Frantic Steve Jobs Stays Up All Night Designing Apple Tablet
JANUARY 27, 2010 | ISSUE 46?04
CUPERTINO, CA?Claiming that he completely forgot about the much-hyped electronic device until the last minute, a frantic Steve Jobs reportedly stayed up all night Tuesday in a desperate effort to design Apple's new tablet computer. "Come on, Steve, just think?think, dammit?you're running out of time," the exhausted CEO said as he glued nine separate iPhones to the back of a plastic cafeteria tray. "Okay, yeah, this will work. This will definitely work. Just need to write 'tablet' on this little strip of masking tape here and I'm golden. Oh, come on, you piece of shit! Just stick already!" Middle-of-the-night sources reported that Jobs then began work on double-spacing his Keynote presentation and increasing the font size to make it appear longer.
How? As a grad student I can't see using this any differently than I've used similar devices in the past. I did the whole Palm V and keyboard note taker and the Tablet PC running One Note with digital editions of my text books. How would this be any different?
Firstly because this will have a mass market that the others did not. We already have lecture videos downloadable in ipod format, now they can include notes and readers in the similar way.
Secondly because one note sucked real bad
Its going to be smaller lighter and more convenient than a standard laptop but easier to read than a palm or a basic ipod touch/phone.
A few libraries i am in contact with are already looking at working out some way to get ebooks available to the public. They were just not that impressed by the Kindle to take the leap yet. Maybe now they will.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bdkennedy1
The Onion
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Frantic Steve Jobs Stays Up All Night Designing Apple Tablet
JANUARY 27, 2010 | ISSUE 46?04
CUPERTINO, CA?Claiming that he completely forgot about the much-hyped electronic device until the last minute, a frantic Steve Jobs reportedly stayed up all night Tuesday in a desperate effort to design Apple's new tablet computer. "Come on, Steve, just think?think, dammit?you're running out of time," the exhausted CEO said as he glued nine separate iPhones to the back of a plastic cafeteria tray. "Okay, yeah, this will work. This will definitely work. Just need to write 'tablet' on this little strip of masking tape here and I'm golden. Oh, come on, you piece of shit! Just stick already!" Middle-of-the-night sources reported that Jobs then began work on double-spacing his Keynote presentation and increasing the font size to make it appear longer.
I can't say I am surprised at what we saw today, but i generally quite like it.
To everyone who is complaining about "lacking" features: I am looking at the base model and comparing it to the nook or kindle and I think it is a quite superior device. It is an ebook reader with a color touchscreen and backlight, and a processor that is speedy enough to work well.
Once I get to play with one "live" to confirm my first impressions I am definitely in the market (the base model pricepoint did it for me, at the rumored 700 to 1000 USD I would have been out).
I know, everything has gone widescreen these days including Apple's notebooks and displays. Going back to 4:3 for what is supposed to be serving as a portable movie/video player seems downright stupid.
Who is the "they" about which you rant? Certainly not Apple, who released no specific information about the iPad ahead of time. The build up of your expectations was almost entirely due to the antics, speculations, rumors, and outright lies of the Apple blogosphere and news sites. So next time, to avoid being truly bummed about not getting all of the features you wanted on an Apple product that did not yet officially exist, don't read anything on the web until after Apple actually ANNOUNCES the danged thing. But it's silly to blame Apple.
Just blogs in general. I'm not mad at Apple because I read way too far into the rumors.
I guess when I see an awesome phone that can browse the web, take photos, videos, send e-mail, play games, and much more, I feel like a larger device would be able to do more, not less.
Steve tries to show it as a "middle ground" between iPhone/iPod Touch & MacBook, when it's really just an iPod touch with more real estate.
Don't get me wrong. When I saw the iPhone and iPod touch being used in the medical field, I thought "imagine what this could do with a larger screen". I'm impressed with the concept. However, with the eBook and simplified UI (no folders, etc.) I'm seeing this as a device geared towards an older people. The first thing I think about is how cool this would be for my grandmother if she could sit on the couch and watch her shows, read a book, and video chat with her great grandchildren when they call.
Everybody keeps saying, "You can't set the iPad on the table and chat without a movable camera", but if you do that, how are you going to see the person you are chatting with. It would be the perfect device for a face to fact chat.
Mark my words, they'll add that camera later, and it will be the perfect excuse all the first generation buyers to get another one.
How? As a grad student I can't see using this any differently than I've used similar devices in the past. I did the whole Palm V and keyboard note taker and the Tablet PC running One Note with digital editions of my text books. How would this be any different?
A significant number of people might do something similar now. Your experience would not be an accurate example of the average student. Consider yourself ahead of the times I guess.
Did you see the Apple case? It angles the device at about 25-30 degrees for table top use. Or you could just stick something under the back.
You only caught part of the responses.
The argument had to do with the iPad not having a camera. The reason a reader said it didn't have a camera is because you can't set the iPad on the table with a camera unless you have some sort of built in movable camera.
So I was saying if it were sitting flat on the table, you couldn't really do anything with it. Sure... with a case sitting at an angle, you are are good to go, but you would also be good for video chatting.
The musician community is going to go nuts for this device. Even the low-end wifi model would make an outstanding stage controller, 'turntable' or instrument.
The little toy musical instrument apps are pretty useless, but with this much screen real estate, I can think of a dozen 'instrument' applications off of the top of my head.
The only decision point for me is now '3G or not 3G' (that is the question.)
It might be worth the extra $150 to have GPS and the ability to sign up for 3G for, say, a vacation.
I always have my iPhone with me, so I don't need my entire music library, and I don't see this as a better solution for music anyway.
I see lots of apps,books, and a few movies at any given time. The 16G may actually provide what I need. Plus, popping for the low end will make me feel less silly when I inevitably get V3 with all the goodies we all know will show up.
I let myself get a bit too drawn into the geek wet dreams floating around here, and I'm thinking this is the first step of something really big. No one with any sense thinks its the ultimate destination yet. Other than the "GIMME GIMME GIMME NOOOWWWWWW" crowd.
I work as a theater tech, these things would be great for sound cuing and slide sequencing. Laptop screens are a liability in tight quarters.
I'm rather dissapointed in the ipad. It seems to be to just be a oversized ipod touch. Am I missing something here?
I wish it actaully ran the desktop OSX and functioned a bit more like a laptop rather than use the iphone OS.
I think what you and a lot of other critics are missing is that this is the first tablet device that actually gives you a good user experience.
How would you use OSX applications on this device? Screen is too small. Hook up a mouse? A stylus to click tiny buttons? I mean, if you would load full blown OSX apps on a tablet, wouldn't the UI experience totally suck?
I don't understand all this extreme critique towards that iPad. I have NEVER seen anything _real_ like what Apple showed today - the e-mail client, iWork, the book app, the browser on a tablet PC which appears to be a joy to use on a "super sized" iPod Touch. I mean, the only time I saw something like that was in some SciFi movie.
So if this is just an iPod Touch, how would you possibly run iWork on an iPod Touch?
And comparing the iPad to some POS tablet that runs Windows 7. I don't know what to say. Seriously??? Where is a $500 tablet PC that is not some ugly plastic contraption? The iPad looks to be on the build-quality level of a current iMac. And that is magnitudes better than anything else.
I've been a bit of a naysayer but I'm very happy with the way the iPad has turned out. Quibble about the hardware or this or that feature all you like but the UX design for a desktop-scale multi-touch system is simply much better than I expected and I don't mind admitting I was too pessimistic. The iWork demo shows how well you can do a multi-touch app without the WIMP metaphor and not suck. It's easy once shown how and its obvious given some of the design cues in the iPhone interface (after the fact) but blow it up to desktop scale with the changes they made and interaction mechanisms they choose and...it just works.
Funny these armchair would-be billionaires smugly proclaiming the product a 'dud'. Do they really think we should believe them over a guy who's selling $50 billion of mobile devices annually?
Okay... your iPad is laying flat on the desk in front of you, or propped up at a slight, comfortable angle. What does the built-in camera see? The ceiling!
What was Apple supposed to to, put in one of those roller-looking cams like on some laptops? Sorry, Apple doesn't do kludgy. IMO, this is a big part of why there's no camera.
Not sure, I think it was a cost issue. Apple kept few features to achieve the low price. I'm sure Apple will have iChat on it one day, just like on iPhone. It's just the 4G issue.
Comments
As far as table use goes, you can't do anything with this if it's sitting on a table, so that's a pretty lame.
Did you see the Apple case? It angles the device at about 25-30 degrees for table top use. Or you could just stick something under the back.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Frantic Steve Jobs Stays Up All Night Designing Apple Tablet
JANUARY 27, 2010 | ISSUE 46?04
CUPERTINO, CA?Claiming that he completely forgot about the much-hyped electronic device until the last minute, a frantic Steve Jobs reportedly stayed up all night Tuesday in a desperate effort to design Apple's new tablet computer. "Come on, Steve, just think?think, dammit?you're running out of time," the exhausted CEO said as he glued nine separate iPhones to the back of a plastic cafeteria tray. "Okay, yeah, this will work. This will definitely work. Just need to write 'tablet' on this little strip of masking tape here and I'm golden. Oh, come on, you piece of shit! Just stick already!" Middle-of-the-night sources reported that Jobs then began work on double-spacing his Keynote presentation and increasing the font size to make it appear longer.
How? As a grad student I can't see using this any differently than I've used similar devices in the past. I did the whole Palm V and keyboard note taker and the Tablet PC running One Note with digital editions of my text books. How would this be any different?
Firstly because this will have a mass market that the others did not. We already have lecture videos downloadable in ipod format, now they can include notes and readers in the similar way.
Secondly because one note sucked real bad
Its going to be smaller lighter and more convenient than a standard laptop but easier to read than a palm or a basic ipod touch/phone.
A few libraries i am in contact with are already looking at working out some way to get ebooks available to the public. They were just not that impressed by the Kindle to take the leap yet. Maybe now they will.
The Onion
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Frantic Steve Jobs Stays Up All Night Designing Apple Tablet
JANUARY 27, 2010 | ISSUE 46?04
CUPERTINO, CA?Claiming that he completely forgot about the much-hyped electronic device until the last minute, a frantic Steve Jobs reportedly stayed up all night Tuesday in a desperate effort to design Apple's new tablet computer. "Come on, Steve, just think?think, dammit?you're running out of time," the exhausted CEO said as he glued nine separate iPhones to the back of a plastic cafeteria tray. "Okay, yeah, this will work. This will definitely work. Just need to write 'tablet' on this little strip of masking tape here and I'm golden. Oh, come on, you piece of shit! Just stick already!" Middle-of-the-night sources reported that Jobs then began work on double-spacing his Keynote presentation and increasing the font size to make it appear longer.
Gold!
To everyone who is complaining about "lacking" features: I am looking at the base model and comparing it to the nook or kindle and I think it is a quite superior device. It is an ebook reader with a color touchscreen and backlight, and a processor that is speedy enough to work well.
Once I get to play with one "live" to confirm my first impressions I am definitely in the market (the base model pricepoint did it for me, at the rumored 700 to 1000 USD I would have been out).
Of course: ymmv
More APPLE FAIL to serve what customers want!
Flash don't go away mad, but Flash JUST GO AWAY!
With apologies to Motley Crue.
My big question is why the hell is this thing 4:3 instead of 16:9?
Yes, good point!
I know, everything has gone widescreen these days including Apple's notebooks and displays. Going back to 4:3 for what is supposed to be serving as a portable movie/video player seems downright stupid.
Who is the "they" about which you rant? Certainly not Apple, who released no specific information about the iPad ahead of time. The build up of your expectations was almost entirely due to the antics, speculations, rumors, and outright lies of the Apple blogosphere and news sites. So next time, to avoid being truly bummed about not getting all of the features you wanted on an Apple product that did not yet officially exist, don't read anything on the web until after Apple actually ANNOUNCES the danged thing. But it's silly to blame Apple.
Just blogs in general. I'm not mad at Apple because I read way too far into the rumors.
I guess when I see an awesome phone that can browse the web, take photos, videos, send e-mail, play games, and much more, I feel like a larger device would be able to do more, not less.
Steve tries to show it as a "middle ground" between iPhone/iPod Touch & MacBook, when it's really just an iPod touch with more real estate.
Don't get me wrong. When I saw the iPhone and iPod touch being used in the medical field, I thought "imagine what this could do with a larger screen". I'm impressed with the concept. However, with the eBook and simplified UI (no folders, etc.) I'm seeing this as a device geared towards an older people. The first thing I think about is how cool this would be for my grandmother if she could sit on the couch and watch her shows, read a book, and video chat with her great grandchildren when they call.
Everybody keeps saying, "You can't set the iPad on the table and chat without a movable camera", but if you do that, how are you going to see the person you are chatting with. It would be the perfect device for a face to fact chat.
Mark my words, they'll add that camera later, and it will be the perfect excuse all the first generation buyers to get another one.
How? As a grad student I can't see using this any differently than I've used similar devices in the past. I did the whole Palm V and keyboard note taker and the Tablet PC running One Note with digital editions of my text books. How would this be any different?
A significant number of people might do something similar now. Your experience would not be an accurate example of the average student. Consider yourself ahead of the times I guess.
Did you see the Apple case? It angles the device at about 25-30 degrees for table top use. Or you could just stick something under the back.
You only caught part of the responses.
The argument had to do with the iPad not having a camera. The reason a reader said it didn't have a camera is because you can't set the iPad on the table with a camera unless you have some sort of built in movable camera.
So I was saying if it were sitting flat on the table, you couldn't really do anything with it. Sure... with a case sitting at an angle, you are are good to go, but you would also be good for video chatting.
My big question is why the hell is this thing 4:3 instead of 16:9?
Probably because 4:3 ratio is closer to letter size than 16:9 and therefore books will look better.
The musician community is going to go nuts for this device. Even the low-end wifi model would make an outstanding stage controller, 'turntable' or instrument.
The little toy musical instrument apps are pretty useless, but with this much screen real estate, I can think of a dozen 'instrument' applications off of the top of my head.
The only decision point for me is now '3G or not 3G' (that is the question.)
It might be worth the extra $150 to have GPS and the ability to sign up for 3G for, say, a vacation.
I always have my iPhone with me, so I don't need my entire music library, and I don't see this as a better solution for music anyway.
I see lots of apps,books, and a few movies at any given time. The 16G may actually provide what I need. Plus, popping for the low end will make me feel less silly when I inevitably get V3 with all the goodies we all know will show up.
I let myself get a bit too drawn into the geek wet dreams floating around here, and I'm thinking this is the first step of something really big. No one with any sense thinks its the ultimate destination yet. Other than the "GIMME GIMME GIMME NOOOWWWWWW" crowd.
I work as a theater tech, these things would be great for sound cuing and slide sequencing. Laptop screens are a liability in tight quarters.
Do the scaled-up iPhone apps suggest they've finally got resolution independence working, or is it cruder than that?
I sure hope it's resolution independence, but don't get your hopes up.
What about iPad camera image input via Eye-Fi Card?
All those dinky camera LCDs could use a big viewer!
I'm rather dissapointed in the ipad. It seems to be to just be a oversized ipod touch. Am I missing something here?
I wish it actaully ran the desktop OSX and functioned a bit more like a laptop rather than use the iphone OS.
I think what you and a lot of other critics are missing is that this is the first tablet device that actually gives you a good user experience.
How would you use OSX applications on this device? Screen is too small. Hook up a mouse? A stylus to click tiny buttons? I mean, if you would load full blown OSX apps on a tablet, wouldn't the UI experience totally suck?
I don't understand all this extreme critique towards that iPad. I have NEVER seen anything _real_ like what Apple showed today - the e-mail client, iWork, the book app, the browser on a tablet PC which appears to be a joy to use on a "super sized" iPod Touch. I mean, the only time I saw something like that was in some SciFi movie.
So if this is just an iPod Touch, how would you possibly run iWork on an iPod Touch?
And comparing the iPad to some POS tablet that runs Windows 7. I don't know what to say. Seriously??? Where is a $500 tablet PC that is not some ugly plastic contraption? The iPad looks to be on the build-quality level of a current iMac. And that is magnitudes better than anything else.
Which is the epitome of Apple design.
Okay... your iPad is laying flat on the desk in front of you, or propped up at a slight, comfortable angle. What does the built-in camera see? The ceiling!
What was Apple supposed to to, put in one of those roller-looking cams like on some laptops? Sorry, Apple doesn't do kludgy. IMO, this is a big part of why there's no camera.
Not sure, I think it was a cost issue. Apple kept few features to achieve the low price. I'm sure Apple will have iChat on it one day, just like on iPhone. It's just the 4G issue.