I totally agree with your criticisms of the, "'iPad is for consuming, not producing' nonsense," and your comments on the lack of vision. I also agree that the iPad is the beginning of a major change in the way we interact with computers, but, I still believe that desktops (where input and display is separate) will remain an important part of that.
I don't agree that separate input and display implies a desktop.
Already, the vast majority of Macs have the computer built into the monitor, which is a step away from a box sitting there, taking up space on a desk. However, the Mac includes a (pretty much) single-purpose screen, which makes little sense to me, given how expensive nice screens are.
I think that redundant, multi-purpose displays can be coupled with casual input devices (like a nice keyboard and deluxe multi-touch mouse, or an el-cheapo walmart keyboard with a built-in touchpad) in order to easily satisfy the home user. All that needs to be built into a screen is a thin client and a means to get keyboard/mouse or finger input, and it will be good to go.
Wow, you have no idea of what you are talking about. And, you can delete photos, just not photos that were sync'd to your iPad.
That's the sort of thing that drives me nuts with these iOS products.
Just yesterday, I was looking at all the new stuff I had synced to my iPhone, including dozens of albums of music.
Of course, many of them were screwed up and loopy, after iTunes had its way with them. One big compilation, like "The 100 Greatest x of all Time" ruins both album and artist view, unless you relent and rename everything just the way iTunes wants it. And what really sucks is when you put a classic, but out-of-print album into iTunes and then trust it to get the album artwork. You end up with several crappy variations of "greatest hits" covers for however the label carved things up, while never getting artwork for stuff not sold in iTunes.
So I was sitting and waiting for a friend, listening to great music, but unable to manicure the broken iTunes crap out of my device as I browsed my additions. Hell, I couldn't even correct the names or put the albums back together or anything. I had to remember the most egregious stuff, so that I cold maybe fix it later, if I was ever so inspired.
Phone contacts don't work like that. Why does Apple artificially restrict you from making changes to other libraries?
Wasn't it last year that one of them analyst asked what Apple planned on doing about the rise of the netbook? Apple has now answered the netbook and here we go about the ipad killing sales of the lower end macbooks. Damn! What the hell do they want!???
I still think Apple is planning higher end ipads.
Oh, and isn't great that we don't have any viruses on our ipads?
HA HA HA! Suck on that MS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't think it will be long until Mac's come with touch screens and will be able to run your iOS environment on the Mac and toggle between the two OS's. Your iOS device will AirSync with MobileMe and with your desktop and/or laptop Mac and you will be able to move from computer to computer and use all of your iOS apps and data. Even before Mac's come with touch screens I think you will be able to run iOS on your Mac and they will come up with some way to use the touch pad to control iOS. The iOS simulator in the development software already runs on a Mac. They will need this feature for AppleTV. AppleTV will need to run iOS Apps to compete with the Android TV devices that will be coming out, and you will need to control the HDTV image from a iOS device. So some type of touch mouse will be needed for that.
I think we will also see an iOS laptop that does not even have OS X on it. I would not be surprised if the next upgrade to the MacBook Air is an iOS device rather than an OS X device. They may rename it but it will be the replacement for the MacBook Air, maybe the iBook Air, a very thin, lite laptop running iOS.
I believe that Apple is making OSX 100% finger friendly and that it will soon discontinue the wifi only ipad. Next I believe that Apple will release ipads that are as technically strong as the macbook. It is inevitable IMHO. Apple will turn the macbook into a slate. I can feel it. Then the pro models will get skated. IMHO!!! But what the hell do I know?
Not a chance in hell. Roughly 50% of the iPad sales are Wi-fi only models.
I predict the rise of the home server, with easy to use input and output devices scattered throughout the house.
I think that the iPad as a tethered adjunct to another specific computer is a limited vision. I think that such devices will be of varying strengths and configurations, able to connect easily to whatever server is desired.
At home, I think people will pick up a tablet to retreive photos and periodicals from their home cloud or a bigger cloud, and that they will use accessory keyboards and mice and screens in various locations, depending upon convenience and purpose.
If they want a recipe, they can use the little POS waterproof screen in the kitchen. If they want to input a major recipe, they will sit at the desk that has a keyboard, mouse and screen. If they want to watch home movies, they will either lay in bed with their handleld tablet screen, or if they have the hardware, watch it projected onto the wall, or on a TV with client software, or wherever they feel like it.
I predict the death of the "computer" as a machine sitting on a desk, and the rise of the "home computer" as a box in the cellar like your water heater.
I don't think it will be long until Mac's come with touch screens
A 30 inch touchscreen would be horrible. Instead of a flick of a finger on a touchpad, you would need to practically rise out of your chair to move the cursor.
you have this great app for watching your photos. but have you tried to delete one of those photos? not possible. or maybe move one photo infront of the other one? impossible. maybe renaming a stack of photos? impossible! or edit a photo because the colors are looking ugly? impossible!
same thing with music.
can you delete a song? nope! can you rename a song? nope! can you change a cover of a song? nope. can you do anything apart from listening to the songs? nope!
oh, yes, you can create a playlist. whow! incredible! a playlist! but that's about it. nothing more.
you can consume music, you can consume photos and consume videos. but you can not do anything more! sorry, but this is the concept of the ipad!
the ipad itself can not do anything apart from consuming and viewing.
Literally speaking, you are wrong...there are lots of productivity and creativity apps. However, there is no "Creativity" category on the Apple Store...apps like Sketchbook are in the "Entertainment" category if memory serves.
I do see some limitations in the iPad which may be a roadblock to non-consumption use adoption. The lack of a keyboard may prevent one from writing seriously, but those people are adding keyboards. While some folks can create great works of art with any tool they are given, the reality is that the touch screen isn't pressure sensitive and it is a limitation.
I'm not sure if Apple will ever address these concerns because Apple knows that creatives will pay extra for the devices and software they need (think Cintiq).
Where did this argument about devices being either for creation or consumption arise from? I find it all rather arbitrary. I can create a text message with a mobile phone so it must be a creative device. A paint brush by itself can only look pretty, so therefore it's only for admiring and viewing.
The truth of the matter is each tool is what you make of it as a user, be it mobile, paint brush or iPad.
The beauty of the iPad is that it can be paint brush, paint, canvas and gallery all in one.
So is the iPad the digital Swiss army knife of art and media?
How many netbooks are there available with 10 hours of battery life? How many weigh significantly less than two pounds? How many provide an interface that is perfect for browsing? How many allow for a gaming interface that is half as much fun as what the iPad offers? Inexpensive quality games abound and are incredibly easy to acquire and install. As an e-reader, the iPad makes sense. Netbooks? Not so much.
Quite a few netbooks will do 9+ hours of battery life. What's an interface that is perfect for browsing? Do you even know? Does anyone? And a netbook would have access to 20 years' worth of PC games (discounting modern 3D games that obviously won't run on such a slow machine).
Quite a few netbooks will do 9+ hours of battery life. What's an interface that is perfect for browsing? Do you even know? Does anyone? And a netbook would have access to 20 years' worth of PC games (discounting modern 3D games that obviously won't run on such a slow machine).
I'm just sayin'. You're not arguing this well.
Most seem to be much lower than 10 hours unless we're talking about leaving it to idle. Even the one Asus I know of with a stated 14 hour battery life falls well below the iPad when it comes to common uses like watching video. Consider that watch Hulu or Netflix video would mean Flash over a native app and you have even lower battery time compared to the iPad.
I can't define what is the best UI for browsing, but I can say that using Windows, Linux and Mac OS X on netbooks isn't it. They are desktop-class OSes used on displays they were designed for and HW performance that is well beyond what those OSes and apps typically expect.
While some folks can create great works of art with any tool they are given, the reality is that the touch screen isn't pressure sensitive and it is a limitation.
I'm not sure if Apple will ever address these concerns because Apple knows that creatives will pay extra for the devices and software they need (think Cintiq).
It's the stylus that's pressure sensitive, not the screen...
Don't worry about my health. Instead, worry about all the wasted effort Apple put into devising the useless keyboard shortcuts utilized by us sick, lazy jerky users.
You are obviously NOT a power user. Just keep using that mouse to click icons. It is faster than learning keyboard shortcuts - for certain types of people.
I have used Apple computers professionally since 1987 and am most definitely a power user. Care to teach me the keyboard shortcut for drawing a path in PhotoShop? Don't make such ridiculous statements, or be so lazy as to complain that moving a mouse is labour intensive.
Most seem to be much lower than 10 hours unless we're talking about leaving it to idle. Even the one Asus I know of with a stated 14 hour battery life falls well below the iPad when it comes to common uses like watching video. Consider that watch Hulu or Netflix video would mean Flash over a native app and you have even lower battery time compared to the iPad.
I can't define what is the best UI for browsing, but I can say that using Windows, Linux and Mac OS X on netbooks isn't it. They are desktop-class OSes used on displays they were designed for and HW performance that is well beyond what those OSes and apps typically expect.
I'm not arguing that a netbook can compete with an ARM-powered tablet on battery life, only that they do very well, unless you get a three cell battery or some crap like that.
Comments
I totally agree with your criticisms of the, "'iPad is for consuming, not producing' nonsense," and your comments on the lack of vision. I also agree that the iPad is the beginning of a major change in the way we interact with computers, but, I still believe that desktops (where input and display is separate) will remain an important part of that.
I don't agree that separate input and display implies a desktop.
Already, the vast majority of Macs have the computer built into the monitor, which is a step away from a box sitting there, taking up space on a desk. However, the Mac includes a (pretty much) single-purpose screen, which makes little sense to me, given how expensive nice screens are.
I think that redundant, multi-purpose displays can be coupled with casual input devices (like a nice keyboard and deluxe multi-touch mouse, or an el-cheapo walmart keyboard with a built-in touchpad) in order to easily satisfy the home user. All that needs to be built into a screen is a thin client and a means to get keyboard/mouse or finger input, and it will be good to go.
Wow, you have no idea of what you are talking about. And, you can delete photos, just not photos that were sync'd to your iPad.
That's the sort of thing that drives me nuts with these iOS products.
Just yesterday, I was looking at all the new stuff I had synced to my iPhone, including dozens of albums of music.
Of course, many of them were screwed up and loopy, after iTunes had its way with them. One big compilation, like "The 100 Greatest x of all Time" ruins both album and artist view, unless you relent and rename everything just the way iTunes wants it. And what really sucks is when you put a classic, but out-of-print album into iTunes and then trust it to get the album artwork. You end up with several crappy variations of "greatest hits" covers for however the label carved things up, while never getting artwork for stuff not sold in iTunes.
So I was sitting and waiting for a friend, listening to great music, but unable to manicure the broken iTunes crap out of my device as I browsed my additions. Hell, I couldn't even correct the names or put the albums back together or anything. I had to remember the most egregious stuff, so that I cold maybe fix it later, if I was ever so inspired.
Phone contacts don't work like that. Why does Apple artificially restrict you from making changes to other libraries?
I still think Apple is planning higher end ipads.
Oh, and isn't great that we don't have any viruses on our ipads?
HA HA HA! Suck on that MS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think we will also see an iOS laptop that does not even have OS X on it. I would not be surprised if the next upgrade to the MacBook Air is an iOS device rather than an OS X device. They may rename it but it will be the replacement for the MacBook Air, maybe the iBook Air, a very thin, lite laptop running iOS.
I believe that Apple is making OSX 100% finger friendly and that it will soon discontinue the wifi only ipad. Next I believe that Apple will release ipads that are as technically strong as the macbook. It is inevitable IMHO. Apple will turn the macbook into a slate. I can feel it. Then the pro models will get skated. IMHO!!! But what the hell do I know?
Not a chance in hell. Roughly 50% of the iPad sales are Wi-fi only models.
I predict the death of the desktop.
I predict the rise of the home server, with easy to use input and output devices scattered throughout the house.
I think that the iPad as a tethered adjunct to another specific computer is a limited vision. I think that such devices will be of varying strengths and configurations, able to connect easily to whatever server is desired.
At home, I think people will pick up a tablet to retreive photos and periodicals from their home cloud or a bigger cloud, and that they will use accessory keyboards and mice and screens in various locations, depending upon convenience and purpose.
If they want a recipe, they can use the little POS waterproof screen in the kitchen. If they want to input a major recipe, they will sit at the desk that has a keyboard, mouse and screen. If they want to watch home movies, they will either lay in bed with their handleld tablet screen, or if they have the hardware, watch it projected onto the wall, or on a TV with client software, or wherever they feel like it.
I predict the death of the "computer" as a machine sitting on a desk, and the rise of the "home computer" as a box in the cellar like your water heater.
Not for at least another 10 years.
I don't think it will be long until Mac's come with touch screens
A 30 inch touchscreen would be horrible. Instead of a flick of a finger on a touchpad, you would need to practically rise out of your chair to move the cursor.
Not for at least another 10 years.
Could be. It will be fun to see if that sort of thing ever comes to pass.
but it is true!
you have this great app for watching your photos. but have you tried to delete one of those photos? not possible. or maybe move one photo infront of the other one? impossible. maybe renaming a stack of photos? impossible! or edit a photo because the colors are looking ugly? impossible!
same thing with music.
can you delete a song? nope! can you rename a song? nope! can you change a cover of a song? nope. can you do anything apart from listening to the songs? nope!
oh, yes, you can create a playlist. whow! incredible! a playlist! but that's about it. nothing more.
you can consume music, you can consume photos and consume videos. but you can not do anything more! sorry, but this is the concept of the ipad!
6 Awesome Photo Editing Apps for the iPad.
You'll have to do better than that.
the ipad itself can not do anything apart from consuming and viewing.
Literally speaking, you are wrong...there are lots of productivity and creativity apps. However, there is no "Creativity" category on the Apple Store...apps like Sketchbook are in the "Entertainment" category if memory serves.
I do see some limitations in the iPad which may be a roadblock to non-consumption use adoption. The lack of a keyboard may prevent one from writing seriously, but those people are adding keyboards. While some folks can create great works of art with any tool they are given, the reality is that the touch screen isn't pressure sensitive and it is a limitation.
I'm not sure if Apple will ever address these concerns because Apple knows that creatives will pay extra for the devices and software they need (think Cintiq).
Buy a Modbook.
Available now.
As for this iOS Macbook, please enlighten us as to what this will accomplish better than either the Macbook Air or an iPad with keyboard.
The truth of the matter is each tool is what you make of it as a user, be it mobile, paint brush or iPad.
The beauty of the iPad is that it can be paint brush, paint, canvas and gallery all in one.
So is the iPad the digital Swiss army knife of art and media?
How many netbooks are there available with 10 hours of battery life? How many weigh significantly less than two pounds? How many provide an interface that is perfect for browsing? How many allow for a gaming interface that is half as much fun as what the iPad offers? Inexpensive quality games abound and are incredibly easy to acquire and install. As an e-reader, the iPad makes sense. Netbooks? Not so much.
Quite a few netbooks will do 9+ hours of battery life. What's an interface that is perfect for browsing? Do you even know? Does anyone? And a netbook would have access to 20 years' worth of PC games (discounting modern 3D games that obviously won't run on such a slow machine).
I'm just sayin'. You're not arguing this well.
Not a chance in hell. Roughly 50% of the iPad sales are Wi-fi only models.
Only 50%? I bet it's more like 80%
Quite a few netbooks will do 9+ hours of battery life. What's an interface that is perfect for browsing? Do you even know? Does anyone? And a netbook would have access to 20 years' worth of PC games (discounting modern 3D games that obviously won't run on such a slow machine).
I'm just sayin'. You're not arguing this well.
Most seem to be much lower than 10 hours unless we're talking about leaving it to idle. Even the one Asus I know of with a stated 14 hour battery life falls well below the iPad when it comes to common uses like watching video. Consider that watch Hulu or Netflix video would mean Flash over a native app and you have even lower battery time compared to the iPad.I can't define what is the best UI for browsing, but I can say that using Windows, Linux and Mac OS X on netbooks isn't it. They are desktop-class OSes used on displays they were designed for and HW performance that is well beyond what those OSes and apps typically expect.
While some folks can create great works of art with any tool they are given, the reality is that the touch screen isn't pressure sensitive and it is a limitation.
I'm not sure if Apple will ever address these concerns because Apple knows that creatives will pay extra for the devices and software they need (think Cintiq).
It's the stylus that's pressure sensitive, not the screen...
Then, there's this:
http://www.gadgetvenue.com/apple-ipa...-app-07034713/
Sent from my non-productive, consumption-only iPad -- while sittin' on the couch watchin' Monday Night Football.
.
Don't worry about my health. Instead, worry about all the wasted effort Apple put into devising the useless keyboard shortcuts utilized by us sick, lazy jerky users.
You are obviously NOT a power user. Just keep using that mouse to click icons. It is faster than learning keyboard shortcuts - for certain types of people.
I have used Apple computers professionally since 1987 and am most definitely a power user. Care to teach me the keyboard shortcut for drawing a path in PhotoShop? Don't make such ridiculous statements, or be so lazy as to complain that moving a mouse is labour intensive.
You want the full OS X on a touchscreen?
Buy a Modbook.
Available now.
As for this iOS Macbook, please enlighten us as to what this will accomplish better than either the Macbook Air or an iPad with keyboard.
An input area/control surface which is application specific. For just one suggestion.
Damn good job yr not in product development with such a terrible lack of imagination.
I'm typing - I want a keyboard.
I'm editing video, I want a series of touch controls.
Operating lighting over dmx
Live mixing sound with virtual faders
And so on...
Most seem to be much lower than 10 hours unless we're talking about leaving it to idle. Even the one Asus I know of with a stated 14 hour battery life falls well below the iPad when it comes to common uses like watching video. Consider that watch Hulu or Netflix video would mean Flash over a native app and you have even lower battery time compared to the iPad.I can't define what is the best UI for browsing, but I can say that using Windows, Linux and Mac OS X on netbooks isn't it. They are desktop-class OSes used on displays they were designed for and HW performance that is well beyond what those OSes and apps typically expect.
I'm not arguing that a netbook can compete with an ARM-powered tablet on battery life, only that they do very well, unless you get a three cell battery or some crap like that.