iPad??

[NavinRJohnson]

I think its gonna be huge, and may end up being the final death blow for a lot of print media. The kindle is probably in trouble as well.

[Skatastrophy]

I think its gonna be huge, and may end up being the final death blow for a lot of print media. The kindle is probably in trouble as well.

Apple has loaded the iPad up with DRM (digital rights management).  What that means is that any books, music, etc that I put on my iPad I won't be able to share.

Why would I buy an overpriced iPod Touch that won't even have the functionality of the other Slates/Tablets being released THIS YEAR?!  The HP Slate for example.  The Slate can run games, is multitouch, can run Kindle software... and it's running Windows so I can do whatever I want on it. 

It would be one thing if the iPad were running OSX, but it's not.  It is severely limited compared to its contemporary competition.  I'm not saying that you guys are definitely wrong, but to me this looks like another Macbook Air: Something that a couple fanboys purchase, but a product that is ultimately done in by superior competition.

[NavinRJohnson]

Apple has loaded the iPad up with DRM (digital rights management).  What that means is that any books, music, etc that I put on my iPad I won't be able to share.

You mean like the iPod/iTunes? Lord knows what a failure that was.

[Skatastrophy]

You mean like the iPod/iTunes? Lord knows what a failure that was.

If you don't understand you could ask questions instead of being sarcastic.

ePub, the DRM standard that Apple is using in their iBook store, makes all books/content purchased incompatible with any other device.  This means that any content you purchase will not be able to be loaded onto any other eReader.

This is not the case with music bought off of iTunes.  Music from iTunes was made DRM free as of April 2009.

When the iPod came out there were no devices that came close to their sleekness or functionality.  This was the same with the iPod Touch and the iPhone.  This is not the case with the iPad which, like the Macbook Air, falls significantly short of the functionality offered by competing devices while being significantly more expensive.

[spiral97]

If this thing supports handwritten note entry then this looks like a great way to replace paper notebooks in classrooms.  Imagine being able to annotate your books directly and insert pages for lecture notes in line.. one notebook for all your classes (and for all your semesters).   While I've not seen any indication that it does support this, if it doesn't the sensitivity of the screen makes it seem like a software only limitation that could be fixed.. this concept would grow big time if it also supported linking with other people's pads to do collaborative work.

[Skatastrophy]

If this thing supports handwritten note entry then this looks like a great way to replace paper notebooks in classrooms.  Imagine being able to annotate your books directly and insert pages for lecture notes in line.. one notebook for all your classes (and for all your semesters).   While I've not seen any indication that it does support this, if it doesn't the sensitivity of the screen makes it seem like a software only limitation that could be fixed.. this concept would grow big time if it also supported linking with other people's pads to do collaborative work.

That (the lack of page numbers in books and the lacking ability to take notes) has always been a big gripe about the Kindle.  Honestly your description sounds a lot like the Microsoft Courier (very cool vid if you have the time) which has been rumored to be releasing mid-2010.

[StillAWarrior]

"...the iPad...falls significantly short of the functionality offered by competing devices while being significantly more expensive.

I think a lot of people would say that this is a fair description of all of Apple's computer products.

Not necessarily saying I agree with that sentiment, but it certainly is out there.

[Skatastrophy]

I think a lot of people would say that this is a fair description of all of Apple's computer products.

Not necessarily saying I agree with that sentiment, but it certainly is out there.

True.  And I'm guilty of being an anti-Appleite.

Sorry if I seem to be pushing an agenda... but I honestly believe what I'm telling you and I have the deep technical experience to back it up

[NavinRJohnson]

Sorry if I seem to be pushing an agenda... but I honestly believe what I'm telling you and I have the deep technical experience to back it up

That's clear...most people don't, however. Put yourself in the shoes of an average consumer, and not a techno geek, and this thing is going to kill. Realistically, as far as competing products go, there's 1 (Kindle), maybe 2 (nook) that have both similar products and some of the marketing muscle to push it. If MS gets involved, that's another story. Take the kindle, and add the web, video, etc. capabilities along with the multitude of additional apps, for not much more money, and its not close. Beyond that, the newspapers are going to flock to this as an alternative to print, because it will give them some ability sell adds.

People will love this for the same reason they love their Blackberries and iPhones, because it puts everything in one place.

[Skatastrophy]

But if you're dead-set on an Apple product why not just get an iPhone?  It can do more and it will cost less.  That's not hyperbole.  The iPhone can do everything that the iPad can and more.  Plus it can fit in your pocket.

[NavinRJohnson]

But if you're dead-set on an Apple product why not just get an iPhone?  It can do more and it will cost less.  That's not hyperbole.  The iPhone can do everything that the iPad can and more.  Plus it can fit in your pocket.

You want to read a book or newspaper on your iPhone?

[reinko]

You want to read a book or newspaper on your iPhone?

You want to pay $500 for an e-reader?

[NavinRJohnson]

You want to pay $500 for an e-reader?

Well a 'comparable' Kindle goes for what, $300-350? At $25/book, and $0.50-0.75/ print newspaper, why not? Throw in the wi-fi, web, audio, video capabilities without being tethered to a desktop or traditional laptop and it becomes an extremely practical device.

You guys can disagree all you want. I don't really care. I'm just telling you these things are going to be huge.

[spiral97]

That (the lack of page numbers in books and the lacking ability to take notes) has always been a big gripe about the Kindle.  Honestly your description sounds a lot like the Microsoft Courier (very cool vid if you have the time) which has been rumored to be releasing mid-2010.

Now THAT is something that will definitely take off among students and more.. the camera is significant..  looks like it has a wifi connection but not sure about cellular.. not so much interested for voice calls but for data.. though this could give rise to conference and sharable white board capabilities.  Add a GPS and this becomes a large map.. incorporate the various sensors the iPods and Droids have in them and you can rotate it and use the top "screen" as a TV while working in the bottom..  This has some serious potential and makes the iPad look dusty already.

[StillAWarrior]

Plus it can fit in your pocket.

See my post yesterday about surfing the net on the iPod touch.  For me and my aging eyes, reading on a pocket-sized device is very difficult.

Also, with respect to iPhones, where I live the AT&T network is a problem.  Virtually everyone I know with an iPhone complains about the poor coverage and dropped calls.  My work is going to be providing smart phones, and a lot of us would like an iPhone, but we're really worried about the coverage.  Even my Apple-loving friend that I've mentioned in prior posts doesn't have an iPhone because of this issue.  He's hoping Verizon will come around soon.

[LON]

See my post yesterday about surfing the net on the iPod touch.  For me and my aging eyes, reading on a pocket-sized device is very difficult.

Also, with respect to iPhones, where I live the AT&T network is a problem.  Virtually everyone I know with an iPhone complains about the poor coverage and dropped calls.  My work is going to be providing smart phones, and a lot of us would like an iPhone, but we're really worried about the coverage.  Even my Apple-loving friend that I've mentioned in prior posts doesn't have an iPhone because of this issue.  He's hoping Verizon will come around soon.

AT&T sucks when you are outside of major metro areas.  For example, until a few months ago I didn't get 3G coverage while in Appleton and Green Bay (try to keep track of fantasy while at Packers games, you can't load the simplest of websites, truly frustrating).  Milwaukee has good-to-great 3G coverage but once you get a few miles past Menomonee Falls it tapers off drastically.  If you're in Chicago (or other metro areas much bigger than MKE) the 3G is basically =/> Wi-Fi.


There is NO WAY AT&T let's go of the exclusivity of the iPhone.  They need to improve their network because places like NYC had to put a moratorium on selling the iPhone around Christmas due to all the "data hogs."

[StillAWarrior]

AT&T sucks when you are outside of major metro areas.  For example, until a few months ago I didn't get 3G coverage while in Appleton and Green Bay (try to keep track of fantasy while at Packers games, you can't load the simplest of websites, truly frustrating).  Milwaukee has good-to-great 3G coverage but once you get a few miles past Menomonee Falls it tapers off drastically.  If you're in Chicago (or other metro areas much bigger than MKE) the 3G is basically =/> Wi-Fi.


There is NO WAY AT&T let's go of the exclusivity of the iPhone.  They need to improve their network because places like NYC had to put a moratorium on selling the iPhone around Christmas due to all the "data hogs."

I'm in Cleveland, and the people I talk to here say it's a real problem.  My brother in Phoenix loves his iPhone and doesn't report any problems.

I've heard varying things about AT&T's exclusivity, but none seem to suggest that AT&T is in the driver's seat.  I've heard that Verizon is coming, and I've also heard that Verizon can't have it until they make some sort of change in their network that is more technical than I understand.  I'll gladly defer to someone who knows more about this issue than I.

[muwarrior87]

Last I heard there was a hold up between Apple and Verizon with Verizon wanting to keep V-cast instead of moving over to Apple's software.

[ChicosBailBonds]

AT&T coverage in eastern Ohio sucks ass.   I was there for a funeral in November and couldn't believe how pathetic it was.

Out here in So. Cal, it's fine.  Basically AT&T built their network around population centers, but you get too far out of them and it's brutal.  I still think they will keep the iPhone exclusive contract, but we'll see.  We are partners with AT&T so we hear a few things, but nothing official.

For the iPad, I just don't really get it.  I have a Kindle that was a gift, I hardly ever use it.  I love my iPhone but I could never see myself buying what amounts to being a bigger iTouch.  If it's going to be that big, it better have some serious PC horsepower and act like a PC

This device makes me feel like someone is walking around with one of those large digital picture frames.  Maybe it takes off, but I honestly have some serious misgivings on this one.

[mwbauer7]

I'm in Cleveland, and the people I talk to here say it's a real problem.  My brother in Phoenix loves his iPhone and doesn't report any problems.

I've got no problems with AT&T in Cleveland and the east side...

[ChicosBailBonds]

I've got no problems with AT&T in Cleveland and the east side...

Go further east....Chardon, Painesville, Geneva.....it's really bad.  Mentor isn't too bad, but not great either.

[StillAWarrior]

I've got no problems with AT&T in Cleveland and the east side...

I'm curious if you've got an iPhone?  I know that sometimes certain hardware gets better reception than others.  Two people that I work with have iPhones and both told me they have terrible reception.  We work on the East side (on Chagrin just East of 271) and they live on the East side (one in Aurora and one in Univ. Hts.).

[Hards Alumni]

For the iPad, I just don't really get it.  I have a Kindle that was a gift, I hardly ever use it.  I love my iPhone but I could never see myself buying what amounts to being a bigger iTouch.  If it's going to be that big, it better have some serious PC horsepower and act like a PC

This device makes me feel like someone is walking around with one of those large digital picture frames.  Maybe it takes off, but I honestly have some serious misgivings on this one.

This is also my impression of the iPad.

[ChicosBailBonds]

You mean like the iPod/iTunes? Lord knows what a failure that was.

That's what tunebite was created for...to strip that DRM.  I don't share music files, but it did piss me off that when I bought something off iTunes I couldn't use that song on other things....like creating family videos on DVD, etc.  Tunebite will strip the DRM so you can use the songs that purchased for other needs (not sharing mind you).

[ChicosBailBonds]

http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/9BnLbv6QYcA



http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/8eF0y0IfpPU



http://www.youtube.com/watch/v/3I-JByPDJm0