Apple Unveils the iDud

[Josh Reet]

I always find it so hilarious how worked up people get over apple's products. The iPad is just a thing. It will be really useful for some people and useless for others. You know, like a circular saw. We all know people who will never touch a circular saw in their lives, but I bet none of them run around telling us how stupid saws are.

But I guess getting all amped up about it is pretty fun too.

The stupidly named iPad is a product that will work great for me. I'm buying one. Apple's iphone works for me as well, I've owned two. The ipod touch is useless for me, I won't ever own one. I haven't used a "classic" ipod since I got the iphone. My little windows netbook gets used all the time but is a nightmare as far as user interface is concerned. My laptop is great, but is still a pain to haul out if I just want to check email on the couch or surf the web at the local pub over a beer.

But if your life isn't like mine, perhaps the iPad won't be for you. That's fine, plenty of other great products out there.

[James Stokes]

all I know and really care about is that I have made a lot of money by betting on Apple. They have not let me down yet.

[Dave Johnson29]

The Google phone is just getting started. Open source, hmmm, no royalties or closed technology. hmmmm.

Google shares $534
Apple shares $199

[Josh Reet]

Google shares $534
Apple shares $199

Their P/E ratio is virtually the exact same though. Something to think about.

[Scott Shepherd]

Both have done well, I wouldn't bet against either....

[Josh Reet]

Both have done well, I wouldn't bet against either....

I wouldn't either.

[Tim Morton]

Lots of chatter for something noone really knows anythign about yet.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Lots of chatter for something noone really knows anythign about yet.

Tim's right. Doorstop or Swiss Army knife.... we'll know soon.

Did anyone think the microwave was so great at it's roll-out? Fancy way to cook a potato.

We've seen tablets and touch screens and tablets with touch screens before. Success will be earned when they sell these things to the non-geeks. Seeing a quick video in the middle of a New York Times article will be cool.... but wait, I get that now on my laptop, smart phone and secret decoder ring.

If it cooks more than just potatoes, maybe they'll have something special.
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[Mark Engel]

What's wrong with potatoes???

[Matt Sollars]

For work computing, would you give up your laptop for a device that: (i) has a touch keyboard that even Jobs messed up on; (ii) has an OS based on a mobile phone; and (iii) doesn't support the Office suite of products? I wouldn't.

For an eReader, would you pay a premium for higher priced eBooks, no eInk readability, and lousy battery life (as compared to eInk based readers)? Although, admittedly, you get color and magazines and comics.

For a web browser, would you pay a premium over a netbook for a device that doesn't even support Flash?

I just don't see how this device improves my life. Or even fits into it.

I see the reasoning individually comparing them. But it IS an ereader, IS a web browser, and CAN be used for work computing. Has an optional keyboard for computing and iWork as a software package. Apps are unlimited. Even with the additional cost of the Keyboard dock.....you'd be hard pressed to find another piece of hardware capable of the same performance (work, web, e-reading) as the ipad will be, at all three.
Again, the thing is far from perfect, but it will be useful and I believe future sales will show that to be true.

[Tim Morton]

For work computing, would you give up your laptop for a device that: (i) has a touch keyboard that even Jobs messed up on; (ii) has an OS based on a mobile phone; and (iii) doesn't support the Office suite of products? I wouldn't.

For an eReader, would you pay a premium for higher priced eBooks, no eInk readability, and lousy battery life (as compared to eInk based readers)? Although, admittedly, you get color and magazines and comics.

For a web browser, would you pay a premium over a netbook for a device that doesn't even support Flash?

I just don't see how this device improves my life. Or even fits into it.

Because it does not fit into every mans life than does that make it less of a product?

I don't know enough about it to decide how it will fit into my life...but i can see myself using it to:
1.surf the web and deal with all my email uses.
2. becoming the brain to my home theater
3. manage and store and view all my photos
4. gps while traveling morphing into a laptop computer on the road.
5. could be a network storage device at work
6. could be the coolest home telephone ever
7. i could see a ton of uses for it making sales calls on the road

and i have spent 2 minutes sitting here thinking about it, and am by far NOT apples intended market.....thats one device replacing how many? i agree its not going to be the best at everything....but because its so flexible, i can seeing it being apple biggest seller EVER....and fast.

The name is not apples best work...but maybe iTab was taken

pass the koolaid...one for every room of the house.

[Keith Outten]

For work computing, would you give up your laptop for a device that: (i) has a touch keyboard that even Jobs messed up on; (ii) has an OS based on a mobile phone; and (iii) doesn't support the Office suite of products? I wouldn't.

For an eReader, would you pay a premium for higher priced eBooks, no eInk readability, and lousy battery life (as compared to eInk based readers)? Although, admittedly, you get color and magazines and comics.

For a web browser, would you pay a premium over a netbook for a device that doesn't even support Flash?

I just don't see how this device improves my life. Or even fits into it.

I am old fashioned and still use a full size PC for work computing, just can't use a laptop except for very short tasks or when I travel. The ipad could take the place of my laptop which it is to big to carry around the job.

I just recently got a notebook to use for email when I roam around at work and need to get to my email.
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[Mitchell Andrus]

thats one device replacing how many?

Problem is...nobody buys something like this to replace anything else let alone everything else.
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[Josh Reet]

Problem is...nobody buys something like this to replace anything else let alone everything else.
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That is absolutely true for me. An ipad will just be a "better tool for the job" for me in various situations. Not a replacement for anything.

But then again, I dont expect it to be. Not in my life anyway. Others might use it differently.

[Mitchell Andrus]

One thing nobody has noticed because we haven't gotten our hands on one...... Lay your laptop's screen flat on the desk in front of you and you'll IMMEDIATELY see that this is not a serious work tool. If I want to see the lights over my head, I'll just tilt my head back, thanks. Put it on a stand and you can't come close to using the keyless keyboard (which hogs 30% of the screen by the way). Plug in a keyboard, power supply, printer... you're back to a laptop configuration... with cords. Go Bluetooth you run the battery down in just a few hours.

It's not $400.00... it's closer to $1,000.00 with G3 and AT&T service for a year, required for ebook status unless you download your books to a computer and zap it over.

I can't see lugging this thing around in my pocket or on my belt. Purse? It's maybe 5-7 times the size of an iphone or itouch and doesn't seem to do much more.

Toy. Cool toy, but just a toy. That's not a bad thing, but it is what it is.
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