Paul Thurrott has posted his “Hands-On First Impressions” of his 16GB Apple iPad Wi-Fi:
• “My iPad arrived a few hours ago, so I loaded it up with some apps and checked it out quickly. So far, it’s not all that impressive.”
• “I still disagree, and strongly, with some of the first generation limitations–like the lack of dual cameras and the non-widescreen display–but overall it’s a decent device.”
• “16 GB isn’t 16 GB with the iPad, it’s 14 GB. That’s a big difference when you’re talking about a small pool of storage.”
• “The device is far heavier than expected, and heavier than it looks. It is literally a big iPod touch. In fact, if anything it’s too big. Why isn’t this widescreen? It’s so obvious.”
MacDailyNews Take: While the rest of his blather falls into the usual joke category, Thurrott’s “widescreen” comment deserves comment: iPad’s total screen aspect ratio is not “widescreen,” but the device is perfectly capable of playing back “widescreen” video and does so with aplomb. Thurrott’s criticism of iPad for giving users extra screen real estate at the top and bottom for all those times when they’re not watching “widescreen” video is stupider than his “normal” biased anti-Apple idiocy.
• “I hate not having a case on this thing. It gets smudged just from the air, it seems.”
• “The default wallpaper is ugly; worse yet, the meteor shower it depicts looks like screen scratches, causing a momentary bit of panic.”
• “More later in the review, I guess. Is this thing even worth reviewing?”
And, Thurrott’s pièce de résistance:
• “Anyone who believes this thing is a game changer is a tool.”
“It feels great to have the iPad launched into the world—it’s going to be a game changer.” – Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, April 5, 2010
MacDailyNews Take: Who to believe, who to believe… the man who’s changed the world via multiple technological paradigm shifts or a sad sack who shills for perennial Apple follower Microsoft?
If there was only some way that I could add articles from guys like him to an ‘ignore’ list.
Paul, the “meteor shower”, is actually star trails caused by doing a time exposure.
Don’t worry, Paul, we all know who the real TOOL is…
Turdrot is a tool. First!
I hate to say it but it is a giant iPod Touch. I’m not all that impressed myself, hopefully the second gen is better.
He did have sone decent points. The weight is an issue for some. I agree on the camera issue.
A huge part of the iPad story hasn’t even been written yet: third party apps. They will truly define this device.
what the EFF is this guy talking about, NOT WIDESCREEN? what an idiot! And for the rest of you, cut the crap talk about the lack of a camera already, how is that a deal breaker, don’t you own a camera?
Come on….without Thurutt and Dv-whore-ak I would laugh only half as much.
Hey Paul, why don’t you shove this Tool where the sun doesn’t shine?
@ silver surfer
Be my guest and wait…..you people that wait think it stops at the next generation, when are you going to learn that you’ll never catch up or stay ahead of the curve. You’re only depriving yourself.
Hey, he apparently bought one, so he’s contributing to Apple’s success. Since it shipped before Saturday, his iPod is even one of the DAY ONE 300,000. So Paul, Apple thanks you…
Being a giant iPod touch is precisely the point. Appliance-like simplicity is king.
Actually, it is 16GB – but they have to put the OS and the default apps somewhere so it come out at 14.8.
Guess what, my 32GB touch is only 29.56GB – yet somehow I survive. And my 500GB LaCie drive is only 465.8GB when it’s formatted.
Idiot.
Paradigm shifts?! Can someone say Apple printers, scanners, cameras, and Newtons? Apple isn’t a stranger to failed or discontinued devices. It all boils down to what the public wants. Don’t be a typical fanboi, MDN, everyone wants Apple to succeed, not everyone will like their products and they’re definitely entitled to their own opinions, especially those who are technically critical.
I have some advice for Thurott: Take some of the medicine your doctor and family members are always begging you not to forget, and then get into some comfortable clothing.
Dim the lights, and then put your feet up on the comfiest recliner in your house.
Then hit the little home button at the bottom, unlock the device and breath a nice long sigh. Then begin. Surf the web. Watch a movie. Listen to some music. Enjoy a game. Perhaps just peruse those 1,000+ new apps to see if there’s something you like.
Stop looking at it as a device with “features” and just enjoy it for what it is — the most relaxing way to consume virtually any kind of media ever.
This actually pains me to say, but I do agree with Paul on one small point. I finally saw the iPad (a demo unit) in person late Saturday evening and at first thought there was a scratch on the iPad. Had to rotate the iPad to see it wasn’t a scratch. Whew. However unlike Paul, I liked the wallpaper – which CAN be changed.
Peace.
I remember when the iPod came out. Everyone was saying that it would be a flash in the pan and the other players would come in with a subsciption model & Apple would lose market share & be marginalized.
I thought, no, Apole has done it just right. So, I bought stock @ $12.50.
If, 3-5 years from now we are all reading our print media on it, please republish this post.
Bought stock last year when it was $115.
And what exactly is wrong with a giant iPod touch? Over half my computing time is now on an iPod touch. It is fabulous. An iPad could ONLY be MORE fabulous.
I’m suspicious. I think that there’s a possibility he doesn’t even own one. His comments could have come from anybody who’d seen the specs and decided to do a hatchet job on a review.
He must have known what it’d be like before he bought it and if he dislikes it that much, I reckon he wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of buying one.
I mean, what’s he going to do with it now he’s ‘spent’ hundreds on a gadget he doesn’t like? Throw it in a corner and never use it?
ThoroughlyRotten is so jealous that he is the type of person who will try to tear down the object of his envy. How dare Steve create something above mediocre?
If ThoughlyRotten were so smart, he’d get a gig like Enderle, advising Dell on how to REALLY make a tablet.
Truly pathetic.
who the hell wants to read the internet in 16:9? He’s a dick
Without tools – where would we be?
The-Rott is not a tool. He was spawned prior to tools.
“multiple technological paradigm shifts”
Yes! Thanks MDN, for starting my morning right..
Incidentally, my precious new iPad fell off the table to the floor (horrors) and displayed no damage. Thanks Steve for building the iPad tough!
Thank Gawd for Steve Jobs and all the new products from Apple, Inc.
For . . . What would all of us erstwhile and wannabe experts, analysts, and tech aficianados do with our vaunted (and, actually, worthless) opinions? Standing on the shoulders of actual risk-takers and innovators, what more fun can be had than spitting down their necks and denigrating anything they have done?
“Ain’t good enough for ME!” “Doesn’t do everything I want such a device to do!” “Not what I would have designed!” “Doesn’t even come close to meeting my lofty standards!” “Not even close to Microsoft’s eventual Currier tablet!” “JooJoo and TechCrunch rule!” (That is, if they ever actually ship anything and stay out of court.) “You’ll have to pry the Kindle out of my cold, dead hands!”
“Yep, can’t please me with anything, no matter how hard you try!”
And remember, all of us faux entrepreneurs: The only thing pioneers get is arrows.
This reminds me of when the iPhone came out originally in ’07. Every day or two a new list of ‘reasons to not buy an iPhone’ would come out, all nearly identical and all listing ‘smudges’ as one of the reasons to not buy. Smudges?? Really??? This is the kind of nonsense that gets trotted out by those who for whatever pitiful little reason can’t stand Apple and Steve Jobs. I’m not saying that the iPad will be a sure fire runaway success, but anybody who doesn’t see the potential is blind or in massive denial.