Anyone Getting An IPad?

[Caveat Emperor]

Originally Posted by TheNext44

I like the IPad, I just wish it could be more like a Netbook and let me do some real work on it.

Here's where we differ in the conversation -- I don't see myself getting "real" work done on a Netbook based on the models I've demoed.

The keyboard is too small (for my hands) for typing out more than an e-mail or two (I'm certainly not going to write a brief on one), and the screen is too small to stare at for an extended writing and editing session. Plus, because it's based on a laptop's design, it probably needs to be set on a flat surface like a table to be of any extended use.

Really, if I need to get "real" work done, I'm throwing my laptop in a bag and taking it with me somewhere.

Given that, for what I'd use a netbook for, I'd probably just as soon spend the extra $150-$200 and get the iPad and it's better media offerings, undoubtedly more extensive application ecosystem (if the iPhone is any indication, the app store for this thing will explode) and better user experience.

But, as I said in my last post, your mileage may vary. It's all about what works for you. Netbooks don't work for me.

[Kingspoint]

Originally Posted by TheNext44

Anyone Getting An IPad?

Is that anything like a European Purse?

[IslandRed]

Originally Posted by TheNext44

I still don't understand why Apple didn't release their version of a netbook instead of this IPad. That really is the direction consumers are going, smaller and cheaper, not bigger and more expensive.

Apple has been successful and made lots of money, but because they have less practical appeal than other computers, they actually have a very small slice of the market. This would have been their chance to shed their "elitist" image and grab a bigger chunk of the market.

Inadvertently, the answer to your question is in there. Computer hardware is a low-margin business. Netbooks are basically cheap Internet appliances. There's no sizzle. Apple's a company that trades on cool and a stripped-down "we have a netbook too" Macbook isn't going to do anything for that, nor is it going to add much to the bottom line. They'd rather swing for the fences with something new and different.

Or, put another way, they have no interest in shedding their elitist image. It's what allows them to keep high profit margins on their products even while they're selling millions upon millions of iPods and iPhones.

[TheNext44]

So I went to the Apple store.

iSaw the
iPad
iShrugged
iLeft.

[Caveat Emperor]

I checked out the iPad at the Apple store in Kenwood today.

Yeah, it's just a big iPod Touch -- but it's amazing how much better the experience is on a bigger screen with better resolution.

Definitely a better experience in person than it looks to be just from online.

[Red in Chicago]

we're waiting for the 3g version later this month

[BCubb2003]

OK, so I have one. It's lighter than I expected. Much easier to type on than I expected. It doesn't wobble on a desk like I thought it would. You can even stand up, hold it in portrait mode, and type with your thumbs. (And I don't have abnormally long Megan Fox thumbs.)

It's really fast. Moving from app to app is instantaneous. You wouldn't even notice the lack of multitasking if it weren't for wanting to listen to Pandora, online radio or ballgames in the background while you worked. It also has some of the iPhone's copy-paste limitations and there's no traditional file management. The Pages part of iWork is a sweet word processor, though, considering.

Not many newspaper and magazine apps yet. USA Today looks good on it. I expected more whiz-bang magazine stuff.

Any questions?

[MWM]

I'd love a device like this and would have plenty of uses for it, but until Apple figures out multitasking I'm not buying anything else from them. I hope the rumors on the iPhone 4g are true because the lack of multitasking drives me nuts with my iphone.

[Caveat Emperor]

Originally Posted by MWM

I'd love a device like this and would have plenty of uses for it, but until Apple figures out multitasking I'm not buying anything else from them. I hope the rumors on the iPhone 4g are true because the lack of multitasking drives me nuts with my iphone.

Really, the only time the multi-tasking thing bothers me on my iPhone is when I get a text message while I'm doing something and I have to dump out to respond. But, I found a jailbreak that lets you "quick reply" to text messages without exiting your current program

Otherwise, I never find myself cursing that I can't run two programs at once. Maybe that's just me, though.

[pedro]

Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

Really, the only time the multi-tasking thing bothers me on my iPhone is when I get a text message while I'm doing something and I have to dump out to respond. But, I found a jailbreak that lets you "quick reply" to text messages without exiting your current program

Otherwise, I never find myself cursing that I can't run two programs at once. Maybe that's just me, though.

I'd like to be able to listen to baseball and surf the web or play a game at the same time.

[TheNext44]

Originally Posted by pedro

I'd like to be able to listen to baseball and surf the web or play a game at the same time.

With MLB 2010, you can. When you are listening to the game, in the top right corner is a button you can press that lets you listen to the game through Safari. Because Safari is not an application, but part of the phone, you can listen to the game through it and use all other programs, even Safari, at the same time.

[MWM]

Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

Really, the only time the multi-tasking thing bothers me on my iPhone is when I get a text message while I'm doing something and I have to dump out to respond. But, I found a jailbreak that lets you "quick reply" to text messages without exiting your current program

Otherwise, I never find myself cursing that I can't run two programs at once. Maybe that's just me, though.

I use my phone extensively, especially in my job. I find myself cursing the lack of multi-tasking regularly..... to the point that if the 4g does not have it I will switch back to Verizon and get the droid.

[durl]

Originally Posted by MWM

I use my phone extensively, especially in my job. I find myself cursing the lack of multi-tasking regularly..... to the point that if the 4g does not have it I will switch back to Verizon and get the droid.

If you want multi-tasking, I recommend the Palm Pre (Plus version on Verizon). The OS is still fairly new but the interface and multitasking are incredible. I mentioned earlier that Palm's webOS would be perfect for a device like the iPad.

sorry...didn't mean to hijack the thread...

[wolfboy]

Originally Posted by MWM

I use my phone extensively, especially in my job. I find myself cursing the lack of multi-tasking regularly..... to the point that if the 4g does not have it I will switch back to Verizon and get the droid.

I absolutely love the multi-tasking on my droid. I don't know why Apple has been so slow to incorporate this into their products.

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by wolfboy

I absolutely love the multi-tasking on my droid. I don't know why Apple has been so slow to incorporate this into their products.

Apple has always been behind the curve when it comes to multi-tasking.