Doctorow on the iPad

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

You sure there won't be "an app for that?" Air Sharing app supplies USB-drive-like functionality to my iPhone.

Probably will be.

The bigger issue is how you can get the files in certain apps once you get the file on the iPad without an open menu.

For instance, if I put a PDF on an iPad it should be easily available to all the PDF reading and annotation apps I have on it. Right now you put it in Goodreader, and that's it. I couldn't figure out how to get it into iPDF--a free app my girlfriend had downloaded first.

iAnnotate looks like a great app for marking up PDFs, but she hasn't downloaded that so I haven't got a chance to see if there's a way to open a PDF dropped into Goodreader, or if you have to go back and drop it into iAnnotate as well.

In any case, a normal file management system would be a huge help and is the biggest shortcoming I've seen on the iPad in terms of what's annoyed me thus far.

[jupstin]

Originally Posted by Gurvan

I have been reading books on backlit LCD screen ever since the Palm 5000 came out... And heard that same tired excuse ever since...

I wish I had your eyes

[fugazied]

oh dear.

Media outlet realises they will get a lot of click throughs from Apple haters and Apple fanbois by posting a controversial article. Yawn.

It strikes me as ironic that all of these Windows users are crying about the walled garden of the Apple iPad while happily typing on their DRMed and proprietary Windows 7 or Windows vista. Oh that kind of walled garden is ok?

[jupstin]

Originally Posted by Gurvan

The iPad is not meant for geek but for the rest of the world... And the rest of the world far outnumbers the geek...

But don't forget the saying: "The GEEK shall inherit the earth."

[DawnFalcon]

Originally Posted by fugazied

Oh that kind of walled garden is ok?

Oh wait, the Windows API's seem to be public and I don't need anyone's permission to write a program for Windows.

Get real.

[Lemurion]

Originally Posted by fugazied

oh dear.

Media outlet realises they will get a lot of click throughs from Apple haters and Apple fanbois by posting a controversial article. Yawn.

It strikes me as ironic that all of these Windows users are crying about the walled garden of the Apple iPad while happily typing on their DRMed and proprietary Windows 7 or Windows vista. Oh that kind of walled garden is ok?

Yes, it's the lower wall and clearly marked gates that make the difference.

There's a vast difference between the degree to which any mainstream computer OS is closed and the situation with the iPhone/iPad etc.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by Lemurion

There's a vast difference between the degree to which any mainstream computer OS is closed and the situation with the iPhone/iPad etc.

That's for sure.

But at the end of the day all that really matters is whether a device suits your needs, whether you can find the applications you need at prices you're willing to pay etc.

I couldn't care less about whether it's open or closed, how easy it is for developers to work for etc. As an end user, that's not my problem. I care whether it fits my needs and budgets. If it does, great, I'll buy it. If it doesn't I'll wait for something it does.

I'm in the latter for the iPad still, but much more tempted than I thought I'd be as it came much closer to fitting my needs than I thought it would. I may still end up with one if the Android tablets aren't anything special. But will definitely wait and see.

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by fugazied

It strikes me as ironic that all of these Windows users are crying about the walled garden of the Apple iPad while happily typing on their DRMed and proprietary Windows 7 or Windows vista.

You do not appear to understand the concept of a "walled garden." On my Windows XP machine I can download and use any program I want from any source that I want without myself or the program's author getting permission from Microsoft. I can also consume any media that I want-- no matter how violent, racist, or sexual it may be-- without it being censored by Microsoft. Neither of those two things are true for iDevices.

[dmaul1114]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

I can also consume any media that I want-- no matter how violent, racist, or sexual it may be-- without it being censored by Microsoft. Neither of those two things are true for iDevices.

That one isn't 100% true. Maybe some apps get banned for those reasons (controversial game getting turned down by Apple etc.), but no reason you can't get any book, comic, movie or other video etc. onto your iPad, iPhone etc. as long as you can get it in a supported file format. Which is pretty easy with the wide array of media displaying apps.

Some apps get banned by apple and not allowed, which is VERY lame. But it's going to far to just say "media" as it makes it sound like their banning movies, books, etc. which isn't true, you can have all the violent media, pornography etc. you like on there just like any device. You just can't buy apps featuring that kind of stuff. Lame, but don't go too far in bashing them to overstate the level of censorship.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

I can also consume any media that I want-- no matter how violent, racist, or sexual it may be-- without it being censored by Microsoft. Neither of those two things are true for iDevices.

Yes they are true. You can consume any media, be it video, audio or textual that you want on your iDevices. What possibly you can't do is download apps from the app store that have that stuff in it...

...and I have to agree... that is not great. Rather than censor it they could put it behind some type of age verification... basically if you register a credit card and opt into the "adult" section you should be able to.

But, I've got to say, for the end user this is not really an issue. Perhaps for the developer that get's their app rejected, it is an issue.

You are making a mountain out of a mole hill.

BOb

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

You are making a mountain out of a mole hill.

To me, censorship is a gigantic mountain. That by itself is enough to make me loathe Apple.

[mores]

That's not "censorship" - they just don't allow certain things in their store.
Like you can't buy your smokes in a bakery (at least where I live), and you won't find alcohol in a toy store. Is it "censorship" when I can't buy my porn magazine in a bookstore?

It would be "censorship" if my iPhone or my MacBook Pro would suddenly blur out all words that might be offensive (like a lot of forum software does, btw), or insert black bars every time it detects boobies or I couldn't browse websites that my computer thinks is inappropriate.

It's their store, they have a right to chose what they sell. If you want other programs, simply jailbreak your phone or pad and use cydia (I think it's called). Plenty of good stuff in there, I'm told.

[Logseman]

It would be "censorship" if my iPhone or my MacBook Pro would suddenly blur out all words that might be offensive (like a lot of forum software does, btw), or insert black bars every time it detects boobies or I couldn't browse websites that my computer thinks is inappropriate.

Well... The blurring part is not exactly like that, but I guess this counts.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_525564.html

However I agree that, being their store, they can do whatever they want.

[Sweetpea]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

You are making a mountain out of a mole hill.

BOb

Censorship is something that should be abolished... Especially if done by a company. What if your government had said you couldn't download certain apps because there might be some nude pictures in it?

[Logseman]

Why should it be forbidden if it's done by a company? The company can censor books as much as they will: it's the stokeholders who'll bear the consequences with their own monies and will deem the policy correct or incorrect, and it's the CEO and the board who'll get the flak or the boot if the policy is wrong.