# Apple's iPad in all its glory- Would you buy one? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 21, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679 "2010-01-21T18:38:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![hobscrk777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a6a055/32.png) [@hobscrk777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hobscrk777)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/101 "2010-01-28T01:27:01Z")
I think there are three deal-breakers: [ol] [li]No multi-tasking.[/li] This isn’t an issue with the iPhone/iTouch, but a device the size of the iPad lends itself to running multiple programs simultaneously. [li]No expandable memory.[/li] The iPad bills itself as filling a niche between the personal media player and the desktop or desktop-replacing laptop. Netbooks currently fill this niche, and they have memory capacities much higher than 64GB. My thinking is that it wouldn’t cost much to add in an SD expansion slot, but Apple left one out because it forces people to pay premium prices for extra memory. A 16GB SD card is dirt cheap; to get an extra 16GB on the iPad costs an extra $100. [li]No SMS,MMS.[/li] It seems that the only point of the 3G service is to be able to access the internet anywhere, anytime. I can see the iPad being used at a coffee shop, or lounging on the couch, where I might like to send text messages around. True, I could use my phone, but then I have to juggle another gadget. [/ol] That said, I really like the look of the iBook app. The digital storefront is really slick, and I like the idea of reading newspapers magazines that have embedded multimedia on something with this form factor. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/102 "2010-01-28T01:33:33Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > I didn’t put words in his mouth (though I’ll concede my response wasn’t the most direct). His argument that it “sucks” was being used as justification for not having it. It is a justification for not having it. “It crashes our browser, is a shitty program in general, and we’d all be better off to not use it.” Perfectly fine. See: S-Video, Memory Sticks, etc. Yeah, a lot of sites use it, and it’s a decent option to have. It’s certainly not a \*feature \*- but no one is presenting it as such. > [@](#): > > A notification that pops pops up and actively interferes with the task-at-hand is a piss-poor way of conveying said notification. You’re aware that that aspect of push notification can be turned off, right? > [@](#): > > And if you do actually want to switch over to the messenger program in question, you had better hope you’re in an app that saves its current state, otherwise you’ll have to navigate back to what you were originally doing. Very true. Other than browsing, I don’t see why it wouldn’t. It’s been a while since I’ve left my iPhone mid-SDMB response - does it snap back to your text? > [@](#): > > I run the same programs on my parents netbooks whenever I visit home. What was your point again? That you don’t make a response to a question about netbook use with how you use your home computer. If you had simply started with how you use your parents netbook, it would have actually answered the question rather than looking weaselly (no offense intended). ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/103 "2010-01-28T01:38:32Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > It is a justification for not having it. “It crashes our browser, is a shitty program in general, and we’d all be better off to not use it.” Perfectly fine. See: S-Video, Memory Sticks, etc. Yeah, a lot of sites use it, and it’s a decent option to have. It’s certainly not a \*feature \*- but no one is presenting it as such. It should be OPTIONAL, as I stated before. Flash works fine on the netbooks I’ve used too, at any rate. > [@Munch](#): > > You’re aware that that aspect of push notification can be turned off, right? Great, and now I have no way of seeing what the notification is. I’m guessing you haven’t used Android, which handles in a vastly superior manner (and also allows for true multi-tasking btw). > [@Munch](#): > > Very true. Other than browsing, I don’t see why it wouldn’t. It’s been a while since I’ve left my iPhone mid-SDMB response - does it snap back to your text? I don’t know–all I know is if I’m browing the Digg App, News app, or any number of other apps while switching to the AIM client to respond, I have to navigate back to the story I was reading–this can sometimes take several minutes. > [@Munch](#): > > That you don’t make a response to a question about netbook use with how you use your home computer. If you had simply started with how you use your parents netbook, it would have actually answered the question rather than looking weaselly (no offense intended). I could have been more clear, sure. But I’d appreciate it if you didn’t dismiss it as “weaselly” when you didn’t have all the information. FOr the record, my “home computer” is a laptop–I often just view it as if it were a big netbook. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/104 "2010-01-28T01:40:42Z")
Yeah, that screen keyboard is going to be just _awesome_. I mean, because doing significant work on my iPhone is so much fun! Also, since the thing is obviously geared somewhat towards media, isn’t it awesome to put your grubby hands all over the screen you then have to watch your video on? Really, what need would this possibly fulfill for me? I have an iPhone and a MacBook. Why do I want an iPhone that doesn’t make calls and that doesn’t fit in my pocket? ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/105 "2010-01-28T01:43:54Z")
> [@wasson](#): > > So you’re judging the iPad’s usefulness on one weird function that most people don’t care about? For the record, it will support “multitasking” for some functions, iPod being one of them. So you can listen to your own music while working on whatever you want. Well, gee, thanks Apple, for letting me listen to my music while working on something else. And thanks for letting me “multitask” some other functions too. I guess every thing else I want to keep running in the background is an obscure weird function that no one else cares about. Like running something like Google Latitude in the background that informs me when I am close to some friends. Or the myriad other location-aware apps that could run in the background and inform the user of various things as he/she moves around town. Look, multitasking is a huge deficit for the iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad. With the initial versions of the hardware, I could see it, but with the new CPUs, especially the iPad’s, there is no reason for this omission. And especially when Android phones today can multitask with no problems. Multitasking is a technology that has been a part of computing for many many years. There is no reason a modern computer (and these things are, in fact computers) should not support it > [@](#): > > The iPad has already been seen surfing the web Well, to be honest, it has been seen surfing a _subset_ of the web. That leaves out tons of websites which use Flash. e.g. for audio streaming (like [npr.org](http://npr.org)) or for Flash games (like [clubpenguin.com](http://clubpenguin.com) that kids love) Flash may be the worst technology in the world, but the fact is that a significant percentage of websites relies on it, and if a device does not support Flash, you the user cannot access all of the web. Period. For the iPhone that may be excusable, since it’s not primarily a web-surfing device, but with something like the iPad, for which web-surfing on the couch will be a primary selling point, leaving out Flash is inexcusable. > [@](#): > > Apple are user-interface geniuses. They really are. I have an iPhone and two iPod Touches at home and we love them because the user interface is just brilliant. They just have these mind-bogglingly stupid omissions (like multitasking and Flash support) Even cut-and-paste, something which has been part of computers since God knows when only made it into the iPhone with the 3.0 SW release. That was inexcusable. Everyone was saying how that was an important feature that was lacking and it took them three years to add it. Now that they have added it, I use it all the time. It’s just common sense. And it’s also common sense that people will utilize the Flash and multitasking functionality if these stupidly stubborn user-interface geniuses ever decide to add it. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/106 "2010-01-28T01:50:42Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Yeah, that screen keyboard is going to be just _awesome_. I mean, because doing significant work on my iPhone is so much fun! I really don’t understand this mindset. There are a lot of things that make this device not ideal for a lot of people. That’s fine. But why are people complaining about aspects that it isn’t designed for? It’s not being put forward as something for “significant work”. Personally, I’m pissed that it won’t be running MMOs and giving me a whole host of networking capabilities…oh wait - I’m not, because that’s not what it’s designed for. > [@](#): > > Also, since the thing is obviously geared somewhat towards media, isn’t it awesome to put your grubby hands all over the screen you then have to watch your video on? I touch my iPhone all day long - I haven’t had to clean it in months. I tend to wash my hands when they’re dirty, though. ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/107 "2010-01-28T01:58:51Z")
I think it is a pretty cool looking device and I am pleasantly surprised by the low low starting off price point. The ability to get pay as you go 3G internet? Crazy. It fills a need not met by the notebooks. I don’t think that is the most appropriate comparison. A more apt comparison is the Kindle. And, I do think it compares pretty well with that. Similar sizes. Similar form factors - perfect for sitting on the couch and reading. Similar access to books and periodicals. The kindle’s eInk might be preferable to avoid reading strain. iPad’s color screen might be preferable for periodical offerings, or any sort of multimedia. iPad allows you to do a lot more than just read books- games, music, web browsing, email. The kindle gives you FREE 3g access. The Kindle with a similar screen size goes for around $480, and the cheapest iPad is reported to be $499. With that similar price point, I would guess that Apple probably sees the Kindle as it’s most relevant competition. I doubt I would get one. First of all, I tend to not be an early adopter of anything; I prefer others to field test products for me. Second, I have a laptop that fills plenty of these needs. And, if I am unable or unwilling to use that I have a PSP or iPhone to take up the slack. Also, I like getting books used or from the library. I don’t feel a need to build up large libraries of books. In my opinion the iPad is not going to be the cultural phenomenon the iPhone was (is?). But, I can’t envision it being a Newton (eat up Martha) like fiasco. There is a large market for it, and it will be well put together and marketed well. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/108 "2010-01-28T02:02:13Z")
[Moderator Action]I merged both iPod threads.[/Moderator Action] ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/109 "2010-01-28T02:04:34Z")
> [@](#): > > The kindle gives you FREE 3g access. Isn’t this a complete misnomer? I saw this as an argument against charging for 3G access for the iPad, but the Kindle just uses it to download books, not the internet. ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/110 "2010-01-28T02:11:33Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > Isn’t this a complete misnomer? I saw this as an argument against charging for 3G access for the iPad, but the Kindle just uses it to download books, not the internet. I was under the impression that you could also set up an RSS Reader and use your Kindle to read your feeds. And, that you could use it to read emails. Not full internet access, but something. I would be surprised anyone seriously arguing that the iPad should offer free 3g access when the Kindle does. It’s absurd. Mostly text versus almost so much of the internet. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/111 "2010-01-28T02:13:36Z")
> [@pricciar](#): > > I was under the impression that you could also set up an RSS Reader and use your Kindle to read your feeds. And, that you could use it to read emails. Really? That’s pretty cool… ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/112 "2010-01-28T02:15:07Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > I think this type of thing could very well catch on in labs as well. If they make a version that is durable enough, I can imagine the laboratory notebook becoming a thing of the past. This is particularly good for industrial research, where record keeping is so integral to getting valid patents. Throw in some ChemDraw Apps and you have the perfect lab notebook. I hadn’t thought of this, but definitely YES. And with the touch screen, you could easily add drawings to the text. Perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/113 "2010-01-28T02:21:15Z")
Here’s the thing most folks are missing. This is not a “gasget” that most people will feel they need at all. An iPhone works because it is a mobile phone and pretty much everybody has one, the iPod sold big because everybody could use one of those, itserves a purpose and need that most everyone can relate too. But the iPad simply does not. It is a very nice devise and will certainly be perfect for certain aspects, but honestly what use is it for most people? So the universe of folks it is a life improver is not nearly as large as the iPod and iPhone, even if it could multi-task and had a phone and ran flash etc. It does not replace a laptop, hell it does not replace a netbook, it does not replace an iPhone. It is limited in who is going to sit there and think, “wow I need one of those”. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/114 "2010-01-28T03:16:25Z")
> [@Red\_Barchetta](#): > > ETA: Oh, and no Chrome. I’m not content with crash-happy Safari (on both my Mac and my iPhone). You know Google released Chrome for OS X, right? ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Barchetta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/da6949/32.png) [@Red\_Barchetta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Barchetta)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/115 "2010-01-28T03:35:56Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > You know Google released Chrome for OS X, right? Yes, and I use it religiously. Thanks though! ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/116 "2010-01-28T03:40:49Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Because most people actually use the multimedia features available on the web, and most of that is in the form of Flash. It is a crappy technology that has way too high system requirements, but it’s pretty much become a standard for online animation, videos, games, and even quite a few interactive applications. It seems really silly that people are suggesting no Flash support isn’t a problem because it’s lousy technology and so many sites use it poorly. Yeah it’s annoying that I can’t look up [jcrew.com](http://jcrew.com) on my iPhone, but it doesn’t remotely compare to not being able to watch Hulu or Netflix instant view (Netflix uses Silverlight and I really don’t know if that works on iPhone OS) I can’t imagine buying something so obviously media-centered like the iPad and not being able to watch the overwhelmingly Flash-based videos on the Web. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/117 "2010-01-28T04:33:12Z")
I think that the complaints are coming from people that aren’t thinking beyond the devices they already have. I think this type of thing would be an ideal clipboard or notebook for industrial work places. I think their biggest mistake is not releasing a toughbook version. This is the type of thing a foreman should be carrying around the shop. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/118 "2010-01-28T05:02:32Z")
I find myself wondering what the user experience will be like if you eat Cheetos while using the thing. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/119 "2010-01-28T05:27:41Z")
> [@pricciar](#): > > The Kindle with a similar screen size goes for around $480, and the cheapest iPad is reported to be $499. Well pricciar beat me to it, because this is what I was coming in to say. I thought Amazon considered the Kindle to be a success. When I look a the [Kindle DX](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015TG12Q/ref=sa_menu_kdxi3?pf_rd_p=328655101&pf_rd_s=left-nav-1&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=507846&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1CTYGY02Q2QK55KPXXVQ) today it seems to me that the iPad offers a whole bunch more than the Kindle for about the same price. I probably won’t be getting an iPad (at least not version one) - I don’t even have an iPod touch or an iPhone - but then again I don’t have a Kindle either. Anyone looking at the Kindle will probably consider an iPad. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/120 "2010-01-28T05:47:44Z")
I am a Mac person. I buy lots of Apple stuff. Still, this looks like a swing-and-a-miss. The screen is conventional and more suited to movies than to print. It is heavy; the screen looks like it is vulnerable if I put it in my briefcase. The onscreen typing is so bad a mechanical keyboard is already available. I have no problems this thing will solve. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679.md?page=7)