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Blogs The iPad: I finally understand it

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Sifter3000, 20 Jul 2010.

  1. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead It's big, and it's clever.

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    So as the article says.. it's for tech-tards. That's great.. it will stop them all buying PCs and then asking me to fix them when they grind to a halt through miss-use.
     
  2. Grimloon

    Grimloon What's a Dremel?

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    Nope, still don't. It's like an iPod touch with a bigger screen - I have a 20" TV with iPod dock that takes care of that. Is it actually possible to do anything with an iPad that you can't do with an iPod Touch? So far I haven't seen it and that's despite two individuals in my department touting them as the best thing since sliced bread and constantly "demonstrating" for people (one is the Head of IT who, while tech very savvy, prefers Macs for home use, is an iPhone owner and rabid Apple fan while the other is a network engineer who thinks that the Xbox 360 is the epitome of gaming - I rest my case).

    I can sort of see it as a consumption device but it looks very restricted to me. A Netbook can do more, costs less and is equally portable. I also loathe, detest and despise touch screens as opposed to a proper keyboard or keypad. Before anyone comments about "try it" I'll state that I have. Pen tablets (still got one), tablet PCs and touchscreen phones - hate the lot.

    Then again, if it had been available 10 years ago I might have bought my parents one each but they're both so used to laptops now that it would actually be a step backwards for them. My father is a (finally) retired aero engineer who's still much happier with a pen and the back of an envelope than a PC and 10 years ago he'd probably have leapt at the chance of something that was that simple but could still do what he wanted. Now? I asked and the response was "Where's the keyboard? What use is that?"

    Apple (and the Cult of Jobs) are trying to reinvent the wheel, admittedly with a certain degree of success. However, I can see it meeting with as much longterm success as the adoption of DVORAK over QWERTY. Personally I see iPhad being the most appropriate moniker for it. Sooner or later it will run out of steam and fall by the wayside. At the moment it's new, shiney and people are finding reasons for it to be a useful device. This appears to be pure PJR to me. My money is still on sooner rather than later.

    @Pookeyhead: Do you honestly believe for one millionth of a second that they will always work perfectly or that it'll stop anyone from asking you about them? I wish I was on your planet, it seems to be much nicer than mine! You'll still get the support calls from family and friends but as it's a locked down platform you can do stuff all about it.
     
    Last edited: 20 Jul 2010
  3. knuck

    knuck Hate your face

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    well said sir

    At the moment I have ... (*stops to think)... 7 people (friends and family) waiting for me to fix their computers. It's been like that for over 10 years. I can't take it anymore :hehe:
     
  4. supermonkey

    supermonkey Deal with it

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    So, you routinely carry around the 20" TV wherever you go? Out of curiosity, how easy is it to get your TV through security at the airport?
     
  5. Altron

    Altron Minimodder

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    You put a ~9" tablet in your pocket? Everywhere you go?

    Kids these days... their cargo pants are just so baggy.
     
  6. leslie

    leslie Just me!

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    You may want to make sure he can handle the screen.
    My grandmothers has trouble viewing lcd's, particularly smaller ones. Even if he can see it, it may not be comfortable for longer use.
     
    wyx087 likes this.
  7. supermonkey

    supermonkey Deal with it

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    Perhaps my response was a bit flippant, but it shouldn't be too hard to understand why the bigger screen is a nice feature. Grimloon suggested that his 20" TV was a suitable alternative. It might be, if all he wants to do is set his iPod in the dock, sit back, and watch a movie.

    Personally, I would rather sit on the couch and use the iPad to watch videos, do casual web browsing, and play fun games while watching TV. Even more, I can certainly understand why it would make an excellent media device to take with me on trips. It's light, very portable, and has long battery life - unlike a 20" TV.
     
  8. azrael-

    azrael- I'm special...

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    Sorry in advance to offend anyone, but upon reading this blog post a slogan formed in my head, and it's probably not a slogan anyone would be proud of.

    "Apple - we've dumbed down personal computing for the masses."

    It's quite possible that vastly simplified computing is the way of the future (I'm afraid it is), but this is one trend I simply cannot applaud. Especially if it's done "the Apple way", which walls you in on every side.
     
  9. Sloth

    Sloth #yolo #swag

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    iPad + Airplane = Huge Success.

    Then again, having everyone within two rows of you constantly watching you use the cool shiney device and those immediately next to you asking to try it out... maybe I'd think twice :lol:
     
  10. eddtox

    eddtox Homo Interneticus

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    40+/-10%

    I hypothesise that any Apple related thread will degenerate into pointless blathering after this many posts.

    Good day.
     
  11. knuck

    knuck Hate your face

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    We have had much worse, especially in the first iPad thread ;)
     
  12. Altron

    Altron Minimodder

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    The bigger screen is a nice feature when you aren't going anywhere with it.

    That's my issue with the device, and why I am not planning on getting one.

    The size of it is too big to fit in your pockets, or on a belt clip, or to carry around (unless you rigged up some James Bond-esque back holster).

    It's by nature a compromise between features and portability, but making that compromise severely limits its utility. As far as I can tell, there are no situations where you would be able to bring an iPad, but a netbook would be too big/heavy. Either one is going to need a messenger bag or backpack or something along those lines.

    It's the Porsche Cayenne of portable computing devices - tries to be two things at the same time (sports car and truck, smartphone and netbook) and doesn't do enough of a job at either of them to be useful in its own right, so only rich people who want the prestige go out and buy it.
     
  13. Nexxo

    Nexxo * Prefab Sprout – The King of Rock 'n' Roll

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    Yeah, let's go back to the days of DOS (you pussies)! Now that was computing for the purists. And we didn't have any ***** anti-virus either --you should know what you are installing on your computer. And none of that "Plug and Play" business --install those drivers and write a config.sys and autoexec.bat file like a man!

    Wot? You don't know DOS? Can't write a config.sys without consulting a manual? Kids these days... Windows just has dumbed them down.

    Tell me another one. Not only is yours a patronising attitude, it is also hypocritical. What you call walls, another may call security. And unless you know at least DOS, you have no reason to talk.
     
  14. azrael-

    azrael- I'm special...

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    Well, my "computing history" started with a ZX81 (sorry to have skipped the PDP11). I'd say that gives me enough "reason to talk".

    Apple doesn't wall you in? I just love how I need to use iTunes (valid credit card required!) to be able to access my iPod Touch, unless it's jailbroken. That's typical Apple for you. Control freaks to the max. Nothing about security here because they certainly don't stop scamware/malware from getting into AppStore. But then again, Apple makes a dime off that too. I'm certain Apple fans can find excuses for that, too.
     
  15. CJs06

    CJs06 What's a Dremel?

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    Apple set the standard originally for the smartphone segment with the iPhone and they still are today now with their 4th generation iPhone. I applaud them for this even though I'm a PC user to the core.

    My gripe when I checked out the iPad was that Apple had the chance to set the standard again for the newly perceived tablet segment. Till that point no-one to my knowledge had produced an effective product to fill the tablet segment.

    The iPad's standard, IMO, was set too low. I and many others were hoping for an iPad with a fully fledged OSX (a full OS). Instead we got a glorified iPhone with no phone, or a glorified iPod touch with 3G (choose your poison).

    Now the tablet segment has the iPad that successfully filled it. IMO, Apple and their ability to pitch a product to the consumers made the iPad successful. For most people, there was no perceived standard for the tablet segment and the iPad was their first glimpse.

    The good thing is the iPad excels at intuitive interface and ease of use. This was a standard set high but ultimately the device falls short because its use is limited by a smartphone OS.
     
  16. jrs77

    jrs77 Modder

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    Allthough it was said several times I've to repeat it.

    The iPad is a great device for people who use their PC/Notebook only for browsing the web, listening to music or watching videos on youtube, as there's no need to have a fully fledged system for that.

    I'm a freelance graphics-designer and i use a Windows-machine as main-rig and a MacBook Pro when visiting clients, so I have basically all hardware available to not need an iPad, but...

    When relaxing on the couch or in the garden the MacBook is allready way too much of hardware to just browse the web or write an eMail and it isn't actually comfortable to use it when lying down. To use the MacBook I've to sit quiet upright and typing on a keybord is aswell quiet uncomfortable while lying on the couch etc.

    So yes I'm going to buy the iPad just because it's so comfortable to use for all that browsing etc. I'm waiting till christmas though and see if other manufactures start to release similar devices until then. Maybe something better even...
     
  17. supermonkey

    supermonkey Deal with it

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    I don't believe you have to have a valid credit card just to install iTunes and access your iPod Touch. If all you're doing is loading it with your established media collection, you don't have to enter any credit card information. At least, I never had to do that when I used iTunes to manage my iPod Shuffle.

    After I got my iPhone, I set up an iTunes account because I knew that I would eventually install apps from the store. Only then did I have to enter a credit card number. Of course, it's a store; I had to do the same when I first bought things from Amazon.
     
  18. CJs06

    CJs06 What's a Dremel?

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    Nice, I'm glad to see graphic designing allows for some expendable income... I'm in the wrong business :p

    On a serious note, this would be the only way I could justify having one... but I don't have a couch, let alone a home :(
     
  19. danielleil

    danielleil Can't stop spending...

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    I agree that apple have held back on the iPad. So many features that should be there but are not. I'll buy one when you can video skype from it.
     
  20. jrs77

    jrs77 Modder

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    http://www.brushesapp.com/

    This App is really another good reason for buying an iPad, as it allows me to do some really fast sketches, and it's even more intuitive then my Wacom Intuos4.

    But yeah, skype video-calling would definately be something I'd like to see added aswell.
     
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