Apple iPad: Who's In? by Kwicko

REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

Apple iPad: Who's In?

POSTED BY: KWICKO
UPDATED: Friday, January 29, 2010 10:17
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Wednesday, January 27, 2010 2:59 PM

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)

Anybody else excited by the new Apple iPad tablet computer?

http://www.apple.com/ipad/

Being a Mac user for over 25 years now, I'm a li'l giddy about it. I missed out on the iPhone, being a Verizon customer (I literally THREW my AT&T cellphone out my car window when I couldn't get a signal right here in Austin, much less on the road between here and... well, ANYWHERE.)

I'm currently running an old lime-green 1G iMac, a 2G iMac (the "volleyball"-bodied one with the screen on a stalk), and my trusty white MacBook. But I'm really looking forward to this new computer/reader/everything box.

Anyone else?

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010 3:12 PM

NAVYSEILS

I think it just looks like an iPhone that wont fit in your pocket.

Don't get me wrong, it's pretty and I'm sure lots of fun to mess around with. I wouldn't say no if someone offered it to me... but I wasn't all that excited either.

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010 3:16 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!

I don't need another expensive thing to accidentally put through the wash.

***************************************************************

Silence is consent.

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010 4:14 PM

KWICKO

I'm pretty sure I couldn't manage to put this through the wash, Rue. And if I *could* manage that, then the dead 'puter would be the least of my problems. :)

I love the iBooks idea, and expect it to do for reading what iTunes has done for music.

One thing I *would* like to see, and haven't yet, from anyone:

If you buy an e-book, you really should get the e-book file AND the audiobook file included in the same price. And you should be able to have them sync up, so if you put a "bookmark" in the book where you leave off listening to it in your car on the way home from work, you can pick up READING it on the reader when you go to bed that night. THAT would be cool.

I love the layout of the iBooks app - the bookshelf look from your local bookseller or newsstand...

... but I worry what it might mean for my ACTUAL local bookseller or newsstand.

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010 4:23 PM

PHOENIXROSE

You think you know--what's to come, what you are. You haven't even begun.

Yes. Want.

Will be spending that kind of money on other things first, unfortunately.

...Want.

[/sig]

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010 4:49 PM

FREMDFIRMA

Only if you can BLOCK the original source from deleting YOUR data - that I-book thing is still annoyin me.

And Mikey, admit it, you want the damn thing cause you're a trekkie and it looks like a Trek Datapad.

-F

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010 5:05 PM

KWICKO

Actually, Frem, that's kind of my one big worry about the thing: the lack of a "real" keyboard. I'm hell on a keyboard, typing 75wpm or more without thinking about it. But put me on one of those tiny texting phones, even with a QWERTY layout, and I'm a slug. My index finger doesn't know where "Q" is; my PINKIE does!

So although this looks like a real keyboard and is sized pretty close to one, it doesn't have the tactile FEEL of the keys, and I fear my fingers will be wandering off the edge.

Now, if only they could integrate a piano keyboard into it, and teach me to play...

By the way, are you talking about The Next Generation Trek? I don't remember the data pads in the original series, and never really got into TNG much, since I didn't own a TV then.

Wow, doing a little digging, it DOES look damn similar to the PADDs from the Star Trek universe.

Of course, my inner geek is now having to fight a full-on phaser-versus-photon torpedo war with my inner nerd, to see which one wants this thing the most!

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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Thursday, January 28, 2010 7:38 AM

ZEEK

If apple sent me a free one I'd probably end up selling it on ebay. I don't see any use for the thing. My laptop already does way more than this thing can and it has a keyboard.

From what I understand this thing runs the iphone/ipod touch OS. Meaning it can only run one application at a time. Even netbooks have more functionality than that.

It also seems like you'll be buying all your applications for this thing at the app store. No thanks. If I have a computer I want it to run applications from a wide variety of companies. Not just things apple approve.

How do you even operate this think in say a coffee shop? Do you leave it sitting flat on a table and have to hunch over it or do you hold it up with your hands and have no way to operate it? I guess the other option is you carry around a stand with you wherever you go. Doesn't seem very mobile friendly.

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Thursday, January 28, 2010 7:58 AM

FREELANCERTEX

Trying to type on a touchpad like that would annoy the shit outta me. I'm used to feeling the keys and I type very fast. That alone would make me not get it. I'm happy with conventional laptops (and I don't like Macs)

Edit: that, and the fact that the keyboard would take up half the screen...sorry, no. I already have mediocre vision.

Can it really only run one application at a time? Ouch.

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Thursday, January 28, 2010 8:55 AM

JONGSSTRAW

I like my current cell phone:

And I like my current computer:

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Thursday, January 28, 2010 10:56 AM

KWICKO

Quote:
Originally posted by freelancertex:
Trying to type on a touchpad like that would annoy the shit outta me. I'm used to feeling the keys and I type very fast. That alone would make me not get it. I'm happy with conventional laptops (and I don't like Macs)

Edit: that, and the fact that the keyboard would take up half the screen...sorry, no. I already have mediocre vision.

Can it really only run one application at a time? Ouch.

]

Haven't heard anything about how many apps it'll run at once, but my current MacBook easily runs 6-8 apps simultaneously. I have a habit of starting up every application I'm likely to be using that day, and leaving them in the background in case I need them. Word, Excel, Photoshop, Illustrator, Safari, Firefox, Stickies, iTunes, a CD/DVD labelmaker layout program, etc., are usually up and running at any given moment, just in case I need 'em. Never noticed any big slowdowns running those.

As for the keyboard, that's my one big worry about it. But it's certainly no worse than the crap keypads on BlackBerry devices and their ilk, or my ridiculously unusable phone (LG Chocolate). If I got the iPad, I'd doubtless get one of the tiny bluetooth Mac keyboards, or one of the even niftier roll-up neoprene ones.

As for having a stand, I thought this leather "datebook" style case was pretty nifty, in that it's a stand as well, and will also hold a small external keyboard, from the looks of it.

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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Thursday, January 28, 2010 11:35 AM

STORYMARK

I'm not terribly impressed by it, no. I'll stick to my netbook and desktop. I don't need a status symbol with no flash compatibility, no webcam, not even a glare-resistant screen.... no. Maybe after a few generations, but not this thing, no thanks.

Oh, and as for how many apps at once - one. they didn't design this to muti-task. It uses a modified version of the iPhone OS. They don't want it to compete with the MacBooks.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Friday, January 29, 2010 4:46 AM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up

Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
Actually, Frem, that's kind of my one big worry about the thing: the lack of a "real" keyboard. I'm hell on a keyboard, typing 75wpm or more without thinking about it. But put me on one of those tiny texting phones, even with a QWERTY layout, and I'm a slug. My index finger doesn't know where "Q" is; my PINKIE does!

Heard on the radio (All Things Considered, I believe) that a plug-in keyboard will be available. Also, it doesn't have a phone, so you get to carry one of those around too.

As for the e-book thing? Drop a paperback and step on it, and you can dust it off and continue reading. Do the same to an I-Pad and you're out several hundred bucks. Besides, you can't use the I-Pad as emergency kindling.

Think I'll stick with my laptop.

"Keep the Shiny side up"

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Friday, January 29, 2010 4:51 AM

KWICKO

You mean you can drop your laptop and step on it, or use it for kindling?

Does your laptop have a phone?

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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Friday, January 29, 2010 5:26 AM

PIZMOBEACH

... fully loaded, safety off...

I'm with you Mike as far as an early Mac adopter - I have a 12" laptop and a first gen iphone 'cuz I just had to.
So I want to like it, I'm sure it has a very high cool factor, but I think this one's a bust :(
What it does well iphones and an ibooks can do better. I'd pocket your money - at least ride out the first wave.
I think it's stuck in a place where it will almost always be underutilized because making it truly useful would take away share from their laptop and iphone sales.
I like books too - always on, and very Green.

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.com

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Friday, January 29, 2010 5:42 AM

KWICKO

Piz: I'm not likely to buy the first round of iPad. I made that mistake once already, when I bought the "volleyball" iMac.

I bought in early, because it was time for a new computer, and this one was just announced, so I preordered. When I finally got it, I plugged it in, fired it up... and... nothing. Deadsville. Turns out it had a bad motherboard AND a bad SuperDrive (which was the newest, bestest thing at the moment), and both of those components were on global backorder due to the overwhelming demand.

I'm interested in the iPad because it looks like it would do MOST of the things I want it to do, in a highly portable form factor. I don't hang out at coffee shops typing my epic novel or screenplay; in fact, my MacBook rarely leaves the house; when it does, it tends to travel to the back porch or the garage, but that's about it. (And it makes a VERY handy workshop helper, since I keep PDF files of the Honda CRX Factory Service Manuals, Electrical Troubleshooting Manuals, and other things on it, which are easily searchable).

My desktop Macs tend to do more of the "heavy lifting" running the bulk of the graphics and imaging software. In fact, the notebook tends to get used most often to pull up IMDB (the Internet Movie DataBase) when I'm watching a show and looking at an actor and saying, "Who IS that girl? Where do I know her from?"

So the 'Pad might be handy for that, for bathroom reading, for the occasional blast or rant on FFF.net, and for carrying around my music, keeping books handy, and laying out travel routes with large, easy-to-read maps and possibly even a large-screen version of live GPS, if the connectivity is really there.

So it would be handy for me personally, where a full notebook might be a bit of overkill for what I'm actually using it for most of the time.

Now if only Apple had a "universal remote" function, or a picture-in-picture function that would throw a 10" web browser onto a corner of my TV. Maybe the next version will have that... :)

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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Friday, January 29, 2010 6:41 AM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up

Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
Does your laptop have a phone?

Nope. But it comes with an actual keyboard already attached, not as an extra-cost option you have to cart around seperately.

"Keep the Shiny side up"

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Friday, January 29, 2010 6:46 AM

KWICKO

Meh... I'll reserve judgment on the onscreen keyboard until I've actually had a chance to use it. If it has "home keys" (bumps on the J and F keys), I'm sure I'll get used to it. I kinda like the idea of not having a big clamshell box to lug around.

Besides, after 20+ years of mousing around, I got used to a trackpad quickly enough.

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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Friday, January 29, 2010 7:09 AM

ZEEK

Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
...when I couldn't get a signal right here in Austin...

*thread jack* Austin you say? Have you done anything with the Austin browncoats?

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Friday, January 29, 2010 7:24 AM

KWICKO

Quote:
Originally posted by Zeek:
Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
...when I couldn't get a signal right here in Austin...

*thread jack* Austin you say? Have you done anything with the Austin browncoats?

I haven't. But that's mostly because I'm quite a social maladroit. :) I'm really not comfortable in crowds. And yet I love a happening. It's a paradox, I know...

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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Friday, January 29, 2010 7:47 AM

ZEEK

Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
I haven't. But that's mostly because I'm quite a social maladroit. :) I'm really not comfortable in crowds. And yet I love a happening. It's a paradox, I know...

How big of a crowd makes you uncomfortable? We've had some get togethers with less than 10 people in attendance. Plus they're all really friendly. You should at least go to first Sunday sometime. Every first Sunday of the month a get together to watch an episode of Firefly. What could be bad about that?

You can keep up with what's going on here: http://www.austinbrowncoats.com/forum/index.php

Uh...you could even view that on an iPad (lame attempt at relevance to the thread)

ok /thread jack

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Friday, January 29, 2010 9:01 AM

STORYMARK

Also - no USB, and like the iPhone, it's AT&T exclusive for 3G.

The more I read, the less appealing it is.

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Friday, January 29, 2010 9:07 AM

KWICKO

AT&T exclusivity is a dealkiller for me. It's why I never got the iPhone. :)

But I s'pose I could forego the 3G aspect of it, if the WiFi and Bluetooth are up to snuff. Have to get my hands on one before I make a buying decision. Well, that, and let them work the bugs out first. :)

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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Friday, January 29, 2010 10:17 AM

KWICKO

Quote:
Originally posted by Zeek:
Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
I haven't. But that's mostly because I'm quite a social maladroit. :) I'm really not comfortable in crowds. And yet I love a happening. It's a paradox, I know...

How big of a crowd makes you uncomfortable? We've had some get togethers with less than 10 people in attendance. Plus they're all really friendly. You should at least go to first Sunday sometime. Every first Sunday of the month a get together to watch an episode of Firefly. What could be bad about that?

You can keep up with what's going on here: http://www.austinbrowncoats.com/forum/index.php

Uh...you could even view that on an iPad (lame attempt at relevance to the thread)

ok /thread jack

First off, good job on steering into the skid and getting the thread back on track!

Second, I *won't* be there for First Sunday for February, that's for sure. I'll be cooking up the wings and ribs, laying out the snack tray, and getting ready for the big game, which I have no interest in anyway (but it's an excuse to eat too much and watch commercials).

My boss is in a pickle - she's from N'awlins, and her husband is from Indy. There's going to be a battle at her house, so I'm staying away from that one! :)

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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