So Tomorow morning preorder for Ipad who is in?

[Luxi]

No USB, no multitasking, no webcam... there's no way I'd buy an iPad. I already have an ereader and a laptop

[Tamara]

Originally Posted by petermillard

Is this a trick question? The spelling helps, I guess, as does the size - you know, like plants vs trees, one's waaay bigger than the other...

Pete (in England, if that makes a difference to anything)

It's a joke. He's trying to imply that people in Boston pronounce O as A.

[tyche]

Originally Posted by kennyc

What I find deplorable is that the only way you can load your mp3s or drm-free epubs(assuming this is true) is by going through iTunes.

There are freeware programs out that can transfer music to and from and iPod. I happen to use SharePod because I don't like having my mp3 library managed in iTunes when I already look after it. I use iTunes for apps and movies though since they are only going to and from my Touch.

As for the iPad, that's to be seen. If its music guts are the same as recent iPhone/Touch devices it should work. Also, currently, 3rd party book apps load their content via a number of ways none of which use iTunes. This can still continue since they are the same programs.

[pagansoul]

Originally Posted by kennyc

What I find deplorable is that the only way you can load your mp3s or drm-free epubs(assuming this is true) is by going through iTunes.

You don't have to load anything in iTunes. My actual iTunes library is very small. I keep most of my music and movies on their own drives. You just have to tell iTunes where they are and it keeps a file for you. This is one of the first things you learn when you have a huge collection. You use the Option key when you drag the file into iTunes. It doesn't copy the file, only location, you don't waste space. If ibook file works the same, you will be able to keep your library as you like it and have an iTunes shadow library. Yes you will have to hook up to you Mac or PC and select what files you want on your pad just like the iphone or an ipod. What is hard about that? So you will have to convert your collection into epub, big deal. This is nothing compared to converting a video library of DVDs into digital files or even loading CDs to your machine. Text files are a snap and Calibre is your friend.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by pagansoul

You don't have to load anything in iTunes. My actual iTunes library is very small. I keep most of my music and movies on their own drives. You just have to tell iTunes where they are and it keeps a file for you. This is one of the first things you learn when you have a huge collection. You use the Option key when you drag the file into iTunes. It doesn't copy the file, only location, you don't waste space. If ibook file works the same, you will be able to keep you library as you like it and have an iTunes shadow library.

You're missing the point. You are still having to use iTunes to get music on your device.

[krighton]

i'm personally hoping there's something better on the horizon

[Victoria]

I can't pre-order as I live in Canada, but I will to the minute they're available. I don't consider it sight unseen, as I already own and love an ipod touch, and many ebook stores have already announced ipad apps.

I'm puzzled by all the criticism the ipad is attracting here at mobileread. I intend to buy books from Kobo and other places that let you read your books on multiple devices. I've bought a lot of books for my sony reader - which is a wonderful device. But I didn't realize at the time that I was locking myself in, since the other option (Kindle) wasn't available in Canada at that time. But now in hindsight, I realize I wasn't thinking big enough. The sony is well made and should last a long time, but I wish the sony books were transferable.

Which is why I'm surprised by the negative vibs about the iPad, because it allows books from multiple vendors. For example, the Kobo books for the ipad will be transferable to the Sony reader, ipod touch etc. So why are people saying the ipad locks you in, as an ereader? It seems much more open to other book options & vendors than my sony 505?

[pagansoul]

Originally Posted by kennyc

You're missing the point. You are still having to use iTunes to get music on your device.

Do you simply dislike the iTunes set-up? If this is so , than you would have problems with most Apple applications and products because they pretty much all work the same way. Until we actually get to play with the device we can't know what is possible with it.

[Tamara]

Originally Posted by Victoria

I can't pre-order as I live in Canada, but I will to the minute they're available. I don't consider it sight unseen, as I already own and love an ipod touch, and many ebook stores have already announced ipad apps.

I'm puzzled by all the criticism the ipad is attracting here at mobileread. I intend to buy books from Kobo and other places that let you read your books on multiple devices. I've bought a lot of books for my sony reader - which is a wonderful device. But I didn't realize at the time that I was locking myself in, since the other option (Kindle) wasn't available in Canada at that time. But now in hindsight, I realize I wasn't thinking big enough. The sony is well made and should last a long time, but I wish the sony books were transferable.

Which is why I'm surprised by the negative vibs about the iPad, because it allows books from multiple vendors. For example, the Kobo books for the ipad will be transferable to the Sony reader, ipod touch etc. So why are people saying the ipad locks you in, as an ereader? It seems much more open to other book options & vendors than my sony 505?

I don't understand it either but Apple products seem to often elicit this type of response for some reason.

[Littermate]

Originally Posted by pagansoul

Do you simply dislike the iTunes set-up? If this is so , than you would have problems with most Apple applications and products because they pretty much all work the same way. Until we actually get to play with the device we can't know what is possible with it.

Personally I have had numerous problems with the iTunes program, the worst being when it was uninstalled it buggered my DVD drive. Not mechanically, but the OS could no longer see it. I had to spend some time searching for a solution before I got it working again. Plus I never did find it an intuitive program to use and it came out of the box doing way more than I wanted it to do. And it left all kinds of muck on my computer, including updaters and processes and...Oh...Just BAH! I will never install that thing again. I'm not alone.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by pagansoul

Do you simply dislike the iTunes set-up? If this is so , than you would have problems with most Apple applications and products because they pretty much all work the same way. Until we actually get to play with the device we can't know what is possible with it.

Exactly. Even the full specs have not been released.

And yes it will work like every other Apple application, with Apple in control.

[rwizard]

Personally I will not be reordering. I am more interested to see what happens with the Notion Inc's Adam. Before I looked into the Adam I was thinking about the iPad.

[georgeogoodman]

64g WiFi for me...though I expect my G1 will be a handy WiFi hotspot with 3G connections of its own.

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by Victoria

I've bought a lot of books for my sony reader - which is a wonderful device. But I didn't realize at the time that I was locking myself in, since the other option (Kindle) wasn't available in Canada at that time. But now in hindsight, I realize I wasn't thinking big enough. The sony is well made and should last a long time, but I wish the sony books were transferable.

Which is why I'm surprised by the negative vibs about the iPad, because it allows books from multiple vendors. For example, the Kobo books for the ipad will be transferable to the Sony reader, ipod touch etc. So why are people saying the ipad locks you in, as an ereader? It seems much more open to other book options & vendors than my sony 505?

All your sony books should now be available as ePubs if you bought them from the sony store and any you bought for it elsewhere are already in that format in all liklihood so are not at all locked in except that the method to get those books onto an ipad is less than ideal or requires you to remove the drm which seems counter to the general ease of use you would expect from a product like this.

The neagtive vibes for the iPad about being locked into it as an ereader relates to the ibookstore itself where they have taken the annoying approach of supporting ePub but using their own drm system instead of one of the others that are already commonly in use. If you bypass the official store and stick with the alternatives then you will be relatively fine to move from hardware to hardware.

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by Tamara

I don't understand it either but Apple products seem to often elicit this type of response for some reason.

It might have something to do with the tendency of apple zealots to try and shout down anyone that has a valid point to make if it happens to be negative, the typical response for many people after that happens a few times will either be to give up and stop commenting or to shout back leading to a net result of most remaining critics are as vociferous as those in favour of the apple product.