Apple iPad

[Sput]

No multi-tasking, no USB or SD slots, no camera, no drag and drop, no flash, a tab-less web browser... is it 1994 again?

Corrections: USB and SD slots are add-able for a price, drag and drop does exist so docs and pictures can be copied about, the web browser does do multiple pages simultaneously, just with the preview window instead of tabs.

[all new Phil]

I don't really care about all the issues and limitations people point about it.

I... WANT... ONE...

[Gavin Scott]

I don't really care about all the issues and limitations people point about it.

I... WANT... ONE...

Well so do it, but the idea the USB is a "chargeable extra" is, well, nothing short of outrageous.

I mean, come on.

Its my belief that they with-hold functionality purposely to push the early adopters into repeat purchases. Versions 2, 3, 4 and so on will trickle feed things that they're more than likely able to incorporate now - with the full knowledge that the customers will shout for those elements on message boards until they are "rewarded" little by little with each upgrade.

And did I read no Flash yet? Ridiculous isn't it? No See Saw, no iPlayer - but the ability to purchase video from iTunes.

Bill Gates took an awful lot of flack for being money grubbing, didn't he - but Apple are the kings of that.

Nice kit or not, it makes me resent them very much.

[Sput]

*Once again I am going to whack you with my data cock* iPlayer is available in an iWhatever friendly format. If I DID own one, I'd probably be copying photos to my computer first and foremost, so I'm not convinced the lack of the SD/USB host stuff is that outrageous since this is still mainly a client sort of device like an ipod, with the computer the server. Kind of. In an offline synchy sort of way.

[Gavin Scott]

*Once again I am going to whack you with my data cock* iPlayer is available in an iWhatever friendly format. If I DID own one, I'd probably be copying photos to my computer first and foremost, so I'm not convinced the lack of the SD/USB host stuff is that outrageous since this is still mainly a client sort of device like an ipod, with the computer the server. Kind of. In an offline synchy sort of way.

Ok that's iPlayer - but Flash is everywhere, and the only reason they don't use it is because they don't own the damned thing. That's pretty obvious to everyone I would say.

Not having bought into iTunes and its closed format, that's not really the way I like to operate. I copy data to my mobile device in an ad hoc'y way - not constantly syncing everything. I don't particularly want everything all at once.

I'm an undemanding man, you see.

Mobile net and apps would be fun, and the screen and interface is delicious. No question. But paying for everything through iTunes? Pfft.

Maybe the Apple thing just isn't for me.

[Sput]

Is it patronising for me to point out the amazon mp3 store and lack of DRM on iTunes music?

[Gavin Scott]

Is it patronising for me to point out the amazon mp3 store and lack of DRM on iTunes music?

No, educational.

Tell me more of this non DRM capability.

You might end up making a sale.

[Sput]

Well, since January 2009 there hasn't been any DRM on itunes music (it's still on the apps and videos) so the only compatability issue with iTunes music you'll have is that with your wallet since it's rather more costly than the Amazon mp3 store. The easiest solution is to use whatever source for your media and to add everything into itunes and use it to sync, but iThings aren't the only place you can play the files. Also provided the right kind of file format is used there's nothing to stop your generic videos being synched via iTunes too.

[Gavin Scott]

Well, since January 2009 there hasn't been any DRM on itunes music (it's still on the apps and videos) so the only compatability issue with iTunes music you'll have is that with your wallet since it's rather more costly than the Amazon mp3 store. The easiest solution is to use whatever source for your media and to add everything into itunes and use it to sync, but iThings aren't the only place you can play the files. Also provided the right kind of file format is used there's nothing to stop your generic videos being synched via iTunes too.

I have a fairly extensive and eclectic library of music in mp3, and for newer tracks I've taken to using spotify a lot.

I'd have to dump all of those mp3s to iTunes (or those I want to sync to the pad) then? Are you saying it would catalogue and play them as-is or would they be converted to their format?

Sorry for the n00b question - I'm sure this is common knowledge for those who use iBlah.

How does the DRM'd video limit me from moving/copying and having on more than one device or pc?

[Pete]

In answer to the first question, supposing you have all your MP3s in a nice simple "music" folder you just add that folder to itunes first time and it sorts them all by the metadata, no conversions or anything unless you instruct it to.

So you're not going to have two copies on your PC.


I generally hate iTunes and use winamp for music but I keep it on my PC for three reasons.
1. Because of its amazing ability to rename all the folders / files according to the metadata which mixed with Winamp's "send to autotag" feature is just fab and keeps my music folder immaculate.
2. It's useful ability to convert files from whatever format into MP3 (since dbPowerAmp went rubbish)
3. New car supports "CD Text" to show the track names on the screen. iTunes can burn CDs with that whereas winamp can't.

Aside from that I avoid it as a bloated lump.

And before anyone asks, my BBC News Feem Choons are listed under "Sounds" rather than "Music" thus avoiding any embarrassing shuffle based incidents around normos.

[Sput]

Gav: The DRM only affects video purchased from itunes. Your own video, subject to it being in the right format (MPEG4 I believe?) then would play on your iDevice and itunes will happily synch it over. All the rest is what hyma said. Itunes is really just a set of links to your existing files.