Apple iPad

[Rather Dashing]

Originally Posted by Friar

I'm not sure colour e-ink is possible. Well, it is, but it would be monotone. From what i understand of e-ink is that it works a bit like an etch-a-sketch, only with kindle co-ordinating the distribution of charge on the screen (and hence where the ink substitute is attracted and sticks to)

Ah, but you'd be wrong. I have no idea how they do it, but it is being done, and has been worked on since 2005. The problem with it, for now, is cost, and of course the inherent drawbacks of an e-ink screen.

[Friar]

Originally Posted by Rather Dashing

Ah, but you'd be wrong. I have no idea how they do it, but it is being done, and has been worked on since 2005. The problem with it, for now, is cost, and of course the inherent drawbacks of an e-ink screen.

That does sound pretty awesome! I suppose people were saying the same thing as i was about colour television, back in the day!

[Edgy_McSpoon]

The Apple iPad is a glorious toy for those who want to say the words "revolutionizing the battery world", "bring together hardware and software in one company", and "turtle-necks make even the most ridiculous products look sexy". I mean the commercial-7-minute video and the presentation was pretty slick, for something that doesn't do much more than an iphone 3gs, except boast a larger screen for all those data-input and slideshows you do everyday.

But you've got to admit, the calendar app that looks like a REAL CALENDAR BOOK is pretty revolutionary, I mean, why would I want to go to a dollar-store and buy myself a replaceable calendar when I can have one on an iPad?

Oh yeah and the fact that you can't do two things at once on it is pretty rad, because Apple's always about simplifying your life. Albeit, complicating your life with expensive pieces of hardware that really don't do a whole lot.

But in all seriousness, I'm personally disgusted at the fact they did not embrace Wacom's cintiq & bamboo like pen-interaction and sensitivity, or consider a better working surface. Sure, Brushes app is fun to play around with on my ipod touch, but I really can't see myself painting an entire image with my finger! I'd probably have finger-related issues after that. Ugh! Apple dropped the ball when they stopped considering the creative professionals that use their products daily.

I really hope a minimal amount of people actually buy this thing, as I see no real consumer market for this, let-alone the professional market. Yuck!

[corruptbiggins]

Originally Posted by Edgy_McSpoon

I really hope a minimal amount of people actually buy this thing, as I see no real consumer market for this, let-alone the professional market. Yuck!

There already is one consumer market for this and it guarantees that this thing will sell and that's the people who by anything with the Apple logo on it. And there's a hell of a lot of them.

[Thriftweed Fancy Pants]

So much for a discussion about the possibilities for adventure games on the iPad...

[Friar]

Originally Posted by Thriftweed Fancy Pants

So much for a discussion about the possibilities for adventure games on the iPad...

Well, gaming possibilities for the ipad are virtually identical to that of the iphone/ipod touch.

[JedExodus]

Originally Posted by Friar

Well, gaming possibilities for the ipad are virtually identical to that of the iphone/ipod touch.

Moreso apparently

[Yohmi]

The size (and power) of the iPhone/iPod Touch was a huge brake for gaming experience. Now, you can put a lot more things in the screen, and there is a lot more room for your fingers. Most of the iPhone apps are single finger. Because there is no space for more. No more. I talked about it here, there is huge possibilities. Not for crappy car games, for something else.

[Rather Dashing]

Originally Posted by JedExodus

Moreso apparently

That person is just saying that they'll find games that take advantage of the "form factor". There is actually no technical difference other than size mentioned here, and then it's just conjecture that this will cause people to publish games on it. That's not really an announcement of iPad-specific gaming apps, or a technical reason that it's better at playing games than the iPhone/iTouch.

[JedExodus]

Originally Posted by Rather Dashing

That person is just saying that they'll find games that take advantage of the "form factor". There is actually no technical difference other than size mentioned here.

Which is why this particular dev is getting all excited about it I assume, it would allow for better controls and different kind of games. All speculation but hardware isn't the be all and end all of gaming, in this case accessability. I'd rather play Chinatown Wars on an iPad than an iPhone here's an article on the possibilites frankly i'm not fussed though, it's still just a big-ass iPhone in my eyes

[Fealiks]

We shouldn't give the iPad too much credence, but also we shouldn't bash it too much.

Really, all it is is an improved version of a Tablet PC. They've done that before. They improved the MP3 player (which was previously crap) with the iPod, and now they're doing the same for Tablet PCs.

[niva]

Telltale games on ipad. That would be awesome!!!

[Falanca]

Originally Posted by niva

Telltale games on ipad. That would be awesome!!!

iPad is not worthy enough for such a delightment.

Meh.

Originally Posted by Fealiks

Really, all it is is an improved version of a Tablet PC. They've done that before. They improved the MP3 player (which was previously crap) with the iPod, and now they're doing the same for Tablet PCs.

Well, all they've done was to give the MP3 player devices a bigger storage space. Then you know, they milked this idea. To further support it, they advertised it to the people with lots of money and ego. It surprisingly became a success (Well, rich people was trying to squeeze some ego because they hadn't had their credibility for some years due to some political issues and so on). It's not really an "improvement", it was just about the storage space, and they attracted too many people. You may say things about the sound quality, but I think Sony is responsible about this, not Apple.

And I don't REALLY think Apple can improve tablet PCs more than they are. They can be improved, I mean, but not by Apple.

[patters]

Originally Posted by Falanca

Well, all they've done was to give the MP3 player devices a bigger storage space. Then you know, they milked this idea. To further support it, they advertised it to the people with lots of money and ego. It surprisingly became a success (Well, rich people was trying to squeeze some ego because they hadn't had their credibility for some years due to some political issues and so on). It's not really an "improvement", it was just about the storage space, and they attracted too many people. You may say things about the sound quality, but I think Sony is responsible about this, not Apple.

Actually I would more attribute the success of the Ipod brand to a few other factors, which include the Styling and simplicity of the devices, as well as the first fully successful version of legal digital music and later multimedia distribution. Of course there were problems with Ipods which led me to not get one until the classic was released, namely the battery life being a lot lower than I would like. Apple may not have strictly innovated much, however they got it to the majority of people with a reasonably friendly piece of software, unlike the piece of C*** that Sony released, Sonic Stage.

[Jake]

iPad makes me excited for the future of computers for the first time in a long time. Modularity and recognition of different contexts one might be using it in -- "is it a desktop? a notebook? a tablet?... that depends!" -- is very cool. The idea of having a computer on your desk with a keyboard, from which one can just pick up the screen and walk around the house while continuing to use it uninterrupted, is crazy.

Also, seeing anyone seriously experimenting with something other than the Desktop metaphor (desktop, file folders which open windows, etc) in a very mainstream product is great. I'm tired of everyone attempting to make nothing but faster and smaller versions of what we already have, and while the specific specs of the iPad may not be to everyone's liking, the usability metaphors and ideas... the thinking behind it is very different from most things.

I think positioning it as "something between a smartphone and a laptop" is temporary -- it gives the product somewhere recognizable to slot in, in their minds. Really, though, if it takes off at all, I expect to see that modularity, and that "it's a multi function down to the hardware -- using it in different contexts are supported and bring the strengths of that context forward" attitude coming to the forefront of Apple's product line. Popping pieces off and on, setting your iPad down next to your iMac and having it take over the screen, or start to sync your data, being able to pair a Bluetooth mouse and do fine photo manipulation, etc, is exciting.

The idea of "a computer" being a box under your desk to which you connect a monitor and keyboard feels super outdated now. The technology distribution in one's house feels like it's going to change -- maybe we'll have a server in the closet, but maybe it'll be in the cloud. Will the TV have to actually get any smarter, or could it simply turn into an extension of whoever's modular tablet or phone is within proximity? I don't know if these ideas are good, but it feels like somewhere near all of this stuff, is a big, much needed change.

Freaking out about the tech specs, or the application suite, or the price, are fine, but at its core this is something different than what we've seen before. At least when it comes to actually bringing something to mass-market. Especially when you look at these.


...

Originally Posted by patters

Apple may not have strictly innovated much, however they got it to the majority of people with a reasonably friendly piece of software, unlike the piece of C*** that Sony released, Sonic Stage.

Agreed. Apple doesn't actually invent that many core concepts. They didn't invent text messaging. They didn't invent cameras on phones. They didn't invent web browsing on a phone. I'm sure someone thought up Visual Voicemail before they did. But... so what? Apple is made up from what seem to be some of the only people out there who can actually pick and choose the best and most relevant features, and then package (and polish) them up in a way that people actually want. You can have the most amazing feature list in the world, but if your features are obfuscated under a bunch of user interface and industrial design which people don't want to actually interact with, you're screwed. Apple is very smart about figuring out ways to totally cut that stuff out their designs. My mom and dad had mobile phones with cameras, text messaging, and calendars (even web browsers) for years, but weren't able to use any of them until they got an iPhone. Very few of the iPhone's features are new, but they're thought through, and built in a way which actually makes sense to people.

[Friar]

Well put, Jake.

I believe the Ipad has alot of potential, but i feel that the technology isn't quit there yet. I'm going to wait a couple of years for the inevitable improved version, and see what thats like. I'm personally hoping for improved battery life & flash support. 10 hours just isn't enough to get decent use out of the e-book system.

[Linque]

I hate Apple's huge overheads, but there's no denying that they're able to design really user friendly products. I finally did some research and read what info is out there on the iPad, and I have to admit that it does seem quite promising and interesting.

I've been getting rid of my computers, laptops and generally all gadgets that require a lot of mainetance and are unwieldy to use. I've automated my torrent downloads straight to a media box that's hooked to my TV so that essentially I only turn on my TV and select what I want to watch. I have a Squeezebox attached to my stereos & my internet connection so I can access both my MP3 library and internet radio with the Squeezebox remote. I actually avoid turning on my PC at all unless I have something very necessary to do with it, and have found that I feel a lot better most of the time than what I used to, wasting a lot of time on the PC just surfing through the forums and news sites.

I just bought a Macbook Pro to get rid of all the upkeep I have to do with windows, long startup times etc, so that I can quickly turn on the computer, do what I want and be done with it, without worrying about updates and whatever problems come up next. I'm glad I've spent so much time with computers that I'm really good at using, building, maintaining, troubleshooting and doing pretty much anything you want with them. But I've realized that I don't have to spend that much time with them. I've come to the point that the "dumbed down" version that is quicker, easier to use and really just quite a bit more pleasant is actually much better for me than the traditional PC setup.

This brings me to Jake's point, that it's refreshing to see someone try to finally differentiate what an 'all purpose application' at home should look like and how it should function. I already got the Macbook Pro, but just as Jake said elsewhere, it's still a computer and it's nowhere near as flexible to use around the house and with friends as a tablet would be. Making everything wireless was huge to me - I've been using wireless keyboards and mice since who knows how long now. But getting rid of them altogether, getting rid of the physical monitor would be huge. It would be easier to use on a sofa, pass it on to other people, use it together with someone etc, but the other big thing is that I know at least my apartment would look aesthetically much more pleasant if I didn't have all the devices on my table, on the shelves and on the ground. I want to have as few cords as possible and small and/or good looking devices that take care of the things I want to do with electronics.

So yeah. The iPad is going to cost a gazillion dollars and the insurance premiums are sky high and you can't fix it at all by yourself, but once again I've got a feeling that the product is so much more complete, better thought out and functional than what people who claim it to fail realize. We'll see. I do hope there's going to be a lot of competition on this field though. But altogether I'm glad and excited after the initial "what the hell is this" reaction I got.

[Lena_P]

Right, so when the 6", $200 iPad paperback comes out, let me know.

[StarEye]

Originally Posted by Lena_P

Right, so when the 6", $200 iPad paperback comes out, let me know.

I can't wait to play SOMI SE on my paperback!

[patters]

Originally Posted by Jake

Agreed. Apple doesn't actually invent that many core concepts. They didn't invent text messaging. They didn't invent cameras on phones. They didn't invent web browsing on a phone. I'm sure someone thought up Visual Voicemail before they did. But... so what? Apple is made up from what seem to be some of the only people out there who can actually pick and choose the best and most relevant features, and then package (and polish) them up in a way that people actually want. You can have the most amazing feature list in the world, but if your features are obfuscated under a bunch of user interface and industrial design which people don't want to actually interact with, you're screwed. Apple is very smart about figuring out ways to totally cut that stuff out their designs. My mom and dad had mobile phones with cameras, text messaging, and calendars (even web browsers) for years, but weren't able to use any of them until they got an iPhone. Very few of the iPhone's features are new, but they're thought through, and built in a way which actually makes sense to people.

Exactly, my opinion on a lot of the Iphone is that while technically brilliant (I cannot fault that) it is not for me, every touch screen I have used doesn't have the tactile feedback I would need to use it, thus I haven't enjoyed any touch screen devices, with the exception of the DS, yet that gave a little flex with the screen.