The Success of the iPad and KISS

[Mike_73]

I use my ipad for exactly what i mentioned above. I love to have the chance to add some apps but am currently happy with goodreader. That's almost all I need besides Safari (I'd love to see IE8 though because I'm more used to it).
Other than that, jailbreaking right now would only be an option if my Ipad would lack a function or app I'm desperately missing. I wouldn't know of any right now.

[kjk]

Haven't felt the need to jailbreak my iPad (or iPhone) either. I guess I must be missing that whole "usable" aspect of it

[jbjb]

Originally Posted by =X=

Android uses Linux and an Open Java engine. While Google might not officially support other languages from C++ or Java, if you can find a cross compiler, in the language you want to support the Android platform you are targeting you can use that language. Just because Google does not provide this feature doesn't make it closed. And if no cross compiler exist, you can always develop one. The GNU compiler very customizable (only feasible if your a hardware vendor)

The same goes for Java. Even though Java VM only comes canned with Java support there is now support for other languages to compile in Java such as Python.

Bear in mind that Android does not contain a normal JVM - Android Java apps are compiled into Dalvik Executable (.dex) format for execution by the Dalvik VM. This format is not the usual Java bytecode, so cross compilers that compile, say, Python to Java bytecode won't work with Android.

/JB

[Lo Zeno]

Originally Posted by =X=

Android uses Linux and an Open Java engine. While Google might not officially support other languages from C++ or Java, if you can find a cross compiler, in the language you want to support the Android platform you are targeting you can use that language.

Actually it's not that easy, because Python, Ruby and so on have compilers that compile them into bytecode for the JVM (which is a STACK BASED virtual machine), but Android uses the Dalvik VM, which is a REGISTER-BASED virtual machine (it's a completely different approach), and as such it doesn't use bytecode but a proprietary "Dalvik ByteSet". At the moment, there are no compilers available to turn Python, Ruby (and the other languages commonly compiled into bytecode) into .dex intruction sets.

Also, Dalvik isn't aligned to neither Java SE nor Java ME class libraries, and has its own class library, which, as far as I know, is a closed-source implementation of Apache's Harmony-Java.

[markbond1007]

Originally Posted by BenLee

Exactly, the average person using an iPad does not need to "jailbreak" it for more advanced functionality. If you want a specialized device that is super-configurable, then iPad would not be the device for you. Ebooks, email, web, music, movies? Yea, then iPad works just fine.

Actually I disagree to some extent, becuase if you are the type of user that needs a super-configurable device, then you are likely to know how to (and the risks involved) jailbreak the ipad in the first place.

Mark

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by markbond1007

Actually I disagree to some extent, becuase if you are the type of user that needs a super-configurable device, then you are likely to know how to (and the risks involved) jailbreak the ipad in the first place.

Mark

Yes, of course you can do that. The only problem is that Apple's IPad and Iphones are designed to run without jailbreak. Therefore Apple skimped on memory, no exchangeable battery, missing ports, etc. They just don't work very well after they have been jailbroken -- as I found out with 2 iphones. So most people who like to tinker are better off with something else in the first place. Though a lot of hackers buy iPhones for financial reasons -- to publish reviews, to drive traffic to their websites for customizations, etc.

In my experience Apple's products work best if you leave them as is. If you are unhappy with the functionality better buy something else.

[sabredog]

From people I know who have jailbroken their iPhones, there has been no issues.

Be interesting to know your experiences with your iphones after jailbreaking

[HansTWN]

Originally Posted by sabredog

From people I know who have jailbroken their iPhones, there has been no issues.

Be interesting to know your experiences with your iphones after jailbreaking

Using an Iphone 3G and running just Fring messaging, IPod app, a task switcher and e-mail in the background the system slowed to a crawl. Furthermore the system crashed very often. I constantly had to manually close background programs. Just 2 tabs in the browser and system memory was down to just a few MBs.

Obviously, given the much improved specs, the Iphone 4 should handle real multitasking a lot better. But definitely not better than many other phones on the market with faster processors.

[smartypants05]

I love my iPad!! Have had it since May, and have used it every day. Asked for a Sony eReader, got the iPad instead. I used it to read and have access to various readers: BN eReader, iBooks, Kindle, and now Borders. I can shop around for the lowest price and see what's being offered for free. When I'm not reading, I'm on Facebook, checking email, playing Words With Friends, or letting my son enjoy a book of his own. I wanted a reader, but got so much more. Oh, and I don't own any Apple PC's, only have an old iPod and now my iPad. Not much use for productivity, but I have a laptop for work stuff. Purely for enjoyment and entertainment for me, and I am definitely enjoying it!