iPad discussion

[Victor Fox]

I've been pretty critical of the iPad since Jobs' announcement, but let me offer a prophecy-of-sorts...

Back in 2001, Steve Jobs unveiled the iPod, as Pared so perfectly demonstrated in that old macrumors forum. Similar to today, everyone seemed to be bashing Apple for pushing into a market they had no business entering into, for not making a practical device ("I already have a walkman" said one critic), and for generally being greedy for charging inordinate amounts of money.

Flash forward to 2010, and we all know the history. The original 5gb iPod that let you "put 1000 songs into your pocket" went through improvement after improvement: first it lost its physical buttons in place of a click-wheel, then a backlight, then it got a color screen and the ability to store photos, then a video screen and the ability to play movies... All the while increasing the storage space up to 160gb and eventually giving birth to the iPhone.

The most important improvement along the way, IMO, was the genesis and growth of iTunes, without which the iPod would have been just another mp3 player. By giving everyone iTunes (and the store, obvs) along with their iPods, Apple was introducing people to what would become the future of legal, purchased music.

Understandably there isn't a huge ebook piracy market right now, people aren't hopping onto Vuze to get a torrent of Atlas Shrugged.... But I don't think eReading is Apple's focus with this product.

What Apple did in 2001 was create their own niche market. The placed their foot in the door with a sleek looking product, fully aware that it could/would become better, cheaper, smaller, and cooler. The important thing was getting people's interest. Once they had that, their product took off.

Similarly, when they introduced the iPhone, people were up in arms about it being on the 2g network, about the lack of copy+pasting, etc etc. Didn't matter. Apple needed a foot in the door of the mobile industry and then they kept updating their iPhone and it's taking off. Again.

The important thing this time around, however, is that iTunes is already in place. First music, then movies and tv shows, then apps. Apps were/are one of the biggest selling points of the iPhone.

So now here comes the iPad. The awkward younger brother of the iPod Touch that's somehow bigger. iTunes is already in place. A bookstore section has been added. What is Apple going to do? Wait a year or two, listen to everyone's complaints, and release the iPad 2.0

I honestly think that a fully functional OS X with touch capabilities is still a couple years away, and Apple knows this. Instead of releasing an inferior product, they're releasing a niche product that they will be able to update and repair along the way.

If you don't need one, then fine. Just wait. I had no use for a 5gb mp3 player back in the day. I had a walkman. Now? I would rather lose my left hand than my iPod Touch.

[Heelfan71]

[Pared]

Ok heel, we don't need you posting every single idiotic picture you can find on the internet.

[Heelfan71]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pared

Ok heel, we don't need you posting every single idiotic picture you can find on the internet.

you never said where you work? why not? maybe you are endorsing something you sell.

[Hova57]

i can see bigger corporations and hospitals buying into the ipad to hold files and such. the ipad may be the beginning of a paperless world.

[Pared]

Quote: Originally Posted by Heelfan71

you never said where you work? why not? maybe you are endorsing something you sell.

Because I don't "sell" anything. I'm in IT.

Now, can you stop acting 12 years old?

[HealyMonster]

wow, pared, never knew you were such an apple fan...

I too am an apple fan to the death so I wanted to wait a while before I gave my opinion. Ive gone through many emotions regarding this thing. I want one so bad but I just dont know why. I have a mac computer, an Iphone. I mean it would be cool to go sit in my living room and use a mac and surf the net.(i have an imac, not a macbook). With that being said though, i design Websites, wouldnt it be more practical to buy a macbook, then I could build Web sites from my living room, on top of cruising the net and doing everything the ipad does? Before this came out, my next big apple purchase was going to be a macbook pro. Now after this thing is announced I dont believe my intentions have changed. Like if I got this thing for my birthday in august, that would be freaking awesome, but in September, im still going to be trying to buy a macbook pro.

I guess this means I dont have a use for this thing at this moment. Like the guy up top said though, every apple product has been received just as this one. Its hard to believe people questioned the ipod,etc. In my mind this might be the gateway into the "new age" of laptops. 5 years from now, this thing might replace the laptop. we dont know. they throw in a full OS, allow wireless keyboard and mouse,etc to be attached and you might literally be able to take your whole life with you in this thing. make calls using it, and do everything you can do with a regular computer, phone,etc. read books, make conference calls(video), etc.

kind of reminds me of that girl in inspector gadget, that book she carried around. we are almost there lol.

[bgeno]

Quote: Originally Posted by Heelfan71

Quote: Originally Posted by Pared

Ok heel, we don't need you posting every single idiotic picture you can find on the internet.

Some of us have senses of humor and happen to think the pictures are pretty funny.

Quote: Originally Posted by Heelfan71

you never said where you work? why not? maybe you are endorsing something you sell.

Quote: Originally Posted by Pared

Because I don't "sell" anything. I'm in IT. Now, can you stop acting 12 years old?

It was a legit question, Pared. You mentioned that people have been wanting to place orders for these through you. And if you have something to gain from the sales of the iPad, you obviously can't have an unbiased opinion.