Is anyone going to buy an Ipad?

[Steffen]

Apple just announced that they've sold over 2 million iPads in less than 60 days.

http://www.macrumors.com/2010/05/31/...on-ipads-sold/

Cheers
Steffen.

[Jaybee (John)]

Originally Posted by Steffen

But, but… that's in the fyootcha!

Cheers
Steffen.

Well, Yes and no, My comment above was tongue in cheek as yours is, but its surprising that some of the tech we use today mirrors that of a sci-fi show set in the future but made in the past....
For instance:
Medical Tricorder -> MRI Scanner
Handheld Communicator -> Mobile Flip Phone
Phaser -> Military PHASR
Holodeck -> VR Headsets
Transporter -> Subatomic Transportation
Universal Translator -> Phraselator or Google Translate
Geordi's VISOR -> JORDY Headset for Vision impaired people
Uhura's Earpiece -> Bluetooth Headset
Forcefields -> Plasma Bubbles
and or course the PADD -> The Ipad (I bet the PADD didn't have a multi touch full colour screen )

Obviously some of these are stretching the imagination or are still experimental, but some are almost spot on, which goes to prove that APPLE techs must be Trekkies!

Ohh, Sorry Chris for steering your thread off topic, lets get back to it Eh?

[Octane (Humayun)]

Henry,

Yeah, it's Apple policy across the portable devices that there's to be no Flash development on them. HTML5 and JavaScript is the way of the future, anyway.

H

[MrB (Simon)]

NASA TV is Quicktime so should work, but doesn't.
Can watch video's thru the NASA app, but I've never seen 'live' streamed NASA TV in the app, only pre-recorded video's.

[SPUTNIK1958 (Gary)]

Yes you can watch NASA TV on the ipod and ipad just download Buzz Aldrin Space APP it has a streaming capability , this works on the ipad and Ipod touch 3 Gen.
Works great on my 3G ipad I watch the shuttle land in Florida on it at work. For about 2 years NASA has been streaming on Apple Compatable systems.

[bojan]

Originally Posted by Octane

Henry,

Yeah, it's Apple policy across the portable devices that there's to be no Flash development on them. HTML5 and JavaScript is the way of the future, anyway.

H

That's what Steve Jobs decided, then..
Not good.

In-advance restrictions like this can't be welcome by anyone, really..

[Octane (Humayun)]

They have their reasons, as Chris has outlined before.

It's not stopping them from selling 2 million iPads in a month, so, they're doing something right.

Times are tough, people aren't stupid to go around dropping thousands of dollars on useless things. Even sheep have some sensibility.

I'm far from an Apple fanboy, but, I reckon they're on to a good thing.

H

[bojan]

Yes, they know what masses will buy, and they deliver this + strings attached (which are not visible at the first glance, well masked additionally with shiny, impressive graphics and attractive packing.. and then they charge them for exactly those strings later.. ). This may be called "Good business strategy" but it is not good and it can't be beneficial for technology development, however strange this may sound to you..
Being not a sheep, I will not buy it.

[Octane (Humayun)]

What strings? Like after-market accessories both by the vendor and third parties?

Or the inability to play Flash content?

People know about both of these before they go and buy Apple gear. No-ones forcing them to.

Innovation drives inspiration and furthers development, not stifles it.

H

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by Octane

Henry,

I think the video issue might have something to do with Flash not being enabled on iPod's, iTouch's, and iPhones. From memory, the NASA video streams are in Flash format.

H

Actually, NASA TV (live) streams in either Real or Quicktime I believe. Given that, I think it's a small problem to overcome for either NASA or Apple. Watch this space.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by SPUTNIK1958

Yes you can watch NASA TV on the ipod and ipad just download Buzz Aldrin Space APP it has a streaming capability , this works on the ipad and Ipod touch 3 Gen.
Works great on my 3G ipad I watch the shuttle land in Florida on it at work. For about 2 years NASA has been streaming on Apple Compatable systems.

There you go!

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by bojan

Being not a sheep, I will not buy it.

PLEASE don't! I'm just wondering why you're bothering to be part of this thread, Bojan, if it offends you so.. uhmm.. greatly? Jeez! Be happy with your old Windows tablet. No strings attached! Be happy with Flash taking up 60, 70 or even 80% CPU cycles just to render a menu. Oh fun!

[bojan]

Originally Posted by Octane

What strings? Like after-market accessories both by the vendor and third parties?

Or the inability to play Flash content?

People know about both of these before they go and buy Apple gear.

H

You are sure about this?
Maybe you are aware.. but I bet majority of people are buying this only because it is a beautiful toy, knowing nothing about how things work inside (my daughter is one of them, unfortunately..)
Besides, it is not only restrictions on flash.

Look mate, I want my machine to be open to ANY application, at least potentially.. I don't want restrictions of non-technical kind, and I do not want to buy applications from them that will run on MY machine later - because if I paid for it, it is MINE, not theirs. However, Steve Jobs thinks otherwise.. and that is why I am not his customer.

Exactly the same discussion was going on couple of years ago during "browser wars" .. and during "java conflict" only then MS was on the stage, and Apple was nowhere near them in terms of power on the market..
What some of you guys are praising is not a free market.. and you should be aware of that as well.

[Octane (Humayun)]

If this is the case, then the majority of people are dumb if they don't read specifications before they buy. I personally don't think it's the case.

Secondly, I don't really care how the thing works. I am content that it just works. Not everyone is an engineer and is happy to take a black box approach, and enjoy the device for what it is and its enormous functionality.

H

Originally Posted by bojan

Maybe you are aware.. but I bet majority of people are buying this only because it is a beautiful toy, knowing nothing about how things work inside

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by Bojan

I bet majority of people are buying this only because it is a beautiful toy, knowing nothing about how things work inside

Do they remotely need to? There are very FEW people who know how computers, cars, phones, TV's and elevators work. Does this, or should this, prevent normal people from using these? Does it make them any less useful? Come on. Please..

I'm just wondering where you've seen Apple tell the world that the iPad is, or was, conceived to be a new-fangled laptop replacement. I think this is where your own confusion is stemming from. It is designed, beautifully, within its limitations and makes no effort or promise to fulfil what you assume it must in order to be useful. So why judge it on those perceptions? Its a device designed to consume content - which it does most admirably. It fills a niche, and has never been promised to do anything else. It does not WANT to be a laptop or desktop. Don't compare it to one - simple...

As Humayun said, it's a blackbox technology that does exactly as it promises. If you want a machine for other duties - go for those instead. Why deride this machine because you have no use for it? It doesn't make sense!

[bojan]

Originally Posted by Omaroo

PLEASE don't! I'm just wondering why you're bothering to be part of this thread, Bojan, if it offends you so.. uhmm.. greatly? Jeez! Be happy with your old Windows tablet. No strings attached! Be happy with Flash taking up 60, 70 or even 80% CPU cycles just to render a menu. Oh fun!

Chris, You are right..
I really do not know why I am part of this.
Perhaps because I do not like uncritical attidude some of you guys have.

And you do not have to be so.. well, personal about my Fujitsu Stylistic :-) I do not appreciate your sarcasm.
I did no mentioned it because I live in'70, you know.. I mentioned it because it was a new idea then, so iPad is not new today because of this.
And do not bother to reply to this.. I am out of this discussion anyway.

[Dennis]

Nice reporting Chris. Hmm, what am I missing out on?

We’ve never had a mobile ‘phone and we only acquired our first microwave oven a couple of years ago. We don’t do Face Book, My Space, Twitter, Blogs, etc.

I’m beginning to feel disconnected!

Cheers

Dennis

PS - I do try to have at least one apple a day though

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

I think that you live the way I'd love to Dennis. Uncomplicated, at least in terms of having to be permanently "online" as I have to be in my professional duties. Unfortunately I have to be aware of and converse with people that do rely on Twitter, FB and other similar modes of interaction. I miss the good old pager. Beep me and I'll get back when I find a phone box.

I miss the good old days sometimes.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by bojan

I do not appreciate your sarcasm.

Then, kindly, do not refer to people who appreciate this stuff for what it is as "sheep".

[Steffen]

Originally Posted by bojan

This may be called "Good business strategy" but it is not good and it can't be beneficial for technology development, however strange this may sound to you..
Being not a sheep, I will not buy it.

In that case you must be strongly opposing Linux as well, seeing that Linus Torvalds rejects kernel contributions written in Pascal or C#.

The owner of a platform may and must set limitations and boundaries to what goes on and what doesn't on the platform. You can't expect it to be a free for all, not even Linux is (and neither is a Hippie commune for that matter).

Jobs has put forward what many consider sound technical reasons for why Flash is not suitable (even harmful) for mobile computing devices, and hence wants to keep it off the mobile platforms Apple created. If that keeps you from accepting the platform or even accepting its right to exist then there isn't a lot in this world that you'd get along with.

Cheers
Steffen.