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I disagree completely. I wrote this comment about a year ago and it's still true today. A few details have obviously changed, but I still love my iPad 2 and use

I disagree completely. I wrote this comment about a year ago and it's still true today. A few details have obviously changed, but I still love my iPad 2 and use it several hours per day. Here's the comment: "The iPad is a tool and toy you might not need, but if used to the max it'll probably enhance your life in some noticable way. Every single morning, while sipping coffee and waiting for my omelette to finish cooking, I catch up on the latest news through Reeder, the first RSS reader I've actually enjoyed using. I also check my mail to see if there's anything important I need to respond to right away. When I'm finished eating and catching up to the latest news, I grab my iPad and go upstairs for my exercize. While doing strenght training I use my iPad to quickly make a note of how many reps and how much I lifted. After I'm done with my strength training, I take a run either outside or on my threadmill. If I take the run on the threadmill, I'll use the iPad for watching a video, maybe South Park or TED. After I've showered, groomed, brushed my teeth and flossed, it's time to start working. When I work my iPad is always lying on the desk next to my laptop. I use it for: * Displaying my ToDo-list (the Hit List) * Displaying the email I'm working on. * Displaying some relevant notes to the work I'm doing (Evernote). * Displaying a PDF or website containing documentation to what I'm working on. * As an extra screen (AirDisplay) for Photoshop tool pads and similar. * VNC or SSH to another computer * The occational check of HN, Twitter or Facebook. * Calculator * Calendar (Week Cal HD) Yup, everything I've mentioned could be done on a normal laptop. However, it's incredibly useful to have an extra screen for displaying relevant information that'll never be obscured by application windows covering the information. After I'm satisfied with my work for the day, I might hang out with my friends, perhaps take a picnic in the park. My iPad is always accessible in my manpurse. If a customer has an emergency problem, I can quickly and easily log into their server and fix the problem (Textastic/Prompt). If I get a brilliant idea, I'll note it down in Evernote and analyse it with the Business Model app. Maybe I want to think deeply about my business - I'll just open Dropbox and read through some business documents about future plans or surf on some of my competitor's sites through Mercury Browser. When I'm back home I might do some more work or chill out with some games. Perhaps I'll open Rage HD and have one of the most immersive and physically exhausting gaming experiences possible through the Virtual Window control mode. Right before I go to bed, I write in my diary (Day One) and finish my TODO-list for tomorrow."

tatsuke95 14y ago
Right, and nearly everything on your list can be done either more efficiently or cheaper with a phone and laptop with an external monitor. We both understand that; the tablet is a luxury. That's sort of my point: you haven't replaced any devices, you merely added another one in. Not every wants (or can afford) that excess, and the tablet isn't good enough on its own. >"Perhaps I'll open Rage HD and have one of the most immersive and physically exhausting gaming experiences possible" That's a slight exaggeration! If you are at all serious about gaming, the iPad isn't even in the conversation. Again, it's pointing to the iPad and telling me how awesome it is at something, but then having to qualify that statement because it isn't as good/cheap/efficient for that purpose as a device I already own.
- roc 14y ago
  > "everything on your list can be done either more efficiently or cheaper with a phone and laptop with an external monitor." So why did you include "with an external monitor"? By your own reasoning the external monitor is naught but a luxury and anything done via it can be done as efficiently or more cheaply without it. It seems that you do recognize that form factor, comfort and convenience do matter, and that even if you already have a device that's functionally equivalent, additional devices that enhance your actual day to day computing experience aren't irrelevant simply because they don't add unique functionality. You're just choosing to apply it to tablets in a way that you don't for smartphones themselves. After all, your logic suggests we could write off the smartphone itself -- or even any phone -- as a 'luxury' that presents nothing not already provided by a 3G laptop with VoIP app.
  - tatsuke95 14y ago
    >"So why did you include "with an external monitor"?" Because if you're sitting there with a laptop and a phone, and wondering what to buy next, buying a $150 monitor is going to be far more useful to you than a $700 tablet. But you don't need either. >"aren't irrelevant simply because they don't add unique functionality." I never said they were irrelevant. I own one. The article tries to blame Android's failings in the tablet space on their lack of ability to get it together. I believe, based on personal experience, the real problem is that tablets themselves just aren't that great. Sure, the iPad is incredibly successful. However, let's not underestimate Apple's rabid fans, incredible marketing or that fact that they were the first to build a fantastically futuristic device. But it's not really providing me with anything I don't already have. That's usually what I base my consumption on. Someone else in the thread said something along these lines: people are buying "iPads", because they are cool and there is some status tied to them. People aren't buying "tablets" because they're not very useful.

tatsuke95 14y ago

Right, and nearly everything on your list can be done either more efficiently or cheaper with a phone and laptop with an external monitor. We both understand that; the tablet is a luxury. That's sort of my point: you haven't replaced any devices, you merely added another one in. Not every wants (or can afford) that excess, and the tablet isn't good enough on its own. >"Perhaps I'll open Rage HD and have one of the most immersive and physically exhausting gaming experiences possible" That's a slight exaggeration! If you are at all serious about gaming, the iPad isn't even in the conversation. Again, it's pointing to the iPad and telling me how awesome it is at something, but then having to qualify that statement because it isn't as good/cheap/efficient for that purpose as a device I already own.

roc 14y ago
> "everything on your list can be done either more efficiently or cheaper with a phone and laptop with an external monitor." So why did you include "with an external monitor"? By your own reasoning the external monitor is naught but a luxury and anything done via it can be done as efficiently or more cheaply without it. It seems that you do recognize that form factor, comfort and convenience do matter, and that even if you already have a device that's functionally equivalent, additional devices that enhance your actual day to day computing experience aren't irrelevant simply because they don't add unique functionality. You're just choosing to apply it to tablets in a way that you don't for smartphones themselves. After all, your logic suggests we could write off the smartphone itself -- or even any phone -- as a 'luxury' that presents nothing not already provided by a 3G laptop with VoIP app.
- tatsuke95 14y ago
  >"So why did you include "with an external monitor"?" Because if you're sitting there with a laptop and a phone, and wondering what to buy next, buying a $150 monitor is going to be far more useful to you than a $700 tablet. But you don't need either. >"aren't irrelevant simply because they don't add unique functionality." I never said they were irrelevant. I own one. The article tries to blame Android's failings in the tablet space on their lack of ability to get it together. I believe, based on personal experience, the real problem is that tablets themselves just aren't that great. Sure, the iPad is incredibly successful. However, let's not underestimate Apple's rabid fans, incredible marketing or that fact that they were the first to build a fantastically futuristic device. But it's not really providing me with anything I don't already have. That's usually what I base my consumption on. Someone else in the thread said something along these lines: people are buying "iPads", because they are cool and there is some status tied to them. People aren't buying "tablets" because they're not very useful.