iPad

[Juice_Slowjamz 0]

AT&T is really the only major network that it can be used on. The iPad's 3G modem supports UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz) and GSM/EDGE (850, 900,1800, 1900 MHz).

So T-mobile(1700 Mhz) is out. Not sure about Fido or Rogers.

Ah touche, totally didn't think of that.

Isnt Apple really trying to push HTML5? Im sure thats a huge reason for lack of Flash on this thing/iPhone. Not that Apple and Flash ever really played well together in the first place.

Blame Adobe, thats not really on Apple at all.

BS - Apple has not played nice with Adobe since the giddy-up.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/28/adobe-o...to-impose-rest/

Whoops, I deleted your post by mistake. I thought I double-posted, blame it on the jetlag.

It makes perfect business sense, if they fully support Flash, they would drastically lose revenue from their App Store as no one would be willing to pay for games they can get for free via the web. The same thing goes for Xbox and its lack of a browser.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Exactly right.

[lotus 2]

This is definitely one of those things that people buy and they have no clue why they did it.

Down the road, there may be some cool things...but right now, you would be going on blind faith that this product will actually be something decent - because right now it sucks.

[Law Goalie 147]

I think it will work just fine for a great many people. For those who send a few emails, read the Times (London or otherwise), and check Facebook, this is an extremely light and convenient means. Is it going to work for people who need to bounce orchestral tracks in Logic or do major rendering work? Hell no. Can it handle long copy? Not a chance.

What I'm really looking for is a tablet with an e-ink screen (colour or not), a tiny camera (or at least a rudimentary barcode/ISBN reader), and the development flexibility of the iPad -- and I'm comically bitter that the world at large doesn't seem to want to produce this for me.

Loading a few thousand journal PDFs onto a Kindle is a recipe for disaster, and Plastic Logic is basically a Kindle that handles that a little better and adds MS Office support while subtracting everything else; reading a few thousand words on the iPad is going to be headache central. I had hoped that the iPad with Mekentosj Papers (best program ever) would be close to that solution, and I'd just deal with the eyestrain, but it wasn't to be.

Former Apple employee here... The iPad is a piece of crap (imho)... Not only does the name suck, but it doesn't do anything special, not a single thing. The only thing saving it is aesthetics (the hardware and UI is downright phenomenal) and the very low price. I can't believe people are considering reading a book on that screen either. The reason the kindle works so well is because of its e-ink screen. The iPad is just gonna hurt your eyes. VERY disappointing product. Ill stick with my iphone/kindle/netbook setup. Much more powerful and versatile. Oh, i would wager this thing is not gonna be very durable, between the 10' sheet of glass and the first gen processor/chipset i would be worried about how long this product will last you.

The iPod nano has a camera and the iPad doesn't? Are you kidding me? I still firmly believe that every product apple has released since the most recent iPod shuffle has not been very good...

Anyone actually like the iPad?

Quoted for valuable insight.

My problem is that I really need two devices: a moderately powerful, readily portable laptop paired with a huge secondary landscape/portrait display (come on LG, get that 19" e-ink screen into production...) on the desktop, and the tablet I described above. Throw in a little pre-game iPod and a simple, durable cell-phone (god how I miss my Motorola p280), and I'm all set.

[frankie56 0]

Remember the ipod release. Same comments about the ipod compared to other music players. It was iTunes that made the ipod special.

Now Apple can use iTunes to provide music, video, photos, TV, books, etc. Apple will distribute everything digital and make lots of money doing it. If you want to watch/read/listen to the good stuff, and want a personal media center (like the iPod was a personal music center), you will like the iPad. Prices for the device will come down, just like the iPod.

Do you think Amazon will care about the Kindle if it can sell 10,000,000 books online through iTunes?

[adam14 182]

made me laugh.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/dinoi/a-comparativ...two-tablets-dj0

[Hidious 0]

Remember this Hitler meme where people captioned his speech from "Der Untergang"?

Well, his reaction to the iPad is hilarious:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQnT0zp8Ya4

[Elwood 0]

[LkptTiger 1]

God, I hate Mad TV.

[Trooper 8]

Perfect example of a disruptive technology- something that comes along that underperforms current offerings and grows in capabilities until it eclipses them. No innovative company is going to sit on a product until they get it perfect, the investment wouldn't make sense. People weren't clamoring for phone with a small screen that could run a million completely unrelated apps when the iPhone came out. It came out, had a lot of quirks, and adapted to the market while consumers simultaneously adapted and changed their expectations of handheld devices. I think the same type of thing will happen here.

[furlanitalia 1]

Look at it this way: If you're looking to buy an e-reader, what would you rather have, a kindle or an iPad? If you look at it as just an e-reader with some extras, it's a pretty enticing device. Now you look at it as how they pitched and it's a little underwhelming. Either way I have to agree with Trooper, in due time it will most likely exceed all other devices, similar to the iPhone. Come on, for $500 how many people do you know who will pick one up just to have one (in their house or around the office.) Once the model improves and apps start being developed it will only become more and more attractive.

At least that's my opinion.

[Law Goalie 147]

Is this intended to be the gateway drug of the tablet form-factor? Absolutely. It's hip, it's sexy, it's relatively inexpensive, and gives a great buzz with little remorse -- and it looks exactly like the message in the envelope from The Incredibles.

If I were going to buy a tablet right now, I wouldn't. The killer app isn't there for me yet, and I doubt it will be for some time, if ever. Mekentosj may get on it, but they're much more geared to the PubMed crowd who are entirely article based.

That is, however, the opinion of one very specialised and curmudgeonly who was just gypped out of a pair of RBK pads, so take it with a grain of salt.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Hell, just get this.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/05/lenovo-...nd-impressions/

Best of both worlds...

[Law Goalie 147]

The iPad does have a keyboard dock like that, but Apple's definitely pitching is as 'a tablet with a keyboard dock accessory' rather than Lenovo's 'laptop with a screen that pops off as a tablet' approach.

[JR Boucicaut 3802]

Yeah, but the difference is that when the Lenovo is docked, it is a Windows7 laptop. When in tablet mode, it's running Linux.

[furlanitalia 1]

Hmm, so an equivalent apple product would be a macbook pro when docked, iPad when in tablet form? That wouldn't be so bad...

[goaliemanshark 6]

Look at it this way: If you're looking to buy an e-reader, what would you rather have, a kindle or an iPad? If you look at it as just an e-reader with some extras, it's a pretty enticing device. Now you look at it as how they pitched and it's a little underwhelming. Either way I have to agree with Trooper, in due time it will most likely exceed all other devices, similar to the iPhone. Come on, for $500 how many people do you know who will pick one up just to have one (in their house or around the office.) Once the model improves and apps start being developed it will only become more and more attractive.

At least that's my opinion.

Id rather have a kindle. Try reading a ebook on a computer monitor, its not fun.

[Gummer12 134]

So has anyone bought one yet?

[flyers10 57]

I think Mack got one. Hopefully he'll put up a review. I heard for primarily e-book use a Kindle/Sony is better cause the black & white text doesn't wash out badly outside in sunlight like the iPad's color screen.

[goaliemanshark 6]

I think Mack got one. Hopefully he'll put up a review. I heard for primarily e-book use a Kindle/Sony is better cause the black & white text doesn't wash out badly outside in sunlight like the iPad's color screen.

uh... a e-ink screen actually gets brighter and easier to use in direct sunlight. The iPad screen like a laptop or iPhone screen will become basically unusable in the sun. Another reason why the iPad is useless as an ebook reader.

Oh, also i cant imagine why anyone would get an iPad without 3G, the iPad 3G only has a few things going for it, the price of the 3G is one of them.

Man, i just realized how heated i get when talking about the iPad, sorry for the anger!

[mug25 2]

Looks like an oversized iPod Touch/iPhone. I was disappointed to see 16/32/64G versions. I thought they'd have much bigger capactiy than that. And, it's not like it replaces a laptop...unless there are some decent Word Processing/Business Apps to go with it.

The name sucks too, IMO...i(anything) woudl have been better.

You took the words right out of my mouth.

[sitzlejd 0]

The 2011 Hyundai Equus is going to have an iPad in place of an owner's manual. Pretty cool little extra if you ask me; IMO Hyundai is a company to watch.

[mack 44]

I think Mack got one. Hopefully he'll put up a review. I heard for primarily e-book use a Kindle/Sony is better cause the black & white text doesn't wash out badly outside in sunlight like the iPad's color screen.

Mine is coming at the end of the month because it's the 3G/wifi model.

[Cobra2717 0]

I think Mack got one. Hopefully he'll put up a review. I heard for primarily e-book use a Kindle/Sony is better cause the black & white text doesn't wash out badly outside in sunlight like the iPad's color screen.

All the reviews I've read have actually said that the enjoy reading on the iPad more-so than any other e-book. Here is a nice quote from Engadget's Editor, Josh Topolsky...

To say Apple is about to put a major dent in Kindleworld is an understatement. The iBooks app is one of the most beautiful and thoughtful uses of the iPad screen real estate on the device… Simply put, it’s a great e-reader with enough options to please even the most strident critic. The layout is quite simple; along the top of the page in portrait mode you have a button to flip to your library (a very slick hidden room kind of effect), a chapter button, brightness control, font size and face options, and a search drop down. Within the book you can long press to bring up copy / paste, dictionary (a beautiful implementation which pops up right over your content), bookmark (another perfect implementation), or search options. Besides the incredibly sexy page turning animations — useless but gorgeous nonetheless — the entire package is just so airtight. It’s the first e-book reading experience we’ve seen that seems to truly understand the visceral, sensual enjoyment of holding an actual volume in your hand.

Ill be waiting for the next gen on this one...but all the apps reviews i have seen have been very impressive. Some cool stuff out there.

[goaliemanshark 6]

Yeah, the iPad is by far the prettiest ereader on the market, but its just not functional for reading books for an extended period of time. You can't read it in the sun, its too heavy to be comfortable (another reviewer said that) and it will hurt your eyes after a while.