If iPads are “post-pc devices” why must I sync with iTunes before I can use one? • Hacker News Board

Re: If iPads are “post-pc devices” why must I sync with iTunes before I can use one?

#221

Post by DudeWithPriorIP » Mon, Mar 07, 2011, 12:50 AM UTC

blahedo wrote: post #132

eitland wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are not alone. I've been using Mac OS X for two years and can't belive why the company that came up with iPad and iPhone still - have global menus (who really wants that with todays screen resolutions and two monitors?) - needs the worlds best trackpads because their laptop keyboards have misplaced ctrl and their default keybindings are so inconsistent that users would be lost without a good pointing device. - fo…

I agree with all your points except the first (I'm especially bitter about Spaces, in fact). But as for that one: > "have global menus (who really wants that with todays screen resolutions and two monitors?)" Because there are a lot of operations you can do that are not specific to a particular document/window, or in some cases don't apply to any windows at all. And, even more importantly, sometimes you want to close…

App controls should live in the dock icon. As Chrome, Word, and most modern Microsoft software has shown us, there's really no need for the standard "File, Edit, etc" menu bar today.

Re: If iPads are “post-pc devices” why must I sync with iTunes before I can use one?

#222

Post by lwhi » Mon, Mar 07, 2011, 2:45 AM UTC

If you don't need to sync with iTunes - you don't need another Apple computer.

Re: If iPads are “post-pc devices” why must I sync with iTunes before I can use one?

#223

Post by acqq » Mon, Mar 07, 2011, 9:01 AM UTC

What I don't understand: Apple makes it very hard to copy the files to the iPad, then expects me to be happy about the possibility to edit movies, which must be copied to the iPad in order to be edited.

Re: If iPads are “post-pc devices” why must I sync with iTunes before I can use one?

#224

Post by pdaddyo » Mon, Mar 07, 2011, 12:48 PM UTC

lreeves wrote: post #203

ryanwatkins wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Its not trivial to divorce these "post PC" devices, but its just increasingly lame to require it, and several others have overcome the hurdle. Android has. WebOS has. I get OTA updates to my WebOS device, and it backs itself up over the air nightly. I just updated to 2.1 and all my apps just magically came back, and it had all my email/im/linkedin/facebook account settings too - I just had to re-enter my passwords to…

Just an FYI, there's several apps for IOS that can grab poscasts from the device itself with no need for an iTunes connection. I used Podcaster and it works pretty well.

And a follow-up FYI for Android users, Google Listen is fantastic.

Re: If iPads are “post-pc devices” why must I sync with iTunes before I can use one?

#225

Post by code_duck » Tue, Mar 08, 2011, 3:24 PM UTC

eitland wrote: post #105

SwellJoe wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

iTunes is, perhaps, the least intuitive piece of software I've used in the past decade. I have, on three separate occasions now, deleted my entire music collection on the PC while trying to get music from the machine onto the iPod or iPhone. It's happened once on a Mac and twice on the Windows version of iTunes. I no longer even install iTunes, because I'm afraid of it. (I use an Android phone now, don't have an iPad…

You are not alone. I've been using Mac OS X for two years and can't belive why the company that came up with iPad and iPhone still - have global menus (who really wants that with todays screen resolutions and two monitors?) - needs the worlds best trackpads because their laptop keyboards have misplaced ctrl and their default keybindings are so inconsistent that users would be lost without a good pointing device. - fo…

Resorting to a shell? I prefer the shell. I'd like to see users of other operating systems turn off their computers from bed without resorting to VNC.

Re: If iPads are “post-pc devices” why must I sync with iTunes before I can use one?

#226

Post by ryanwatkins » Wed, Mar 09, 2011, 4:58 PM UTC

pdaddyo wrote: post #224

lreeves wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just an FYI, there's several apps for IOS that can grab poscasts from the device itself with no need for an iTunes connection. I used Podcaster and it works pretty well.

And a follow-up FYI for Android users, Google Listen is fantastic.

They're nice and all for not having to use a cable, but neither appear to wake up, see if there is anything new and automatically download it.

This way I wake up in the morning, take the subway to work and my data is already "just there". I dont have to even launch the app before going into the subway (with enough time to sync up).

This is not possible on iOS but a feature I use it daily on webOS.

So not only post-PC, but proactive in keeping my data updated.

Re: If iPads are “post-pc devices” why must I sync with iTunes before I can use one?

#227

Post by lloeki » Wed, Mar 09, 2011, 8:15 PM UTC

HelloBeautiful wrote: post #219

lloeki wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The number of new iOS features you had to pay for is literally crushed by the number of those you did not have to. Yet this "Apple are a greedy bunch making you shell out $$$ for every single new feature" is incredibly entrenched. Was it historically even ever true?

>> Apple are a greedy bunch Compare the price of Mac desktop or laptop to a Dell/HP/Newegg PC with the same hardware and Windows. Or just check the profits Apple is reporting. They definitely have way higher margins than the other mega-corps, selling hardware/gadjets.

Reducing the value of a technical object to the sum of its components is ridiculous. Compare the internal design of a MacBook Pro or an iPhone to their counterpart (Hint: take a look at ifixit).