The iPad

[Ezinma88]

Okay, it's 2010...

I didn't get my personal rocket backpack, my hovercar or my wardrobe of silver jumpsuits to keep me warm on a moon colony somewhere. But, is anyone else really impressed by the look of Apple's iPad? Athestically speaking, it's a major step up from a Starfleet pad.

But, I'm also willing to admit there are a lot of missing factors:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/bl ... t-computer

E88

[Ezinma88]

This also made me smile:

http://i45.tinypic.com/2mcdrg2.jpg

[Asso]

Thanks. This is interesting.

[Alelou]

One of my students was scribbling with a stylus on a laptop tablet type thing today, and I couldn't help wondering why anyone would need an I-Pad if they have one of those. It looks about the same, but she can unfold it and type too.

[Silverbullet]

When I was a Teen we had Pencil, Pens, Legal sized pad, Spiral bound note pads, Manual Typwriters, Memeograph machines. Lond distace telephooone cost five dollars for the first three minutes and a dollar a minute after. One had to book a call in advance to make a long distance call. None of this picking up and dialing direct whenever. Cameras used film that had to be sent away so it could be developed and phots printed. Had Isuggested that the things thare available today would some come in to being I would have bee locked up in arubber room and the key thrown away.

You people have no idea just how great your era is. You take for granted what would have been mircaulous in my day.

[dark_rain]

One of my students was scribbling with a stylus on a laptop tablet type thing today, and I couldn't help wondering why anyone would need an I-Pad if they have one of those. It looks about the same, but she can unfold it and type too.

I have one of these. They are not touchscreen devices as the iPad is (which means you can rest your hand on the screen while you scribble) but instead use the same technology as conventional graphics tablets, just with a display underneath the writing area. This means you get all the precision/pressure sensitivity as well. They run windows with extra bits for input most of the time, meaning that you can install anything you like onto them, as opposed to being locked into Apple's store.

Personally, I don't really see the point. I mean sure it looks nice, but what new things does it actually *do*?

Jobs said it was like a bridge between laptop and phone, but the iPhone was supposed to remove the need to carry more than one device so I guess that he's kinda shot himself in the foot. It's not much good for book reading compared to the other readers, because the power usage is FAR higher than things like the kindle, so battery life will be far shorter. A media device? I have an iPod for that, why do I need another thing to carry around/get damaged/get stolen? I also don't see any advantage over just getting a laptop. It's a bit cheaper, but there's so much even a cheap laptop can do that it cant.

I've either *entirely* missed the point, or there really isn't one... which is it?

(And to be honest, if you need to tell me what the point is, then for me there isn't one anyway, is there?)

[Asso]

Thank you, dark_rain. You have been really helpful to me.