iPad blasphemy

[mcbrew]

iPad blasphemy
OK, I know this is going to be blasphemous, but other than having my books on the iPad, I am quite a bit underwhelmed. To start this off right it is a phenomenal peace of technology, however, I do most of my work on the MBP, and a lot of article reading on the iPhone 4 prior to my purchase of the iPad.

I bought the 64 GB WiFi model in white. I got the gray smart cover and the Stealth Armor cover.

I have not owned the 1st version of the iPad, so this is new to me. Again the larger screen to read books and forums is the main reason I bought the iPad. I am beginning to think I could have bought something considerably cheaper for what I need.

So the question is, should I just sell it and get a basic document reader? Or give it a little more time?

[FourthWorld]

Hard to say. I know many people really like tablets, but between my desktop machine, my notebook, my netbook, and my Android phone I just can't see a role for yet another device, at least not for myself. I have some clients whose customers work in specialized industries where the tablet form factor can be very useful, so I'll be getting an iPad for those projects; it'll be interesting to see if I wind up using it much myself.

As a developer, I've found my netbook is a great alternative to a tablet: roughly the same size and weighing only a pound or two more, I can run Open Office and all my other apps, esp. LiveCode, and nothing beats a physical keyboard when writing code.

[witeowl]

My opinion of the iPad: too big to be convenient, too small/limited to be useful. If I didn't receive the use of one through work, I wouldn't have one (sticking with my iPhone and laptop). I use my iPad mainly to watch tv in the bathroom. (Seriously, I hardly use it at work, still preferring my iPhone because I can easily work it while walking around the classroom. The iPad isn't even the right size to nestle in the crook of my arm like a clipboard!) There isn't much I can do on the iPad that I can't do on the iPhone, and there's nothing I can do on the iPad that I can't do on the laptop more easily/better.

For reading ebooks and edocuments, I prefer my sony reader. The screen is slightly bigger than my iPhone, it's much easier on the eyes than either i-device, and it's much lighter and easier to hold than the iPad.

So, no, you're not alone in not "getting" the iPad.

[Lomelis]

iPad blasphemy
OK, I know this is going to be blasphemous, but other than having my books on the iPad, I am quite a bit underwhelmed. To start this off right it is a phenomenal peace of technology, however, I do most of my work on the MBP, and a lot of article reading on the iPhone 4 prior to my purchase of the iPad.

I bought the 64 GB WiFi model in white. I got the gray smart cover and the Stealth Armor cover.

I have not owned the 1st version of the iPad, so this is new to me. Again the larger screen to read books and forums is the main reason I bought the iPad. I am beginning to think I could have bought something considerably cheaper for what I need.


So the question is, should I just sell it and get a basic document reader? Or give it a little more time?

The iPad isn't even the right size to nestle in the crook of my arm like a clipboard!) There isn't much I can do on the iPad that I can't do on the iPhone, and there's nothing I can do on the iPad that I can't do on the laptop more easily/better.

[paul_gr]

I find it more convenient to read pdf books on a netbook, I can angle the screen better, and I require USB ports on anything that isn't a phone...
My wife's got an iPad but she is not likely to purchase another one. I guess it is a personal decision based on your needs (or wants).
I'm becoming immune to Apples slick advertising, but then I'm primarily a Windows user...

Paul

[townsend]

If I use my iPad a hour a day it's a lot. It's convenient when I'm out of the office, but can't take the place of a desktop, or even a laptop. But that's not the reason I have it.

I got for all the apps. I think having an iPad is important for anyone who wants to develop for this market. Not just as a test device, but to download all the latest free and cheap apps. I'm a big proponent on keeping an eye on the starte of the art. There's nothing I love more than evaluating new apps-- seeing what others are doing.

I check the "Top Charts" almost every day. In the categories where my apps might appear, I download and buy all similar and potentially competitive apps. It takes me a long time to develop an app from stat to finish, so I don't want to invest the time or money unless I know I can make something better or cheaper. There are still a LOT of wide open niches. The App Store is still THE premier market for mobile apps, so I try to keep an eye on new offerings, relevant to my interests.

The Android Market is growing fast, and will eventually surpass the iOS market. BUT-- from what I've read at Tech Republic, the iOS developers are making much more money. This makes sense. The apps I've got on my Android phone are almost always inferior to their iPhone counter parts.

I know at some point I'm going to have to bit-the-bullet and spend $650 on a Mac mini, just to get my applications listed in the App Store. Oh well-- hopefully it will be a good investment. Kinda like the iPad.

[jacque]

I just purchased an iPad because I have 2 client jobs that need to be written for iOS. I didn't want one when they first came out, I too think it is too big to carry around and not as convenient as a laptop or desktop Mac for serious work. I've been an Apple advocate for 25 years, I work almost exclusively on Macs, and I like them very much. But oddly enough, I've grown very fond of my Android tablet and I carry it with me everywhere. Its 7-inch size is perfect for ebooks, is big enough to do some web browsing, and small enough to put in a cargo pocket. It has a better RSS reader than anything I've seen on the Apple store, so I also do all my news reading on it. Oddly, I find its interface to be easier than iOS, which surprised the hell out of me. Apple has streamlined things so much that I can't find anything.

I've only had the device a couple of days, I assume I'll get used to it. But I was able to intuit almost everything I needed to do in Android, and I find myself having to look in the manual to do an awful lot in iOS. The one thing I did expect was that an Apple device would be more stable; my Android has to be rebooted periodically. To my surprise, I've seen my iPad 2 crash or freeze almost daily and I've had to reset it more than I have the Android. I googled one of these freezes today and it seems to be commonplace.

So I'm still doing most mobile stuff on my Android, and the iPad sits on my desk waiting for software tests only. Occasionally I pick it up and admire it's pretty appearance.

[keithb]

For me at least, I do my real work on a notebook computer with an ample screen size. I usually prefer a dual monitor to run code and the software in it, but that is out of the question.

For the iPad, I was in a dilemma before as well. I loved the big screen but though that it would just be a burden considering its size. I went for the kindle instead and the screen is just great. Not colored but would not strain your eyes even for extended use.

[FourthWorld]

Okay, I take back much of what I wrote here earlier. What changed? This:
http://www.asus.com/Eee/Eee_Pad/Eee_Pad ... mer_TF101/

The Asus Transformer redefined things for me. For the subset of things I do on a tablet, the NVidia Tegra 2 processor running Android Honeycomb make it a delight.

But even better is attaching it to the optional keyboard, turning it into a very satisfying netbook.

Now I have the best of both worlds: a great touch UI coupled with a truly integrated keyboard that protects the screen when it's closed and lets me type efficiently when it's open. Extra bonus points: the keyboard base has its own battery, doubling battery life to 16 hours.

I can browse the web and play games easily as a tablet, but then dropping it into the docking keyboard lets me do server admin and more.

Love this thing. Honeycomb makes iOS look like a mere app launcher. Widgets, ah widgets - when will they come to iOS? Being able to customize my desktop to display the real-time info I prefer is a godsend I can't see spending any significant time without.

[jacque]

And I take back what I said about stability. After an OS update, my iPad is more stable than my Android tablet. It's stuck at Froyo though, maybe Honeycomb is better.

I still carry my Android around more than my iPad. In fact, the iPad almost never leaves the house and is lucky to see an hour's usage per day.

[tolistim]

I suspect that the discussion here is a good example of developer versus user .

I am a developer and I use my iPad primarily for testing code and web sites and reading books. I do like that I can prop the iPad up next to my monitors and have the Kochan Obj-C book open for reference. Like other developers, my MacBook Air and my Mac Pro are my computing devices of choice (and my XBOX 360 for gaming).

However, my wife is an entirely different consumer. She uses her iPad for reading, web-browsing, email, news, games, and reference work. I hardly ever see her without it - even in the kitchen reading recipes while we're cooking. We'll be watching a movie and she'll recognize a bit-actor or a location we've been - poof, off to IMDB.

Does this make the iPad better than an Android pad? Not really, it's just that she got the iPad first. It's all in your expectations.

[Denae Floch]

From AppleInsider: "Apple has updated its iPhone Developer Program License Agreement in the iPhone 4.0 SDK to specifically prohibit the development of apps using "an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool," which would include Adobe's Flash, Sun's Java, or Microsoft's Silverlight/Mono. "

[FourthWorld]

From AppleInsider: "Apple has updated its iPhone Developer Program License Agreement in the iPhone 4.0 SDK to specifically prohibit the development of apps using "an intermediary translation or compatibility layer or tool," which would include Adobe's Flash, Sun's Java, or Microsoft's Silverlight/Mono. "

This seems an odd first post here, but since it contained no spam links I'll let it stand and look forward to more LiveCode-related contributions from you going forward.

For the benefit of the others here, the radically damaging policy shift from Apple that Floch cited was reversed just a few months later:
http://whydoeseverythingsuck.com/2010/0 ... lowed.html

So for the moment, third-party tools like LiveCode for iOS are fully allowed under the iOS agreement. But on balance, since they had previously been allowed under SDK license 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 before 4.0 banned them, even though v4.1 and later allow them prudent developers and their investors will note that Apple reserves the right to change the terms again at any time.

[richervin]

You can't develop for the iPad user if you don't understand how it fits into people's lives.

For example, here is what my girlfriend likes about her iPad, which she uses as a laptop replacement (even though it can't print, display Flash content, or save/edit files. It can't even run Web-based apps, like Cloud Office or Google Desktop)
- It fits in a purse ... in fact, new purses are specifically sized to fit an iPad
- She uses it to look stuff up, not create content "It's not my job, I just use it to look things up". The iPad is a leisure device, not a work device
- It's pretty. It has a pink cover, is slim, and has a bright attractive display. It's nice to look at, and is pleasurable to use
- Easy to use - it doesn't crash, it starts instantly, it doesn't run out of disk space or battery power. It doesn't have a hundred configuration options, and is not constantly downloading security updates. The apps don't interfere with one another. It's easy to find apps, easy to understand them, and easy to discard them if they don't do what you want. It doesn't get slower the longer you own it. It never runs out of memory.

More - it fits in one hand, works in sunlight, is easy to share with others, and (if you by 3G) is constantly and effortlessly connected.

If you think of it as a "Content consumer", it is larger than an iPhone without being obtrusively large. There are some arguments that a 7" form fact would be ideal, as the iPad 10" format is somewhat clumsy for typing in a standing position, but the 10" format has proven to be a winner - at least so far.

For book reading, a Kindle is probably better. The iPad, or even the color Kindle (which is basically a stripped down android tablet) has a bright glossy screen that book aficionados find uncomfortable to use over time.

[paul_gr]

it doesn't crash... it doesn't run out of disk space or battery power.... It never runs out of memory.

You must have a different version than the iPad 2 my wife uses...
The iPad is good, but it isn't perfect.

cheers
Paul