[uofmtiger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antony6555 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Honestly I think the ipad will be clunkier. There's still probably no good way to type on this thing. And typing is pretty inevitable. It's also majorly overpriced.

I don't plan on doing tons of typing on it. However, you can easily get to each key with your thumbs, similar to an iphone but with larger keys. For internet use, looking up books, etc.. it should be pretty easy to accomplish.

When a netbook is unfolded, it is about twice the size of an iPad with the same screen size. That means I have to deal with twice the size all the time, even if I am not plannning on doing much typing. That makes it clunkier for my needs (reading, looking at video, photos, etc..). If you want to type a manuscript on it, they do have a keyboard accessory, which you could use when you think you will be doing a lot of typing, so you don't have to carry it around when you just want to read the news. Personally, I would just use my laptop for that.


They also have programs by Dragon that make it easy to just voice the information instead of typing it, if you have ridiculously small hands.

Price is pretty subjective. $500 seems like a decent price for the base model considering it is a new product on the market (which usually demands a higher price). It is obviously something most people could live without, but that can be said about most, if not all, consumer electronics.

 

[marvin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by uofmtiger /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't plan on doing tons of typing on it. However, you can easily get to each key with your thumbs, similar to an iphone but with larger keys. For internet use, looking up books, etc.. it should be pretty easy to accomplish. ... They also have programs by Dragon that make it easy to just voice the information instead of typing it, if you have ridiculously small hands.

Bold emphasis added by me.

Many media sources disagree with you, and they've had hands on experience with the iPad. Here's a small selection:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gizmodo Typing in portrait is better than anticipated but still quite a stretch for our average-sized hands, which means that letters like F G and H will take a moderate conditioning for some. What about in landscape mode, sitting flat on the table? Well this is problematic too, as the iPad sort of wobbles. The back is not perfectly flat, meaning your typing surface is never perfectly flat, so the virtual keyboard becomes that much more difficult to use.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macworld We tried typing by using the iPad’s virtual keyboard in both the Mail and Notes apps. It’s hard to judge the experience after only a few minutes, but we have some reservations. Unless you’ve got large hands, you won’t be able to type by holding the iPad with two hands and tapping with your thumbs—the device is fairly wide.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CNN.com I chatted with some other tech reporters to see what they thought. Jacqui Cheng, associate editor at Ars Technica, said she had some similar issues and overall described typing on the iPad as "very frustrating." She's an adept iPhone typist, but said the iPad screen is too large to let users type with their thumbs, as many do on the much-smaller iPhone.

I've seen modified split keyboard schemes designed for thumb typing that would work great on the iPad, but thumb typing in portrait mode on the default keyboard will be a no go for large swaths (read: women, children, shorter stature males) of the population.

 

[Antony6555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by uofmtiger /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't plan on doing tons of typing on it. However, you can easily get to each key with your thumbs, similar to an iphone but with larger keys. For internet use, looking up books, etc.. it should be pretty easy to accomplish. When a netbook is unfolded, it is about twice the size of an iPad with the same screen size. That means I have to deal with twice the size all the time, even if I am not plannning on doing much typing. That makes it clunkier for my needs (reading, looking at video, photos, etc..). If you want to type a manuscript on it, they do have a keyboard accessory, which you could use when you think you will be doing a lot of typing, so you don't have to carry it around when you just want to read the news. Personally, I would just use my laptop for that. They also have programs by Dragon that make it easy to just voice the information instead of typing it, if you have ridiculously small hands. Price is pretty subjective. $500 seems like a decent price for the base model considering it is a new product on the market (which usually demands a higher price). It is obviously something most people could live without, but that can be said about most, if not all, consumer electronics.

Even if you don't use the keyboard that much, how do you angle this device comfortably on your lap without the keyboard? They've released accessories to deal with this, but I doubt any will solve this problem completely. And even if you're just surfing the web, typing is very much a necessity.

Sure, it's slightly thinner, but I doubt the difference in form factor will make any practical difference. It's not something you're going to be slipping in your pocket anyway.

As for whether it's overpriced, I mean netbooks at half the price will beat it in terms of performance and functionality. And for $500 I could basically get a tablet that runs a real OS and. On top of that, many smart phones will outperform (and have greater functionality) than this thing, which seems absurd to me.

 

[lisnalee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antony6555 /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's also majorly overpriced.

If you think its expensive in the US then you sure don't want to be buying one here in the UK, i reckon it will cost at least $100 more here.

 

[krmathis]

Apple Estimated to Have Taken 50,000 iPad Orders in First Two Hours - Mac Rumors
Not bad really! Especially considering pre-order are only available in the US.

 

[uofmtiger]

Quote:

Many media sources disagree with you, and they've had hands on experience with the iPad. Here's a small selection:

I am actually making my judgement based on seeing a video of a person using it:

Look at 1:08 into this video

I have larger hands than the person in the video, so I am sure it will be easier for me to type on the iPad than it is on the iPhone....and I can even get by with that keyboard for most internet use.


Quote:

Sure, it's slightly thinner, but I doubt the difference in form factor will make any practical difference. It's not something you're going to be slipping in your pocket anyway.

Like I mentioned, it is double the size to produce a clamshell design. The keyboard is the same size as the screen to make it easy to close. Double the size is a material difference to me when I want to just lay down and read a book or a magazine.

Quote:

Even if you don't use the keyboard that much, how do you angle this device comfortably on your lap without the keyboard?

I don't plan on doing that very often. I will type in the same way they do in the video I linked above.

Quote:

As for whether it's overpriced, I mean netbooks at half the price will beat it in terms of performance and functionality. And for $500 I could basically get a tablet that runs a real OS and. On top of that, many smart phones will outperform (and have greater functionality) than this thing, which seems absurd to me.

I have a laptop that blows away the functionality of any netbook (HD video, bluray, photoshop, excel, etc...). If I want to sit up and type, I already have that covered by a much better machine. I also own an iPhone and the screen is too small for reading books. I really don't want to change pages every second. It is for those that want the form factor in a multi-touch (for web use) device that has a tilt sensor (for games, going from portrait to landscape, and Maps), runs iphone apps, form factor for reading, and has the added ability to run apps created specifically for it. Not everyone has the need for such a device, but that is the case with most electronics.


Quote:

Not bad really! Especially considering pre-order are only available in the US.

Also, a lot of people will want the 3GS version, so they are still waiting.

 

[Antony6555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by uofmtiger /img/forum/go_quote.gif It is for those that want the form factor in a multi-touch (for web use) device that has a tilt sensor (for games, going from portrait to landscape, and Maps), runs iphone apps, form factor for reading, and has the added ability to run apps created specifically for it. Not everyone has the need for such a device, but that is the case with most electronics.

Honestly, it just seems like an expensive toy to me. The only unique purpose (ie not filled better by something else) it could potentially do is serve as an e-reader, but without e-ink it wouldn't be a very good one.

 

[ronnielee54]

I wouldn't mind having one but the cost of the monthly fee kills it for me. Already paying for data package on 3 iphones.

 

[grawk]

there's no requirement for the monthly fee. There's no contract on the 3g model, so you can turn on data service as you need it, or you can just get the wifi model.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by uofmtiger /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, a lot of people will want the 3GS version, so they are still waiting.

Yeah, I forgot about that.

 

[ronnielee54]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif there's no requirement for the monthly fee. There's no contract on the 3g model, so you can turn on data service as you need it, or you can just get the wifi model.

I was under the impression there was a fee for the 3GS service. I would not want one with wifi only.

 

[grawk]

There is a fee for 3g service, when you need it. You wouldn't expect AT&T to provide service for nothing? But you can purchase service as you need it, you're not obligated to pay for it otherwise.

 

[uofmtiger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif there's no requirement for the monthly fee. There's no contract on the 3g model, so you can turn on data service as you need it, or you can just get the wifi model.

He could also jailbreak one of his iphones and download MyWi, which he could use for 3G access.

Quote:

The only unique purpose (ie not filled better by something else) it could potentially do is serve as an e-reader, but without e-ink it wouldn't be a very good one.

I think you miss the advantages of the form factor, so you probably don't lay down or back to read books, magazines, etc.. The form makes it much better for reading than a clamshell, which is why you don't see clamshell e-readers.

For magazines and RSS feeds, the color will be a major benefit to your average B&W e-reader. Because of the form, it will also have games that will be made just for it using the tilt sensor. It also will switch from portrait to landscape (which is great for video) which is something you can't do with a clamshell design. In other words, it does a lot more than just substitute for a Kindle.

I also prefer it to a netbook as a device that falls between my laptop and cell phone. While the netbook makes a better laptop substitute, I don't think it works as well for reading, playing games, and the screens are generally not very good (lack of colors) for video/photos. If I am going to sit it in my lap, I might as well use my laptop.

So far, I have not seen another tablet in the same price range that does everything the ipad can do (run all iphone apps, has a tilt sensor for games and GPS, has a multitouch screen, has an onscreen keyboard, does not require a stylus, etc..). Since you said there are other tablets that do more for the same or less, please link them. I have not placed an order for the iPad yet, so I would be interested in an alternative tablet for less money that is currently available.

Quote:

Yeah, I forgot about that.

I thought you could only order the wifi version because of an email I got from Apple, but I am pretty sure the 3G versions are available for pre-order, too. I am still deciding which model and I don't need to be the first one on my block to have one, so I have not ordered one yet. I think they estimate that 120,00 sold on day one. The fact that these are just preorders and not something you can currently "hold in your hands" probably will continue to effect sales until it is available.

 

[Antony6555]

Quote:

Originally Posted by uofmtiger /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think you miss the advantages of the form factor, so you probably don't lay down or back to read books, magazines, etc.. The form makes it much better for reading than a clamshell, which is why you don't see clamshell e-readers. For magazines and RSS feeds, the color will be a major benefit to your average B&W e-reader. Because of the form, it will also have games that will be made just for it using the tilt sensor. It also will switch from portrait to landscape (which is great for video) which is something you can't do with a clamshell design. In other words, it does a lot more than just substitute for a Kindle.

Amazon.com: Lenovo S10-3t 0651-37U 10.1-Inch Multitouch Netbook (Black): Computer & Accessories

It has a keyboard and runs a full OS. Without e-ink, the Ipad is not really a substitute for the kindle, in my opinion.

Edit: I know it's not a pure tablet. I just think that the only benefit of a pure tablet would as an e-reader, but in order for something to be a decent e-reader it has to have e-ink, in my opinion.

 

[grawk]

Without using them side by side, I'm not sure how you could say what is a substitute for what.

The kindle to me is unacceptable, because it's effectively a single task tool. Netbooks I tried, but ultimately gave up on. The ipad is breaking new ground, instead of trying to adapt something else to a task it's not meant for.