seriously though, they could have included some touch sensitive controls in that HUGE bezel - timeline scrub, volume up/down, scroll / game controls, etc.
I think the huge bezel was intended to prevent you from accidentally interacting with the touch screen.
I see this as a definite attack on the netbook front. Even the keynote slide where it shows an iPhone, iPad, and MacBook in line show that this is the area they are aiming for.
Pluses for me:
Slick UI, its where Apple always shines is on presentation.
Apple's own processor (though that is yet to be proven to be good, but I would expect such)
Price is actually somewhat reasonable.
Will have iWork apps (so some content creation) available.
Minuses:
Battery Life
Lack of camera for video chat (I could have seen that as a big thing)
Lack of multi-tasking
I highly doubt you can use other e-books other than the Apple ibook format. I would also doubt you can use the iBook format else where (prove me wrong please!)
Lots of wasted bezel space makes it look awkward.
Protective case will be extra (though at least a decent design)
iPhone OS, App Store: Means we have to play by Apple's very strict rules. Makes me curious how file organization will be done especially when it comes to attachments in mail.
Overall thoughts:
Nothing earth shattering to me. It looks nice on the outside, and probably will run really well like the other iPod/iPhone products. I don't like that its more restrictive than other netbooks, which seems to be its target audience. This is Apple's Netbook. You can even attach your bluetooth keyboard to it! Mainly, this is a media consuming device. Its meant to be the thing you grab and sit on the couch or on the plane/train ride to read, surf, watch videos, and play games... nothing that the iPhone/iPod Touch can't do right now. I was hoping for more, but expected exactly this.
Very interesting device! Lots to like, lots missing. No phone capabilities on the 3G version? No camera for iChats? No mention of multitasking. Big-ass bevel along the edge.
But, lots of new stuff: iBookstore, iWork apps, very slim design, good entry point pricing.
I'd love to have one, but, may just hold off until iPad 2.0.
Well... you do need some space to put your fingers while holding it, and keeping fingers on touch-sensitive screen (while obscuring view) would be a bit impractical, to my opinion. No matter how relatively light this thing is, it is still much bigger and heavier than iPhone, thus need better support for holding it.
That is a very good observation.
Keeping fingers away from the active area of the screen is also useful for minimizing the "dirt" on the visible part of the screen...
i can buy a netbook for less and listen to pandora and work at the same time. i can also play a movie, resize it and work at the same time. i can resize the hulu desktop app and work at the same time.
How about an Office set of apps for this, MSFT? That would be huge for the product......
MS Office support, coupled with some kind of a physical interface to display presentations on a projector would make it possible for me to travel w/o my notebook, which would translate to an instant purchase. Yes, some LCD/DLP projectors have WiFi interface, but I haven't run into anyone who has actually used this, yet.
Agreed. I really wanted a fully functional (read Mac OS X) Apple-made tablet, but I think I'll have to settle on a 8.9" Asus Eee PC T91MT convertible netbook. It has multi-touch and you can write on it. And at $484 (Amazon) it's cheaper and I can get a 3G or 4G card from my cellular vendor of choice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by majortom1981
But the ipad is too big to bring everywhere and also missing an attached keyboard.
Why bring this everywhere when i can get a 9 inch tablet / netbook that has a keyboard? One that can run full pc/(hacked apple osx) programs?
Apple would have done better making a netbook/convertable tablet.
This needed a revolutionary feature that they failed to deliver.
Just saw that you can actually connect cameras or SD cards with an Apple accessory, as well as use Apple's Wireless Keyboard! Neat! Now it begins replacing the netbooks... if only it could do iChat.
Thought it would be aimed at the Kindle, but it's really aimed at Netbooks.
I think Apple wants to aim it at netbooks because they'd like chunk of netbook market shoppers in Apple store, but it still looks more like Uber-Kindle to me... as in, it will primarily be device for viewing content, rather than creating it. Even with size, I can't see that onscreen keyboard being comfortable for long typing, and I feel netbooks are still easier to use on one's lap, where you can adjust angle between keyboard and screen.
To the poster above, it uses the ePub format for e... erm 'iBooks'.
Halfway through the video, it looks quite slick but may be lacking in features. Does it have a USB or SD card slot so I can move my photos onto it while on vacation? Does it have a file management system so I can manage my files made on iWork? Or will this all be managed through iTunes - the sore spot, but also biggest selling point of the device IMO.
Comments
ABout what I thought it would be.
i'm going to wait for the iMaxiPad.
seriously though, they could have included some touch sensitive controls in that HUGE bezel - timeline scrub, volume up/down, scroll / game controls, etc.
I think the huge bezel was intended to prevent you from accidentally interacting with the touch screen.
Pluses for me:
Slick UI, its where Apple always shines is on presentation.
Apple's own processor (though that is yet to be proven to be good, but I would expect such)
Price is actually somewhat reasonable.
Will have iWork apps (so some content creation) available.
Minuses:
Battery Life
Lack of camera for video chat (I could have seen that as a big thing)
Lack of multi-tasking
I highly doubt you can use other e-books other than the Apple ibook format. I would also doubt you can use the iBook format else where (prove me wrong please!)
Lots of wasted bezel space makes it look awkward.
Protective case will be extra (though at least a decent design)
iPhone OS, App Store: Means we have to play by Apple's very strict rules. Makes me curious how file organization will be done especially when it comes to attachments in mail.
Overall thoughts:
Nothing earth shattering to me. It looks nice on the outside, and probably will run really well like the other iPod/iPhone products. I don't like that its more restrictive than other netbooks, which seems to be its target audience. This is Apple's Netbook. You can even attach your bluetooth keyboard to it! Mainly, this is a media consuming device. Its meant to be the thing you grab and sit on the couch or on the plane/train ride to read, surf, watch videos, and play games... nothing that the iPhone/iPod Touch can't do right now. I was hoping for more, but expected exactly this.
But, lots of new stuff: iBookstore, iWork apps, very slim design, good entry point pricing.
I'd love to have one, but, may just hold off until iPad 2.0.
I really do wish that the iPad at least had:
1. a modern display aspect ratio (16x9 or16x10)
2. at least a front facing camera for video conferencing.
3. a media card reader of some sort
It's not like even the lowliest of (US 250.00) netbooks is lacking these modern computing device essentials.
Oh Well... That's Apple For Ya'
[/CENTER]
Well... you do need some space to put your fingers while holding it, and keeping fingers on touch-sensitive screen (while obscuring view) would be a bit impractical, to my opinion. No matter how relatively light this thing is, it is still much bigger and heavier than iPhone, thus need better support for holding it.
That is a very good observation.
Keeping fingers away from the active area of the screen is also useful for minimizing the "dirt" on the visible part of the screen...
Get ready for a big fall in Apple Stock!
This is not a personal computer, it's an oversized iPod Touch!
no camera? NO CAMERA? WHAT!
It should have 2 cameras...really disappointed.
Why, so you can look like a jackass trying to take pictures holding a giant 10" device?
How about an Office set of apps for this, MSFT? That would be huge for the product......
[CENTER]In many ways, I find iWork much better to use than MS Office, especially Apple Keynote.[/CENTER]
"Five big partners... Penguin, Macmillion, Simon & Shuster... and more."
LOL. McGraw-Hill got ditched from the presentation
I pretty much predicted that would happen. So, I guess it really is official now. The CEO of McGraw-Hill IS an idiot.
i can buy a netbook for less and listen to pandora and work at the same time. i can also play a movie, resize it and work at the same time. i can resize the hulu desktop app and work at the same time.
I think the huge bezel was intended to prevent you from accidentally interacting with the touch screen.
This is an excellent point.
How about an Office set of apps for this, MSFT? That would be huge for the product......
MS Office support, coupled with some kind of a physical interface to display presentations on a projector would make it possible for me to travel w/o my notebook, which would translate to an instant purchase. Yes, some LCD/DLP projectors have WiFi interface, but I haven't run into anyone who has actually used this, yet.
Why, so you can look like a jackass trying to take pictures holding a giant 10" device?
[CENTER] No... So that one might video conference at their leisure -
But the ipad is too big to bring everywhere and also missing an attached keyboard.
Why bring this everywhere when i can get a 9 inch tablet / netbook that has a keyboard? One that can run full pc/(hacked apple osx) programs?
Apple would have done better making a netbook/convertable tablet.
This needed a revolutionary feature that they failed to deliver.
Thought it would be aimed at the Kindle, but it's really aimed at Netbooks.
I think Apple wants to aim it at netbooks because they'd like chunk of netbook market shoppers in Apple store, but it still looks more like Uber-Kindle to me... as in, it will primarily be device for viewing content, rather than creating it. Even with size, I can't see that onscreen keyboard being comfortable for long typing, and I feel netbooks are still easier to use on one's lap, where you can adjust angle between keyboard and screen.
BOOOOO!! I expected so much more out of Apple but this is a huge disappointment!!
Get ready for a big fall in Apple Stock!
This is not a personal computer, it's an oversized iPod Touch!
Yes, you should immediately sell AAPL short! I'll give you a loan at 35% interest when you get the call to cover...
Halfway through the video, it looks quite slick but may be lacking in features. Does it have a USB or SD card slot so I can move my photos onto it while on vacation? Does it have a file management system so I can manage my files made on iWork? Or will this all be managed through iTunes - the sore spot, but also biggest selling point of the device IMO.