Apple reveals long-awaited multi-touch 'iPad' tablet device

[brooklynite]

Source: Apple Insider

Calling it "way better than a laptop, way better than a phone," Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled his company's long-awaited iPad tablet-style multi-touch device Wednesday.

The device weighs just 1.5 pounds -- lighter than any netbook, Jobs noted -- and sports a 9.7-inch display. It also includes a 1GHz Apple-built ARM A4 processor which includes the CPU and graphics.

"Everything is one chip, and it screams," Jobs said.

He also touted that device gets 10 hours battery life watching video, and has a one-month standby charge. It will come in capacities of 16GB to 64GB of flash storage.

Read more: http://iphone.appleinsider.com/#12637-1-0

[WriteDown]

1. And the price?

Why would I get this instead of a netbook?

[brooklynite]

2. Price coming in about 5 min

[WriteDown]

6. If its 500$ or below then it will be sweet.

Anything above that and I'll balk. My iPhone works fine with my HP tablet laptop.

[Qutzupalotl]

52. starts at $499

there's another version for $829 (IIRC)

on edit: never mind

[Hissyspit]

48. Here's a picture from the Apple site:

[harun]

15. Here is Price...

[WriteDown]

18. Netbooks are 250$....

Typical Apple markup.

[harun]

24. Yah, higher than I hoped but this is the first version. Maybe in 6 months they

will be more realistic.

Only 16GB on the low end is disappointing. I'd like a 64GB 3G model but I don't think I would dish out > $800 for one. Probably going to wait until a few of these get out to the public. Then let them get a few bug release fixes out then get one.

[Dappleganger]

26. I love Mac stuff but would never buy 1st gen anything from them.

And then again it would need to come from their outlet store before it would even be half-way within our reach. My MBP from 2006 is still going very strong, as is an iBook from 2005. We even have a Cube (modified) which still runs, hehe. Both of our daughters have minis as well. Most of us also have ipod touches (not iphones) and ipods, but we always waited for them to work out the bugs first.

[harun]

56. I have never bought a 1st Gen Apple anything and am very happy

to have done so.

This device is exactly what I want so it will be hard to wait for the 2nd Gen but I think I will wait for that.

[Delphinus]

110. I don't want many things ...

but after watching the intro, I *want* this. :)

[martymar64]

160. I'm the same way now.

I bought the first model G5 tower as a refurb and its given me a few issues. I need a video card for it, so I'm having to type this from my G4 eMac that I bought in 2005. Its a little slow for HD video but everything else on it works like a champ. My ipod nano is 2 years old and going strong. I'm sure it'll be the same for my iphone.

[FailureToCommunicate]

53. "Typical Apple markup?" That's because Apple stuff works better, longer, with way fewer

issues. What's your time worth while banging your head on the table 'cause you just lost your whole presentation to a freeze from a virus?
Pay a few more dollars, be happy and productive, then sell it when the new stuff comes out 'cause it retains value.
Yeah, call that "markup"?

Wish I owned Apple stock, like, yesterday

[WriteDown]

55. 600$ is a few more dollars?

I guess to the elite. Maybe if Microsoft started an app approval process they'd have less problems with virii.

[FailureToCommunicate]

63. "Elite" Ouch, ya got me. But even this 'elite' can do math: $499 minus $250 (for

your crap netbook) is $249 not $600. And for fewer problems, better apps and resale value would I pay $249 more? Sure.

But then I probably only use it to count my piles of money and surf the web for a third Hummer.

[WriteDown]

64. 499 for the absolute bare bones edition...

Like I said, as soon as Microsoft institutes there app approval process then I'm sure a lot of problems will disappear.

[we can do it]

68. Which Is Still Faster and Less Problematic Than Microshit Junk

so you like wasting time go ahead, I have better things to do than wait on a slow ass pc

[WriteDown]

69. But it doesn't support flash so its usefulness is severely curtailed...

I wonder if I'll be able to install Opera on it.

[FailureToCommunicate]

73. Yes, you're correct, there won't be those annoying 'Flash' ads on the page or lame xmas

jingle cards moving across the screen, or lame games... We'll all miss those terribly.
And Opera? Fear not, others work as well or better

[WriteDown]

74. Yeah, because that is all that Flash is used for.

:rofl:

[tomm2thumbs]

91. No Flash = PHAIL... Google and Pre are proving that point this spring offering Flash capable phones

Jobs has lost his mind thinking folks won't mind having bought a 'netbook' that won't operate on any site with flash functioning

[tomm2thumbs]

92. ditto

comment dupe

[Tesha]

145. That's actually quite correct!

My iPhone doesn't have Flash either, and it's *MAYBE* once a month that I
actually wish it had Flash so I could view some content somewhere. The
rest of the time, I either don't miss Flash at all or am *ACTIVELY GRATEFUL*
that it doesn't have it.

By comparison, my Nokia phone(s) have Flash Lite but the overall web-
browsing experience there is far, far worse than with Mobile Safari.
And Flash (even in the "Lite" fashion) is a big-time battery sucker so
on a mobile device, there are serious trade-offs to consider.

Tesha

[Kurska]

155. HAHA ever heard of something called youtube dimwit?

How about hulu or hell any website that plays videos EVER?

Fucking stupid, 500 dollars for a glorified version of the Iphone web browser, when you can get a FULL Netbook computer with just as large a screen prepared with a linux OR microsoft operating system that lets you not only install flash AND GO TO YOUTUBE.

[alfredo]

114. It appears there's good reasoning behind Jobs not wanting Flash.

http://www.cringely.com/2010/01/ipad-therefore-i-am/

“I did a quickie test with the new YouTube HTML5 beta. On a site that embedded a video (so Flash was used), my browser CPU utilization was 22%, and the Adobe Flash plug-in CPU utilization was 55%. (dual core macbook pro, so total CPU% = 200%).

After the video played, I watched the same video again directly on the YouTube site in HTML5. Adobe Flash plug-in CPU utilization was 4% (what it consumes just sitting on its hiney), and the browser CPU utilization was 17%.

77% vs 21%. that’s why Apple hates Adobe. There certainly may be personalities involved (with Jobs, there is always something personal), but Adobe Flash is just technically awful (this actually may be the crux of any Jobs’ hatred – he hates inelegance, and Adobe Flash is inelegant).

I don’t hate Adobe, and it does bother met that I can’t see Flash on the iPhone or iPad, but Adobe has acted very awfully in this area and doesn’t appear to be doing anything to address it. Google and Apple have the muscle to squeeze them out.”

[WriteDown]

115. Yes, Quicktime is the answer!

:eyes:

[alfredo]

117. If you read the comment, they are looking forward to HTML5.

Try out the HTML5 Demos at YouTube.

[WriteDown]

121. That's fine. But 50% of the web runs on Flash now.

Jobs couldn't get several webpages to display at his own presentation.

[alfredo]

122. I've been reading comments on flash and HTML5 as it relates to the iPad.

It appears that Apple and Google are pushing HTML5 over flash because flash is a CPU hog. On a mobile device, flash might be a big drain on the battery.

BTW, have you used floppies much lately? What about SCSI? Technology changes, newer solutions replace the old. Maybe flash is past its peak and a better technology will replace it.

http://spiralofhope.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/i-hate-flash/

Why should we need a plugin to view content?

[WriteDown]

123. But the web runs on Flash NOW...

He couldn't even pull up pages at his own unveiling. That should tell you something. And somehow the new google phones have managed to incorporate Flash without killing battery life.

[alfredo]

124. If Apple hadn't shown we can live without the floppies, we'd probably still be

stuck with those damn things, same goes for SCSI and PS2 connectors. Somebody has to push the technology forward. The more conservative computer makers won't. You don't see Dell pushing technology forward.

[WriteDown]

125. If you have an alternative ready then you can push forward...

The web does not run on HTML5. If it did, that would be the time to release a device that could only run HTML5. Right now you have a very expensive device with a very limited usefulness, the iPlod. I have an iPhone and my #1 complaint is that I can't use flash(or install another browser). It seems that you could offer the OPTION to turn flash on, but that isn't even considered. Apple is starting to remind me of Sony with things like mini-disc players, etc.

[alfredo]

126. Watch Google/Youtube, they will be the first big HTML5 proponents.

Was the computer world ready for the switch to USB? Remember the whining when Apple came out with the new world Macs that didn't have floppies, SCSI, and ps2? The computer industry soon followed suit.

BTW, Though SCSI was fast, it was limited by the number of addresses available. You couldn't just plug and play.

[WriteDown]

128. So how long are you willing to own the iPlod before the web follows suit?

a year, two? What if it doesn't? What if googles next phone uses flash flawlessly? I remember when laserdiscs were going to to the new home movie format. This device reminds me A LOT of the Apple Newton or maybe Apple TV (which was supposed to change the industry).

[alfredo]

129. You forgot to mention BetaMax. Nothing gets done if someone doesn't

take a risk.


I'd rather not have to install a plugin to view content, then have to deal with old content being incompatible with my newer version of Flash, or the content not correctly ID'ing my plugin. I like the HTML5 approach. I'd rather not have to deal with Adobe. On OSX I can read and create PDF's without their reader. You can save any document as a PDF. I don't miss the long startup time for Acrobat Reader, and the brutally ugly interface.

[WriteDown]

130. You really didn't answer my question...

you're problem seems to be some sort of grievance with Adobe. On that note, I wonder if the iPlod will support napster. I like being able to download unlimited music for a flat fee.

[alfredo]

131. Apple gave the music industry a new form of distribution. He couldn't have

if he hadn't given some assurances that their rights were protected. Napster, weren't they closed down by court order?

Why should he open iPad to Napster when iTunes works well for the vast majority of people?

I find Abobe's products like their media player: too intrusive. It automatically becomes the default whenever it opens, and that can happen if the media you click on turns out to be flash. I trashed their player a long time ago.

I'm a big VLC fan.

[WriteDown]

132. Wrong...

Napster, Rhapsody, etc. are going very strong. Pay 10$ a month for unlimited downloads. It's the future and it works with just about every MP3 player on the market, but for some reason Apple is opposed to that future. Napster would not prevent the use of iTunes, but would put a ding in the monopoly. Why should MS allow iTunes to work in its OS when WMP works fine for most people :). They would only lose about 10-15% of their market. iTunes could of course be submitted to MS under MS's new app approval process for review though :).

[alfredo]

133. I don't spend $10 a month on music. Why should I pay for something I

don't use. I don't like paid subscription music. If I want to spend money for music, I will do it when I want to.

[WriteDown]

134. That's fine.

But you should have the option. I use iTunes too, but napster is great for the constantly changing soundtrack at the WriteDown homestead.

[alfredo]

135. The iTunes model works well for millions of users, so why change it?

[WriteDown]

136. Because its monopolistic and limiting?

:shrug:

Weren't you the one that said we need to look toward future, better options? One song as opposed to unlimited songs seems like a no brainer.

Could you imagine if MS decided tomorrow that they were going to start an app approval process? Redmond would be a crater as someone once put it.

[alfredo]

137. Explain how Apple is illegally maintaining a monopoly.

[WriteDown]

138. Sure....

I have an iPhone. I want to use opera as my browser. Apple will not let me install opera because it competes with safari. I have many songs from napster which I have downloaded. I would like to play then on my iphone. The iphone will only allow me to play songs from iTunes(or illegally downloaded ones). What's even odder is that I can play songs that I have downloaded in iTunes in the napster interface. That is just two cases.

[alfredo]

139. So if you import your mp3's to iTunes you can transfer them to the iPhone?

Opera interprets code (javascript). As I understand, they don't let any app that interprets code onto the iPhone/iPad. So it isn't just Opera. Remember too they rejected a Google App because it duplicated a core function.

[WriteDown]

140. No...

Napster has special DRM tech which is what allows them to have unlimited downloads. Apple has specifically banned this type of music from their devices because it competes with iTunes. You are right, it is called Google Voice and it is awesome, but Apple doesn't want the competition.

[alfredo]

141. I think AT&T was the one that pushed for the rejection of Google Voice.

They were the ones that would have lost money. Anyway, Google Voice works through Safari.

[WriteDown]

142. Here's a good article detailing the things that are wrong at Apple...

Mind you that Jason Calaconis is a big Apple fanboy and I've been a big Apple fan up to a point.

http://calacanis.com/2009/08/08/the-case-against-apple-in-five-parts/

[alfredo]

143. Remember, Apple is a hardware company, and the user experience of that

hardware is important. Their hardware is made to do a few things well. Allowing third parties to alter the core functions of their software may not be in the best interests of Apple. I like Opera, but Safari is solid as a rock, and Opera doesn't give me more of what I need from a browser.

I don't think it is to stifle competition as much as protecting the user experience of their hardware.

I can see AT&T not wanting Google to cut into their business. They signed a 5 year exclusive with Apple, and they want to protect their profits. I think you will see Verizon on the iPad. Apple agreed to keep other carriers from their iPhone, not the iPad. AT&T has a data deal with Apple, but you are not locked into it. That makes me think other carriers will be on board at launch.

[Tesha]

146. "Pages?" There was exactly one page where *ONE PIECE OF CONTENT* was missing.

It was the New York Times, and the rest of the page loaded just fine.

Tesha

[nadinbrzezinski]

70. Actually I own a Macbook and I love it

I have an IPOD touch and a netbook.

For a glorified word processor and internet device that Netbook works quite well thank you. I carry my netbook around, not the macbook, weight issues and a few other things.

I got full featured software that works on the three machines (save the cat), but for a strict word processor, the netbook does the job very well, thank you. For browwing the web, ditto... hell posting from it right now.

Remember the Macbook air? I looked at it, I even considered getting one... in the end I did not. Why? The price point. They are competing WITH the netbook user. The netbook user is not that sophisticated of a computer user. Or in my case, I know that the extra 200 is not worth TO ME...

And unless this has way too many OTHER things to go with it, mark my words... where is the Macbook Air?

There you go. Many people like me will go... 300 for a disposable machine or 500 for a disposable machine... guess which one wins?

[WeekendWarrior]

86. What is junk about Windows 7 and PC hardware?

I'm sorry, Windows 7 is an outstanding operating system, and the hardware on today's PC is the EXACT SAME HARDWARE that Macs use. Intel motherboards and CPUs.

The fan boy shit really has to stop. OSX and Windows 7 are BOTH great operating systems.

[FailureToCommunicate]

98. This was a post for "fan boys" (and girls). If you are not interested in new products that will

that may help people or create software and hardware jobs or SELL BOOKS -which is a major feature of Apple's device - then why post here?
Microsoft VS Apple -who really cares? Let's concentrate on promoting aid for Haiti earthquake victims instead of bickering over tech products...

[WeekendWarrior]

105. Where in the OP does it suggest Apple fan boys only?

I use Macs. I use PCs. So when people say erroneous crap about an operating system/computer, I call them on it, okay? And Haiti has not a THING to do with any of this, so why bring it up?

[FailureToCommunicate]

108. Why Haiti? For the obvious reason that arguing about gadgets is NOT what's important here.

[WeekendWarrior]

147. So then WHY are you here arguing? Why aren't you on a different thread?

You're making absolutely no sense.

[FailureToCommunicate]

152. The only "argument" seemed to be with your opinion, as seen elsewhere. So I was

merely commenting that there were perhaps more pressing matters to spend one's time on. But, since you seem relatively new, I will leave you here to argue forward while I take my own advice and move on.

[WeekendWarrior]

85. Ummmmm -- I beg to differ

My netbook has 160 gig hard drive, runs Windows 7 beautifully -- the FULL operating system, not the truncated OS Apple is offering with the iPad -- and runs just about any PC app you can throw at it -- except it may be a little slow at Photoshop and video editing. Other than that, it's perfect for browsing, writing, listening to music, CREATING music, reading books (using the Kindle or B & N readers) and watching movies, including Netflix streaming, Hulu and any Youtube video, including the Flash ones. Oh, and it has two additional SD card slots, plus bluetooth, wifi, ethernet, three USB ports, a projector hookup, and an attractive shiny black finish.

At $250, it blows the iPad -- as pretty as it is -- completely out of the water.

Again, I LOVE Macs -- I own two, including a 27" quad core iMac -- but the iPad is just a glorified iPhone.

[WeekendWarrior]

84. I Dont' Want to Get into a Mac vs. PC War with You

But I own two Macs and three PCs, and in terms of quality, they're all about the same and last just as long. In terms of Price, the Macs are FAR more expensive. I buy Macs for ONE REASON ONLY: the operating system. There is a music app called Logic that I love and they don't make a PC version anymore.

[Romulox]

101. Mac OS is a superior platform to make music, period.

Logic is superior to just about any consumer grade software out there because of the way OSX allows it to access the audio hardware.

This leads to extreme low latencies with modest hardware when compared to Windows setups. For example, I process sound at much lower latencies on my Macbook with its built in sound hardware than my fancy PC E-MU PCI setup...

[WeekendWarrior]

106. I won't argue with you on that front. I LOVE Logic.

I've used all the big name Windows DAWs and some of the smaller ones and Logic is hands down the best DAW ever created. I spent an outrageous amount of money on a new Mac, so that I could run Logic.

[Socal31]

144. Haha.

Typical Mac fanboiness.

[bc3000]

38. Wow, that's pretty cheap for Apple

[joeybee12]

3. Any word on the cost?

Thanks.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. If I were going back to college...

I might consider it... bad back and all... but I am sure this thing will be a tad on the expensive side.

Then again, my netbook does those things too...

[Dappleganger]

25. How's a netbook for taking notes?

We just ordered a latitude 2100 for our 12 yr. old son since he's approved for assisted tech in the classroom. The outlet had a really, really good sale going on recently.

[nadinbrzezinski]

51. Good it is a computer after al

I might recommend a note taking program, like the Microsoft onenote, or a series of freeware ones out there.

I have used several, keynote is one of my favorites, if a tad very dated.

It is not a powerhouse, so if you want more speed and you have vista or seven, get an external thumbdrive to add memory.

And I am far from a fan of Microsoft products...

[Dappleganger]

61. That's good to know, thanks.

[ellie]

5. I was looking

at a Kindle and wondered why Apple didn't do something similar in the iPod Touch, but I guess it would be too small. I don't see reading eBooks as a feature on this tablet.

[phantom power]

10. I hear they're planning to specifically compete against Kindle.

they're negotiating with publishers on that. Pretty easy to see how one of these can duplicate Kindle functionalities.

[Xithras]

22. And they will fail miserably.

Both the short battery life and the inferior IPS display will prevent this from displacing the Kindle or Sony Reader. The low quality LCD technology that Apple uses in its iPods and iPhones is great for small computing appliances, but is already outdated for e-readers thanks to the advent of e-paper. I would never even consider reading a full book on an LCD screen because of eye fatigue, but e-paper is just as easy to read as regular paper (which is sort of the point). Apple would have done well to partner with Philips to help accelerate their new full color e-paper solutions. I'm not quite sure what they were thinking with the LCD thing.

[phantom power]

27. I'm guessing that LCD is the only way to do their touch-screen tricks...

I don't think e-ink can refresh fast enough for an active interface, or video, etc. Clearly, Kindle's e-ink can't do that. Perfectly awesome for book reading. Non-starter for video.

Although Kindle's battery life kicks the shit out of 10 hours, I have to say that 10 hours may be... enough. I mean, I don't read 10 hours at a time. Or do much of anything else. It's long enough that I might never run the battery down before I was finished anyway. Now, at 10 hours, I would have to recharge every night. Whereas I can recharge my kindle every 2-3 weeks.

For reading, I also like the non-active display. But if it allows the device to do all kinds of other things, it changes the overall picture.

:shrug:

[Xithras]

36. Not enough for the textbook market, which is the holy grail of ereaders.

Whichever manufacturer comes to dominate the e-textbook market will also eventually set the standards for e-readers in general. 10 hours may be more than enough for a recreational reader, but in terms of a full-time student using one as their primary textbook for a full day of classes, library study, and homework, and then possibly for additional time as a recreational e-reader, a music player, and web surfing device, it's actually fairly poor.

[Tesha]

149. "Ten hours" is the baterry life of the device constantly running video.

It will last a lot longer displaying static text like a book because the
CPU won't be burning power.

Tesha

[MilesColtrane]

32. The iPad screen is back lit LED.

[Tesha]

148. "Low quality LCD technology"? In-Plane Switching LCDs are the state-of-the-art.

They offer far wider viewing angles with accurate color than do traditional
TFT LCDs. The trade-off is that they require more power for the backlight.

E-paper, by comparison, offers only the most limited grey-scale and
absolutely no video. (Full-color E-paper is still in the future, whether
or not someone is demonstrating a prototype now.) E-paper is also
incompatible with multi-touch sensors. And E-paper, while not glossy
like an LCD, is by no means as "matte flat" as real book paper.

Tesha

[brooklynite]

11. "iBooks" reader app and store included

[ellie]

17. Awesome!

I must have missed that part. Thanks!

[truebrit71]

12. I absolutely LOVE my Kindle...

...had it for four months now and it works like a charm!

[ellie]

20. It seems pretty

convenient. I would like to get one, or something, to read books this way. I have too many books and dread moving. Once, when I moved, I had to get a separate U-Haul for my books.

[truebrit71]

29. I have cases of books stacked up in storage because I ran out of space...

...the Kindle solved that little problem..I have 35 books in mine, plus a daily subscription to the Times and a weekly subscription to The Nation and I haven't even barely touched the memory.

As long as you use the wireless sparingly (I only turn it on for 60 seconds a day to download my newspaper) the battery will last for eons. I haven't charged mine in 2 weeks and it's battery is still at full strength. The last time I had to charge it up before that was last year...

I still miss the feel of the pages in my hand, but I sure do like the convenience of having my library with me..

[Hekate]

156. I've always dreamed of something like this, but have many questions, such as...

How much do the subscriptions cost you?
How many books will this hold?
What do you do when you run out of space? Can you then store the books on your computer or diskettes?

The one thing that really bothers me is how Amazon.com recalled the book 1984 without so much as a by-your-leave to the customers who thought that by buying it they owned it. The fact that Amazon repaid them doesn't take away the sheer creepiness factor, nor the suspicion that instead of buying a book, you are merely renting it; and once you've removed it from the Kindle, you have to pay again to reread it.

My house is also completely overrun with books.

Hekate

[Mudoria]

93. You'll love the Kindle then...

had mine since mid-December and it's the best thing I've bought in years. Saves on book space and it's excellent for reading.

[Romulox]

103. The big selling point of Kindle is extremely low battery drain, free 3g, and E-ink.

Ipad doesn't have any of that.

[The_Commonist]

7. Makes me think of femenine hygiene products...

Will it come in Red?
Will the larger version be called the iPad Maxi?
I'll probably get one soon...

[Tikki]

23. I heard MAC cPAD....

:)

Tikki

[The_Commonist]

28. Excellent!

Comment from Gizmodo: "See, that's what happens when there aren't enough vaginas in the development meeting."

[TroglodyteScholar]

76. ELL OHH ELL ! n/t

[Lorien]

111. That was my first thought too. Obviously there were no women in the room

when they came up with that one!

[U4ikLefty]

118. Colbert just called it the Tam-Pod.

:rofl:

[Arctic Dave]

8. It's a large iphone. Big whoop. Is it tied to shitty AT&T service?

[MercutioATC]

9. Some of us get pretty damn good AT&T service.

...and this looks like a great alternative to a netbook.

[Arctic Dave]

13. I get great AT&T service too, as long as I don't step off the sidewalk.

Anywhere else my iphone becomes a great paperweight.

[pdefalla]

37. AT & T really sucks

It does not work in my home, it does not work at my office. My wife was in the hospital last week, it did not work there. I love my i-phone for the apps, but it is by far the worst phone I've ever owned.

[bc3000]

40. It depends on where you live.

Just the other day, a group of friends was talking about how good their coverage is in south Florida.

[Tikki]

21. Never have had a problem with my AT&T service...

I'm not sure if this iPAD is what I need right now.

Time will tell.


Tikki

[grace0418]

45. AT&T is the reason I don't have an iPhone, but with this you can get a simple wi-fi

version that won't need to be tied to any service. My husband and I figure we'll get the wi-fi version, then hopefully by the time we're ready for an upgrade Apple will have gotten their heads out of their asses and gone with other mobile services (hopefully more than one).

[NICO9000]

49. They mention AT&T service in the presentation

But it's not a phone, right? If it's wi-fi, why do you need AT&T? Somebody please enlighten me!

[grace0418]

50. There's a wi-fi version and a 3G version. If you want the 3G version you have to pay

for the service through AT&T. But AT&T works like shit on the whole northside of Chicago as far as I can tell. So we're better off getting the wi-fi version, it's cheaper anyway.

[TommyO]

54. No, it is not tied to AT&T service, though 3G connectivity through AT&T is an option

Here are the contents of two of the slides in the presentation:

First slide:
Breakthrough deal with AT&T
$14.99 for up to 250 MB
$29.99 for unlimited data
Free use of AT&T WiFi hotspots

Second Slide
same contents as first, with the following added:
Activate on iPad
No contract - cancel anytime

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/27/live-from-the-apple-tablet-latest-creation-event/

[krabigirl]

67. seriously. I don't see the hype.

[alfredo]

113. It's not tied to AT&T. There's their data plans @ 15 and 30 dollars a month, but

you are not tied to a long contract. You can drop it any time you want.

I bet soon you will see Verizon getting in on the act, and maybe publications offering a subsidized iPad in return for a multi year contract.

[4dsc]

127. That's what I thought after looking at it

Nothing more than a big iphone..

[Tesha]

150. It can be used with *ANY* 3G service as well as WiFi hotspots. (NT)

[WriteDown]

14. What state is the factory where they are making these? nt

[onehandle]

16. The state of China. Just like pretty much every other electronic device in the world.

I assume you're using a computer made 100% in Ohio.

[WriteDown]

19. No, but my other devices don't quite have the Apple devotion.

:)

[Auggie]

30. Very cool

[Greyskye]

31. How would you go about printing a document from this?

I've always been a PC person, but since I stopped gaming my priorities seem to have shifted. If you can print easily from it, the iPad might be exactly the kind of device I need these days.

[alfredo]

34. It has bluetooth, or maybe you can use the USB port to do that. They didn't

go into detail.

[Greyskye]

35. It has a USB port?

I haven't seen that mentioned. Cool, if so. That would do it.

[Hissyspit]

46. Yes.

[alfredo]

57. It attaches for charging and file transfers through USB 2.

Battery and Power4
Built-in 25Whr rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
Up to 10 hours of surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music
Charging via power adapter or USB to computer system


Input and Output
Dock connector
3.5-mm stereo headphone jack
Built-in speakers
Microphone
SIM card tray (Wi-Fi + 3G model only)



Not sure what those three slots are for. They don't look like USB

[tapper]

79. 3 slots are speakers...

... That's what I understand.

[alfredo]

81. That was what I thought.

[Romulox]

104. Do yourself a favor and invest in a wifi enable printer or a wireless print hub...

Either would allow printing from anywhere in your home...

[alfredo]

33. On screen keyboard is the size of a laptop keyboard, but you can use a

bluetooth keyboard or buy their dock/keyboard combo. I'd buy the case and a $49 bluetooth keyboard.

[thereismore]

39. Somebody, somewhere, is plotting how to port Linux onto this little box. nt

[bc3000]

41. Probably, but I'll wait until Acer or someone similar puts out a cheaper version

[WeekendWarrior]

60. They already have:

https://thejoojoo.com/

[thereismore]

99. Looks nice. And has a bigger screen, 12''. I just don't like typing by poking the screen

with my fingers. I like a keyboard, but I am old-fashioned.

[Javaman]

42. I WANT ONE! NT

[tomm2thumbs]

43. no FLASH? what's the point of surfing the web with it then?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/27/AR2010012702876.html

unless that changes, I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot albatross -

[WriteDown]

Nice catch...

Just like my iphone. Very frustrating especially when you're trying to stream videos.

[tomm2thumbs]

89. I will never buy a product for the web that can't use Flash - in Feb, Palm Pre & Google phone will

Totally agree with you. Jobs has totally no credibility in saying this is the best way to surf the web. He himself proved it isn't when in his own keynote he couldn't display content on several occasions. I laughed out loud at that!

[WriteDown]

59. Nice catch...

Just like my iphone. Very frustrating especially when you're trying to stream videos.

[Greyskye]

77. According to this, it WILL have Flash:

http://www.techcrunch.com/2010/01/27/adobe-flash-ipad/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29

:shrug:

[tomm2thumbs]

88. flash is only for apps - it will not be able to use the web's flash - any of it - like Hulu

the irony is that during the keynote, Jobs ran into several webpages that would not display content himself - the New York Times being most notable.

an embarrassing show that their lack of open source on something that is so major to the web

[Jakes Progress]

44. Love Apple/Hate Apple

Pretty soon you will be using an I-Pad.

That's what the Times tech guy said about the I-phone when it came out. Lots of carpers and nay-sayers then too. The Times guy even gave his back. But he said that love it or hate in, in five year (actually it was two) everyone will be using an I-phone. His point was that whether it came from Apple or not, within that time frame, all phones would be copying Apple. Some would do it better. Some would do it glitchy but sell anyway because of Apple loathing. But they would all be I-phone wanna-bes. Much to the extent that companies would claim as a new feature, something the first gen I-phone did. The Apple loathers will believe it because they never saw an I-phone.

We'll see. Apple has had a few flops, but the Apple II, then the Mac, then the I-pod. All were game changers. We'll see what happens.

Me. I want one.

[Hissyspit]

47. Me, too. May wait second generation, though.

[krabigirl]

66. I don't use an iPhone. Never will. :)

Not a fangirl. Love my android though.

[Jakes Progress]

96. Fangirls come in many flavors.

If someone considers it chic and cool to be anti-something, then he or she is a fan that way. Think Goth.

[pimpbot]

94. I dont have any iWhatevers

I have a cell phone.. It lets me talk to other people and even send them text messages! Simple web browser is good enough to check in for flights or check weather/sports. However, Its not so much of a distraction, I can actually carry on a conversation at a table of friends without looking into my lap every 30 seconds to play on my iDistraction.

[Jakes Progress]

97. So welcome to too cool for the room.

I have a cell phone. It lets me talk to other people and send them text messages. It take place of an address book, music listening device, a wallet full of photos, navigation device, etc. I send and receive about five text messages a month. Tain't my thing. Sorry for the ADD that makes you so vulnerable to distractions. Keep it simple if that's what you need.

[WeekendWarrior]

58. This thing is a Glorified Netbook

with only a 16 gig hard drive an no keyboard at the $500 price point. It also looks as if dropping it would be a disaster.

I love my Mac, but I'll stick with my PC netbook, thank you. It does everything this thing does and more -- except look as pretty.

[nadinbrzezinski]

83. I know how you feel, exactly how you feel

my current netbook is a Samsung I got during the big sales. Bigger drive, and a full OS.

I have an IPOD and quite frankly if this was full OS X well then they'd have something to say... but the OS ain't that complex, and no real apps to do some real hard work, save a few... very few.

Now as a gaming device, it has far more potential than my under powered netbook. But as a glorified word processor it does just dandy.

[jmowreader]

62. Dear Steve...

Make it flat black, put a lid on the screen and put in an app that will let you fill in a PDF form and save it, then come up with a price for 250,000 of these things because every NCO, platoon leader and company commander in the Army needs one. It looks like it will fit in an Army Combat Uniform pants cargo pocket.

[FailureToCommunicate]

65. "...oh and Steve, while your're at it, make it bulletproof." (It actually does have

a black cover and screen protector as an accessory)

[hankthecrank]

71. Looks good and fits what I need

I don't see why you can't use the wi-fi hub from Verizon and get on the net that way

[tapper]

80. Fits what I want...

... I do a fair amount of web-surfing and reading on my iPod Touch, but have wanted a large screen. And I really like the idea of being able to buy a device with the cell phone network capability, and not need to buy a two-year contract, when you might need data access occasionally.

Love the idea of a decent-sized touch screen for sketching, as well.

[Sancho]

72. I have to have one!

Apple does it again. I bought an Apple II+, a II GS, the first Mac. I had a Newton.

I luv the Imacs and Ipod touch and Iphone. Very cool.

This beats them all!

:wow:

[brooklynite]

78. I emailed a friend weho runs a local Mac store and told him to set one aside for me...

[Zynx]

75. Very difficult to justify if you already have their other products.

[brooklynite]

82. Justify? This is an Apple product. Just hold one for a minute.....

[Zynx]

109. Nice rational response.

[tinrobot]

87. Methinks the iPad will become an iFad.

[tomm2thumbs]

90. bingo

except it might not even get that far if it can't run everything netbooks can - and that is clearly a problem right now

[Roland99]

95. +1

[Robb]

112. Maybe.

Lots of tablets out there in the medical world, I had no idea until a few months ago how common they were in ortho practices, for example.

We'll see. Apple hasn't missed on this kind of thing for a while.

[rayofreason]

100. There is a bigger one in the works....

....the iMaxiPad.

[Romulox]

102. It's like an overgrown Iphone--but it's missing the phone. Pass. nt

[Baclava]

107. It does look sexy - but how do you get your pics on the damn thing?

Maybe I missed something, you have to buy a separate camera docking device?

No USB or even an SD card reader? The storage is pretty stingy too, spend $100 for every extra 16GB? No multitask?

I'll wait for the 3rd generation, pass.

[Tesha]

151. There's a camera card reader available for it. (NT)

[customerserviceguy]

116. Jimmy Kimmel had a good point about this last night

during his monologue: People who want something the size of a Stouffer's frozen dinner.

I bought a smartphone a couple of months ago, and having the Internet in a truly portable form is fantastic. Not sure which pocket I'd stuff an iPad into.

[fishwax]

119. I've never quite understood either the blanket love or the blanket hate for apple products

:shrug:

[struggle4progress]

120. See pokerfan's post "iPad is iBad for freedom"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=240x1781

[alfredo]

153. Reasons why Apple doesn't support flash on the iPad/iPhone

The writer gives several reasons for the omission. (I see Flash as the floppy disc of this decade.)

It boils down to crashes, that flash is 32 bit and Apple is going 64 bit across the board, and Flash is the only proprietary standard on the web. (Apple prefers HTML5 and h.264 both open standards)
http://daringfireball.net/2010/01/apple_adobe_flash

[panzerfaust]

157. True, flash can be the source of crashes, is a memory hog and

it is proprietary.

But, most of all I think the determining factor is that it is not owned by Apple.

[alfredo]

159. Neither is HTML5 and h.264, and he embraces them. Here's what he said

about flash a day or so ago:

"Apple does not support Flash because it is so buggy, he says. Whenever a Mac crashes more often than not it’s because of Flash. No one will be using Flash, he says. The world is moving to HTML5."

[IrishBuckeye]

154. My multi-billion dollar company products are better than your multi-billion dollar company products

To prove it, I'm going to put a bumper sticker of the logo of the multi-billion dollar company I buy products from on my car. Yea! Being trendy rocks!

[Honeycombe8]

158. What a racket. Not only expensive to buy, but that's just the beginning of the expense.

What other products do people buy where they spend lots of $ on the gizmo, then have to actually PAY a monthly fee for it to be used!???

What a racket. And I'm guessing people are putting those monthly expenses on their credit cards, even when they can't afford it, and then screaming about outrageous charge card interest rates!

I used to be a person in my early 20's. They can't afford a pot to piss in, much less a monthly fee for an unnecessary electronic gizmo. Someone's rackin' up debt needlessly (altho some parents pay for it, I'm sure).

What a racket.

[brooklynite]

161. No racket....

Monthly payments are only if you want 24/7 data access. No different than paying Verizon or ATT independently for a wireless card.

I've owned a Macbook for the past three years, and never paid extra for data access. When I get my iPad, i'll use free WiFi hubs or the hotspots that come with my home DSL service.

[Tesha]

163. Television. Your car. Your phone. Many other products. (NT)

[alfredo]

162. Mac users- Take this poll.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=233x8267

[apnu]

164. Bah. Gonna skip this one. (nt)