iPad is here!

[Craig]

A large iPod Touch is exactly what the iPad is. If you don't need a hard drive, processing power, multitasking, full featured software, a CD/DVD/Blu-Ray drive, removable battery, various ports, the extra weight, bulk, complexity, increased cost of a laptop then the iPad is for you. If you only need internet access and mini-applications then it's ideal and much more portable. I would go with an iPad over a Netbook any but there is usually a premium price to pay for Apple than most PC based products.

What I'd like to hear from early adopters/reviewers is how well does it work when used on a lap? The form-factor doesn't allow you to prop up the screen without some sort of...uhm...pad to prop it up to angle the screen or do you have to hold it with one hand while you touch screen with the other?

 

[slowGEEZR]

I'm thinking of using it as a wireless way to remote control I-Tunes via a Mac Mini, just as an I-Pod Touch can do, only bigger. That way, I don't have to have a monitor hooked up to one of the USB ports on the Mini and I will have nice big pictures of the album covers to select for listening. Since I won't have any music loaded on the I-Pad itself, I can just get the 16Gig size.

 

[Double D]

As much as I like toys, I have to respectfully disagree. The iPad has:

* No multitasking.

* No forward facing camera and mike for Skype etc.

* No camera at all IIRC!

* No Java, no Flash (and Apple's current SDK licence actually prohibits developers from distributing them).

* 4:3 aspect ratio is so yesteryear!

* No USB connection.

* No removable memory.

I usually lust after the latest high tech toys, but I'm not the least bit interested an iPad. For me, it's a case of so close, yet so far. Apple will no doubt sell a whole bunch of them!

Couldn't have said it better.. it's just another stupid attempt by Apple and their minions to squander more consumer $$ into a lame first gen product that you KNOW will get a major makeover on the next gen when they'll ad a real processor, 16:9 ratio.. yadda, yadda, yadda... sorry, I'm not buying into it. Oh, and all those folks that pounced on the first gen, will be ULTRA ****ed at Apple when the next gen gets launched 9 months from now as will be evidenced in all the flack that will land in forums like this.. :ROFL:

 

[Mantana]

so much for the bogus, inflated sales estimates of 700,000 units
sold....Apple came out and said they sold over 300,000 (including
pre-orders) up through Saturday. When i stopped by Best Buy
Saturday, around 11:00, there were just a couple of customers
fiddling with it. I called 4 apple stores and none had sold out
by days end.

Despite the hype, i think it's a really sleek product that will
do well over the long haul. I wouldn't mind having one
myself, but will wait for later versions that will have more
computing power....maybe when it can supplant my existing
laptop. I think it's too pricey for email, web surfing, and
watching videos (who wants to watch videos on a small
screen ?). Right now i look at it as an expensive toy, but
this product has tremendous promise.

 

[tonepub]

Couldn't have said it better.. it's just another stupid attempt by Apple and their minions to squander more consumer $$ into a lame first gen product that you KNOW will get a major makeover on the next gen when they'll ad a real processor, 16:9 ratio.. yadda, yadda, yadda... sorry, I'm not buying into it. Oh, and all those folks that pounced on the first gen, will be ULTRA ****ed at Apple when the next gen gets launched 9 months from now as will be evidenced in all the flack that will land in forums like this.. :ROFL:

I've been an Apple early adopter for 26 years. Of course they will do this. Duh. I always pass the hand me downs on to friends and family members. I listened to all of this when Photoshop came out too. So many of my colleagues in the photography world were waiting until "the next revision" until they bought in, etc etc. Most of em are out of business now.

Personally, I think Apple has done a fantastic job with the release and whether they sold 300,000 or 700,000, so what? It's still a spectacular release for a new product.

I'd rather see a few on the shelf at the end of the day than not being able to get the new product after getting excited about it. Apple has learned a lot in terms of streamlining their supply chain over the years.

 

[Double D]

This pretty much covers it... .. ... ... .. ... :ROFL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsjU0K8QPhs

 

[sebrof2000]

Couldn't have said it better.. it's just another stupid attempt by Apple and their minions to squander more consumer $$ into a lame first gen product that you KNOW will get a major makeover on the next gen when they'll ad a real processor, 16:9 ratio.. yadda, yadda, yadda... sorry, I'm not buying into it. Oh, and all those folks that pounced on the first gen, will be ULTRA ****ed at Apple when the next gen gets launched 9 months from now as will be evidenced in all the flack that will land in forums like this.. :ROFL:

I must be missing something with this.
A Kindle doesn't do any of the above either, but every time I get on an airplane every other person has one. The iPad is what it is. If you need a laptop get a laptop. Sure there are other things that it could do, and probably will do on the next release, or the release after that.
To me it's like saying the new Harley sucks because it doesn't hold 4 kids and all their soccer gear.

 

[tonepub]

I must be missing something with this.
A Kindle doesn't do any of the above either, but every time I get on an airplane every other person has one. The iPad is what it is. If you need a laptop get a laptop. Sure there are other things that it could do, and probably will do on the next release, or the release after that.
To me it's like saying the new Harley sucks because it doesn't hold 4 kids and all their soccer gear.

Exactly. And considering an iPad costs 10 dollars more than a Kindle DX, I think it's pretty easy to make that call. I've used my Kindle 2 now for almost a year and other than the long battery life, it's a pretty limited use product.

As much as the nerdtrons want to squeal otherwise, precious few people use their laptops for actual computing. They upload pics and commentary to facebook, buy and sell stuff on Ebay (and other places) answer email and surf the web.

The iPad does a better job at this set of tasks than anything I've used so far. I don't want it to be a laptop, though I do so little computing on mine, I'm selling it, but that's me. I tried the netbook, but it was too pokey for the things I wanted to use it for.

And as far as getting on a plane, my powerbook doesn't cut it, because I usually fly coach. The minute the big guy in front of me decides to recline all the way, I can't even open my 15" power book, so the iPad is going to be fantastic. Now if they would all just have wifi on the plane!

Those who use the iPod in the realm that excels in will love it. Those that are trying to use it as a laptop will probably be disappointed.

 

[Double D]

I must be missing something with this.
A Kindle doesn't do any of the above either, but every time I get on an airplane every other person has one. The iPad is what it is. If you need a laptop get a laptop. Sure there are other things that it could do, and probably will do on the next release, or the release after that.
To me it's like saying the new Harley sucks because it doesn't hold 4 kids and all their soccer gear.

Right.. .and the point is that the Kindle is a $200 e-reader.. it doesn't profess to be the second coming.. it is.. what it is.
The iPad on the other hand, WANTS to be much more.. and as some have observed, it will most likely achieve it on Revision 4. BUT, it could have been that right out of the gate. Technology being what it is NOW, it could easily have shipped with all the bells and smells making it a TRUE market leader and thus putting things like the Kindle, the Sony e-Reader, and yes, even NetBooks and laptops toward an early grave.
Though, there will always be those (like myself) who have no love of Apple products (even though I own and use an iPod ...hey, I have to maintain sanity on the subway somehow !) and will seek out alternatives.

 

[Rvega003]

I could live with the lack of usb ports to connect external devises. I could swallow the lack of multitasking (despite the fact that that many driod capable smartphones can run multiple apps at a time). What kills me is that a device marketed as the ultimate way to surf the web cant run flash; the format that 90% of the web uses for videos and games, that's inexcusable. I'll continue to use my laptop at home and my iphone on the road. I'm not spending $800 to see empty squares every time I browse the web.

 

[tonepub]

Right.. .and the point is that the Kindle is a $200 e-reader.. it doesn't profess to be the second coming.. it is.. what it is.
The iPad on the other hand, WANTS to be much more.. and as some have observed, it will most likely achieve it on Revision 4. BUT, it could have been that right out of the gate. Technology being what it is NOW, it could easily have shipped with all the bells and smells making it a TRUE market leader and thus putting things like the Kindle, the Sony e-Reader, and yes, even NetBooks and laptops toward an early grave.
Though, there will always be those (like myself) who have no love of Apple products (even though I own and use an iPod ...hey, I have to maintain sanity on the subway somehow !) and will seek out alternatives.

Except a Kindle DX is 489....

What you completely fail to grasp is the media. You can seek out an alternative and that's fine, but most of them will fail, not because of the hardware, but the software available. Unless another hardware mfr can put together something BETTER than the iTunes store, it's never going to be a challenger.

And now that there are only about four or five large media outlets, the chances of that happening are slim to none. If you're Universal Studios, you aren't going to ditch your deal with Apple to take a chance on someone else.

If you hate Apple you hate Apple. But there have been plenty of Apple haters for years and they've done just fine.

I'm guessing with all the Apple hating, you haven't used one either?

Apple always tries to position their products as the second coming. That's their way. That doesn't mean it's true. However a few friends of mine that work with Steve Jobs at Apple and a few others I know that do business with him say he's not only a pretty smart guy, but pretty persuasive as well.

If you don't like the iPad, don't buy one. One of the biggest parts of running a successful company is to know your customer and Apple probably does that better than anyone in the world, except maybe Harley Davidson.

 

[mosttoysrk]

so much for the bogus, inflated sales estimates of 700,000 units
sold....Apple came out and said they sold over 300,000 (including
pre-orders) up through Saturday. When i stopped by Best Buy
Saturday, around 11:00, there were just a couple of customers
fiddling with it. I called 4 apple stores and none had sold out
by days end.

Despite the hype, i think it's a really sleek product that will
do well over the long haul. I wouldn't mind having one
myself, but will wait for later versions that will have more
computing power....maybe when it can supplant my existing
laptop. I think it's too pricey for email, web surfing, and
watching videos (who wants to watch videos on a small
screen ?). Right now i look at it as an expensive toy, but
this product has tremendous promise.

Mantana,
Good points, would I like to have one and would it come in handy, sure, Apple has one of the if not the best user interface engineers for it's products.
It just is too spendy by the time you get a 64GB model and I agree with Jeff in his review concerning the sd and usb slots that should have been built into the unit vs 30 bucks for each accessory plug that you either lose or break off if you are in a hurry.
What is humorous is all of the sellers on Craigslist who purchased 2 and 3 ipads looking to make quick bucks off of the hype. I hope they all get stuck with the extra units and have to eat a few bucks to sell them.

 

[Double D]

Except a Kindle DX is 489....

What you completely fail to grasp is the media. You can seek out an alternative and that's fine, but most of them will fail, not because of the hardware, but the software available. Unless another hardware mfr can put together something BETTER than the iTunes store, it's never going to be a challenger.

And now that there are only about four or five large media outlets, the chances of that happening are slim to none. If you're Universal Studios, you aren't going to ditch your deal with Apple to take a chance on someone else.

If you hate Apple you hate Apple. But there have been plenty of Apple haters for years and they've done just fine.

I'm guessing with all the Apple hating, you haven't used one either?

Apple always tries to position their products as the second coming. That's their way. That doesn't mean it's true. However a few friends of mine that work with Steve Jobs at Apple and a few others I know that do business with him say he's not only a pretty smart guy, but pretty persuasive as well.

If you don't like the iPad, don't buy one. One of the biggest parts of running a successful company is to know your customer and Apple probably does that better than anyone in the world, except maybe Harley Davidson.

Wow... you truly are a major Apple "fanboy" .. or perhaps a secret Apple shill ?
I never initimated that the iPad wouldn't succeed now did I ? I only stated that they could have done BETTER with this product release in adding in available technologies, and supporting what is arguably the defacto standard for web video support. D'uhh.. I think your buddy Steve missed the boat on that one.
IF the iPad had hit the stores with a tighter laundry list of available support (Java/Flash, USB, dual core, etc) then I for one would have probably been in the lines to snag one. I like my toys just as much as the next fool.
You also ascribed that I have a major "problem" with the understanding the iTunes delivery portal as a market leader... I have NO such problems. I am fully cognizant of just what they have accomplished, and that it has become the "go to" standard for media delivery, and simplicity of form and function. Competition in this realm is perhaps sorely needed, but will probably not happen.

As for being an "Apple hater"... again.. your supposition is WAY off base Jeff.
The simple fact is that I *choose* to build out my own custom pc's with parts of my own choosing, that's something that can't be crystalized within the Apple framework. The idea of swapping out a video card or overclocking your cpu doesn't compute to "MacHeads", no biggie.. there's room enough for both, and realistically the differences between the 2 worlds means that each is moving forward.
Were I in your field of work.. with extensive digital imaging, and media preparation my daily dirge, I would be owning the biggest baddest mac out there.. it's that simple.

 

[Mantana]

Mantana,
Good points, would I like to have one and would it come in handy, sure, Apple has one of the if not the best user interface engineers for it's products.
It just is too spendy by the time you get a 64GB model and I agree with Jeff in his review concerning the sd and usb slots that should have been built into the unit vs 30 bucks for each accessory plug that you either lose or break off if you are in a hurry.
What is humorous is all of the sellers on Craigslist who purchased 2 and 3 ipads looking to make quick bucks off of the hype. I hope they all get stuck with the extra units and have to eat a few bucks to sell them.

I bought my first Apple, an imac, a couple of years ago. I
like it way better than any windows machine i've owned, so
i'm no Apple hater. I do think they are overpriced because
of all the fools that stand in line to snap up whatever
Apple peddles. That's why they can command a premium
price.

Love their products...just wish their prices were more
competitive.

The people that stood in line are probably the same
that camped out overnight for Windows 95 and waited
hours to get a Krispy Kreme donut. It just a
friggin' computer!

Again, i bet i'll buy one in a couple of years...

 

[tonepub]

What is humorous is all of the sellers on Craigslist who purchased 2 and 3 ipads looking to make quick bucks off of the hype. I hope they all get stuck with the extra units and have to eat a few bucks to sell them.

I totally agree with that. Because Apple got plenty of product in the channel on this launch, there's really no reason to buy one this way.

 

[Pcar928fan]

Come to think of it the only two dog products they've made in their history were the Lisa and the Newton.

I beg to differ on the Newton front...it was to expensive, but it had THE BEST handwritting recog of any product ever and was still better than anything for the 5+ years after it was discontinued. My 2100 STILL works GREAT and is awesome PDA, even though support ended nearly 15 years ago! Really the iPhone was the next step in the Newton line and just happened to include a phone!

I LOVE Apple stuff and will eventually have an iPad (probably second gen next year) and look forward to replacing my 1st gen iPhone later this year with the 3rd gen (I hope anyway).

The iPad won't be as successful as the iPhone, but it will still be a GREAT success and will make a zillion dollars for Apple...their REAL money now (and in to the future) comes from their music/app/book store!

 

[Beakman]

I'm no fan of hype and I'm not an Apple-ista by default of having too many PC's but I think this may be the answer for a traveller such as myself. The big test will be if I can sync apps through my PC (roaming charges for data overseas is prohibitive) and if it will render the Palm Ereader for iPhone on the screen without resolution fuzzies.
I use that ereader program, the best out of the 4 or 5 I've tried, on my phone and netbook, but I need something more ergonomic. Plus the other stuff it offers.
It took me years to break down and buy an iPod and I wasn't dissapointed. hopefully the same here.

 

[tonepub]

I beg to differ on the Newton front...it was to expensive, but it had THE BEST handwritting recog of any product ever and was still better than anything for the 5+ years after it was discontinued. My 2100 STILL works GREAT and is awesome PDA, even though support ended nearly 15 years ago! Really the iPhone was the next step in the Newton line and just happened to include a phone!

I LOVE Apple stuff and will eventually have an iPad (probably second gen next year) and look forward to replacing my 1st gen iPhone later this year with the 3rd gen (I hope anyway).

The iPad won't be as successful as the iPhone, but it will still be a GREAT success and will make a zillion dollars for Apple...their REAL money now (and in to the future) comes from their music/app/book store!

I still have my Newton. Was at the original product launch. The only reason I'd call it a dog was because it really didn't sell well. Honestly, I thought it was a great product. I remember sitting there about 15 years ago (?) thinking, hmmm, if this was bigger and in color it would be really cool!

 

[Cherian]

Just to lighten things up a bit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc3JzS0K3ys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L2fsubA2-c&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poREl_EVWXI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL2l_Q1AR_Q&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZGIn9bpALo&feature=related

 

[journeychen]

I also disagree with that, I have a iPad right now, I don't think that it is a true laptop killer