“I don’t get it. It costs $500 for the basic model, when you could get a laptop with a lot more functionality for about the same price. The iPad hype machine has been in full effect this week, and I still think it’s just that—hype,” Alex Cook blogs for Seeking Alpha.
“Nobody has ever made a commercially successful tablet computer,” Cook writes. “So, why then is there so much hype? It’s not just a rhetorical question. For one, even if you are not a Mac user, everyone loves Steve Jobs… That said, Steve Jobs has been wrong before. One of his earlier projects before he was ousted as the Apple CEO (and obviously before he was re-hired later) was the Apple Lisa. It was a computer built in 1983 with a graphical user interface and features now associated with a modern computer—significantly ahead of its time in 1983. Unfortunately, it was horribly expensive and ended up as a commercial flop.”
“The iPad could be even worse. At least the Lisa was ahead of its time. The iPad isn’t ahead of anything, but it’s certainly expensive,” Cook writes. “Tablet computers didn’t flop when HP was making them because HP lacked vision or creativity; they flopped because tablets were a bad idea.”
Cook writes, “I don’t buy the iPad hype. Analyst expectations for iPad revenue are way overblown. If I turn out to be wrong, I’ll gladly eat my words, but I’m pretty sure that I’m not wrong.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: iCal’ed with relish.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Robert S.” for the heads up.]
Wish they would ship me my flop so I coud see firsthand!
Really? He’s using the Lisa as his example?
Unbelievable!
Wow, either he’s a moron or a hitwhore.
IPads sold out in one day!. Hardly a flop.
I hope he is hungry, he will be eating lots of humble pie.
HP, vision? Isn’t that an oxymoron?
Yet another idiot that just don’t get it!
Lisa? Really? Does this moron know how old the Lisa is?
He’s trying to compare 20 year old technology with the iPad?
Has he been hiberating for 20 years and just woke up?
This guy reminds me of the IBM CEO who in the early days proclaimed the world would only need 3 or 4 computers
Dude has obviously never tried to use a laptop on a crowded commuter train. Besides, it’s not a laptop but a totally new device; if the guy was around when the first laptops came out, he’d be the one saying, “Who needs to spend so much on a portable computer when there’s a perfectly good desktop at home?”
I’m disappointed in MDM for even wasting the space and my time on this Bozo.
I don’t see the point in an iPad. At home I have a laptop, that I can also carry around, in a case, with me if I need to take it out of the house. It’s not like I can simply put it in my pocket like an iPhone/iPod touch.
It’d be interesting to see how the iPad does, but it wont be as successful as the iPhone. Maybe this will be comes Apples ‘2nd’ hobby?
A flop? Over 150 people waiting for one at my local apple store upstate CT. I love mine and now on my deck using it. It’s better than all the hype and after showing it off in the am two people went and got theirs. Most of my iPhone apps look great 2x and I find Im using a few game that I paid for and enjoy more. But MDN is not one of them! When is the iPad ver going to be ready. I can’t wait to use my iPad for work. It fits great in my briefcase and no more draging a laptop case with me. I had a HP Mini 10 for a few weeks and did not like it. Went back to the store during the return date. Funny, while in line saw someone using a Toshiba netbook and asked what he was going to do with it after getting an iPad. Said it too was going back. Lol.
Another brain stem!!!!
Maybe the people that purchase the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac computers should become the analysis for a change. Since they already know more about computers than the so called analysis.
Sad, when the general “uninformed” computer buy is so much better informed and visionary than this tech writers!
Thanks Steve Jobs for alway throwing a wrench in Bill Gates, Steve Ballmer, and the tech industry mundane and tasteless vision of the future.
It will sell well for 3 months… When the new iPhone and iPod Touch come out… No one will be interested in the iPad…
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Flop as in gigaflop, 1 million iPads sold on day 1.
People have made tablets before, but people had made so called smartphones before. They were shit. It took apple with their high quality hardware and software, that were designed for the medium, to do it properly. At the most basic level it’s not hard to understand that decent products are better than crap ones.
With relish? Add some mustard and ketchup as well to those words he’ll be eating?
I am using mine to type this comment. This thing is awesome. Yea yea yea you can use your laptop. Go ahead. This fits into a different category and if your not into it so be it. The man hit it right when he said it fits in the middle. It does!! It can’t replace my iPhone and it can’t replace my MacBook pro. Much easier to carry this around then my laptop and much bigger than my iPhone. Well worth the money. Guess he hasn’t gotten his hands on one.
Yeah, it’s such a huge flop that I went to Best Buy yesterday with absolutely no intention of getting one at all, and yet I ended up walking out the door with a 16GB model after seeing the display model. This totally blows any Netbook or Tablet PC out of the water and I couldn’t resist at $499. This is going to be yet another huge hit for Apple.
I applaud Alex Cook’s courage and honesty in the face of all the MAC fangirl’s distortions, lies and manufactured fawning over MAC’s latest in a long line of flops. How can so many reviewers get it wrong? I’ll tell you this: something fishy is coming out of Cupertino.
Cook bravely dispels the multitude of falsehoods and delivers clear insight through the MAC fog. He is at his best when he writes that many wonderful and innovative laptops can be had for the same price of the I-Pad. The best part is consumers have a lot of choice as they all run Windows, Silverlight and Microsoft Office. Thank you again, Alex, and suck it MAC sheep.
Your potential. Our passion.™
@ Catseye
I’ve always preferred a nice chutney.
He sounds as though he doesn’t own an iPad.
If that’s the case, then he’s trying to cram the iPad right in there with every tablet he’s ever seen.
What he fails to realize is, so many of us know that Apple isn’t going to produce a me-too device that mimmicks what everyone else has made.
HP has been making tablets for years, sticking to their well-worn paradigm for tablets. The only way they’ve been able to maintain any interest is by dropping the price; not innovating or incrementally adding functionality, just making them attractive with lower pricing.
Most of them are running XP, which is indicative of how much expansion has occured in the last ten years. Keep something around long enough and developers might consider taking a crack at it. I suspect that most, like Cook never jumped in with both feet for fear of being left at the alter in the Church of Microsoft.
Apple wouldn’t dream of competing in that space; building a tablet to fit the HP/Microsft paradigm for tablets, instead they’ve created a whole new space that doesn’t involve either of them, nor Cook, it would seem.
But Cook, just watch and see how quickly Micosoft comes around to dabble in iPad ecosystem. I’ll wager Microsoft will make more money from the iPad in the next few years than was made since the first tablet arrived. The same will prove true for any developer who has been turned away in favor of software written by larger production houses.
Cook, why would you flagellate yourself in such a public manner, unless you were being paid to do so? I imagine it’s easy for someone like you to eat crow after selling your soul.
“eat my words” = very safe comment.
How about “I’ll bet my monthly salary”
Functionality: My wife is using hers to read her email this morning and absolutely loves it. She can use it for that much more easily than figuring out a laptop (problems stop her) and is much better for her at seeing the full email than her iPhone.
It is just easy.
I’m with “Wings2Sky”. He has to go back 27 years to find something to support his naysaying? Maybe he should crap on the whole of computer future history because Babbage never got his Difference Engine built in his lifetime?
Reading this article on another “flop” (according to SB) – my iPhone
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Relish and a nice merlot . . .
Some folks just hain’t too swooft.
Picked up my iPad 64GB yesterday at the Apple Store, La Cantera, San Antonio. Due to a long day driving around shopping after buying the iPad, I didn’t get to set up and use the iPad until we got home late…but that didn’t stop me from using it!
I caught up on my daily Internet browsing, reading in bed laying on my side with the rotation lock ‘on.’ Even after setting the brightness to lowest setting, it seemed very bright. Those reviewers who’ve said you have to use iPad to appreciate it are 100% right. Hooked up to our home wifi, it is almost as fast loading webpages as my Mac Pro. Whoever designed and built the A4 processor has done a fantastic job. I’ve used iPad for about 4 hours, and it’s still sitting on 3/4 ‘full’ of battery charge. I occasionally glanced at the battery when I started, and it seemed like it took forever to get off 100%, at least an hour.
I bought an Incase leather case, and it is very, very nice. The young man at the La Cantera who handled our purchase gently nudged us to try it over the Apple one, and I’m glad we did. Altogether, with the case on with the cover over the screen, it is about 1″ thick, and the leather is very ‘tactilely.’ I think the cost was $59.95, which seems a bit pricey for me, but I’m already glad I got it.
Typing is going to take some time to get used to…just like it took me to get used to typing on the iPhone’s keyboard. One thing’s for sure, one doesn’t rest his fingers on the home keys. I saw Andy Ihnatko demonstrate his typing on the iPad on a Youtube video, and he was fast…saying he’s up to 50 – 60 wpm after about a week’s use.
It’s hard to stop writing about iPad, but I’ll leave it at that right now.
surely microsoft was single handedly responsible for the failure of tablets in the past. without a dedicated touch based OS, how could tablets ever have succeeded ? to this day they have not made such an OS, so surely that is the only, but crucial, innovation that apple has brought to the table/t.
700k sales
in ONE DAY
nuff said
Right, I mean, no one has ever shown that this type of interface is something people like. Well, with the exception of the tens of millions of people using modern smart phones like the iPhone.
The flaccid concept that a windows crapbox with more, but poorly performing “features” is more appealing is simplistic. Comparing tech products solely by a spec sheet is no longer useful. Netbooks vs iPad is lemons vs Apple. Even in the early days of the iPod when tech pundits were comparing similar items, the spec sheet technique did not work. An FM tuner, more buttons, and more options did not make the Zen more popular than the iPod. Here, the environment of the iPad, thoroughly tested and honed by Apple on the iPhone and iPod Touch, sets the iPad significantly apart from a netbook.
Tablets have failed before. True. But none had the iPhone/iPod Touch as predecessors to vet the environment and train/enthrall users.
Cook writes, Nobody has ever made a commercially successful tablet computer..
Nobody ever made a commercially viable MP3 player or smart phone. Yet, here we are post-iPod and iPhone.
Laziness has him go 20+ years in time to find a flop when he could have easily listed the more recent Cube, puck-mouse and the HiFi iPod Radio. Alas, when trapped in your zealot stance to point out the wrongs, credibility takes a back seat.
“Wow, either he’s a moron or a hitwhore.”
The two are not mutually exclusive.
@Arnold
You write as much as you want. You write well for a pig. Fred raised you right.
I own a touch already, so I can live without the iPad for a little while longer. What I enjoy reading about though, is how you all are using it. There’s no point in describing it anymore, especially after today. But don’t spare any words describing how you get stuff done!
Cheers!
I am awaitng my “flop” 3G but yesterday afternoon out of curiosity I went to a local Apple Store and ending up purchasing a “flop” wi-fi device. I love it. This guy is an absolute moron which is an understatement.
Mr. Cook doesn’t get it, because he is afflicted with three errors. The first is that he compares the iPad to netbooks and notebooks by summing the parts, but the iPad is a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts. It is a qualitative different thing that provides a qualitatively different experience. This new experience will even for expert and intermediate users of computers provide a new way doing thing that will be both delightful and useful in ways that aren’t possible with a netbook or notebook.
The second problem is that Mr. Cook gets even the sum of the parts wrong. Many of the things that he finds are missing on the iPad simply await the development of new apps and others, such as multitasking, appear to be around the corner in Apple’s upcoming iPhone OS 4.0. See http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/ 10/03/31/apples_iphone_4_0_to_support_multitasking_via_expose_like_interface.html. For example, Mr. Cooks says that you can’t make calls on the iPad. Well, the iPad is perfectly capable of being an excellent cell phone. Why Apple didn’t put this technology in the initial iPad probably has more to do with third-party business consideration. But notwithstanding that, third parties are rushing in to permit making calls on the iPad. Truephone has or shortly will release an app for making calls on the iPad, and Toktumi with its Line2 app, Vonage, Skype, et al. can’t be far behind. The point is that Mr. Cook has confused either business issues or the time that it takes to develop new apps with incapacity. Let time take its course, and we will see that not only is the iPad quite capable but that it will have capabilities beyond those available or beyond what can be well implemented in traditional computing platforms.
The third point is really an outgrowth of the two forgoing points. As people begin to use the iPad and developers write apps for it, people will use the iPad in ways that are not only novel but that aren’t contemplated. The iPad’s new paradigm of computing will open new vistas; it will provide new uses, some of which are likely to be the new killer apps.
“Estimated 600,000 – 700,000 iPads Sold Saturday”
-Gene Munster – Piper Jaffray
http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/20100404/600000-700000-ipads-sold-saturday/
Now, now, now. Come on, folks… let’s cut the poor guy a little slack. After all, he does lead off his little piece with “I don’t get it.”
And he obviously doesn’t.
I can understand some pundits antipathy towards the iPad. Mainly because it’s an Apple product.
This guy just seems completely clueless.
What better proof of it than that he concludes his piece with a link to David Letterman’s Top 10 spot about the iPad and says Letterman “nailed it”… as though he didn’t realize Letterman’s Top 10 spots are sarcastic humor pieces. Letterman was clearly getting in on the hype.
It wouldn’t surprised me if Steve Jobs thought it was funny also.
Hmmmm… This guy picks the Lisa, the machine that brought the GUI to Apple just before the Mac, and before MS borrowed the GUI to create windows – – He takes this ground breaking machine that was the parent of Mac and Windows and uses it as an example of a failure….
There is no brain in there.
I’m going to apple.com to cancel my 3G order right now.
If Alex Cook says it’s a flop what else do I need to know?
Sorry Mom and Dad. Cancel both your orders as well.
I wonder how many iPads Apple would have to sell to totally recoup their costs for the project. I’m sure they’ll accomplish that in no time flat, and after that it’s all gravy. I assume that even a “hobby” like the Apple TV is profitable, and I highly doubt that the iPad will be any less so than it is, what with all of the free exposure.
Alex Cook is just another insignificant blogger without vision.
Yeah, seriously. He draws on a decision from 1983?
Uh, remember that time in 3000 B.C. when Glugg tried to make fire by rubbing two snails together. Boy was that silly in hindsight…
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It’s so nice for someone to give shorts another reason to short … more fuel for the furnace.
People with vision get to live in the future before the past catches up with those that resist change. The iPad and the future are inevitable.
@Arnold Ziffel
Yes, La Cantera store very nice, in a beautiful setting. They treat you like royalty.
@the article:
“Steve Jobs has been wrong before.”
The only big mistakes Steve Jobs has made were A): trusting John Sculley, and B): trusting Eric Schmitt. I wasn’t too keen on the blue-and-white, hockey-puck mouse. Other than that, his life is a parade of genius. Count on it, this company will be bigger than Exxon.
Clueless hit troll…just ignore these blowhards. Don’t even waste our time by republishing this drivel…
If I’d asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse. – Henry Ford
I can understand this guy’s thinking. He is among the large minion that do not have an interest in the product. So be it. Can anyone remember a product launch that caused so much fervor and anticipation? I can’t. So, I would be willing to put some hard cash on this product being an overwhelming success. I know…I am sticking my neck out
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But, I saw on the late news yesterday that a survey was done on the local station here in DFW. 80% of the respondents had no interest in the iPad and viewed it as over-hyped. 3% had already gotten one and 7% were interested. Not sure what the other 10% responded. I think the 80% are called the laggards in the product life cycle. To have 10% of the general population interested in the product on Day 1 is pretty incredible.
RE Melina…
You are correct when he says that it fits right in the middle… it’s the iPad… Between your private spot and clothes… the iPad.. for your protection use a Maxipad!
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Alex go back to defragging your PC
MDN: love your take. I was gonna suggest that, but ya beat me to it!
the letters “Ho Mo” applies
Who cares if he ends eating his words…. Please make him go away…. The world changed yesterday with the release of the iPad.
My wife saw mine and just took it. I told my 10 year old she couldn’t have one, then the same UPS driver who delivered mine went across the street and delivered one to her 8 year old friend… Here we go….
Oh, another “man of vision”.
P.S. Where is Dvorak? 😀
“I don’t get it.”
I think that says it all”
He got one thing correct….. He doesn’t get it
I’ll need to go look up the meaning of moron again…, so I can see what this guy looks like
Uh, idiot, Lisa wasn’t Job’s project. Jobs was working on the Macintosh at the time, internally competing with Lisa.
Macdailynewz, please compare these guys predictions and sayings about the iPhone to what they are saying about the ipad. It would be most informative
Lisa – $10,000 1983 dollars
iPad – $500 2010 dollars.
<b>BIG<.b> difference in “expensive”!
@zmarc…
He’s a moron.
He’s a hitwhore.
He’s a moron.
He’s a hitwhore.
He’s a moron AND a hitwhore!
Cook actually used Gizmodo’s list as justification for his viewpoint? They are all idiots, as will be shown every day for the rest of 2010 and beyond. If a tablet ever becomes popular as an alternative to laptops and netbooks, it will be because Apple has led the way (once again) with the iPad.
Big, Ugly Bezel – its a freakin’ tablet that you hold with your hands
No Multitasking – not true. Apple just isn’t leaving multitasking wide open so that nimrods will crush the battery and people will blame Apple. Plus, it’s hard to run trojans in the background when you can’t.
No Cameras – reasonable point, but not a deal breaker for most.
Touch Keyboard – once again, it’s a freakin’ tablet. Nice of them not to point out the keyboard attachment option.
No HDMI Out – another point worth some consideration. Will we see a dock to HDMI adapter?
The Name iPad – incredibly juvenile and weak.
No Flash – this is actually a good thing according to many people
Adapters, Adapters, Adapters – valid point for USB – Apple could have included a mini-USB port. But the ecosystem that built up around the iPod and iPhone uses the dock connector or the dock to USB cable. The same will happend with the iPad. Plus, the iPad is meant to interface wirelessly for most tasks (Wi-Fi and/or 3G)
Update: Why stop at 8? Here are more things we are discovering that suck about the iPad.
It’s Not Widescreen
Books are not 16:9. Sometimes you have to compromise, and you can still watch widescreen movies letterboxed. Just pretend that the black bars are not there and you have your widescreen iPad, idiots.
etc.
I agree. The iPad is an epic failure. It’s an iPod touch that’s just super-sized. I’ll stick with my iPad nano (iPod touch). Apple would be better off with a tablet with Mac OSX. If I have $500 to burn, I’ll probably get a computer that’s WAY more functional then the iPaaaadddd. My iPod actually spell-checked iPaaaadddd.
This guy sounds like my boss.
iCal’ed with ketchup and mustard.
Stupid clickwhoreassfuck
Yo right it is horrible
I love it that he had to go back nearly 30 years to identify a Steve Jobs flop.
Every one of my teenagers and their friends have exclaimed upon actually using the iPad, that they must have one. They say it’s perfect and wouldn’t change anything and immediately started thinking about how to get one.
2 options:
-one of the stupidest human beings on the planet
-another whore for page hits
The sad thing is, this guy probably made enough to buy an ipad just by acting like an idiot.
“I don’t get it.”
He’s right.
as i recall jobs saw the lisa prototype and started his own group at apple to create the mac to be similar but cheaper
“Nobody has ever made a commercially successful tablet computer,”
That’s because Apple hadn’t released one yet.
MaWo: ‘went’. As in, ‘South’. The direction of ‘Windows tablet’ sales as of 03APR10.
Just FYI. Read Mr. Cooks article and no comments place. Great for when you are a blow-hard and do not want people to complain.
His other articles are all about the economy, which shows how little he knows.
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“The iPhone was not the first smartphone, and it still faces fierce competition from rivals at Research In Motion”…. It just started and its strongly competing with the leader…. its all in how you look at it.
Just a hit whore talking about things he does not know about.
Just a thought,
en
> I don’t get it.
At least he’s right about one thing.
Rediculous! No one can buy a “good” laptop for 500. Maybe a Dell! You can’t compare it to a cheap netbook, the graphics are far superior, it has an amazing battery life, and the apps set it apart from anything out there.
This guy never gives any good keynotes with a beamer???
“Another Douche iCal’ed”
Sorry, but Steve Job recognized that Lisa was an overpriced flop very early on and that is why he grabbed the best and brightest from around Apple and formed the Macintosh Team to fulfill his vision.
A flop, huh? Let’s do the math on the estimated first day sales of the iPad…700,000 units x avg cost of $599.00 USD (the mid priced model) = About $420 million USD in one day. Yeah, I don’t know how Steve Jobs sleeps at night.
No one has ever made a successful tablet
apple has never made a tablet
apple has sold more ipads on launch day than any other tablet device has sold thruout their sale span.
That makes it the worlds most successful tablet
get it? It’s already over.
Everyone can have an opinion, and it’s nice to see non-fanboi articles on the matter. Everybody just keeps repeating the same stuff so this is refreshing.
The bottom line is, the iPad is very cool and looks like it will be a game changer for the industry. Yet, nobody can predict even the near future on matters like this: it’s not certain the iPad will be a success. Even if they sell a lot of units early on, if people find some months down the road they don’t like it, and start abandoning it, that’s not really successful, is it?
Time will tell…
The iPad is destined for a plethora of uses not imagined nor designed yet. This unit will take on a fabulous life of its own with musicians, artists, photographers and the movie industry creating apps that will not only be multifunctional, but will define a generation.
The gaming platform alone will be a HUGE success and who better to promote the iPad than the world’s youth. Schools will hand them out like books and this unit will likely end up being the ultimate remote control device for the home entertainment and security system.
I could even imagine some smart kid mounting it in a steering wheel like case designed for driving and flying games.
If I were a 7+, I’d be driving my mom & dad crazy over this little masterpiece.
The man who wrote the article just lacks imagination… the man who made the iPad has just created a new world of enjoyment.
It’s funny, too. After I bought the iPhone… all I kept thinking is I’d love to have another model… only bigger.
@MDN! where’s the ical’d remarks for all the reviewers now saying the ipad is too expensive now who said before it was announced that it would be $1000+ & were floored when priced @$499?… not saying, just saying… can’t recall off the top of my head but i’m sure a few thought it could come in around $1500…
The Original Macintosh
Anecdotes about the development of Apple’s original Macintosh computer, and the people who created it. (119 stories)
http://www.folklore.org/
– Want to know about the Mac’s history –
Hi
I agree with the reviewer, I m a Mac user for over 15 years I have a iPhone, mac book air and I do not see the need to get a ipad due to the fact that I can do more with what I already have.
Thank you
M
I got my iPad yesterday morning about 11AM. My wife snuck out early, drove to the Apple store and bought it as a surprise. I started playing with it seriously about 11:30 at which time it showed an 80% charge. I used it practically non-stop ’till 1AM and the batt was at 30%. (and fyi, when i hooked it up for sync’ing, it said “not charging” so it didnt get any juice from the Mac) Excluding the fact that it’s the sleekest most brilliantly designed thing I’ve ever used, the ability to have a portable email/browser/game/movie/you-name-it device that I can actually use for more than 5-6 hours (with wifi on at all times) is worth the price of admission. My wife and I use our iPhones constantly and the biggest issues have always been battery life and screen-size for web surfing. The iPad makes both of those a non-issue and we’re both stunned by how fast this is and what a pleasure it is to use. I could go on and on but I wanna go back to enjoying the most brilliant ‘flop’ ever.
I love my flop and we’re already getting another one of the flops…just can’t decide if we wait for the 3G flop. Thanks for iCaling this one!
It’s the form factor that’s going to really make this thing sell. it’s hard to pick up a laptop and quickly look something up, but it’s easy just to graph this and have everything at your fingertips.
well…no smart@$$_ comments from me in this post. All I have to say is……..touché.
I’ve been pushing and defending Apple computers and subsequent products since the early 90’s.
I don’t why anyone would want an iPad.
Say No To The Kool-Aid my friends.
i joined Seeking Alpha just to respond to Mr. Cook by saying the following…
I don’t get it? These journalist wannabes that post on blogs such as “Seeking Alpha” like to think their word and work is something to be given credence!?! They berate the iPad because they don’t understand what it is and what it will be. I bet Mr. Cook didn’t understand the iPod, iTunes, ITMS eco system either. Fortunately for Apple’s Bottom Line, Steve Jobs did!
“Nobody has ever made a commercially successful tablet computer” sounds more of a slap at Bill Gates then a hit on Apple’s iPad. Rewrite your blog 5 years from now, when everybody and their cousin will have their version of a lesser extent Apple iPad or as Microsoft is so fond of saying, ‘a close enough device’ and report back. Then maybe you’ll be enlightened. Then maybe ‘You’ll Get It!’
The funny thing is…. Haters like to bring up crap from 1982. It’s 2010, I don’t give a rat’s a$$ about Apple 28 years ago.
Posting this from my 64 iPad. Bought this since I need one for work while I wait for the 3G to arrive for home use (can’t drag it back and forth every day!). And now am already finding the MDN iPhone app great to use at 2x. All the other iPad apps? Fantastic. I’m going to use this to login to all my Windows (sorry) servers at work using Winadmin. This thing is *great*!
As I intimated on the original an economist commenting on technology is rather like a banker advising us on card tricks, though the latter may have more sense to it than anything in this particular joker’s contribution. Difficult to take seriously anyone who needed to be told by his college Professor at the time that Apple was running itself into the ground in the mid nineties and reports it as if it were Dumbledore revealing to Harry Potter the secrets of wizardry. Though he quotes how the so called IT experts slate it (one gets the feeling this goon still thinks Bill Gates is the font of all innovative knowledge) he then refers to David Letterman as the only source of comment. I suspect he needs to give his doddery old Prof a call to bring him up to speed. Whatever you do don’t take investment advice from this clown.
If you don’t like it… don’t buy it. You don’t deserve it.
I don’t know. This thing is mad addicting to use. The small footprint makes the iPad a much better alternative to a netbook. This thing has practically limitless potential
The Lisa? Steve put together a team to crate the MacIntosh at the same time. They were two applications of the same new GUI. It really was a revolutionary success.
I must say, I am disappointed the iPad is not a stand alone computer. It really is more of a piece of hardware to use on a computer. You have to dock it, like an iPod, or you cannot maintain it or put much new on it. At least that is what I am hearing. I don’t really need that when I already have a Macbook Pro.
“Wow, either he’s a moron or a hitwhore.”
I think he is both.
I read on MDN that
loptops are for creating content
ipads are for using content
right on the money
I will use both
I hope Apple incorporates the chipset and iBooks into iPhone
Wow! I am an Apple fan, but I have to say the comments on this site are getting pretty overblown. The author has a few reasonable points, so why not address them?
Version 1 of the iPad is just a big iPod Touch. That’s pretty neat, but surely it leaves a lot to be desired?
Don’t we all want the iPad to mature into a tablet version of the iMac, running the full Apple operating system and sporting usb ports, a camera, etc etc etc?
As time goes by, as a community we should keep the pressure on Apple to deliver more.
“Version 1 of the iPad is just a big iPod Touch”
Most of the positive reviewers said they felt that way, up to the point that they used one.
You’ll also notice that there are quite a few commenters here who claim that no one should want one. So it is not surprising that a lot of people are disputing that.
This thing sucks
First four words says it all – “I don’t get it”.
Fine let’s not dig up the Lisa of 20+ years ago. Instead let’s look to the 20th anniversary Mac or the newton or the Cube. Apple has stuck itself out there and more often than not hit it out of the park but I have to agree this one feels a lot like the “cube” of iPhones. Terrific concept but beyond hype not a very functional device for the price.
It drives me crazy that every time I create a new page in safari on the iPad, that it starts with the google search field highlighted, rather than the url bar… That needs to be an option in safari preferences or something, because it is incredibly annoying… Or it should do like the iphone, and not have either field highlighted…
They will take my iPad when they pry it from my cold dead hands.
OK, you guys have gotta have a lot of apocalyptic iCal entries—please tell me you have this on a server somewhere that we can subscribe to so we know when to get under our desks and cover our heads with books???
Steve jobs did not work on the Lisa project. He was playing pirate working on the Mac when the Lisa was being produced. He does not know what he is talking about. It is not a computer replacement, just like a Kendal, DS, iPod, PDA. They are computer extensions. The accelerometer is what makes the iPad more functional than other tablets.
Got my 32GB yesterday!
Opinions aren’t sacred.
When somebody has a stupid one, like Alex Cook’s opinion on the iPad, it’s okay to shoot it down.
And don’t try to argue it isn’t stupid, because the iPad’s already proven itself not to be a flop.
I want one
I forsee writing all of my papers on it with the keyboard dock, or possible a wireless keyboard with the case, but probably both
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Anyone looking for a netbook that doesn’t get an ipad instead is crazy
I think it’s perfect for what it is
I think he covered it in his first sentence…
Why will it flop?
Old A8 processor family that is the exact same processor running in the iPhone instead of the A9 Cortex that everyone thought would be in it.
Only a PATHETIC 256 MB of RAM (same as the iPhone). Forget about ever being able to multi-task on this thing.
Fewer DPI then the iPhone (with lower overall resolution). 1024 instead of 1280. Pathetic.
Best Buy is going to eat my 15% but it’s better to lose that then spend another $600 on an iPad with upgraded specs that can actually multi-task with a camera and an SD card adapter 5 months from now.
What a pathetic joke this thing is.
FAIL
I sell Microsoft business software for a very good living. I have to say that Microsoft ERP software is an excellent value. Their marketing however, sucks. They just cannot get over their feature/function mentality.
The have so brainwashed the PC market that the vendors sell their value based uniquely on feature and function lists. “Oh my GOD the 1 Ghz Snapdragon is so fast!” Really? Compared to what?
Tried to buy a motherboard lately? Have you read Tom’s Hardware lately? Do I give a shit about how many different power supply rails it has or that the capacitors are Japanese? More importantly why should I care?
All of these reviewers march to this beat. No USB? NO DEAL! Sound familiar? What a bunch of petulant elitist bastards.
They remind me of all the the superior, holier than thou academics and writers who freaked when the French government tried to simply the French language. If you make something simple, what value do those with that special in depth knowledge have? You guessed it, none.
I used to build my PCs for a long time and I finally saw the light when I got my first MAC 3 years ago and it JUST WORKED. I now have 4 Macs, 3 iPhones, and will get 2 iPads the moment I can.
At this stage in my life I have no time for bullshit mile long feature / functions. I only care about how well it works, and nobody can touch Apple when it comes to user experience.
End rant.
I sell Microsoft business software for a very good living. I have to say that Microsoft ERP software is an excellent value. Their marketing however, sucks. They just cannot get over their feature/function mentality.
The have so brainwashed the PC market that the vendors sell their value based uniquely on feature and function lists. “Oh my GOD the 1 Ghz Snapdragon is so fast!” Really? Compared to what?
Tried to buy a motherboard lately? Have you read Tom’s Hardware lately? Do I give a shit about how many different power supply rails it has or that the capacitors are Japanese? More importantly why should I care?
All of these reviewers march to this beat. No USB? NO DEAL! Sound familiar? What a bunch of petulant elitist bastards.
They remind me of all the the superior, holier than thou academics and writers who freaked when the French government tried to simply the French language. If you make something simple, what value do those with that special in depth knowledge have? You guessed it, none.
I used to build my PCs for a long time and I finally saw the light when I got my first MAC 3 years ago and it JUST WORKED. I now have 4 Macs, 3 iPhones, and will get 2 iPads the moment I can.
At this stage in my life I have no time for bullshit mile long feature / functions. I only care about how well it works, and nobody can touch Apple when it comes to user experience.
End rant.
I sell Microsoft business software for a very good living. I have to say that Microsoft ERP software is an excellent value. Their marketing however, sucks. They just cannot get over their feature/function mentality.
The have so brainwashed the PC market that the vendors sell their value based uniquely on feature and function lists. “Oh my GOD the 1 Ghz Snapdragon is so fast!” Really? Compared to what?
Tried to buy a motherboard lately? Have you read Tom’s Hardware lately? Do I give a shit about how many different power supply rails it has or that the capacitors are Japanese? More importantly why should I care?
All of these reviewers march to this beat. No USB? NO DEAL! Sound familiar? What a bunch of petulant elitist bastards.
They remind me of all the the superior, holier than thou academics and writers who freaked when the French government tried to simply the French language. If you make something simple, what value do those with that special in depth knowledge have? You guessed it, none.
I used to build my PCs for a long time and I finally saw the light when I got my first MAC 3 years ago and it JUST WORKED. I now have 4 Macs, 3 iPhones, and will get 2 iPads the moment I can.
At this stage in my life I have no time for bullshit mile long feature / functions. I only care about how well it works, and nobody can touch Apple when it comes to user experience.
End rant.
I sell Microsoft business software for a very good living. I have to say that Microsoft ERP software is an excellent value. Their marketing however, sucks. They just cannot get over their feature/function mentality.
The have so brainwashed the PC market that the vendors sell their value based uniquely on feature and function lists. “Oh my GOD the 1 Ghz Snapdragon is so fast!” Really? Compared to what?
Tried to buy a motherboard lately? Have you read Tom’s Hardware lately? Do I give a shit about how many different power supply rails it has or that the capacitors are Japanese? More importantly why should I care?
All of these reviewers march to this beat. No USB? NO DEAL! Sound familiar? What a bunch of petulant elitist bastards.
They remind me of all the the superior, holier than thou academics and writers who freaked when the French government tried to simply the French language. If you make something simple, what value do those with that special in depth knowledge have? You guessed it, none.
I used to build my PCs for a long time and I finally saw the light when I got my first MAC 3 years ago and it JUST WORKED. I now have 4 Macs, 3 iPhones, and will get 2 iPads the moment I can.
At this stage in my life I have no time for bullshit mile long feature / functions. I only care about how well it works, and nobody can touch Apple when it comes to user experience.
End rant.
I sell Microsoft business software for a very good living. I have to say that Microsoft ERP software is an excellent value. Their marketing however, sucks. They just cannot get over their feature/function mentality.
The have so brainwashed the PC market that the vendors sell their value based uniquely on feature and function lists. “Oh my GOD the 1 Ghz Snapdragon is so fast!” Really? Compared to what?
Tried to buy a motherboard lately? Have you read Tom’s Hardware lately? Do I give a shit about how many different power supply rails it has or that the capacitors are Japanese? More importantly why should I care?
All of these reviewers march to this beat. No USB? NO DEAL! Sound familiar? What a bunch of petulant elitist bastards.
They remind me of all the the superior, holier than thou academics and writers who freaked when the French government tried to simply the French language. If you make something simple, what value do those with that special in depth knowledge have? You guessed it, none.
I used to build my PCs for a long time and I finally saw the light when I got my first MAC 3 years ago and it JUST WORKED. I now have 4 Macs, 3 iPhones, and will get 2 iPads the moment I can.
At this stage in my life I have no time for bullshit mile long feature / functions. I only care about how well it works, and nobody can touch Apple when it comes to user experience.
End rant.
I sell Microsoft business software for a very good living. I have to say that Microsoft ERP software is an excellent value. Their marketing however, sucks. They just cannot get over their feature/function mentality.
The have so brainwashed the PC market that the vendors sell their value based uniquely on feature and function lists. “Oh my GOD the 1 Ghz Snapdragon is so fast!” Really? Compared to what?
Tried to buy a motherboard lately? Have you read Tom’s Hardware lately? Do I give a shit about how many different power supply rails it has or that the capacitors are Japanese? More importantly why should I care?
All of these reviewers march to this beat. No USB? NO DEAL! Sound familiar? What a bunch of petulant elitist bastards.
They remind me of all the the superior, holier than thou academics and writers who freaked when the French government tried to simply the French language. If you make something simple, what value do those with that special in depth knowledge have? You guessed it, none.
I used to build my PCs for a long time and I finally saw the light when I got my first MAC 3 years ago and it JUST WORKED. I now have 4 Macs, 3 iPhones, and will get 2 iPads the moment I can.
At this stage in my life I have no time for bullshit mile long feature / functions. I only care about how well it works, and nobody can touch Apple when it comes to user experience.
End rant.
Another moron on the loose!
Wasn’t the Lisa the 1st window GUI based computer that spawned the Mac and was later cloned by Microsoft?
Hardly sounds like a failure to me.
Wasn’t the Lisa the 1st window GUI based computer that spawned the Mac and was later cloned by Microsoft?
Hardly sounds like a failure to me.
Wasn’t the Lisa the 1st window GUI based computer that spawned the Mac and was later cloned by Microsoft?
Hardly sounds like a failure to me.
Wasn’t the Lisa the 1st window GUI based computer that spawned the Mac and was later cloned by Microsoft?
Hardly sounds like a failure to me.
Wasn’t the Lisa the 1st window GUI based computer that spawned the Mac and was later cloned by Microsoft?
Hardly sounds like a failure to me.
Wasn’t the Lisa the 1st window GUI based computer that spawned the Mac and was later cloned by Microsoft?
Hardly sounds like a failure to me.
It seems that this article angered a lot of Apple fanboys/fangirls LOL
@ Super_Roflcopter
So what drew you here? You’re changing your mind aren’t you? You’re going to buy that iPad you’ve always wanted. Hope you can find one, they’re very popular you know.
After 2 days of almost constant use, I have to agree with whoever said “this thing is addicting”. I’m still in a state of awe over this beauty. But there are some things that could be improved; 1) a “scroll to bottom of page” (needed on iPhone too), 2) a ^*%% clock/alarms! I know everyone’s saying that there will be plenty of clocks available as add-on apps but how will they get around not being able to run in the background for alarms? 3) I’m working on how to get movies (from avi, mkv, etc) to fill the damned screen. Not a fault of the device but watching video that (in landscape) goes the entire width but uses only 1/3 in the middle of the vertical is really annoying (if someone has a suggestion, please pipe up) – I’m sure it’s a matter of finding a good conversion app (oh if only VisualHub were still supported!) but absolutely none of my movies that I stream via Air Video fill the screen. And Quicktime (on Mac) can’t open .Mkv (hi-def) movie files to convert to iPad. (yes, I know AirVideo will convert on-the-fly but I want them converted first and I want full-screen video.) Hmmmm… So the absolute worst I can come up with is one (currently) missing app, one easily-added feature and a little learning to do on video. Wish everything would flop like the iPad.
And to any idiot who thinks that they can’t get an iPad, most Apple Stores DID NOT SELL OUT of their on-hand stock and you can Waltz into a Best Buy (like I did) and just walk out of the store with one with no wait.
Don’t believe the stupidity and hype of “hope you can find one.” The question really is, do you really want one.
All the articles tearing this thing open and really seeing what’s behind it are finally coming out and the verdict is: disappointing.
From old generation processors to an embarrassingly small amount of RAM (256 MB – seriously?) to a display that is too reflective (and lower overall resolution size accounting for the total DPI of the iPhone).
All for twice the price of a Netbook that can do twice as much.
FAIL.
I love my iPad it will almost replace my laptop once more of the web drops that flash crap and switches to html5 and all of the net works cuz I know a few YouTube like sites that there vids don’t play on my iPad but have been suggesting to them to do the smart thing and switch and I’m excited to see if the background apps will really be out with 4.0 but I am loving my iPad can’t wait to use it in class and I type pretty damn good on it want a web cam in the 2nd gen this baby works so good tho can’t complain about the first iPad But I want a book from the iBook store that they don’t have
Relish?
I wonder if he’s going to want fries with that.
It’s already going to have to be super-sized.
Do you think he might be anti-(MDN word)Apple?
This device proves that specifications don’t have squat to do with performance. This thing is wicked fast and the display is clear and sharp. I haven’t been able to put mine down since Saturday. Reading books is a joy (the dictionary function rocks!). The NPR and USA today app’s are awesome. Battery life is amazing. People aren’t going to care how much RAM it has or how many pixels are on the screen as long as it does what needs to be done with style and reliability. They’re going to sell a gazillion of these!
You just made this article to get publicity for being:
‘Out-of-Touch & start a ‘Flame war’
And the quote:
‘Steve Jobs has been wrong before. One of his earlier projects before he was ousted as the Apple CEO (and obviously before he was re-hired later) was the Apple Lisa’
Steve jobs was not CEO again until 1984…then Macintosh started to grow again with his vision and leadership.
The previous Table PC did had lots of functionality and poor usability, using a stylus pen to control them. And suffered from having an Windows PC OS. Just like how windows failed to make a good Phone OS. The iPad is fast, fantastic usability, functionality, and an Army of 3rd Party developers making wonderful Apps.
Visit an Apple store and have a play…it’s not suppose to be a replacement for your Macbook Pro or PC. It’s a new category!
The iPad is great for traveling. Period.
Great for email, web browsing, and books…
I have been avoiding taking my laptop with me on difficult jaunts… using only my iPhone for email and web. The iPhone works, but it is not optimal…
Its, true, the iPad is not perfect (version 1)… but for me…
Problem Solved.
No Brainer.
mmmgh, let’s see 700,000 sold the first weekend?
all containing only wifi and no 3G?
Fail? Mmmgh. I’ve I’caled this statement too.
Remember first weekend iPhone 250k+.
No my friend, this is huge. Probably bigger than the Courier will be. Don’t even mention our open source favorite Gpad. A monstrosity in the making with its 10-20 vendors and a non-unified OS. For that matter, the Courier will have the same issues.
See you at the bank when I cash in the remainder of my Apple stock.
Yes, the guy is an absolute moron, and Zune Tang must have internet access in solitary confinement.
I can’t wait to hear ballmers take on it. any videos?
“I’ve never seen people come downstairs so fast. I don’t even ring the bell and they’re at the door.”
– A UPS driver on the Saturday morning iPad deliveries he’s been making.”
~ AAPL stock will be $300 by Dec. 2010
~ $51 Billion revenue
~ $41 Billion in CASH
~ ZERO debt
~ Great management and employees
~ Great Apple products
~ Record Profits every three months
~ Zero Virus. It just works faster and better:-)
And new customers + loyal customers!!!!!!!!!
Keep it up Up Apple, Inc.
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Good Jobs
iCal’ed … with crow, not relish
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The same-size (9.7″) Kindle DX retails at $489 … and yet we’re lamenting just that it was the iPad was who missed a “$100-$200” price point? Yes, its easy to look at cheap “$299” (really more) Netbooks and claim that they’re the future of computing. Sure, portability is right, but their business model is not. Suffice to say that Netbooks are a non-sustainable ‘Bread & Water’ diet for the PC Manufacturers, and their sole purpose is to defer death by starvation …for today, in hopes of a change to a more profitable (and TBD) business model tomorrow.
Moving back to the iPad, it is a device optimized for media consumption. And more to the point, this isn’t at all related to the question of “computer literacy”. If you don’t think that this business model concept has any chance, consider that traditional media (Radio, Newspaper, TV) are also all “consumption” devices that US Households consume several hours per night, 365/year. And yes, their models have been in trouble – – but when you dig into it, their troubles are mostly from factors related to *distribution*. Thus, the business implications will hinge upon the question of if the iPad might be a solution to their distribution problem.
Finally, every claim of “Flop” that has been made lately has studiously avoided committing to quantifiable terms, which makes them non-credible. Since the saying goes, “Birds of a Feather…”., perhaps this webpages sponsors of Sogotrade and Investools should give pause to who they’re choosing to associate with.
-hh
The Ipad is already outdated with last years technology and less RAM then a Palm PRE. The only performance over the iPhone is due to optimization differences in OS 3.2 which will be negated once the iphone OS catches up.
That is pathetic. Revolutionary = ripping you off with last years technology at today’s price.
Dumb fanboys eat it up…
zmarc – Wow, either he’s a moron or a hitwhore.
I’d say hitwhore. He’s just using the Dvorak model to call attention to himself.
Poor PlayNice. Keep on spouting. Maybe you’ll believe your own hyperbole. You trollies need a new script. You said the same thing when the iPod came out, and again when the iPhone came out.
Fail.
Did I just see PlayNice bring up the old ‘But it’s glossy!’ argument?
Lol
Look guts- playnice just assasinated your arguments. No one has yet to respond to his factual statements that it has a year-old processor, an embarrasingly low amount of RAM, etc. Once the fanboys are done buying it, sales will fall.
It is incredibly dumb to buy a large iPod touch- especially when in about 60 days there will be an iPhone/touch that is better than the camera-less maxi pad.
Playnice systematically destroyed you fanboys and all you can do is call him a troll or ad hominem attack him without responding to his valid points. He wins.
You
FAIL.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha giggle <*snort*> chuckle chuckle.
Whew!
Keep the comedy coming!
I don’t get the hype. People have tried for years to fly and to build a machine capable of making humans take to the sky like a bird. What can the wright brothers do that no one else could? They will be a flop
Alex should have stopped at “I don’t get it”.
I spent the weekend with my new iPad- it’s awesome. It’s EXACTLY what I was looking for for the living room. I brought it over to my sister’s for Easter dinner. Everybody loved it & was able to figure it out- even the Windows users
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I sat back and watched my family “play” with this thing. They couldn’t put it done. So much for my email privacy- jeez- anyway- it’s very cool- it won’t replace the laptop but it doesn’t have to.
BTW- my 3 year old grand daughter was flicking through the pictures with no help. We even taught her how to restart the photo app if “something went wrong”- we just told her to press on the picture that looked like a flower to start over- too cute.
I believe the iPad is going to be to education what the opposable thumb was to the monkey!!
“I don’t get it.”
In my opinion, the article ends here. And he’s correct.
http://iPadLot.com
@Truthbearer
Except you are full of shit. The processor is new to the market and you know jack about it, it’s actually got 512 MB of RAM, which is more than enough for it’s design, and the rest of his rant is just that: a rant, not backed up in anyway with facts. And Netbooks are shit. An hour of battery life at best, the entire Windows 7 interface crammed into a smaller screen than the iPad at much worse resolution.
The iPad is going to destroy netbooks and the associated stupidity of cramming Microsoft’s OS onto a touch format once and for all.
Why don’t you check your facts before opening your mouth.
You are WRONG.
Only 256 MB of RAM
A8 Processor (not A9).
NOTHING is new to the market in terms of the processor. The thing is fast because: 1.) They have further optimized the performance of iPhone OS (2.0 to 3.0 was orders of magnitude faster – its all in the optimization) and 2.) This thing can never multi-task so they optimized it for speed for single tasking.
FAIL (as usual, you overzelous fanboys have nothing else to say).
I’m an independent manufacturers rep with my own firm and I’m going to supply my field reps with a iPad for demo’s, presentations and field paperwork. It’s light weight, packs well and works well with iWorks — everything that a rep needs while on the road and alway from their company supplied iMacs!
If you look over the topics at good ole MDN you will see that PlayNice has copied and pasted his exact same posts all over. Well done! It’s bad enough you took a big dose of mental laxative, but you can’t even vary it from thread to thread.
LOL
Poor old PlayNice wants people to address concerns that are only important to lame, list-wielding trollies. Maybe if you pretend to be some other people in addition to Truthbearer you can give the impression of being a group of losers rather than just a single nut.
@ Jim Klaas,
“I believe the iPad is going to be to education what the opposable thumb was to the monkey!!”
Betcha PlayNice doesn’t have those handy opposable thumbs. That’s why he’s so down on the iPad.
Shadow – let me point out how absurd you are. There is only 256 megs of RAM:
http://gizmodo.com/5510191/deconstructing-the-ipads-a4-chip-its-still-a-giant-iphone
Secondly, for you to claim that Netbooks have “an hour” of battery life is beyond absurd. Look, I like Apple products. I own 3 of them. But you really need to get your head checked because you are so biased that you can’t even type straight.
Let me quote from the article:
Here’s the thing: The iPhone uses an ARM Cortex A8 processor, just at a lower clockspeed. The PowerVR SGX 535 GPU is what’s in the iPhone 3GS. In terms of processor architecture and graphics capabilities, the iPad is, again, just a big iPhone—not to mention the fact that it has the same paltry 256MB of RAM.
Let me also obliterate your other arguments. Let me take a standard, run of the mill netbook:
Dell Inspiron Mini:
Battery Life: 9.5 hours
Screen resolution: 1366X768
Care to read some facts before you blather out your bullshit again?
That’s good that people can receive the personal loans and this opens up new possibilities.
I agree, I have no use for this item, I am a mac user, i don’t have a ipone, ipad or ipod, these are apples bread and butter items and to me they are just soggy bread. No thanks. overpriced crap that is nothing more then a flash in the pan. period.