Comments on: You’re Probably Not The iPad Target Audience

By: Jorg

Jorg — Thu, 27 May 2010 00:02:09 +0000

I agree with the no multi-tasking side. So I just jail broke it, which allowed me to multi-task (and I can now get free apps! – get them from Cydia).

And with the camera, I have experience with hardware so I installed my own 2.0 megapixels with geotagging 3GS: 3.0 megapixels with video (VGA at 30 fps), geotagging, and automatic focus, white balance, & exposure – positioned on the top of the ipad. It took me about a week to install but it works (I shipped the camera from China for $25 – same as the iphone camera).

Its easy to get flash working on the ipad too… Just google it. In most cases I can get it working on webpages. If all else fails, partition the the flash drive with a custom version of windows 7 after I did that basically all the flash worked.

And just for fun I installed 2 2.0 USB ports. This means I could transfer data to and from the iPad and I could also recharge the battery through the USB port, this means if I lost the charger adapter I could just use a USB connector to charge it.

By: fran

fran — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 19:28:22 +0000

Why?
I have a netbook, it fits in my purse. It is just as fast as my laptop, cost less than an iPad and does a lot more. I take it with me around the house and appreciate the keyboard for messaging and for emailing and searching etc. I use it while watching tv. I sit in bed and watch streaming video programs. I usb my flash drive and switch docs to and from my work and home pc when I want. I take it on vacation because its small but lets me do work if needed. It has a built in webcam I do video chats and carry it with me. Then I have a home and work computer for longer tasks. Then I have a smartphone..it lets me keep up on email or facebook and play music, etc. I also have a kindle, because I read alot and wanted the screen that was easy on my eyes. I just dont get what I would do with an iPad??? I really dont. I think it is cool. If someone gave it to me or I had a lot of cash I’d buy one just because I like gadgets. But help me please, I dont understand where it fits??

By: Alejo

Alejo — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:07:26 +0000

It would look as all the things that are not in that gadget are things the world should adapt to.

- What was the problem with adding a webcam?
- What was the problem with having flash? I like to use http://www.grooveshark.com to listen to music. I won’t be able to. And you know what? I’d like to be able to do BASIC stuff I always do. Come on people!

It would look like this gadget should sit in the breakfast table. It seems that it would only work to read the newspaper with it.

Too posmo for me. Unnecesarily

By: Mr K

Mr K — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:47:13 +0000

You are going to video conference when travelling? Hmm you are then going to have to do that from a starbucks or similar because video over 3G data connections is not going to be nice. So you’ll need WiFi … would you not simply make a phone call or similar when you are travelling? I still tend to think though, if you are travelling and taking a computer device with you – are you not more inclined to take your laptop? Which means that’s what you’ll do your video calls with

*Side note* it seems reports coming out now, show support for a camera in the iPad and maybe the next version will have a camera

By: ApRebel

ApRebel — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:15:29 +0000

I agree with everything except your comments about video conferencing and skype. I have two college kids with Apple Notebooks and we video conference all the time WHEN I AM HOME. If the Ipad could let me video conference all the times I was traveling I would pay $1000 for it without blinking.

By: Allen Stern

Allen Stern — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:05:48 +0000

agree

By: Apple iPad

Apple iPad — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:20:22 +0000

No matter what it’s still better than going with the current netbooks on the market.

By: BlaineTog

BlaineTog — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:21:15 +0000

I agree that the niche for the iPad is rather small — which is why Apple’s grandiose claims about it coupled with the ridiculous degree of hype are provoking all this ire.

By: kradeso

kradeso — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 23:39:56 +0000

Are you people for real??? A different device for a different online function??…you all might be rich(and fond of clutter) kinda folks but in this era of convergence I’d like one convinient answer and not another in-betweener which adds $500+ to my already stretched $$’s. That’s just stupid. Ipad is nothing but a feel good(for a bit) gizmo which offers nothing new. Sheesh…What a waste of resources.

By: My Boaz's Ruth

My Boaz's Ruth — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:51:21 +0000

A camera would also make it great to set up Grandma with one — you know Grandma who has a hard time figuring out how to make all the software work on a real webcam plus whatever progrma you use. Send them an iPad with a webcam and give them the simple instructions to operate it. (It’s apple, its going to be simple, correct?)

Then suddenly Grandma connects to all her grandchildren with webcams, etc. Whereas before she was just confused and avoided it.

By: Garve

Garve — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:57:42 +0000

The lack of a webcam is easily the biggest disappointment here. I know you said “don’t bother saying video calls” but I’m going to anyway.

I spend my evenings glued to my iPod touch – I’ll be laid out on my couch in front of the TV, regularly checking mail, playing a browser game, searching the web etc etc whenever I feel like it. But I have to squint at the screen, or take me glasses off to view it and then put them back on to see the telly – I’ve got to that age!

So the screen’s too small, and the iPad solves that.

I’m fairly technically savvy, but I’ve never made a video call in my life – however I would if I didn’t have to get up and sit in front of my computer to do so. The iPad should be able to make Skype video calls totally effortless like a walkabout telephone does for audio – lying on the couch, walking round the house, even sitting on the loo (OK, that’s a bad thing).

So from the point of view of your wife, she could sit in your garden, video-chatting with a friend a continent away and on a whim, spin the iPad round to show your 2 year old doing something cute. That’s a big improvement in communications, and a massive missed opportunity for Apple.

By: Daniel Peters

Daniel Peters — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:35:24 +0000

That’s exactly what I tell people. The iPad is a web device, so it doesn’t need any ports or stuff. The only thing it needs is a fast internet connection. And with 802.11n and HSDPA support + a fast processor it does that in the best possible way.

Browsing on a regular mac can be a pain in the ass, if you have a lot of apps running in the background. Imagine a device, that is only made and optimised for that purpose. In my opinion a great idea!

By: Amit

Amit — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:51:35 +0000

Well summarized. I agree iPad is not aimed for being extreme mobile i.e. carrying out always with you or being a compute machine, like your laptop. But it for a more casual usage to be done roaming, sitting or lying around your home.

But still a camera would have been the least addition this casual device could have had. Video chats are becoming more common anyway these days, even among the audiences this devices is targeted at.

By: Mr K

Mr K — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:26:07 +0000

Exactly, if you compare Apples to Oranges – of course you will get differences. You need to compare like to like.

By: Mr K

Mr K — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:25:24 +0000

Yeah actually that’s something I didn’t mention, the whole 3G thing. 3G here in NZ isn’t that great and data is EXPENSIVE, so it’s not really an something I consider for the iPad – on the iPhone it makes sense. But really most places where I’d have the iPad I’ll have wifi anyway

On the flash note, I wrote a follow up post about Flash and Apple here http://studiowhiz.com/2010/01/29/youtube-the-death-of-flash/