Zawinski: iPad just-slightly insufficiently futurey

#1

Post by fogus » Fri, Sep 03, 2010, 12:49 AM UTC

Zawinski: iPad just-slightly insufficiently futurey
jwz.livejournal.com

Re: Zawinski: iPad just-slightly insufficiently futurey

#2

Post by yanowitz » Fri, Sep 03, 2010, 1:36 AM UTC

Dammit. I keep resisting the lure of the iPad, but when jwz weighs in...

Must. Wait. For. Next. Version.

You know, the smaller one with the front facing camera. So my kids can do FaceTime with their grandparents.

Or the one with a (dare I hope) retina display. I guess that's probably a few versions out.

Re: Zawinski: iPad just-slightly insufficiently futurey

#3

Post by statictype » Fri, Sep 03, 2010, 1:37 AM UTC

It's an instant-on appliance with a real web browser and real mail reader on a real screen.

I guess that's the selling point right there. It's not a computer that requires booting and starting up system services and logging in. It's an appliance you can immediately turn on and start using.

Re: Zawinski: iPad just-slightly insufficiently futurey

#4

Post by weaksauce » Fri, Sep 03, 2010, 1:41 AM UTC

statictype wrote: post #3

It's an instant-on appliance with a real web browser and real mail reader on a real screen. I guess that's the selling point right there. It's not a computer that requires booting and starting up system services and logging in. It's an appliance you can immediately turn on and start using.

That is precisely the reason I love my iPad. (iPhone too when on the go)

Re: Zawinski: iPad just-slightly insufficiently futurey

#5

Post by glhaynes » Fri, Sep 03, 2010, 1:43 AM UTC

yanowitz wrote: post #2

Dammit. I keep resisting the lure of the iPad, but when jwz weighs in... Must. Wait. For. Next. Version. You know, the smaller one with the front facing camera. So my kids can do FaceTime with their grandparents. Or the one with a (dare I hope) retina display. I guess that's probably a few versions out.

I think you're talking about an iPhone 4. :)

Re: Zawinski: iPad just-slightly insufficiently futurey

#6

Post by jakevoytko » Fri, Sep 03, 2010, 1:51 AM UTC

JWZ is wrong to count overheating against the iPad's futurey image. If cutting-edge consumer laptops are any indication, everything will overheat in the future. Cars will need a 4 minute iBreak on the way to work. Your lamp will throw off any color you want, but only for an hour at a time. And I have bad news about the coffee maker.

Re: Zawinski: iPad just-slightly insufficiently futurey

#7

Post by famousactress » Fri, Sep 03, 2010, 1:57 AM UTC

I'd add.. I was surprised how quickly touch typing came. I'm not nearly as fast as I am on a normal keyboard, but still much faster than my thumbs on an iPhone. Certainly fast enough to write chunky emails or blog posts.. if anything, the minor slowdown is an encouragement to write more vigorously.

Re: Zawinski: iPad just-slightly insufficiently futurey

#8

Post by jacquesm » Fri, Sep 03, 2010, 1:59 AM UTC

jakevoytko wrote: post #6

JWZ is wrong to count overheating against the iPad's futurey image. If cutting-edge consumer laptops are any indication, everything will overheat in the future. Cars will need a 4 minute iBreak on the way to work. Your lamp will throw off any color you want, but only for an hour at a time. And I have bad news about the coffee maker.

> our lamp will throw off any color you want, but only for an hour at a time.

Unless you want infra-red, then it can do it all day long, right?

Re: Zawinski: iPad just-slightly insufficiently futurey

#9

Post by _delirium » Fri, Sep 03, 2010, 2:03 AM UTC

statictype wrote: post #3

It's an instant-on appliance with a real web browser and real mail reader on a real screen. I guess that's the selling point right there. It's not a computer that requires booting and starting up system services and logging in. It's an appliance you can immediately turn on and start using.

That particular point doesn't seem like a huge win to me, as someone who never shuts down his laptop. I just open the lid and it's on, then close the lid and it's "off". The form factor/weight seems like the bigger win, at least for me. Although if you're going to carry around a Bluetooth keyboard to use it, like jwz apparently does, that seems like it eats away at the advantages there a bit?

Re: Zawinski: iPad just-slightly insufficiently futurey

#10

Post by ugh » Fri, Sep 03, 2010, 2:08 AM UTC

statictype wrote: post #3

It's an instant-on appliance with a real web browser and real mail reader on a real screen. I guess that's the selling point right there. It's not a computer that requires booting and starting up system services and logging in. It's an appliance you can immediately turn on and start using.

Well, you sort of can use current laptops that way. I rebooted my MBP last two weeks ago (probably because of some update) and wake from sleep works reliably fast.

I can see how the much longer battery life and the much more compact and unintimidating appearance helps with that.