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I like how I feel when I am using the thing This sums up my opinion on the iPad. It just makes casual consuming fun. My wife still sings "Flash, ah-ah" to me

I like how I feel when I am using the thing This sums up my opinion on the iPad. It just makes casual consuming fun. My wife still sings "Flash, ah-ah" to me every time we talk about it, but she's warming up to it. Watching Modern Family on the ABC app while snuggled together on the couch was a revelation for her. We don't use it for everything, but the things we use it for sure are fun. It doesn't replace my MBP, but neither did my smartphone.

jerguismi 16y ago
OK, so the point is that the iPad doesn't replace laptops or smart phones, but complements them. Great, more devices to buy! Just what I wished for. I guess in couple of years Steve implements some new consumer device which complements the existing ones. He's so visionary.
- viraptor 16y ago
  Not sure why this is downvoted... a bit of trolling, but in general it's right. If Apple starts selling a large range of devices that just complement the laptops and phones, without making a good product in itself -- people are going to end up with a lot of gadgets. It's fun for a rich customer (I've got a music player, video player, phone, communicator, web browser device...), not so fun for a typical customer (I've got a choice between a hard to use laptop, or one or two easy to use devices). Many of us are geeks here and buy gadgets just because they're shiny and new. But many normal people would rather get an easy to use laptop instead, or a "laptopised" dockable ipad.
  - ellyagg 16y ago
    But the sales figures are not bearing out your latter claim, nor are the reactions of my "normal" friends or family.
    - viraptor 16y ago
      Sales figures are not comparable, unless you know how many people have laptops and how they use it. To respond to the reactions though: What are their reactions really? Do they want iPad, or do they want an easy to use touchscreen device. Do they have any computer already, or is it their first? (I think we know the answer to that) Essentially - do they really want a specialised device for each of their activities and as which point will they say "that's enough - I just want something that integrates my N devices, like those old laptops". I think people would buy a "laptopised" (as in - general purpose with full-featured modernised windows for example) dockable version of iPad and use it as their main computer in many cases. Not sure if that's what Apple wants - because now you can have both macbook and the ipad and ...
  - pedalpete 16y ago
    I agree, and though I don't have and don't want an iPad, I can see where we cross a line where the iPad does just enough to make it a good multi-use device so we aren't buying devices again and again. At the same time, this is why I always thought that we don't need another device, just a better way to output our smartphones to a larger screen.
  - briancooley 16y ago
    But many normal people would rather get an easy to use laptop instead, or a "laptopised" dockable ipad Based on my empirical experience since my iPad was delivered April 3, most "normal" people want an iPad but are having trouble justifying the expense. I think iPads will be the gift this Christmas. About 80% of my friends are planning to get one then.
    - watty 16y ago
      80% of your friends are planning on getting an iPad? Holy crap, what's your demographic (if you don't mind)?
      - stcredzero 16y ago
        Demographic? Figure out the cohort! (Specific subgroup)
      - briancooley 16y ago
        Well, if you don't mind pedantry, here goes. It's actually 80% of relatively close friends on a family unit basis, so it's 4 iPads out of 10 friends/5 couples that I see on a routine basis. That's an incomplete sampling of my universe of friends. A lot of my casual friends - the ones I haven't seen since February or earlier - I don't know one way or another, but I'd guess the rate would be lower among them. The data's also tainted, since most of them had the iPad in hand when they made the statement. Anyway, what I really was trying to focus on is that if they purchase it, it will likely be at Christmas and as a gift. As far as demographics, if you mean income, I don't really know. I'd guess $100K-$120K yearly income per family. Upper middle class, I guess. Folks that make enough money that their wives stay home with the kids. Not hurting for money, but $500 is still more than pocket change.
    - viraptor 16y ago
      That's what bothers me really. It will be a gift; people want it, but are having problems to justify it. I don't really have problem with people buying it, but this trend is a bit dangerous from the global perspective... Apple is good at releasing limited functionality devices, but where's the minimum limit with that? If it's good, people will buy it anyways, because people like "having" stuff - it's hard to say how many specific devices are enough 4? 5? How much limited functionality electronic waste do we have to produce? How much money do we want to spend on N polished devices instead of 1 general device, which will be always cheaper than N in reality. Edit: Almost forgot - some universities are already testing iPads as "give away to students" devices... Seriously, that's a path to another "Hand in as .doc file", only a thousand times more dangerous. We've already got game consoles, handheld games, laptops, smart phones, music players, video players, etc. all basically targeted at the same general group of people. I'm waiting for the second wave of generalised devices now - I want only 2 of them: pocket player / communicator / game (apart from games, my N900 does a good job here for now), dockable general laptop.
  - Retric 16y ago
    I think there is nothing wrong with having the right tool for the right job. As computing power becomes cheaper we are really just left with the question of form factor. My 2.5 year old 1200$ PC has a 4 core 2.4 GHz CPU 4GB RAM, 750 GB HDD and a reasonable graphics card. I could buy a better PC for that price, but I am probably better off filling out new form factors than getting a minor upgrade. Think of how woodworkers end up with such a huge number of specialized tools. Their basic tools don't become outdated so rather than buying a slightly higher RPM band-saw they go for a tool that is really useful a small percentage of the time. Smart phones are still undergoing fairly rapid development but it's slowing down and their average prices are already decreasing. So, expect to find the next niche soon. (PC)>(Laptop)>(Smart Phone)>iPad?>??? PS: The Smart Phone is the evolution and union of several fairly different device that shared the same form factor. They are really the union of a Cellphones + MP3 player + Game Boy + PDA + Digital Camera's + Wireless Modem, but you get a slightly worse version of each one. I could easily see a iPad type device that absorbs other things with it's form factor. Add a 10c infrared port and you get one of those touch screen style universal remotes. Or, add the right base station and they could be the brains behind a Wii style gaming system.
    - WiseWeasel 16y ago
      iDesk. iGlasses. iSexbot.
      - metaprinter 16y ago
        iGlasses would be a useful morphing of the product into a wearable device for people with disabilities actually. http://stoloff-law.com/blog/iphone-apps-that-help-people-with-disabilities-be-more-independent/ http://stoloff-law.com/blog/iphone-apps-that-help-people-wit...
    - abstractbill 16y ago
      Think of how woodworkers end up with such a huge number of specialized tools. The difference is that a computer is a computer (whereas woodworking tools are not interchangeable). Some people (like me) only want one device, because if you use one computer for everything it becomes almost a part of you in a way that wouldn't be possible if you were continuously context-switching between multiple devices. Right now I use a laptop for everything. When smartphones get good enough (real keyboard via bluetooth, built-in mini projector turning any flat surface into a screen), then I'll use one of those for everything and ditch the laptop.
- olaf 16y ago
  You have my whole sympathy. Upvoted.
- jrwoodruff 16y ago
  I actually bought an iPad instead of a MBP. Not sure how good that is for Apples bottom line (good, in the long run I suspect) but so far I'm very happy with my decision. I take the iPad to the bar, the porch, meetings, use it to stream pandora in the car and much more. I wouldn't do half those things with a laptop, and for the 'work' things I do on it (note taking, task management, etc.) the iPad is good enough. When I'm -really- working, I want my dual monitors, wired LAN and an ergonomic chair. For me, it hasn't been yet -another- device.
  - Periodic 16y ago
    My MBP is four years old now. I spilled water into the keyboard a while ago and it just hasn't been the same. I a few of the keys don't quite work, the screen is pretty dim, and sometimes when it wakes from sleep it doesn't properly detect the screen and defaults to 640x480. At the time it was a desktop replacement, but since then I have upgraded my desktop and am quite happy with it. I'm seriously considering an iPad as a replacement for my MBP. My primary usage of the laptop now is web browsing, email, and the occasional game, and it is a bit huge (I have a MacBook Air at work, so the old MBP feels heavy). The iPad would do all those things perfectly. For me it would be a laptop replacement.
- ugh 16y ago
  Why should it make laptops and smart phones completely obsolete? I do think that the new breed of iPad-like tablets can replace quite a few computers but probably not all of them. With computers as cheap as they are and families usually owning several computers (kitchen or living room laptop or netbook, a few laptops or netbooks for the kids, desktop for the office and so on) I really fail to see how a device which can replace one or two laptops in such a household is a bad thing or one more thing to buy.
deleted 16y ago
[deleted]
listic 16y ago
Isn't it in all ways better to watch the bigger stationary screen while on the couch?
- jodrellblank 16y ago
  Typical internet comment there. Did you think about it ... at all? What does iPad do? Films and TV Music iBooks Apps Web browsing Email Only films and TV are better on your big, far away, non-touch, lower resolution TV. The rest are significantly worse or completely unavailable.
  - cheald 16y ago
    Being a bit pedantic here, but the iPad at 1024x768 doesn't have a higher resolution than 720i/p (1280x768) or 1080i/p (1920x1080) TVs, though it does generally have a higher DPI as a result of it's generally smaller size. Your iPhone has a better DPI than your iPad, but I don't think you'll argue that it's superior movie-viewing device.
  - dkarl 16y ago
    Typical internet comment there. Did you think about it ... at all? Television the only specific example in the post he was replying to, so that's probably what he was talking about. (Did you... nah, never mind.) Calling the ability to snuggle together on the couch while watching TV a "revelation" does indeed invite a challenge. Why? How? It isn't much of a discussion if I have to go buy an iPad myself to understand what people are talking about. (Why is it such a high-rated comment? Are people with iPads just endorsing the implication that its virtues can't be analyzed or described in any way?)
    - jodrellblank 16y ago
      I eat humble pie. Commentor was replying specifically to a TV watching comment. (Did you... nah, never mind.) Apparently not.
- briancooley 16y ago
  No, mostly because it was on demand. There was no way to watch it on my television. (On demand > time shifted) In the past, I would have setup my laptop. I never considered that a hassle, but now I do. Also, the app itself was a cue. I probably wouldn't have thought to go to abc.com had I been on my laptop, which I primarily use for working rather than playing.
frossie 16y ago
My wife still sings "Flash, ah-ah" to me every time we talk about it I am hereby up-voting your wife's sense of humour.
trezor 16y ago
Watching Modern Family on the ABC app while snuggled together on the couch was a revelation for her. Not putting the rest of your points into question, I'm just going to guess that for the rest of the world not being the US, this thing will never happen and we will still need our dedicated servers/laptops and BT/Usenet apps and the commercial, "smooth", DRMed solutions will still be utterly useless. I guess I'm still disappointed that what in I consider the "digital age" where the world should be one marked, one solution for everyone, every single big player still does everything in their power to create artificial barriers, restrictions and markets for some pipe dream that it might increase their (relevance and thus) profits. I guess my monthly expenses will still remain at $0 for cable and $15 for usenet.

jerguismi 16y ago

OK, so the point is that the iPad doesn't replace laptops or smart phones, but complements them. Great, more devices to buy! Just what I wished for. I guess in couple of years Steve implements some new consumer device which complements the existing ones. He's so visionary.

viraptor 16y ago
Not sure why this is downvoted... a bit of trolling, but in general it's right. If Apple starts selling a large range of devices that just complement the laptops and phones, without making a good product in itself -- people are going to end up with a lot of gadgets. It's fun for a rich customer (I've got a music player, video player, phone, communicator, web browser device...), not so fun for a typical customer (I've got a choice between a hard to use laptop, or one or two easy to use devices). Many of us are geeks here and buy gadgets just because they're shiny and new. But many normal people would rather get an easy to use laptop instead, or a "laptopised" dockable ipad.
- ellyagg 16y ago
  But the sales figures are not bearing out your latter claim, nor are the reactions of my "normal" friends or family.
  - viraptor 16y ago
    Sales figures are not comparable, unless you know how many people have laptops and how they use it. To respond to the reactions though: What are their reactions really? Do they want iPad, or do they want an easy to use touchscreen device. Do they have any computer already, or is it their first? (I think we know the answer to that) Essentially - do they really want a specialised device for each of their activities and as which point will they say "that's enough - I just want something that integrates my N devices, like those old laptops". I think people would buy a "laptopised" (as in - general purpose with full-featured modernised windows for example) dockable version of iPad and use it as their main computer in many cases. Not sure if that's what Apple wants - because now you can have both macbook and the ipad and ...
- pedalpete 16y ago
  I agree, and though I don't have and don't want an iPad, I can see where we cross a line where the iPad does just enough to make it a good multi-use device so we aren't buying devices again and again. At the same time, this is why I always thought that we don't need another device, just a better way to output our smartphones to a larger screen.
- briancooley 16y ago
  But many normal people would rather get an easy to use laptop instead, or a "laptopised" dockable ipad Based on my empirical experience since my iPad was delivered April 3, most "normal" people want an iPad but are having trouble justifying the expense. I think iPads will be the gift this Christmas. About 80% of my friends are planning to get one then.
  - watty 16y ago
    80% of your friends are planning on getting an iPad? Holy crap, what's your demographic (if you don't mind)?
    - stcredzero 16y ago
      Demographic? Figure out the cohort! (Specific subgroup)
    - briancooley 16y ago
      Well, if you don't mind pedantry, here goes. It's actually 80% of relatively close friends on a family unit basis, so it's 4 iPads out of 10 friends/5 couples that I see on a routine basis. That's an incomplete sampling of my universe of friends. A lot of my casual friends - the ones I haven't seen since February or earlier - I don't know one way or another, but I'd guess the rate would be lower among them. The data's also tainted, since most of them had the iPad in hand when they made the statement. Anyway, what I really was trying to focus on is that if they purchase it, it will likely be at Christmas and as a gift. As far as demographics, if you mean income, I don't really know. I'd guess $100K-$120K yearly income per family. Upper middle class, I guess. Folks that make enough money that their wives stay home with the kids. Not hurting for money, but $500 is still more than pocket change.
  - viraptor 16y ago
    That's what bothers me really. It will be a gift; people want it, but are having problems to justify it. I don't really have problem with people buying it, but this trend is a bit dangerous from the global perspective... Apple is good at releasing limited functionality devices, but where's the minimum limit with that? If it's good, people will buy it anyways, because people like "having" stuff - it's hard to say how many specific devices are enough 4? 5? How much limited functionality electronic waste do we have to produce? How much money do we want to spend on N polished devices instead of 1 general device, which will be always cheaper than N in reality. Edit: Almost forgot - some universities are already testing iPads as "give away to students" devices... Seriously, that's a path to another "Hand in as .doc file", only a thousand times more dangerous. We've already got game consoles, handheld games, laptops, smart phones, music players, video players, etc. all basically targeted at the same general group of people. I'm waiting for the second wave of generalised devices now - I want only 2 of them: pocket player / communicator / game (apart from games, my N900 does a good job here for now), dockable general laptop.
- Retric 16y ago
  I think there is nothing wrong with having the right tool for the right job. As computing power becomes cheaper we are really just left with the question of form factor. My 2.5 year old 1200$ PC has a 4 core 2.4 GHz CPU 4GB RAM, 750 GB HDD and a reasonable graphics card. I could buy a better PC for that price, but I am probably better off filling out new form factors than getting a minor upgrade. Think of how woodworkers end up with such a huge number of specialized tools. Their basic tools don't become outdated so rather than buying a slightly higher RPM band-saw they go for a tool that is really useful a small percentage of the time. Smart phones are still undergoing fairly rapid development but it's slowing down and their average prices are already decreasing. So, expect to find the next niche soon. (PC)>(Laptop)>(Smart Phone)>iPad?>??? PS: The Smart Phone is the evolution and union of several fairly different device that shared the same form factor. They are really the union of a Cellphones + MP3 player + Game Boy + PDA + Digital Camera's + Wireless Modem, but you get a slightly worse version of each one. I could easily see a iPad type device that absorbs other things with it's form factor. Add a 10c infrared port and you get one of those touch screen style universal remotes. Or, add the right base station and they could be the brains behind a Wii style gaming system.
  - WiseWeasel 16y ago
    iDesk. iGlasses. iSexbot.
    - metaprinter 16y ago
      iGlasses would be a useful morphing of the product into a wearable device for people with disabilities actually. http://stoloff-law.com/blog/iphone-apps-that-help-people-with-disabilities-be-more-independent/ http://stoloff-law.com/blog/iphone-apps-that-help-people-wit...
  - abstractbill 16y ago
    Think of how woodworkers end up with such a huge number of specialized tools. The difference is that a computer is a computer (whereas woodworking tools are not interchangeable). Some people (like me) only want one device, because if you use one computer for everything it becomes almost a part of you in a way that wouldn't be possible if you were continuously context-switching between multiple devices. Right now I use a laptop for everything. When smartphones get good enough (real keyboard via bluetooth, built-in mini projector turning any flat surface into a screen), then I'll use one of those for everything and ditch the laptop.
olaf 16y ago
You have my whole sympathy. Upvoted.
jrwoodruff 16y ago
I actually bought an iPad instead of a MBP. Not sure how good that is for Apples bottom line (good, in the long run I suspect) but so far I'm very happy with my decision. I take the iPad to the bar, the porch, meetings, use it to stream pandora in the car and much more. I wouldn't do half those things with a laptop, and for the 'work' things I do on it (note taking, task management, etc.) the iPad is good enough. When I'm -really- working, I want my dual monitors, wired LAN and an ergonomic chair. For me, it hasn't been yet -another- device.
- Periodic 16y ago
  My MBP is four years old now. I spilled water into the keyboard a while ago and it just hasn't been the same. I a few of the keys don't quite work, the screen is pretty dim, and sometimes when it wakes from sleep it doesn't properly detect the screen and defaults to 640x480. At the time it was a desktop replacement, but since then I have upgraded my desktop and am quite happy with it. I'm seriously considering an iPad as a replacement for my MBP. My primary usage of the laptop now is web browsing, email, and the occasional game, and it is a bit huge (I have a MacBook Air at work, so the old MBP feels heavy). The iPad would do all those things perfectly. For me it would be a laptop replacement.
ugh 16y ago
Why should it make laptops and smart phones completely obsolete? I do think that the new breed of iPad-like tablets can replace quite a few computers but probably not all of them. With computers as cheap as they are and families usually owning several computers (kitchen or living room laptop or netbook, a few laptops or netbooks for the kids, desktop for the office and so on) I really fail to see how a device which can replace one or two laptops in such a household is a bad thing or one more thing to buy.

deleted 16y ago

[deleted]

listic 16y ago

Isn't it in all ways better to watch the bigger stationary screen while on the couch?

jodrellblank 16y ago
Typical internet comment there. Did you think about it ... at all? What does iPad do? Films and TV Music iBooks Apps Web browsing Email Only films and TV are better on your big, far away, non-touch, lower resolution TV. The rest are significantly worse or completely unavailable.
- cheald 16y ago
  Being a bit pedantic here, but the iPad at 1024x768 doesn't have a higher resolution than 720i/p (1280x768) or 1080i/p (1920x1080) TVs, though it does generally have a higher DPI as a result of it's generally smaller size. Your iPhone has a better DPI than your iPad, but I don't think you'll argue that it's superior movie-viewing device.
- dkarl 16y ago
  Typical internet comment there. Did you think about it ... at all? Television the only specific example in the post he was replying to, so that's probably what he was talking about. (Did you... nah, never mind.) Calling the ability to snuggle together on the couch while watching TV a "revelation" does indeed invite a challenge. Why? How? It isn't much of a discussion if I have to go buy an iPad myself to understand what people are talking about. (Why is it such a high-rated comment? Are people with iPads just endorsing the implication that its virtues can't be analyzed or described in any way?)
  - jodrellblank 16y ago
    I eat humble pie. Commentor was replying specifically to a TV watching comment. (Did you... nah, never mind.) Apparently not.
briancooley 16y ago
No, mostly because it was on demand. There was no way to watch it on my television. (On demand > time shifted) In the past, I would have setup my laptop. I never considered that a hassle, but now I do. Also, the app itself was a cue. I probably wouldn't have thought to go to abc.com had I been on my laptop, which I primarily use for working rather than playing.

frossie 16y ago

My wife still sings "Flash, ah-ah" to me every time we talk about it I am hereby up-voting your wife's sense of humour.

trezor 16y ago

Watching Modern Family on the ABC app while snuggled together on the couch was a revelation for her. Not putting the rest of your points into question, I'm just going to guess that for the rest of the world not being the US, this thing will never happen and we will still need our dedicated servers/laptops and BT/Usenet apps and the commercial, "smooth", DRMed solutions will still be utterly useless. I guess I'm still disappointed that what in I consider the "digital age" where the world should be one marked, one solution for everyone, every single big player still does everything in their power to create artificial barriers, restrictions and markets for some pipe dream that it might increase their (relevance and thus) profits. I guess my monthly expenses will still remain at $0 for cable and $15 for usenet.