# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/121 "2010-01-28T05:49:05Z")
But… it makes perfect [paninis](http://www.hollow-hill.com/sabina/2010/01/doonesbury_nails_the_ipad.html)…every time! ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/122 "2010-01-28T05:54:13Z")
I can’t imagine using the iPad for ebook reading if the battery is anything like the iTouch. There are a couple of games on the iTouch that I like and the battery on my 64GB 3G touch is nearly dead after an hour, if I play that long. Now there will be a bigger screen, and certainly a bigger battery, but can you really see yourself on a 5 hour long flight reading a book on this thing without the battery going tits-up? No chance. I don’t think this thing will compete with Kindle for the serious reader. Magazines, maybe, but not epic novels. If I need to keep it plugged in to read for long periods of time I’ll just grab my wifes Kindle or go buy the paperback. ---
**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, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/123 "2010-01-28T05:56:27Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > Now there will be a bigger screen, and certainly a bigger battery, but can you really see yourself on a 5 hour long flight reading a book on this thing without the battery going tits-up? No chance. In the presentation they said that you could watch video for 10 hours. Probably by dimming the display, but still, that’s much better than I expected. ETA: [what Apple says](http://www.apple.com/ipad/design/) > [@](#): > > You can use iPad for up to 10 hours while surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching videos, or listening to music… > Testing conducted by Apple in January 2010 using preproduction iPad units and software performing each of the following tasks: video playback, audio playback, and Internet browsing using Wi-Fi. Battery life depends on device settings, usage, and many other factors. Battery tests are conducted using specific iPad units; actual results may vary. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/124 "2010-01-28T06:10:27Z")
They needed something after the failure of the [MacBook Wheel.](http://www.theonion.com/content/video/apple_introduces_revolutionary) Now, I love my little iPod Touch (I’m kissing it right now AIFG!!) but half a grand for a big one? I’d rather spend that on a used Air. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/125 "2010-01-28T06:21:16Z")
What are the claimed hours for the iTouch? I’m at work and can’t look it up here. I can get a couple of hours of Wi-Fi with the screen on the dimmest setting. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/126 "2010-01-28T06:37:07Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > 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. Though I think they should look at e-ink first. It is absolutely amazing how much like real paper it actually looks like and the complete lack of eye strain involved (that and the 2 weeks between charging the battery). ---
**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, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/127 "2010-01-28T06:37:38Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > What are the claimed hours for the iTouch? I’m at work and can’t look it up here. I can get a couple of hours of Wi-Fi with the screen on the dimmest setting. At the Apple site they don’t have claimed hours for the iPod touch while using WiFi - only hours while listening to music or watching video (without using WiFi). ---
**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, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/128 "2010-01-28T06:40:06Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Though I think they should look at e-ink first. It is absolutely amazing how much like real paper it actually looks like and the complete lack of eye strain involved (that and the 2 weeks between charging the battery). For strictly reading, I have heard that ePaper is better, on the other hand in the NY Times demo they showed how you could be reading the NY Times and watching a video that accompanies the article. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/129 "2010-01-28T06:43:14Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > At the Apple site they don’t have claimed hours for the iPod touch while using WiFi - only hours while listening to music or watching video (without using WiFi). The reason I ask is because it looks like IDENTICAL technology, just a bigger screen. How long do they claim you can watch video on there? Don’t get me wrong, it looks slick, but I can’t imagine the battery is suitable for long term reading like the Kindle. ---
**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, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/130 "2010-01-28T06:49:47Z")
> [@Cubsfan](#): > > How long do they claim you can watch video on there? You mean on the current iPod touch? > **[iPod touch - Official Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/ipod-touch)** > > Learn how to set up and use your iPod touch. Find all the topics, resources, and contact options you need for your iPod touch. Up to 6 hours of video playback > [@](#): > > Don’t get me wrong, it looks slick, but I can’t imagine the battery is suitable for long term reading like the Kindle. There’s no doubt that a Kindle will outlast an iPad. The iPad can do so much more though. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/131 "2010-01-28T06:57:54Z")
I’ve been watching the Keynote, and so far the thing I’m most impressed by is iWork for this thing. There are some really clever interface ideas in there that advance the usability of a portable device. I think it looks like a really great ebook reader as well. I’m disappointed that the display isn’t oLED. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/132 "2010-01-28T08:33:42Z")
You guys who are focusing on the features are missing the point. It’s all about the form factor and the UI. That will make or break the device. The iPod didn’t have any features that weren’t already available. The Creative Zen could do everything the iPod did, and then some. So could a bunch of other machines. The iPhone followed a long line of various smartphones that never had anywhere near its impact, despite often having more features and being on better carriers. It’s about the _experience_. Does the iPad deliver a much more compelling experience for you when doing some of the things you currently do on your computer or phone? A Netbook is not a great way to surf the web or read a book. The form factor isn’t right. My daughter uses her laptop while lying on the bed or sitting on the sofa all the time, but it’s heavy and hot and has a trackpad. I can lie on the couch and read the Straight Dope like I would read a book. I can use simple gestures to navigate around. I can effortless switch from landscape to portrait mode to suit the needs of what I’m looking at, just by turning the thing on its side. To me, that’s a pretty compelling experience. Watching a tv show in bed just like I’d read a book also sounds very cool. The apps will be a big factor in the success of this device. The combination of a high resolution, large screen, capacitive touch, and tilt and acceleration sensors and compasses could make for a some very interesting applications. Great games, map applications that respond to rotation, that kind of thing. I’m not ready to say it’s a genre-busting slam-dunk, but I wouldn’t say it’s a failure, either. I’d say it’s a platform that has tremendous potential. It’s the details that will make or break it. ---
**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, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/133 "2010-01-28T09:01:26Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > It’s about the _experience_. Does the iPad deliver a much more compelling experience for you when doing some of the things you currently do on your computer or phone? No. My iPhone can already do most of what the iPad does (and more, in some cases), just on a smaller scale, and my Macbook eclipses it in capability. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/134 "2010-01-28T09:19:49Z")
“Just on a smaller scale”. That’s a big deal. I don’t like using my phone’s browser for serious browsing. It’s great for checking a sports score or a theater listing, but I would never just sit and surf the web on it. Apple claims that the tablet offers the best web surfing experience there is. We’ll see. But it’s possible. ---
**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, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/135 "2010-01-28T09:25:51Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > That’s a big deal. I don’t like using my phone’s browser for serious browsing. It’s great for checking a sports score or a theater listing, but I would never just sit and surf the web on it. No it’s not. If I’m going to be carrying around a 10" tablet, I might as well bring my laptop which will offer a superior experience (not the least of which is due to an actual keyboard). Luckily, I don’t often have to tote my notebook around unless I plan on doing work as I have no trouble using my iPhone to navigate the web. > [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Apple claims that the tablet offers the best web surfing experience there is. We’ll see. But it’s possible. Not without Flash. Or any plugin support. And you’re stuck using Safari, which is an okay browser, but certainly not my preferred one. And then there’s the lack of download support and inability to transfer podcasts to my mp3 player of choice (not an iPod, or my iPhone). ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/136 "2010-01-28T09:43:13Z")
Seems to me that it’s not going to be comfortable to carry or handle in a public space. It’s not designed to be laid on a table, it needs to be partially upright like a laptop screen. But it most decisively is not a laptop, so I can’t see what the point is. When I first saw a Tablet PC several years ago, I thought that was the future, but they don’t seem to have caught on. But in the same way that MP3 players never took off until the iPod came along, maybe this iPad (after they rename it to something more popular) will change the face of portable tablet computers. I am useless at predicting the popularity of technology, but it wouldn’t surprise me if this one failed. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/137 "2010-01-28T10:31:10Z")
It’s a niche product which I don’t think will be as popular as other apple products. I’m a serious apple fanboy, and I will not buy this product even if the price is cut 25% ---
**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, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/138 "2010-01-28T13:41:02Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > It’s a niche product I’m getting more and more excited about this product, but I think this is absolutely correct. But lost in the translation is the speculation on how this might transform that niche. Jobs completely believes his own hype, and when he calls it a “magical device” I scoff. But he also says that “Apple stands at the intersection of Technology and Liberal Arts”. There’s always been truth to that - and it will be interesting to see how much various industries, especially the print media, adapt to this device. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/139 "2010-01-28T15:17:36Z")
I bought stock when the iPod came out and made money. I bought stock when the iPhone came out and made money. Based on that, I purchased Apple stock a month ago in anticipation of their earnings report and the issue of the iPad. Hopefully, history will repeat itself. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679/140 "2010-01-28T15:26:29Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I bought stock when the iPod came out and made money. I bought stock when the iPhone came out and made money. Based on that, I purchased Apple stock a month ago in anticipation of their earnings report and the issue of the iPad. Hopefully, history will repeat itself. I don’t think the iPad is going to be anywhere near the hits that the iPod and the iPhone were. A lot of other people think the same, apparently, since Apple’s stock fell after the announcement. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apples-ipad-in-all-its-glory-would-you-buy-one/526679.md?page=8)