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Why the iPad isn't for me

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Re: Why the iPad isn't for me

#81

Post by conanite »

roc wrote: post #38
conanite wrote: post #22

This is a media consumption device. I'm trying too hard to create things on it This is the bit that scares me.

Why? Clearly it should inform your purchase decision, but why should it be scary ? No one device is for all people to do all things. So why should a particular weakness inherent in this form-factor be scary ?

It doesn't scare me as a user - it scares me that yet another device encouraging passive consumerism may become immensely popular. It's sad to become used to hearing "I can't cook/sing/draw/dance/code/whatever" - I would rather live in a world where everyone is a producer of some sort, in a way that content and culture are not monopolised by Big Industry.

Maybe 'scary' was a bit strong - I'm not exactly trembling under my bed ... yet.

Re: Why the iPad isn't for me

#82

Post by jsz0 »

" I'm comfortable using a computer, and I don't tend to surf the Web as a form of entertainment"

This is going to be the biggest factor to determine if a tablet is right for you. I'm comfortable enough at my desk using my computer but I can only take so much of it. Most of my web browsing outside of work is entertainment or at least long form reading. Both areas I think the iPad excels at. I could use a laptop on my couch or in bed but I find that a bit awkward but, most importantly, the iPad blows it away on battery life and screen quality -- and for entertainment purposes it's just easier to do most stuff.

Re: Why the iPad isn't for me

#83

Post by roc »

crux_ wrote: post #43
troystribling wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That the iPad is consistently classified as a media consumption device seems an attempt to trivialize its significance by people who consider themselves power users. I agree that currently the use cases of most applications fall into this category, that it is expensive and I doubt you will ever do application development on a device of its form factor, but it is clearly not just a media consumption device. A few exam…

> That the iPad is consistently classified as a media consumption device seems an attempt to trivialize its significance by people who consider themselves power users. Not really. It comes from an idealism that technology (especially the internet) would, speaking broadly, shift our society away from a centralized model where the many are beholden to the few and towards something more distributed and egalitarian. If y…

I'd think if you truly cherish that goal (as I do) you'd have noticed by now that no single device or technology represents a step of any significance in any direction.

It wasn't the existence of the internet that changed the creator:consumer ratio for the better. It was the use of the internet as such. And that use exploded thanks to any number of consumption-focused technologies along the way.

Consider that even if no-one creates long-form text on an iPad, it's existence as a consumption machine might re-popularize the format and draw more creators to write for digital bookstores, shifting the creator:consumer relationship thanks to the ease of entrance (compared to dead-tree publishing).

Or for a more proven example: consider the App Store. Reviled-since-inception by techno-freedom purists, its net effect has been positive for entire classes of software that are as-of-yet implausible via the internet.

Though the store serves only these consumption-focused devices, the audience those devices attracted and the comparative low barrier for entry by creators has drawn creators and been a huge step forward.

Windows tablets have had more pure potential to push the creator:consumer ratio forward for a decade and they've done essentially nothing. How useful is a world-view in which they're viewed as a step forward and the iPad a step back?

All that aside, the core argument is still bogus. The iPad is getting a rap as a media consumption device solely because it's bad at text input without peripherals.

Well, guess what? Any form factor is bad at some Arts without peripherals. And peripherals often dictate ergonomics. Keyboard/Mouse PCs suck at digital painting, a/v capture, a/v editing and any number of disciplines without peripherals. We don't pan them for not being a creative panacea out-of-the-box. And we certainly don't begrudge laptops their convenience, even though a digital artist has to lug around a cintiq to do decent work on the road, and is thus limited in use cases.

Re: Why the iPad isn't for me

#84

Post by dzlobin »

I don't understand why this is worth writing about. The nexus one isn't for me, and neither is the iphone, I didn't run out to blog about it and repeat the same point 200 other people have already made

Re: Why the iPad isn't for me

#85

Post by briancooley »

Psyonic wrote: post #78
pohl wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't it more likely that the pad would belong to the parents and a $1.99 app would be the child's toy?

You'd think so, but this is the 3rd review I've read where the adult was relatively disappointed in the iPad, but OH BOY does his child love it. It's starting to make me think its for kids.

That's not my personal review. It's a review from the perspective of my wife and in-laws. They don't use smartphones and are the kind of users that like to do things in familiar ways.

I think it's interesting that kids take to the device more easily than adults. Part of that is simpler usage, but part of it is not having preconceived notions about how to use the device. It also makes me think that a certain class of users is going to have to take some time with the iPad. My wife hated our netbook when I bought it; now I have to pry it from her hands.

I'm not disappointed at all in the iPad, but then again my expectations weren't extremely high. I knew typing would be a chore. I knew that there were going to be ergonomic challenges. I wasn't expecting the browser to be on par with the desktop. Also, I mostly bought it to develop for.

Re: Why the iPad isn't for me

#86

Post by rimantas »

Psyonic wrote: post #48
cwilson wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a Macbook Pro, I just don't like lugging it around on trips when it's overkill (the sucker is 5 - 6 pounds easily). A netbook? I hope that's a joke. Why would I want a cheaply built, underpowered (I'll bet the iPad out performs most netbooks), mini laptop that doesn't run OSX or iPhone OS (as in I can't stand Windows or any linux distro)? At risk of sounding like a fanboy I'm going to quote Steve Jobs himself:…

There are quite a few netbooks that are more powerful than the iPad, and cheaper to boot. Intel Atom stuff can actually output 1080p video... imagine that? And actually, if you buy the right one, its not all that hard to set one up as a hackintosh either.

Who cares how powerful iPad is as long as it is fast? And it is fast. And, for the hudnreth time: iPad comes with IPS screen.

Re: Why the iPad isn't for me

#87

Post by GHFigs »

nudge wrote: post #63
akadien wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't know me, so why are you surprised? I thought I would like it and could use it, it's not working out, I don't expect it to work out, so I'm returning it. It's not a political statement.

He doesn't need to know you to be surprised by your point (b), which would be possible to work out without buying the thing. It is surprising. It is similar to someone buying a Porsche and then returning it because, among other reasons, it is a fast car. This is something you know before buying it. To return it to the dealership, saying "I don't like it, because it is fast", is quite surprising. Now, if you didn't kn…

perhaps you thought you could also do some serious work on it

If I can do work on the iPad, does that mean my work isn't serious?

Re: Why the iPad isn't for me

#88

Post by rimantas »

csomar wrote: post #41

From the beginning, I knew this device won't go so far. I'm more optimistic with the new HP slate. When I get a device bundled with Windows 7, with the ability to run any windows application and not only Flash, it's just like tele-porting my computer to this little device. The iPad OS is a phone OS, whatever powerful it is, it'll be always way behind any desktop OS. Point 2 is multi-tasking. And about iPhone OS 4.0 m…

One guy writes that iPad is not for him and that means that "this device won't go so far"? Selling 300 000 of these on the first day means nothing I guess.

  The iPad OS is a phone OS, whatever powerful it is,
  it'll be always way behind any desktop OS.
A car, whatever poferful it is, it'll be always way behind any train. So?

  And about iPhone OS 4.0 multi-tasking, it just made
  me laugh, it just proved me Apple failed to support
  real multi-tasking.
You laugh, users don't care. Will they be able listen Pandora in the background? Sure they will. Will they receive skype calls, even when Skype is not in front? Sure they will. Will navigation software run in background, even you switch to other app? Yes it will.

Meanwhile enjoy your well thought multitouch suppor of Windows 7 on HP slate and the battery life with real multitasking.

Re: Why the iPad isn't for me

#89

Post by VBprogrammer »

troystribling wrote: post #36
akadien wrote: post #6

Neither is it for me. I'm sending mine back. Things I don't like: (a) Eye strain, (b)It doesn't provide enough utility for me to justify another device in my life, and I don't want another media consumption device. In short, it's another toy. (c) An awkward device angle when touch-typing and trying to read what I'm typing.

That the iPad is consistently classified as a media consumption device seems an attempt to trivialize its significance by people who consider themselves power users. I agree that currently the use cases of most applications fall into this category, that it is expensive and I doubt you will ever do application development on a device of its form factor, but it is clearly not just a media consumption device. A few exam…

I would caution against using the music creation applications as good examples of iPad applications. Firstly, musicians rarely skim on their gear, if an iPad and a $10 App will do the same job as a bit of hardware costing twice the price more than half of them will buy the hardware. I've not used a synth very much but I doubt a touch screen provides an adequate replacement for the musical keyboard, nevermind the more natural feel of real buttons and knobs. Finally, any reasonably serious musician will buy a sound card priced in the hundreds of dollars, they will not be happy with a 3 1/4 inch analog output from one of their primary tools.

Re: Why the iPad isn't for me

#90

Post by VBprogrammer »

swannodette wrote: post #71
akadien wrote: post #6

Neither is it for me. I'm sending mine back. Things I don't like: (a) Eye strain, (b)It doesn't provide enough utility for me to justify another device in my life, and I don't want another media consumption device. In short, it's another toy. (c) An awkward device angle when touch-typing and trying to read what I'm typing.

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1263033 If you are creative person (musician, visual artist, designer, writer), the iPad might very well be the first usable digital sketchpad for your medium. I tire of people saying the iPad is primarily for consumption; it's simply not true. It may not appeal to the computer hacker, but it certain appeals to many other kinds of hackers.

I would contest that a visual artist will not be satisfied with the lack of pressure sensitivity, a designer unimpressed with the relatively small screen size, a musician with the lack of high quality audio outputs and I can't come up with a single reason a writer would prefer an iPad over a regular laptop.

I think what the iPad will do is move touch interfaces into the main stream for a much larger class of devices. What I doubt it will do is revolutionize very much.

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