Without books, whats the point?

[613]

Can't see Apple all of a sudden disallowing the Kindle app. I'd be willing to wager Amazon will have an updated app for the iPad, if not by it's release date, soon to follow.

Their existing app may work perfectly well, just not sure how text will look in non-updated apps that are just expanded to fit the iPad screen. That's something we'll find out soon enough.

I imagine an iPad-specific Kindle app will be on the cards, but how it impacts on their own hardware sales and the price they would have to put on the app will be interesting!

To the OP, I'm sadly not a major reader anymore, but iBooks here in the UK would certainly make me more likely to buy an iPad, and an iPad maybe be more likely to get me back into reading things other than blogs and text books! As a student, the potential iBook education market is of more interest to me, although, I'm still more than happy to go to the University library!

 

[CyberBob]

If it ran a real mac os I might buy one, but the ipad is a perfect example of the way apple is going these days with mobile devices. I am not fond of the locked software, you can't do a whole lot on an ipad that the iphone or ipod doesn't already do.

I mean the software is basically locked, and apple has no problem asserting their tactic of controlling not allowing user experience on this device, it is geared for profit gain for apple, unlike a macbook or macbook pro user experience and optional modifications to the os comes second to profit goals not prior.

Theres no ports! Why would I want to buy a device like this with no usb, no firewire, or dvi out? I mean maybe I want to backup data once and a while without expensive alternatives, or burn a cd of my itunes library from the ipad to a disc via external cd/dvd burner? Most people using this device are "travelling" or at least thats the idea behind it, an "all in one" mobile device , that "does everything better" than anything out there right? So why not actually do everything better, instead of just a little bit better than what is out there?

Certainly of the tablet devices this would be my pick, especially as a long time mac user and collector, but I have no desire for a device with a narrowly compressed user experience aimed for maximum "app store" purchases and "iboooks" packages...

It won't even support flash, if you want videos go to the itunes store and download it , dont just go to youtube or google video, thats too easy. And al lthose webpages that use flash, you don't need the media they display, just move on.

This may seem like a rant, but It really isn't, if you want an ipad great, it has a number of markets or user levels where it will really do well, and offer a variety of things that other similar devices do not and maynot for some time.

But for now I guess a macbook or mbp, even a powerbook g4 will be a better device for my uses and requirements, but if and when they release another generation of ipad I hope that it offers more open usability, and a real os + some ports and flash support.

My pedantic rant

 

[stoster1]

If it ran a real mac os I might buy one, but the ipad is a perfect example of the way apple is going these days with mobile devices. I am not fond of the locked software, you can't do a whole lot on an ipad that the iphone or ipod doesn't already do.

I mean the software is basically locked, and apple has no problem asserting their tactic of controlling not allowing user experience on this device, it is geared for profit gain for apple, unlike a macbook or macbook pro user experience and optional modifications to the os comes second to profit goals not prior.

Theres no ports! Why would I want to buy a device like this with no usb, no firewire, or dvi out? I mean maybe I want to backup data once and a while without expensive alternatives, or burn a cd of my itunes library from the ipad to a disc via external cd/dvd burner? Most people using this device are "travelling" or at least thats the idea behind it, an "all in one" mobile device , that "does everything better" than anything out there right? So why not actually do everything better, instead of just a little bit better than what is out there?

Certainly of the tablet devices this would be my pick, especially as a long time mac user and collector, but I have no desire for a device with a narrowly compressed user experience aimed for maximum "app store" purchases and "iboooks" packages...

It won't even support flash, if you want videos go to the itunes store and download it , dont just go to youtube or google video, thats too easy. And al lthose webpages that use flash, you don't need the media they display, just move on.

This may seem like a rant, but It really isn't, if you want an ipad great, it has a number of markets or user levels where it will really do well, and offer a variety of things that other similar devices do not and maynot for some time.

But for now I guess a macbook or mbp, even a powerbook g4 will be a better device for my uses and requirements, but if and when they release another generation of ipad I hope that it offers more open usability, and a real os + some ports and flash support.

My pedantic rant

LOL I don't see your post as a rant. You're just expressing your opinions based on what your needs are. We all know that the iPad is not going to meet everyones needs. What product can?

I know for my needs that the iPad would be perfect compared to a MBP. A MBP was just too much machine for my simple needs plus the price and weight were serious issues for me.

As for the iPhone/iPad being a closed system? Well I think that most of us, at least in these forums, were pretty much aware of that going in. So if Apple's way of creating products and doing business were not something that people liked they always have the option of not buying the product.

I understand that there is a trade off when buying a product like the iPhone and soon the iPad but I'm willing to make that trade off since the product will be meeting my needs. Plus who knows what developers will be able to create that can possibly make the iPad more useful in ways that I didn't even think about.

So I'm looking forward to getting the iPad and putting it to good use

 

[Voony]

If it ran a real mac os I might buy one, but the ipad is a perfect example of the way apple is going these days with mobile devices. I am not fond of the locked software, you can't do a whole lot on an ipad that the iphone or ipod doesn't already do.

I mean the software is basically locked, and apple has no problem asserting their tactic of controlling not allowing user experience on this device, it is geared for profit gain for apple, unlike a macbook or macbook pro user experience and optional modifications to the os comes second to profit goals not prior.

Theres no ports! Why would I want to buy a device like this with no usb, no firewire, or dvi out? I mean maybe I want to backup data once and a while without expensive alternatives, or burn a cd of my itunes library from the ipad to a disc via external cd/dvd burner? Most people using this device are "travelling" or at least thats the idea behind it, an "all in one" mobile device , that "does everything better" than anything out there right? So why not actually do everything better, instead of just a little bit better than what is out there?

Certainly of the tablet devices this would be my pick, especially as a long time mac user and collector, but I have no desire for a device with a narrowly compressed user experience aimed for maximum "app store" purchases and "iboooks" packages...

It won't even support flash, if you want videos go to the itunes store and download it , dont just go to youtube or google video, thats too easy. And al lthose webpages that use flash, you don't need the media they display, just move on.

This may seem like a rant, but It really isn't, if you want an ipad great, it has a number of markets or user levels where it will really do well, and offer a variety of things that other similar devices do not and maynot for some time.

But for now I guess a macbook or mbp, even a powerbook g4 will be a better device for my uses and requirements, but if and when they release another generation of ipad I hope that it offers more open usability, and a real os + some ports and flash support.

My pedantic rant

How does that have to do with the books? If you want something that do and perform like a laptop, then just get a laptop. That simple.

Too bad the iPad doesn't suppor Flash tho.

 

[CyberBob]

How does that have to do with the books? If you want something that do and perform like a laptop, then just get a laptop. That simple.

Too bad the iPad doesn't suppor Flash tho.

I am not saying it wouldn't be usefull, I am just saying it would actually live up to expectations if it actually did everything better instead of just doing better than other tablets on the market.

Its streamlined for extreme user friendly market, which is understandable from a profit goal orientation, but they could widen that market with more options.

To me its a beta product, and if you buy you're a beta tester, there will be a 2nd and 3rd gen just like the iphone probably, and hopefully ibooks will become more and more present as a key app download, but we all know this beats any book reader out there already.

I think the question now is what else can we get added to this device that will attract tech savy customers... and my idea for that is above basically.

The flash issue is just an example of the closed - preselected path for this platform, even without ports if it ran a real os x , or at least came with that option on release it would be a possible purchase for me, but until someone jailbreaks it or installs it I will wait for the next release if that, which probably wont feature a full os either.

Enjoy your product if it gets it done, I will be buying a new mbp or mb, it will get my needs done, the powerbook and core duo mbp aren't getting it done anymore. I was hoping to buy an ipad but am somewhat disappointed to say the least.

 

[the8thark]

Too bad the iPad doesn't suppor Flash tho.

Wait for html5 to come out. Then your need for flash will all of a sudden dissapear. As html5 can do everything flash can do without the need for flash and it's plugins. And yes Apple and others I feel are marketing their devices/appls this way with html5 in mind.

 

[chas_m]

I think the question now is what else can we get added to this device that will attract tech savy customers.

I thank you for this very concise summary of EXACTLY what's wrong with your thinking.

This is *precisely* the question Apple is NOT asking with regards to this product.

 

[bobtomay]

I thank for this very concise summary of EXACTLY what's wrong with your thinking.

This is *precisely* the question Apple is NOT asking with regards to this product.

Agreed 100% here.

... I will be buying a new mbp or mb, it will get my needs done, the powerbook and core duo mbp aren't getting it done anymore. I was hoping to buy an ipad but am somewhat disappointed to say the least.

Disappointed that there is not yet a $500 device that will fulfill all your computing needs and simultaneously gut the sales of their notebook line? Join the club. I've been waiting for that since my first computer in '81.

 

[chas_m]

Disappointed that there is not yet a $500 device that will fulfill all your computing needs and simultaneously gut the sales of their notebook line? Join the club. I've been waiting for that since my first computer in '81.

As I said in the other thread ... "magical thinking."

 

[bobtomay]

Have to revise some:

Disappointed that there is not yet a $500 device that will fulfill all your computing needs, weighs in at only a pound and a half, the size of a magazine and simultaneously gut the sales of their notebook line? Join the club. I've been waiting for that since my first computer in '81. I just didn't know it back then.

 

[Voony]

Wait for html5 to come out. Then your need for flash will all of a sudden dissapear. As html5 can do everything flash can do without the need for flash and it's plugins. And yes Apple and others I feel are marketing their devices/appls this way with html5 in mind.

I just wanna be able to watch Netftlix movies when traveling somewhere and not having to have my laptop. If you can do that with the iPad, I'm in

 

[Voony]

Its streamlined for extreme user friendly market, which is understandable from a profit goal orientation, but they could widen that market with more options.

I think the question now is what else can we get added to this device that will attract tech savy customers... and my idea for that is above basically.

Your first sentence replied your second one. The iPad has been designed to be easy to use for everyone. This is why there is no OS. Nobody wants to have the iPad to attract tech savy customers. You have PCs to do this!

 

[the8thark]

I just wanna be able to watch Netftlix movies when traveling somewhere and not having to have my laptop. If you can do that with the iPad, I'm in

Since the ipad can display video in HD, it's all up tyo netflix to make an ipad app so you can get their vudeo content into the ipad. I'd pester them about with a few nice words. And hey it might just happen. The ipad is totally capable. It's all up to netflix if they want to support the ipad.

 

[Voony]

Since the ipad can display video in HD, it's all up tyo netflix to make an ipad app so you can get their vudeo content into the ipad. I'd pester them about with a few nice words. And hey it might just happen. The ipad is totally capable. It's all up to netflix if they want to support the ipad.

One would say it's up to Apple to make the iPad simply able to have the plug in to simply be able to watch Netflix without having to use a third party app.

 

[the8thark]

Well maybe it could just be able to have the plugin to watch netflix without a 3rd party App being use. But again netflix would have to make such a plugin. Very doable only if netflix wants to. It'd only be a browser/quicktime plugin. Which are not hard to make.

 

[bobtomay]

One would say it's up to Apple to make the iPad simply able to have the plug in to simply be able to watch Netflix without having to use a third party app.

You can't watch Netflix without a 3rd party app in OS X or in Windows.

You can't watch youtube videos without a 3rd party app in OS X, Windows or Linux.

You can't watch hulu.com without a 3rd party app in OS X, Windows or Linux.

You can't watch Amazon videos without a 3rd party app in OS X or in Windows.

Shall I go on?

It has always been and is still up to the content providers to make their content available on the various platforms if they want that portion of the audience.

I agree. That'd be pretty cool to have Netflix available on the iPad. But it's going to be up to Netflix to come up with a way to stream their content in a way that the ones who own the content will agree to. This is not Apple's job, nor is it Microsoft's job. They put out a product and provide the documentation that allows others to create apps that will run in their OS. Neither one of them can run out to the hundreds of thousands of content providers and make sure their OS works with all of them. It is up to the hundreds of thousands of content providers to make their content available on what today are only three platforms; Windows, Linux and OS X.

 

[Voony]

You can't watch Netflix without a 3rd party app in OS X or in Windows.

You can't watch youtube videos without a 3rd party app in OS X, Windows or Linux.

You can't watch hulu.com without a 3rd party app in OS X, Windows or Linux.

You can't watch Amazon videos without a 3rd party app in OS X or in Windows.

Shall I go on?

It has always been and is still up to the content providers to make their content available on the various platforms if they want that portion of the audience.

You just have to have the plug in, not a third party application...

They would have made it available for the iPhone if they were interested.

 

[bobtomay]

Most plugins are still developed by 3rd parties.
The last I checked, Flash is an application and the browser plugin merely allows that app to run from within the browser.
Same goes for Silverlight, required for Netflix at this point... an application installed as a browser plugin.


The movie studios are not going to allow Netflix, hulu, or any others stream their content without some form of DRM or in a way that could be easily saved to disk.

 

[Calijoefornia]

You just have to have the plug in, not a third party application...

They would have made it available for the iPhone if they were interested.

Apple has denied similar app development countless times before. Having a video rental app is a direct conflict of interest in Apple's rental service. It makes no financial sense for them to allow it when they could just say no and make people either buy/rent legitimately or pirate their content. I don't condone pirating in any way, but it's the road many many people take as a result of it.

 

[Voony]

Apple has denied similar app development countless times before. Having a video rental app is a direct conflict of interest in Apple's rental service. It makes no financial sense for them to allow it when they could just say no and make people either buy/rent legitimately or pirate their content. I don't condone pirating in any way, but it's the road many many people take as a result of it.

I understand that Apple wants to protect their own assets but I use Netflix because I didn't want to download pirated movies but paying $15 a movie on iTunes is not a good solution for me either. So it's either you download pirated movies and upload them to your future iPad, or you pay Apple to get them. When will movie studios/distributors finally understand that more people would pay for movies or music if that was cheaper? I know it takes lots of money to make a movie or a CD, but I am sure that more people would buy movies on iTunes if they were cheaper. Albums on iTunes are at a reasonable price, movies aren't. Movies are not something you watch 10 times a week. You listen to an album all the time.

Apple should also think about these reasons why people would buy an iPad or not. Regarding the fact that there are so many people using Netflix these days, these people might be potential customers for Apple willing to buy an iPad to watch movie on the go as long as they have a Wi Fi connection. Of course, I wouldn't see Steve Jobs saying "Look, you can also watch thousands of movies for $10 a month on Netflix on our new gadget with its beautiful screen if ya don't wanna pay us lots of dollars to download our movies" lol.