The I-Pad thread (And other choices)

[wizkid007]

Well the I-Pad finally releases in a few days, and I can say that I did initially want one, however, that is slowly changing as I begin to see what some of the competition is offering.

The main reason I wanted it is to use it as an E-book reader, but even that seems limited as I want to be able to highlight text and compile it in a program like word, but with no multitasking, I doubt that will be possible forcing me to look at other alternatives.

Enter the Notion Ink (Even has a cool touch pad on the back, which is a completely unique feature.)

It pretty much beats the pants off the I-pad in every respect, but its a question of support and being drowned out by the competition that has me worried. The thing runs on Ubuntu (calling Kernow, what do you thinkÉ) and seems blazing fast in the video.

http://gizmodo.com/5471559/notion-ink-adam-tablet-caught-on-video-specs-finalized

Anybody else getting the Ipad...

 

[Nesagwa]

Anyone buying an LCD based tablet device as a dedicated eBook reader is a fool.

You might as well buy a laptop.

 

[ki_atsushi]

Anyone buying an LCD based tablet device as a dedicated eBook reader is a fool.

You might as well buy a laptop.

Yep, I'm going with the Kindle when I get the money for one. Nothing beats those e-ink screens except for a real book.

 

[OrochiEddie]

As mentioned it'd be a huge waste of money to buy a tablet for simply e-reading capabilities.

 

[RabbitTroop]

I want a Kindle as well Might buy one as a nice birthday gift for myself. I've got tons of cash in Amazon gift certificates from work. Anyone know if the books on Kindle can be bought with Amazon Bucks? That would really sway me in that direction knowing I could get tons of virtually free content for it.

 

[Nesagwa]

Like I've said in other threads, if you want to buy your books from someone OTHER than Amazon at any point in time, don't get a Kindle. There are plenty of other devices out there that support the ePub standard (imagine if iPods didn't let you put MP3s on it at all, same sort of situation.)

Anyway, hold off till this winter, new, better screens should be in retail devices by then.

 

[famicommander]

Just get a tablet PC and be done with it.

 

[fake]

I've used an iPad. It was terrible.

But it was the Fujitsu one used by retail stores for inventory purposes. : P

I'm excited for the Apple iPad. To me, it's just wish fulfillment for sci-fi fans. It's a toy at this point. Once we start seeing intruiging software, maybe more interest will pick up among non-casuals. I'm hoping the next one has widescreen.

 

[fmdof]

most people only want the ipad because it's an apple product.

and whats with the fuckin name? if this one passed, i can only imagine what they tossed around before they settled on this.

 

[fake]

By the way, the Notion Ink has been delayed because nVidia's Tegra2 chip is teh broken.

 

[RabbitTroop]

...To me, it's just wish fulfillment for sci-fi fans. It's a toy at this point. Once we start seeing intruiging software, maybe more interest will pick up among non-casuals. ...

Not me. I'm not just talking the lack of features either... It just doesn't wow me or present me with anything different. While I agree having a small tablet PC would be nice, I don't see the iPad as being that. It's a bit too big, as well. I'd rather just stuff a thin notebook into my backpack if I wanted a better user experience. For me, I actually don't mind if technology advances strip away common and useful features to bring something new to the table. I'm infatuated with both the LG GD910 and the similar (but less impressive spec) Samsung S9110 watch phones. To me, that's making the technology more portable and more usable every day. Sure, we're talking different things, but the idea of cramming a current smart phone into a form factor that size is right around the corner. That excites the hell out of me. The idea that I can have a less than stellar ebook experience and nothing more than a bigger screen over an iPod Touch/iPhone doesn't really sell something to me.

 

[BoriquaSNK]

Well, I told myself I wouldn't, and then I watched some of the videos on Apple.com, that turned out to be bad for my self control.

Who am I kidding, of course I'm getting one.

Despite my newfound love of Android, Apple never fails to impress with its gadgets...I for one look forward to picking it up and jailbreaking it asap.

 

[fake]

Not me. I'm not just talking the lack of features either... It just doesn't wow me or present me with anything different. While I agree having a small tablet PC would be nice, I don't see the iPad as being that. It's a bit too big, as well. I'd rather just stuff a thin notebook into my backpack if I wanted a better user experience. For me, I actually don't mind if technology advances strip away common and useful features to bring something new to the table. I'm infatuated with both the LG GD910 and the similar (but less impressive spec) Samsung S9110 watch phones. To me, that's making the technology more portable and more usable every day. Sure, we're talking different things, but the idea of cramming a current smart phone into a form factor that size is right around the corner. That excites the hell out of me. The idea that I can have a less than stellar ebook experience and nothing more than a bigger screen over an iPod Touch/iPhone doesn't really sell something to me.

What most people are saying is that you have to play with it to actually "get it." Then you'll say "ooooh, OK, I get it. I want this."

Watch phones? For serious? This reminds me of my friend a few years ago getting exited about a wrist-computer thing.

Him: "It's the future, man"
Me: "No, it's an impractical gadget that makes you look like a tool."
Him: "But you said the same thing about Bluetooth and now everyone has those"

And look what happened to the Bluetooth craze.

Some people here and on Digg are complaining about the price. Get real. $500 is a pretty good price, especially coming from Apple. Since Apple's become more popular, people have started ripping on them, and even more people hop on the bandwagon. I dunno, I think they make damn good products that simply work, work, and work. I've never had anything from Apple fail on me. My 7 year old iPod Mini has gone through hell, the washer, and the dryer and it still works fine.

 

[Nesagwa]

Bluetooth is a wireless standard, not some short hand for those ear pieces people use.

 

[kernow]

Bluetooth is a wireless standard, not some short hand for those ear pieces people use.

You have a short hand.

 

[RabbitTroop]

What most people are saying is that you have to play with it to actually "get it." Then you'll say "ooooh, OK, I get it. I want this."

Watch phones? For serious? This reminds me of my friend a few years ago getting exited about a wrist-computer thing.

Him: "It's the future, man"
Me: "No, it's an impractical gadget that makes you look like a tool."
Him: "But you said the same thing about Bluetooth and now everyone has those"

And look what happened to the Bluetooth craze.

Some people here and on Digg are complaining about the price. Get real. $500 is a pretty good price, especially coming from Apple. Since Apple's become more popular, people have started ripping on them, and even more people hop on the bandwagon. I dunno, I think they make damn good products that simply work, work, and work. I've never had anything from Apple fail on me. My 7 year old iPod Mini has gone through hell, the washer, and the dryer and it still works fine.

What is quite honestly packaged in a nerdy, 007/Dick Tracy, shell is still quite honestly quite revolutionary. In a similar respect, having a gadget that is both practical, useful, and always sitting comfortable on your wrist is quite impressive. Now, I don't think it will ever replace the phone, per say, but the idea that the technology is fitting into more common and useful things makes it amazing. Douglas Adams did a special with the BBC, I believe, back in 2000 just a few months before his death. He pretty much nailed the Internet and its functionality and growth there. For something to become truly a household item, for it to be accepted as a part of our society it needs to integrate itself in such a way that its being there is natural. Take the ideas of a pencil, or a pen. You don't think about them as technology anymore because they've just fit so comfortably into our lives. The analogy he made was as soon as you can buy the Internet in packs of 10, it will have made it.

OK, so what does that mean to me? Well, part of it is removing the boundaries that restrict usage. Whether that be small steps like making it easier to carry, or slightly larger ones like making it more useful day to day or more integrated into our lifestyle. For this reason, having something that falls into a niche such as the watch phones simply show we're trying to make that progress forward. Size, function, wearable Internet and communication access. Maybe that's romanticized a bit too much for you, but the idea is quite profound when you actually let it start sinking in.

In a sense, I can see the iPad is trying to do something similar, albeit in a different fashion. Apple wants to make reading, interacting with music and movies, and the Internet a one stop shop in your bag. I still don't think it does any of those items very well, but again, it is trying to move the format forward. For that I've always given Apple credit. They may not get the whole picture, but they definitely can sense a frame.

 

[fake]

What is quite honestly packaged in a nerdy, 007/Dick Tracy, shell is still quite honestly quite revolutionary. In a similar respect, having a gadget that is both practical, useful, and always sitting comfortable on your wrist is quite impressive. Now, I don't think it will ever replace the phone, per say, but the idea that the technology is fitting into more common and useful things makes it amazing. Douglas Adams did a special with the BBC, I believe, back in 2000 just a few months before his death. He pretty much nailed the Internet and its functionality and growth there. For something to become truly a household item, for it to be accepted as a part of our society it needs to integrate itself in such a way that its being there is natural. Take the ideas of a pencil, or a pen. You don't think about them as technology anymore because they've just fit so comfortably into our lives. The analogy he made was as soon as you can buy the Internet in packs of 10, it will have made it.

OK, so what does that mean to me? Well, part of it is removing the boundaries that restrict usage. Whether that be small steps like making it easier to carry, or slightly larger ones like making it more useful day to day or more integrated into our lifestyle. For this reason, having something that falls into a niche such as the watch phones simply show we're trying to make that progress forward. Size, function, wearable Internet and communication access. Maybe that's romanticized a bit too much for you, but the idea is quite profound when you actually let it start sinking in.

In a sense, I can see the iPad is trying to do something similar, albeit in a different fashion. Apple wants to make reading, interacting with music and movies, and the Internet a one stop shop in your bag. I still don't think it does any of those items very well, but again, it is trying to move the format forward. For that I've always given Apple credit. They may not get the whole picture, but they definitely can sense a frame.

True, but that's just the nature of technology, especially since the dawn of the microprocessor - It's a self-fulfilling prophecy - cheaper to produce and reduced in size. I'm sure in 10 years or so, the Internet will be in our fridges, scanning what food we have and then coming up with a list of recommended recipes. It's made it way into HDTVs and other household items.

The reason I say the iPad is a toy is because it's possibly [who knows? I haven't used it yet and neither has any of you guys] less efficient than a small laptop, but it's possibly more fun to use. I don't think having a large touchscreen quite falls into the category of a gimmick, but you know what I mean - you'll get less done but have more fun doing it. Also, I bet the iPad can take ten time the beating a netbook could.

Bluetooth is a wireless standard, not some short hand for those ear pieces people use.

You knew what I meant, douchebag.