#37888 - 01/30/10 05:42 AM
Re: lolwut iPad
[Re: +Solistus]
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tA-Kane
Crack Baby
Registered: 01/30/01
Posts: 2272
Loc: Sugar Land, TX, USA
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It looks to me like it's pretty much just a bigger version of the iPhone. And the iPhone's pretty useless to me being locked in with literally the worst telco in the U.S.; there should be laws against locking products in against competing compatible services.
Oh wait, there *ARE* anti-trust laws against it, just nobody's done anything about it. Imagine if your computer could *only* run Widows, your Windows machine could *only* run Internet Explorer. Oh, wait, Microsoft got sued for that back in '95... so what makes it legal for your CDMA/GSM phone to *only* work with a single CDMA/GSM provider?
But yeah, back to the iPad... what's its major competitor tbqh? I think the fact that the major competitors don't really have a lot of advertising or presence outside of their specific field means that Apple's just broken into that market very well simply by people wanting the device, getting the device, and then *making* a use for it. All-in-one mobile barcode scanner, inventory sheet, and shipping tracking device? Future-check.
I must say that as far as ebooks go, the Kindle doesn't whet my appetite considering that it's pretty limited to what Amazon offers and therefore not always what you want.
Although to be quite honest, I'm not sure I'd fancy reading a book on a mobile electronic device, considering battery life is the bane of any mobile electronic device. If I want to read a book, I'm either going to read the book or read it on my computer. Why? My computer won't run out of power any time soon (or, so I hope) and a book can go anywhere. And hey, a book is far less prone to being stolen.
Same for video - why bring that thing when I can watch it on my computer? If I'm not relaxing at my computer, chances are I don't want to watch a video.
Watch a video while driving? Fuck no, I'm not stupid.
Watch a video while being a passenger in a vehicle (car, airplane, whatever)? Haha, battery life. Oh, and I'd rather relax and take a nap or else reflect inward upon my thoughts.
Watch a video at work? Aren't you supposed to be WORKING at work?
Watch a video at home? Why would I do that on this device when I can do it better on my computer?
Watch a video at a friend's home? Notwithstanding the fact that I don't really have friends in whose homes I could be, why would I prefer to not watch it on their video device?
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#37889 - 01/30/10 08:04 AM
Re: lolwut iPad
[Re: tA-Kane]
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The Tony
Overdosed
Registered: 06/28/00
Posts: 5993
Loc: Durham, NC
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Considering it has 10 hours of video battery life, I suspect reading life should be comparable if not substantially higher. The Kindle is actually quite popular where I am, although not breakthrough. Of course Apple will break into that market and make it extremely popular.
Apple could put its logo on a dog turd and sell millions of them. The day it was announced I had some middle aged lady come up to me wanting to buy "one of those new tablet things."
Obviously she had done NO research whatsoever as to what the device was or what it could do, or else she would have known that it wasn't released yet. She just had money burning a hole in her pocket for that new Apple thing.
As far as myself, I find myself preferring to use my iPhone in lieu of my laptop for casual browsing around the home, on the couch, etc. I would absolutely use a tablet instead for that purpose. I'm not a big e-book person myself, but I do use VNC on my iPhone often enough that I think using it on a tablet would be much preferable. I hate flash as much as Apple does so I'm not finding myself crying over that. The only other thing I would be torn over is 3G or no 3G. I'm okay with the one time cost, but paying for an internet service on half a dozen devices is going to start getting expensive. It would be nice if there was some sort of 'family data plan' option with mobile carriers.
As it is, home internet, my iPhone, her iPhone + Tablet is what... $150 a month in internet? Bleh!
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#37890 - 01/30/10 11:59 AM
Re: lolwut iPad
[Re: tA-Kane]
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+Cube
Overdosed
Registered: 01/28/01
Posts: 7278
Loc: Toronto, Ontario
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Oh wait, there *ARE* anti-trust laws against it, just nobody's done anything about it. Imagine if your computer could *only* run Widows, your Windows machine could *only* run Internet Explorer. Oh, wait, Microsoft got sued for that back in '95... so what makes it legal for your CDMA/GSM phone to *only* work with a single CDMA/GSM provider?
Because most phones, including iPhone, are subsidized by a carrier. Over simplifying it, you're essentially leasing the phone with a down payment. Eventually when your lease (contract in this case) ends you are the owner. Then you can do as you please. In addition, not all cellular phone networks are compatible. The obvious case is typical GSM vs CDMA, but T-Mobile and AT&T also work on different bands. Not all GSM phones will support all the bands.
The comparison to Microsoft is not accurate either. Microsoft's suit was a result of a holding a monopoly and they were found to be abusing it. Neither the iPhone, Apple, or any American carrier has a monopoly.
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#37891 - 01/30/10 01:57 PM
Re: lolwut iPad
[Re: +Cube]
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tA-Kane
Crack Baby
Registered: 01/30/01
Posts: 2272
Loc: Sugar Land, TX, USA
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PROTIP: COMPLEXITY IS NOT SIMPLICITY
AT&T does have a monopoly on new contractually-legal (non-modified: non-jailbroken non-unlocked) iPhone carrier contracts, does it not? Apple does not have a monopoly on the smartphone market but certainly supports a carrier which is pro-monopoly.
Sure, there's different bands GSM supports and each modem might use different band sets and different carriers support different band sets, but there's absolutely no reason you shouldn't be allowed to mix and match devices/carriers when the bands and technologies do match; I already said that when I said "...compatible services".
And to be quite honest, I see no reason I shouldn't be allowed to use T-Mobile as my primary carrier even if that meant that I would always be roaming because the phone doesn't support T-Mobile's towers; perhaps one carrier has cheaper service even when roaming than their competitor?
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#37893 - 01/30/10 05:58 PM
Re: lolwut iPad
[Re: +Cube]
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Trekkie
Overdosed
Registered: 06/18/00
Posts: 5296
Loc: Houston, TX
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CAUTION: Many words ahead, you have been warned.
I'm already pretty much sold on getting one, mainly for the eReader aspect. I don't own a laptop or an iPhone so it's perfect for me. That it cost only 20 bucks more than a Kindle and does so much more is just gravy. Add in to that the fact that the 3G version comes with no contract makes it even more attractive. Sure, it only supports the frequencies AT&T uses in the states, thus making it the de facto carrier, but this device is designed to be international, not just US. It would increase the cost further if Apple opted for a dual band GSM/CDMA chip and kill battery life even more. In that case they would run into diminishing returns anyway since most of the world is GSM. With WiFi being so ubiquitous these days the only real reason to opt for the 3G model is when on the road. I don't do a lot of traveling but when I do I always stay in places that offer WiFi access. I'll probably get the 32GB WiFi only model. Throw in the nifty keyboard accessory and it becomes immensely useful for note taking; especially in the classroom. One device not only contains all your textbooks, and cheaper I might add, but also acts as your notebook. Forget lugging a backpack to each course, just plop down with this thing and a pen. (For those teachers that still insist on giving paper assignments.) What Apple has done right is make a tablet for everyone, even professionals. Honestly there's nothing groundbreaking about the iPad except its compact form and ease of use, things Apple excels at. The stated battery life may be only 10 hours a charge but that's for constant use. Just like my iPod Touch if I turn off the WiFi chip when not needed the battery last much longer than the quoted time on the box. As Steve said during the keynote a single charge will last a month in standby. Also said during the keynote and something I agree with is the fact that netbooks generally just suck. When not saddled with Windows, which is just too old and bloated to ever be a proper mobile OS, your choice is Linux, which will never be a consumer OS. Netbooks aren't known for having ample specifications nor are they known for battery life. The iPad will compete quite nicely in this market. Unlike Solistus I'm not bothered by the App Store being the only source of software. There is quite literally an app for everything and the barrier for entry is actually very low. This is the reason Steve took the time during the keynote to show off iWork for the iPad, to demonstrate that the Apple tablet is easily capable of running applications formerly reserved for the desktop.
I can already tell this thing is going to be a success because all the PC tech sites are downplaying it in every article they can. Just like they did with the original iPod and the first iPhone. Neither product was revolutionary at the time but what Apple did was enter an already competitive market with a device that put all the features in a small form factor and made it easy to use. Another reason why the iPad will succeed is due to something Apple has been transitioning itself to since it released its first iPod. In the past decade Apple has successfully reinvented itself from a computer brand to a boutique brand. These days owning a device with the Apple logo on it is a must. Consumer whores you have a go for take off. This is key to understanding Apple's position since they did the unthinkable and recently turned in their best quarter ever, even during a severe recession. Buy AAPL and go long.
As Cube mentioned earlier monopolies are not illegal. If you don't like being tied to AT&T to get an iPhone then don't get one. (This is the reason why I'll never get an iPhone.) No one has a gun to your head and you're free to go with whatever other phone and/or carrier you wish. What would make the current practice illegal is if AT&T used their monopoly on iPhone service in the US to gouge customers with higher plan prices then other smartphone customers. This is not the case.
If you haven't seen it yet then I highly recommend actually watching the Apple announcement introducing the iPad. It's 2 hours long and quite thorough in explaining just what the iPad is capable of.
P.S. The name totally sucks. I hope Apple loses its case against Fujitsu and is forced to change it.
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Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. - Benjamin Franklin
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#37896 - 01/31/10 01:46 AM
Re: lolwut iPad
[Re: Trekkie]
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Jaco
Rehab
Registered: 06/19/00
Posts: 10677
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Jesus paragraphs! Consider this my place holder for a bunch of bullshit and nonsensical observations in the very-near-yet-not-so-immediate-future.
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#37900 - 01/31/10 09:22 PM
Re: lolwut iPad
[Re: SinVulture_]
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+Cube
Overdosed
Registered: 01/28/01
Posts: 7278
Loc: Toronto, Ontario
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Virgin Mobile makes 5 now.
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#37901 - 01/31/10 09:27 PM
Re: lolwut iPad
[Re: +Cube]
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Allison
Addicted
Registered: 06/30/04
Posts: 907
Loc: New York
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You guys are forgetting the best part. You can hold it with one hand and watch a video.
Duh! Portable porn!
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#37904 - 01/31/10 10:49 PM
Re: lolwut iPad
[Re: Allison]
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+Solistus
Gutter Trash
Registered: 06/19/00
Posts: 3930
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A few comments...
AT&T exclusivity isn't entirely Apple's fault. Blame the rest of the US telcos for using their own formats that the rest of the world has basically abandoned. Unless Apple wanted to make multiple versions of this device for different service providers or add hardware that costs money and power to every iPad just to support more providers, this was the best option for them. As far as we know, the only money Apple makes off the whole 3G side of things is the up-front hardware cost.
App Store limitations are still my biggest issue. Sure, there's AN app for (almost) anything, but what if I want to use Opera instead of Safari (or replace any other Apple-provided software)? On pretty much any other portable device with upgradable software, this would be trivial. Not so much on the iPhone platform. And heaven help me if I decide I want to try setting up VOIP, video chat, tethering or any other such feature before Apple and/or AT&T decide I should be allowed to (and how exorbitant a rate I should pay for the privilege in the case of tethering). Any Windows Mobile, Android, Linux, etc. device would have none of these issues. I'm not sure what you mean by barrier to entry - are you talking about developers here?
I hate e-books with a fiery passion. It seems the iPad is a Kindle Killer, but I thought the Kindle was a ridiculously stupid device from the outset. I *like* real, phsyical books. I like that I can copy them, loan them to people, write in them, leave physical bookmarks, buy and sell them used, bring them with me anywhere without worrying about losing/damaging an expensive electronic reader or having power access... The only practical use I can see for an e-book reader at all is textbooks and other bulky reference materials, but given that any context that requires me to have textbooks probably requires me to write papers and do research as well, a laptop or netbook is the obvious choice. Maybe I'm just too old for this newfangled e-book crap.
Asserting repeatedly that non-Apple devices get crappy battery life doesn't make it so. I was on an Asus netbook a couple weeks ago, running Windows, surfing the web and editing some documents in Word. I used it for a few hours without draining the battery. Considering the iPad can't even *do* that sort of multitasking, I'll adopt a wait and see approach before assuming this is the one Apple device with a non-removable battery that won't prove to be a major headache on that front.
Bottom line: the iPad has a cool form factor, multitouch and the iPhone library of software. Compared to a smartphone, it's just a bigger, faster iPhone. Compared to a netbook, it's missing plenty of things that have been discussed at length. The surprisingly low price (especially for a new Apple product) alone makes it go from 'big disappointment' to 'cool gadget to keep an eye on'. If it gets a refresh that resolves at least some of my big concerns, or if some true killer apps emerge that can't be adequately ported to iPhone or a non-multitouch device, I may change my tune on the iPad.
Closing words: I'm relieved not to be the only one that thinks the name is terrible. For the first time since the flower power iMac, I must seriously entertain the theory that Steve Jobs is just fucking with us now.
Edited by +Solistus (01/31/10 10:52 PM)
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#37907 - 02/01/10 10:49 AM
Re: lolwut iPad
[Re: +Cube]
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+Solistus
Gutter Trash
Registered: 06/19/00
Posts: 3930
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Did I ever say Apple was incapable of supporting other providers? I said it's not *entirely* their fault, because the other providers have made it difficult to do so and adding the hardware support has very real trade offs in terms of power drain and hardware cost to benefit a small number of US customers only. Also, I'm pretty sure T-Mo uses different frequencies for its 3G than its EDGE network to match the emerging South and Central American 3G frequency standard, so again, there may be hardware issues at hand.
Also, given that A) the iPad is not a handset and B) plenty of individual devices are limited to a single network even if the manufacturer makes other, separate devices for other networks, I'm not sure how your comment about 'every other handset manufacturer' is relevant.
I'm not sure if Apple is getting compensated by AT&T for maintaining exclusivity here, how this exclusivity ties in with the recent joint announcement of upgrades to the AT&T 3G network instead of the rumored end to iPhone exclusivity, and/or if the other telcos even approached Apple with an offer. At any rate, I don't know why anyone would be surprised by this. Absent a large monetary offer from other telcos not contingent on exclusivity deals with them instead, I don't see why Apple would spend additional resources, let alone bog down an international product with hardware that costs money and drains power just to support the services a couple other companies sell in some areas of the US.
If anything, carrier exclusivity should have less negative impact on Apple's sales for the iPad than it does for the iPhone, since many people are already under contract for cell phone service and Apple still had no trouble attracting droves to AT&T for a jesus phone. The only customers this costs Apple are the people who A) only want the iPad if they are satisfied with its 3G offerings and B) really, really, really hate AT&T. I just don't see any way it makes business sense for Apple to go out of its way to secure multiple carriers when they aren't even selling subsidised hardware or anything to go with service plans. I imagine Apple gets a cut of the service fees, but the only reason that would entice them to support more carriers is if they could attract a *lot* more customers that way (especially since they can probably ask for a larger cut with an exclusivity deal).
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I've parted ways with the clan and won't be checking this forum much. AIM me.
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#37919 - 02/06/10 11:48 AM
Re: lolwut iPad
[Re: Trekkie]
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mAc_PuNk
mAc_PuNk
Unregistered
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the larger version = the maxi-pad
honestly I'm happy with my ipod itouch: wireless, chinese dictionary, games (dungeon hunter) and a small selection of my drum and bass & electronica.
and it fits in my pocket 
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