[ort888]

Pee-wee Gets An iPad! from Pee-wee Herman and Eric Appel - Video

Not super funny, but worth posting anyway.

[dzp111]

Maybe a little off topic but this site claims that Windows 7 will be possible on the iPad.

Not sure why though...

One commenter claims that the article's title is misleading.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by dzp111 

Maybe a little off topic but this site claims that Windows 7 will be possible on the iPad.

Not sure why though...

One commenter claims that the article's title is misleading.

Did you read the article ?

Citrix is nothing else than a glorified VNC client.

-t

[Spheric Harlot]

It's more of a cross between VNC and X11, but yeah.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Ok look, the iPad isn't' perfect but for $499 Apple already cornered the market and won. How in the world is anyone going to compete with that price for quality?

What can the other guys do to make it seem better than the iPad?

Add a OLED screen? (can't see it in sunlight)
Slider/folding keyboard?
Faster?
Say it can multitask?
"Open App platform".

Toss in windows 7 with that slapped in touch controls? Android with a different face and widgets for each product?

An OLED screen is $400 at cost. All these other neat things aren't cheap either. Are they going to bother getting into a technology war with such low price margins?

The best part is at the end of it they STILL have to sell it for cheaper than the iPad.

Are people really going to want to save $50-$100 on something they know won't give them the same experience as the iPad even with its downsides?

Sure. A few. The majority will not. They know the quality/design is the best. The OS for the most part is the best, the App store can't be beat.

Apple is saving money building parts in-house. They also don't have to licence an OS (windows) and customize it. Apple also knows even if it doesn't make much off the hardware sale of the iPad they make extra income from the iTMS and Apps. People also go buy iPhones and Macs as happy customers.

The desktop PC and laptop are becoming less important. There will be a huge market for them for a looong time but most people I know wouldn't think twice about spending $499 on an iPad over $1000 for laptop they don't need.

Apple has created a new market at the lowest price I could ever imagine. They are going to make a killing the next few years while everyone tries to compete somehow.

[Lint Police]

^^exactly. geeks might not want, but the rest of the consumer world will.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Originally Posted by Lint Police 

^^exactly. geeks might not want, but the rest of the consumer world will.

No I'm pretty sure lots of geeks will want it to. I sure as hell do as does most of my geek gang

The NERDS will pooh-pooh the multitasking and "openess". But that's what they have Android for, it's perfect

[Eug]

iPad at the Grammy's today. I wonder how much that ad placement cost Apple.

[dzp111]

Rumour has it that it'll be the featured ad during the Super Bowl.

Remember 1984?

: )

[analogue SPRINKLES]

I just watched the keynote and I can't quite figure out what is going on with that guy in the middle. Is it a laptop with a human head?

[Wiskedjak]

Maybe using his laptop's camera to snap a photo?

[Technicolor]

I too was hoping for something a bit more interesting. I'm actually a bit shocked by the level of praise it is receiving here.

[Stogieman]

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES 

I just watched the keynote and I can't quite figure out what is going on with that guy in the middle. Is it a laptop with a human head?

I believe that's Leo Leport. Dev Null lives!

[The Final Dakar]

I think that's Leo LaPorte.

Edit: God dammit, stogie.

[Stogieman]

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES 

No I'm pretty sure lots of geeks will want it to. I sure as hell do as does most of my geek gang

What model will you and members your geek gang end up buying? 3G or WiFi only?

[Stogieman]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

I think that's Leo LaPorte.

Edit: God dammit, stogie.

Hehehe... At least you spelled his name right.

[The Final Dakar]

I figured it out. He's using his MacBook's built-in iSight to record the event.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Originally Posted by Stogieman 

What model will you and members your geek gang end up buying? 3G or WiFi only?

In Canada so we are not holding our breath for the 3G model and a reasonable plan anytime soon. Most of us also have large data plans on our iPhones so we can HOPEFULLY tether to our iPads when out of the house.

From what I am reading it seems the iPad syncs and shares its files over the network to connected Macs. As a result I don't need to worry about the iPad filling up in no time with all my iPhoto pictures, music and videos as it will all be on the home computer with selective sharing.

Most of us are just going to go with the WiFi 32 model as it is more than enough.

[mattyb]

Not sure if I'm getting the wording right here (sure that Dakar will correct me).

What sort of prices do people in the US and Canada pay per month for data only access - via a 3G USB key for example.

I'm looking at orange.fr :

Unlimited but reduced bandwidth after 1G downloaded - streaming is a no-no is 40€/month
400M (200M on weekends and school holidays) is 15€/month

I'm sure that when it does eventually come out, orange.fr will offer some iPad specific plan that will really hurt the pocket.

[Phileas]

I am hoping for the 3G model. Say what you will about Rogers, and I have been known to complain loudly and vocally myself, but their data network is fast and reliable. I'd love to have an "always connected" device that's larger than the iPhone.

[Eriamjh]

Here's an article that surmises that if one trims the SIM down from an iPhone, that one wouldn't need to purchase a month of data from AT&T: Why You Can’t Use Your Phone’s SIM in the iPad | Epicenter | Wired.com



Who would have thought that the mini-SIM the iPad uses is really just the old simm trimmed down.

If that is true, then one would be able to clone the iPhone SIM onto another SIMM (or the smaller SIMM), then trim it to fit the iPad. You couldn't use both at the same time, but it would likely work.

[Simon]

The problem with that is that once you've trimmed down your SIM card you can't put it back into your iPhone. Well, you can put it back, but it won't fit properly.

How long till somebody comes up with a SIM carrier for mini-SIM cards?

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Originally Posted by Phileas 

I am hoping for the 3G model. Say what you will about Rogers, and I have been known to complain loudly and vocally myself, but their data network is fast and reliable. I'd love to have an "always connected" device that's larger than the iPhone.

Technically Rogers is fine but remember they took a YEAR for them to get the iPhone. At first the iPhone plans were terrible and high priced and only after some major bad press did Rogers lower the plans.

With the 3G iPad I am expecting them to get it late and the "unlimited" plan will probably be 5 Gigs and $40.

[mdc]

Originally Posted by The Final Dakar 

I figured it out. He's using his MacBook's built-in iSight to record the event.

He was streaming to TWiT Live - Netcasts you love, from people you trust during the event. It didn't work perfectly but for most of it you could hear the audio well enough.

[The Final Dakar]

Heh, I thought it'd be impossible to get a feed out of there.

Kinda surprised an usher or someone didn't try to shut him down, either.

[Eriamjh]

Originally Posted by Simon 

The problem with that is that once you've trimmed down your SIM card you can't put it back into your iPhone. Well, you can put it back, but it won't fit properly.

True, but it would be possible if one could clone the original SIM card.

Some quick checking reveals it is not possible to clone SIMs since 2002.

Someone could make a tray or an adapter.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

What's wrong with tethering (Assuming they let us).

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES 

What's wrong with tethering (Assuming they let us).

Nothing (Assuming they let us).

However, there needs to be a 3G data option for people that don't have cell phones with data plans.

-t

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

Nothing (Assuming they let us).

However, there needs to be a 3G data option for people that don't have cell phones with data plans.

-t

Of course but I'll take tethering over cloning a sim and paying more for the 3G version if possible.

[Eriamjh]

Originally Posted by Eriamjh 

Someone could make a tray or an adapter.

Check out this Engadget article regarding SIM-trimming:
Micro SIMs can probably be fashioned from shaved down traditional SIMs -- Engadget

[analogue SPRINKLES]

I thought that it has been next to impossible to clone sims since 2003.

[Eriamjh]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

Nothing (Assuming they let us).

However, there needs to be a 3G data option for people that don't have cell phones with data plans.

-t

Absolutely. I think the $30 plan is a great deal for a wireless 3G mobile device.

[slugslugslug]

Yeah, if I thought there would be some way to make the iPhone into a Wi-Fi hotspot, like the new Palm models’ll do, I’d jump on the Wi-Fi only iPad. But now I have something to be all indecisive about. I know I wouldn’t have real frequent use for the 3G. The question, though: will the rare times I do want to use it seem important enough to spring for the extra $130?

[MacinTommy]

A Catchy iPad Song

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Originally Posted by slugslugslug 

Yeah, if I thought there would be some way to make the iPhone into a Wi-Fi hotspot

Why? To cater to all your buddies that don't have data plans and your in a coffee shop without Wifi?

For $30/month almost anyone who would need the wifi at that moment would have a data plan to begin with.

[slugslugslug]

No, so I don’t have to spend

• the extra $130 up front (for what’s probably another $20 worth of circuitry)
• the extra $30/month for a data plan on top of the one I’m already paying for with my iPhone.

[analogue SPRINKLES]

Originally Posted by slugslugslug 

No, so I don’t have to spend

• the extra $130 up front (for what’s probably another $20 worth of circuitry)
• the extra $30/month for a data plan on top of the one I’m already paying for with my iPhone.

The extra cost is pretty much a tax for having no contract and unlocked. That's pretty worth it as most contracts are a year.

I wouldn't pay for 2 data plans but I would rather just tether with bluetooth to my iPhone then become a wifi hotspot to a random group of people with no data plans.

[slugslugslug]

Really? Given that neither scenario—Wi-Fi hotspot or Bluetooth tethering—is particularly likely, why is the Bt preferable to you? Wouldn’t Bluetooth be a way bigger bandwidth bottleneck than Wi-Fi? And while I think it’s unlikely Apple will make Wi-Fi sharing possible, you’d probably have the options of password protection and un-broadcasted SSID if they did.

[shilpaworld1]

We have worked with Apple for quite a while. And the tablet is going to be based on the iPhone operating system."

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by shilpaworld1 

We have worked with Apple for quite a while. And the tablet is going to be based on the iPhone operating system."

No sh!t, Sherlock

-t

[Simon]

Originally Posted by slugslugslug 

Really? Given that neither scenario—Wi-Fi hotspot or Bluetooth tethering—is particularly likely, why is the Bt preferable to you?

Umm, why should BT tethering on the iPad not be likely? What good reason would there be for Apple to break something that already works just fine in OS X (and hence would probably also work in iPad OS)?

Why does it make sense to put BT into the iPad if you're going to break one of it's most popular applications? Do you seriously think BT is only intended to be used to attach KBs and headsets?

[slugslugslug]

I think it’s very possible those are the main intended uses for Bluetooth (as well as the ad hoc networking that’s on the iPhone). For one thing, enabling it would make the (higher-margin) 3G models that much less attractive to tech-savvy buyers. For another, there hasn’t been any news about it: no mention in the intro or the official web pages, and nothing in all the info that’s spilling out from people with the SDK.

And the fact that it works fine in Mac OS X doesn’t mean much. There are ways in which the iPad is more like a Mac and ways in which it’s more like a big iPod touch. You haven’t seen Bluetooth tethering on the latter, even though I’m sure it would be perfectly possible (it was possible on Palm handhelds at least 5–6 years ago).

[Eug]

Originally Posted by Simon 

Do you seriously think BT is only intended to be used to attach KBs and headsets?

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Apple did not implement iPhone --> iPad tethering. I'm hoping for tethering, but I wouldn't just assume the iPad will have it, esp. immediately at launch.

The other possibility is that Apple will implement tethering support on the iPad, but only sometime in the future. That way Apple's PR dept. can claim they're responding to consumer desires, while still pushing the upsell for the early adopter crowd.

[Simon]

But can we agree that technically, enabling the iPad to tether off BT is nothing special?

If indeed the iPad cannot tether off of BT it's just incredibly lame. We're not just talking about upsell to the 3G model. There are probably tons of people out there who already have a phone with a tethering-enabled contract. Are all those people seriously expected to pay an extra $130 plus $15-$30/month to get something their phone can already do? How many of those people will just rather pass on the iPad once they realize this? Heck, in that case Apple might as well tear BT tethering out of OS X too and force us to go out and buy silly USB dongles for 3G on our MBPs.

[jokell82]

Originally Posted by Simon 

But can we agree that technically, enabling the iPad to tether off BT is nothing special?

If indeed the iPad cannot tether off of BT it's just incredibly lame. We're not just talking about upsell to the 3G model. There are probably tons of people out there who already have a phone with a tethering-enabled contract. Are all those people seriously expected to pay an extra $130 plus $15-$30/month to get something their phone can already do? How many of those people will just rather pass on the iPad once they realize this? Heck, in that case Apple might as well tear BT tethering out of OS X too and force us to go out and buy silly USB dongles for 3G on our MBPs.

I honestly don't think it's all that lame. It's not currently enabled in the iPhone OS, so it would be something new for the iPad. I wouldn't expect it at all, and would think of it as a bonus if it does happen.

[turtle777]

Ok, so maybe I missed something, but isn't all this BT enabled / disabled pure speculation ?

Maybe we should wait until we have some facts.

-t

[Simon]

There's nothing that needs to be 'enabled'. It's already in OS X. If anything, it just needs to be ported to the iPhone OS branch. And I really don't see how Apple not doing that isn't lame. Especially when you factor in what it means in terms of cost. Again I ask, how many will pass when they realize they will have to pay twice for 3G?

[Simon]

Originally Posted by turtle777 

Ok, so maybe I missed something, but isn't all this BT enabled / disabled pure speculation ?

Absolutely. Right now we're just wondering if it will be possible or not.

I guess I started it by tacitly assuming the iPad would be able to tether off of BT. Several people then chimed in to point out that this is not at all a given. I guess they have a point. Apple could chose to omit it, it's not like they've never pulled a greedy stunt before.

But if they indeed end up really omitting it I just find that incredibly shortsighted considering that it's not Apple but AT&T that rakes in most of the extra profit from selling 3G to people a second time. OTOH it's Apple that loses when people decide to pass.

[jokell82]

Originally Posted by Simon 

There's nothing that needs to be 'enabled'. It's already in OS X. If anything, it just needs to be ported to the iPhone OS branch. And I really don't see how Apple not doing that isn't lame. Especially when you factor in what it means in terms of cost. Again I ask, how many will pass when they realize they will have to pay twice for 3G?

Pass on the 3G or pass on the iPad? I can see someone going with a WiFi only model instead, but I doubt many would cancel the entire purchase.

I guess I just don't see the big deal. It's not something that exists on the iPod touch now and people aren't complaining about it.

[mdc]

Any ideas why the portrait version of Contacts doesn't take up the entire screen?