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[iPad Thread] iOS 4.2 coming in November. Now that's some bull.
Big Dookie
Smells great!Houston, TXRegistered User regular
Smells great!Houston, TXRegistered User regular
3G Model on April 30, WiFi Model Available right-the-hell now!!
Apple gives non-U.S. customers the finger and delays the International Launch until Late May, with pre-orders starting May 10.
So. Guys. I hear Apple has this new whiz-bang computator. Except that apparently it's not really new, and isn't really a computer, and basically has no inherent value whatsoever on any objective scale, I guess?
Behold!
Okay yes, it's just a big iPod Touch. But on the other hand, it's a big iPod Touch. That brings along heavy implications in terms of new kinds of applications and uses that most people probably haven't even thought about yet. The fact that we will now have arguably the most influential OS/UI in the last ten years in a much larger form factor means that it's going to be a whole new ball game. Don't believe me? Take a look for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX4_jk-Olxs
The WiFi versions cost $499, $599, and $699 for 16, 32, and 64 gigs respectively, and 3G versions will cost $130 more. WiFi versions are available for purchase now, and the 3G versions will come later in April.
The iPad Itself
One of the forumers here, gearn, wrote up a review/editorial expressing his feelings toward the iPad, and it more or less sums up the feelings of many here who have actually used and purchased the device:
Recommended Apps with impressions from your fellow Forumers
Netflix
Your standard Netflix app, but now with instant video streaming. HOT.
Dragon Dictation
Speech recognition software, now revamped for your iPad.
iBooks
Apple's own bookstore and electronic book software, competing directly with the Kindle.
StreamToMe
Allows music and video streaming from your Mac to your iPad.
Marvel Comics
Digital comic book reader brought to you by Marvel.
Labyrinth 2 HD
Roll your ball around different maze levels.
Epicurious
Cooking app. Find recipes, search by ingredients, make shopping lists, etc.
Air Video
Another streaming app, this one specifically for video.
More recommendations are on the way! If you would like to recommend an app, write up a small review or impressions for it in this thread and I'll include it in the OP. I'll try to keep up with it, but if I miss your review, send me a quick PM and I'll include it.
Apple gives non-U.S. customers the finger and delays the International Launch until Late May, with pre-orders starting May 10.
So. Guys. I hear Apple has this new whiz-bang computator. Except that apparently it's not really new, and isn't really a computer, and basically has no inherent value whatsoever on any objective scale, I guess?
Behold!
Okay yes, it's just a big iPod Touch. But on the other hand, it's a big iPod Touch. That brings along heavy implications in terms of new kinds of applications and uses that most people probably haven't even thought about yet. The fact that we will now have arguably the most influential OS/UI in the last ten years in a much larger form factor means that it's going to be a whole new ball game. Don't believe me? Take a look for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX4_jk-Olxs
The WiFi versions cost $499, $599, and $699 for 16, 32, and 64 gigs respectively, and 3G versions will cost $130 more. WiFi versions are available for purchase now, and the 3G versions will come later in April.
The iPad Itself
One of the forumers here, gearn, wrote up a review/editorial expressing his feelings toward the iPad, and it more or less sums up the feelings of many here who have actually used and purchased the device:
Alright, just wanted to give my own review here of the iPad for anyone who may be on the fence. I've had the iPad for like a week now so I'm well past the hype and novelty phase for the device. When I was first thinking of getting the iPad I had my doubts and reservations about whether or not this would be a device worth getting, even though there was no clear purpose for it as far as I could tell. These doubts still lingered on after my purchase.
But all that was blown away from the first moment I touched the screen.
Holy shit. There is definitely a "holy shit" factor to this device. Just holding it is intoxicating. It really is incredible how something so thin, and so light, could just be capable of so much power. I can honestly say that never in the history of the world has so much power been invested in the tap of a finger.
I was worried the keyboard was going to suck, but those thoughts all just vanished after about 2 seconds of typing on the touch screen. It was amazing, better than I though it would be. I didn't give a shit. And the screen? Christ, I didn't expect it to be this good, it's just weird how awesome it is, the viewing angle is amazing, this isn't like a fucking big iPhone, it's not a fucking big iPhone at all with a screen like this. This completely changes the device alone.
Everywhere I went, the iPad won hearts and minds. Not a day has gone by where people haven't asked me about my iPad. The question is always the same "Well, how do you like your iPad?". Like? I love this shit. My laptop has not left my room in god knows how long. There's just no need. I carry the iPad with me to classes and type up notes like it's no problem. And the classes in which I can't really type notes, carrying the iPad is much better than carrying a comparatively heavy ass laptop (and my laptop is a fucking unibody Macbook!).
The browsing experience is just completely incredible. I worried about what the lack of flash on the iPad would mean, but now I don't give a shit and frankly as far as I'm concerned Adobe could fucking collapse and close it's doors forever and the world would be a better place. I could care less but I won't because frankly Photoshop is still pretty popular with most people and is probably worth keeping Adobe around for.
But the browsing, it totally rocks. It's like having a browser window ripped off from my computer screen and just floating around with me wherever I go. And the experience of touching things is so intuitive, we've all clicked buttons, but have you ever touched a button? It's an incredible feeling.
I took my iPad to a Starbucks on campus, originally just intending to pick up some coffee and leave, but while I was waiting for the barista to hand me my drink I heard a girl behind me say "Oh cool an iPad!" I turned around and then of course then she asked me what I thought about it and we ended up chatting for a bit about various things. End result? Scored a date for the weekend with an attractive girl (and now we got a second one lined up).
I also took the iPad to my sisters house where her kids (who are 3 and 5 years old) instantly took the device and started flying through apps with incredible ease. I purchased a kid app for the 3 year old and he played it very well. I realized then, that when these kids grow up, and they go to buy a computer, chances are the first brand they're going to turn to is Apple, the one they've known since they were born.
And it isn't just little kids who love the device. I was at a bookstore sitting in the magazine section just reading some stuff on the internet when an old lady sitting in a chair next to me pointed out my iPad to her husband, amazed by it. They asked me all sorts of old people questions about the device and I offered to let them use it. Surprisingly they found it easy to use and understand, all they had to do was touch whatever they wanted to see, and type whatever they wanted to search in a box, it was easy! It was then that the old man declared that his life was "complete". He had finally been able to actually use a computer, and even made his first google search. I don't think you guys appreciate the significance of this, this is a man who has probably lived through a Great Depression, the invention of TV, World War II, the start of Commercial Air Travel, the Moon Landings, the cuban missile crisis, the JFK assasination, Nixon, vietnam, the fall of the soviet union, computers, a black president, and it was only NOW, at THIS moment, with THIS device, that he could really feel his life was complete. Computers were no longer complex mysterious devices to him, he now understood how to use it and what it was for. He was now just beginning to grasp the vastness of the internet. I told him about the Apple store in the mall where he could go get one, and how there is always an Apple employee that comes up to help you from the moment you walk in, and that was really all he needed. He left, presumably to go visit the store he had never dared to venture in before. It was incredible.
Aside from school, I do some part time wedding photography to earn money, and I usually have to carry around this big ass album of photos to clients to show them my work, but last week I decided to say fuck it and just take my iPad and SD card. It was a risk, but they loved the photos on the iPad's screen and the presentation went very well. They called me a few days later to tell me they wanted me to take pictures at their wedding. Awesome.
There is no question that the iPad is going to be successful. We can already see that it's going to be imitated, but NEVER duplicated. This is because other manufacturers just don't "get it". It's amazing really, they're going to come out with these thick, heavier tablets with moving parts and visible screws and say "Here's our tablet... and a list of features you don't give a shit about." and then call it a day. Why the fuck do they even bother? Seriously, this is the old way of making shit, come to the 21st century where everything is sleek, silent, seamless and smooth yet hard and durable as fuck. If you can see the seams where the device was put together they blew it. If their device requires moving parts they blew it. If their device makes any noises when you shake it or it bends slightly with enough force they blew it. Without these issues resolved, they shouldn't have even tried to make a commercial product, they should have done it purely as an academic exercise.
It wasn't all rosy though. I did have one cynic confront me. It was on my morning bus ride to a class and I was about to get off at my stop when another guy said "hehe, why did you waste money on that overrated tablet?". I took one look at his greasy hair, his shitty grin, his ill-fitting shirt, the netbook at his side with a linux penguin sticker wielding a chain saw pasted on it, and then I looked him dead in the eye and simply said "It's a Mac thing, you wouldn't understand."
I got off the bus and walked to class (where I would soon find one of my friends showing people some apps on his new iPad).
Yea, the iPad probably has less features and pieces and gizmos than the other clone tablets coming out. For it's premium price, you'd have to be blissfully ignorant to buy one... and that is why you should.
Recommended Apps with impressions from your fellow Forumers
Netflix
Your standard Netflix app, but now with instant video streaming. HOT.
projectmayhem wrote: »Streaming Netflix is sooo win. SO WIN.
Dragon Dictation
Speech recognition software, now revamped for your iPad.
powersurge wrote: »Dragon dictation is an amazing piece of software it's just a shame that it's not built in all the native apps. This post brought to you by dragon dictation.
iBooks
Apple's own bookstore and electronic book software, competing directly with the Kindle.
projectmayhem wrote: »I am really surprised how enjoyable reading is on it. I think I am liking this iPad thing way more than I thought I would.
StreamToMe
Allows music and video streaming from your Mac to your iPad.
Just wanted to pop in and say that the app StreamToMe works like a charm for playing your movies.
I fired it up, it found my movies folder on my Macbook, and started playing an .avi file in seconds. Now if I could only get Wake On Lan working it'd be perfect; keep the Mac asleep, and use the iPad to play videos at any time.
Marvel Comics
Digital comic book reader brought to you by Marvel.
The Sneak! wrote: »If you love Marvel comics, you'd definitely want to grab the Marvel comics reader as well.
Labyrinth 2 HD
Roll your ball around different maze levels.
Epicurious
Cooking app. Find recipes, search by ingredients, make shopping lists, etc.
Epicurious is a fantastic cookbook app that also lets you set a shopping list for whatever recipe you decide you're going to be making from it. And as a silly aside, the title screen was one of the first things visually that made my jaw drop. Silly, I know, but that picture really shows off the sharpness of the display.
The only thing Epicurious is missing is online shopping list storage that syncs to the iPhone version
I'm not about to bring my iPad to the grocery store but man do I love looking through recipes on it and referencing it while I cook
I made Roast Chicken Breasts with Tomato and Garbanzo Beans last night with the iPad propped up on the counter and it turned out great.
edit: and you're not kidding, that splash image really is awesome
Air Video
Another streaming app, this one specifically for video.
So I just grabbed AirVideo for the iPad(it's universal now). That is some hot shit right there. You run the free server software on you PC or Mac and point the server at your video folder and it will stream it to your device. It will even convert the videos as it's streaming so you can watch .avi videos on your iPad. There's a free demo which limits the number of fils you see to 3, but for $3, this thing is a steal. Works over the Internet too, not just local wifi.
More recommendations are on the way! If you would like to recommend an app, write up a small review or impressions for it in this thread and I'll include it in the OP. I'll try to keep up with it, but if I miss your review, send me a quick PM and I'll include it.
Big Dookie on
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Bit of a niche market though.
I'm very tempted to go all out for the 64G 3G model. Even though I'll probably never need 3G, it'd be nice to have the option there. But then I'd have to wait until late April, which would kind of suck. Can't decide!
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
What is frustrating is that my college's mail services isn't open on Saturdays, and I'm pretty far away from an Apple Store...
WiFi it is. Now just to decide which one.
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
Maybe a noobish question, but how do you know that you'll be able to tether it?
The iPhone tethering software I use (MyWi) creates its own wireless network that any WiFi-enabled device can connect to. Unless Apple specifically disallows ad hoc wireless networks (is that even possible?), tethering an iPad should be exactly the same as tethering a laptop or connecting the iPad to a normal wireless network.
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
I really think that I would like the device, and it has a lot of great uses now and has tons of potential to grow, but the 32GB model + case + Bluetooth keyboard came out to like $760 with tax. That's a large chunk of change for something that I "think I would like" compared to something I really need.
I just wish I had a better picture of what kind of iPad apps we'll be seeing near the release date.
The iMaxi iPad Case
And they have one with red interior lining.
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
The AVI stuff is interesting. Doesn't appear to support XVID? But being able to whip out some Urusei Yatsura while in line for something else is an interesting idea.
I went ahead and ordered the regular (non keyboard) dock for it as well. I love the idea of leaving this thing charging in the living room while acting as a digital photo frame whenever I'm not using it. I might eventually get the keyboard dock as well to keep on my desk at work for whenever I feel the urge to bust out some actual productivity on it.
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
The AVI stuff is actually just weird because it doesn't even mention supporting h.264/mp3, but maybe they didn't mention it because the iPad already supports those formats?
I don't really understand why they'd add support for AVI containers and then only allow an obscure and inefficient video codec.
honestly I'd just buy another Dock for work and pick up a bluetooth keyboard as well
the keyboard dock is nice, but I don't think having the keyboard physically attached that close to the screen will be ideal for comfort, and since Apple is charging $70 for it (the same they charge for the excellent Apple Bluetooth keyboard), I'm not finding any good reasons to buy the keyboard dock. especially if you've bought the leather case that can prop it up in the same position the dock would anyway.
I can't think of any worse way I'd want to have a portfolio for photography. Small screen, smudges, inability to see results in print, etc....
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
The leather case props it up landscape, the dock is portrait. If you're using a physical keyboard and an iWork doc, you're probably gonna want it portrait.
1) All-around web access at work over 3G
2) A web companion device at home since I am limping on a single monitor right now and general communication functions away from my desk.
It does that perfectly, minus the wireless contract.
Cause it's a free codec -- they don't have to pay anyone. In addition, it's inefficient, but it allows them to claim AVI support while still encouraging users to use something, anything else (preferably an Apple owned video format).
What Apple owned video format would that be? They mostly just encourage mpeg 4/h.264
Like most companies they have anemic support for the AVI container because the AVI container is a pile of shit and it is incredibly hard to support every bizarre video and audio codec mishmash that some amateur group decides to shoe-horn into it
I wouldn't do it myself, but it's pretty talked about at a pro wedding photographer forum I frequent. It's no good for showing a 40"x60" canvas, but for studio-less folks who meet at coffee shops it'll be a great way to give your presentation.
right, which is exactly why I understood their lack of support for the AVI format
but to add AVI support for Motion JPEG and not xvid or h.264 is kind of pointless
people are still going to throw their AVI's at iTunes and get "Not compatible" errors, except this time they'll call Apple support screaming that they explicitly claim AVIs are supported
is there something that saves Motion JPEG as AVI that I'm unaware of? a line of digital cameras or something?
Newer ones tend to use mpeg 4 in an actual mpeg 4 container
Watch my music videos
apple in their INFINITE "wisdom" makes it so that you cant replace the battery yourself and instead if it goes kaput you gotta pay 105 bucks to get them to give you a new ipad and you give them yours
....why????????
http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/13/dead-ipad-battery-never-mind-replacing-it-apple-just-sends-ano/
basically to make it replaceable it would have to be far thicker
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
its not even new its gonna be refurbished!!!!
moreover you lose any settings or stuff saved to your ipad unless you have it sync'ed 24/7
And refurbed probably carries very little meaning here - I'd guess they'd have to swap in a back plate if that thing is as crammed with battery as I suspect. So unless you're deeply attached to that particular CPU and gumstick mobo...
The "refurbished" thing is sort of meh to me. On one hand, yeah, it kind of sucks getting replacements that are refurbs. On the other hand, from refurbs I've gotten of various electronics in the past, I can safely say that they usually are pretty decent quality. In fact, your refurb iPad will probably be in better shape than the 2-3 year old one you sent in.
Oculus: TheBigDookie | XBL: Dook | NNID: BigDookie
if the battery's broken if the machine itself is gone
how are you going to get it to work so you can sync it?
I think it's a pretty fair replacement deal, but I don't get why they have a one-week turnaround for in-store replacements. It's not like it takes them that long to grab a refurbished iPad out of the back room and hand it to you.