cool. My mom keeps asking me when the new imacs are coming.

I have no idea if your joking or being serious, that aside ipad has 90% of the tablet computing market which is insane.

Seriously? This is something that requires live blogging? I don't belong in this decade, send me back a couple, to somewhere I will be more comfortable.

90% of the tablet computing market....

didn't they release the first tablet?

and the TAB, i think it's called, only came out a couple months ago?

they should have more than 90% if that's the case

Yes, new apple products require live blogging.

Abs! Stop Embarassing me! The lads!!

*embarrassing

There's really no excuse these days with an in-browser spell-check.

no apple did not release the first tablet.. If you count the tablet laptops made by toshiba, motion, etc, there are tons of them.

I really don't understand the need for something bigger than a phone but smaller than a laptop. *shrug*

Theres a few more tablets but the truth is their competitors cant compete on price simply because their business models don't allow it, Apple is incredibly vertically integrated, they build all of the components themselves, plus all of the software and the bulk of the products are sold through their website and stores.

When they build it its done at cost, the competitors on the other hand use a variety of companies to build their tablets all out for a profit which bumps up the cost to about $800.

I'd be surprised if there market share dropped considerably.

Other stats that are insane:

Ipad apps: 65,000
Android tablet apps: 100

Ok so its out march 11th in the states and the 25th everywhere else, but it still costs the same as the original Ipads.

I wonder if they'll be dropping the price significantly?

I know I really shouldnt care because I really cant afford one but I always get suckered into the apple fanboy stuff.

I really hope they come out with something like the cintiq where you can draw on the surface but it's more portable/affordable. I mean I'm sure it's headed that way but it needs to get here NOW!

I think we're stilla while away from really good 'digital paper' as long as there is a disconnect between pen and surface through glass then it will never fully satisfy.

We're getting there -but it almost needs to be more like the screen on the kindle.

It'll happen - but until then I'm happy with a good tablet.

On topic - I've been waiting a year for the iPad 2. Put off getting it because I wanted to (a) make sure it took off enough for developers to get behind it (b) wanted the retina display (c) front facing camera.

All rumours point to no retina display and a camera that is less not as good as the iPhone 4 camera. I'll wait to see what the facts are - but if that's the case, then I'll probably hold out for the iPad 3 which is speculated to arrive within 6 months (September 2011) of this one and will be a more significant leap forward.

There announcing two new apps right now, I'm not convinced they'll announce a good drawing app but they have just announced imovie, it'll be really interesting to see how well that works, its probably not going to be very useful for high end production but it might be decent for home videos.

[+duracell-] on Mar 02 '11 at 12:31pm
I really don't understand the need for something bigger than a phone but smaller than a laptop. *shrug*

But then I'm a bit of a mum when it comes to technology

I have the current ipad and it is certainly not a drawing machine.. It is a media consumption machine.

That being said, you can make some neat drawings using sketchbook pro and your fingers. I prefer that over using the ipad stylus.

duracell - I haven't had an iPad but I appreciate how having one would change the way I use the internet and enjoy media. A laptop is actuallyno the most idea thing to have on your lap and isn't something you can carry around with one hand or use on a bus or a plane without a table. In addition - a phone, whilst I couldn't be without one can be fiddly and is not substantial enough to watch feature length films on or really appreciate media-rich websites in all their glory.

The market has proven that there is a place for this kind of product in between a phone and a laptop.

I haven't even touched on the burgeoning hand-held games market :)

I'm tempted by ipad 2, part of me feels like I should just bite the bullet, theres always going to be a better, newer version coming out and this one does look pretty nice, its got front and back facing cameras, it does face time.

new chip, the A5
The CPU is 2x faster, with graphics 9x faster
The power consumption is the same as that of a4
its thinner 13.4 Mm down to 8.8 mm thick


And it comes in white!

I really don't understand the need for something bigger than a phone but smaller than a laptop. *shrug

It is one of the most enjoyable pieces of technology I have ever interacted with, and the screen resolution is excellent. Great for showing your graphic portfolio in interviews too!

ok so, I must be reading this wrong but for garage band on ipad they said "You can plug in instruments, email via AAC, and start a project and iPad and continue it on OS X"

Surely that means they'll have adapters/jacks for the ipad?

[+duracell-] on Mar 02 '11 at 12:31pm
I really don't understand the need for something bigger than a phone but smaller than a laptop. *shrug*

This.

They'll prolly sell an adapter or something

A laptop is actuallyno the most idea thing to have on your lap and isn't something you can carry around with one hand or use on a bus or a plane without a table. In addition - a phone, whilst I couldn't be without one can be fiddly and is not substantial enough to watch feature length films on or really appreciate media-rich websites in all their glory.

For me a phone should be used as nothing else but a phone - a computer is for the other stuff. An iPad is what? A slightly smaller, lighter laptop? In which case I wouldn't get much from watching films on it and wouldn't appreciate such media-rich websites on such a small scale. I'm probably missing something though.

^I hear this reaction a lot, that is, until people actually use it.

Yeah, maybe. I just have no desire to use it and the prospect doesn't excite me. Friends said the same to me about the iPhone, and having used one a bit recently there is still nothing about it that makes me want one at all.

Yeah, if you don't like the iphone, the ipad prolly wont do much for you either.

I am a landscape architect and I use mine to show clients what their yard will look like. I can go to a site, take a picture while talking to the client and then draw ideas on top of it. It is an incredibly versatile visualization tool, and the compact size makes it an easy travel companion.

Plus don't you need a case for your iPad? I mean if it was the size of a phone and magically transformed into a laptop id be all, "dood bro sweet, where do I sign up?" I dunno, maybe one of these days ill jump on board with this tablet stuffs.

Ya seems like a perfect tool for that job Rob

I can appreciate how the iPhone has a bunch of features that actually m ake life easier for some people, as in that example, but most people I know just got it as a phone upgrade, which seems like a waste of money - I have a phone, iPod and computer - why do I need to combine and compact all three.

gadget overload!

I'm with the group of people that could do without the iPad. I know it can be useful and all that, but I really don't see a need for it. Rob, you've found a way to make it totally convenient for your field, but in my opinion, that 90% of people who bought the ipad use it to dick around on the internet and play Angry Birds.

Aside from that point, I think the biggest reason more practical users find no use for the iPad is that they have other supplies that do the same thing the iPad does but better. Portability isn't an issue because they just plan ahead.

Yeah Mike put it much more eloquently than me.

But what your talking about is the difference between want and need, I want an Ipad but what I need is a new laptop (seriously my laptop is super glued together).

Talking about it as a serious computer is kind of pointless because its not, Imovie on the ipad will be fun but its not going to compete with final cut pro on an insanely powerful computer designed to process footage movie quality.

What the ipad is for is for fun, its watching movies you've downloaded in bed, or in the car, its reading magazines and books that are actually interactive, I can see myself having the ipad in the kitchen reading the new york times whilst I pour myself a glass of orange juice, then go and check my twitter and facebook.

Then when its time to go to work I just put it in my bag and it goes with me.

Yeah its for dicking around, thats the point.

You can include me in that 90% that dick around on the internet and play angry birds..

I view the ipad is the first step towards eliminating the laptop. Think of what 90% of people use their laptops for: Email, Web browsing, & Music/Media. These are all things that the ipad does very well. Why have a laptop when a future device like this has all the same capabilities and is far more user friendly.

The current ipad is not there yet, but maybe the new one is

Actually, from a consumer standpoint, I think kindles are way more useful than an iPad. But that's just personal preference. If I'm commuting and have free time and hands, I'd rather be reading. I'd rather surf the internet when I'm comfortable, and I feel like we're so dependent on the internet as a medium for entertainment as it is, that it's nice to be away from that while you can. And I can't enjoy a film on such a tiny screen, no matter how good the resolution is. You can read on the iPad, yeah, but that flashy display isn't easy on the eyes for a long period of time.

I dont think the laptop will go away because their going to keep getting more and more powerful, I personally cant buy a desktop computer because I tend to travel quite a bit and I havent really settled on a country but I need something powerful to work off.

The Ipad isnt going to fill that gap, what the ipad will probably kill are the netbooks, they do pretty much exactly the same thing as an ipad, hell its what they were designed for but there less comfortable.

You wouldn't sit and watch a movie with friends on the ipad, that you are right about, Mike. But I guarantee that you would enjoy watching a movie on the bus, plane, train, etc. I watch videos all the time and the screen size never bothers me

First off, the iPad won't eliminate the laptop.
Secondly, if one of the main points of an iPad is to dick around, then our shitty economy is wasting too much money and resources for too dimwitted a reason.

Most visited sites (my guess): facebook and twitter. Both easily manageable through a phone. You can knock off e-mail on there too.

Music and media: an iPod handles much more memory and doesn't take up as much space.

Reading: if you're a serious reader, the kindle is easier on your eyes and won't die on you as sooner.

Fun, interactive things: People have survived without these little features. I'm sure they can go on without them.

i've been up all night drinking koolaid to get ready =p




Steve The Great on Mar 02 '11 at 11:51am
cool. My mom keeps asking me when the new imacs are coming.


they will probably be set back a bit by intel's cougar point f*ck up i would have to imagine.

Yes the professionals laptop will still exist, but I was more referring to the average person who needs very little computing power.

I agree with everything Mike says.

I can see myself having the ipad in the kitchen reading the new york times whilst I pour myself a glass of orange juice, then go and check my twitter and facebook.

Then when its time to go to work I just put it in my bag and it goes with me.

Yeah its for dicking around, thats the point.

I'd rather read an actual newspaper, and then use my computer for updates if necessary, then read a book on the way to work, then have internet at work, which I assume most people do. And if not, a few hours away from a computer/the internet is a good thing.

And I'm not calling anyone here dimwitted. I'm just trying to strengthen my point that the key demographic for the iPad actually don't need an iPad.

I came into this blog thinking that it would be about The Beatles releasing a new CD of rare tracks or something, lol

Other than my tiny ipod shuffle (which I do love), I really don't give any thought to Apple products.

I'd rather read/relax/listen to music/ look at other people on any kind of journey than watch a film. Films are for the cinema or at home - somewhere I can relax and watch.

Word most people def don't need it. I have actually never even downloaded a book to the ipad cause I like reading actual books..

This kind of development kind of makes me think I'm getting old and out of touch - my parents never saw the need for a walkman, discman or even the internet.

I feel ya bramish, when I see young skateboarders these days I wonder how the ollie in those skinny jeans... and then I feel old

They can't.

None of them can have children now.