rural areas and will be on the road alot. Why? Well say you hit a hotel for the night with wifi and do some surfing planning itineries and such wouldn't it be nice to save a relevent website page as it and be able to read them back later. Sure I can create notes there and then, but say I just want to throw a load of info together to view on the road. I could visit a sports team webpage and save the schedule page as a PDF, the directions to the stadium page, could save a top 20 things to do site for a city I am travelling too etc etc, would be then useful while sitting on a bus or plane to see these back in my own time and make some further plans, drop them into notes or pages and improve my itinery - this may be already possible but I dont think it is in the iPhone safari?

 

[app1eg]

I agree that at the moment it is a steal for travellers and I will be getting one for my travels later this year.

However to make it a DREAM (for travellers - forget the flash/multitasking crap right now) it should have these features:

-the ability to transfer files to and from an external source on the fly without a computer (ie use the usb camera connector and plug a USB stick in or small HDD and switch around the media I have on the device, good for long trips where the same media might get old (and I imagine it is like the iPhone too where files cannot be deleted on the device individually and again is all managed through iTunes, this even blocks the ability to remove a film that you have backed up on a drive or computer to free space to buy some new content from the iTunes store on the go))

-the ability to save webpages as a PDF to the device. This would be fantastic for travellers who may be in and out of wifi and 3g signal areas, for those visiting rural areas and will be on the road alot. Why? Well say you hit a hotel for the night with wifi and do some surfing planning itineries and such wouldn't it be nice to save a relevent website page as it and be able to read them back later. Sure I can create notes there and then, but say I just want to throw a load of info together to view on the road. I could visit a sports team webpage and save the schedule page as a PDF, the directions to the stadium page, could save a top 20 things to do site for a city I am travelling too etc etc, would be then useful while sitting on a bus or plane to see these back in my own time and make some further plans, drop them into notes or pages and improve my itinery - this may be already possible but I dont think it is in the iPhone safari?

just take a screenshot! i imagine you could take a screenie the same way as an iphone. i capture info and maps for later on my iphone by taking screenshots

 

[davidlw]

I am a Road Salesman and the iPad will be just what I need. When standing before a customer, you do not have time to pull out a laptop and wait a couple of minutes to boot up the thing. With the iPad, it will be instant on and a quick lookup of what ever needed. Then take notes back in the car and it will be synced up to my desktop when I get back to the office. WOW what a device.