[geeks] iPad - NOT a 'Miss' for me I'm afraid

[Jon Gilbert]

> On Sat, Jan 30, 2010 at 11:31:38AM -0600, Jon Gilbert wrote:
>>All I can say is that the iPad is going to end up in a lot of college
>> dorm
>>rooms. Ultimate college tool... think about it.
>
> I think it will have a lot of competition with a netbook. It's got a nice
> in your hands form factor, but it's not a serious device for writing,
> web surfing (too underpowered), watching videos (too underpowered),
> watching TV (does anyone watch TV live anymore?) (too underpowered).

Slow? Huh? All the demos I saw of the iPad made it seem anything but
slow... it may not have a dual core CPU, but it seems to have the
following advantages over netbooks:
* it's not running a garbage OS designed for desktops, but rather, is
running a custom OS highly optimized for its hardware
* much nicer screen
* much higher build quality, not a plasticky piece of crap
* much better battery life
* 3D graphics acceleration
* perfectly quiet typing (everybody hates a clattery laptop typer in the
library or in class)
* comfortably read your journal articles (and hopefully textbooks) on a
much more ergonomic reading device (and in full color... a biology
textbook ain't going on a black-and-white Kindle or Nook, ever.)

Those are just the easy things I could think of. Also, I am sure that it's
superior for watching video on compared to any netbooks that I've seen,
due to the superior screen. It is certainly fast enough to play back video
content. Also, you can connect a USB keyboard, so what's the problem with
writing papers on it? It supports a full-featured word processor (Pages)
that is more than adequate for writing.

Also, I'm not sure that today's generation of kids won't *prefer* typing
on the touch-screen... just because us old farts can't get used to it does
not mean that they won't enjoy not having to mash plastic squares
connected to springs with their fingers. You know that the physical force
required to type on an iPad will be significantly less than most
keyboards, from the lack of having to move a physical part, and therefore
there is less risk of repetitive strain injury. But you can hook up a
keyboard easily; that's what I did with my Apple Newton in college. I
never wrote papers on it though because the screen was just not up to par
compared with what the iPad sports.

As for web-browsing, how is it underpowered for that? LOL!

>
> It's more of an improved Kindle or more likely an answer to the "nook",
> than anything else.

I guess I just don't see how they are even in the same category
whatsoever. Those are e-readers, which are really just optimized for
black-and-white, text-only books. That's a great niche, and I love those
products, but the iPad is a small portable computer with some pretty
advanced capabilities (GPS, compass, accelerometer, multi-touch interface,
USB support, etc.). William Gibson wrote, "The street will find it's own
use for technology." The iPad has a lot more potential uses compared with
narrow niche products like Kindle. I'm just saying.

>
> Considering what you can get in the US for $200-$300 in a netbook, it's a
> tough sell to me.

Yeah, but netbooks are, in large part, pieces of garbage. They are made so
cheaply out of the cheapest materials that they are not likely to last
much past their warranty periods. Even high-grade laptops from the best
companies don't last very long; I would never trust, say, a college term
paper, to a $200-300 netbook. Also, they lack dedicated graphics hardware,
and they are ergonomic nightmares.

A lot of people who will want an iPad are likely to be people who already
have a laptop or desktop, but want something very small and simple to pull
out and use for web browsing, reading, reference, etc. I would much rather
have a tablet-type computer when I'm working on translating and need a
foreign dictionary, than a laptop which requires me to shift where I am
looking, strain my arms to reach over to it, etc. The tablet design can
sit right next to my papers and books and it is a simple glance of the eye
away, without having to look up at a screen etc.

>
>>The other thing it will be huge for is musicians.
>
> Not much more than an iPod or other MP3/MP4 player. It's too underpowered
> to
> run Garageband, can't play a music video in decent resolution, so it's
> just a
> big player.

ROFL! You have no idea what you are talking about. I am a musician, and I
use my iPhone 3GS as a midi controller. The multi-touch interface allows
me to control my drum machine on my MacBook Pro from the iPhone (using it
as a remote controller, essentially). There are quite a few decent synths
that can be played on the iPhone, but its surface area is too small to
really be useful for this. A large, solidly built multi-touch device such
as iPad will be a REVOLUTIONARY DEVICE for music performers due to the
ability to create custom interfaces that can be directly interacted with
without the need for a clumsy mouse (where are you going to place a mouse
on stage?).

Just trust me when I say that within 5 years, iPad & similar devices will
be used by EVERY DJ (controlling other devices or performing live mixes),
sequencer/music composer (writing music, as opposed to recording it), etc.
Does this mean they will give up using laptops and desktops? No, the iPad
is not a replacement for a D.A.W. like GarageBand (or ProTools or whatever
else). However, the iPad makes the PERFECT out-board controller for
GarageBand's mixer console!!! Seriously, we musicians DREAM of things like
this.

>
>>I think business people
>>will use them for on-the-spot sales presentations.
>
> It runs PowerPoint? It has a VGA or DVI output? Maybe it will do for the
> "I have have a better wrench" video from the snap-on guy, but again
> it's too underpowered for a fill screen video.

I'm not sure what a "snap-on guy" is, but you are smoking crack if you
think it can't run full-screen video. You won't need a projector, you just
hold the iPad in your hand and hold it up where the client/customer can
see it (I was thinking a retail environment), but there's no reason that
it could not output video to a projector. The iPhone/iPod can already hook
up to any regular TV and provide video output.

Further, the iPad runs Keynote, which is a pretty decent competitor to
PowerPoint, and there's no reason a PowerPoint version could not be made
for iPad (except that I highly doubt Micro$oft would do that). However you
can simply import your PowerPoint presentations into Keynote. Problem
solved.

>
>>It's a nice little computing device. It's not for everyone though. I'll
>>probably wait for the 3rd or 5th generation one, like I did with iPod and
>>iPhone.
>
> Probably a good idea.
>
> The new dual core netbooks are going to give it a run for the money. I saw
> one with a 12" screen advertised last week, I wonder how long it will be
> before the feature creep down to the 10 inch.

They are what they are. But I haven't seen one with a keyboard that felt
decent to my hands, or a screen that really was pleasing to my eye, or a
pointing/tracking device that didn't make me just think, "Meh."

-Jon Gilbert
-Portland OR