iPad Without Pixel Qi, the Apple iPad fails

[Charbax]

What was the point of Apple waiting so long to release their tablet if it wasn't even to include the e-ink-killer Pixel Qi 3Qi screen?

Pixel Qi 3Qi has been confirmed to be in production now, so that should mean several competitors will be implementing it in cheaper Netbook/Tablet convertibles and the Apple iPad will look quite weak in comparison.

Not only in terms of readability, sunlight readability, also in terms of battery life, an ARM Powered product like the iPad could most surely achieve upwards 50 hours battery life with the Pixel Qi 3Qi screen in reflective mode since the LCD backlight is surely the single most power consuming component of the whole iPad.

[stustaff]

Interesting point.

I would like it if the iPad had a pixel QI screen I guess, but it wont stop me buying an iPad.

[ShellShock]

The screen tech and very poor battery life compared to e-ink is the main reason I will not buy the iPad or other similar tablet pc.s

[stustaff]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

The screen tech and very poor battery life compared to e-ink is the main reason I will not buy the iPad or other similar tablet pc.s

The lack of video, web colour etc is teh reason I will have an iPad.

the battery life and sunlight visibility is teh reason I will be keeping my PRS300

[osama_jamal]

Originally Posted by Charbax

What was the point of Apple waiting so long to release their tablet if it wasn't even to include the e-ink-killer Pixel Qi 3Qi screen?

Pixel Qi 3Qi has been confirmed to be in production now, so that should mean several competitors will be implementing it in cheaper Netbook/Tablet convertibles and the Apple iPad will look quite weak in comparison.

Not only in terms of readability, sunlight readability, also in terms of battery life, an ARM Powered product like the iPad could most surely achieve upwards 50 hours battery life with the Pixel Qi 3Qi screen in reflective mode since the LCD backlight is surely the single most power consuming component of the whole iPad.

To be honest, i was sure that Apple would have implemented Pixel Qi in it's tablet. I could have bet on it after the announcement of McGraw-Hill's CEO. But now I have to say I am very disappointed by the product.

I am disappointed with Apple as much as I am disappointed with Plastic Logic. Thinking about it, they both spent ages in product development and missed very important requirements of their users.

For Plastic Logic, they missed a good price, stylus input, SD card slot....etc and a much earlier release date that will allow early adopters to get the device and be happy with it.

Apple missed the Pixel Qi screen, and haven't really done anything new except develop a bigger iPhone or iPod touch.

I think Sony might introduce a newer 12" screen eInk reader that will solve most issues for me

[Bremen Cole]

The thread title is quite funny. 99% of consumers (you know, the people that buy stuff) would not even know what a "pixel qi" screen is, or even care. If you care to wager by all means lets bet on whether the iPad will "fail" or not.

@stustaff While I agree with you, I must admit I do not understand the infatuation folks have with reading in direct sunlight. Here in Texas the last place I want to be on a Sunday afternoon is setting out in the sun. Now under a shade tree is fine, but it's HOT here! I never would have thought that people spend so much of their time setting in lawn chairs in direct sunlight. Before I got my 300, I would often sit in the backyard (weather permitting) reading ebooks on my laptop or PDA. They worked fine under the shade tree, and the iPhone worked even better (except for the tiny screen). Have to say on the battery life that I will wait and see. If it can really get 9-10 hours battery life, in real life, that will be fine. I can charge it at night, and I never read 10 hours in one day anyway. But if the battery life is like most laptops, or horror of horrors like my iPhone, than forget it.

[ShellShock]

Here in the UK, it was rumoured that the sun came out once last summer, but it was only an aerial porcine.

[aceflor]

Originally Posted by ShellShock

Here in the UK, it was rumoured that the sun came out once last summer, but it was only an aerial porcine.

Germany.. Ditto.

Seriously, my grandad was from Galveston, and I would visit in the summer, so I know I would not want to read there outside in the summer. But here, in Europe, in many areas, the summer - or the 1 week of combination of warm AND sunny weather - is short, not that sunny, not that hot, and the only time when one can indeed read comfortably outside. I did not enjoy reading on my iphone last august, so I bought my first ereader. It was great, but of course, by then, there was only 1 day of good weather left .

But anyway, due to geographical restrictions (again), the ipad won't probably work as an ereader for us in the rest of the world in the next few years, so whatever we think about it, we won't have a choice.

[GhostHawk]

Up here in North Dakota sitting in partial or full sun while reading is a great way to soak the winter cold out of your bones. Especially in May and June. Come July and August i'm usually looking for shade. I think a lot of devices just don't handle the increased light levels and glare well. Not that I wouldn't use a device that I couldn't read outside. But it would be a mark against it in my opinion.

[osama_jamal]

Here in Jordan, the sun is out 99% of the time

[charleski]

The primary issue was probably one of availability. With screens only coming into production now I doubt PixelQi could have guaranteed Apple the quantity of screens they'd want. Secondly, I'm not at all sure that Jobs would have been happy with the small sacrifices that had to be made for colour rendition. He'll have wanted a bright, vivid display, which makes sense, since watching movies is a major selling point.

[mores]

I can't read paper books in direct sunlight without getting eye cancer.
And even if I wear sunglasses, I'll still get a boiling brain along with skin cancer.
So direct-sunlight-reading is one of the last things I am bound to do

[DoctorOhh]

Originally Posted by Bremen Cole

The thread title is quite funny. 99% of consumers (you know, the people that buy stuff) would not even know what a "pixel qi" screen is, or even care. If you care to wager by all means lets bet on whether the iPad will "fail" or not.

Your comment is quite funny since this post was aimed at folks reading Mobileread. I venture to guess that at least 60% of us here at this site have heard of this technology.

[kjk]

I think its an aesthetic decision. Steve Jobs would rather have a gorgeous full color, responsive display with limited battery life and wide functionality, than a merely decent color display with incredible battery life and optimized for reading. Just my guess.

I think the PixelQ tech is amazing, and hope Jepsen puts it on a bunch of devices. I'm just not sure Apple is the right fit for that kind of tech. My bet is AMOLED is Apple's next screen tech.

[guyanonymous]

Originally Posted by Bremen Cole

@stustaff While I agree with you, I must admit I do not understand the infatuation folks have with reading in direct sunlight. ...

...If it can really get 9-10 hours battery life, in real life, that will be fine. I can charge it at night, and I never read 10 hours in one day anyway. But if the battery life is like most laptops, or horror of horrors like my iPhone, than forget it.

While most don't read for 10 hours straight, many do enjoy taking their readers on trips, camping, etc. I love that I can take my reader with me (an old ebookwise that gets about 15 hrs for me) on a camping trip and have it last the whole time without needing a charge...well, actually, over 3 days, it usually will need one, but about 15 minutes gives it several hours of boost.

As for the sun - I read mine at the beach, on the deck, under all sorts of conditions. I even have a cheap coleman waterproof map case I toss it in when I'm near water that might get splashed. I take it everywhere.

The iPad, for me, is close, but not close enough. I was aiming for at least similar battery life to my current device. I do want to be able to read under any lighting conditions, including the dark (like my current device). And I do want to have PDA+ functionality that actually works while allowing installation of ANY programs/media I want. So, as they say, close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and dancing. So much for the iPad finally tempting me to get an Apple product.

It'll sell like hotcakes though!