[NTLK] ipad

[James Wages]

Ryan Vetter <physicalconstants at yahoo.ca> wrote:
> Incredible functionality.  Totally new experience.  Custom, custom, custom...
> http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/27/apple-ipad-first-hands-on/

Well, I am not so impressed.  I say this as a Newton enthusiast and as a Mac
lover since the 128k in 1984.  Sure, I watched that video.  And I absolutely
love the "page curl" feature when turning pages.  But aside from that, it's
more of the same.  

Folks, I don't own an iPhone (because I don't want to pay a lot of money for
it each month), and I don't own an iPod Touch because I like my Newton
better.  I've touch someone else's iPhone, but that's about it.  I really
don't see what I need an iPad for, especially since it will not allow me to
use a pen/stylus.  Yes, being able to use a pen is a big deal for me because
there are many things you cannot do with your fingers (think: drawing fine
detail, HW recognition, etc.).

But again, if you watch that video, you will see this thing has major bugs.
I'm shocked none of you have noticed this.  About 40% of the way through
that video, you see the user trying to tap on the search icon located in the
upper right corner of an open book.  He tries several times and fails.  Then
a "helping hand" comes along, and he fails too.  Then these two gents close
the book and open another, only to find the search icon doesn't work on that
book either.  They then give up and open another App.

If this think had stylus input and if it wowed me with some cutting edge
technologies like e-paper (in color, of course) or OLED or the ability to
flip the screen content even when the pad is directly face-up (watch the
engadget video and you'll see you can't do this now), all at the same price
points as the current iPad of course, then I might fly for one just for the
sake of having something with technologies so cool.  But for now, I still
don't see what practical use I can have for this thing.  I've been saying
this on many online forums over the past couple months too, even prior to
the release of this pad.  But no one could satisfactorily give me an answer
as to why I need one.  Again I love most things created by Apple.  I'm just
not a convert to iPhones, iPods or, now, iPads.

So for now, I am back to enjoying my QuadCore iMac 27" and SE/30 and Apple
Newton 2100.

Best,

James Wages