Apple Unveils the iDud

[Josh Reet]

Well said Michael.

As I posted previously. I personally see a very clear use for this device in my life. But I can easily see why others would not.

As for the lack of features on the first ipod, don't forget how crippled and overpriced the first generation iphone seemed. No app store, no picture messaging, no video, no "cut/paste" and so on. But not only did they sell a pile of them, it also laid the groundwork for a device that millions now own. Including a number of people on this thread.

So maybe this ipad will only sell to a small group of people like me who say "I know exactly what I will do with this thing" and the 2nd or 3rd gen will be the one that really is the game changer.

I still find it amusing how worked up people get over Jobs/Apple and this thread has plenty of fine examples of that. But then again, I guess "vanilla" people don't make much of a splash in the world. And listening to Apple die-hards talk about Bill Gates is just as amusing. Me? I respect both men and wonder what the world would be like had they not done the work they have.

[Horton Brasses]

To clarify my previous post: I do like this thing-but it needs to do a few more things for me to go and buy it. I don't think the price is bad-strikes me as reasonable. To what Josh said above-Bill Gates and to a lesser extent Steve Jobs have done extraordinary things for the entire world. DOS and then Windows completely changed the world, and still are. Apple has changed music for the better-along with publishing and the graphic arts among other things. Both men have done more for democracy then virtually any world leader alive or dead-the founding fathers may be the only exceptions, or at least the only ones I can think of. How many of us owe our livelihoods to the internet? While my company existed before the wonderful wonderful web, where would we be without it? Small business is resurgent everywhere-despite that the politicians and media says-in large part because the internet has opened doors that were once closed. I can't even begin to comprehend what the internet has done for education. For the cost of a cheap computer and a connection anyone anywhere can learn anything if they want to. Think about how revolutionary that is.

[Michael Schwartz]

Perhaps it does have a ways to go for many potential users but you can say that about almost all electronic devices due to the rapid advancement of technology. Its pretty much a universal rule that if you wait, you will get more for your money. I think most of us have quite a museum of long forgotten computers, printers, software, and devices, that haven't seen use in a decade, but we just cant throw them out because of what they cost.

Some will be quick to adopt the Ipad since it will be useful to them, others will wait and buy version 2.0 or 3.0 and many will choose not to buy one, simply because they have no need for it, and that is fine.

Just like buying a pair of ski boots, one brand or line might be the perfect fit for somebody, but the other guy might not be able to fit into any of the manufacturers boots at all. I know when I bought my last pair the first shop I went to had to send me to there competition to get the right fit since none of there boots would work, but the guy knew his competitor had a line that would.

[Mitchell Andrus]

I've been reluctant to drag a PC into the shop because of space and the dust issue so this little device will work perfectly for all things woodworking.

That's the first reasonable real-world solution/use I've heard. A dust-proof satellite to a main computer... Thanks for that.

'course, it's a lot cheaper to print something on paper, and easier to pencil notes on it.... but still, someone's thinking.
.

[Todd Franks]

Saturday Night Live writers are probably working on a commercial as we speak.

Do a search on YouTube for "MadTV iPad". Before it went off the air MadTV did a commercial spoof for a new product called "iPad" long before Apple made its product launch announcement.

[Eric DeSilva]

I still find it amusing how worked up people get over Jobs/Apple and this thread has plenty of fine examples of that.

Josh, the sentiment runs both ways. I judge technical devices on their merits, not the CEO of the company they were released by. I don't understand the Church of Jobs--reaction to criticism about this device is just short of "he's a visionary, so if you don't think this device is great, you lack vision."

You can pretty much assume that if Apple produces it, it will be pretty, stylish, and fairly glitch free--certainly above average for computer reliability. I don't think there is any question the iPad meets those criteria, which means it is a good device.

I also understand fully that this device will answer the needs of some people. But it is not--as others have said, an eBook killer or laptop killer. I know several people who will get one, and each have their own, very good, very valid reasons. None of the reasons I've heard is particularly extensible to the general population, however, which leads me to think this is not a category killer or a game changer. The one question mark in my mind is whether multitouch can produce applications that are must haves. I have some doubts on that.

As for all the comments about "use one first," I had a 10" wireless touchscreen years and years ago. I've done a lot of the things with it that people are talking about here, including building custom interfaces, reading books, surfing the web, and reading email. Sure, Apple UI for the iPad is probably better than what I had, but you know what? It wasn't the UI that was the problem--it was the size; too big to be omnipresent, to small to be really useful.

In some ways I feel about the iPad the way I felt about the iPhone 3GS launch. Completely underwhelmed. I did not feel that way about the iPod launch. Or the iPhone launch. Or, embarrassingly enough, the AppleTV launch. The 3GS was really sort of incremental change and there was nothing in the launch that was visionary. Same thing here. The imagination of tech bloggers pre-launch was better than what Apple came up with--front and rear cameras for portable video conferencing, facial recogition to adapt to different users automatically. Sadly, no camera so neither of those scenarios work. Oddly, the one thing that would have been really easy for Apple to do that would have killed off the comments from the pundits about the lack of a real OS and multitasking would have been to build a really good thin client terminal that was bullet proof and gave you remote touchscreen access to your network-connected OSX desktop or laptop. The fact that it wasn't there and it is such an obvious application leads me to believe there is a problem with creating one.

Bottom line, I think they will sell. Certainly they will sell to the die hard fan base. Will they achieve the kind of ubiquity of the iPhone or iPod? Not likely. Maybe 2.0 or the "Pro" will get closer, but there are some big changes that would need to happen--real OS with multitasking, HDMI out, video camera, etc, etc.

[Jason Roehl]

Do a search on YouTube for "MadTV iPad". Before it went off the air MadTV did a commercial spoof for a new product called "iPad" long before Apple made its product launch announcement.

I saw this video the other day--I'm sure it will test the boundaries of good taste on this forum. I did laugh, though--loud and long.

[Michael Schwartz]

If Apple had announced this as simply a revision to the ipod touch line, nobody would have even noticed or cared much, but they sure succeeded in getting people to talk about it.

[Mitchell Andrus]

That video is a gem.
.

[Bryan Morgan]

If Apple had announced this as simply a revision to the ipod touch line, nobody would have even noticed or cared much, but they sure succeeded in getting people to talk about it.

Thats the true genius of Apple: marketing. They are masters of generating a cult hype around their stuff. As products, they are alright, but not nearly as great as they or their cult following make them out to be.

[Tim Morton]

Thats the true genius of Apple: marketing. They are masters of generating a cult hype around their stuff. As products, they are alright, but not nearly as great as they or their cult following make them out to be.

Yeah true...the ipod or the iphone never really caught on with the general public, just a couple of over over hyped gimmicks that fooled the kool aid drinkers.

[Tim Morton]

4:3 screen shape: We have all gotten used to watching movies and TV on the 16:9 widescreen format-yet this device has a 4:3 screen. I have had laptops with the 16:6 shape-in fact I think even my little laptop has a 16:6 shape. I guess the argument is that 4:3 is better for webpages and reading. Maybe it is but this is also sold as a way to watch movies and TV.

so you are saying you don't think widesceeen movies will play on it with black bars top and bottom? You do see the need for them to make it the shape they did for more screen size for other things like say a keyboard?
*sigh*...

sorry i just get annoyed sometimes when people who have no idea what they are talking about since they have never even held somethign like this in there hand start sharing there wisdom as to how they would do it better...go out and manufacture a tablet and then come back and show us how yours is so much better than than this one.

maybe i need coffee....

[Tim Morton]

Maybe the mods need to ban "apple conversations" along with politics and religion.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Thats the true genius of Apple: marketing. They are masters of generating a cult hype around their stuff. As products, they are alright, but not nearly as great as they or their cult following make them out to be.

Even good products need a little market hype to stay around long enough to evolve into great ideas and products. Who ever thought we'd need a computer on every desk or a phone in our pockets. The first cell phones truly su*ked.

Will the ipad be successful? Define success. The pet rock was wildly successful. So was the walkman. The laser disc... not so much but it did lead to something better.

I'll give Jobs and company their fair share of credit, but I think even they know that they're chasing a niche market, and only for about a year or so.
.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Maybe the mods need to ban "apple conversations" along with politics and religion.

...and Saw Stop.

Wait... I didn't mean it. I LOVE the Saw Stop. I'm gonna get me one, I swear.
.