Topic: iPad...meh

[Stogi]

What's so enjoyable about it? That's a serious question. I would like to know.

I've fooled around with my brother's iPad (he's an Apple nut) and I wasn't impress.

Where do you use it?

Why do you use it?

If you say "Home, and the internet." I'm going to laugh.

[TJ Spyke]

I use it at home (too big for me to bring with me). I don't use it for the Internet (my laptop is much better for that). I use it as an e-reader (I am not gonna ruin my eyesight trying to read on the iPod Touch screen), play games (a lot of great iPa-exclusive games or improved versions of games), Netflix videos, and watching other videos on the big screen it provides. I was a skeptic before I bought it, but I am really enjoying it. I don't think I would pay for 3G (although you don't have to sign a contract, you can go month by month and just pay for months you want to use it), but they do have a Wi-Fi only model.

[NWR_insanolord]

I use it at home sometimes because it's easier to move from room to room than my 15" notebook. I also use it a lot at school, because it gets better battery life than said notebook. I've used it to take notes in class, and work on papers when I'm away from my apartment. I love the touch interface; there are things I'll do on the iPad even when I'm sitting by my computer because I like the way it works. Also, I have to go out to my sister's college to help move her in and out, and that's a 6 hour car ride, which is made so much easier by the iPad.

My ideal device would be a mix of an iPad and a MacBook Air. It would normally be an iPad, but could boot into OS X if I needed it, with a full keyboard and USB ports along with the touch screen.

[RABicle]

I don't have one myself but my Grandma does.

She uses it to check her email and read the news and play solitaire and watch videos of cats and look at photos. Sure, she could do all that on her iMac but the iMac is really big and expensive and not porta- you get the idea.

Unagi the iPad isn't a product that people buy for functionality because everyone can already do everything it offers. It's a lifestyle product. So yeah people will use it for the internet at home, but in different ways to browsing on your computer. If I had an iPad it would live almost permanently on my breakfast table, I'd check facebook and ABC online and twitter as I eat breakfast. Maybe I'd watch a movie in bed sometimes. Now I don't have the money to splash out and live that lifestyle now and I can already do those things with my laptop, but it'd be nicer to do them with a touch interface, a bitching battery life and not overheating like a motherfucker.

[Stogi]

I understand what you're saying and in a word it's convenience. But that's not the point I'm getting at.

There isn't a single shred of doubt in my mind that tablets will be incredibly popular. I think one day they will be the equivalent to what laptops are to desktops. But at this moment in time, the iPad is simply a gimped machine with a decent sized screen. Other than ease of use, it has no outstanding features. Like you said yourself, everything that could be done on an iPad could be done way better on something else. Maybe I'm simply not that lazy or maybe it's the setup I have at home, but paying upwards 600 dollars for a slate that does nothing incredible is mind-boggling.

Would it be nice to take to certain places? For sure simply because of its size and battery life. But would I ever consider using it for something other than frivolousness? No. And that's my point.

[gbuell]

I'll make sure to forward your suggestions on to Apple, I'm sure they'll find them really helpful!

[gbuell]

There are phones already out that have more power, resolution (pixel density), more battery life and sheer options than this new iPad (oh and they support flash).

Which phones are those? Serious question.

[NWR_insanolord]

Like you said yourself, everything that could be done on an iPad could be done way better on something else.

Except that's not what he said. He simply said it could be done on something else. If you scroll up a little more, you'll see that I said there are things I prefer to do on my iPad even when I'm sitting by my computer. I much prefer to read news on my iPad, because the apps I have do at least as well as, and often significantly better than, the equivalents on my computer. Flipboard, for instance, is a fantastic way to browse stories from my RSS feeds, far better than any standard newsreader. It's not just convenience, either; it's much more comfortable to curl up on the couch with my iPad than to use my notebook on the same couch.

You really need to experience it for a while to get it. I initially bought the thing because I was an Apple fanboy, but I didn't realize how much of a game-changer it was until I'd used it for a few days.

[RABicle]

Yeah the problem with your statement Unagi was that things can be done way better on another machine. That simply isn't true. Tablets do some things like reading news, browsing emails and sharing photos far better than any PC or laptop or phone can do. And it's because of the touchscreen, portability and the A4 sized screen. I know it's all a matter of taste but I think you'll find a lot more people would appreciate flicking their fingers to scrolling.

In the video on apple's site, where they briefly showed a teacher using it in a classroom while it streamed (wirelessly to an AppleTV or corded into the HDMI port) to a big screen was to me, as a teacher, amazing. The possibilities in jsut those 3 seconds of footage were incredible.

Now I know other tablets can do this to and maybe, probably have higher specs at a cheaper price but I'm already invested far too deeply in Apple. Syncing with iTunes, streaming to an AppleTV, it wouldn't be worth the money saved buying an Android based machine for me.

[TJ Spyke]

For anybody who is interested in a iPad, Best Buy has knocked down the price of all 6 versions of the original iPad by $100 to help clear out inventory before the iPad 2 comes out.

[BlackNMild2k1]

There are 6 versions?

PokiPad? Gotta catch em all?

[TJ Spyke]

There is a 3G version and a Wi-Fi version, and both come in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB sizes. So a total of 6 different models (the Wi-Fi 16GB model is $500 normally, the 3G 64 GB model is $829 normally), and all six are being reduced by $100.

[nickmitch]

There's 9 versions of the iPad 2. 3 Wi-Fi only and 3 3G capable versions for Verizon and AT&T each.

[BlackNMild2k1]

iPad2 commercial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW37nPzpAwY

[BranDonk Kong]

That was a pretty good commercial. The thing that bugs me the most about these things (and others are going along with it), is the absolutely ridiculous price differences between different models. A 3G radio doesn't cost anywhere near $130 (more like $15-20), so you're really getting fucked when you buy the 3G version, but what's the point of buy a WiFi only version? You still get fucked. Also, it doesn't cost $100 more to put a 32GB chip in instead of a 16GB chip. I understand that profit is the whole concept here, but the pricing scheme is absurd, and the fact that there's now 9 different versions is absolutely ridiculous. There should be 2 versions - a 64GB AT&T versioni, and a 64GB Verizon version - that's it. It should cost around $600, Apple would still make a cool $200 on each one, not including subsidies from AT&T and Verizon that they surely make off of their data plans. BTW, both tiered plans suck, but since neither require a contract, you'd have to be a moron to go with AT&T. Their 3G (I can't believe it's still 3G, that's retarded too) is nowhere near as expansive as Verizon's, and it costs more when you break it down. Lowest pricing is $15 for AT&T at 250MB, and $20 for Verizon at 1GB.

That commercial is pretty funny. They had one on Conan last night too that was pretty good.

Oh, that new adapter is absolutely retarded looking, and is the most unlike Apple thing I've ever seen them make. Just put 2 fucking connectors on the iPad, don't make people buy this retarded looking dongle, and if you do, make it so the splitter/adapter doesn't have a wire between it and the iPad, make it flush against the damn thing.

[Stogi]

I'm not going to be ignorant of where this is going and simply say, we are not going to see eye to eye on this. But because it's lethargic, I'm going to reply to what has been said anyway.

Rabicle, I can definitely see how an iPad could be useful in the professional world. While teaching could improve with it, what popped into my mind was the medical profession.

But i digress, on a day to day basis, do you use it for anything that isn't frivolous? Now, I can guess what your thinking. Aren't most products around the house not needed, i.e. frivolous? And the answer is yes, but every item serves a specific purpose. My iPod could be considered frivolous but I have my entire music collection in the right breast pocket of my jacket. My PS3 or Wii could be considered frivolous, but those provide an escape or a fun distraction. What is the purpose of an iPad? Sharing photos? Reading news and email? Lying on the couch doing those things? I don't see the unique purpose.

I keep thinking to myself, "Wouldn't it be nice to have it in this situation." But then I think to myself, an iphone (or any like device) could do this and I wouldn't need a bag to carry it.

If I could use it in tandem with my laptop, pushing and pulling information back and forth like something out of "Avatar", then I would buy it.

But like I said, that's just me and we are not going to see eye to eye.

There are phones already out that have more power, resolution (pixel density), more battery life and sheer options than this new iPad (oh and they support flash).

Which phones are those? Serious question.

The Atrix, the samsung 4g, and the htc thunderbolt to name a few.

[Shaymin]

For anybody who is interested in a iPad, Best Buy has knocked down the price of all 6 versions of the original iPad by $100 to help clear out inventory before the iPad 2 comes out.

Pretty sure this is an across-the-board price drop from Apple. If you purchased an iPad 1 within 2 weeks of the announcement date, you can contact Apple to get a $100 refund.

[TJ Spyke]

Ah, OK. I hadn't checked other places, I just saw Best Buy advertising it. Even better for people who want one.