Da iPad Arrives

[mwfanelli2]

Someone had to start a thread...

For once in my life, I was actually impressed by a new Apple product. The lower-than-expected price helped a lot with that! I have been searching for something like iPad for a long time, probably from the first time I watched Star Trek with their data pads.

From the demo, it looks as easy as an iPhone but capable of displaying pages in a large enough format to actually be able to read without squinting: you know, things such as equations. The open source EPUB format is a big bonus. The best deal is that it can be held and read just like a book. Laptops, netbooks, and large computer screens are awful for reading.

Movies on a small device are tolerable, on the iPad they will be usable.

The iPad could also be useful in photography. No, not editing, but certainly offloading memory cards and using the iPhoto app to take a good look at them. Yes, I discovered that it does have an optional USB port.

Sure, I'll wait for the second generation and I would not buy into the horrible AT&T 3G stuff even without a contract. But I really think this is going in the right direction and will leave dedicated eReaders such as Nook, Kindle, and that Sony thing in the dust.

What do y'all think?

[Greg McCary]

I caught the press release.LOL

[Greg McCary]

For real now. I am not to impressed with the Ipad. I bought my wife a mini laptop for our anniversary, wireless, built in web cam, wireless, windows 7 all for $300.00. I am not sure what the Ipad will do it won't for half the price. Not to mention when you buy all the bells and whistles for the Ipad you are looking at as much as one really good laptop. I hope Apple sells a trillion of them but I will stick with my Toshiba for now.
But I do own an Ipod classic, love it, and my wife owns an Apple Itouch and she loves it.
To me the Ipad is just an strange size. Somewhere between a Smartphone and a laptop. I don't get this one.

[mwfanelli2]

For real now. I am not to impressed with the Ipad. I bought my wife a mini laptop for our anniversary, wireless, built in web cam, wireless, windows 7 all for $300.00. I am not sure what the Ipad will do it won't for half the price. Not to mention when you buy all the bells and whistles for the Ipad you are looking at as much as one really good laptop. I hope Apple sells a trillion of them but I will stick with my Toshiba for now.
But I do own an Ipod classic, love it, and my wife owns an Apple Itouch and she loves it.
To me the Ipad is just an strange size. Somewhere between a Smartphone and a laptop. I don't get this one.

Well, the format is the key. I have a laptop and it's great for many things. But reading an ebook on your netbook or my laptop? Not a chance. Reading on my iPod Classic? A joke at best.

For me, that is the biggest use that struck me: reading books and magazines. How about an eReader? Well, iinstead of going off and buying an eReader, I can get something that does so much more, in color, for about the same price. Kindle doesn't even use the format used for local libraries! What good is that? The Sony Daily Reader, with almost the same screen size as the iPad, is almost the same price but has a dull, darkish, low-contrast B&W screen. The Nook is better but it's still B&W and smallish (the readable portion of the small screen).

How about for education? Science and math needs the larger screen and the color. Embedded video doesn't even exist on those other eReader devices.

The other bonus is that iPad does more than just read books! Friends who have iPhones love them (I don't own one, too small). Let's see, add the normal GPS, compass, big maps you can actually see, iPhoto for getting a good look at your photos... Touchscreen all the way: the multi-gesture trackpad on my MacBook Pro has radically changed my mind about touchscreens.

Netbooks are OK, but which is easier, an instant-on tablet or a boot the machine, hold the laptop on your (he laughs) lap? Pay to cure your first degree burns LOL! I have used netbooks at the school, but they just don't appeal to me. Slow, small, bad screens. Even our IT people have soured on them.

People laughed at the iPods when they first came out, declared that they were a waste. I did too. But for me, the iPad is the correct direction to go. The iPad will be another iPod, not another Newton. Time will tell.

[Greg McCary]

As I wrote I hope Apple sells a trillion of the things. It will create jobs ect...But for me that is an expensive book to read. I could counter with you can't run Photoshop or Lightroom on an Ipad or a million other programs, plus where is the keyboard or USB ports? You probably have to pay extra for those? Plus a 64gig Ipad is $800.00, same as my Toshiba. My Toshiba is 260gig, has a keyboard and USB ports plus DVD/CD burner. I can run programs and plug external drives into it and yes a printer. Is the Ipad networkable?
As far as navigation I can sit my laptop in the seat next to me. The Ipad is to big for a navigation system. How will you mount it? But I give up a nice windshield mount GPS because my phone was so much easier to work. But with a regular GPS you don't need WiFi or an internet contract either. I guess time will tell. For me it is how much bang for your buck do you get.
I really love my Ipod classic and like you when the Ipod first come out I thought so what big deal. But after getting one I can see. It is ten times better at loading songs, videos ect than anything on the market and much easier to use. I tried to use the Itouch for my main MP3 player in the gym and hated it. It was hard to navigate and every time I bumped it even slightly it jumped to the next song and it took me to long to get it back to where I was.

[mwfanelli2]

As I wrote I hope Apple sells a trillion of the things. It will create jobs ect...But for me that is an expensive book to read. I could counter with you can't run Photoshop or Lightroom on an Ipad or a million other programs, plus where is the keyboard or USB ports? You probably have to pay extra for those?

Why would I want to overload the iPad with laptop stuff? It is NOT a full-time substitute for a laptop! nd I would never ever run Lightroom or PS on a netbook. They are barely tolerable on a laptop.

Plus a 64gig Ipad is $800.00, same as my Toshiba. My Toshiba is 260gig, has a keyboard and USB ports plus DVD/CD burner. I can run programs and plug external drives into it and yes a printer.

The iPad is not a laptop substitute any more than a smartphone is.

Is the Ipad networkable?

It has standard WiFi wireless as well as 3G if you want it. That's how you get to use Safari and email.

As far as navigation I can sit my laptop in the seat next to me.

Wow! I can't even get a book to stay on the seat. Plus, you can actually read the laptop, on the passenger seat, while driving...? Now I'm just frightened!!!

The Ipad is to big for a navigation system. How will you mount it?

How do you mount the laptop? Oh oh, I remember...

But I give up a nice windshield mount GPS because my phone was so much easier to work.

Again, it is scary to think about you navigating on roads looking at the tiny screen on your smartphone. The navigation usnits mount on the dash and talk for a good reason.

But with a regular GPS you don't need WiFi or an internet contract either. I guess time will tell. For me it is how much bang for your buck do you get.

I have a regular GPS unit that uses satellites and it takes a while to position itself. A very long while in many cases. As WiFi and 3G come with the iPad, and 3G comes with your cellphone, what difference does it make?

I tried to use the Itouch for my main MP3 player in the gym and hated it. It was hard to navigate and every time I bumped it even slightly it jumped to the next song and it took me to long to get it back to where I was.

I have never used an iTouch. It doesn't have the standard "hold" button that all otther iPods have? As a side note, the iTouch sales have skyrocketed. I'm betting that the younger crowd who are into the iTouch will love the iPad.

But as I said, time will tell. I think they have a winner. But they have failed before.

[CaraRose]

Phone GPS systems will do audio turn by turn directions. Google maps does turn by turn audio directions on the Driod and doesn't cost extra.

I fail to see the point of a tablet, really. They've always seemed rather awkward to use. Really, what is this supposed to replace/enhance? It's somewhere between a limited laptop and an e-reader. What's the point?

Of course, "What's the point?" is also my reaction to e-readers.

[mwfanelli2]

Phone GPS systems will do audio turn by turn directions. Google maps does turn by turn audio directions on the Driod and doesn't cost extra.

I fail to see the point of a tablet, really. They've always seemed rather awkward to use. Really, what is this supposed to replace/enhance? It's somewhere between a limited laptop and an e-reader. What's the point?

Of course, "What's the point?" is also my reaction to e-readers.

Exactly! People have different expectations.

I was seriously thinking about buying the big Sony or the cheaper smaller Nook. For me, the selection of EPUB eBooks available for lending in the Maryland library system is large. I also get stuck with lots of PDF files, that seems to be the format of choice these days for science. I can also read those PDFs on an eReader. You also have to remember, I was a very happy Rocket eBook user a decade ago until they went out of business. I lost all of my DRM-laden books. None of these electronic documents are usable, for me, on a normal computer.

I'd never actually buy a DRM book for $10, I use the free paper versions from the library! But with the iPad, I'll be holding off on my eReader purchase. It appears to me I get a lot more for the same price, plus color.

I didn't know that Smartphones can talk. My phone makes calls and accepts calls. That's it. Oh well, I'm just old. Thank goodness my students don't have that feature turned on. In any case, mea culpa.

[Greg McCary]

No I don't navigate by watching the phone. As Carla wrote I program it and throw it down and listen. I didn't like the GPS mounted on the windshield because it was an obstruction. Not just my view but the bright screen was blinding at night. My phone is not a smartphone. I have a Motorola V750 push to talk. Yes the VZ Navigator talks just like a GPS. The phone has to be on speaker phone. I pay 10 bucks a month but the maps are updated regularly at no extra charge. My phone connects in less than a minute every time. That was another issue I had with my GPS. I was taking my step daughter to a concert in Atlanta and I had my phone programmed and talking before I pulled out of the driveway. I can program my phone by speaking into it. My GPS was searching 30 miles down the road.LOL
Yes the Itouch is great but I prefer the Classic because I have 20 gigs of songs and counting on it. The Itouch doesn't have 160 gig of storage. I love my music more than surfing on the web or running apps. To each his own.
Yes laptops mount, just look at a patrol car. It doesn't cause cops to crash. You just have to use common sense. I only surf the net when the car is stopped. I stop on my lunch many days and web surf on my lunch break.
I really hope the Ipad is a huge thing. I really think the economy could use a boost with sales and created jobs but I had rather seen another offering from Apple. With all of the hype I thought it was a let down.

[mjs1973]

I think the iPad could be a very useful tool for photographers, but like Michael said, it's not a replacement for a laptop. The thing that I think photographers will like about it is that it would be a great way to show off their portfolio. Much nicer than looking at photos on a phone.

Scott Bourne has made a couple of posts on how the iPad can be a useful tool for photographers on his blog. You can check it out here.

I think he sums it up pretty good when he says, you don't by a product for what it wont do, they buy it for what it will do.

[mwfanelli2]

I think he sums it up pretty good when he says, you don't by a product for what it wont do, they buy it for what it will do

Well said! I am looking for an eReader first and foremost. Naturally, I'm comparing the iPad to the eReaders out there. Others may primarily look at it for the portable iPhoto or the physical format or the maps etc. Whether the iPad is good or not depends upon what you are looking for. Someone looking to run Lightroom will be disappointed. The iPad is not something for everyone.

I just read on Wired that Amazon and Barnes and Noble are being forced to think about lowering the price of their devices to the "sweet spot" of $150 in response to the iPad. If that happens, it's goodbye iPad, hello Nook for me. Or an improved Kindle DX that can handle EPUB. I can wait.

[GB1]

Guys, what do you think of this instead?

http://www.entourageedge.com/devices...rage-edge.html

[mwfanelli2]

Guys, what do you think of this instead?

http://www.entourageedge.com/devices...rage-edge.html

Looks very interesting. The only thing I would hesitate with is its 3 lb weight. That's actually quite a lot to hold as a book for long reading sessions. Wish I had a place around here to try it out.

[GB1]

Actually, not released yet. They're taking pre-orders. The thing is heavy compared to the iPad, almost 3x heavier actually... maybe it's intended to sit on your lap? But then it would be a laptop.

[Flybye]

I think its funny how Star Trek has had hand held devices like this for 20 something years in their shows. And I even told myself a while back "we need something like this." Apple finally made it happen.

I am still not sure if I like the entire paperless book thing, though, as I like having a library. But this thing is great for being able to get net access from anywhere around the house. Is the Touch convenient enough to browse the internet with for a few hours? No. Do you really want to lug your laptop everywhere around your house? No. The iPad is the perfect gap filler. Small enough to have anywhere for quick and easy net access and not too big to be inconvenient. Would I use it in place of the iPod Touch outside the house? No as it does not easily fit in your pocket.

I would take it over a netbook any day. Sure, it may weigh a tad more than some netbooks, but it looks far cooler, it has a far larger screen, it has no moving parts, and it will have hundreds of thousands greatly priced apps for it. I will love the iPad because it is perfect for me. I'll use it to do some reading on the net before I go to sleep, some reading during breakfast, and is perfect for visitors to check their emails with.

And what about computing power? Think about it, when was the last time you used all of the computing power of your laptop/computer? Most people never do. The average person uses maybe 1/1000th of the computational power their computers are capable of. Everyone's computer is capable of doing extreme calculations (at different levels of performance of course) from simple physics to calculating a satellite's trajectory through the universe. Computers laugh at doing simple things like taxes, watching videos and coasting the internet. This is where the iPad comes in. It will do everything for the average user and the power users will use it for when they don't need their power tools. It is the gap filler of the computing world.

And this is exactly how I do it now. I have my 600+w consuming PC gaming machine turned on only when I game, and I use my lightweight Mac Mini (both hooked up to a 24") for the rest of my regular tasks.

Yeah, all the haters are like "They pioneered nothing new," but guess what? Apple made it work for me with how I want to use it in a sleek and hassle free package.

[mwfanelli2]

Just a note:

During the first two hours of pre-ordering, the iPad sold 50,000 units.

[janicee]

I heard many thousands of orders was placed on its first day in the market. From Apple you cannot expect less.. IMO.

[Franglais]

6.47am the alarm wakes me. I reach out, turn it off. Go onto Internet, check if there is anything on PhotographyReview, check if the trains are running, what the weather is like, latest news. If it's a weekday I get up, otherwise I probably listen to some music and go back to sleep.

I do ALL this on my 7-inch screen ARCHOS Internet tablet via the WiFi connection at home. I could do the same with an iPad. It's an accessory to access Internet around the home that partly replaces the radio and the PC.

I've had the thing for a while but the usefulness as a means of accessing Internet at home only dawned on me recently. I've realised that I actually save about 15 minutes every morning by not having to turn on the PC, wait for it to start, log on, etc.

I also use an ARCHOS tablet out in the field to show my pictures, as a backup medium when I'm shooting, video player, GPS, Internet browser, PDF reader etc. but I prefer the 5-inch version which I can slip in my pocket.