iPad released today

[riverc0il]

This is funny...
A fan of Apple products gets called a "bigot" and "Hipster" some other names too...

- I never called you specifically a hipster.
- Not all Apple users are hipsters (but a lot of them are and the brand image DEFINITELY is).
- No one said Apples are not great products (they are)

You get really defensive about this stuff. You are great at pushing other people's buttons but get defensive when people are not even specifically pushing your buttons but tossing out their opinions, not even directed at any one specific. I would call some of my best friends hipsters, not derogatorily either, because they would agree and they know who they are.

I think Apple puts out great products. I also think they are way over priced and I also can not separate the product from its image and branding and its general aura. That may be small of me but whatever. I think everyone can agree both that Apple makes great products and it is a very interesting culture (like or not or care not).

 

[dmc]

- I never called you specifically a hipster.
- Not all Apple users are hipsters (but a lot of them are and the brand image DEFINITELY is).
- No one said Apples are not great products (they are)

You get really defensive about this stuff. You are great at pushing other people's buttons but get defensive when people are not even specifically pushing your buttons but tossing out their opinions, not even directed at any one specific. I would call some of my best friends hipsters, not derogatorily either, because they would agree and they know who they are.

I think Apple puts out great products. I also think they are way over priced and I also can not separate the product from its image and branding and its general aura. That may be small of me but whatever. I think everyone can agree both that Apple makes great products and it is a very interesting culture (like or not or care not).

It's cool... just an observation... Pointing stuff out that I observe.. i really don't think i was being a jerk or anything... Sorry..

People do identify with the brand - but I'd call them fans more then anything else...
Lot's of people that end up with Apple do so because they are so damn frustrated with Windows and PCs... Macs are sexy and well built... Maybe more pricey...
The Mac commercials probably did a lot to foster the hipster connotation.. If it sell computers then cool.. Good American business! Well recognized branding..

 

[mondeo]

YES! I am personally excited by this for all the reasons that folks were enthusiastic above. The iPad for the non-techie people who like to leave their computers at work.

I have no serious need for a laptop, but last year I bought myself an old Sony Vaio just to surf the web at my second home. It's kind of big to lug around, has a loud hard drive and no battery life. But that's okay for the way that I use it. I paid 200 bucks for it on eBay. I put my iTunes account on that; and just last week was given an iTouch that my son won in a raffle. : - )

My husband bought himself a netbook to use the same way I use that laptop. I personally hate the netbook; but it is easy to carry around.

I would buy an iPad because it does all the stuff that I wanna do when I'm not at work. I'm psyched about the sizeof the unit, the screen size and the 10-hour battery life. I wouldn't buy a Kindle, but I would use this to read books. There have to be more people out there like me, don't you think?

Not that many.

I get the need for a larger screen portable entertainment device. If you're traveling all the time, it would be nice to have a single piece of hardware that you can read books on, watch video, browse the web, and other very basic functionality. I get that, I do. However, if you're like the vast majority of the population that would think about getting an iPad, you already have an iPhone and MacBook. You have on the go web browsing with the phone and some video and full up computing capability at home with the MacBook. What does the iPad really add? Book reading. Ok, pick up a Kindle for $200, and you have all the functionality of the iPad at your disposal and save a few hundred. The iPad doesn't have a place with the majority of people that go to work, go home, and spend the vast majority of their time within 25 miles of their home. We're skiers, that's not us.

 

[dmc]

Not that many.

I get the need for a larger screen portable entertainment device. If you're traveling all the time, it would be nice to have a single piece of hardware that you can read books on, watch video, browse the web, and other very basic functionality. I get that, I do. However, if you're like the vast majority of the population that would think about getting an iPad, you already have an iPhone and MacBook. You have on the go web browsing with the phone and some video and full up computing capability at home with the MacBook. What does the iPad really add? Book reading. Ok, pick up a Kindle for $200, and you have all the functionality of the iPad at your disposal and save a few hundred. The iPad doesn't have a place with the majority of people that go to work, go home, and spend the vast majority of their time within 25 miles of their home. We're skiers, that's not us.

Dont forget the apps... The ones you buy for the Iphone will work on the Ipad.. Gaming is going to be a blast on that thing.. Games will be developed for the Ipad for sure.. GTA on the Iphone is ok... But it's going to be better on a bigger screen..

 

[mondeo]

Dont forget the apps... The ones you buy for the Iphone will work on the Ipad.. Gaming is going to be a blast on that thing.. Games will be developed for the Ipad for sure.. GTA on the Iphone is ok... But it's going to be better on a bigger screen..

Again, though, gaming will be better on a full-on MacBook.

I'm actually disappointed with Apple on this one. An iTouch that runs OSX and a bigger screen I think would be successful, even at a higher price. Simply a large iTouch is only halfway there, and the half it has is already fulfilled with stuff most people are already going to be around.

 

[Geoff]

Is the 3G network capable of handling heavy flow days?

Yes. The 3G network has flow control.

 

[dmc]

Again, though, gaming will be better on a full-on MacBook.

I'm actually disappointed with Apple on this one. An iTouch that runs OSX and a bigger screen I think would be successful, even at a higher price. Simply a large iTouch is only halfway there, and the half it has is already fulfilled with stuff most people are already going to be around.

From what i see - it has features beyond the ITouch..
I'm going to wait a couple gens and see what happens... I'm sure it will add features..

Was thinking what I'd really like to see is an IMac with a touch screen...

 

[ctenidae]

Yes. The 3G network has flow control.

Yeah, but how big of a hard drive can you get? Absorbancy is important.

 

[midd]

Not that many.

I get the need for a larger screen portable entertainment device. If you're traveling all the time, it would be nice to have a single piece of hardware that you can read books on, watch video, browse the web, and other very basic functionality. I get that, I do. However, if you're like the vast majority of the population that would think about getting an iPad, you already have an iPhone and MacBook. You have on the go web browsing with the phone and some video and full up computing capability at home with the MacBook. What does the iPad really add? Book reading. Ok, pick up a Kindle for $200, and you have all the functionality of the iPad at your disposal and save a few hundred. The iPad doesn't have a place with the majority of people that go to work, go home, and spend the vast majority of their time within 25 miles of their home. We're skiers, that's not us.

I think you're being too dismissive of it's potential. Smaller Kindle is $249 and the larger one with a comparable size screen is $489.

It'll eat away at macbook/netbook/laptop sales as people realize this device solves 99% of their computing needs at a lower price point.

 

[severine]

I haven't really investigated it thoroughly but from the little I have read, I like the concept. I have a 17" laptop that's a PITA to drag around and has a 20-min battery life now. I have to drag tons of books around for school. It would be so much easier to grab an iPad and go instead. I'm not thinking as a laptop replacement because obviously it would be a royal pain to try to write a 7 page paper on that, even if it were possible. But it would be an easy way to transport some of the everyday stuff without lugging around a huge bag--granted, this only works for the books that are in format to be read on there, but still, as an English major, most of the books I have to read are not textbooks anyway. With a wifi version, I could also catch my email while on campus and 25 miles away from my computer. Or do something else to occupy myself between classes.

And no, I don't have an iPhone or iTouch, so it wouldn't be redundant for me.

 

[Geoff]

Yeah, but how big of a hard drive can you get? Absorbancy is important.

The iPad uses hot flash memory rather than a hard drive. It's part of the menopause ap.

 

[dmc]

The iPad uses hot flash memory rather than a hard drive. It's part of the menopause ap.

good one...

 

[ctenidae]

The iPad uses hot flash memory rather than a hard drive. It's part of the menopause ap.

nice.

 

[WakeboardMom]

The iPad uses hot flash memory rather than a hard drive. It's part of the menopause ap.

See? I told you I was their target market.

I don't have an iPhone, but I just recently acquired an iTouch.

Funny...just after I posted yesterday, my husband said that if he hadn't bought his netbook a few months ago, he'd be looking seriously at the iPad. I said, "It's my turn for a gadget." (He also just recently bought himself a Droid. I have a Razr. ; - ) He agreed that the iPad was the right thing for me.

 

[midd]

I haven't really investigated it thoroughly but from the little I have read, I like the concept. I have a 17" laptop that's a PITA to drag around and has a 20-min battery life now. I have to drag tons of books around for school. It would be so much easier to grab an iPad and go instead. I'm not thinking as a laptop replacement because obviously it would be a royal pain to try to write a 7 page paper on that, even if it were possible. But it would be an easy way to transport some of the everyday stuff without lugging around a huge bag--granted, this only works for the books that are in format to be read on there, but still, as an English major, most of the books I have to read are not textbooks anyway. With a wifi version, I could also catch my email while on campus and 25 miles away from my computer. Or do something else to occupy myself between classes.

And no, I don't have an iPhone or iTouch, so it wouldn't be redundant for me.

the mcgraw-hill CEO said something like 95% of their textbooks are/would be available for the iPad. college students alone will be a huge market.

 

[ctenidae]

See? I told you I was there target market.

I don't have an iPhone, but I just recently acquired an iTouch.

Funny...just after I posted yesterday, my husband said that if he hadn't bought his netbook a few months ago, he'd be looking seriously at the iPad. I said, "It's my turn for a gadget." (He also just recently bought himself a Droid. I have a Razr. ; - ) He agreed that the iPad was the right thing for me.

If we hadn't bought a netbook recently, I'd be thinking about it- it does fit that niche well.
Of the 4 computers in our house, only one has a cd-rom drive.

 

[mondeo]

Ok, my prediction: 10% of the population will get a 1st gen and be somewhat disappointed by the lack of capability, but in doing so will make the iPad name synonymous with a tablet version of a netbook. Meanwhile, the initial wave of adopters will be over while everyone else enters the market with a decently capable version of the same thing. By the next wave of adopters comes along, Apple has their Gen 2 out that's equal in capability but a little more expensive than the competitors. Now that everyone else is an iPad imitator and behind the full brunt of Apple's marketing capabilities, further generations are incredibly successful.

If the big reason you're interested is for the e-book capability, the Kindle is still the better option. It costs lot less, comes with 3G, and no plan required. As far as textbooks go, it'll be a while before it's a replacement. What happens when you have an open book test? There's no way you're going to be allowed an internet-enabled device. Then you're SOL. Also wonder how well you'll be able to highlight, make notes in the margins, etc. Sure someone will come out with an app, but it'll be a while before it works right.

Again, there's definitely a place for this type of device. But this is an example of why Apple is a good company: not due to the capability of the device, but it'll be slick, flashy, and cool while getting to market before it's really been fully thought through and the technology is ready. Apple understands how important it is to be the first and get credit for "creating" the genre.

 

[drjeff]

I loved the cartoon I saw in the paper today about the Apple crazed consumer and the iPad.

The guy in the cartoon is sitting at his desk with a big iMac on it, next to that was his iPod, next to that his iTouch next to that was his iPhone and he was holding a brand new iPad. His shirt read "iBroke" :lol:

 

[ctenidae]

I loved the cartoon I saw in the paper today about the Apple crazed consumer and the iPad.

The guy in the cartoon is sitting at his desk with a big iMac on it, next to that was his iPod, next to that his iTouch next to that was his iPhone and he was holding a brand new iPad. His shirt read "iBroke" :lol:

My MIL bought me a t-shirt for Christmas that's iSail. Clever of the old bird...

 

[vcunning]

I loved the cartoon I saw in the paper today about the Apple crazed consumer and the iPad.

The guy in the cartoon is sitting at his desk with a big iMac on it, next to that was his iPod, next to that his iTouch next to that was his iPhone and he was holding a brand new iPad. His shirt read "iBroke" :lol:

That was a picture of me (except it didn't show my Apple TV). iPad is what I asked for my birthday present. I always buy the Gen1 crap. It's an addiction.