Apple's iPad Greeted to Cold Reception

[Rob Williams]

After months of intense hype, Apple finally announced its "tablet" computer yesterday. I use tablet in quotes, because after making our news post about the iPad yesterday, I quickly realized that Apple itself was not using the word "tablet". Rather, it simply calls it a "device". Go ahead, look around Apple's site, and look for mention of a "tablet"... you won't find it.

​

You can read the rest of our news post here.

 

[Kougar]

You aren't kidding! I've seen nothing but backlash against this all day! I think part of it is the hype went on for too long, long enough everybody had envisioned the perfect tablet-based iMac. This thing couldn't be further from it.

Given the functionality and popular opinion I think this device might end up becoming the next Apple TV, and will either see some huge changes or be swept under the rug. $500 will get the best ebook readers, netbooks, and even some cheaper ultraportables, I really can't see how this device could replace any specific category better than what's already out there.

 

[MacMan]

Don't judge too quickly, or you could end up like the others.....

Even though I was initially disappointed in some aspects of the iPad, the more I think about it, the more I am beginning to like it! I think people shouldn't judge the iPad too quickly, it could be a big mistake... it happened already!

As far as the cool reception goes, well, Stephen Fry had seen it all before and writes, as I posted on my little bitty blog:

"iPhone and something of a disappointment. I have heard these voices before. In June 2007 when the iPhone was launched I collected a long list of “not impressed”, “meh”, “big deal”, “style over substance”, “it’s all hype”, “my HTC TyTN can do more”, “what a disappointment”, “majorly underwhelmed” and similar reactions. They can hug to themselves the excuse that the first release of iPhone was 2G, closed to developers and without GPS, cut and paste and many other features that have since been incorporated. Neither they, nor I, nor anyone, predicted the “game-changing” effect the phone would so rapidly have as it evolved into a 3G, third-party app rich, compass and GPS enabled market leader. Even if it had proved a commercial and business disaster instead of an astounding success, iPhone would remain the most significant release of its generation because of its effect on the smartphone habitat. Does anybody seriously believe that Android, Nokia, Samsung, Palm, BlackBerry and a dozen others would since have produced the product line they have without the 100,000 volt taser shot up the jacksie that the iPhone delivered to the entire market?"

I always like to wait for the second model of anything, but considering the lower end iPad pricing, I might actually buy the first version!

 

[Rob Williams]

Even though I was initially disappointed in some aspects of the iPad, the more I think about it, the more I am beginning to like it! I think people shouldn't judge the iPad too quickly, it could be a big mistake... it happened already!

I'm the opposite. I thought it was cool at first, but now I'm starting to realize all the things I don't like about it. The multi-tasking is just one thing, there are others that would prevent me from purchasing it. One of the main reasons has nothing at all to do with the iPad... it's just the fact that I couldn't imagine walking around holding this thing like a baby in my hand to use it. That might be fine for short doses, but I couldn't imagine sitting on a bus or anywhere else using the thing for an hour like that.

Or think about the airplane. The iPad can play movies, but in order to actually enjoy them, you have to manually hold the device the entire time. With a net/notebook, you simply set it down. That can't be done with a tablet. There's not much relaxing to be done when watching a movie on this thing, from what I can tell.

My opinions may differ if I actually ever get hands-on time with the thing, but I can't see it.

With regards to the Stephen Fry statement, I don't remember that much negativity around the iPhone when it first launched, but it could just be my mind screwing with things. The thing is, the iPhone is a phone, a handheld device. It's not a completely different kind of computer that very few people are used to using. If the iPad, or any tablet PC like it, ever takes off, I'd be really, really surprised.

 

[MacMan]

One of the main reasons has nothing at all to do with the iPad... it's just the fact that I couldn't imagine walking around holding this thing like a baby in my hand to use it.

With a net/notebook, you simply set it down. That can't be done with a tablet. There's not much relaxing to be done when watching a movie on this thing, from what I can tell.

I agree Rob, its too big for the bus or outside of the house, but that goes for all tablets, not just the iPad.

What the iPad really is, as far as I'm concerned, is that it's more of a sofa computer, or an arm chair computer, or in my case - a bed computer! The iPad can certainly be used as a mobile device aside from the home, but it's not the primary reason for its being.

One mistake that people make with the iPad is that they are comparing it to things that it's not - its not a notebook, or a laptop or a full-fledge desktop computer, but rather it's a simple appliance for watching tv, movies, listening to music and surfing the net, and as far as Flash goes, Apple is hoping HMTL 5 will be catching on, and some even think Apple has a replacement for Flash in the not-to-distant future!

As far as holding the iPad for movies, apparently you forgot that it has some pretty nifty and cheap accessories, including a gorgeous leather case that doubles as a stand, vertically or horizontally! I like also the other docking device, complete with a physical keyboard.

 

[Rob Williams]

I agree Rob, its too big for the bus or outside of the house, but that goes for all tablets, not just the iPad.

That's why I said, "One of the main reasons has nothing at all to do with the iPad"

One mistake that people make with the iPad is that they are comparing it to things that it's not - its not a notebook, or a laptop or a full-fledge desktop computer, but rather it's a simple appliance for watching tv, movies, listening to music and surfing the net

That's true, but Apple did itself no favor with the unveiling of iWork for iPad and also that rather cool paint application. Those tools alone make the iPad out to be more than just a simple computer.

As far as holding the iPad for movies, apparently you forgot that it has some pretty nifty and cheap accessories, including a gorgeous leather case that doubles as a stand, vertically or horizontally! I like also the other docking device, complete with a physical keyboard.

Fair enough, but that still tacks onto the price. You can purchase a full-blown netbook (with multi-tasking!) for under $500 that would play movies just fine. Sure, it has no touch-screen, so I guess if that's all that matters, there's only one choice.

 

[Kougar]

One mistake that people make with the iPad is that they are comparing it to things that it's not - its not a notebook, or a laptop or a full-fledge desktop computer, but rather it's a simple appliance for watching tv, movies, listening to music and surfing the net, and as far as Flash goes, Apple is hoping HMTL 5 will be catching on, and some even think Apple has a replacement for Flash in the not-to-distant future!

As far as holding the iPad for movies, apparently you forgot that it has some pretty nifty and cheap accessories, including a gorgeous leather case that doubles as a stand, vertically or horizontally! I like also the other docking device, complete with a physical keyboard.

Yes, but lets say you are listening to music with your iPad... you can't do anything else. All it becomes is a giant iPod! Can't surf the web with Pandora playing music in the background, can't use it for VoIP calls... if I was in bed or on the sofa and wanted to watch something I'd use the TV or my computer monitor, they are much nicer (not to mention true 1080P) for better pictures and have better sound... I'm not sure how well the iPad handles ghosting either, the iPods didn't do so well with that.

The iPad has an extremely limited market niche, I've heard of people wanting to use it to surf the web from their couch but that's about it. For that kind of price, it makes no sense to me except maybe for the really affluent that buy first without seriously looking at what they are getting.

 

[b1lk1]

Actually as well Jobs is spouting off calling it a replacement to the netbook.

 

[MacMan]

Yes, but lets say you are listening to music with your iPad... you can't do anything else. All it becomes is a giant iPod! Can't surf the web with Pandora playing music in the background, can't use it for VoIP calls... if I was in bed or on the sofa and wanted to watch something I'd use the TV or my computer monitor, they are much nicer (not to mention true 1080P) for better pictures and have better sound... I'm not sure how well the iPad handles ghosting either, the iPods didn't do so well with that.

The iPad has an extremely limited market niche, I've heard of people wanting to use it to surf the web from their couch but that's about it. For that kind of price, it makes no sense to me except maybe for the really affluent that buy first without seriously looking at what they are getting.

Based on the tone of your response, I recommend the two following articles:

http://thesmallwave.com/2010/01/28/dear-apple-ipad-haters-please-get-a-grip-and-a-thesaurus/

http://speirs.org/blog/2010/1/29/future-shock.html

Secondly, you realize that there are now far more game developers developing for the iPhone and iPod Touch then there are for the PS2 & 3 and the Nintendo DS combined! Also, it's interesting to note, that not only will the iPad be able to play all of the App Store games, but most of these same developers are really excited about developing for the iPad as well, because it goes far and beyond the capabilities of either the iPhone or Touch, allowing them to do things that the iPhone and Touch, well ..... can't touch!

Some developers think that the iPad is down right revolutionary, as you can read here:

http://www.thestreet.com/story/10673490/1/why-the-ipad-is-so-revolutionary.html?cm_ven=GOOGLEN

Besides, not only did Apple spend over one-half-billion dollars to develop the A4 chip, it's believe that it will soon be followed by the A5 and A44, far more powerful and sophisticated multitasking, multi-core chips , so now more and more analysts are beginning to believe that the iPad poses a very real threat to the sales of netbooks, as listed below:

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2010/tc20100127_783646.htm

In the end, considering your tone of response, you remind me of some of the people in this PCWorld post:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/188386/are_ipad_skeptics_as_wrong_as_iphone_naysayers_were.html

 

[b1lk1]

Please tell me you are NOT comparing this thing to consoles for gaming. The PS3 is 100 times more powerful in every aspect and there is no comparing the two on any level. I don't care how many devs are working on what platform, this thing is still tits on a bull to the gaming world.

 

[killem2]

Looks like someone touched a nerve. Maybe they should have spend some of those billions of some real development.

I can see the Ipad going somewhere in the future but you know what this article isn't about the Ipad of 2011 or 2012 when it can actually do something no this is about the craptactular product apple has brought out THIS year.

Maybe its because my brain has a direct link to common sense, but I'm not dropping any kind of money on a product that has to wait for developers to catch up. Oh wait, I suppose that's what Apple is great at.

Not that I really need anything like this nor plan on getting one, but I think to equate Apple products to Newton's laws of motion, for every apple product there is always an equal and opposite company putting out the same tech.

Except cheaper.


But hey apple wants to be the first on the market that's fine, they just need to accept the risks vs reward when trying to be the first for some sort of tech. Also I expect this won't cost any less than 600.00 being an apple product. Why take a step back in tech? Why not make this be an giant iphone? It would have given people a reason to use it say over their mac books or net books, or laptops.

 

[MacMan]

Please tell me you are NOT comparing this thing to consoles for gaming. The PS3 is 100 times more powerful in every aspect and there is no comparing the two on any level. I don't care how many devs are working on what platform, this thing is still tits on a bull to the gaming world.

You should read more carefully!

I never said that the iPhone was better at gaming then the PS3, did I?

No, I simply quoted the simple fact that more developers are developing more games for the iPhone, Touch and now, soon the iPad, then the PS3 and Nintendo DS combined! The PS3, for example, has a little over 880 gaming tities available for it; the iPhone has 140,000 programs of which over 35,000 are gaming titles!

Some of these games are simple; some are dumb; some are ok, and some are absolutely fantastically high quality games, like N.O.V.A and others. As great as he iPhone and iPod is for games, they are still limited in their scope, something that the iPad was designed to rectify! That's one of the main reasons for the iPad, it will allow even higher quality gaming, complete with all the gaming accessories such as joy sticks, track pads and other PS3, XBox like controllers including Apple's recently awarded proximity sensors, which is more-or-less like Microsoft's fantastic Natal Project.

The iPhone/ Touch are both casual gaming machines, not dedicated hand held gaming machines like the PS3 or DS. Neither can do all of the things that the PS3 or DS can, but neither can they do everything that the iPhone, iPod Touch can either! That's where the iPad comes in, it should be able to bridge what all of them can do, and maybe even better than they can too!

Apparently, it's quite obvious to me that you probably didn't read even a portion of any of the supplied links that I included?

Oh, by the way, I don't know about the PS3 being 100 times more powerful than the iPhone (I doubt it), but I do know that the hardware in the iPhone 3GS is just as powerful as the original Xbox and that's saying a lot!

 

[MacMan]

Looks like someone touched a nerve. Maybe they should have spend some of those billions of some real development.

Maybe its because my brain has a direct link to common sense, but I'm not dropping any kind of money on a product that has to wait for developers to catch up. Oh wait, I suppose that's what Apple is great at.

What can I say, but this link is for you: http://speirs.org/blog/2010/1/29/future-shock.html

 

[Kougar]

Based on the tone of your response, I recommend the two following articles:

http://thesmallwave.com/2010/01/28/dear-apple-ipad-haters-please-get-a-grip-and-a-thesaurus/

http://speirs.org/blog/2010/1/29/future-shock.html

Secondly, you realize that there are now far more game developers developing for the iPhone and iPod Touch then there are for the PS2 & 3 and the Nintendo DS combined! Also, it's interesting to note, that not only will the iPad be able to play all of the App Store games, but most of these same developers are really excited about developing for the iPad as well, because it goes far and beyond the capabilities of either the iPhone or Touch, allowing them to do things that the iPhone and Touch, well ..... can't touch!

Some developers think that the iPad is down right revolutionary, as you can read here:

http://www.thestreet.com/story/10673490/1/why-the-ipad-is-so-revolutionary.html?cm_ven=GOOGLEN

Besides, not only did Apple spend over one-half-billion dollars to develop the A4 chip, it's believe that it will soon be followed by the A5 and A44, far more powerful and sophisticated multitasking, multi-core chips , so now more and more analysts are beginning to believe that the iPad poses a very real threat to the sales of netbooks, as listed below:

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2010/tc20100127_783646.htm

In the end, considering your tone of response, you remind me of some of the people in this PCWorld post:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/188386/are_ipad_skeptics_as_wrong_as_iphone_naysayers_were.html

My tone was fairly civil and I'm always willing to listen to a logical arguement and counter-pount. However attacking my "tone" numerous times does not in any way invalidate my points. The iPad does not meet the needs of any current markets, and I don't see anything more than a niche market for the thing. I could always be wrong, but someone is going to have to give me more concrete examples than just saying I lack vision or vocabulary.

Next, you give the arguement that it's a gaming platform... the iPhone and iPod Touch are indeed becoming hit handhold casual gaming platforms. But I don't see this happening with the iPad, the device is not only highly limited in marketshare but is a bit to large for a handheld gaming device. Again I could be wrong, but I just don't see gaming on an iPad going anywhere, especially when it costs as much (or even more) than a PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii combined.

Lastly, the reason I don't see the iPad taking off is price. The iPhone is touted for its portability, versatility, and internet features. The cheapest iPad is $500 and only connects to WiFi limiting its mobility severely. The cheapest iPad with 3G support is $629, and if this was a netbook people would be appalled and dismiss it outright for having only 16GB of space at that high a price point. $629 means few people are going to invest in a device that requires future developer support to reach full potential when there are many already proven alternatives that probably meet their needs.

 

[b1lk1]

Macman, the reason I don't put alot of effort into reading links you provide is that they are more marketing style postings giving a glowing response to a product that will always receive a cold shoulder outside the mac fanbase. I want to make a couple things really clear.

1. I do not believe Mac products in general are garbage. In fact, they do have a high build quality and good parts. They are just overpriced for my taste.

2. Macs have their market and they fill it nicely. Some people do not mind paying a price premium and there are plenty of Mac products that can be argued to be worth their price premium.

3. Mac people are just as overbearing as PC people.

OK, all that being said, I still stand by the PS3 not only being 100 times More powerful than the iphone/ipad combined, it is infinitely more versatile. Two key things to remember, a PS3 is HD 1080P ready and it is also a full on media server. I can put a 1TB drive into my PS3 and do nearly everything I can on a PC. The blue-ray play is the icing on the cake. It can run Linux, it can be configured as a PC if you really have the time.

Of you 35,000+ iapps, how many of those are utter crap? There are lots. I do agree that the PS3 needs more games and developement has been slow, but how many iphone/ipad games are in 1080P with Dolby surround? We are comparing apples to cinder blocks. These products never should be compared ever.

While the future may be bright for the ipad once they actually make it more functional than a book reader, the current release is pitiful and yet it is being touted as revolutionary. You are seriously kidding yourself if you call the current version revolutionary. The future will tell and as I have said before, I have no doubt people will line up for these and buy all that are available, I just do not see how/why this thing is so special. You cannot equate what you HOPE it will become with what it is.

 

[MacMan]

The iPad does not meet the needs of any current markets, and I don't see anything more than a niche market for the thing.

Next, you give the arguement that it's a gaming platform... the iPhone and iPod Touch are indeed becoming hit handhold casual gaming platforms. But I don't see this happening with the iPad, the device is not only highly limited in marketshare but is a bit to large for a handheld gaming device.

Lastly, the reason I don't see the iPad taking off is price.

First off, lets get something straight: None of us, and that includes you and I, can possibly know for certain whether the iPad will or will not succeedl - period! I, for one, certainly don't know? Categorically, however, stating that it will fail as many are happily doing is nothing more than an exercise in futility, therefore I won't predict if it will, or won't, succeed myself, but I'm certainly hoping it will!

Stating that it doesn't fit the current markets is a rather moot point, because we know that Apple is not aiming the iPad at the current market, but rather aiming it at what it believes will be the future market. The San Jose Mercury points out that the iPad seems like it MAY become a huge hit with the middle age crowd, including people such as myself. http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_14336772 For one, I'm really excited about using it as a temporary electronic photo album and storage medium.

Price wise, just as the original iPhone was also very expensive, lacked many features, etc., the iPad is expected to quickly follow its lead, with prices quickly dropping to around $199 for the base model. Normally, I like to wait for the second or third generations, but who knows, I just might get one of the low-enders for now. I am , after all, one of those middle-aged people that the Mercury talks about.

It's certainly true, however, that every word that you said may prove to be correct, but then again maybe not! We simply don't know yet, and simply ASSUMING that it will fail doesn't seem logical to me, but already considering the effect that the iPad is already having on the markets (just ask Amazon's Jeff Bezos for example), I'm betting that the iPad will PROBABLY, but NOT NECESSARILY, end up being a rip-roaring success. Again, however, at this point no one can say for sure.

As far as the iPad being too big for gaming, maybe, but from what I've seen of demos of games being played on it, it doesn't seem really that big to me, but what-in-hell would I know since I'm not much of a gamer myself, but I do know of a 15 year old iPod Touch user, and a rabid game player, who already eagerly looking forward to getting his young paws on one!

The iPad looks, on the surface, to be pretty much like all of the other tablets out there, none of which have thus far proven to be a success, but still, and despite what people think of all of its flaws, some are already predicting that the iPad COULD BE THE FIRST, but we'll just have to wait and see about that. As I've read somewhere, but hell if I can remember exactly where, someone stated that "the odds of betting against Jobs and company are pretty slim at best!" That doesn't mean, however, Jobs is always right, but so far, any honest person has got to admit that he's achieved a pretty dang-tooting good track record thus far!

 

[MacMan]

Macman, the reason I don't put alot of effort into reading links you provide is that they are more marketing style postings giving a glowing response to a product that will always receive a cold shoulder outside the mac fanbase. I want to make a couple things really clear.

Of you 35,000+ iapps, how many of those are utter crap? There are lots. I do agree that the PS3 needs more games and developement has been slow, but how many iphone/ipad games are in 1080P with Dolby surround? We are comparing apples to cinder blocks. These products never should be compared ever.

I could be wrong, but it seems to me that answering something without first checking out all of the facts is rather dangerous don't you think? Another big mistake is to simply assume that that something is true, like my provided links are all 'just more marketing style.......!' And your writing for Techgage? Simply incredible! Assuming things without first checking out all the facts kind of takes away one's creditability, doesn't it? I've studied professional writing in Danbury, Conn, and if I handed in assignments based on the above criteria I would have been either laughed or kicked out of class, I'm sure!

The question is: do you really know or have any idea just how many thousands of these games are actually very good, or are you ,yet again, still assuming things? Maybe you should check out http://toucharcade.com/2009/11/17/ravensword-the-fallen-king-the-review/ , because it seems to me that there are a lot of great games for the iPhone - and probably thousands - that are pretty cool looking.

I'm not a gamer, so I can't speak with any real authority as to whether who has the better gaming device. All I know is that no matter how much better the PS2 is over the iPhone, that doesn't make the iPhone games all automatically stupid as you seemingly assume they are, and to suggest such is the case is quite frankly.... stupid!

I'm sure you know a lot about the PS2 and other gaming devices, but based on your response, I'm saying its entirely possible that you may know very little about the iPhone as a gaming device, let alone the first iPad!

I could be wrong, of course, but I'm just saying!

 

[b1lk1]

Macman, the personal attacks end now. Period. If you do not like it post elsewhere. Noone is attacking you, we are being critical of a product we do not like and believe in. I did not state anything negative about you and after looking at those links it is not surprising they are Pro Mac sites. What a shock.

I will close this thread and make sure your posting is limited if you make one more personal attack towards any poster on this board.

 

[MacMan]

Macman, the personal attacks end now. Period. If you do not like it post elsewhere. Noone is attacking you, we are being critical of a product we do not like and believe in. I did not state anything negative about you and after looking at those links it is not surprising they are Pro Mac sites. What a shock.

I will close this thread and make sure your posting is limited if you make one more personal attack towards any poster on this board.

You stated that you did not read any of my links, and yet you commented on them, assuming that they were not worth the time. I didn't attack you, but you sure made me feel that way! I just stated what was obvious - B]you just happened to break one of the most cardinal rules in all professional writing - you commented on things as fact,, based on nothing but pure assumption, without checking your facts! Such a position could end up, down the road, setting Techgage up for some serious legal troubles![/B]

Further more, how dare you cowardly threaten me in a private message, yet block me from sending you a reply in kind! If I were your boss... you'd be fired a long time ago! Your a journalistic legal nightmare waiting to happen!

Now this takes the cake: "...... they are Pro Mac site. What a shock." That is just another assumption, as is the idea that a Pro Mac site is automatically not valid or something?

As far as your threats go, go ahead; they are meaningless to me.... I couldn't care less! In fact, I told Rob that I wanted all my posts and my accountant deleted, but he said it was impossible. Honestly, I wish you were in my writing class.... that would have probably been a rip-roaring hoot! As far as your threat goes..... I'll save you the trouble... for the umpteen time I'm finished with this forum!

 

[b1lk1]

OK, let's get back on topic. Seeing how we have been discussing this without the blanket assumption that everything Mac is evil (unlike countless other threads elsewhere on the net) maybe we can get to the reason why the PC world is just not Mac friendly.