iPad - Thoughts

If I was in the market for a tablet at the iPad price point I'd rather buy an Asus EEE T91MT convertible netbook.
 
RubberDuckeeToo2 said:
Right here:
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/iPad_User_Guide.pdf

Gene
Click to expand...

Gene, thanks so much for the link to the ipad user manuals, will be a good read to learn up on this cool new device.

Actually, the manuals I meant were the one's I keep on my computer, the PDF manuals for the Mercruiser engines, my Sundancer manual, etc. Have tried to view PDF manuals on my iphone but the screen size is nothing compared to what they would look like on an ipad. Thanks for the other link, either way, I snagged that manual.
 
I'm going to eat my words down below. The more I look at the potential of the iPad I think it's a huge evolutionary step in computing. Possibly even revolutionary. I think it re-defines how we do things and puts into question the things we think are important....such as Flash and multi-tasking.

Problem is that we're stuck thinking in terms that we are familiar with. You need to ask yourself what your goals are and then figure out how to achieve them regardless of what you are used to doing. I think the iPad does this well. You can do everything you want to do but the paradigm is different.

mjrubino said:
If I was in the market for a tablet at the iPad price point I'd rather buy an Asus EEE T91MT convertible netbook.
Click to expand...

It's not intended to be a netbook replacement...not even the same market. This is a unique device that everyone else will try to copy.

Four Suns said:
I also think they made a big mistake on the multitasking. This is a big device... and if you are "surfing the web", you want your other network aware apps to work in the background...
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Define "multi-tasking". Do we really need multiple apps running at the same time draining the battery. Or, do we need certain functions ours apps performing limited background tasks? If you can close an app and re-open it to it's previous state isn't that about the same thing as multi-tasking? Again, new paradigms.

Tonka Boater said:
No multitasking or background operations make it a loser. No webcam either. It's just a big iPod Touch. I'll wait until the second iteration after they address all the complaints about its shortcomings. Just like cut/copy/paste on the iPhone.
Click to expand...

I was wrong.

Tonka Boater said:
The iPhones/Touch have never run Flash either. That's yet another shortcoming for the iPad. I can see using it to watch streaming video but almost everybody uses Flash -- Hulu, Amazon, etc.
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HTML 5 will make Flash obsolete. Flash will be a non-factor once all of the Flash sites convert to HTML 5.
.
 
@ Tonka Boater and/other's. I really don't think people have grasped yet, unless they already are iphone users how this device simple changes things.

Check out this new article, about the new OS 4.0 for iphone which will obviously include the ipad and the itouch:

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and...one-OS-Future-749809/?kc=EWKNLNAV04072010STR4

Yes, multi-tasking....
“A key combination—reportedly hitting the Home button twice—will trigger an Expose-like interface that brings up a series of icons representing the currently running apps, allowing users to quickly select the one they want to switch to directly.” Once a selection is made, the phone then switches to that particular app.
 
I have been a Windows guy for 25 years. I develop software for a living, and have been an MS disciple for ever. But, I am a gadget junkie, and have had a bunch of Macs, iPods, an iPhone, and bought my wife a PowerBook recently. I personally use (and LOVE) the Motorola Droid.

I bought the iPad this week because it makes sense for my company to develop to it for use with some of our products (casino industry software).

Having played with it for a couple days, I am thrilled with it. Of course it has limitations, but so does every device I've ever owned. For pdf viewing, it is GREAT.

As an e-reader, I find the screen harder on my eyes than my Sony ebook.

For surfing in front of the TV or the passenger seat of a car, it is fabulous.

Having it on your lap in bed is great too - it doesn't get hot like a laptop.

Battery life - so far I'm getting 12 hours on a charge. Incredible.

It is heavier than I expected though, but still much lighter than a netbook or laptop.

Screen resolution is disappointing - it is 4:3 format.

No GPS is disappointing - it would make a great Marine Navigator.

No USB port stinks.

Built in mono speaker stinks.

No SD Card slot stinks.

All in all, it is a revolutionary implementation of an old idea. Microsoft's Tablet Edition was way before the iPad - but in many ways Steve Jobs' gang got it done better.
 
StevenA said:
Gene, thanks so much for the link to the ipad user manuals, will be a good read to learn up on this cool new device.

Actually, the manuals I meant were the one's I keep on my computer, the PDF manuals for the Mercruiser engines, my Sundancer manual, etc. Have tried to view PDF manuals on my iphone but the screen size is nothing compared to what they would look like on an ipad. Thanks for the other link, either way, I snagged that manual.
Click to expand...

Steven, My mistake. I tend to skim messages very quickly and misinterpreted what you wrote. Getting the PDFs of the Mercruiser manuals on there shouldn;t be all that hard. It will certainly make them easier to read.

Personally, I'm waiting for the 3G version. I use the Navionics app on my iPhone and the pseudo GPS works pretty good on it. That and the other boating apps should be fun this summer.

Gene
 
home automation (home theater) is where the ipad is most valuable. also, no more kindle and time to start really using our netflix account
 
I saw in the new iPhone software announcement that the iPad will be able to multitask in the fall with it's software update.
 
I actually went out and bought one earlier this week while I was traveling. I'll attempt to do a writeup with what I think about it with regards to boating and post it later. At first, I was impressed with the thing (I still am), but there are some serious short comings IMO to use it as some people suggested here.

What I like:

1. Great screen
2. Easy to use
3. Feels good
4. Can actually read my mail and web browser unlike my Blackberry.

What I don't like

1. No multitasking (yes it is a big deal)
2. No exposed file system - you want to put your manuals on here? Where? You have to buy a pdf viewer and import the pdf files... or use your mail as your file storage system... and "files" in your mailbox (like a pdf) can't be seen by other apps.
3. Can't download files (i.e. pdf's) in Safari and store them. If you have a URL for a pdf, you have to download it every time from the Internet.. or... again... you can buy an App to download them and view them
4. Mail client is clunky for multiple mail accounts
5. Large pdf files, like US Army corp of engineer survey files, are so slow in rendering they are not viewable.
6. Lack of Flash support and what appears to be a lack of ANYTHING Adobe other than pdf

I'll write it up later with some examples but I think the iPad needs some speed and polish for some things. I do think it could change how the world views publishing and "books". For example, an engine manual could have embedded interactive diagrams instead of just pictures...

I'm typing this on my iPad... and the Youtube video I embedded earlier is not showing and it just has a box that says "Flash is not installed'.

More later...
 
I have an app called air sharing that when launched, it pops up on my laptop and allows me to drag and drop files into it. The files are stored in folders. The problem like you pointed out is that other apps can't share them yet.

But the new 4.0 software will have a ton of new features. This will mature into a solid platform. The iPhone took a little bit for it to really start hitting it's potential. I think this will be the same thing. HTML 5 is where apple is going, I think they (for whatever reason) want to skip flash and position themselves for what they think will be the new format. I'm noticing more and more sites moving away from flash players just because of the iphone/itouch crowds.

Looking forward to your thoughts on the iPad after you've used it for a bit.
 
Air Sharing (the app) is available for the iPad as well. I bought it... and it demonstrates exactly why multitasking is needed. For those of you that don't know, it basically adds a "pseudo" mac file system of the iPad/iPhone to the network so you can see the iPad on the network and it looks like a Mac... and the iPad can see other network services as well. If you need to get a pdf from your computer to the iPad, you can connect to the iPad like a fileserver and drag and drop. HOWEVER... this is the bad thing... if your laptop has the iPad mounted and then you switch to the web browser on the iPad, the file sharing shuts down and your laptop is going "What the hell is wrong with this iPad file server?" It got my Macbook pro so confused that the Macbook would not connect to it anymore and I had to reboot the thing... Additionally, the rendering speed of this software for pdf files is SLOW... and when I put my book on the thing, it crashed.

I tried another App called GoodReader and it could render pdf files much faster but it was still a little clunky... and again... it introduces another "file system" for the iPad with a completely different UI... and it doesn't share files with other Apps... It appears Air Sharing and GoodReader apps are selling well so it points to the fact that there is a big need for an exposed file system on the thing.

I understand why they are doing this... it's a big security issue... no multitasking and all files have to be in the apps themselves with no sharing means no viruses and malware... this is a safe platform to do online banking... but the usability goes out the door in using it as a pdf/file storage platform. The apps, and all the files they use, are "silos" and generally do not talk to each other or share data... For example, if you view a pdf file in Safari, you can not store it on the iPad or send it to GoodReader/Air Share... you have to go to GoodReader/Air Share and download it again so each app can have it's own copy.

More later
 
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