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iPad: My take on the upcoming netbook thingy from Apple

I’ve been closely following the Apple announcement this morning, and am very intrigued by the product and its potential. In typical Apple fashion, the only things worth complaining about are what they left out. Almost everything that IS about this device… is awesome.

Here are my thoughts…

The Good:

  • The Price: $499-829
  • The screen is gorgeous
  • Very fast and responsive finger controlled GUI
  • iWork, especially Keynote presentations will be really cool
  • Good prices on AT&T 3G w/$15 (limited) and $30 (unlimited) plans… and no contract!
  • It’s the ultimate picture frame with photos and videos.
  • It’s the ultimate Airplane device
    Music and reading or watching video the entire flight!
  • The keyboard and notebook accessories are welcome concessions to touch typers. Thanks, Steve.
  • Calendar and Address Book look beautiful
    Might replace a daytimer for people like my mom! 🙂
  • SD card uploads from digital cameras (too bad it needs an adapter)
    Means it could be a great travel laptop-replacement, camera-companion
  • Runs all your normal iPhone apps. But only one at a time.
  • With bluetooth and Skype app, you can use it like a phone!
    C’mon, Google Voice and Gizmo… please come out for iPad!

The Bad

  • No camera of any kind!
  • No Magsafe charging plug for compatibility with laptops
  • It’s a little bit heavy. Solid and thin, but slightly hefty.
  • No Verizon or Sprint 3G service option

The Ugly:

  • iPhone OS only – no Mac apps – an even more closed platform
  • No Multitasking (This is my personal deal killer)
  • No Flash… wha?
    C’mon, Hulu… come out with an iPad app!

The takeaway:

  • Every grandma should have one
  • Even if you think you don’t need one now, you’ll probably going to get one… one day.
  • It’s the ultimate “cloud computing” device
  • If you believe Apple and TechCrunch, the future of computing is touch
  • Amazon will have to reduce the price of the Kindle
  • It might save newspapers and the “printed” word.
  • Apple will sell tons of these puppies at $499.

The price is amazing and will hurt the sales of the Amazon Kindle, many netbooks and maybe even cannibalize MacBook sales… but without flash support, a camera or multitasking, I’m waiting for version 2

That said, I think I can feel Steve Jobs’ long arms reaching into my pocket…

justin

PS: if you haven’t seen the old MadTV sketch about the iPad… check this out… hilarious!

PPS: and lastly, I leave you with a whimsical fake commercial for the mythical Apple Tablet which we now know something about:

Wireless headphones for the iPhone 3G!

There was an interesting little development in my little bluetooth world this morning…

I was checking an apple email about iphone 3.0 software and came across this: (which wasn’t even in the main email… I had to click through to the more detailed web page to find it)

and I thought, HOLY CRAP, does stereo bluetooth already work with the 3G? Seriously? Did I miss something? I thought that was only for 3GS!

but no, according to PC WORLD magazine it’s here now!

so I bought the Altec Lansing Backbeat 903 based on the review…

In short: The iPhone 3G had bluetooth but no stereo music capability… but now, with the 3.0 Software update, Apple has given not just 3GS users, but 3G users as well… the ability to have one wireless headset that plays music AND takes calls!

nice, huh? I will be letting you all know what I think when I get this thing in two days.

yay. Now I probably don’t need a new Zivio Boom! (my last one, purchased at a beautiful discount at MacWorld, had its final “spin” in my washing machine recently and didn’t come out very well).

justin

Be still my camera

Tripods aren't a new thing, but when they grip and twist they expand
your shooting options!

My pentax optio X gives me swivel and twist but most cameras don't
have any ability to get that perfect angle with a long exposure… But
with the gorillapod they will!

Recycle your computer.


It may be a little later than our Greenpeace friends may have liked, but Apple has mostly gotten its act together on recycling. When you buy a new Mac, you can send or bring them your old one for proper disposal… at no cost to you. That’s a huge step and as this Macworld article details, a very welcome one in a growing number of options for high-tech disposal.

So please, DO NOT simply throw away that old Macintosh or monitor or even cell phone. (That’s actually illegal in California) Pass it down to a less-discerning friend or relative if it still works… and if it’s broken, find a place to recycle it.

There is a great facility for Los Angelinos to use in Glendale. Just drive up there on a Saturday or Sunday morning and drop off pretty much any and all of your old electronics with peace of mind. I did it, and it’s very very easy. But if you don’t want to do it, next time you see me I’ll take it for you and bring it on my next run!

justin

thinnovation

macworld is over and I'm back in LA but I wanted to post a final
obligatory shot of the MacBook Air.

apparently Apple actually drilled through these (previously) working
prototypes to create this awesome photo op.

the mythical $100 laptop

yes, of actually exists, and yes it is an amazing little device. a
nice guy at the consultants' networking event had one and he let me
touch it and game me a demo.
my first impression was amazement at how small it is. truly a kid's
computer with a tiny keyboard. the Linux interface is very cool and
simple… it can even run multiple programs at once!
thus guy, by the way, paid $400 in the deal for westerners to get
two for $400… which let him keep one and then they sent one to a kid
somewhere…

So if you're a hobbyist and have enough money and heart you should get
one too!

I want this!

oh man, this $150 beauty looks to be what I've been looking for to run
my mac mini and projector setup!

it works like a wiimote because you can wave it around to control the
mouse… you can set it down to use it on a surface, it has good range
with a 2.4ghz transmitter, it is programmable and looks really cool!

it still requires a keyboard for text input (so I might be more into a
Bluetooth keyboard with a trackpad)… and is really expensive, but I
want one!

yes, they still love their iPod speakers

I know there are a kagillion of them but this one really caught my
eye.. and they come with a cute little bag to carry it around.

not for me, but somebody will like this little ladybug 😉