iPad This sums up the iPad for me

[AprilHare]

This smh.com.au article here (not the video) essentially sums up the iPad for me:
Among the many valid points I drew from the article:

• iBooks not available to Australian users when the device is launched here in March.
• Built-in camera, USB ports and memory card reader are missing, but all three features can be added by buying overpriced separate adapters.
• A separate overpriced keyboard dock is required to connect the iPad to a keyboard.
• Video chatting is out of the question - who's going to carry around an extra camera?
• Unable to run multiple applications at the same time or to display web pages created using Adobe Flash.
• Can only run apps sanctioned by Apple and provided through its App Store.
• Only videos contained in the user's iTunes library or converted to Apple's video formats will play, and files cannot be dragged and dropped on to the device, as is the case with most other computers.
• It lacks an HDMI output for connection to a TV set.
• Only 720p video playback is supported, rather than the 1080p resolution of true high-definition files.
• Lacks the ability to search, copy and paste, record videos and send MMS messages.
• There is no full GPS support either but the more expensive 3G models, set to be released a month after the standard models, support "assisted GPS", which pinpoint your location using nearby mobile towers.
• The name makes it sounds like a tampon - why not just call it iTampon?

Worse than usual from Apple. But what more can we expect?

[dmaul1114]

I was very pleased with it, though still not enough to buy. But it looks much better than I expected and costs much less that I expected and the estimated battery life is a good bit better than I expected.

If it had stylus markup and and handwriting recognition built in, I'd have one preordered.

I have some other gripes with the 4:3 screen ratio, lack of multitasking, no flash support etc. But I could overlook that if I could use it to mark up PDFs and books with a stylus.

Especially since it's a good bit cheaper than large screen e-ink devices with laggy stylus support like the iRex, or the Que with its finger touch etc. This tablet has killed any chance I buy one of those devices. Why pay more for a device I'd only use to read and mark up a few documents a month, vs. waiting for a tablet device like this that adds stylus mark up to all the awesome multimedia functions that I'd get a lot of use out of?

[SirBC]

Where is the "kickstand"? Why does Steve hate buttons so much?

[dmaul1114]

Apparently the case can make it stand up at a angle, so that's the kick stand. Of course the case is option and must be purchased separately.

[tomsem]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

I was very pleased with it, though still not enough to buy. But it looks much better than I expected and costs much less that I expected and the estimated battery life is a good bit better than I expected.

If it had stylus markup and and handwriting recognition built in, I'd have one preordered.

I have some other gripes with the 4:3 screen ratio, lack of multitasking, no flash support etc. But I could overlook that if I could use it to mark up PDFs and books with a stylus.

Especially since it's a good bit cheaper than large screen e-ink devices with laggy stylus support like the iRex, or the Que with its finger touch etc. This tablet has killed any chance I buy one of those devices. Why pay more for a device I'd only use to read and mark up a few documents a month, vs. waiting for a tablet device like this that adds stylus mark up to all the awesome multimedia functions that I'd get a lot of use out of?

Handwriting recognition - there are iPhone apps for that, so there will be some for iTab.

Lack of Flash support hasn't seemed to hurt iPhone sales, I think Apple thinks they can ignore it and refuse to cooperate with Adobe in a serious way, and is betting on HTML5 to sweep it away before it can bite them. We'll see. Adobe, of course, would like nothing better to complete their multiplatform story with iPhone/iTab support. As it is, it's a gaping hole, and has hurt Adobe more up to this point.

PDF markup will probably have to be provided by third party application (there must be iPhone apps that do this now?). Hmm. When is Adobe going to ship a PDF reader for iPhone/iTab?

There are third party styluses for iPhone, I assume they'll work with this.

[elakin]

"Assisted GPS" isn't just using cellphone towers to determine location. It's when a device (usually a mobile phone) has the necessary GPS hardware to listen to GPS signals, but not process them itself into an actual location. So instead they utilize a server to help them quickly determine what satellites are visible in their area, and then process the data captured by the device. So it's still generating coordinates based on GPS information, but not all the processing is done by the device.

[DawnFalcon]

Never mind

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by AprilHare

This smh.com.au article here (not the video) essentially sums up the iPad for me:
Among the many valid points I drew from the article:

• iBooks not available to Australian users when the device is launched here in March.
• Built-in camera, USB ports and memory card reader are missing, but all three features can be added by buying overpriced separate adapters.
• A separate overpriced keyboard dock is required to connect the iPad to a keyboard.
• Video chatting is out of the question - who's going to carry around an extra camera?
• Unable to run multiple applications at the same time or to display web pages created using Adobe Flash.
• Can only run apps sanctioned by Apple and provided through its App Store.
• Only videos contained in the user's iTunes library or converted to Apple's video formats will play, and files cannot be dragged and dropped on to the device, as is the case with most other computers.
• It lacks an HDMI output for connection to a TV set.
• Only 720p video playback is supported, rather than the 1080p resolution of true high-definition files.
• Lacks the ability to search, copy and paste, record videos and send MMS messages.
• There is no full GPS support either but the more expensive 3G models, set to be released a month after the standard models, support "assisted GPS", which pinpoint your location using nearby mobile towers.
• The name makes it sounds like a tampon - why not just call it iTampon?

Worse than usual from Apple. But what more can we expect?

I wonder if the iPad gets cranky, moody and needs a good reboot & defraging every 28-days or so...then binges on chocolate?

[AprilHare]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

I wonder if the iPad gets cranky, moody and needs a good reboot & defraging every 28-days or so...then binges on chocolate?

Given the lack of ports, where's the chocolate going?
This product is a joke. A joke manufactured by Apple at our expense (and how expensive it is too!)

[DawnFalcon]

Oh ironic you mention that. One of the minor problems with the iPhone is actually memory fragmentation, and you can't defrag...

[Estuche]

Originally Posted by dmaul1114

Especially since it's a good bit cheaper than large screen e-ink devices with laggy stylus support like the iRex, or the Que with its finger touch etc. This tablet has killed any chance I buy one of those devices. Why pay more for a device I'd only use to read and mark up a few documents a month, vs. waiting for a tablet device like this that adds stylus mark up to all the awesome multimedia functions that I'd get a lot of use out of?

You read my mind!! I am impressed with how people just bash the iPad when 2 weeks ago they were all hyped about devices such as the Que and Skiff that do less and cost more

BTW, there is this awesome iphone app to read books called Stanza that, if imported straight to the iPad is going to rock!

[AprilHare]

Originally Posted by DawnFalcon

Yea.

"There was also the charge of hypocrisy; if Steve Jobs truly hates DRM so much and wanted it gone from iTunes Store music, why does he continue to lather it onto all video content from Apple, and why did he voluntarily add it to iPhone apps?"

I was right all along, it was EMI forcing their hand. Sigh.

Let's send them a message and not buy *any* Apple products whatsoever. Including the iTampon.

[dragonbone]

Originally Posted by Estuche

You read my mind!! I am impressed with how people just bash the iPad when 2 weeks ago they were all hyped about devices such as the Que and Skiff that do less and cost more

BTW, there is this awesome iphone app to read books called Stanza that, if imported straight to the iPad is going to rock!

I agree!!

[DawnFalcon]

Never mind

[lene1949]

I think it looks great!

But... it'll not replace ebook readers... I first thought it may replace netbooks, but with the lack of ports and card readers, that is also very unlikely...

It has certainly caused a stir - just look at the threads about this unit on here alone, and all the posts - one could be forgiven to think something spectacular had occurred.