How much it's improved? Many of those improvements were basic features other phones already had. I honestly don't think the phone itself has improved all that much unless you're saying it was missing a lot of features to begin with. That's where I think we disagree. What does this phone do that a "half-baked laptop" or netbook doesn't do? Now list all the things a "half-baked laptop" or netbook does do for less that this doesn't do. This is my dilemma. I can probably do more with a netbook or a low-end laptop than I can with this. The touch feature is nice, but in reality, it's just a big iPod Touch. I'm still considering it for a ebook Reader, though. If it fails that, I have no use for it as it really doesn't do anything that an iPhone doesn't already do for me from the looks of it. I'll keep researching it and wait for initial reviews, though.
I think there's a market for the tablet concept, and the iPad takes us much closer to the ideal tablet than any tablet that's come out in the last five years or so. I used to have a boss that was obsessed with tablet computing, so I've seen some REALLY REALLY pathetic Microsoft-based tablet laptops. Really, there's nothing even close to the iPad out right now, besides the iPhone. As far as the argument of what does it do that a netbook doesn't? Nothing, really, except look good while doing it. It's a convenient and sexy form-factor. Like phones, while a smartphone with a full keyboard is functional, it isn't always as sexy as one with a touchscreen interface. And that, my friend, is why Apple will make a mint on those things.
Hardware-wise, the 2G is nothing like the 3GS. More storage, 3G wireless versus Edge, much improved battery life, much faster processor, better 3D graphics, compass, better camera with video, and GPS. Software-wise, the apps available now compared to what was available when the app store opened is a huge evolution. Not to mention that when the iPhone 2G shipped, there were no 3rd party apps, period! Heck, the iPhone wasn't even that stable until 2.2. The early OS versions crashed all the time. The OS and the phone as a platform have improved drastically since the iPhone first came out. Use an iPhone for a while, and then pick up a TMobile G1, and tell me there's not a huge difference in refinement of the platform.
Tracing this thread has been entertaining. All the haters read just like Ballmer sounds in that video. At first people are like "Hell no, not at the rumored $1000 price point" and then the arguments, from those who were never going to buy one no matter what it did or didn't do, seem to get more and more petty in great number. It's not perfect (Gotta wonder how long before flash works on something like this, Multitasking being more prevalent, the storage amounts are shy though the price is right, and a lack of a DVD player on something that is this video friendly are but a few of my gripes), but you gotta admit, it's pretty sleek, and for the total package at that price, it will entice more than "hipsters" and "people with extra money laying around to be foolish with." Anyone who can't see potential beyond that are just trying not to, I think. It's not a laptop/netbook replacement. It's something else. It's a fast, sleek, simple interface for doing things that many millions of people do every day with more cumbersome or difficult devices. It will sit idle a month and start right up. It's not supposed to be a full computer OS. It's faster. More responsive. And the apps may make all the difference in the world in its success. As for a kindle... so what, you get Black and white... nothing but text/books... for what, $250? $200? The price point combined with its versatility will make this enticing to many. I'm with Bejezus, the potential, with a start like this, is somewhat interesting. There are stylus' (stylii?) for the iphone, I'm sure they will work on the ipad. It's not a LCD, it's backlit LED IPS. whether or not that hurts your eyes after extended use who knows. I suspect there will be screen covers, just as there are for the iphones. Will be hard to get one that big on there without any dust though. Some people might want a camera for things such as Skype. The iphone has improved, for those that didn't buy one and use it. It did so in the updates they have made with the software, among other ways. Maybe to some those are features that "should have been in there already" but since people bought the phones as they were at the prevailing prices, and then later the phone had new features, I'd say that not only does the line improve, but the product improves after you buy it. They didn't even have the app store at first. Come on. This will improve also. First in storage... a camera probably next. Did I mention apps? Much potential, but I do wonder how many "need" something like this. Not that people don't, but it won't be as ubiquitous as a music player or a telephone until it gains some traction and does more... and that could happen to some extent if they play their cards right... and I think most people who know anything about it would agree that Apple has done more right in the past 15 years than just ipod and iphone. Not sure I'm that interested yet, but it is impressive. Just tried to hit some of the points I read up to the end of the thread. Sorry if it is a bit staccato.
This will kickstart the tablet industry. I'm guessing iphonies will love the interface and keep their tablet alive. Biggest barrier for other tablets will probably be DRM. I would love a tablet to read and surf. I would get a Kindle for a hundred less bucks. Maybe this will come true in three years. Thanks Apple!
still dont understand how the camera would work with you holding the tablet. you would look foolish holding it while your arms extended into the sides of the frame. and if you set in on the table, it would be flat looking at the ceiling. I guess thats the next thing- an iPad accessory that can make your tablet videoconferencing friendly! in other words, a stand to angle the tablet. Still no convincing arguments as to why you need a camera in this thing.
It falls short in things a netbook does do, like view flash sites and basic multi-tasking. Having those things missing on a smartphone is one thing, but they need to be there on a 10 inch tablet; the iPad is running iPhone OS 3.2 and it clearly shows. I'd rather have one of the tablets announced at CES running a full version of Windows 7 with a tweaked multi touch finger friendly UI. This could have been great, I was really hoping Apple would have something based on OSX instead of the iPhone OS. The 3GS was a definite improvement over the 2G butt not so much over the 3G; the addition of the App Store with iPhone OS 2.0 was a huge part of it. The fact that the more than 1 year old T-Mobile G1 still has some advantages over the newest iPhone and iPad is not good. Hopefully Android and WebOS will eventually convince Apple to finally include some missing features. That said, while it's missing some essential things, it's not that bad for the price, especially if your also looking to use it as an e-book reader.
I was super excited about this announcement but now I'm very disappointed with what was revealed today. The iPad is nothing more than a big iPod touch/phone. I don't even think they had to make any significant change to the actual OS to pull this off. It seems like they found the right hardware combination (i.e. screen, battery, processor etc.) and saw an opportunity where they could compete with Kindle. Looking at the bigger picture, it looks like apple wants to be this big media distributor company with which they can 'help' people distribute their digital content (i.e. music, movies, tv shows, books, app programs etc.) while earning some % of profit from distribution service. I can certainly see where some people would buy this thing, but I as it is today I think the market for this device cannot be that big. At this point, the MS Courier prototype that was leaked recently looks more like a revolutionary tablet device than the iPad from Apple. In my eye, any kind of tablet device must have stylus & handwriting recognition software and the multi-touch interface.
This reminds me of Sony launching an $800 netbook which failed to compete with Asus and hp mini. Apple is trying the same stuff here, the iPass can't compete with cheaper ebook readers which produce better monochromatic pages. On the flipside it can't compete with cheap netbooks that offer more for less money. I think the iPass is stuck in between two markets and priced out from both. I'm saying this as an owner of an Asus eee pc and I just recently bought a kindle for my sister. I'm not impressed by anything I saw, yeah it sounds appealing for tech junkies but in this economy, it's going to be very tough to sell like iPods and iPhones considering its a niche product. Seriously Apple needs to move to a sub $500 netbook basically a smaller version of Mac Air. 10 inch screen with a lighter processor and they would have a winner and a millions seller. So many people want a mac but are turned away by the price tag. Netbooks are the new mass market products. $1000 laptops are quickly becoming niche products for the elitists only. The mainstream is shifting towards smaller and cheaper.
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That is my one biggest disappointment with the device (though I didn't necessarily expect it). I still see the opportunities with a device like this "as-is," however, some type of "smart stylus" would have been a tremendous accessory. Obviously Apple wants you to use this device in a different way than you use any other device; people may stray away from hard-cover, tangible periodicals, but physically writing is something that will be forever taught and learned in schools. A "smart stylus" (perhaps some third party company will develop one with note-taking software for example) would really make this a ubiquitous tool. For a company that developed the Newton, whose only cool feature, although at times frustrating, was the transition from handwriting to "ink text," I was kind of hoping for an updated version of this that would allow for rapid highlighting and annotating.
Just wait for the HP Slate. It will be running Windows 7. <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/W7CUfRq7KsA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/W7CUfRq7KsA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>
I've decided to get one of these. When they're hacked to allow a full OS with good touch capabilities. Hopefully it will fail enough that they drop the price a hundred or two or they start to pop up on craigslist in the $300 range. Still a shame that there isn't a HDMI port. Effing Apple and their proprietary crap.
I still don't understand the price argument. People pay 800 dollars for the iphone in Asia. Look how much an unlocked iphone costs on craigslist. I know some you are disappointed but for many people this is just what the doctor order. For those who need multitasking and flash(pisses me off too), you can wait for the next generation. Apple will still be raking in the big bucks in the mean time because they realize that luxury items aren't sold by spec sheet.
That's an obvious feature I'm surprised isn't in the release. That, and support for Flash. Honestly, not having Flash support is my biggest complaint. I simply don't understand why it's not there. It bothered me enough that my iPhone doesn't support it, but something like this? It is simply absurd. The only explanation I can think of is that Apple believes they can make more money from their "iStores" without it and that, my friend, sucks.
