Other The iFail- wait sorry, iPad, is officially out

What, the iPhone? Takes a normal Sim Card for me.

 

He's talking about the 3G+WiFi iPad - it takes a microSIM card.

 

Someone help me! I'm so confused right now After watching several iVloggers (Video loggers who are apple fanboys and girls like MTPflyers, iJustine [who's rockin' hot too!], itsmemorphious etc) unbox and play with their iPads for the first time, I've got a massive urge to get one before getting my new 15" MBP this summer. My train of thought on the iPad has gone like this:

iPad announced - Mass excitement. I actually jumped up and down with joy.

Watched launch keynote & read detailled info about it - became extremely disappointed and angey that Apple had announced they were launching a massive iPod touch.

Apple announce iPhone & iPad OS 4.0, I watch the keynote (Apple special event April 2010) - I start to get excited again as apples mobile devices will now support multitasking along with a host of other features that were missing from 3.0. The fact that they can make this much difference in one software update now leads me to think that all the shortcomings of the iPad compared to other OS based tablet computers will slowly but surely disappear as Apple continue to release OS updates and "unlock" it's potential.

At this point, I'm all for getting one once I've played around with one for an hour or so in an Apple retail store and am sure that I will like it. Some of you may hate me for it but I think I've come around. Maybe that will change between now and when I actually go to hand a member of the Apple store staff my card. Time will tell.

 

I'd love to see a nice linux tablet. Maybe running Meego?

 

Loudsigh. I've just read the press release on the updates to the Macbook Pro family and am now power hungry. Imagine being able to carry a 2.66GHz i7 powerhouse round with you in such a small package (15"), with up to 500GB hard drive space and more RAM than you'd ever need in a notebook. That almost turns me on! Now I am thoroughly conflicted

 

Doesn't really matter, does it? If websites cater to it, it is because they anticipate that it will be a popular product. More people buy it because it is catered for. The cycle of commerce continues. Either way, the iPad is popular. Now either half-a-million iPad buyers and all those websites that have made millions at understanding the market and responding to its needs/wishes effectively are totally deluded and you have a uniquely objective, critical perspective on the iPad, or perhaps all those half-a-million buyers actually have considered reasonably well what the iPad can do and whether it meets their needs/desires, and all those million-dollar-grossing website companies actually know what they are doing.

Take your pick.

This sounds a bit like some religious people arguing that atheists don't have morals because you cannot possibly be capable of making moral decisions without a religious framework. Just as consumers cannot possibly make a decision about buying the iPad without commercial hype influencing that process.

It should be obvious by now that Apple plans very long-term. By about a decade, at least, which is very far in this business. The Micro-SIM card will be the de facto standard in all mobile devices in the next 2 years. Expect the iPhone 4.0 to have one.

No, it's the BOCHS x86 emulator for iPhone/iPod Touch and now iPad, with Windows 95 running within it (albeit slowly).

I'd love to see any other tablet that works as well as the iPad. Seriously. Everybody is hating Apple, but can they do better? So far, it seems, they can't. Perhaps that's why they're hating Apple.

 

Aha, thanks.

 

Meanwhile, this just in: new speculations on the Microsoft Courier tablet.

Basically, a double-screen tablet running Windows Mobile 7 (oh noes! Not a 'real OS'! ). This sounds a lot more technologically feasible (and practical) than desktop Windows 7 as previously speculated. I also note that its size has shrunk to more iPad-esque dimensions. It seems that for all the criticism, everybody's next tablet is slowly devolving (or is that evolving) towards the iPad format.

I wonder about battery life --the insides of the iPad are occupied mainly by the battery for a reason, but at least it looks like a real possibility now. I expect it to be pricier than the iPad however, and there is no way it will be out by the end of this year. More like middle 2011.

 

It definitely looks like a fantastic device, and I'm so glad that Microsoft is starting to take a more hands-on approach to dictating hardware. You only have to look at the new Windows 7 Phone to see the 'Apple influence' (/flame suit on): Walled Garden ecosystem, No Multitasking (uses background services like iPhoneOS4), Integrated Zune etc etc.

A lot of these upcoming tablets look great but most (if not all) suffer from the same problems - crappy battery life (what is the point of a carry-around tablet if it cant last the entire day?), mis-matched OS (Windows7, seriously?) and terrible UI/ecosystems.

I hate using buzzwords but 'lean back' computing is going to take off (as opposed to 'lean forward' computing like PC/laptops) but I just hope that other manufacturers listen to what the consumers want and stop trying to shoehorn hardware together.

Also, is anyone else really disappointed that Apple is the first to do something that by all rights should of been done by Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft years ago? I'm talking about Game Center, an XboxLive/Steam like service that acts as a hub with persistent friends lists, match making, achievements etc. Microsoft promised something like this way back at the launch of 360 but is only starting to make it a reality now (with Phone 7/Zune), Sony is completely clueless when it comes to online and can barely get it right on the PS3 (let alone the PSP) and Nintendo is still pissing around with stupid 'friend codes' that are tied to the cartridge. This is the worst kind of laziness in innovation that happens when companies like Apple *don't* come along.

 

It will only cost you about $1000 more than the equal alternative.

 

and

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27076_3-20003603-248.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

and for those getting excited about the concept videos of MS Courier ...

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/38776/Mic...n=Feed:+mcvuk/oXMK+(MCV:+games+industry+news)

 

To quote that which is often cited on the infamous image board /b/ in many unmentionable and frankly, disgusting threads: "Do want".

 

The HP Slate and the MS Courier have both been axed, So from where i'm sitting, it's a toss up between the iPad, the WePad, or the EEEPad.

And frankly, i actually don't miss Flash support on my iPhone, if i want to watch a video of sorts, it generally plays in the iPhones video player, or theres YouTube.

Sam

 

aaaaaaaaaand suddenly the hating stops. irony is wonderful.
i still want a 16:9 ratio screen. grrr apple. grrr.

 

^^^

Yeah, it's kinda like that. I said something similar in this thread --which did not go down too well.

 

Rules 1 and 2!

And Nexxo, I never hated on the iPad at all really. I won't buy one as my course at Uni is going to be jolly expensive anyway, and I'm fine with my Macbook/iPhone combo.

 

The WePad: Now that's what I'm talking about! Android tablet-adapted GUI on a realistically specced and priced device, with media delivery infrastructure, that is already demonstrably functional. It's like the iPad, but more. If only they can push the battery life up a bit...

The EEEPad: still in its prototype stage, many promises but no working model on show. Uses Windows 7 = Fail.

 

HP Slate axing is a rumour at present. But your right, MS have confirmed the "Courier" code-named clamshell device has ceased development. They are "Not interested in such a device at this time".

 

As for Flash, I don't miss it much either.

HTML5 will be a success story in a big way though.

 

I do agree with you on that Nexxo, the WePad does look like a very nice bit of kit. Personally, drop the screen res down to under 10", thus pushing up the Battery life, and theres a winner right there, But, having said that, the iPad is still tempting, even after using an iPhone, the ease of use between OSX and the iPhone is, well, easy.

Sam