Apple iPad and related items

[tarannau]

I haven't had 'bleedy eyes' after spending many hours of the day staring at worse monitors than's likely to be in the ipad.

The kindle probably is marginally better for reading, but it's not as good as a book. And I'm guessing that most will quickly be won over to the familiarity and versatility of a colour screen.

 

[ChrisFilter]

I haven't had 'bleedy eyes' after spending many hours of the day staring at worse monitors than's likely to be in the ipad.

Apologies, I thought it obvious that 'bleedy' was an exaggeration for effect.

(Also, I meant to write 'bleeding')

 

[ChrisFilter]

I like that cover and the keyboard.... makes the form factor infinitely more tempting. Shame about the locked down OS and all the other issues.

 

[editor]

The kindle probably is marginally better for reading, but it's not as good as a book. And I'm guessing that most will quickly be won over to the familiarity and versatility of a colour screen.

It's a lot better than a LCD screen actually, and as close to print as you're likely to get.

Have you ever used one? It's pretty impressive (although the Kindle's ergonomics are awful).

 

[tarannau]

To be fair, I rarely even get headaches from staring at a crappy IBM monitors all day. And I'm an unbalanced lazy eyed cyclops type of person

I just think the Kindle's screen technology looks a bit archaic to the techno-uninterested. Colour was always the way for Apple to go and they're likely to improve the technology in future.

Bleedy was better than bleeding btw.

 

[zenie]

But I sit and stare at a screen reading all day every day and don't get bleedy eyes.

Don't you EVER get eye strain, you do wear glasses so maybe that helps a bit? But on a computer you're having regular breaks, whereas with a book it's constant iyswim?

I know we have to take breaks because of the eye strain thing.

The black stand/case is sexy as fuck.

 

[tarannau]

I've briefly looked at the Kindle but I can't say it rocked my world. It's a proficient device, but badly designed and I'll admit to making the mental comparison to a book and quickly discounting.

I'm sure the technology is better for reading than LCD, but the majority of folks don't seem to struggle with LCDs and going mono seems a strangely retrograde step.

 

[Kanda]

Nah, never get eye strain. Have sat in front of screens for the best part of 20 years.

I've used an e-reader and it made me drowsy, just like books do

 

[Tricky Mickey]

I tend to watch films/iPlayer lying down with the laptop on a speaker stand or coffee table at head height - I reckon you could sit with the iPad in your lap easily enough, or drop it in that boss case. Or one of the several hundred versions that are being knocked out in china as we speak.

I think the main point to recognise here is that Apple does touchscreen better than anyone. And that's the future of human-digital interfaces, no doubt. We'll piss our sides at the mouse one day.

They should drop this iShit branding though.

 

[Kanda]

http://www.macrumors.com/2010/01/29...images-show-properly-displayed-flash-content/

Interesting...

 

[Crispy]

We'll piss our sides at the mouse one day.

Quoted for great truth.

 

[editor]

I'm sure the technology is better for reading than LCD, but the majority of folks don't seem to struggle with LCDs and going mono seems a strangely retrograde step.

Most books and textbooks are in mono and for some people I'd imagine a 30x battery life is a worthwhile trade off for pretty colour screens.

The Kindle failed to nail it with its dreadful ergonomics and the iPad offers its own set of hefty compromises, but I'm still hopeful that something better will come along soon. Colour eInk is already being trialled so maybe there'll be some movement there soon.

 

[mwgdrwg]

Why are there no black borders on that image of Star Trek I keep seeing.

Fuck pan & scan. I ditched that about 8 years ago.

 

[editor]

Perhaps not as pretty, but the Archos 9 looks interesting.

Microsoft Windows 7, 9" screen, 80 to 160GB hard drive options, WiFi 802.11b/g connection, Bluetooth 2.1, 16mm thin, 620g, dual digital TV tunes + recording... and an early hands was positive.

No idea about battery life though.

http://www.techradar.com/news/phone...ones/hands-on-archos-9-pctablet-review-613148

 

[Kanda]

Derail.

 

[stupid dogbot]

Yeah, not sure how non computer people will get one without a keyboard, tbh...

 

[Crispy]

Windows 7 does not have an interface suited for touchscreen

Anyway, iPad.

Thought: can you get home media server software that will transcode on the fly to an iphone/pod/pad-friendly format?

 

[Pie 1]

Perhaps not as pretty, but the Archos 9....

Sorry, but design wise, it looks fucking amature next to the iPad.
I wasn't blown away by the iPad's looks - to used to seeing an iPhone every day I guess - but this brings it home again. They really do have the Midas touch in Ive.

 

[editor]

Sorry, but design wise, it looks fucking amature next to the iPad.
I wasn't blown away by the iPad's looks - to used to seeing an iPhone every day I guess - but this brings it home again. They really do have the Midas touch in Ive.

There's no denying that Apple's design is fantastic, although there has been some really good stuff on other platforms too.

I won't mention any here though for fear of being accused of derailing the thread.

 

[Structaural]

Windows 7 does not have an interface suited for touchscreen

Anyway, iPad.

Thought: can you get home media server software that will transcode on the fly to an iphone/pod/pad-friendly format?

Yeah AirVideo will do it - I use quite a lot to watch downloads in the garden.

link

 

[Kanda]

I won't mention any here though for fear of being accused of derailing the thread.

I was only joking mate

Archos is actually worthy of a thread though.

 

[Crispy]

Yeah AirVideo will do it - I use quite a lot to watch downloads in the garden.

link

Looks good. How much is the client app, and how well does it work?

 

[kyser_soze]

TBH, having looked at the specs, aside from the UI and doubtlessly better touchscreen, it doesn't really advance on the HP tablet I've had for aaages. Probably as-shite performance too...at least the HP can multitask...and it comes with a keyboard you can detach from the main body of the tablet, and a docking station with a DVD or CD drive, plus additional network connectivity, 4 USB ports etc...

 

[Kanda]

How much does it weigh Kyser?

 

[Crispy]

They shouldn't be compared. The HP is a general-purpose computer, shoehorned into touchscreen box. The ipad is a piece of consumer electronics, designed for touchscreen.

 

[c01642]

The iPhone gives it a big thumbs up.

http://gizmodo.com/5459050/a-message-about-the-apple-ipad-from-the-iphone?autoplay=true

 

[Structaural]

Looks good. How much is the client app, and how well does it work?

It works very well, I get 1 in 20 files that don't work in realtime - but will convert in the background fine. 720p mkvs work mostly too. CPU usage when converting is about 97% on all cores so it's pretty well written.
I think it was about 2 quid - check that link.

 

[editor]

Good interview here with The Guardian's online editor:

TechRadar: What are the Guardian's first impressions of the Apple iPad?

Janine Gibson: I think, like everybody, that it doesn't live up to the massive expectations. We expected something more multi-functional from them, as that is what we have come to expect from Apple since the iPhone.

There had been a lot of discussion about what it could potentially do, so everybody was quite surprised by what is a relatively simple device.

TR: Is the device a game-changer for the newspaper industry?

JG: Personally, I'm a bit sceptical that any one device at this point could be a game-changer.

But the thing Apple has done is set the direction of travel and set the expectations for the tablet market, rather than [the iPad] being the answer to life, the universe and everything.

It is not going to transform newspaper or magazine publishing in itself, but what it will do is set about the idea of tablets to consumers.

http://www.techradar.com/news/compu...pad-won-t-change-newspaper-publishing--666908

Spot on, I reckon.

 

[Bob_the_lost]

Why has no one else commented on how this will effect premium e-readers?

The Que was supposed to be $800. That's not going to work anymore.

 

[tarannau]

Good interview here with The Guardian's online editor:

Spot on, I reckon.

I'd definitely agree with this one:

JG: Personally, I'm a bit sceptical that any one device at this point could be a game-changer.

As a first stab, it's a more compelling, intuitive tablet to most than any. That's a low bar to set admittedly