- Joined
- Dec 22, 2006
- Messages
- 26,561
- Reaction score
- 677
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Texas, where else?
- Your Mac's Specs
- 15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
While not "in the business" so to speak, I am "that" guy... the one all the friends/co-workers/family call when they have problems with their computer, TV, audio gear, etc. I'm also the one they call when it's time for a new one.
I've already had a couple of folks ask about the iPad for their use. Have to say at this point, I believe the vast majority of folks that have to ask someone else about the iPad... it is not the device they're looking for. No more than someone that reads/buys 5 books a year needs a Kindle, Sony or B&N e-reader.
The folks that turn to their geek friends to get purchasing advice about these type of things tend to buy a new computer about once every 5-8 years. They have no clue where technology has gone since the last computer they bought. They just wonder what's wrong with the $600 Dell, HP or Compaq they bought back in 2002 and how cheap can they go and still get something that will last them another 5-8 years. This is not the iPad market. Not yet.
The iPad starting out is a device for folks that know what they want. They already have a computer and at least semi know how to use the thing. My guess is that most of the people that go for an iPad already own more than one computer. This is for those folks who are tired of being tied to their desk for "all" their computing. Or maybe tired of having that 5-8 pound weight tied to their lap whenever they need to just do quick check of their email or maybe googling to do a little research.
The iPad is not a machine that is going to take the place of your work computer. Not even take the place of your primary personal computer. It's certainly not going to take the place of my HTPC or my media server.
A lot of the comments I've seen are those looking to replace their $1500-$2000 computer with this new magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price. $500?? Yeah, right people, come on and get for real.
I will be able to sit back in my recliner without this heatsink sitting in my lap while I'm banning spammers. I'll be able to pull up Amazon to check pricing on the next thing I need to buy and without this power cable that I have to run from a not convenient outlet. e-mail? it's there too.
Grabbing a copy of the newest Sci-fi just released in hard cover at 50% or more off the hard cover price. (And I say, some folks need to learn how to adjust the brightness on their monitors. Maybe they wouldn't have such a problem reading. You just wouldn't believe how many folks have the brightness turned up about as high as it will go all the time rather than taking the time to adjust it to existing light conditions.)
I'm like everyone else. I could come up with a lot of stuff that I'd like to have on the thing. I'd like to see full blown 10.6, or dual booting to Win7. Yeah, and then I'm right back to a computer in my lap again. Face it, both 10.6 and Win7 are going to run like poop on a 1Ghz chip. We know for sure Win7 does, just ask someone that owns one of those 1.6Ghz atom chips in a notebook running Win7 (oh sorry, they're actually so bad they came up with a new name for them - netbook - just to let you know up front not to expect too much out of them).
The fact of the matter, the technology to put a Core2Duo, i5, or i7 along with 512MB 3D video, 4GB RAM, 2 USB ports, FW, SD card slot, video camera and 256GB drive all into a 5"x7"x1/2" slab is just not here - yet.
What we do have is a new device with a new chip with a new purpose in a size us old timers might actually be able to see. So for those that would like to sit in the Family room with the rest of the family instead of at that desk at the opposite end of the house "all" the time, the iPad might be for you. Those tired of that hot weight sitting on your lap "all" the time, the iPad might be for you. Those interested in the possibility of color magazines and newspapers, comics, graphic novels, cookbooks..., the iPad might be for you.
I've already had a couple of folks ask about the iPad for their use. Have to say at this point, I believe the vast majority of folks that have to ask someone else about the iPad... it is not the device they're looking for. No more than someone that reads/buys 5 books a year needs a Kindle, Sony or B&N e-reader.
The folks that turn to their geek friends to get purchasing advice about these type of things tend to buy a new computer about once every 5-8 years. They have no clue where technology has gone since the last computer they bought. They just wonder what's wrong with the $600 Dell, HP or Compaq they bought back in 2002 and how cheap can they go and still get something that will last them another 5-8 years. This is not the iPad market. Not yet.
The iPad starting out is a device for folks that know what they want. They already have a computer and at least semi know how to use the thing. My guess is that most of the people that go for an iPad already own more than one computer. This is for those folks who are tired of being tied to their desk for "all" their computing. Or maybe tired of having that 5-8 pound weight tied to their lap whenever they need to just do quick check of their email or maybe googling to do a little research.
The iPad is not a machine that is going to take the place of your work computer. Not even take the place of your primary personal computer. It's certainly not going to take the place of my HTPC or my media server.
A lot of the comments I've seen are those looking to replace their $1500-$2000 computer with this new magical and revolutionary device at an unbelievable price. $500?? Yeah, right people, come on and get for real.
I will be able to sit back in my recliner without this heatsink sitting in my lap while I'm banning spammers. I'll be able to pull up Amazon to check pricing on the next thing I need to buy and without this power cable that I have to run from a not convenient outlet. e-mail? it's there too.
Grabbing a copy of the newest Sci-fi just released in hard cover at 50% or more off the hard cover price. (And I say, some folks need to learn how to adjust the brightness on their monitors. Maybe they wouldn't have such a problem reading. You just wouldn't believe how many folks have the brightness turned up about as high as it will go all the time rather than taking the time to adjust it to existing light conditions.)
I'm like everyone else. I could come up with a lot of stuff that I'd like to have on the thing. I'd like to see full blown 10.6, or dual booting to Win7. Yeah, and then I'm right back to a computer in my lap again. Face it, both 10.6 and Win7 are going to run like poop on a 1Ghz chip. We know for sure Win7 does, just ask someone that owns one of those 1.6Ghz atom chips in a notebook running Win7 (oh sorry, they're actually so bad they came up with a new name for them - netbook - just to let you know up front not to expect too much out of them).
The fact of the matter, the technology to put a Core2Duo, i5, or i7 along with 512MB 3D video, 4GB RAM, 2 USB ports, FW, SD card slot, video camera and 256GB drive all into a 5"x7"x1/2" slab is just not here - yet.
What we do have is a new device with a new chip with a new purpose in a size us old timers might actually be able to see. So for those that would like to sit in the Family room with the rest of the family instead of at that desk at the opposite end of the house "all" the time, the iPad might be for you. Those tired of that hot weight sitting on your lap "all" the time, the iPad might be for you. Those interested in the possibility of color magazines and newspapers, comics, graphic novels, cookbooks..., the iPad might be for you.