iPad - Thoughts?

[Galleleo]

Well fine, my point wasn't specifically words/etc. Just in general that they need to move it more towards a notebook.

[Zizzo]

:|

edit: http://theflashblog.com/?p=1703

[Cojafoji]

but seriously, it's just another crummy product that people will buy "just cause".

[Eric is God]

I followed the conference live and was expecting to hear that Apple was dropping their exclusivity agreement with AT&T. When that wasn't announced I turned my attention to the iPad specs and I still don't understand who this product is for. It's Apple so I'm sure it will sell millions, but I also expect it to cannibalize iPhone sales which is great news for my company. Even though the iPad will be coming to Verizon, the cheap unlimited data plan is only going to place a greater strain on AT&T service. Can't wait until carriers are forced to remove unlimited plans and start charging iPhone users for all that porn streaming.

In case you are interested in getting an iPad Epi, analysts expect the data plans for Canadian carriers to be double what AT&T is charging. If you have a good WiFi connection don't bother with the data plan and enjoy your super sized coffee table coaster :grin:

[Galaxy Turbo]

The iPad itself is an interesting topic to discuss, mainly because of the area of the market that Apple are wanting to now focus on.

The cost of the thing is really still quite overpriced, as are most of Apple's gadgetry. As they continue to develop their devices as closed systems, there is little scope for further development/customisation in terms of the hardware, but this is all about Apple's whole methodology. By creating these closed systems and completely streamlining their products of the functions, they take out the elements of complexity; they want their system to be easily usable, and the fact that they seal their devices to that degree seems to project some kind of confidence on their part. It's not supposed to be tinkered around with, it's just supposed to work, and I think that by following this route they can appeal to a certain niche.

Now the thing essentially runs on the same stuff as the iPhone, hence why people are calling it a bigger iPhone, but wait a minute, is there really something wrong with that? Sure, the thing can't multitask either, but maybe it wasn't designed for us. Maybe the idea is to buy this thing and give it to our mothers (even possibly grandparents) who are possibly intimidated by buttons everywhere and keyboards and a trackpad square. The user interface is tailored to be as simple as possible, if I gave this to my mother, she can just go on her emails instantly and check them, she can probably get Solitaire loaded up on the thing if she likes and she can do a couple of other things too, and that suits her fine. She can read books etc. etc, I don't need to go on.

As for flash support, Apple probably won't bring in Flash support as it would then render their entire Appstore useless, people will just be able to design apps that launch Safari (or whatever iPhone browser) and load their favourite games etc. etc. But hey, wait a minute, Flash CS5 will then support the development of iPhone Apps, so I suppose there is even more reason not to allow flash capability.

This thing will way obviously kill the Kindle dead, and the iPad may allow its users to sketch and draw, but it won't have anywhere near the decent amount of pressure sensitivity that products such as the Wacom Cintiq's have, so digital artists will have no problems being competed against in that respect.

I do have to agree that there is little innovation on Apple's part, the only innovative thing about it is it's completely streamlined output both in terms of hardware and UI. There may be other products out there which can emulate the iPad, convert themselves to interactive surfaces and support multitouch capabilities, but very few will reach the simplicity that Apple have achieved with the iPad.

Just for notice, I'm not an Apple fan, in fact I much prefer PCs and Windows. I study Interactive Design and am really interested in human centred design and user experience with interactive products/services.

[RATTY...]

This thing will way obviously kill the Kindle dead, and the iPad may allow its users to sketch and draw, but it won't have anywhere near the decent amount of pressure sensitivity that products such as the Wacom Cintiq's have, so digital artists will have no problems being competed against in that respect.

Fail.

It's not even close to each other, and the Kindle is said to have two weeks worth of reading on one charge. Been borrowing my friend's for some weeks, and I dont think the Ipad will be as comfortable when reading books over time.

Iphone > Ipad

Reading books
Kindle > Ipad

It doesn't do anything new, and it's way overprised.

[project dragon]

Seems the battle over the price of ebooks will benefit from this though.
Also, the mention that this could be used as a comic-book reader sounds nice.


Still won't buy one though.

Still waiting on the Zune HD to come to Canada!!

[Xog]

i can now refer to my iphone as my ipad nano

[Galaxy Turbo]

It's not even close to each other, and the Kindle is said to have two weeks worth of reading on one charge. Been borrowing my friend's for some weeks, and I dont think the Ipad will be as comfortable when reading books over time

Okay, so maybe I was a little bit opinionated on this front by saying it will do that, but I still have to disagree with you.

The iPad may not support multi-tasking, but it is multifunctional. I don't think a user will buy a machine for a dedicated purpose (unless there was something special about it), as opposed to buying a machine that can fulfil that same purpose and lots more. You bring a fair point about the comfort though it isn't as justified because you haven't tried the iPad. Who knows Ratty, you may like the iPad more because it may possibly weigh less (I haven't looked at statistics like weight or anything, just making a point).

It doesn't do anything new, and it's way overprised.

What if it doesn't have to do anything new? Maybe it is just accommodating a new market of users? Could you imagine giving the iPad to your mom, and telling her it's easy to check her mail etc. etc.?

We've yet to find out what kind of users Apple aim to target this product to, or if it will satisfy that niche, but hypothetically speaking it could prove as a good transition into technology, it's not a laptop and it's not a smartphone, which is the interesting part for Apple because they are entering uncharted territory, which could either spell success, or completely crash.

[RATTY...]

Okay, so maybe I was a little bit opinionated on this front by saying it will do that, but I still have to disagree with you.

The iPad may not support multi-tasking, but it is multifunctional. I don't think a user will buy a machine for a dedicated purpose (unless there was something special about it), as opposed to buying a machine that can fulfil that same purpose and lots more. You bring a fair point about the comfort though it isn't as justified because you haven't tried the iPad. Who knows Ratty, you may like the iPad more because it may possibly weigh less (I haven't looked at statistics like weight or anything, just making a point).

It's better to have something who's lightweight, and dedicated to do one thing, than have an iPad do many things halfassed. Like the TVs with DVD combined, a good idea once it came out, but useless because both performed badly. I don't want a phone that can play music, because the sound is worse than a dedicated player, and the battery has to be shared between music and important phone usage. It doesn't help to cry when the phone is out of battery at a critical moment.

as opposed to buying a machine that can fulfil that same purpose and lots more.

Aren't you shooting yourself in the foot with this argument? That's what a small laptop does compared to the useless iPad with its weak specifications AND LACK OF USB, that's the worst thing ever. With the top model only having 64GB (which is the same as the iPod Touch), I can already see it having storage problems without an USB access.

We've yet to find out what kind of users Apple aim to target this product to, or if it will satisfy that niche, but hypothetically speaking it could prove as a good transition into technology, it's not a laptop and it's not a smartphone, which is the interesting part for Apple because they are entering uncharted territory, which could either spell success, or completely crash.

Isn't it a sign of a flawed product when even the consumers can't see who it is aimed for? IF the product somehow becomes a success, it's mainly because of the design and and Apple effect. The product isn't innovative or useful at all, mediocre at its best.

[Galaxy Turbo]

It's better to have something who's lightweight, and dedicated to do one thing, than have an iPad do many things halfassed. Like the TVs with DVD combined, a good idea once it came out, but useless because both performed badly. I don't want a phone that can play music, because the sound is worse than a dedicated player, and the battery has to be shared between music and important phone usage. It doesn't help to cry when the phone is out of battery at a critical moment.

I agree, dedicated devices are normally so much better. However if we assume this is a larger iPod Touch (Which is a very valid argument at this point) then on a user experience/interaction/software level, this thing does seem to hit the bill. If you take the iPhone interface, usability and quality control each AppStore app goes through, then there's definitely a lot that Apple could be proud of. It would then be that Apple doesn't exactly need to innovate with this product, they already have something that is Grade A in relation to UI/UX design.

Aren't you shooting yourself in the foot with this argument? That's what a small laptop does compared to the useless iPad with its weak specifications AND LACK OF USB, that's the worst thing ever. With the top model only having 64GB (which is the same as the iPod Touch), I can already see it having storage problems without an USB access.

Weak specifications maybe, however for what the product does, the iPad doesn't exactly need better specifications. Being able to reduce the specifications means that the product is cheaper and has greater sales potential. As for the lack of USB, my opinion/theory is that Apple believe that in some of the predictions that technology is going to go through. Further streamlining products, meaning less data storage ports and more like data hosting clouds. Even Google's new Chrome OS is heading in this direction, where all of your data is stored on a server instead of a hard drive. Again, opinion, gotta make sure that's clear.

Isn't it a sign of a flawed product when even the consumers can't see who it is aimed for? IF the product somehow becomes a success, it's mainly because of the design and and Apple effect. The product isn't innovative or useful at all, mediocre at its best.

There are undoubtedly a hell of a lot of Apple fanboys who will get their hands on this thing under the guise of it being so great because "it just works" like the rest of Apple products, but I think it's the usefulness of the product that is under more serious question than its target audience. The way I'm seeing it, the iPad is just another obstacle, another thing someone has to carry around, another thing that just sits on the coffee table looking shiny, and another thing someone will have to network to so they can access/handle files. The unique quality of the iPad seems to solely be the idea behind it, rather than what the thing actually does.

But yeah agreed, if consumers aren't understanding it, then they are already losing a lot of potential, it needs more.