12 ms·

Why the iPad isn't for me

149 points by zooey 17y ago

tvon 17y ago
> Download an audio file of Ben Long doing a dramatic reading of this article (MP4, 10 MB). Nice touch. I'd also like to hear it in Shatner.
csomar 17y ago
From the beginning, I knew this device won't go so far. I'm more optimistic with the new HP slate. When I get a device bundled with Windows 7, with the ability to run any windows application and not only Flash, it's just like tele-porting my computer to this little device. The iPad OS is a phone OS, whatever powerful it is, it'll be always way behind any desktop OS. Point 2 is multi-tasking. And about iPhone OS 4.0 multi-tasking, it just made me laugh, it just proved me Apple failed to support real multi-tasking.
- rimantas 17y ago
  One guy writes that iPad is not for him and that means that "this device won't go so far"? Selling 300 000 of these on the first day means nothing I guess. The iPad OS is a phone OS, whatever powerful it is, it'll be always way behind any desktop OS. A car, whatever poferful it is, it'll be always way behind any train. So? And about iPhone OS 4.0 multi-tasking, it just made me laugh, it just proved me Apple failed to support real multi-tasking. You laugh, users don't care. Will they be able listen Pandora in the background? Sure they will. Will they receive skype calls, even when Skype is not in front? Sure they will. Will navigation software run in background, even you switch to other app? Yes it will. Meanwhile enjoy your well thought multitouch suppor of Windows 7 on HP slate and the battery life with real multitasking.
  - pyre 17y ago
    > Selling 300 000 of these on the first day means nothing I guess. So you can guarantee me that the iPad will without any doubt whatsoever 'take off' solely based on the fact that they sold a ton of product on the first day? It is by no means a guarantee of anything. It's possibly indicative of a trend, but first day sales shouldn't mean anything other than how successful the product was marketed. How well the product takes off after that is a function of marketing, how well it meets consumer expectations (i.e. it could somewhat miss on consumer expectations, but be bolstered by an excellent marketing strategy), and how much of a market there is for it. > A car, whatever poferful it is, it'll be always way behind any train. So? Not everyone can afford to have a device for every purpose. Many people have to budget around getting a single device that can do as many things as possible. > Meanwhile enjoy your well thought multitouch suppor of Windows 7 on HP slate and the battery life with real multitasking. What are you trying to say here? That because he wants 'real' multi-tasking that he's an idiot and should be sent off to use Windows 7 and have poor battery life? Is it such a crime against humanity to want to have a decent multi-touch experience and 'real' multitasking?
raganwald 17y ago
An entertaining read, and for once a strong opinion is combined with some thoughtful explanation as to why the author's circumstances may differ from the reader's.
Tichy 17y ago
With respect of iPads for moms and grandparents, I am also a bit doubtful. Since a lot of web sites probably don't work as expected (ie no Flash, among other things), wouldn't that be confusing to the noobs? I am waiting for the first review from an iPad-Mommy.
- briancooley 17y ago
  My wife is dubious. She doesn't like the lack of Flash. She doesn't like trying to type on the software keyboard. Her parents, definite technophobes, were intimidated by it. The first thing they wanted to look at was a slideshow on smugmug.com, some pictures of their granddaughter. Also Flash. They looked at me incredulously as I explained to them that you couldn't view the slideshow on the iPad. They tried to use the navigation on the website, but the navigation links were small and adjacent to the shopping cart link. At the height of their frustration, I pulled out my MBP so they could watch the slideshow on it. The thought of explaining to them how to set up their iPad to sync photos gives me chills. OTOH, my 3-year-old LOVES it. She can use a mouse and a trackpad, but she has to concentrate and make deliberate movements. On the iPad, she flies. She can get to her favorite apps and watch her videos in a flash. There are lots of downsides to having this device in a toddler's hands, and I'd never let her use it unsupervised, but that's an aside from the usability issue.
  - ubernostrum 17y ago
    a slideshow on smugmug.com, some pictures of their granddaughter I have a feeling that if the iPad sells well, the "why do it in HTML when we could do it in Flash" style of site will die out. It's no consolation right now, of course, but I wouldn't complain if that ends up happening (and, really? Flash just to show some pictures one after another?).
    - blhack 17y ago
      Ehh...I'd say that, if anything, web developers don't want apple dictating how they design their websites. The reality is that the overwhelming majority of people aren't HN readers and really don't care that adobe has changed their CS5 pre-order app to flash. They like going to smugmug and having it just work.
pilif 17y ago
The audio file linked in the article is brilliant. If you have 10 minutes, I'd suggest listening to it instead of reading the article.
- greyhat 17y ago
  Seconded. Extremely entertaining, I was not expecting that.
akadien 17y ago
Neither is it for me. I'm sending mine back. Things I don't like: (a) Eye strain, (b)It doesn't provide enough utility for me to justify another device in my life, and I don't want another media consumption device. In short, it's another toy. (c) An awkward device angle when touch-typing and trying to read what I'm typing.
- blhack 17y ago
  What does the return policy look like?
  - akadien 17y ago
    $50 restocking fee and two weeks to get it back to them.
    - profgubler 17y ago
      If there is a shortage you might make more on ebay.
      - jm4 17y ago
        Or India: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601205&sid=ag8hKSw8uuu8 http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601205&sid=ag8h...
    - jrockway 17y ago
      Weird. Wouldn't it be free minus shipping if you had bought form Amazon?
- troystribling 17y ago
  That the iPad is consistently classified as a media consumption device seems an attempt to trivialize its significance by people who consider themselves power users. I agree that currently the use cases of most applications fall into this category, that it is expensive and I doubt you will ever do application development on a device of its form factor, but it is clearly not just a media consumption device. A few example applications are the two very nice musical instruments the Korg iElectribe http://www.korg.co.uk/products/software_controllers/iPad_iElectribe/sc_ipad_ielectribe.php http://www.korg.co.uk/products/software_controllers/iPad_iEl..., which sells for $10 while its HW equivqlent is around $450, and the MiniSynth Pro http://www.yonac.com/ http://www.yonac.com/ a fully functional FM synthesizer. Neither of these applications would have been possible prior to the iPad. Others are the drawing applications Brushes http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id363590649?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id363590649?mt=8 and SketchBook Pro http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sketchbook-pro/id364253478?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sketchbook-pro/id364253478?mt.... I also like the touch and hand drawing interface to OmniGraffle a diagramming application http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/omnigraffle/id363225984?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/omnigraffle/id363225984?mt=8. I think the majority of creative or power user applications will be for those with a complex control surface, such as the examples above. The large touch interface of the iPad is much simpler to use than a traditional mouse keyboard. Also when compared to Wacom drawing tablets http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS240&q=wacom+tablet&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=1545184928933896623&ei=o5nES4G3EsL78Aax6bCtDw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CDIQ8wIwBQ#ps-sellers http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ... it is competitive, at the iPad low end the iPad is about $200 more, though not quite as functional, the iPad does not have pressure or stylus tilt sensitivity but it is portable. If you are interested in developing these types of applications you have to have one. If you do not have one you will never see were the deficiencies are or know which problems to solve. The device as only been available for 10 days. I would expect it will take a year or two before the application space has been adequately sampled. Another obvious short coming, or opportunity, is with file synchronization and management. I am currently using dropbox, https://www.dropbox.com/ https://www.dropbox.com/ with ReaddleDocs http://readdle.com/products/readdledocs http://readdle.com/products/readdledocs, which works for reading. If documents are generated on the IPad you have to use iTunes, eMail or an application specific server for document synchronization. Neither of these is adequate. The typing problem you mentioned can be solved by a case that holds it an an angle, such as http://www.goincase.com/products/detail/CL57512 http://www.goincase.com/products/detail/CL57512. The number of viewing and use positions for the device is greater than that for a laptop. Also heavy duty typing can be handled with a bluetooth attached keyboard though for my needs the the onscreen keyboard has been adequate.
timhastings 17y ago
Here's a prototype of my iPad killer! http://twitpic.com/1fb2ox http://twitpic.com/1fb2ox
- joubert 17y ago
  The only thing I'd suggest is getting rid of the XP chrome.
robotron 17y ago
The responses make for interesting reading.
sunchild 17y ago
The author thinks third party apps that open browser "sheets" are using an Apple "API". There goes any credibility he had.
- tjr 17y ago
  His credibility to talk about the usability of an iPad goes away when he shows himself to be uneducated on some software terminology? I don't have a clue about the chemical makeup of sucralose, but I feel confident stating that the new Splenda Diet Coke tastes better than regular Diet Coke.
- jcnnghm 17y ago
  UIWebView isn't part of the Apple API?
  - sunchild 17y ago
    It was the "sheets" part that I was referring to, but fair down-voting as it was a trivial gripe!
Deezul 17y ago
I think the most important thing I've gathered from this article among others is that the iPad can do a lot for you and can do it pretty well, but possibly not exactly as you would like it. I think it has one the best sleek form factor to performance ratios out there, with style and ease of use to boot. So it really can't help but produce entertaining and useful software for people (with developer support). Power users who already have multiple desktops/laptops may struggle to justify their purchase, but in a large household I don't think people will be questioning the irony of the device when they're too busy using it.
toby 17y ago
Am I the only one who found, when set at an angle using the apple case, that I can type at about 80% of my regular typing speed?
- cwilson 17y ago
  Same, and when I hooked up a bluetooth keyboard for the first time and propped it up like a regular screen I type at 100% speed. The Apple bluetooth keyboard and this thing are almost the same size, so on trips I'll be able to answer long emails, write blog posts, and maybe even reply to HN with ease! It's all about expectations with the iPad. It's not going to be a pure laptop replacement if you do any "serious" work (don't even think about web dev for example, although it would be awesome if Panic released Coda for the iPad), but for about 80% of what I do (especially when traveling) it's absolutely perfect. Combine that with home use, coffee shops, and instant child entertainment and you have a device worthy of your $500. If it doesn't fit into your life, don't get it! I still don't understand the point of the reviews where they try to do EVERYTHING possible on the iPad. It's clearly not meant for that, stop treating it like it is.
  - donjaime_hn 17y ago
    erm... sounds like you would be better off with a laptop/netbook ;) Would be a good bit cheaper too.
    - cwilson 17y ago
      I have a Macbook Pro, I just don't like lugging it around on trips when it's overkill (the sucker is 5 - 6 pounds easily). A netbook? I hope that's a joke. Why would I want a cheaply built, underpowered (I'll bet the iPad out performs most netbooks), mini laptop that doesn't run OSX or iPhone OS (as in I can't stand Windows or any linux distro)? At risk of sounding like a fanboy I'm going to quote Steve Jobs himself: "We don’t know how to build a sub-$500 computer that is not a piece of junk,"
      - tommorris 17y ago
Terretta 17y ago
> Just think about it on an airplane. I could load it up with movies and watch for an entire flight, thanks to the iPad's excellent battery life. Of course, because of the lousy keyboard I can't use it in place of a laptop, so I would have to carry the iPad and my MacBook. How is it that, for years, I've pined for a lighter laptop, and now I'm considering carrying an extra pound-and-a-half just to watch videos on an airplane? Or, don't. The iPad goes with you into the seat. Apple's wireless bluetooth keyboard goes in your carry-on, and stays there until the hotel room desk where you might actually do some typing. The rest of your business trip, the iPad lets you reference things, make minor edits, show Keynote on a VGA projector, and keep up with email and news. (And for printing at the client's location, you do the same thing with your iPad you do with your "real" laptop: email the client the file for them to print because their IT won't let your laptop see their printer queue.)
- illumin8 17y ago
  Good point. Also, the iPad + charger + Bluetooth keyboard is only 2.1 pounds. I challenge you to fit 10 hours of mobile productivity in a smaller footprint. For anyone that travels a lot and writes, the iPad is a godsend. Please see http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/11/856114/-My-iPad-as-a-tool http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/11/856114/-My-iPad-...
  - timdorr 17y ago
    Apple just solved the battery issue in their laptops: http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs-13inch.html http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs-13inch.html A less disjointed setup (you don't have to worry about the laptop display falling over like the iPad might if bumped) and a more powerful system. It's 4.5 lbs, but that's still pretty damn light if you ask me. Price is a big differentiator though. It's hard to compete with $500 + whatever the keyboard costs.
conanite 17y ago
This is a media consumption device. I'm trying too hard to create things on it This is the bit that scares me.
- roc 17y ago
  Why? Clearly it should inform your purchase decision, but why should it be scary? No one device is for all people to do all things. So why should a particular weakness inherent in this form-factor be scary?
  - conanite 17y ago
    It doesn't scare me as a user - it scares me that yet another device encouraging passive consumerism may become immensely popular. It's sad to become used to hearing "I can't cook/sing/draw/dance/code/whatever" - I would rather live in a world where everyone is a producer of some sort, in a way that content and culture are not monopolised by Big Industry. Maybe 'scary' was a bit strong - I'm not exactly trembling under my bed ... yet.
    - roc 17y ago
      Even creators must consume most forms of Art. Musicians watch movies; woodcarvers leaf through photo-journals, dancers rarely compose their own music. Ergo, the machine that a hundred creators are most likely to have in common, is one that consumes well. It seems the only thing we should logically expect is consumption and popularity to go hand in hand. But what exactly about the iPad acts as a break on creation? It isn't suited to composing and editing large blocks of text out-of-the-box; but only a couple forms of Art require that. Notably, the iPad is an arguably better machine for the creation of every art you explicitly called out, save coding. Does a cook need a keyboard and mouse in the kitchen? Seems a quick-reference that can sit in a recipe-book-holder and doesn't require putting down the butcher knife would be welcome. Wouldn't a dancer be better off with a machine that is easily picked up, put down, carried through a routine at half-speed and can naturally scrub through an instructional video? (My wife has already used my iPad to do exactly this.) Wouldn't a singer suitably benefit from an iPad on a music stand, showing instant pitch-feedback (via its microphone) and live-scrolling note chart? And clearly drawing is more-easily done on a tablet than with a mouse. As a big fan of creation, I'm downright excited that such a device has come to market that gets more cruft out of the way and brings computing to the natural habitats of other artists. That only developers with serious tools can code for it, and only at Apple's pleasure certainly isn't ideal. But that isn't so huge a roadblock and the up-side is that we're enabling all these other arts.
kenjackson 17y ago
My main problem with the iPad is the weight. At 1.5 pounds it is incredibly light, yet at the same time becomes heavy quickly. Unless you are resting it on a table or on your body it gets heavy faster than you'd expect. My top use scenario, reading in bed, is just not comfortable with it. Mine already went back. I think we have about 3-5 more years before tablets are ready for me.
grrrr 17y ago
I agree with the sentiments echoed in this article. For me, tablets, although useful, are not the revolutionary devices they are made out to be. As I see it they are not the gateway for new types of applications, anything you can do on a tablet, you can do on laptop (personally I like the idea of a laptop with a detachable screen). I wholly agree with the comments about Kindle too. I can see the benefit in having a Kindle, it offers a relaxing and focussed environment on which to catch up on the one thing I never have enough time - or am to distracted by web/mail/chat - to do, and that is READ.
dpnewman 17y ago
I think it's a wedge device. It will not be an overnight sensation. More so, the first viable larger format touch experience in the beginning of a steady and gradual increase in this kind of UI playing a major role in how we interact with information and media. Apple has planted roots creating enough momentum for the space to begin growth in earnest. We'll see steady improvements to the iPad, new competing tablets, touch screen desktops, and so on. It's started...the iPad is simply a tipping point. Not a singular revolution in itself.
jsz0 17y ago
" I'm comfortable using a computer, and I don't tend to surf the Web as a form of entertainment" This is going to be the biggest factor to determine if a tablet is right for you. I'm comfortable enough at my desk using my computer but I can only take so much of it. Most of my web browsing outside of work is entertainment or at least long form reading. Both areas I think the iPad excels at. I could use a laptop on my couch or in bed but I find that a bit awkward but, most importantly, the iPad blows it away on battery life and screen quality -- and for entertainment purposes it's just easier to do most stuff.
dzlobin 17y ago
I don't understand why this is worth writing about. The nexus one isn't for me, and neither is the iphone, I didn't run out to blog about it and repeat the same point 200 other people have already made
paul9290 17y ago
Apple should have forgotten about the iPad and focused on Apple TV. Selling an Internet box with a Boxee like interface and all the content from the studios we seek. Sell various subscriptions. That would be revolutionary and yet will take a years to get there due to the studios getting huge wads of their revenue via cable TV. Who the majority of us hate our cable company and long for substitute like the Apple TV mentioned here.
- doron 17y ago
  That would be competing with xbox360 and ps3, which do everything that the apple TV is doing and much much more. I don't think it likely Apple will pay any attention to the AppleTV platform, its a dud.

149 points by zooey 17y ago

tvon 17y ago

> Download an audio file of Ben Long doing a dramatic reading of this article (MP4, 10 MB). Nice touch. I'd also like to hear it in Shatner.

csomar 17y ago

From the beginning, I knew this device won't go so far. I'm more optimistic with the new HP slate. When I get a device bundled with Windows 7, with the ability to run any windows application and not only Flash, it's just like tele-porting my computer to this little device. The iPad OS is a phone OS, whatever powerful it is, it'll be always way behind any desktop OS. Point 2 is multi-tasking. And about iPhone OS 4.0 multi-tasking, it just made me laugh, it just proved me Apple failed to support real multi-tasking.

rimantas 17y ago
One guy writes that iPad is not for him and that means that "this device won't go so far"? Selling 300 000 of these on the first day means nothing I guess. The iPad OS is a phone OS, whatever powerful it is, it'll be always way behind any desktop OS. A car, whatever poferful it is, it'll be always way behind any train. So? And about iPhone OS 4.0 multi-tasking, it just made me laugh, it just proved me Apple failed to support real multi-tasking. You laugh, users don't care. Will they be able listen Pandora in the background? Sure they will. Will they receive skype calls, even when Skype is not in front? Sure they will. Will navigation software run in background, even you switch to other app? Yes it will. Meanwhile enjoy your well thought multitouch suppor of Windows 7 on HP slate and the battery life with real multitasking.
- pyre 17y ago
  > Selling 300 000 of these on the first day means nothing I guess. So you can guarantee me that the iPad will without any doubt whatsoever 'take off' solely based on the fact that they sold a ton of product on the first day? It is by no means a guarantee of anything. It's possibly indicative of a trend, but first day sales shouldn't mean anything other than how successful the product was marketed. How well the product takes off after that is a function of marketing, how well it meets consumer expectations (i.e. it could somewhat miss on consumer expectations, but be bolstered by an excellent marketing strategy), and how much of a market there is for it. > A car, whatever poferful it is, it'll be always way behind any train. So? Not everyone can afford to have a device for every purpose. Many people have to budget around getting a single device that can do as many things as possible. > Meanwhile enjoy your well thought multitouch suppor of Windows 7 on HP slate and the battery life with real multitasking. What are you trying to say here? That because he wants 'real' multi-tasking that he's an idiot and should be sent off to use Windows 7 and have poor battery life? Is it such a crime against humanity to want to have a decent multi-touch experience and 'real' multitasking?

raganwald 17y ago

An entertaining read, and for once a strong opinion is combined with some thoughtful explanation as to why the author's circumstances may differ from the reader's.

Tichy 17y ago

With respect of iPads for moms and grandparents, I am also a bit doubtful. Since a lot of web sites probably don't work as expected (ie no Flash, among other things), wouldn't that be confusing to the noobs? I am waiting for the first review from an iPad-Mommy.

briancooley 17y ago
My wife is dubious. She doesn't like the lack of Flash. She doesn't like trying to type on the software keyboard. Her parents, definite technophobes, were intimidated by it. The first thing they wanted to look at was a slideshow on smugmug.com, some pictures of their granddaughter. Also Flash. They looked at me incredulously as I explained to them that you couldn't view the slideshow on the iPad. They tried to use the navigation on the website, but the navigation links were small and adjacent to the shopping cart link. At the height of their frustration, I pulled out my MBP so they could watch the slideshow on it. The thought of explaining to them how to set up their iPad to sync photos gives me chills. OTOH, my 3-year-old LOVES it. She can use a mouse and a trackpad, but she has to concentrate and make deliberate movements. On the iPad, she flies. She can get to her favorite apps and watch her videos in a flash. There are lots of downsides to having this device in a toddler's hands, and I'd never let her use it unsupervised, but that's an aside from the usability issue.
- ubernostrum 17y ago
  a slideshow on smugmug.com, some pictures of their granddaughter I have a feeling that if the iPad sells well, the "why do it in HTML when we could do it in Flash" style of site will die out. It's no consolation right now, of course, but I wouldn't complain if that ends up happening (and, really? Flash just to show some pictures one after another?).
  - blhack 17y ago
    Ehh...I'd say that, if anything, web developers don't want apple dictating how they design their websites. The reality is that the overwhelming majority of people aren't HN readers and really don't care that adobe has changed their CS5 pre-order app to flash. They like going to smugmug and having it just work.

pilif 17y ago

The audio file linked in the article is brilliant. If you have 10 minutes, I'd suggest listening to it instead of reading the article.

greyhat 17y ago
Seconded. Extremely entertaining, I was not expecting that.

akadien 17y ago

Neither is it for me. I'm sending mine back. Things I don't like: (a) Eye strain, (b)It doesn't provide enough utility for me to justify another device in my life, and I don't want another media consumption device. In short, it's another toy. (c) An awkward device angle when touch-typing and trying to read what I'm typing.

blhack 17y ago
What does the return policy look like?
- akadien 17y ago
  $50 restocking fee and two weeks to get it back to them.
  - profgubler 17y ago
    If there is a shortage you might make more on ebay.
    - jm4 17y ago
      Or India: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601205&sid=ag8hKSw8uuu8 http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601205&sid=ag8h...
  - jrockway 17y ago
    Weird. Wouldn't it be free minus shipping if you had bought form Amazon?
troystribling 17y ago
That the iPad is consistently classified as a media consumption device seems an attempt to trivialize its significance by people who consider themselves power users. I agree that currently the use cases of most applications fall into this category, that it is expensive and I doubt you will ever do application development on a device of its form factor, but it is clearly not just a media consumption device. A few example applications are the two very nice musical instruments the Korg iElectribe http://www.korg.co.uk/products/software_controllers/iPad_iElectribe/sc_ipad_ielectribe.php http://www.korg.co.uk/products/software_controllers/iPad_iEl..., which sells for $10 while its HW equivqlent is around $450, and the MiniSynth Pro http://www.yonac.com/ http://www.yonac.com/ a fully functional FM synthesizer. Neither of these applications would have been possible prior to the iPad. Others are the drawing applications Brushes http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id363590649?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/id363590649?mt=8 and SketchBook Pro http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sketchbook-pro/id364253478?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sketchbook-pro/id364253478?mt.... I also like the touch and hand drawing interface to OmniGraffle a diagramming application http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/omnigraffle/id363225984?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/omnigraffle/id363225984?mt=8. I think the majority of creative or power user applications will be for those with a complex control surface, such as the examples above. The large touch interface of the iPad is much simpler to use than a traditional mouse keyboard. Also when compared to Wacom drawing tablets http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS240&q=wacom+tablet&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=1545184928933896623&ei=o5nES4G3EsL78Aax6bCtDw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CDIQ8wIwBQ#ps-sellers http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ... it is competitive, at the iPad low end the iPad is about $200 more, though not quite as functional, the iPad does not have pressure or stylus tilt sensitivity but it is portable. If you are interested in developing these types of applications you have to have one. If you do not have one you will never see were the deficiencies are or know which problems to solve. The device as only been available for 10 days. I would expect it will take a year or two before the application space has been adequately sampled. Another obvious short coming, or opportunity, is with file synchronization and management. I am currently using dropbox, https://www.dropbox.com/ https://www.dropbox.com/ with ReaddleDocs http://readdle.com/products/readdledocs http://readdle.com/products/readdledocs, which works for reading. If documents are generated on the IPad you have to use iTunes, eMail or an application specific server for document synchronization. Neither of these is adequate. The typing problem you mentioned can be solved by a case that holds it an an angle, such as http://www.goincase.com/products/detail/CL57512 http://www.goincase.com/products/detail/CL57512. The number of viewing and use positions for the device is greater than that for a laptop. Also heavy duty typing can be handled with a bluetooth attached keyboard though for my needs the the onscreen keyboard has been adequate.

timhastings 17y ago

Here's a prototype of my iPad killer! http://twitpic.com/1fb2ox http://twitpic.com/1fb2ox

joubert 17y ago
The only thing I'd suggest is getting rid of the XP chrome.

robotron 17y ago

The responses make for interesting reading.

sunchild 17y ago

The author thinks third party apps that open browser "sheets" are using an Apple "API". There goes any credibility he had.

tjr 17y ago
His credibility to talk about the usability of an iPad goes away when he shows himself to be uneducated on some software terminology? I don't have a clue about the chemical makeup of sucralose, but I feel confident stating that the new Splenda Diet Coke tastes better than regular Diet Coke.
jcnnghm 17y ago
UIWebView isn't part of the Apple API?
- sunchild 17y ago
  It was the "sheets" part that I was referring to, but fair down-voting as it was a trivial gripe!

Deezul 17y ago

I think the most important thing I've gathered from this article among others is that the iPad can do a lot for you and can do it pretty well, but possibly not exactly as you would like it. I think it has one the best sleek form factor to performance ratios out there, with style and ease of use to boot. So it really can't help but produce entertaining and useful software for people (with developer support). Power users who already have multiple desktops/laptops may struggle to justify their purchase, but in a large household I don't think people will be questioning the irony of the device when they're too busy using it.

toby 17y ago

Am I the only one who found, when set at an angle using the apple case, that I can type at about 80% of my regular typing speed?

cwilson 17y ago
Same, and when I hooked up a bluetooth keyboard for the first time and propped it up like a regular screen I type at 100% speed. The Apple bluetooth keyboard and this thing are almost the same size, so on trips I'll be able to answer long emails, write blog posts, and maybe even reply to HN with ease! It's all about expectations with the iPad. It's not going to be a pure laptop replacement if you do any "serious" work (don't even think about web dev for example, although it would be awesome if Panic released Coda for the iPad), but for about 80% of what I do (especially when traveling) it's absolutely perfect. Combine that with home use, coffee shops, and instant child entertainment and you have a device worthy of your $500. If it doesn't fit into your life, don't get it! I still don't understand the point of the reviews where they try to do EVERYTHING possible on the iPad. It's clearly not meant for that, stop treating it like it is.
- donjaime_hn 17y ago
  erm... sounds like you would be better off with a laptop/netbook ;) Would be a good bit cheaper too.
  - cwilson 17y ago
    I have a Macbook Pro, I just don't like lugging it around on trips when it's overkill (the sucker is 5 - 6 pounds easily). A netbook? I hope that's a joke. Why would I want a cheaply built, underpowered (I'll bet the iPad out performs most netbooks), mini laptop that doesn't run OSX or iPhone OS (as in I can't stand Windows or any linux distro)? At risk of sounding like a fanboy I'm going to quote Steve Jobs himself: "We don’t know how to build a sub-$500 computer that is not a piece of junk,"
    - tommorris 17y ago

Terretta 17y ago

> Just think about it on an airplane. I could load it up with movies and watch for an entire flight, thanks to the iPad's excellent battery life. Of course, because of the lousy keyboard I can't use it in place of a laptop, so I would have to carry the iPad and my MacBook. How is it that, for years, I've pined for a lighter laptop, and now I'm considering carrying an extra pound-and-a-half just to watch videos on an airplane? Or, don't. The iPad goes with you into the seat. Apple's wireless bluetooth keyboard goes in your carry-on, and stays there until the hotel room desk where you might actually do some typing. The rest of your business trip, the iPad lets you reference things, make minor edits, show Keynote on a VGA projector, and keep up with email and news. (And for printing at the client's location, you do the same thing with your iPad you do with your "real" laptop: email the client the file for them to print because their IT won't let your laptop see their printer queue.)

illumin8 17y ago
Good point. Also, the iPad + charger + Bluetooth keyboard is only 2.1 pounds. I challenge you to fit 10 hours of mobile productivity in a smaller footprint. For anyone that travels a lot and writes, the iPad is a godsend. Please see http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/11/856114/-My-iPad-as-a-tool http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/4/11/856114/-My-iPad-...
- timdorr 17y ago
  Apple just solved the battery issue in their laptops: http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs-13inch.html http://www.apple.com/macbookpro/specs-13inch.html A less disjointed setup (you don't have to worry about the laptop display falling over like the iPad might if bumped) and a more powerful system. It's 4.5 lbs, but that's still pretty damn light if you ask me. Price is a big differentiator though. It's hard to compete with $500 + whatever the keyboard costs.

conanite 17y ago

This is a media consumption device. I'm trying too hard to create things on it This is the bit that scares me.

roc 17y ago
Why? Clearly it should inform your purchase decision, but why should it be scary? No one device is for all people to do all things. So why should a particular weakness inherent in this form-factor be scary?
- conanite 17y ago
  It doesn't scare me as a user - it scares me that yet another device encouraging passive consumerism may become immensely popular. It's sad to become used to hearing "I can't cook/sing/draw/dance/code/whatever" - I would rather live in a world where everyone is a producer of some sort, in a way that content and culture are not monopolised by Big Industry. Maybe 'scary' was a bit strong - I'm not exactly trembling under my bed ... yet.
  - roc 17y ago
    Even creators must consume most forms of Art. Musicians watch movies; woodcarvers leaf through photo-journals, dancers rarely compose their own music. Ergo, the machine that a hundred creators are most likely to have in common, is one that consumes well. It seems the only thing we should logically expect is consumption and popularity to go hand in hand. But what exactly about the iPad acts as a break on creation? It isn't suited to composing and editing large blocks of text out-of-the-box; but only a couple forms of Art require that. Notably, the iPad is an arguably better machine for the creation of every art you explicitly called out, save coding. Does a cook need a keyboard and mouse in the kitchen? Seems a quick-reference that can sit in a recipe-book-holder and doesn't require putting down the butcher knife would be welcome. Wouldn't a dancer be better off with a machine that is easily picked up, put down, carried through a routine at half-speed and can naturally scrub through an instructional video? (My wife has already used my iPad to do exactly this.) Wouldn't a singer suitably benefit from an iPad on a music stand, showing instant pitch-feedback (via its microphone) and live-scrolling note chart? And clearly drawing is more-easily done on a tablet than with a mouse. As a big fan of creation, I'm downright excited that such a device has come to market that gets more cruft out of the way and brings computing to the natural habitats of other artists. That only developers with serious tools can code for it, and only at Apple's pleasure certainly isn't ideal. But that isn't so huge a roadblock and the up-side is that we're enabling all these other arts.

kenjackson 17y ago

My main problem with the iPad is the weight. At 1.5 pounds it is incredibly light, yet at the same time becomes heavy quickly. Unless you are resting it on a table or on your body it gets heavy faster than you'd expect. My top use scenario, reading in bed, is just not comfortable with it. Mine already went back. I think we have about 3-5 more years before tablets are ready for me.

grrrr 17y ago

I agree with the sentiments echoed in this article. For me, tablets, although useful, are not the revolutionary devices they are made out to be. As I see it they are not the gateway for new types of applications, anything you can do on a tablet, you can do on laptop (personally I like the idea of a laptop with a detachable screen). I wholly agree with the comments about Kindle too. I can see the benefit in having a Kindle, it offers a relaxing and focussed environment on which to catch up on the one thing I never have enough time - or am to distracted by web/mail/chat - to do, and that is READ.

dpnewman 17y ago

I think it's a wedge device. It will not be an overnight sensation. More so, the first viable larger format touch experience in the beginning of a steady and gradual increase in this kind of UI playing a major role in how we interact with information and media. Apple has planted roots creating enough momentum for the space to begin growth in earnest. We'll see steady improvements to the iPad, new competing tablets, touch screen desktops, and so on. It's started...the iPad is simply a tipping point. Not a singular revolution in itself.

jsz0 17y ago

" I'm comfortable using a computer, and I don't tend to surf the Web as a form of entertainment" This is going to be the biggest factor to determine if a tablet is right for you. I'm comfortable enough at my desk using my computer but I can only take so much of it. Most of my web browsing outside of work is entertainment or at least long form reading. Both areas I think the iPad excels at. I could use a laptop on my couch or in bed but I find that a bit awkward but, most importantly, the iPad blows it away on battery life and screen quality -- and for entertainment purposes it's just easier to do most stuff.

dzlobin 17y ago

I don't understand why this is worth writing about. The nexus one isn't for me, and neither is the iphone, I didn't run out to blog about it and repeat the same point 200 other people have already made

paul9290 17y ago

Apple should have forgotten about the iPad and focused on Apple TV. Selling an Internet box with a Boxee like interface and all the content from the studios we seek. Sell various subscriptions. That would be revolutionary and yet will take a years to get there due to the studios getting huge wads of their revenue via cable TV. Who the majority of us hate our cable company and long for substitute like the Apple TV mentioned here.

doron 17y ago
That would be competing with xbox360 and ps3, which do everything that the apple TV is doing and much much more. I don't think it likely Apple will pay any attention to the AppleTV platform, its a dud.