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[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

This is my usability problem, If I buy this device I still have to carry my laptop, my phone and my ipod. It actually increases the amount of electronics I carry.

I see it as a home device. That's why Jobs had the comfy chair on stage.

We can never have too many devices. The argument for trying to have as little as possible is insane to me. If I could afford and had time to maintain a network of 10 home computers, all for different purposes and use cases, I would do it in a heartbeat.

I'm humored by how this is the most perfect PDF-reading and comic/manga device in existence, and that was what was guessed at and talked up so much leading up to the announcement, but now that it's here we're all just forgetting that and thinking "you know what, my laptop does that anyway."

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

The sheer fact you didn't list me makes baby mrkgoo cry :_(

Sorry man! Adding you to the growing list, and we're quickly running out of fingers on BOTH hands. :lol

I also agree with your assessment that Apple isn't going to let this fail. I personally believe that iPhone OS 4 will have some highly specific tablet features, including multitasking, that will make the device better. Rumors indicate that 4.0 will arrive by summer, as is typical with Apple's release schedule, and I think a new iPhone will be dropped at the same time. I think they pushed out the tablet earlier so as to not step on the toes of the new iPhone, and that's why this is only running mobile OS 3.2.

 

[mrklaw]

My work laptop is fairly locked down. When I travel I'd love to bring my MBP as well but it's not practical. This would be a perfect travelling companion for those that travel
a lot and stop over in hotels.

I'll spend £499 on this, so I'm guessing that'd be enough for the 32GB wifi

 

[Tobor]

I did a Twitter search for "ipad" yesterday and was surprised. It was roughly 50/50. I figured it would be 90/10 hate based on the attitude around here, but there were just as many people saying they wanted one as making lame jokes.(not a scientific survey, obviously)

Most interesting was that I saw more than one tweet from people who are thinking about selling their iPod touch to get an iPad. I'm assuming these are people who use the touchs as web browsers and game players rather than MP3 players?

 

[Keylime]

We can never have too many devices. The argument for trying to have as little as possible is insane to me. If I could afford and had time to maintain a network of 10 home computers, all for different purposes and use cases, I would do it in a heartbeat.

I'm not so sure that's true for people in general, especially with mobile devices.

With mobile devices, I want something that can do as much as reasonably possible. That's why the iPhone is such an awesome device. I no longer carry a phone and an mp3 player. I no longer keep a GPS in my car. I don't need an alarm clock.

Replacing very specific devices with someone of relatively close quality in a single device is extremely attractive to me.

 

[otake]

I see it as a home device. That's why Jobs had the comfy chair on stage.

We can never have too many devices. The argument for trying to have as little as possible is insane to me. If I could afford and had time to maintain a network of 10 home computers, all for different purposes and use cases, I would do it in a heartbeat.

I'm humored by how this is the most perfect PDF-reading and comic/manga device in existence, and that was what was guessed at and talked up so much leading up to the announcement, but now that it's here we're all just forgetting that and thinking "you know what, my laptop does that anyway."

Yes we can have too many devices, especially if you travel a lot. We as consumers have been trying to carry less for a few years now, ever since the blackberry. The iphone did that, its and ipod, a phone and a smartphone.

The price of the device is too high for the anime/comics use case you describe and you still have more computers not less.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

I'm not so sure that's true for people in general, especially with mobile devices.

With mobile devices, I want something that can do as much as reasonably possible. That's why the iPhone is such an awesome device. I no longer carry a phone and an mp3 player. I no longer keep a GPS in my car. I don't need an alarm clock.

Replacing very specific devices with someone of relatively close quality in a single device is extremely attractive to me.

That's why I mentioned if I had the time and money. Of course with reality bearing down on me, I use my iPhone for the same reasons.

I'm not a guy that's going to have an iPad unless multi-tasking comes out, but if I had the disposable income, I would have one right by the bed all the time. It's perfect for that. I don't really care for all the arguing over "oh but that's not a big market" and whatever other armchair analyst reasons that are coming usually from the same crowd that makes their own custom PCs to play demanding computer games.

Yes we can have too many devices, especially if you travel a lot. We as consumers have been trying to carry less for a few years now, ever since the blackberry. The iphone did that, its and ipod, a phone and a smartphone.

Well it's really nice that the introduction of the iPad didn't kill the iPhone and laptop out of existence then, isn't it? What are you even saying? The iPad isn't something you are expected to involuntarily purchase and incorporate into your life.

 

[Keylime]

That's why I mentioned if I had the time and money. Of course with reality bearing down on me, I use my iPhone for the same reasons.

I guess I'm saying that I wouldn't diminish the convenience factor of an all-in-one type device, cost aside.

 

[mrkgoo]

Do tell. Grandma's only getting the $500 model. I doubt she's springing for an extra $130 + $30/mo subscription for a 3G version. I'm certainly not buying it for her. So how does she get on the web with the $500 SKU without a wifi network setup?

iPad has USB ports now? Hot diggity!
And so now apparently she's not using her $500 iPad until she gets over to her grandkids place, got it.

Why are we buying Grandma this $500 device again when she's apparently ignoring a large portion of its core features?

Grandma's hands are a bit arthritic and she's more than a little hesitant to carry such an expensive device around with her in public. When Grandma gets coupons/rebates in her email, she'd like to print them out, not have to carry the iPad to the store and hold that up. Also, she doesn't want to read driving directions from an iPad. She's also messy in the kitchen and the iPad is such a beautiful, elegant thing, she'd rather just print a recipe than run the risk of spilling something on the iPad. Besides, if she likes the recipe, she'll want to add it to the hardcopy recipe book/box of favorites that she's been keeping for decades. She's not just going to transfer all that over to the iPad.

I think the argument is that Grandma doesn't have an internet connection BECAUSE computers are too unwieldy to use for her. But she still wants to be able to 'surf the interwebs', and call her grandkids on skip (all the cool people do nowadays). If the iPad has enough simplicity to do so to the point where she can use it, she may actually get that connection. Maybe she already has one because her kids set it up, but she still hasn't figured out the computer.

The main problem is that the iPad requires a computer to sync to get full functionality. Media, photos, etc. That's why the Grandma (and computer illiterate analogy) scenario mostly fails. They're computer illiterate, yet they need a computer to operate the iPad fully. The only argument against that is that they may not need full functionality of the iPad. They may just be saving photos of their grandkids from the web, as opposed to syncing it themselves. They may just buy stuff off iTunes and the bookstore. For sure, I would never get an iPad to use on its own, but in the kind of irrelevant Grandma scenario, THEY might. That's why things like the dongles exist - a solution if you need them.

And yeah, about those dongles - I had one for the iPod (it was a gif - I had an iPod, and a camera and I liked to take photos, so my GF got me one - sweetie ), but it was a piece of pooh. Why? NOt the concept, but because I used my iPod as a sync device - I didn't need to show off photos immediately from my camera on a tiny iPod. It was conceptually a good idea for on the go backup, but as that device, it was also crap, because it took nearly an entire charge from the iPod to backup, and it took too long (USB 1?). It wasn't what I needed. But the device has changed. The iPad is a gorgeous 10" screen. I WANT to see my photos on it. I'm not sure if I'm going to use it as a back up device due to storage limitations, but as an on the go quick look, and for small backups it might work as it probably won't suck the charge off the device (the reason of the huge drain on an iPod was because it was adding thumbnails and scaling images - can you imagine an iPod processor doing that? the iPad is instead, built FOR it). So it might ACTUALLY work this time around.

 

[mrklaw]

I agree with Liu Kang (who is being surprisingly calm in this thread)

iPhone/touch for out and about, with you all the time. Happy to compromise function (usable screen size) for form (size and portability)

laptop for day to day 'work' (things that involve real computing - heavy typing, photo editing etc. Willing to compromise battery life and limited portability (need to be near a socket every few hours) for performance.

iPad for sitting on the sofa browsing websites, email, IM etc. Using apps to tune the device to your needs (home automation? VNC to your main computer? Willing to sacrifice some functions ('full' computing) for form (larger screen than iPhone) and focused performance.

Optional desktop/server for routine duties - media server, torrent/newsreader 24/7, CD/DVD ripping and encoding etc

 

[Tobor]

Yes we can have too many devices, especially if you travel a lot. We as consumers have been trying to carry less for a few years now, ever since the blackberry. The iphone did that, its and ipod, a phone and a smartphone.

The price of the device is too high for the anime/comics use case you describe and you still have more computers not less.

This is one of the worst arguments I've heard yet.

 

[ClovingWestbrook]

http://blogs.adobe.com/flashplatform/2010/01/building_ipad_apps.html


Building iPad Applications with Flash
16 Comments 16
Posted by Michael Chou

Today Apple announced the Apple iPad and like many of you, we at Adobe are looking forward to getting our hands on one of these devices. This is an exciting time to be a software designer with an explosion of new devices and we look forward to helping Flash developers and designers bring innovative applications to these devices using our tools and frameworks.

We announced the Packager for iPhone at MAX 2009 which will allow Flash developers to create native iPhone applications and will be available in the upcoming version of Flash Pro CS5. This technology enables developers to create applications for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad (though applications will not initially take direct advantage of iPad’s new screen resolution). It is our intent to make it possible for Flash developers to build applications that can take advantage of the increased screen size and resolution of the iPad.

Flash developers are used to being able to create rich expressive content that run well across multiple screens. The Flash Platform already provides developers with the ability to create applications without making assumptions about screen resolution and pixel density. Our very own Christian Cantrell has posted an in-depth article on the Adobe Developer Connection, Authoring For Multiple Screen Sizes, that details best practices in creating applications that run on multiple screens. If you want to prepare applications today that will work great on the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad, follow the guidelines from this article today.

While we put the finishing touches on the Packager for iPhone, we have invited a few developers and designers to join a closed pre-release program. As they are testing it and giving us feedback, they also have been able to use it to build some applications that they have submitted to the iTunes App Store. Here are some recent iPhone applications that you can find in the App Store now:

GoldStrike_small.pngGold Strike
This popular action/puzzle game has been around for nearly a decade and played by millions. You are a miner who has struck gold! But the mine is unstable. Remove gold by finding groups of blocks as tremors fill the mine up.

 

[mrklaw]

As for Grandma, Leta assume her lovely, computer literate kids set up the Internet connection for her. Why is the iPad dependent on a computer? It isn't. I hardly ever connect my touch to my computer. For the initial media sync sire, but I download podcasts direct to the touch, email comes in direct.

You could quite easily set it up initially on tour computer for them and then just leave it

email her photos or better still maybe there is an app where you can push photos to her (or just setup a homescreen bookmark to your flickr page for her)

you want a relatively controlled environment with a bit of remote management, and the iPad should be a good candidate for that

if it'd had a front facing camera i'd have bought one for my inlaws for video chat with their grandkids

 

[Evlar]

This is one of the worst arguments I've heard yet.

"The price is too high" is exactly the sort of argument people will use if they choose not to buy this device. It's on topic and a sensible position.

 

[Keylime]

http://blogs.adobe.com/flashplatform/2010/01/building_ipad_apps.htmlWe announced the Packager for iPhone at MAX 2009 which will allow Flash developers to create native iPhone applications and will be available in the upcoming version of Flash Pro CS5. This technology enables developers to create applications for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad (though applications will not initially take direct advantage of iPad’s new screen resolution). It is our intent to make it possible for Flash developers to build applications that can take advantage of the increased screen size and resolution of the iPad.

...why is Adobe releasing a developer tool to make iPhone/Pad applications using Flash? It just seems like they are introducing an odd layer that doesn't need to exist.

Are there really flash developers that want to put content on the iPhone/Pad so badly, but don't want to learn the SDK?

...or am I reading this wrong?

 

[mrkgoo]

For what it's worth, I don't see Apple exhibiting this behavior whatsoever for the AppleTV. Perhaps it's a device they don't care about anymore, but we don't know yet whether this device will be an AppleTV or an iPhone in terms of success.

I guess I'm just saying Apple is more than capable of forgetting about it's devices if they aren't successful.

Oh I get that entirely. I think the Apple TV had a chance. If Apple pushed it to the level of "It's the TV for the future", it could have made it, but I think they had bigger fish to fry - the iPhone. They came out at about the same time, and resources were simply focused on the iPhone (not just development - PR and all that). Yes, it's a 'flop' relatively speaking, due to people not wanting it just as much as Apple not giving it the due attention, but that 'due attention' is exactly why the iPad shouldn't even be considered on the same scale as the Apple TV. Apple won't let this one go. Not one bit.

I see it as a home device. That's why Jobs had the comfy chair on stage.

I agree. Obviously, there's enough utility in the iPad that people will see different things in the device, but I think a lot of us tech-geeks see it as a home thing, and that's why many of us are opting for a wifi-only version. I HAVE an iPhone, which will cover me for those uses that the iPad non-3G doesn't, should I need it.

I was thinking the whole 'unlimited' 3G internet (even though it's capped to 5GB) is actually limiting. They need to tell people it's 5GB. Because I envision a world where you can turn your iPhone into a wifi hotspot. But carriers will never allow it, because someone would just go into a coffee shop and proclaim, "internet's on me!" if it's truly unlimited. Tethering becomes a pipe dream. If we want internet tethering, we're going to have to accept limitations on the service. It would be great to be able to use an iPhone 3G connection by tethering my iPad to it.

 

[Seth C]

I see it as a home device. That's why Jobs had the comfy chair on stage.

We can never have too many devices. The argument for trying to have as little as possible is insane to me. If I could afford and had time to maintain a network of 10 home computers, all for different purposes and use cases, I would do it in a heartbeat.

I'm humored by how this is the most perfect PDF-reading and comic/manga device in existence, and that was what was guessed at and talked up so much leading up to the announcement, but now that it's here we're all just forgetting that and thinking "you know what, my laptop does that anyway."

Which all comes back to price. At $499 people say "I already have something that does that." At $299 people think "that is a worth the added convenience."

I can only speak for myself of course, but really the issue isn't that it is overpriced compared to its most direct competition. It's easy and sensible enough to say "but hey, a good netbook costs about the same" and you'd be right, it does. The problem is I don't need a netbook as it is. I already have devices that facility the same functions, be it my tiny Vaio laptop or my iPhone. Realistically, most of the pool of initial adapters for the iPad will be in that same situation. The price becomes a hurdle not compared to what it does, but because I already have devices that do the same things.

 

[otake]

...why is Adobe releasing a developer tool to make iPhone/Pad applications using Flash? It just seems like they are introducing an odd layer that doesn't need to exist.

Are there really flash developers that want to put content on the iPhone/Pad so badly, but don't want to learn the SDK?

...or am I reading this wrong?

I think you are reading it correctly. The announcement adds nothing to the discussion.

 

[Kano on the Phone]

Which all comes back to price. At $499 people say "I already have something that does that." At $299 people think "that is a worth the added convenience."

What people?

 

[Tobor]

"The price is too high" is exactly the sort of argument people will use if they choose not to buy this device. It's on topic and a sensible position.

Comics readers have been begging for a device like this. It's perfect for reading comics. I know some hardcore comics guys and they are buzzing about this. Why would they care that this is a seperate device? The devices they own don't handle the job.

It's the equivalent of arguing that no one will buy an e-reader because they already own a laptop.

 

[Evlar]

...why is Adobe releasing a developer tool to make iPhone/Pad applications using Flash? It just seems like they are introducing an odd layer that doesn't need to exist.

Are there really flash developers that want to put content on the iPhone/Pad so badly, but don't want to learn the SDK?

...or am I reading this wrong?

Adobe's serving their own interests by pushing this tool, not developers' interests. It is of supreme importance to the future of Flash that Adobe retains a vibrant development community. They know iPhone platform development is red-hot right now. Therefore, they offer a tool to act as a stepping stone from where they want developers to be (working in Flash) to where the market is (iPhone SDK).

I agree, the benefit to developers is hard to see beside avoiding or delaying learning a new programming environment.

Comics readers have been begging for a device like this. It's perfect for reading comics. I know some hardcore comics guys and they are buzzing about this. Why would they care that this is a seperate device? The devices they own don't handle the job.

It's the equivalent of arguing that no one will buy an e-reader because they already own a laptop.

I would contend the "comic book enthusiast market" willing to pay $500 for a color e-reader is very small compared to the "book enthusiast market" willing to pay $250 for a greyscale e-reader.

 

[maharg]

I think the "grandma"/total illiterate argument falls simply because the things that are complex about email and the web for those people aren't the steps involved in getting to the browser or email client. I don't think it's any more fundamentally difficult to get to either of those things in a default windows or osx install than on an iphone or (now) an ipad. In either case, those are the options given you right off the bat.

Knowing what to do once you're in those apps? That's the hard part for them. And the iphone/ipod touch/ipad don't help you there at all. You still need to enter a url or google something. You still need to actually have an email account to use in the first place. Etc.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, what a lot of people on this forum think of as "computer illiterate" people are actually quite likely very computer literate. They just aren't experts or prosumers like people on this forum.

 

[Seth C]

What people?

Point blank? Me, for one. The only other person I've heard talk about the iPad in real life, for two. I'm sure there will be many others. Don't believe me? Wait and find out. Doesn't bother me any.

 

[Tobor]

When the Apple TV was announced, Steve called it a hobby. They've never aired a single commercial for it. They've never updated the hardware. I think it's literally been a test for them, Which is why they continue to sell it. The iPad will be not be a hobby.

@mrkgoo, we don't know that there is a 5GB cap. There isn't one on the iPhone and it might be part of the deal Apple worked out with AT&T.

 

[Blackhead]

I think a lot of the cynicism comes from the familiarity we already have with the iphone/ipod.

The guy who runs my local comic shop shop knows NOTHING about technology (never seen an iohone). He was asking me what this 'ipad thingy' is.

So I showed him my iphone and a handful of apps. He was LITERALLY blown away. To him it was nothing short of magic. I said "Imagine that with a much bigger screen, that's pretty much ipad". Now he wants one for his living room.

That's the target audience.

:lol That dude should be crying as soon his comic book store will be as empty as Borders

 

[Marty Chinn]

Random story, my Nook was mistaken for an iPad by a nurse while I was at the hospital today.

 

[Keylime]

Random story, my Nook was mistaken for an iPad by a nurse while I was at the hospital today.

Was it a "ooo...is that one of those iPad things?" or was it "OOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! IS THAT ONE OF THOSE IPAD THINGIES?!?!"

 

[Steve Youngblood]

Comics readers have been begging for a device like this. It's perfect for reading comics. I know some hardcore comics guys and they are buzzing about this. Why would they care that this is a seperate device? The devices they own don't handle the job.

It's the equivalent of arguing that no one will buy an e-reader because they already own a laptop.

Also, it's not just a comic book reader. Apple is not marketing it as such. So I don't understand why people think that bringing it down to affordable, digital comic-book reader prices, is what is needed to make it attractive. You really think this thing should only cost $50 more than a Kindle? Really?

 

[Tobor]

:lol That dude should be crying as soon his comic book store will be as empty as Borders

Pretty much. Beyond that, Marvel and DC better get apps with proper DD delivery of all their books ASAP.

 

[Mecha_Infantry]

Random story, my Nook was mistaken for an iPad by a nurse while I was at the hospital today.

I can imagine you were giddy with excitement :lol

Finally the thread has level headed, non-trolled out pro and negative comments

 

[otake]

When the Apple TV was announced, Steve called it a hobby. They've never aired a single commercial for it. They've never updated the hardware. I think it's literally been a test for them, Which is why they continue to sell it. The iPad will be not be a hobby.

They did have commercials for the apple tv and they did do upgrades for it.

 

[Evlar]

Also, it's not just a comic book reader. Apple is not marketing it as such. So I don't understand why people think that bringing it down to affordable, digital comic-book reader prices, is what is needed to make it attractive. You really think this thing should only cost $50 more than a Kindle? Really?

I don't know where you're coming from with this. I am not the one contending it will be competitive with Kindle. In fact, I'm agreeing with you... for people who are looking first and foremost for an e-reader it will not compete with Kindle at these prices, except in the relatively niche markets like digital comic books.

 

[Tobor]

They did have commercials for the apple tv and they did do upgrades for it.

Storage only, and only once in three years. Not a usual effort by them. And I've never seen an ad on TV for it in 3 years. Even if ads exist, they certainly don't have the buy rates of iPhone/iPod Touch/Mac ads, which I see constantly.

I don't know where you're coming from with this. I am not the one contending it will be competitive with Kindle. In fact, I'm agreeing with you... for people who are looking first and foremost for an e-reader it will not compete with Kindle at these prices, except in the relatively niche markets like digital comic books.

It's incredibly competitive with the Kindle. $250 for books, or $500 for books +++++. The DX becomes a non starter at $489. If Amazon drops the price again, that's a different story.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

They did have commercials for the apple tv and they did do upgrades for it.

There has never been an ad or a hardware upgrade for the Apple TV.

 

[Steve Youngblood]

I don't know where you're coming from with this. I am not the one contending it will be competitive with Kindle. In fact, I'm agreeing with you... for people who are looking first and foremost for an e-reader it will not compete with Kindle at these prices, except in the relatively niche markets like digital comic books.

I don't think it would be competitive with the Kindle in the direct sense. However, I could certainly see it picking off some sales. Still, if ALL you want is a book reader and nothing more, I agree that you're probably not going to take the plunge on an iPad.

 

[mrkgoo]

I think the "grandma"/total illiterate argument falls simply because the things that are complex about email and the web for those people aren't the steps involved in getting to the browser or email client. I don't think it's any more fundamentally difficult to get to either of those things in a default windows or osx install than on an iphone or (now) an ipad. In either case, those are the options given you right off the bat.

Knowing what to do once you're in those apps? That's the hard part for them. And the iphone/ipod touch/ipad don't help you there at all. You still need to enter a url or google something. You still need to actually have an email account to use in the first place. Etc.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, what a lot of people on this forum think of as "computer illiterate" people are actually quite likely very computer literate. They just aren't experts or prosumers like people on this forum.

I used to be all over the 'it's for computer illiterate', but I am now a bit more on the fence about it for the reasons you mention. And the " needs another computer" sort of deal (I know strictly it's not needed, but it would help a lot of things).

But my parents ARE computer illiterate. They don't know how to turn on a computer. They don't know how to log on. They don't know how to use a mouse, or for that matter a keyboard (shift? enter? cmmonad, option, katarl?). Of course they don't have an email address. They won't know about websites or URLs. They'll probably understand the concept about google if I tried to explain. My dad confuses emails and text messages. They don't know about networking, or the differences between dialup and broadband.

That's exactly why they don't have a computer. They are computer illiterate.

But they hear about the internet. They want to be able to see my photos, chat via skype. They want this, because thy've seen it done. Their friends and family have embraced technology and the social networking within.

There's no way I'll ever try and set up a computer for them, as they wouldn't use it. Heck, there's an old iMac G4 (my sisters lamp shade) sitting at their house, but it scares them. An iPad, however, is closer to being suitable. It nearly convinces me that I could get them an email address, set up wifi, and set it up. It's a much better solution, more intuitive and will be a bit more failsafe than a computer. Of course it's NOT fail-safe. Wifi drops will still happen, they'll get into settings and turn off things, for example. And I'd need to go over and 'maintain' it by perhaps removing stuff off of it (no way you want to keep stuff on an iPad as your only storage). But it's the closest thing I've considered, yet. No camera is a deal breaker, though, as one of the primary uses would be video calls. Not to mention, I don't actually want to be called.

 

[ClovingWestbrook]

There has never been an ad or a hardware upgrade for the Apple TV.

I am 99% sure I have seen Apple TV ads.

 

[Blackhead]

Actually, GAFer people always seem to give average people just enough credit to get what the GAFer wants to peddle at the time. Convenient, eh?

I mean, I never quite understand what's going to make all these supposedly dumb-as-a-post grandmas (bless their souls) that are anecdotally referenced all the time somehow just "get" the particular product that one faction or another at GAF wants to peddle.

In this case, what makes the iPad just gettable? It's a device that needs an infrastructure to work to its intended potential (PC/Mac to sync with, wifi network to get to the Internet) and since when is Grandma particularly good at managing those?

How is Grandma going to "just get" her most precious photos onto the iPad? How is Grandma going to "just get" an app she wants when she has to sort through more than 140000 apps on the App Store where the ratings are all over the place and the descriptions spend more time on testimonials and review quotes than a straight-up description of what the app actually does? How does Grandma just print? Etc.

It's all just part of the conceit of anecdotal G6P.

This.

What's especially amazing is watching all these mac pundits who used to jab away about how a MacBook is so awesome for the family members, so easy to use, how they taught them to switch apps with gestures, how [Snow] Leopard is so amazing turn around and suddenly decree that laptops are too complex and the mainstream should switch to iPads. I can maybe believe that some old grampa holdout who's never used a computer before could be taught how to use an iPad but everybody else under 40 can learn how to use a Macbook and multitask.

Spoiler

it's like 'copy&paste' all over again. Smh

 

[mrkgoo]

When the Apple TV was announced, Steve called it a hobby. They've never aired a single commercial for it. They've never updated the hardware. I think it's literally been a test for them, Which is why they continue to sell it. The iPad will be not be a hobby.

@mrkgoo, we don't know that there is a 5GB cap. There isn't one on the iPhone and it might be part of the deal Apple worked out with AT&T.

There isn't a cap on iPhone? I thought there was. Dammit. Another reason why tethering is going to be difficult - as much as I'd love no limitation internet, realistically, the carriers are going to need to limit it somehow if they are going to make money. Tethering sounds like such a good solution for everything.

TO clarify, I'm not talking about the iPad internet. I'm likely not going to get a 3G version.

 

[Tobor]

This.

What's especially amazing is watching all these mac pundits who used to jab away about how a MacBook is so awesome for the family members, so easy to use, how they taught them to switch apps with gestures, how [Snow] Leopard is so amazing turn around and suddenly decree that laptops are too complex and the mainstream should switch to iPads. I can maybe believe that some old grampa holdout who's never used a computer before could be taught how to use an iPad but everybody else under 40 can learn how to use a Macbook and multitask.

Spoiler

it's like 'copy&paste' all over again. Smh

We all wanted copy/paste. We just wanted it done right.

 

[chuckddd]

There has never been an ad or a hardware upgrade for the Apple TV.

Really? Seriously? WTF is this then?

Additional reader reports indicate that the ad is airing on multiple networks, including CNBC, ESPN, and MTV.

 

[Baron Aloha]

I am 99% sure I have seen Apple TV ads.

Same here...unless I am imagining things.

 

[otake]

There has never been an ad or a hardware upgrade for the Apple TV.

I could have sworn I had seen one. guess I was wrong.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

Really? Seriously? WTF is this then?

Additional reader reports indicate that the ad is airing on multiple networks, including CNBC, ESPN, and MTV.

Crazy.

I've never seen this in my life, and I agree with Tobor above that I feel like I'm seeing iPod, Mac, and iPhone ads more than I see anything else on television.

 

[Tobor]

Never mind, there is one. I've never seen it. :lol Which says a lot.

 

[Teddman]

I'm humored by how this is the most perfect PDF-reading and comic/manga device in existence, and that was what was guessed at and talked up so much leading up to the announcement, but now that it's here we're all just forgetting that and thinking "you know what, my laptop does that anyway."

It's really not though. The most perfect Mac comic reader would run FFView (or other cbr reader) and work with regular cbr/cbz files.

It would work with sites like Marvel Digital Comics (which uses Flash).

It would have an industry-standard pdf application, like Acrobat. What are the pdf reading options on iPad anyway?

People want something that will boot up their cbr/pdf/flash websites and take media through a straight usb connection without going through iTunes or some conversion process for a new app.

It's a disappointment for what I was looking for in those areas.

 

[Steve Youngblood]

What's especially amazing is watching all these mac pundits who used to jab away about how a MacBook is so awesome for the family members, so easy to use, how they taught them to switch apps with gestures, how [Snow] Leopard is so amazing turn around and suddenly decree that laptops are too complex and the mainstream should switch to iPads. I can maybe believe that some old grampa holdout who's never used a computer before could be taught how to use an iPad but everybody else under 40 can learn how to use a Macbook and multitask.

Personally, I've always thought that the argument that this thing is genius for the computer illiterate out there misses the mark, as I see this purely as a supplemental device. It's not scaled back because it's trying to be idiot-proof, it's scaled back because it's design is meant to serve as a bridge between serious and casual computing. It's trying to be a real compromise between laptop and smartphone computing, which Jobs suggests the netbook failed at being.

I really don't think that this is for my mom who can't make heads or tails of Windows or OSX.

 

[Ignatz Mouse]

It's incredibly competitive with the Kindle. $250 for books, or $500 for books +++++. The DX becomes a non starter at $489. If Amazon drops the price again, that's a different story.

The Kindle is expensive and somewhat niche at $250, though. eReaders are going to have to come down even more before they go mainstream.

Don't even get me started on the DX.

 

[Kano on the Phone]

Point blank? Me, for one. The only other person I've heard talk about the iPad in real life, for two. I'm sure there will be many others. Don't believe me? Wait and find out. Doesn't bother me any.

LOL

Well me and another guy that read your post think your argument is shit. I guess the people have spoken.

 

[Teddman]

Amazon will drop the Kindle 2 to $199 before iPad comes out unless they're crazy.