Apple Tablet

[NoRoadtrippin]

So, I know there are a number of Apple users here on the board. Who all is watching for the tablet today? With the hype that is out there, I am expecting it to do nothing less than create world peace and discover the cure for cancer.

Steve Jobs did nothing but downplay the iPhone before it came out, and he's called whatever they are showing off today, "the most important thing I have ever done." Should be interesting either way.

Any predictions of features?

[greenberetTFS]

Apple user all my life........ :cool: Can't wait to see it............;)

Big Teddy :munchin

[ZonieDiver]

Apple user all my life........ :cool: Can't wait to see it............;)

Big Teddy :munchin

ALL your life, Big Teddy? Was that first Apple computer made of stone? :D

[greenberetTFS]

ALL your life, Big Teddy? Was that first Apple computer made of stone? :D

Their first laptop was!............ ;)

Big Teddy :munchin

[Kyobanim]

Just a big iphone. That's gonna require a bigger pocket.

[JJ_BPK]

Apple user all my life........ :cool: Can't wait to see it............;)

Big Teddy :munchin

Teddy was sitting next to Newton when the 1st Apple fell... :D

[Slantwire]

Just a big iphone. That's gonna require a bigger pocket.

Plenty of space once all the money's taken out. :D

[Costa]

http://gizmodo.com/5434566/the-exhaustive-guide-to-apple-tablet-rumors

I expect it to be a bigger Iphone as well. Let's not forget that the Iphone itself is supposed to be made available to Verizon and T-mobile shortly.

[Dozer523]

Teddy was sitting next to Newton when the 1st Apple fell... :D Teddy was shakin' his head and making "crazy" finger gestures; pointin' at Eve when Adam saw his first Apple.

[Ryanr]

Just a big iphone. That's gonna require a bigger pocket.

Yeah... I don't really see the point. No multi-tasking, no Flash... it's just a giant iPhone that can't make phone calls. Not sure why I'd want that. :confused:

[Kyobanim]

it's just a giant iPhone that can't make phone calls. Not sure why I'd want that

Cause Steve says so.

In all seriousness, The projected low end cost of this is the same as the high end cost for the other 10 manufacturers that are or have released tablets. And it still has proprietary hardware in it, i.e., the CPU.

[Sigaba]

I watched as much of Mr. Jobs's show and tell as I could. Ninety seconds later, I was doing something else.

MOO, I think he should reboot his image to something other than the "I'm just one of the guys / Let me show you what we've got" blue jeans, black turtleneck, wire rimmed glasses self-caricature that he's become. The fact that he hid for so long his illness and did not announce a succession plan for his company indicates to me that he's no longer one of the guys but a shrewd capitalist looking to make every dime he can selling gee whiz technology at a premium.

(That being said, I was glad to see he's regained some of the weight he had lost. I want Jobs and Mr. Gates to live long, healthy lives so I can keep making wry--but not bitter--observations about both for decades to come.)

[Red Flag 1]

I watched as much of Mr. Jobs's show and tell as I could. Ninety seconds later, I was doing something else.

MOO, I think he should reboot his image to something other than the "I'm just one of the guys / Let me show you what we've got" blue jeans, black turtleneck, wire rimmed glasses self-caricature that he's become. The fact that he hid for so long his illness and did not announce a succession plan for his company indicates to me that he's no longer one of the guys but a shrewd capitalist looking to make every dime he can selling gee whiz technology at a premium.

(That being said, I was glad to see he's regained some of the weight he had lost. I want Jobs and Mr. Gates to live long, healthy lives so I can keep making wry--but not bitter--observations about both for decades to come.)

I find it a little hard to bring fire to bear on someone working through the stress of a devastating illness. That you are happy Mr. Jobs is alive to remain a target for you is sad, IMOO. Your comment adds nothing to this thread!

I'm not sure the shoes you have walked in during your life. I know first hand as a person and a retired provider of health care, what it is to face a life shortening event. YMMV.

My $.02.

RF 1

[greenberetTFS]

I find it a little hard to bring fire to bear on someone working through the stress of a devastating illness. That you are happy Mr. Jobs is alive to remain a target for you is sad, IMOO. Your comment adds nothing to this thread!

I'm not sure the shoes you have walked in during your life. I know first hand as a person and a retired provider of health care, what it is to face a life shortening event. YMMV.

My $.02.

RF 1

Jim makes an excellent point,I'm sure Sigaba got a little carried away with his remarks and should get the message you attempting to convey.......:(

Big Teddy :munchin

[Sigaba]

Message received.

To clarify my position, for quite a while, Mr. Jobs did nothing to dispel lingering rumors of his illness. He offered denial after denial to his own employees, stockholders, and end users. Meanwhile, Apple's stock started to dip and there was widespread concern within the tech industry and among some financial analysts that a significant part of the American economy was going to suffer because of his silence. <<LINK (http://www.businessinsider.com/2008/7/steve-jobs-health-worries-won-t-go-away-time-for-a-succession-plan-aapl-)>>

Men and women in the tech industry have amassed huge fortunes because of their brilliance and entrepreneurial spirit. At the same time, their insistence that they do things their way has wrecked misfortune on wide swaths of American society.

Source is here (http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/01/05sjletter.html).January 5, 2009
Letter from Apple CEO Steve Jobs

Dear Apple Community,

For the first time in a decade, I’m getting to spend the holiday season with my family, rather than intensely preparing for a Macworld keynote.

Unfortunately, my decision to have Phil deliver the Macworld keynote set off another flurry of rumors about my health, with some even publishing stories of me on my deathbed.

I’ve decided to share something very personal with the Apple community so that we can all relax and enjoy the show tomorrow.

As many of you know, I have been losing weight throughout 2008. The reason has been a mystery to me and my doctors. A few weeks ago, I decided that getting to the root cause of this and reversing it needed to become my #1 priority.

Fortunately, after further testing, my doctors think they have found the cause—a hormone imbalance that has been “robbing” me of the proteins my body needs to be healthy. Sophisticated blood tests have confirmed this diagnosis.

The remedy for this nutritional problem is relatively simple and straightforward, and I’ve already begun treatment. But, just like I didn’t lose this much weight and body mass in a week or a month, my doctors expect it will take me until late this Spring to regain it. I will continue as Apple’s CEO during my recovery.

I have given more than my all to Apple for the past 11 years now. I will be the first one to step up and tell our Board of Directors if I can no longer continue to fulfill my duties as Apple’s CEO. I hope the Apple community will support me in my recovery and know that I will always put what is best for Apple first.

So now I’ve said more than I wanted to say, and all that I am going to say, about this.

Steve

Source is here. (http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jun/25/business/fi-apple-jobs25)Apple's silence on Steve Jobs' health may have broken federal securities rules
Firms aren't required to disclose medical details about executives, lawyers say. But they are required to divulge 'material' information investors should know before buying or selling stock.
June 25, 2009|David Sarno and Walter Hamilton

LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK — Steve Jobs' medical condition turned out to be more serious than Apple Inc. officials had previously acknowledged -- and that has analysts and legal experts questioning whether the company ran afoul of federal securities rules.

Apple had disclosed in early January that Jobs had a "hormone imbalance" and would take a leave of absence, but never said he was so sick that he needed a liver transplant.

[MtnGoat]

http://gizmodo.com/5434566/the-exhaustive-guide-to-apple-tablet-rumors

I expect it to be a bigger Iphone as well. Let's not forget that the Iphone itself is supposed to be made available to Verizon.

Verizon mid Febuary

[NoRoadtrippin]

So, I'll say I am torn. It has some pluses and some minuses for sure.

I think that the second generation will be the way to go. Hopefully by then they will add some of the things that seem to be so glaringly missing.

[Trip_Wire (RIP)]

Frankly, as a long time Mac user I was disappointed after looking at all the specs and things built for it at thee Apple store. My iPod does all of the things it does and I can place it in a pocket. I was hoping for a more 'netbook' type of device.

Truthfully, I agree with you NoRoadtrippin, hopefully they will add the ability to run Mac OS, Verizon, a a built in video camera and a USB connection, etc.

I will not be buying one anytime soon until they offer more things.

I also hope that someone that made the comment that iPhone would be available on Verizon in Feb. (I have many doubts about this and the fact that Apple didn't offer Verizon on the iPad doesn't help it.)

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

[JJ_BPK]

Men and women in the tech industry have amassed huge fortunes because of their brilliance and entrepreneurial spirit. At the same time, their insistence that they do things their way has wrecked misfortune on wide swaths of American society.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQnT0zp8Ya4

:D

[NoRoadtrippin]

I am starting to see more uses for it the more I think about it, but I still think it needs some added features. It would definitely be useful in meetings in which I might need to update my calendar or want a larger view. Maybe to show someone a file or image. Things that having a small iPhone screen might not be great for, but a full-on folded open laptop might be obtrusive.

I've also really taken a liking to the idea of using it for bathroom reading. Holding a laptop is just too hard. :D

[LongWire]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQnT0zp8Ya4

:D

Spot On......That video is funny as hell, and damn correct. I'm an Mac user too.............

"Ebooks? I would have bought a Kindle!!!"...........LOL :D

[spherojon]

Its a giant iPhone. Although you cant run any Adobe based scripts on it (yet), it will be useful. There is a lot of technology that they are going to release for the iPad. Look for Google to re-amp the free online eBooks that pissed off France. You cant really multitask with the iPad, but once you integrate your iBook, iMac, iTv, iPhone, and iPad together, you will have maximized your business. Otherwise, its just smoke and mirrors. Personally, I use apple products because it makes life easier with iChat, and iCal. Not to mention that I use CS4, Final Cut, and AAE.

[greenberetTFS]

To JJ,Zonie and Dozer,

My wife told me to tell you guys,"Whatever"!!!!! ;)

Big Teddy :munchin

[jatx]

You cant really multitask with the iPad, but once you integrate your iBook, iMac, iTv, iPhone, and iPad together, you will have maximized your business.

Thanks for posting the most absurd statement made here in a long time.

[spherojon]

Thanks for posting the most absurd statement made here in a long time.

Sir,

Let me better explain. Multitasking, like listening to music while surfing the web, iPad cannot do. But controlling a power point, using your iPad, as a controller for you iBook (remote access app) that is inter-graded with iTv into your 52' plasma for an office presentation it can do. With your mobile me account you can also make sure everything is synced. There are big and small business applications for the iPad. For instance, you can use the iPad with its wi-fi technology to have a business lunch meeting, that both you and the other party can comfortably see. See what happens when you throw I-Tech in the mix.

http://www.virtual-laser-keyboard.com/

[Dozer523]

To JJ,Zonie and Dozer,

My wife told me to tell you guys,"Whatever"!!!!! ;)

Big Teddy :munchin Tell her we said, "Hi":D

[wallowinginfun]

I'm a pretty happy Mac user, mostly because I don't have to pay for antivirus and go to lengths to keep my computer from getting clogged with all manner of malicious junk. I LIKE Apple products.

That said, I'd be a lot more enthused if it had a USB jack and could multitask, not to mention if it supported flash and silverlight. I started getting pretty flustered with that intro video when Steve Jobs wouldn't shut up about how amazing it is to hold the internet in your hands, knowing he was well aware I couldn't watch Hulu or Netflix on his Ten Commandments tablet. The iPhone has been out for years, and still no flash support? I'm less than happy about that, but even less so with a device that's supposed to browse better than a regular laptop or desktop.

Also there's no network file sharing, no functionality with wireless network printing or iTunes remote speakers, and you have to use iTunes to move files between the iPad and any other device.

I'll be waiting for a laptop with a capacitive touch display, or until I can at least watch "The Office" on the iPad, or give someone a file without already having it on a flash drive. It's just missing too many features to justify carrying it around, let alone shelling out the cash for one.

I DO like the prepaid information plan though, as well as how much easier it seems to get things done on it. I guess what I'm saying is I feel the interface is well thought out, as I usually do with Apple products. The functionality of this kind of thing with a full keyboard on screen, along with multitasking, would be pretty impressive.

[NoRoadtrippin]

For the lack of Flash support, do a bit of googling. I have read five or six articles over the past couple of weeks that explain the reasoning behind this. None of which were published by Apple (just so the kool-aid isn't too overpowering).

Basically, Flash is an old architecture. It is written in 32-bit while OS X and Safari (along with Win 7 and others now) are moving to 64-bit, and apparently, Adobe has not planned on changing it to 64-bit any time soon. So this already requires Apple to alter the back end on Safari and such to make Flash run on the computers. According to Apple's error tracking, the vast majority of crashes in Safari are Flash related and since Adobe owns the code there is nothing Apple can do about it.

That appears to be the main argument Apple is putting forth. The lack of control or ability to fix an error or memory leak when discovered.

I read at least one article that is arguing that the universality of Flash on the net is dwindling. So, as products like this come out and website X sees that Apple device users can't consume their media they will be likely to change the delivery method if these products continue to gain market share.

[Sigaba]

There are big and small business applications for the iPad. For instance, you can use the iPad with its wi-fi technology to have a business lunch meeting, that both you and the other party can comfortably see. See what happens when you throw I-Tech in the mix.FWIW, I took this point to be what you meant in your previous post.

IMO, regardless of the gee whiz hardware and the bells and whistles of software, what makes a presentation succeed are the presenter and the content.

The Economist discussed Mr. Jobs and the iPad in its leader last week. Source is here (http://www.economist.com/opinion/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=15393377). The article mentioned in the piece is available here (http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15394190).

Tablet computing

The book of Jobs
Jan 28th 2010
From The Economist print edition


It has revolutionised one industry after another. Now Apple hopes to transform three at once

APPLE is regularly voted the most innovative company in the world, but its inventiveness takes a particular form. Rather than developing entirely new product categories, it excels at taking existing, half-baked ideas and showing the rest of the world how to do them properly. Under its mercurial and visionary boss, Steve Jobs, it has already done this three times. In 1984 Apple launched the Macintosh. It was not the first graphical, mouse-driven computer, but it employed these concepts in a useful product. Then, in 2001, came the iPod. It was not the first digital-music player, but it was simple and elegant, and carried digital music into the mainstream. In 2007 Apple went on to launch the iPhone. It was not the first smart-phone, but Apple succeeded where other handset-makers had failed, making mobile internet access and software downloads a mass-market phenomenon.

As rivals rushed to copy Apple’s approach, the computer, music and telecoms industries were transformed. Now Mr Jobs hopes to pull off the same trick for a fourth time. On January 27th he unveiled his company’s latest product, the iPad—a thin, tablet-shaped device with a ten-inch touch-screen which will go on sale in late March for $499-829 (see article (http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15394190)). Years in the making, it has been the subject of hysterical online speculation in recent months, verging at times on religious hysteria: sceptics in the blogosphere jokingly call it the Jesus Tablet.

The enthusiasm of the Apple faithful may be overdone, but Mr Jobs’s record suggests that when he blesses a market, it takes off. And tablet computing promises to transform not just one industry, but three—computing, telecoms and media.

Companies in the first two businesses view the iPad’s arrival with trepidation, for Apple’s history makes it a fearsome competitor. The media industry, by contrast, welcomes it wholeheartedly. Piracy, free content and the dispersal of advertising around the web have made the internet a difficult environment for media companies. They are not much keener on the Kindle, an e-reader made by Amazon, which has driven down book prices and cannot carry advertising. They hope this new device will give them a new lease of life, by encouraging people to read digital versions of books, newspapers and magazines while on the move. True, there are worries that Apple could end up wielding a lot of power in these new markets, as it already does in digital music. But a new market opened up and dominated by Apple is better than a shrinking market, or no market at all.

Keep taking the tablets

Tablet computers aimed at business people have not worked. Microsoft has been pushing them for years, with little success. Apple itself launched a pen-based tablet computer, the Newton, in 1993, but it was a flop. The Kindle has done reasonably well, and has spawned a host of similar devices with equally silly names, including the Nook, the Skiff and the Que. Meanwhile, Apple’s pocket-sized touch-screen devices, the iPhone and iPod Touch, have taken off as music and video players and hand-held games consoles.

The iPad is, in essence, a giant iPhone on steroids. Its large screen will make it an attractive e-reader and video player, but it will also inherit a vast array of games and other software from the iPhone. Apple hopes that many people will also use it instead of a laptop. If the company is right, it could open up a new market for devices that are larger than phones, smaller than laptops, and also double as e-readers, music and video players and games consoles. Different industries are already converging on this market: mobile-phone makers are launching small laptops, known as netbooks, and computer-makers are moving into smart-phones. Newcomers such as Google, which is moving into mobile phones and laptops, and Amazon, with the Kindle, are also entering the fray: Amazon has just announced plans for an iPhone-style “app store” for the Kindle, which will enable it to be more than just an e-reader.

If the past is any guide, Apple’s entry into the field will not just unleash fierce competition among device-makers, but also prompt consumers and publishers who had previously been wary of e-books to take the plunge, accelerating the adoption of this nascent technology. Sales of e-readers are expected to reach 12m this year, up from 5m in 2009 and 1m in 2008, according to iSuppli, a market-research firm.

Hold the front pixels

Will the spread of tablets save struggling media companies? Sadly not. Some outfits—metropolitan newspapers, for instance—are probably doomed by their reliance on classified advertising, which is migrating to dedicated websites. Others are too far gone already. Tablets are expensive, and it will be some years before they are widespread enough to fulfil their promise. In theory a newspaper could ask its readers to sign up for a two-year electronic subscription, say, and subsidise the cost of a tablet. But such a subsidy would be hugely pricey, and expensive printing presses will have to be kept running for readers who want to stick with paper.

Still, even though tablets will not save weak media companies, they are likely to give strong ones a boost. Charging for content, which has proved difficult on the web, may get easier. Already, people are prepared to pay to receive newspapers and magazines (including The Economist) on the Kindle. The iPad, with its colour screen and integration with Apple’s online stores, could make downloading books, newspapers and magazines as easy and popular as downloading music. Most important, it will allow for advertising, on which American magazines, in particular, depend. Tablets could eventually lead to a wholesale switch to digital delivery, which would allow newspapers and book publishers to cut costs by closing down printing presses.

If Mr Jobs manages to pull off another amazing trick with another brilliant device, then the benefits of the digital revolution to media companies with genuinely popular products may soon start to outweigh the costs. But some media companies are dying, and a new gadget will not resurrect them. Even the Jesus Tablet cannot perform miracles.

[wallowinginfun]

For the lack of Flash support, do a bit of googling. I have read five or six articles over the past couple of weeks that explain the reasoning behind this. None of which were published by Apple (just so the kool-aid isn't too overpowering).

Basically, Flash is an old architecture. It is written in 32-bit while OS X and Safari (along with Win 7 and others now) are moving to 64-bit, and apparently, Adobe has not planned on changing it to 64-bit any time soon. So this already requires Apple to alter the back end on Safari and such to make Flash run on the computers. According to Apple's error tracking, the vast majority of crashes in Safari are Flash related and since Adobe owns the code there is nothing Apple can do about it.

That appears to be the main argument Apple is putting forth. The lack of control or ability to fix an error or memory leak when discovered.

I read at least one article that is arguing that the universality of Flash on the net is dwindling. So, as products like this come out and website X sees that Apple device users can't consume their media they will be likely to change the delivery method if these products continue to gain market share.

Hmm. That certainly holds a bit of water now that you mention it. I used to not be able to use Firefox, or even have it on my Mac, because it would crash the flash based math homework site my school uses. One of the new versions fixed it, but now I'm pretty much set in my ways on Camino. Other Flash sites like Farmville (so I hear) take up a lot of memory too.

There's still the problem of supporting things like Hulu and Netflix, not to mention websites like Adult Swim, and more importantly to me, every online homework site my school uses. I spend a lot of time on that in particular.

I suppose I've got a bit of a chip on my shoulder, because it looks like such a handy thing to have, yet it has some pretty serious flaws in regards to how I would have to use the device.:boohoo

[deepblack 18x]

Deutsche Bank has a couple of these over at their NY office. I am a current iPhone user and got to play with it for like 10 minutes. I really felt like it was just a giant iPhone. To be honest I like my mini version better, I get 3G access everywhere on the planet and everything was essential the same. The one thing that was really sweet is the sidewalk cam on the Maps APP.

DB

[The Reaper]

....I get 3G access everywhere on the planet....

DB

DB:

I find that interesting.

Is AT&T your service provider?

TR

[deepblack 18x]

DB:

I find that interesting.

Is AT&T your service provider?

TR

Yes TR, I exaggerated a bit to make a point about the fact that the iPad is not 100% mobile. You are correct though my 3G service is not global.
Actually it is far from global, but it works very well here in the northeast.

DB

[spherojon]

Hmm. That certainly holds a bit of water now that you mention it. I used to not be able to use Firefox, or even have it on my Mac, because it would crash the flash based math homework site my school uses. One of the new versions fixed it, but now I'm pretty much set in my ways on Camino. Other Flash sites like Farmville (so I hear) take up a lot of memory too.

There's still the problem of supporting things like Hulu and Netflix, not to mention websites like Adult Swim, and more importantly to me, every online homework site my school uses. I spend a lot of time on that in particular.

I suppose I've got a bit of a chip on my shoulder, because it looks like such a handy thing to have, yet it has some pretty serious flaws in regards to how I would have to use the device.:boohoo

Sounds like you need to get yourself parallels. And for the Adobe Flash thing, the ball is in Adobe's hands. This is Apple's way of having Adobe make new software. This isn't the first time Apple has tried to push Adobe to make new software, this is why Apple created Final Cut, and why they should start diving into effects (because Adobe wont make AE use more then 2gs to render, let me tell you that is frustrating).

DX-iPad is meant to work off wi-fi connections as of right now, not a 3g network. Eventually they want to make it work on the 8g network (3gs is compatible for 8g network, just waiting on the providers). Like I said before, and like you have said, its a giant iPhone. Steve Jobs accomplished his 3 goals...1. iPod, 2. iPhone, 3. Hand held tablet computer aka iPad. :D

[wallowinginfun]

Sounds like you need to get yourself parallels.

Sorry, I think I was unclear. Firefox used to crash any browser I had while I used Mathxl. Now it works fine, but I just like Camino better after having gotten used to it. Also, the newer versions of Firefox take up an insane amount of RAM for me. Camino has served me well.

Also, I googled 8G and can't seem to find much on it. Is that some new term for something that's been around the corner for a bit? I've also got to admit you're over my head with the mention of after effects. It's certainly not the first time it's happened to me on this board.:)

[jatx]

DB:

I find that interesting.

Is AT&T your service provider?

TR

TR, I know that you have some AT&T service issues where you live, but I traveled heavily with my Bold this year in China, the FSU, and the Caribbean and never had a single service issue. BB Messenger was faster than a scalded cat and Google Maps was perfect. Likewise with voice quality...

CDMA is not the technology you want if you are going to travel.

[NoRoadtrippin]

2) He already has a net worth of what, like $3 or $4 billion from his stock ownership in Disney alone (he is their biggest shareholder from Pixar). I think Apple is more a side hobby to him, a labor of love, not really from any obsession with money.

I'm not sure how much Jobs personally has, but in their 4th Q earnings report a couple weeks ago he said the company has something like 40 billion in liquid capital on hand currently. That's pretty nuts. And it was their largest earnings ever.

[MVS2]

So, I'll say I am torn. It has some pluses and some minuses for sure.

I think that the second generation will be the way to go. Hopefully by then they will add some of the things that seem to be so glaringly missing.


I agree with that - I think it's potential lies more in luxury/leisure than practicality. I can see it being a great off day toy, coffee shop lounge type of accessory, or even a draw for anyone who has a desktop and doesn't need the full capability of a laptop when traveling - still too pricey to be in demand for that demographic IMO.

[vsvo]

Jobs himself I think has about $1 billion net worth in Apple right now. Apple as a company is definitely on fire right now though.

When I was in b-school in the mid-90's one of our class projects was "How to Save Apple?" At the time, Apple appeared to be on its last breath. We crunched numbers and developed sweeping strategic plans, but none of us was smart enough to suggest they develop a device called an iPod. :rolleyes::D

[vsvo]

TR, I know that you have some AT&T service issues where you live, but I traveled heavily with my Bold this year in China, the FSU, and the Caribbean and never had a single service issue. BB Messenger was faster than a scalded cat and Google Maps was perfect. Likewise with voice quality...

CDMA is not the technology you want if you are going to travel.

Good point, jatx. Very nice to land in another country, buy a SIM card and minutes locally, and not have to worry about paying for international roaming.

[Trip_Wire (RIP)]

I agree with that - I think it's potential lies more in luxury/leisure than practicality. I can see it being a great off day toy, coffee shop lounge type of accessory, or even a draw for anyone who has a desktop and doesn't need the full capability of a laptop when traveling - still too pricey to be in demand for that demographic IMO.

I'll stick with my iPod Touch for now! It does everything the iPad does and a few more things that have yet to be implemented on the iPad like WiFi. :munchin

[spherojon]

Sorry, I think I was unclear. Firefox used to crash any browser I had while I used Mathxl. Now it works fine, but I just like Camino better after having gotten used to it. Also, the newer versions of Firefox take up an insane amount of RAM for me. Camino has served me well.

Also, I googled 8G and can't seem to find much on it. Is that some new term for something that's been around the corner for a bit? I've also got to admit you're over my head with the mention of after effects. It's certainly not the first time it's happened to me on this board.:)
googlg'n the 8g won't come up wig results. 8g stands for 8gig transfer rate. Right now it's 1gig transfer rate on the 4g (4th generation network). IMHO The wi-fi capability and apps make the iPhone/itouch/iPad.

If mozzila is giving you problems try safari or chrome. Sometimes it comes down to script errors and you have to use explorer. I know I ran into the same problems in college. :mad:

[brown77]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT4EbM7dCMs

Looks like the Etch-a-Sketch has been officially banished to the toy museum!

:munchin

[craigepo]

Anybody have any reviews on this? I have seen a few, and am thinking seriously about getting one.

[Trip_Wire (RIP)]

The new iPad 2's are making many happy. Only you can determine if thats what you want. I decided on the Mac Book Air 11" computer. I already have an iPod and now the iPhone 4 phone on Verizon.

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

[Burns76]

If you want one around to do email, document creation, or other tasks that require significant typing I'd recommend that you look at a MacBook Air or a MacBook Pro instead. If you want a larger display for mostly simple app experiences then it might be the best fit.

To me the iPad (regardless of version) is truly intended for easing ones consumption of digital content (primarily, entertainment) via the larger size and unique interface.

My father in law has one (iPad 1 with 3G) and he watches movies, and reads some books on it. Mostly he lets his grandkids look at photos and play games on it while he uses his MacBook Pro.

Let us know what you ultimately decide.

[Guy]

Anybody have any reviews on this? I have seen a few, and am thinking seriously about getting one.Put all my medical books/apps on it.

Use it with a: Bluetooth® Keyboard Portfolio (http://www.brookstone.com/ipod-accessories_iPad-Accessories_bluetooth-keyboard-portfolio-for-iPad-tablet-accessory.html?bkiid=subCategoryLandingPage_Electr onics_ipod_Digital_Media_Cases|C4CategoryProdList1 FDT|9489665)

Stay safe.

[craigepo]

I have talked to some appellate court judges, who have been issued the Ipads. They download entire briefs, to include all transcribed testimony from a trial. When documents hyperlink a case/statute, the judge can tap the link and go directly to the law.

I am wanting one to calendar/schedule, limited e-mail and browsing, limited research while in court, and also to download books to. Calendaring is very important. Browsing/e-mail will be used, but nothing too serious.

I saw that Verizon is offering an Ipad, which would be very helpful in this area. I am really curious about the speed of the different apps, as well as how it does with memory. Also, syncing is pretty important.

[bravo22b]

I have talked to some appellate court judges, who have been issued the Ipads. They download entire briefs, to include all transcribed testimony from a trial. When documents hyperlink a case/statute, the judge can tap the link and go directly to the law.

I am wanting one to calendar/schedule, limited e-mail and browsing, limited research while in court, and also to download books to. Calendaring is very important. Browsing/e-mail will be used, but nothing too serious.

I saw that Verizon is offering an Ipad, which would be very helpful in this area. I am really curious about the speed of the different apps, as well as how it does with memory. Also, syncing is pretty important.

My wife has a 1st generation 3G Ipad, which she absolutely loves. What we found out when going to buy it was that Verizon does not (or didn't at the time) offer a true 3G model. What they offer is the Wifi only model, and then their accompanying Mifi 3G hotspot. That, in combination with the sheer stupidity of the Verizon salespeople, drove us to buy the Ipad at an Apple store. Although the Mifi hotspot has the bonus of being able to be used with up to 5 laptops or Ipads, why carry around an extra device that needs to be kept charged? Most smartphones these days can act as hotspots anyway. For my wife, the simplicity of just having one device that works anywhere there is AT&T or Wifi was worth it. You can also subscribe/unsubscribe to the AT&T 3G service directly from the IPad, so if you think you won't need it for a month, just turn it off.

As far as syncing, she signed up for Apple's Mobile Me, which was about $100/year. This pretty seamlessly syncs her email and calendar across her phone, laptop, and Ipad. It also has a location and wiping feature if your Iphone/Pad gets lost or stolen.

Honestly, from what it sounds like you will be doing, an Ipad sounds perfect. You can get apps that will allow you to work with and edit Microsoft Office files if need be. Most apps seem to work very well, pretty fast, the only thing that can hold you up is the quality of the connection. For me, getting to use the Apple interface has been a little frustrating, but overall the features and convenience of the IPad make it worthwhile.

[JJ_BPK]

Put all my medical books/apps on it.

Use it with a: Bluetooth® Keyboard Portfolio (http://www.brookstone.com/ipod-accessories_iPad-Accessories_bluetooth-keyboard-portfolio-for-iPad-tablet-accessory.html?bkiid=subCategoryLandingPage_Electr onics_ipod_Digital_Media_Cases|C4CategoryProdList1 FDT|9489665)

Stay safe.

Guy,

With your combo, do you feel the Ipad can replace a small laptop for the non-work related, email, FB surfer??

My wife's TP is on it's last leg and I'm looking for a replacement. I am looking at the I-family, as she is neither net-work nor web concentric.

Neighbor's have flooded the AO with MacBook Pro's. I think the count is 5-6.

Why,, because they can.. Actually I pushed somewhat because I was getting tired of fixing "operator assisted" problems on their MS based contraptions...

Thanks

[Guy]

Guy,

With your combo, do you feel the Ipad can replace a small laptop for the non-work related, email, FB surfer??Stanford medical school even started issuing the Ipad.

Stay safe.

[Sacamuelas]

As far as syncing, she signed up for Apple's Mobile Me, which was about $100/year. This pretty seamlessly syncs her email and calendar across her phone, laptop, and Ipad. It also has a location and wiping feature if your Iphone/Pad gets lost or stolen.


Mobile me works for my wife. SHe loves it.

[perdurabo]

... phone, laptop, and Ipad. It also has a location and wiping feature if your Iphone/Pad gets lost or stolen.

The Find Your iPhone/iPod/iPad functionality is now free from Apple and doesn't require a paid MobileMe account. I only mention this, because I used to pay $99/year just so I could have this feature. I found the calendar/email/idisk stuff to be crummy, but I'm used to using Google Mail/Calendar, and Dropbox. MobileMe is probably ok for low usage users, and to be honest, they can only get better from this point on.

Some sort of big changes & pricing changes are in store for MobileMe. You'll notice that you can't buy a year of MobileMe with new hardware anymore, or even buy a MobileMe account outright. At this point, you can only sign up for a 60-day trial. This seems to indicate the change is imminent.


Honestly, from what it sounds like you will be doing, an Ipad sounds perfect. You can get apps that will allow you to work with and edit Microsoft Office files if need be.

Again, be advised you'll need a computer with iTunes to sync all these documents back and forth. There is some limited file autonomy on the iPads, but for the most part you need to tether it to a computer for file syncing. If you're going to be doing a lot of digital camera downloads & whatnot, the iPad might not be the best choice. There are of course a lot of tricks & tips & hacks around this.

If you're worried about hardware/software quality, don't. It's top notch.

[greenberetTFS]

Anyone that would like a "FREE Amiga emulation" for your PC,MAC or Linux?.......... PM me if your interested in a download,it's really a cool system,comes with very many games and programs that can be great for office use...........I have 9 down loads left for anyone available who would want to try it............;)

Big Teddy :munchin

[perdurabo]

Anyone that would like a "FREE Amiga emulation" for your PC,MAC or Linux?.......... PM me if your interested in a download,it's really a cool system,comes with very many games and programs that can be great for office use...........I have 9 down loads left for anyone available who would want to try it............;)

Big Teddy :munchin

Amiga. What an era in computing. I very much enjoyed AREXX, assembler code, and reverse engineering the plethora of viruses available! The games were great, too. Still wish I could play Speedball, and other Psygnosis games, or Gauntlet 3 again.

I was also pretty adapt at using shaded plastic to reduce hi-res flicker on RGB monitors ;)

Many fond memories, unlike my time with TRS-80s.

[Papa Zero Three]

Here's my take on the ipad2. As others have said, there are some features that some people may use more than others but if you want it to do several things but not have to use a laptop/computer(or lug one around), it might be a good choice. Ultimately, you will need a dedicated laptop/computer to do any serious typing and or document work. Not that it cannot be done on the ipad, it's just not as fast or convenient. Kinda like writing a message on a DMDG/KL43 compared to a normal keyboard.


From a work/business standpoint where some people might have issues is the ability to synch up with work mail and or calendars that are MS based. There might be an app for that but I am not aware of one and or the system admin may not know how or want to allow your Ipad/Mac to interface with the network.

There is also no MS office package for ipad, there are apps that handle MS documents though. These apps can be purchased from free to around $40 bucks. The ones you pay for tend to work better but again, they are not like full blown MS applications. Meaning you may not be able to do something in an Excel sheet that you could do on your PC with MS office on it. However, you will be able to open, look at, make changes (no major muscle movements should be expected) and save documents that were generated in the MS format. You may have to search and play with a few of the apps to find out which one works best for you and your needs. The reviews of the apps usually give you a clue about the app but don't be surprised to see people give a negative or low score to an app because they couldn't lock a field in excel and do other major muscle movements like one would on a laptop computer. There is one that I would recommend but it's name escapes me at the moment, it costs a few more dollars but it seems to work the best out of all that I have encountered.


Where some people encounter a bottle neck be it pictures or documents is with the ability to send them back to someone or to themselves (mac/PC). The free and easy work around is to use Dropbox on all of your platforms ( phone, ipad,home computer and work computer if allowed) and place the important or most used documents in your dropbox.

For pictures, there is an app called photosynch that allows you to wirelessly send photos from your phone to an ipad and or computer and it works in either direction. I used it to send around 30 plus camera photos to the ipad and it took less time than it does when I transfer photos from the phone into my Mac with the cable. It's a pretty good app if you want to share pictures or move them quickly from one platform to another.

For web browsing, I would recommend Atomic web browser. I believe it is free and it allows you to have multiple tabs open, much like you can do in Safari on a Mac, something you can't do in the ipad version of Safari.


Like anything else, it's a tool that if you use it and become familiar with it, it will seem worthwhile and you'll find yourself using it more and more. If you expect it to work exactly like a laptop/desktop you will be disappointed in some areas.


For those looking for a good knuckle dragger proof cover for their ipad, you should check this one out, it's probably the equivalent of an Otter Box for your ipad.
G-Form ipad cover (http://g-form.com/)

[Trip_Wire (RIP)]

Mobile me works for my wife. SHe loves it.

I also use Mobile me and it keeps all my devices synced, stores BU's, Pictures and many other things. Worth the $$. :D