First sanctioned iPad reviews speak favorably of new device - Page 4

Do we need to use an iPad to comment on it? Anyone who has ever used an iPod Touch has used an iPad, since it's just an oversized iPod Touch that runs a crippled phone OS. Apple's hoodwinked everyone (including the media) into believing this is some "magical" device. The only thing magical here is Apple's ability to blind a select segment of the market every time.

I'm amazed at how people get so worked up over nothing.

Laptop replacement? I have three high-end 17" MacBook Prod, a Mac Mini, a 15" PowerBook G4 and assorted Windows desktop machines and servers. I can tell you that I can barely contain my excitement over the iPad. I think the iPad will successfully replace my monstrous laptops for perhaps 50% of the work I do. But that's not the point. This device is meant to fill a void, and it will do just that phenomenally well.

Removable battery? I've had three iPhones plus about a dozen Mac laptops over the years. Do you know how many batteries I've gone through? One. And that was because I dropped it on the floor while taking it out of the machine. I beat the heck out of my 17 MBP, phone and iPod batteries and not one of them shows any diminished capacity. I went through four batteries in my last Dell laptop, all $130 each. Never again. I'll happily spend 10 minutes shopping for cool tech gear at the Apple store while they replace my battery, in the unlikely event I'll ever need to. And about being able to swap in fresh batteries... that's a valid claim, but I almost never have the need because when I'm near power I plug in. I don't think I've ever had to use my laptop for more than 7 hours at a stretch, and my MBP handled that with style and grace. Besides, I love the structural integrity of Apple devices BECAUSE they don't have rickety battery doors.

Keyboard/USB/Flash? There is a keyboard coming. Plus I believe you can use any Bluetooth keyboard, negating much of the need for USB. And as sad as I am to see Flash not supported, it really does suck on the Mac platform. It needs to be threatened with alternatives if Adobe's finally going to get off their butts and fix it. Plus, I love standards like HTML 5.

I know these weren't your complaints, just felt compelled to comment. :-)

You really shouldn't be that guy that lives in a glass house, especially with a nick like yours.

Sadly I think this issue will lead to many disappointed iPad users. 16GB is barely enough to install a few good apps on. Most likely you will see a lot of these 16GB machines for sale next year when people realize they are so limited as to be useless.

Well useless in the sense that people will want to install a few apps on the device and keep some media files there. Not to mention is the desire to put games there. I can see people easily going through several GB just for app installations.

The lack of an SD slot is an even bigger issue after adoption on the portables. As a method of holding bulk media files for execution on devices like iPad should be obvious. Even more so I hear rumors of movies actually being distributed on SD cards in the far east. It just seems like an obvious solution to managing large file libraries. I guess Apple is to obsessed with keeping everything in the ecosystem. It is also why I could see myself being attracted to alternative platforms running Linux.

It is not an issue of cramming more storage into the device, but rather having transitory ability to play media files you don't want installed on your machine. I acknowledge that Apple screwed up by including to little Flash in the iPads. However with video coming in multi GB files it really doesn't matter how much flash is installed as you will always risk running out. An SD port would mean this would never happen.

The iPad is going to do what Jobs said it would do. And that will be plenty for many, many people. I will wait on version 2 to see what else it might do. It may end up replacing one of my laptops at some point. Buy it, don't buy it. Plenty will. And even though it's not perfect and doesn't do everything under the sun, it will sell a boatload or two. And my AAPL will go up. Once again Apple has changed the entire game.

Port replicator, similar to a usb port replicator. It will happen. It will probably mold in to the bottom of the iPad in order to seem seamless. It will probably also ahve firewire support as well, and be portable.

A slim port replicator that plugs into the bottom of the iPad. I'm surprised it hasn't been announced by Belkin yet......

I think it's hilarious to watch the reactions from the technirati (or those who think they are). The general purpose PC is the new Priesthood of the Glass House. Everything old is new again

What was that snap? The sound of heads turning as another paradigm shifted to quickly for them


My 73 year old not-interested-in-technology-in-the-slightest father has one pre-ordered and will be there on Saturday to pick it up. If that's not a sign of the apocalypse, I'm not sure what is!

You so funny

If we didn't know you, you could be another TS alias.

it's not a rev one device. It's based on the iPhone OS and concepts which are over three years old now and mature. If you have the least bit of imagination, more than enough was presented in the launch keynote and all the video's from the review session after the keynote to lay out the value proposition.

The video's and reviews just confirm that pre-ordering was a no brainer! I'm watching Andy Inakto's video with Alex Lindsay on twit.tv and it's all I expected and more. I anticipate using it even more than my iPhone and that's going to be a feat!


It's not a computer. For me, it's more. I'm not getting rid of my desktop or laptop any time soon, mind you (well, maybe my laptop - I doubt I will use it much post-iPad) - but this device will be with me and used by me far more than a traditional computer or laptop could ever hope to be. The speed, form factor, portability, accessibility and intimacy in operation are going to totally change the way we look at portable devices.


After Saturday, saunter into your closest Apple store (or some BestBuy's) and play with it yourself.

If you can get anywhere near the demo model....

Excellent observation and one I whole heartedly agree with! If you read the real rage in many of the techies objections for the iPad, it's that it totally erases the "tech" from the experience. That's a welcome change for me - when I want to geek out I'll reach for my MacBook Pro or Mac Pro - but when I just wan to do something I'm looking forward to the iPad.

depends on what is more important to you - the articles or the forums? I find the forums here (despite the persistent cadre of trolls) to be of higher value.

I have never liked them. I have always felt they are nothing but portable computers.

I love my iMac, but the one I have is about to go to my mother. That puts me in the position of having to decide what I am replacing it with.

That having been said, I know the iPad is not a laptop replacement.....yet.

It obviously must go through the same evolution other computers did, wherein it will need more memory, better processing power without sacrificing battery life, performance, or size and weight, and the abililty to be a well rounded suppliment to a TRUE desktop, such as the iMac (Most users will never need a pro system and I will not be buying a Mac Mini until it replaces DVI with HDMI, and even then it wouldn't replaced an iMac with a true graphics card such as mine.)

I see programmers rethinking how they compile thier programs and it's capabilities. Some of my friends are DJ's and they have drawn me in to their realm. I forsee that companies such as Native Instruments and Ableton will take advantage of the multi tasking, re-write thier programs, and cater to the fact the iPad is more portable.

This, of course must be supplimented by a port replicator and the ablity to read external storage, but I see this as being an inevitability.

The articles. I thought, in the past, it may be good to obtain insight from the forums, to acertain if I was narrow minded in my assumptions or to obtain new knowlege (such as click to flash) but it seems to be overwhelmed by constant brow beating from the same offenders repeatedly.

I came to AI in order to escape that, but apparently there is no escape.

This is why people "troll" forums and never comment.

I need to save that one for later...

Wow - talk about missing the point...

They don't talk about it because those technical details are not relevant to the experience of the device. AT ALL.

Was that clear enough? If you want to geek out with your devices, this device is not for you - and that's OK. It doesn't have to be all things to all people, and I'm glad it's not.


Er...


There's your rational side! That other side of you is the emotional side that is distrustful because the iPad, based on specs alone, doesn't fit into your expectations.

Just go hold one - I have a feeling you will get it rather quickly, and you won't care a whit about the RAM, CPU or any other such stuff



Why not? I had one of those projection/infra-red portable keyboards that were the absolute rage a while back and while not as fast as a tactile keyboard, it was pretty passable. The touch screen on the iPad will be far more responsive. With the larger size, I don't think it will be nearly as bad as people set to hate on the iPad are intimating.


Well that's a relief, because it's not intended to. I do see the iPad and devices like it blowing past laptops in total sales. Those are two different things. It's not a zero sum game. A sale of an iPad doesn't translate into a lost sale for a laptop and vice versa.


bingo. It will be interesting to see how much or little I use my MacBook Pro after I get my iPad. I see only two or three use cases that are pretty infrequent for me now - I wish I would have bought my MacPro first and held off on the MBP. Oh well, at least I have the model with the Express Card slot - I'm not getting rid of it now any time soon (all my SLR's use compact flash - SD is useless to me and I'm annoyed they replaced express card on their PRO laptop with SD)

Multiple reports of video over 8 hours, with Andy Ihnakto indicating he got over 10 so a day's use seems to be easily obtainable.

As for extra batter life, if you were on a long trip (flight, train ride, etc.) where you need extra battery life, it's too bad that Sanyo apparently discontinued their Mobile USB booster:

http://www.eneloop.info/products/mob...-versions.html

I have the one in the middle, got it for about $25 at Costco with a coupon and now kick myself for not getting a couple of them - it charges my iPhone 2 and a half times and beats the crap out of one of the iPhone specific chargers I have that shall remain un-named. And it was 1/3 the price

I think many people overlook that the iPad has that dock connector, so most of what people have (where there isn't a physical issue - i.e. a dock) will work with this thing too. A true ecosystem...

David Pogie played over 12 hours of video. it would be nice to know the codecs, bitrate and resolutions of the video, as well as the brightness and other enabled features as it surely makes a difference.

+10

Man, have you got these people pegged or what. Your description of them is laser sharp.

I dunno, there are so many places that re-hash the same scant information in the Apple universe, articles are basically a commodity. When I really want to turn into a good fan boy, the forums are where it's at


Ignore lists. They aren't perfect, and even with them I still jump in when I know I should just move on, but they really do help separate the wheat from the chaff. There are enough people that make good, intelligent points and are a pleasure to read and/or engage that it offsets the noise from the usual suspects.

The only improvement I would like to see is the ability to ignore posts from people not on your ignore list that quote people on your ignore list. Or perhaps if they quote more than three lines of someone on your ignore list


You can't outwit or outlaw stupid. It's too smart for that All you can do is increase your tolerance to it and learn how to ignore it. We all have the power within us - it's just a matter of exercising the discipline to do so.


If you are talking about lurkers, there are a majority of people who will never comment - it's just not their thing. And that's OK. If everyone posted these threads would totally be out of control, not just mostly out of control

Really it's not that big of a deal as long as there is some content of value. The mods finally seem to be beating down those who truly deserve it, and it is very welcome. I expect that some of the moderate trolls will be allowed to remain because they do cause churn and page views - and that is how sites like this remain in existence. Complaining about the trolls helps the sites bottom line the same as an intelligent and thoughtful post that makes some good points or adds to the discussion.

David Pogue states twice " The Apple iPad is basically a gigantic iPod Touch" and that is considered favorable?? Seems pretty neutral If not negative to say the least. How did AI come up to that conclusion??

No, it's not really a zero sum game, but I expect it will negatively impact laptop sales, but at the same time it will likely positively impact desktop sales; freeing many people from the tyranny of the laptop, so to speak.

Ask and you shall receive. Usually Pogue responds to my emails within a few minutes so i wondered what was taking so long. Now I know, he was compiling a Q&A: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/te...gue-email.html

Q: 12 hours of video playback? Really?

A: The dirty little secret is that because there's no hard drive, video playback doesn't use any more battery power than any other activity. So yes, I got 12 hours in my tests, but it wouldn't matter if I had been playing video, reading e-mail or playing with apps.

I conducted the test with Wi-Fi turned on and with the screen brightness-which is pretty much the sole determinant of the iPad's battery life-at the factory setting. Turns out that's 50 percent, but believe me-that's still very bright. (At full brightness, this thing could illuminate a runway.)
This one I love...

Q: Am I really supposed to buy this thing when I already have a laptop and an iPhone?

A: It always surprises me how many people are made indignant by the very thought of the iPad, as though Congress passed a law that requires you to buy one!
You're not, as it turns out. Buying one is totally optional.

They came to that conclusion by reading and comprehending the article, but you aren't the only oen who read the first section then stopped.

Q: I don't get it from your column. Should I get the iPad or not?

A: Well, I thought I made it clear that it depends on your mindset. It's a brilliant machine, a category-creator, a joy to use. I think it will be a big hit. The apps coming out for it represent some of the most exciting software ideas in a long time.

If you need a laptop, though, get a laptop.

Me too, classic Pogue! Thanks for the heads up.

I wasn't going to go down to the store right away on Saturday - I think I will as time goes on and the reviews come in. Grrr!!!

Edit: too bad you didn't quote this too - I think this is the main point about the "anger" over the iPad:

Actually I read both sections and thought there was nothing ground breaking , magical or mysterious to me. It seems like a pretty neutral review to me.
" A gigantic iPod Touch" (and stated twice) is exactly that- nothing more, nothing less. Basically a webtoy.

So now you are changing your stance. I replied to your comment regarding Pogue's take on the iPad which you claimed is "neutral if not negative". Now it's about what you thought about the device, not about what Pogue clearly stated about the device. Remember, you questioned how AI could state that Pogue looked at the iPad favourably? So which position are you arguing, that the device isn't right for you so it's not right for anyone or that Pogue clearly doesn't like the iPad?

Waitaminute!

No tabbed browsing? I was ready to go until that sunk in. Moving app to app by a quick restoration of previous states isn't much of a compromise if it's as fast as advertised, but being limited to one open web site is another matter entirely for someone who routinely keeps 20 or so tabs open. And at least my personal, professional and business email accounts plus fb and a news gatherer.

Is that a power drain deal too, or just an arbitrary design decision? I.e., would multi-tabbed Safari be that much of a power drain?

I'd settle for having tabs only be active and refreshing or drawing on a stream when they're front and center, but re-calling all those URL's all the time - even with bookmarks (I visit hundreds of sites - don't some of you?) - doesn't seem that intuitive. And certainly not "magical."

I will watch on the sidelinse to see how this reformation plays out. \

Hold up! You'd rather have tabbed browsing that refreshes each time you switch tabs than have pages that don't refresh and that even run in the background, even while not in the Safari app, so music streaming and such can be played? That doesn't make much sense to me.

As for tabs v. pages there are two things to consider. 1) Hitting the pages button and then the page you want is only one extra tap. I don't consider that a deal breaker. 2) I wouldn't read too much into the current iPad setup since v4.0 is likely around the corner and will be a free upgrade for the iPad. Apple changed a great many things in iPhone OS to idealize it for the iPad, but it's clear several things are still a throwback to v3.x as not to give away anything for the next event. maybe they'll offer that, though I doubt it, as pages seem pretty useful.

uhhhh. hmmmm.

Maybe there's a few things I'm not understanding about the UI since I'm not totally clear on your post about pages vs tabs. Methinks I'll need an hour or two at an Apple store to decide. But I'd love to cut my backpack weight by three pounds and maybe go for one of those gorgeous 27" iMacs as my productivity machine rather than a single MBP as my compromise-but-does-it-all gadget.

It is quotes like this that leave me completely puzzled. Have you heard of the weekly magazine The New Yorker? Are you aware that several cover pictures for it have been created on the iPhone with an app from the App Store? The issue has already been settled before the iPad has even shipped. The main point is that non-practitioners are poor judges of what can be done with a particular tool. So I don't accept Pogue's opinion that the iPad will not be good for production, just consumption. It is likely to be a better tool for content producers because it is a better tool for consumption.

There isn't much to understand. Just like with the iPhone and iPod Touch you can have multiple websites open at once. The only difference is the use of pages over tabs. This made complete sense on the smaller 3.5" display as there is no room to waste on tabs, but is harder to argue on the 10" device. Still, From using the demo, pages does appear to work well, though tabs as an option would be nice.

Go to 1m:20s in video to see how it works...

•

http://dailyiphoneblog.com/2010/03/3...d-safari-demo/

By which you mean repeatedly posting that the iPad is for children and incompetents.

Mmmm... That's my real name... I don't need to hide behind an alias.

*

I see, said the old blind guy. Thanks! Not perfecto perhaps, but seems quite serviceable. And puts the Pad back on my wish list. And as you said, 4.0 of the OS is due soon and (v2 of this baby in a year or so).

Never bought an iPhone or Touch. Get all the music I need on my old 60GB iPod in the car, iTunes through my home entertainment system, podcasts for walking on my Shuffle and enough net at home and in wi-fi hotspots - so stuck with Verizon and my Mobile TV (Flo TV) phone to follow cable news, CNBC and Comedy Central live.

So now for me coming down basically to "3G or not 3G?" That is a ($130 + data) question.

Let's not forget that anyone can make a web-browser for the App Store so long as it's using WebKit on the backend (though why wouldn't you?), so i am certain a tabbed browser for the iPad is coming for someone, if not from Apple.

edit: They already exist...

•

http://ax.search.itunes.apple.com/We...rm=browser+tab

Being an Apple zealot means you never have to acknowledge egg on your face for your lock-step defense of everything Apple does, even when Apple changes its own story.

"I try to be a good Christian. I follow all the teachings of the Bible. I even follow the teachings that contradict the other teachings." - Ned Flanders


Apple will not make a video iPod. Nobody wants to watch video on an iPod.

Apple should not allow third parties to create native iPhone applications. Nobody cares about third party iPhone applications. Web apps are really SWEET.

Apple will not make a 3G iPhone. Nobody cares about 3G.

Apple will not add GPS to the iPhone. Nobody cares about GPS.

Apple will not add copy and paste to the iPhone. Nobody cares about copy and paste.

Apple will never switch to Intel processors. Intel is evil.

Apple should not make laptops easier to service because it is impossible to make a thin and light laptop that is easy to service.

Apple should not add dynamic memory allocation to Mac OS. Nobody cares about dynamic memory allocation. Just use Get Info and change the number yourself.

Mac OS does not need preemptive multitasking or memory protection. Nobody cares about preemptive multitasking or memory protection. Just run fewer applications.

GUI is for wimps.

Nobody needs more than 640K of RAM.

Oh, wait. Those last 2 statements are typically directed at PC users, so Apple zealots have no problem rubbing those in PC users faces. But they can't stand anybody who points out instances where Apple zealots were made to look stupid.

Yep. Apple has not done things and then subsequently done them. Of course, the idea that all or even very many Apple users were attacking the things Apple didn't do only to turn around and celebrate same once Apple did is entirely a matter of your own conjecture, since you don't actually cite any particular users.

So maybe we can add to our list of Apple basher's characteristics (based on the actual evidence at hand, you'll note) "Driven by inexplicable hostilities to just make shit up." Which strikes me as a kind of mental illness.

I believe the correct expression is " Don't let the door hit you where the good Lord split you."

Neither - only that what Pogue gave is a neutral review. The first part being highly negative, the second part slightly positive which leads to a reasonable conclusion of neutrality or slightly negative in total. But judging by you trying to ignite an argument with me u take it an entirely different way. Perhaps you would like to explain your reasoning as I've explained mine.
And on another note you have misrepresented what I stated and can't possibly have any insight into what I tought. You seem very defensive by your name ,signature, and as stated in many of your 15,000 posts.