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I borrowed a friend's for a week and really found that I was more frustrated with the limitations of the device, what I couldn't do (usually because of some arb

I borrowed a friend's for a week and really found that I was more frustrated with the limitations of the device, what I couldn't do (usually because of some arbitrary Apple policy than a technical one), than how enamored I was with how it changed what I could do -- at least once or twice per usage "session". That being said, I'd be far more willing to accept those limitations if it wasn't so darned expensive. When I held it and used it, I kept thinking two things: 1) The user experience is really nice, and pretty well thought out despite the constraints of the design, like no multi-tasking. The instantaneous reaction to swipes and zooms and such are a necessity on touch platforms, I'm convinced of this after using the iPad. Other devices that aren't absolutely instantaneous shouldn't even be on the market. I only say this because on the very few occasions where the interaction stutters a hair, I really noticed it. 2) This is a $300 device, not a device that starts at $500. I can't believe that there is seriously a version of this device that sells for north of $800. For $800 I expect this thing to come with 500GB of storage, a dockable keyboard, cameras, USB, flash, and a 3g plan for 2 years etc. etc. etc. I'm just not sure I can sink that kind of money into something I won't use for much more than surfing the web from my couch (which I will admit, it provides a superior experience to my netbook for that use-case). Perhaps if I owned one instead of borrowed one I would find other uses for it. It's potential applications for board games and such are vast. However, considering it's pitched as a casual usage device (Jobs even premiered it from a couch), half a grand is serious money, not casual money. I found it to be "adequate" as an e-book reader. The apps were "ok", user interface inconsistencies were as common as anything else I've seen on any other platform. It surfed the web great, I spent one of the more enjoyable 3 hour wikipedia link clicking sessions on it that I can remember. I missed flash fairly often. In particular, I was shopping around for some cell phones, I had no idea that some of the carrier sites have upwards of 6 or 7 flash apps containing all the content on the site. The iPad was useless for those among many others. I'd probably be interested in getting a 2nd or 3rd gen version if it was significantly cheaper and had usb.

MrFoof 16y ago
>However, considering it's pitched as a casual usage device (Jobs even premiered it from a couch), half a grand is serious money, not casual money. Ah, so here's an interesting something about that keynote in which I was probably the only one to take note of. The chair Jobs was sitting on was Le Corbusier's LC-2, and I believe it was paired off with Saarinen's Tulip side table, presumably with the extra-white marble top. Realistically you can expect to spend $4,000 for that chair and another $1,500 for that table. Taxed, shipped and delivered that's easily a $6,000 pair. Like Apple's products - in which Ive is known to draw on Deiter Ram's influence, as those of other modern designers - they're simple, extremely well-made, beautiful, and try to provide a great experience in at least one area. I'll agree the iPad has some usability shortcomings, but it's still a very solid 1.0. The average person would love some great furniture. However the average person has a hard time justifying spending such a great premium for some excellent design qualities, and most would agree that such a decision to compromise on price is perfectly normal. However at least in terms of price, something like an iPad or iPod is more accessible to people, whereas beautiful furniture and homes - of which the costs can be terrifying - are not. They're (Apple products) still without a doubt luxury items, but they're within the reach of most.
- elblanco 16y ago
  Nice eye, I did not notice the furniture as much during the keynote. > but it's still a very solid 1.0 I absolutely agree. Considering the rubbish that was tablet computing before the iPad, this device comes from a completely different universe. It's an awesome 1.0 effort. There was/is quite a bit made that it's basically a big iPod. But having spent some time with the device now I have to disagree. It really is something different than a big iPod or what we've come to think of as tablet computing. The brilliance was in not trying to adapt a bunch of GUI metaphors meant for a mouse to a touch screen, but in building an ecosystem from the ground up around touch interactivity metaphors. This I think is what's made it click and seems to obvious in retrospect.

MrFoof 16y ago

>However, considering it's pitched as a casual usage device (Jobs even premiered it from a couch), half a grand is serious money, not casual money. Ah, so here's an interesting something about that keynote in which I was probably the only one to take note of. The chair Jobs was sitting on was Le Corbusier's LC-2, and I believe it was paired off with Saarinen's Tulip side table, presumably with the extra-white marble top. Realistically you can expect to spend $4,000 for that chair and another $1,500 for that table. Taxed, shipped and delivered that's easily a $6,000 pair. Like Apple's products - in which Ive is known to draw on Deiter Ram's influence, as those of other modern designers - they're simple, extremely well-made, beautiful, and try to provide a great experience in at least one area. I'll agree the iPad has some usability shortcomings, but it's still a very solid 1.0. The average person would love some great furniture. However the average person has a hard time justifying spending such a great premium for some excellent design qualities, and most would agree that such a decision to compromise on price is perfectly normal. However at least in terms of price, something like an iPad or iPod is more accessible to people, whereas beautiful furniture and homes - of which the costs can be terrifying - are not. They're (Apple products) still without a doubt luxury items, but they're within the reach of most.

elblanco 16y ago
Nice eye, I did not notice the furniture as much during the keynote. > but it's still a very solid 1.0 I absolutely agree. Considering the rubbish that was tablet computing before the iPad, this device comes from a completely different universe. It's an awesome 1.0 effort. There was/is quite a bit made that it's basically a big iPod. But having spent some time with the device now I have to disagree. It really is something different than a big iPod or what we've come to think of as tablet computing. The brilliance was in not trying to adapt a bunch of GUI metaphors meant for a mouse to a touch screen, but in building an ecosystem from the ground up around touch interactivity metaphors. This I think is what's made it click and seems to obvious in retrospect.