So Tomorow morning preorder for Ipad who is in?

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by leebase

Apple has stated that they support DRM-Free ePub books, and you load them via iTunes, just like you can load your own mp3's via iTunes.

So even if Apple doesn't allow the other ebook apps -- I can still use Calbre to get my books into epub format and onto the iPad.

B&N just announced they will have an "made for iPad" ebook app, so they at least believe Apple isn't going to block them off the iPad.

I have bought mp3's from Amazon and then put them on my iPhone via iTunes so there's no reason, other than to spread FUD, to think it will be any different with books.

Lee

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.

[leebase]

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.

As long as there is a way to load the files, I'm fine. I'd rather have my iphone act as a usb drive and use windows explorer to drag files from my computer to my iphone. But I can't -- I have to use iTunes. No big deal.

It does mean I can't sync from my linux based laptop as there is no linux version of iTunes. (alright, I could run windows in emulation....yadda yadda). But I have other windows computers in the house, so it's no big deal for me.

I actually use Stanza as my reading app and load my books either from online sources like Fictionwise or wirelessly from my computer (the linux one) via Calibre. I am sure that Stanza will run on the iPad.

But if not, it's no big deal.

Lee

[93terp]

Originally Posted by Donnageddon

I have mine reserved for in-store pickup, Yaaaaaaaa!!!

Me too! Being able to load all my non-DRM epubs is what sealed the deal for
me.

[Skydog]

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.

Ditto. I detest iTunes and Apple's obsession with control. Media Monkey is far superior.

No interest in iPad at all. And I'm a techno/gadget junkie.

[RedHeadPeter]

Nooooooo! No way. You're having a laugh, right? Why would I want to do that? (Why would anybody want to do that?) Not because I refuse to buy 'sight unseen' - Nexus One evidence of that. Just too many unanswered questions.
Like DRM - so you can load 'free' epub books, great. And for the techno-wizz community who are happy with python scripts they can illegally strip the DRM off non-free books and load them (via i-Tunes, ugh!). So that's somewhere less than 1% of users. You don't even know if the Apple DRM is going to be unique to Apple - if it is any book you buy from Apple is tied to the iPad.
And the reader app, what's it actually going to be like?
And the battery life in real world situations?
And reading in sunlight?

Plus the things we already know are bad:
No Flash support
No USB
no doing more than one thing at a time
having to use iTunes - are you aware how much garbage iTunes loads onto a Windows PC - there are more processes running than fleas on a dog

I just thought of something else - another reason you can't use it as a PC replacement. Without a PC running iTunes you can't actually load anything on to it, right?

Oh no. No. Not now. Probably not never. Life's too short and insanity too close.

[Bremen Cole]

@redheadpeter the last three words in your post, explain your bizarre (and inaccurate) rant.....

[DixieGal]

Wait a minute. You guys are confusing me. I will be able to use it as a computer, right?

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Wait a minute. You guys are confusing me. I will be able to use it as a computer, right?

Only in single-tasking mode apparently.

[vaughnmr]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Wait a minute. You guys are confusing me. I will be able to use it as a computer, right?

It's not a laptop replacement, its a media device. It's basically a large iphone without the phone or camera part. It can run most iphone apps, but it would be a stretch to call it a computer, it doesn't have near the computing power of even a netbook.

[andrys]

Originally Posted by RedHeadPeter

Nooooooo! You don't even know if the Apple DRM is going to be unique to Apple - if it is any book you buy from Apple is tied to the iPad.

It's been established that it's unique to Apple. Similar to Amazon.

And the battery life in real world situations?

Did you see the change in their battery life statement in their announcement of release date the other day? Essentially, life of the battery depends on everything. And that was about it.

And reading in sunlight?

That'll be hard for current color LCD/LED screens except, so far, for the Pixel QI.

Plus the things we already know are bad:
No Flash support
No USB

What's strange is the insistence on HTML5 taking over (in place of Flash) -- eventually, but not for a few years as far as affecting many sites.

no doing more than one thing at a time

having to use iTunes - are you aware how much garbage iTunes loads onto a Windows PC - there are more processes running than fleas on a dog

I hate it because if I'm tired, I can forget and if it does not have something your computer does have, it defaults to deleting your computer copy -- so I always have to make sure I have that setting right. I don't do it enough because I avoid iTunes but when I do, it's something I have to remember.

If you need to hook up your iPad to our computer you have to buy the $29 camera connection kit, which has the adapter for USB connection.

How cheap were they in not just including that adapter ? But at least the camera connection kit has a, I think, microSD card reader in it.

I just thought of something else - another reason you can't use it as a PC replacement. Without a PC running iTunes you can't actually load anything on to it, right?

There would likely be a file management app, it's said. I think that's done for the iPod?

Edit Added: By the way, PC World has a very harsh column on iPad pre-ordering folks.

at http://bit.ly/pcwipordr

In reply to them, some columnists who did not initially like the idea of the iPad loved it when actually playing with it for 20 minutes to half an hour.


(How do people in England or Boston differentiate between iPod and iPad?)

[kacir]

Originally Posted by DixieGal

Wait a minute. You guys are confusing me. I will be able to use it as a computer, right?

Well, I do not know what you mean under "use it as a computer". It *very* much depends on what you usually use your computer for.

*I* wouldn't be able to "use it as a computer". I could only use it for *some* or things I usually do on a computer.
I couldn't install just any program I wish on it. The only software that is allowed to be installed on iPad is from the Apple app store. And for apple store you need a credit card. And I do not have one. And even if I had a credit card I wouldn't be willing to register to the Apple store. And even if I had an account in the Apple app store I wouldn't be willing to pay for things like, for example, iWorks. Not when I can install Linux distribution on my computer and use OpenOffice.org, or Koffice, or Abiword, or ...

I couldn't, for example install Calibre on it. I wouldn't even be able to install [shudder] Vim text editor on it now that I think about it. I wouldn't be able to prepare, convert, manage my e-books collection on it.

There are lots and lots of things the iPad is not built for.
You can not install AutoCAD on it, or Photoshop, or video editing software, you can not burn DVD or CD on it, you can not rip a DVD or a CD on it, you can not write your own program or script. There are MANY games you can not install on it.

If all you ever do with your computer is:
- consuming media
- light browsing of web
- writing and receiving emails
- playing [some] games
- creating short and simple documents in a lightweight office suite such as iWorks for iPad
then yes, it can replace your computer.


iPad is an interesting device for quite a few things but for me it definitely isn't a replacement for a general purpose computer. Oh ... and I like to upgrade various components of my computer from time to time. Like memory, or disk, or a graphic card, or a raid array. I have lots of components I have purchased second-hand, or bartered, or pulled out of trash.

[kacir]

Originally Posted by vaughnmr

... but it would be a stretch to call it a computer, it doesn't have near the computing power of even a netbook.

It has more computing power than 486 PC.
And we certainly did call those things computers.
Our company financial system used to run on a beefy 486 PC based server with SCO Unix and Informix database. And it supported 10 simultaneous users accessing it from terminals (286 class PCs with terminal emulator software)

The thing is, you are not allowed to use its computing power.

[Tamara]

Originally Posted by kacir

And for apple store you need a credit card. And I do not have one.

Actually, this is incorrect. You can create an account without a credit card.

[vaughnmr]

Originally Posted by kacir

It has more computing power than 486 PC.
And we certainly did call those things computers.
Our company financial system used to run on a beefy 486 PC based server with SCO Unix and Informix database. And it supported 10 simultaneous users accessing it from terminals (286 class PCs with terminal emulator software)
.

And the AGC computer on the lunar lander was less powerful that an 8086, but we still landed on the moon. What's your point? She stated she was going to run MS Office on the ipad, and there's no way, unless she's talking about MS Office mobile. None of her laptop applications will work on the ipad, only the Apple itunes apps.

[petermillard]

Originally Posted by andrys

How do people in England or Boston differentiate between iPod and iPad?

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)