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Wooden iPad 2 cover outsmarts Apple's Smart Cover

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Re: Wooden iPad 2 cover outsmarts Apple's Smart Cover

#71

Post by wtallis »

whatusername wrote: post #56
wtallis wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If it had been a cover for a Galaxy Tab, it would be hailed as an innovative idea from a startup that has found a great niche. Instead, it's just an iteration on Apple's design, from a boutique that specializes in helping you further flaunt your gadgets as status symbols. EDIT: Based on the downvote, somebody seems to have taken one of the above sentences seriously. I guess I fail at subtle mockery. Credit should be…

Because Apple invented Magnets. And Phones. And MP3 Players. Did you see this: https://www.goincase.com/products/detail/convertible-magazin...

What are you getting at with that link? That Apple didn't come up with the idea of a 4-segment folding cover? I certainly wasn't implying that - I was speaking out against hyperbolic praise or bashing of products based on pro-/anti-Apple biases.

If you took the case you linked to and added magnets so it could function like Apple's Smart cover, it would be quite a bit bulkier. I think it's fair to say that Apple's integrating the magnets in to the tablet is a more significant improvement than Miniot's is over Apple's.

By trying to lump me in with the people/strawmen who say that Apple invented smartphones or MP3 players, you do no credit to yourself and you make it look like you're trying to distract from my assertion that it does matter somewhat who the tablet manufacturer is because no other tablet maker would put the magnets inside their tablet.

Re: Wooden iPad 2 cover outsmarts Apple's Smart Cover

#72

Post by Stormbringer »

Groxx wrote: post #61
cletus wrote: post #37

Really? A wooden cover for the iPad 2... with magnets. That's what makes the top of HN? I can see this belonging on Engadget but what's the value here? Don't get me wrong: I have an iPad 2. I love my iPad (1 & 2). I just don't see how a wooden cover for it is HN-worthy.

I think people are still recoiling from the shock of the brilliance that out-shines the sun that is the Smart Cover™ (© Apple) and what super-awesome things it means for future generations (better than flying cars, clearly, now that we have Smart Covers™ . Maybe bread that toasts itself! Smart Bread™ !). The world is forever changed; I see the light; All bow before Steve Jobs! Partial, because I do think it's likely…

I'm still unconvinced about the smart cover. The magnets are a neat hack, but I've found that with my various (metal backed) i-Products that if they are out of a full body jacket their metal cases scratch, scuff and loose their shininess very quickly.

Additionally a 'full metal jacket' cough provides some protection from getting wet and that seems to be #1 priority in Apple's product doco that you should never ever do.

Re: Wooden iPad 2 cover outsmarts Apple's Smart Cover

#73

Post by Groxx »

Stormbringer wrote: post #72
Groxx wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think people are still recoiling from the shock of the brilliance that out-shines the sun that is the Smart Cover™ (© Apple) and what super-awesome things it means for future generations (better than flying cars, clearly, now that we have Smart Covers™ . Maybe bread that toasts itself! Smart Bread™ !). The world is forever changed; I see the light; All bow before Steve Jobs! Partial, because I do think it's likely…

I'm still unconvinced about the smart cover. The magnets are a neat hack, but I've found that with my various (metal backed) i-Products that if they are out of a full body jacket their metal cases scratch, scuff and loose their shininess very quickly. Additionally a 'full metal jacket' cough provides some protection from getting wet and that seems to be #1 priority in Apple's product doco that you should never ever d…

I'm just referring to the cover's shinyness - it turns the ipad on and off, it has magnets, and it attaches without any attachment points cluttering its body. Simple, but very much something that nobody has done with tablets before.

Re: Wooden iPad 2 cover outsmarts Apple's Smart Cover

#74

Post by philwelch »

mcav wrote: post #67
jarek wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So I'm a newbie here, my account is less than a year old, god knows I've trolled and flamed my share, etc. But when I first joined, I saw the guideline/notion that upvotes should indicate contribution to discussion rather than agreement and was impressed. I'd be sad if this position was abandoned. Upvoting for contribution to discussion promotes good discussion. Upvoting for agreement promotes hivemind, of whichever…

In 2009, I wrote a little parody of the Zen of Python that includes a bit about what I felt upvotes were/should be used for: http://marcuscavanaugh.com/zen-of-hn/ -- I think that regardless of what guidelines were created initially, people do upvote as agreement, whether we like it or not. I like upvotes as an expression of agreement because it gives an indication of the truthiness of the comment (wisdom of the crowd…

The only situation where I'll upvote or downvote based on "agreement" or "disagreement" is statements of fact--and even then, inane statements of fact that don't contribute to the discussion, I don't upvote.

Re: Wooden iPad 2 cover outsmarts Apple's Smart Cover

#75

Post by mkramlich »

TomOfTTB wrote: post #48
cletus wrote: post #37

Really? A wooden cover for the iPad 2... with magnets. That's what makes the top of HN? I can see this belonging on Engadget but what's the value here? Don't get me wrong: I have an iPad 2. I love my iPad (1 & 2). I just don't see how a wooden cover for it is HN-worthy.

A few reasons (as far as I'm concerned) 1. Startups could learn a lot about presentation from this guy. I don't know about anyone else but I was struck by the video's simple, matter of fact style. No flash or funny animations. Just a smart guy showing what his company had done (and then thanking me for my time) 2. People deify Apple too much. Apple's great but you can compete with them if you put some effort into it.…

Agreed. It's not about it being an Apple-related gadget as much as it's a classic case of entrepreneurship. Rapid/agile. Heck I wouldn't be surprised if they've only built a few units so far for prototype testing, and they won't even bother to ramp up production until they start getting real orders in. Lean manufacturing, I guess.

Re: Wooden iPad 2 cover outsmarts Apple's Smart Cover

#76

Post by fakelvis »

bane wrote: post #69
dotBen wrote: post #64

Still trying to work out how this wooden iPad cover outsmarts Apple's own cover (as promised in the title). Can anyone help me out?

It's similar, but the customer pays more for this one instead.

I'm not quite sure that's entirely true, as is pointed out in the article.

In the NL Apple Store, polyurethane Smart Covers costs €39 each while a leather one costs €69 (in Apple's eyes €1 = $1).

This wooden cover costs €50.

I don't think it's fair to compare wood to polyurethane, but feel free to do so in order to make your argument stand.

Re: Wooden iPad 2 cover outsmarts Apple's Smart Cover

#77

Post by mbreese »

mcantor wrote: post #57
mbreese wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

An upvote doesn't necessarily mean that you agree with the comment. They are supposed to mean that the comment is worthwhile or adds something to the discussion. IMO, the ggp comment doesn't.

> They are supposed to mean ... Url?

This is a fairly longstanding consensus here. It comes up every now and again though, and my position isn't the only one. Some believe up votes can mean agreement, but that obviously this has a limit. Since a down vote definitely doesn't mean disagreement, it only follows that the opposite shouldn't mean agreement. That would only serve to dilute the conversation. Like I said though, this is just a rough consensus.

Here is a previous HN discussion on comments [1].

And I'll save you the trouble of reading through to an even earlier discussion[2] where PG weighed in to say "I think it's ok to use the up and down arrows to express agreement." But this was on a different topic regarding troll-like behavior, so it's not entirely clear what his thoughts are.

But a person is going to use their up votes to mean whatever they want them to mean. If you want to up vote in agreement, go ahead, no one is going to stop you. I only up vote things I agree with if I think it adds to the conversation. So while I thought the linked video was impressive and a great way to see the product, I'm not going to up vote a comment that doesn't add much. You are free to disagree.

[1] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=214398

[2] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=117171

Re: Wooden iPad 2 cover outsmarts Apple's Smart Cover

#78

Post by mbreese »

mcav wrote: post #67
jarek wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So I'm a newbie here, my account is less than a year old, god knows I've trolled and flamed my share, etc. But when I first joined, I saw the guideline/notion that upvotes should indicate contribution to discussion rather than agreement and was impressed. I'd be sad if this position was abandoned. Upvoting for contribution to discussion promotes good discussion. Upvoting for agreement promotes hivemind, of whichever…

In 2009, I wrote a little parody of the Zen of Python that includes a bit about what I felt upvotes were/should be used for: http://marcuscavanaugh.com/zen-of-hn/ -- I think that regardless of what guidelines were created initially, people do upvote as agreement, whether we like it or not. I like upvotes as an expression of agreement because it gives an indication of the truthiness of the comment (wisdom of the crowd…

But you're only going to up vote things that you agree with that also add to the conversation. Of course people up vote things they agree with, but in the case of something like the comment that started this all off, did it really add much to the conversation? I didn't think so, but it wasn't frivolous enough for me to down vote it. You're free to disagree and up vote all you want.

As a side note: truthiness, as defined by Colbert [1] isn't something that a crowd can tell you. It's something that only your gut can tell you. And my gut says that your comment wants a burrito.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truthiness

Re: Wooden iPad 2 cover outsmarts Apple's Smart Cover

#80

Post by tluyben2 »

viraptor wrote: post #52
TomOfTTB wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A few reasons (as far as I'm concerned) 1. Startups could learn a lot about presentation from this guy. I don't know about anyone else but I was struck by the video's simple, matter of fact style. No flash or funny animations. Just a smart guy showing what his company had done (and then thanking me for my time) 2. People deify Apple too much. Apple's great but you can compete with them if you put some effort into it.…

> No flash or funny animations. Just a smart guy showing what his company had done Well... the product does come from Holland. Try watching some Finish videos if you want more of that. People in both of those countries are pretty straightforward in life (based both on personal experience and anecdotes, YMMV).

Yeah, being from Holland I never understand why the presentation of stuff from other countries is so over the top, even for simple things. But it seems to sell though, so probably a lot of people like it. I personally like a paragraph (or less) saying what it does + 1 or 2 good pics. No videos please.
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