Okay, not quite that extreme.
The Apple store workers cheered every customer as if they want you to think they're doing you a favour by relieving you of £700 in exchange for something they know will be obsolete in 18 months. It really raises my hackles. I bet the iPad Mk II will have a folding stand at the back that lets you stand it up on a flat surface. Apple could have easily put one of those on iPad I - along with loads of other 'improvements' they've no doubt already thought of but don't want to implement all in one go, because then it would be harder to part people from their money twice.
Apple iPad
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DVB Cornwall
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Dr Lobster*
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i think the ipad (as is the iphone) is a marvel of engineering. only a few years ago it would have been unthinkable that you'd be able to put what is a fully functioning computer into something that small.
looking at a couple of "tear-downs" it's amazing how compact it is and how all the electronics have been crammed into just a couple of chips.
that said, would i buy one?
no. i think it's better value to just buy a normal laptop. i can't imagine typing on that touch screen keyboard for long would be ergonomically satisfying.
if the screen is as fragile as it is on the iphone/ipod touch it won't take much to break it either and non user-replacable batteries are just a money making wheeze and a design failure - if you use it every day the battery is going to be toast in a couple of years.
but mostly, although the apple store and the whole ecosystem of apps is impressive, most of what is there seems to be complete crud (to me anyway). these electronic compasses and so on might impress a 5 year old child, but they don't do anything for me. and why pay for an old sega megadrive game when i can download and install every game that ever got published for free without resorting to "jail breaking" the device?
looking at a couple of "tear-downs" it's amazing how compact it is and how all the electronics have been crammed into just a couple of chips.
that said, would i buy one?
no. i think it's better value to just buy a normal laptop. i can't imagine typing on that touch screen keyboard for long would be ergonomically satisfying.
if the screen is as fragile as it is on the iphone/ipod touch it won't take much to break it either and non user-replacable batteries are just a money making wheeze and a design failure - if you use it every day the battery is going to be toast in a couple of years.
but mostly, although the apple store and the whole ecosystem of apps is impressive, most of what is there seems to be complete crud (to me anyway). these electronic compasses and so on might impress a 5 year old child, but they don't do anything for me. and why pay for an old sega megadrive game when i can download and install every game that ever got published for free without resorting to "jail breaking" the device?
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Well I'm afraid I only lasted a few days as I've given in to the iPad so that I can enjoy pointlessness in another form on the move. I hadn't intended to get one - although when I saw the announcement and the demo by Steve Jobs I was extremely impressed. But I assured myself that I had my iPhone for most of the things it does and a laptop for use at home and other locations where I've got a power socket.
However, I played on one today and instantly fell in love with it. I've always liked the iPhone OS so it makes it very easy to use and find my way around as most of the feature as in the usual places. Don't get me wrong - I don't see it as a laptop replacement at all and I don't expect it to change my life in any great way. However, it's an entertainment device and it really is very nice to just pick up and check up a website or watch a video.
I haven't fully explored it yet as it is still syncing, but some of the iPad HD apps look very very good, and web browsing is lovely. Before you all jump on me saying that I've got two devices that I can do this all on - I know! This is merely another way of enjoying it, nothing more.
Gosh what with the new iPhone expected out soon (which I will also have to get) - I may even end up buying a Mac. As it seems to be the in thing at the moment... "This REALLY is new politics / This never happened under Labour".
However, I played on one today and instantly fell in love with it. I've always liked the iPhone OS so it makes it very easy to use and find my way around as most of the feature as in the usual places. Don't get me wrong - I don't see it as a laptop replacement at all and I don't expect it to change my life in any great way. However, it's an entertainment device and it really is very nice to just pick up and check up a website or watch a video.
I haven't fully explored it yet as it is still syncing, but some of the iPad HD apps look very very good, and web browsing is lovely. Before you all jump on me saying that I've got two devices that I can do this all on - I know! This is merely another way of enjoying it, nothing more.
Gosh what with the new iPhone expected out soon (which I will also have to get) - I may even end up buying a Mac. As it seems to be the in thing at the moment... "This REALLY is new politics / This never happened under Labour".
Good Lord!
Well now, I've finally had the chance to poke one. Disgustingly I had to go to Dixons. I've passed by the Apple store in Manchester quite a few times since the iPad became available but it has been completely swamped by people trying them out and I have been unwilling to wait!
My thoughts:
1. It's surprisingly heavy, you can't wave it around as much as you might think. Not sure if that's a good thing or not, but it certainly feels solid.
2. You have to be quite purposeful in your poking of screen elements compared to the iPhone and HTC desire. It took me a few attempts to get the address bar to focus in Safari.
3. Size and resolution of the screen is annoyingly perfect, a paper (yes yes, I was reading a scientific paper in dixons) just scales to portrait mode nicely and is readable. There's a little bit of rendering it has to do if you make it move fast in a PDF but nothing too slow.
4. Keyboard: Surprisingly well proportioned and easy to type on right away (one handed at least).
5. Imaging performance was amazing, frankly. Photos were flipping around and scaling like nothing I've ever seen.
Interestingly I was poking mine and hearing people talking about the other ones in Dixons. Old people seem perpetually confused as to why it's £400. Admittedly I think it could be a little cheaper but I suspect they'd still be whinging. Another guy was going on to his mate about how the screen should be bigger to allow more room for typing. I can't see that working without it being heavier, which wouldn't be pleasant, and I thought the keyboard was the perfect size!
I did miss multitasking. I think it not being able to stream music to an airport express (a la mine) is a missed opportunity. I believe you can't print either (?). All in all though, rather nice. Just not quite sputty material just yet
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My thoughts:
1. It's surprisingly heavy, you can't wave it around as much as you might think. Not sure if that's a good thing or not, but it certainly feels solid.
2. You have to be quite purposeful in your poking of screen elements compared to the iPhone and HTC desire. It took me a few attempts to get the address bar to focus in Safari.
3. Size and resolution of the screen is annoyingly perfect, a paper (yes yes, I was reading a scientific paper in dixons) just scales to portrait mode nicely and is readable. There's a little bit of rendering it has to do if you make it move fast in a PDF but nothing too slow.
4. Keyboard: Surprisingly well proportioned and easy to type on right away (one handed at least).
5. Imaging performance was amazing, frankly. Photos were flipping around and scaling like nothing I've ever seen.
Interestingly I was poking mine and hearing people talking about the other ones in Dixons. Old people seem perpetually confused as to why it's £400. Admittedly I think it could be a little cheaper but I suspect they'd still be whinging. Another guy was going on to his mate about how the screen should be bigger to allow more room for typing. I can't see that working without it being heavier, which wouldn't be pleasant, and I thought the keyboard was the perfect size!
I did miss multitasking. I think it not being able to stream music to an airport express (a la mine) is a missed opportunity. I believe you can't print either (?). All in all though, rather nice. Just not quite sputty material just yet
This detailed post was powered by TumbleTower OS.
Knight knight
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Gavin Scott
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I played with one on Friday night. I said it was heavy too, and the owner took offence.
I flipped some pictures of his offspring (yawn) and, um, yes, it zoomed and spiralled nice n quickly. The keyboard seemed ok, but I had to lay it flat on the pub table and lean over it to type two-handed.
People my age should not lean over reflective surfaces. FACT.
I thought it was ok. Its just such an odd size that I wouldn't know quite where to put it, unless I was carrying a satchel.
I'm not going to carry a satchel.
[/review]
I flipped some pictures of his offspring (yawn) and, um, yes, it zoomed and spiralled nice n quickly. The keyboard seemed ok, but I had to lay it flat on the pub table and lean over it to type two-handed.
People my age should not lean over reflective surfaces. FACT.
I thought it was ok. Its just such an odd size that I wouldn't know quite where to put it, unless I was carrying a satchel.
I'm not going to carry a satchel.
[/review]
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Gavin Scott
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- Posts: 6442
- Joined: Fri 15 Aug, 2003 13.16
- Location: Edinburgh
- Contact:
That was a colostomy bag; and I was only holding it for a friend.Sput wrote:The one and only time I saw you, you were carrying a satchel!
Isn't that going to be part of iOS4 later this year?Sput wrote: I did miss multitasking.
There's an App for Printing (On certain printers) and also, I believe in the next version of the OS Multi-tasking comes in. But no Airport Express? Disgraceful, that's a terrible downer.Sput wrote:Well now, I've finally had the chance to poke one. Disgustingly I had to go to Dixons. I've passed by the Apple store in Manchester quite a few times since the iPad became available but it has been completely swamped by people trying them out and I have been unwilling to wait!
My thoughts:
1. It's surprisingly heavy, you can't wave it around as much as you might think. Not sure if that's a good thing or not, but it certainly feels solid.
2. You have to be quite purposeful in your poking of screen elements compared to the iPhone and HTC desire. It took me a few attempts to get the address bar to focus in Safari.
3. Size and resolution of the screen is annoyingly perfect, a paper (yes yes, I was reading a scientific paper in dixons) just scales to portrait mode nicely and is readable. There's a little bit of rendering it has to do if you make it move fast in a PDF but nothing too slow.
4. Keyboard: Surprisingly well proportioned and easy to type on right away (one handed at least).
5. Imaging performance was amazing, frankly. Photos were flipping around and scaling like nothing I've ever seen.
Interestingly I was poking mine and hearing people talking about the other ones in Dixons. Old people seem perpetually confused as to why it's £400. Admittedly I think it could be a little cheaper but I suspect they'd still be whinging. Another guy was going on to his mate about how the screen should be bigger to allow more room for typing. I can't see that working without it being heavier, which wouldn't be pleasant, and I thought the keyboard was the perfect size!
I did miss multitasking. I think it not being able to stream music to an airport express (a la mine) is a missed opportunity. I believe you can't print either (?). All in all though, rather nice. Just not quite sputty material just yet
This detailed post was powered by TumbleTower OS.
On another note, the iPhone OS 4.0 has been revealed. I must say, face to face conferencing, HD Video, biggest resolution on a phone ever, 5x zoom, tap to focus and more sounds pretty good to me.