Re: The iPad
This is the combined long and short version of my thoughts.
I've been following this for a couple months and, from the VERY beginning, I thought "wow...sounds like a big iPod Touch...that could be cool if it's not too MUCH like a big iPod Touch". Well...it is exactly that. I'll be nice before I'm mean:
Pros: It's elegant. I really like all of Apple's designs. They always make such nice LOOKING things...computers and stuff that are elegant and you don't mind having in your living room.
It's WAY cheaper than I thought it'd be. I was expecting a starting price of a grand.
Supposed to have 10 hr battery life with wifi on, in full screen while doing stuff. That's not bad.
...unfortunately...that's about all I've got in the nice dept...
Cons: NO FLASH!!! Are you KIDDING ME!?!
Apple iPad features homepage said:
"The best way to experience the web, email, photos and video. Hands down."
How can they say that when it doesn't even have flash!? I don't understand! "...best way to experience the web..."...yea...until you stumble across that rare internet fad called FLASH! I about chunked my pants when in the same breath, they talk up the web experience, then say there is no flash.
No camera. I mean...my netbook has one...I don't use it much but hey, I like options. Bet iPad v2 has one.
No multitasking. How hard is it, Apple?
No USB...just...umm...yea...wow...
No SD slot...
NO FLASH!!! Sorry...I'll stop...
The 3G is through AT&T. We all know how much all the iPhone users LOVE their AT&T service...lol
It may be a small thing but I gotta say it...the name...what the hell? rofl iTablet? No. iSlate? Nope. They instead decided to shrug off those relatively cool names for an homage to a feminine hygiene product. Brilliant.
Now the rant starts. Read on if you'd like...or not...lol...begin the long...
My .02 - Why in God's name must Apple make such cool stuff but miss things that are HUUUUUUUUGE, important, in demand...sometimes even expected (FLASH!!!) like they do?
How many generations of iPhone have there been now? The first one was ground breaking. Monumental. Amazing. Revolutionary. Even got named The Invention of the Year in 2007 by Time magazine and I believe rightfully so. When I first saw that, I was blown away. Then the next 2 generations came out with improved speeds, the 3G came out further improving data speeds and adding some new GPS features and the 3GS came out again improving data speeds as well as adding some features. It took 4 generations and 2 and a half years after the original to add something as simple as video capture. It took all that time to get MMS messaging! My dad's free Nokia cheapo can send and receive pics! The iPhone STILL won't run apps in the background. The iPhone STILL doesn't have Flash. Now they're talking about adding video chat to the "4G". Why would they do that when there are all these other things that other phones do, that people have come to expect even, but the iPhone doesn't do? It's like they're getting the carriage in front of the horse.
I'm anything but bashing Apple. They really do make cool stuff. I just wish they would listen to consumers more...like HTC did with the early Adroid phones. The G1 didn't have a standard headphone jack...people were like wtf. The MyTouch didn't either...people were like WTF! HTC said "oops...my bad..." and now the Eris has one, the Hero has one and the Nexus One has one...it got fixed.
What I'd like to see: Google get with HTC. Have HTC make a nice, sleek tablet with a USB port or 2, an SD slot, a standard headphone jack, a camera, wireless, 3G with an open chipset (a chipset exists that will work across all networks but I can't remember what it's called) so the user can pick which network they use. Then, run it with the new Chrome OS. THAT would be awesome. Cuz, as it stands right now, the Nexus One trumps the iPad (now with WINGS!) in every way...
Flash is a breath away.
It fits in your pocket.
It has the same speed processor.
It has a camera.
It's a PHONE TOO.
It's not restricted to one network.
It has a USB jack.
It takes an SD card.
It is cheaper ($529 for unsubsidized phone + $40 for 16gb MicroSD vs $629 for comperable iPad. 32gb micro SD should be out from Sandisk in feb/march, too.)
If NOTHING else at all, why wouldn't Joe Blow get a netbook?
