iPad to 'kickstart' tablet market

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Analysts say that Apple's long-awaited iPad device could reverse the fortunes of the tablet PC industry.
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Absolutely! :D Seems like the iPad has changed how we see tablet computers. Simply stunning! :) I can't wait for it's release!
 
Because it has hardware lock in, an os that's designed for a phone, and can do half as much as currently available proper tablet pcs?
 
Apple's marketing and the media might generate interest in the max-i-pad and while someone is in Comet they might see the HP Slate selling for less.
 
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Sonic, you said the right words "Apple's marketing and the media"
... that's all that will sell this device.

The features are not worth the price, and seriously, other than Nurses and Delivery guys, who *needs* a glorified netbook?
 
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I don't know if this is a generation gap thing (late 30's speaking), but i really don't see the point in this idea. It will obviously be cool - that's a given, but:

-It's too big to be carried about like an iphone or ipod, on the bus, or down the pub.

-An average laptop will be better value and have a keyboard.

I'm genuinely confused...

MB
 
I think a lot of people haven't realised it's not that useful for a lot of things.

It will be bought by some and at the moment there's a lot of hype over it.

It shouldn't have been compared with netbooks by Steve Jobs. Netbooks are still going to be about half the price and you can do some serious work on them.

It's probably not going to be used on the morning commute as there's the risk someone will rob it.

You can't really use it for music and video as the capacity is small, or at least it is with the 16GB one. No one's going to go jogging with this so why not use a HDD? Also presumably if you're at home don't you already watch video on your TV and already have something for playing music?

It's a good lifestyle item. Things like this look cool and you can surf the net on it but then the price is going to hit for a lot of people. We're in a recession and you might find lots of people gushing at it but then not actually buying it. A similar thing happened with the Macbook Air. I can remember lots of people amazed by it when it came out but I've never seen a single person actually using one. On the other hand I can't remember anyone ever getting excited by a netbook but I've seen them everywhere.

A phone or a laptop is a bit more justified. A phone you always have with you and use all the time. It's small and compact. I thought my PSP would be useful but 99% of the time I leave it at home as I think that's too bulky to carry around. A laptop has several uses one of them being work, others being that it does have a large capacity hard drive and can carry a huge music and video collection.

Maybe if you were a huge technophobe and reasonably wealthy or a big fan of Apple you'd be interested in it. Beyond that I'm not so convinced.

I did think Mrs Sonic might want one but I've already got three answers for her:

1. It's expensive. If you want it, you buy it.

2. You've already got a netbook. That can play video, music, internet, photos etc. Stick with that.

3. You wanted a Wii as well. When was the last time you used that?

Still I'd be interested in the rival products. If a slate came out for £300 then maybe. I've also wondered about an Archos I could fit into the car on a dash mount.
 
3. You wanted a Wii as well. When was the last time you used that?

You should have learned by now never to argue with the missus. She always wins in the end.:D

Men said the same thing about the Wii but look how well it has done. In the end it's the women, kids and teenagers that will probably make the iPad a success.
 
I think a lot of people are missing the point from an AV point of view.

For control of systems, HDD based music and movies I reckon the price of this will allow a lot of people locked out of the AMX/Creston type interfaces to get a good priced control interface driven by apps and not programming...

Look at Sonos, for instance, where an iPod touch/iPhone can control music choice rather than their own controller. The large scale screen seems perfect for that sort of application- it's a lot bigger than eg a pronto screen for a third of the price.

Now if someone could come up with an IR add on for kit not controlled by IP or serial, that WOULD be something..

CI specialists are going to lap this iPad up :thumbsup:
 
My thoughts exactly on IR control for the Ipad...surely this must be possible. I have an Ocelot controller here and wondered how I could use that to control IR and X10 via the Ipad and an app (are there any available yet anywhere ?) when it arrives. Any thoughts folks ?

Many thanks

Graham
 
I will be getting an iPad at launch and I cannot wait.

What will I use it for?

1) Sitting on the sofa watching review discs, I can use the word processing feature to jot down notes whilst watching.

2) eBooks. Will load ebooks on it and then take it to work for lunchtime. Will also hope to be able to download my daily newspaper onto it, if someone will offer that service.

3) Controlling my home audio system. I use iPeng on my iPhone to control my squeezebox system. It will be an even more pleasant experience to use it on the iPad.

4) Surfing the net from the sofa. My laptop has a 17 inch screen. Way too big to use on my lap. I do a lot of surfing on my iPhone at the moment, probably more that on my laptop. But oh the screen is so small.

Yep - I want one :)
 
It looks like a cross between an iPhone and a laptop. Whats the point? Just a piece of glamorous gadgetry.
 
To be honest, I love apple stuff and love the iphone but it doesnt seem good enough yet to warrant owning one. If it had a webcam for voip, skype ichat etc and a decent size hd eg 500gb for storing your music and movies on the go then maybe I would have one.

Would have been nice to run other osx software too instead of just updated iphone apps.

You know what apple are like though, I purchased and iphone 3g and soon after the 3gs came out. I also purchased a macbook and 2 months later a new model came out and i also purchased a mighty mouse and you guessed it, the magic mouse is released.

I can see a first wifi ipad release followed by a wifi/3g ipad release and in 8-12 months an updated model with webcam and other refinements being released.

All said though, i will probably still get one to play with because apple stuff allways does well on resale too.
 

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