So Tomorow morning preorder for Ipad who is in?

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by 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.

I think I would have been quicker to order if Apple had been more forthcoming about content plans. For me, things like books and magazines that require colour would be a bigger use for this form factor than novels that are better suited to the size and screentype of my current reader.

I have to say that I am also very interested in the Adam as well, if the Pixel Qi screen can manage to deliver then it will be a major plus point for me, similarly with the Mirasol displays although they seem a little further off.

[lilman]

I don't understand what market apple is going after. It doesn't have an epaper screen so it isn't going to be competition for ereaders. Lack of flash support will hinder web functionality. It is basically a giant itouch so it isn't going to replace your notebook or netbook for applications. Overall the ipad seems like a frankenstein of mediocrity.

I was really looking forward to something better. I'll wait to see what the next version brings.

[petermillard]

Originally Posted by lilman

I don't understand what market apple is going after...

There's a few threads on the subject; take a look around, they may give you an idea - or just have a think about all the things that just don't work well on e-ink...

It doesn't have an epaper screen so it isn't going to be competition for ereaders...

Again, this moot point has come up before - hard as it may be for the e-ink fans, many people actually prefer backlit screens to read on.

Lack of flash support will hinder web functionality.

No doubt, for some folks. However, lots browse with Flash turned off, or blocked, or simply don't visit flash-dependent sites - this one, for example.

It is basically a giant itouch...

Yes, which is exactly what many people wanted Apple to produce...

...so it isn't going to replace your notebook or netbook for applications.

No, but then it isn't a replacement for anything; it's a media consumption device that you use when your smartphone's too small, your laptop too big, and your netbook too clunky.

Overall the ipad seems like a frankenstein of mediocrity. I was really looking forward to something better. I'll wait to see what the next version brings.

An opinion to which you are perfectly entitled - though it sounds like you've allowed the months of rabid speculation by tech journalists and bloggers to inflate your expectations beyond what was really likely. Personally though, I'll make up my own mind when I have one in my hands, and not based on the utterings of the few hundred journalists who managed to play with one for 10 minutes when it was launched six weeks ago. <shrug>

Cheers, Pete.

[Victoria]

Originally Posted by Crowl

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, thanks for this!! I did buy them from the Sony Store, and eagerly redownloaded (is this a word?) in epub, thinking I could load them on my ipod touch. After no luck, I contacted Sony customer support, and they said I could not read their epubs on other devices - huh? I thought that was the whole point of epub. But thanks to your note, I will research how to get the drm off, as I paid good money for those books.

I haven't bought another book from Sony since and only buy books which are not tied to a particular device. Thanks for your tip. I will buy the ipad, but not from the ibook store.

[SpiderMatt]

I don't understand why EVERYONE isn't looking more seriously at the Notion Ink Adam. The Pixel Qi display is sure to make a better reading experience, if reading is one of the primary functions you'll be using the device for. And beyond that, the specs listed so far blow the iPad out of the water. Is there a specific reason for any of you choosing the iPad? Just curious.

[lilman]

Originally Posted by petermillard

There's a few threads on the subject; take a look around, they may give you an idea - or just have a think about all the things that just don't work well on e-ink... Again, this moot point has come up before - hard as it may be for the e-ink fans, many people actually prefer backlit screens to read on.

I have a Kindle DX and I know firsthand what doesn't work well on eink (i.e. anything other than reading, such as web browsing). But reading is definitely better on eink over backlit... it's just crisper (higher resoultion) and easier on your eyes (no strain from backlight). I would say this is true for the majority of people. And from the ipad commercials they seem to be promoting some of the functionality of the ipad as an ereader, which I don't think it will be so great for. But for those who don't mind (or prefer) backlight then this isn't an issue.

Originally Posted by petermillard

An opinion to which you are perfectly entitled - though it sounds like you've allowed the months of rabid speculation by tech journalists and bloggers to inflate your expectations beyond what was really likely.

Nope, didn't follow speculation or blogs. I just expect a tablet to have the same os as a laptop instead of a phone.

Anyways, if I were interested in this product I would wait to hear some hands-on reviews... $500+ is too much to spend on an unknown entity. I would at least wait out the first production run in case of production problems (like screen defects) to get ironed out.

[thinkpad]

Originally Posted by lilman

I just expect a tablet to have the same os as a laptop instead of a phone.

The problem is that a regular OS isn't custom built for touch-screen devices, making it far from optimal. Here's where the OS X (iPhone OS) and Android shines.

[Tamara]

Originally Posted by SpiderMatt

I don't understand why EVERYONE isn't looking more seriously at the Notion Ink Adam. The Pixel Qi display is sure to make a better reading experience, if reading is one of the primary functions you'll be using the device for. And beyond that, the specs listed so far blow the iPad out of the water. Is there a specific reason for any of you choosing the iPad? Just curious.

Probably a few reasons.

1. It doesn't exist yet.

2. They don't appear to even have a website. References just appear on blogger sites and sites like this.

3. Specs are all coming from bloggers, etc.

4. It's made in India so where will it be marketed.

5. Pixel qi has yet to launch any device using their screens so the reliability of their screen is a complete unknown.

[lilman]

Originally Posted by thinkpadx

The problem is that a regular OS isn't custom built for touch-screen devices, making it far from optimal. Here's where the OS X (iPhone OS) and Android shines.

Windows supports touch screen, and I think linux does too although I haven't tried it before. Apple could take OS X and add touch capabilities. There would have to be tweaks and possibly design changes, but at its base it could still be OS X. Imagine: photoshop on ipad... final cut pro... all the great OS X compatible software instead of app store apps.

Maybe the ipad wasn't powerful enough for a regular OS (or it was powerful enough but the battery couldn't keep up).

[fugazied]

Originally Posted by charleski

I'm going to order the one with the 225dpi mirasol screen.
Oh, wait...

Which device has that screen and does it do capacitive touchscreen/video/apps/spreadsheets/gps/google maps/music/wireless n/games and come in a 16gb size for $499? I'll buy one!

oh wait that product doesn't exist.

I'll be ordering the 16gb wifi only iPad

edit: as for the iPad running OS X and high demand programs like photoshop, I think it's a hardware problem. Battery life, cpu speed etc.
However I think there may be some interesting interface options coming via the appstore, so you can use your iPad in conjunction with OS X apps. eg. sliders for logic pro, or using the iPad as a sketchpad that works with photoshop on your mac. The only thing the device requires to work magically with ANY app on OS X is software from the vendor and I think photoshop will jump on creating interface software for iPad.

[RedHeadPeter]

Originally Posted by Bremen Cole

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

rant....debatable. bizarre...hopefully. inaccurate....nope, tell me which bit you think is inaccurate.

[Graham]

Originally Posted by Tamara

Probably a few reasons.

1. It doesn't exist yet.

NotionInk have a functional prototype, and the production hardware is finished, and it seems reasonable to expect the machine to be out by the end of the year (they're aiming for a June launch). So it would appear sensible to take the Adam's capabilities into consideration if you're thinking of buying a device like the iPad.

http://technabob.com/blog/2010/02/15...-release-date/

Originally Posted by Tamara

2. They don't appear to even have a website. References just appear on blogger sites and sites like this.

They do have a website:

http://www.notionink.in/adamfeature.php

Originally Posted by Tamara

3. Specs are all coming from bloggers, etc.

The specs are on the website:

http://www.notionink.in/adamtechspecs.php

Originally Posted by Tamara

4. It's made in India so where will it be marketed.

The Adam will launch first in the US, with a price range from 327 USD to 800 USD depending on the model. (First link I included above.)

Originally Posted by Tamara

5. Pixel qi has yet to launch any device using their screens so the reliability of their screen is a complete unknown.

This is true, of course, of any new technology but that's what guarantees are for. However, reading up on PixelQi, and its founder Mary Lou Jepsen, and the One Laptop Per Child project, certainly impressed me.

http://www.pixelqi.com/about_us

If you really want an iPad because you've got an Apple household, or you need a device in April, go for it. If you want to get the best device for your needs then it does seem reasonable to assess the iPad against the Adam.

Graham

[Crowl]

Originally Posted by Tamara

Probably a few reasons.

1. It doesn't exist yet.

2. They don't appear to even have a website. References just appear on blogger sites and sites like this.

3. Specs are all coming from bloggers, etc.

4. It's made in India so where will it be marketed.

5. Pixel qi has yet to launch any device using their screens so the reliability of their screen is a complete unknown.

They do have a site actually, its http://www.notionink.in/index.php

While some people do seem to have an excessive amount of fear of the unknown with some of these other tablets, an important reason why people are going for the iPad does relate to #1 and that is that the iPad is due out sooner than any of the others and if it does what people need then why wait for potentially better devices, its the nature of technology to keep advancing and there is always something better on the horizon.

[kennyc]

Adam looks very interesting. I'd be interested in Eve as well.

Was this direct iPad vs Adam link posted?

http://gizmodo.com/5471559/notion-in...pecs-finalized

[kacir]

I just found out how much a new battery for iPad costs.
$99 plus tax plus postage plus packaging fee.
And it is not user replaceable. You send in your old iPad and receive another one with a new battery.