Today my iPad arrived at home. Since a couple of weeks I already ask myself : Do I really need a device which I just use for the web and email reading ?
Are i’m now a Apple fanboy ?
Since the keynote from godfather Steve and my final order placement, I often think about the sense to have a third mobile browser device (Laptop / Desktop, phone , tablet ), i can’t give a real answer.
Yes, I love my Apple products (iPhone & iPod touch), nevertheless I didn’t buy everything from Apple just to the fact that it looks better. I recently decided against a MacBook and ordered a Sony Vaio laptop, which is a great device (Full HD, Bluray, HDMI ) with a very good OS (Yes, Microsoft you did right with Win 7).
The main reason why I give the iPad a try , is due to the iPhone OS. I had some terrible expirence with my first Android (HTC Magic), which is now 1 year later not longer supported/upgradable. I know that Android is getting better and better, but to be honest, it needs a long time to get to the level of the iPhone OS.
I remember very good the time when I had the first iPod Touch my hands, I was thrilled from the UI/Concept (And there was no App Store, just Firmware 1.1.2 !). Till today it is a delight to work with the iPhone/iPod touch, it changes thew way I use the computer. If I analyse the amount of time I need a computer, then i use today approx. 30% (of my time) my laptop ( work, development, DVD, stuff where I need a full OS ) and 70% the iPhone/iPod (email, news, feeds, browser, ebay, weather etc.). I’m interesting how the iPad fits into my “tech” needs…
P.S. : I have some great ideas to sync images with WordPress/NextGEN Gallery/QNAP NAS/iPad, maybe I need to buy a Macbook for development some Apps 😦
alex.rabe 
Congratulations to your iPad. I know these discussions about the mobile OS, whether it should be open or not since my first iPhone. The iPad (i have mine since beginning of May) has replaced a my laptop in a lot of my daily tasks.
Just now it is beginning to emerge somehow into photo editing while on the road (with the Apple Camera Adapter and Photogene) and it would be a good idea to be able to upload selected photos from the camera roll directly into NextGen Gallery (which does not work in the moment).
As I use Dropbox and LogMeIn Ignition, my workaround in the moment is to upload the Photos into Dropbox which synchronizes them automatically to a windows PC and then I enter Remote Control of this Windows PC to Upload the Photos into NextGen Gallery. This, although complicated, works fine from the iPad.
Maybe this is an idea how to use your iPad for development. But first of all, enjoy it. It is a really game changing device.
Best Regards
Christian
I have a laptop and an iphone but the ipad fills the space between the two. It is as user friendly as the iphone but with a bigger screen. awesome screen resolution makes for eye popping graphics. same touch screen ease of use, etc. But it is much more convenient to carry than a laptop or even netbook (which I refused to buy). Yes, I carry it with me and use it pretty much for everything I do on the web that doesn’t require me to interact with files on my laptop. And there’s nothing like reading a newspaper on it.
As you say Chris, it is a game changer, no doubt about it.
Im an apple guy. But I only see very few uses for the iPad. I think its great for showing/present photos to friend/clients and also as a browser to use in the kitchen or in the living room. I use already too much time in front of the computer or camera so I just know buying a iPad will be dangerous because I will spent even more time looking on a screen 🙂 Also I think the Mac Air is just so easy to carry around any way AND can mostly do what ever you want (its much more expensive though).
Btw i do wallpapers for the iPad on my webpage if you need any!
Martin
Although Android might be playing catch up, I think that’s only because it offered functionality to its users from the get go instead of making a more stable system to that doesn’t even multitask. (In this way iPhone is playing catch up to Android, no?)
I love my iMac, but I am loath to buy a device which can’t even run Pandora while I check Facebook. With no intention of adding Flash? I’m just wary of it. So I’m the opposite of you, I suppose.
I can see only one reason to purchase an iPad, and that’s due to the nature of my industry (photography.) It’d be great to meet with prospective clients. But even then… why wouldn’t I bring an album and try to up sell them that way?
I don’t think Flash or Multitasking is a real big point. iPhoneOS 4 is comming, so Streaming should be possible… and Flash, well for what do we really need flash ? Ahh yes Farmville 🙂
I hate to break it to you but Android has come a long, long, long way since the Magic. Devices like the Nexus One, Incredible and EVO are miles ahead of where Android was in October 2008 and in many cases, miles ahead of iPhone. Before you say that Android has catching up to do, you should at least take a hands-on tour of the current software/hardware before you make a decision of where Android is. I’m running a Nexus One with Froyo now and I’ll put it up against any iPhone (even the upcoming one) any day of the week. The only thing I see in the new iPhone of interest is the screen resolution (impressive) but that is not as big a deal as it would seem. There is nothing in iPhone 4 that the EVO doesn’t already do and in many cases, such as video calling, does better. iPhone 4 can only video call over WiFi. I tried the video calling on the EVO over 3G and it was amazing. It was even half decent with a 2G connection.
On another note, I see just about zero need for an iPad or like devices. Perhaps if I had a dozen of these tablet devices embedded in the walls throughout my house and connected to one another, Internet and the rest of the house (electric, gas, etc.) then it would be useful. I’ll take my capacitive touch screen laptop any time over a rather useless iPad (I’ve played with them and was not impressed). I would not even want one with Android on it. My distaste of tablet-like devices has nothing to do with the OS. I simply do not see why I need my laptop, phone and a tablet. Apple is pretty good at convincing people they need something they don’t. My Nexus does everything that a tablet can do and what it can’t do (I can’t write app on it, LOL), I have a laptop.
BTW, love you work. Keep it up.
Let me note that my HTC Magic is just one (!) year old and I receive no more updates. I know it’s no fault from the Android dev team, but the “openess” and different resolution & CPU power of all Android devices are the main problem if you compare it with the iPhone…
On the other had, Apple did right to use the iOS for the iPad. You said you don’t need it, I can tell you that I write now this comment with the iPad. Searching the web, look into the WordPress forum, read my Feeds with a App for Google Reader, Play some games for a couple of minutes when I need some break.
In two weeks I just switched on my Laptop for 6-8 hours of development work and watch a DVD. It changed already the way how I need computer during the day (except my buisness dev work)
There are two schools of thought on the multiple device issue. Some, like me, would rather have more choices in which device to use. I develop for Android and I can tell you that the “fragmentation” issue is made up. For the record, the HTC Magic will be updated to Android 2.1, at least here in the States and did receive and update to 1.6 after it came out. One update is pretty much what iPhone users can expect now. And since the platform is open, you are more than welcome to put 2.1 on it yourself like I did (even though I don’t use it). If you bought the Nexus One in January, you can rest assured that it will be a top of the line type device for much longer than the Dream/Magic were. They were much more like prototype/proof of concept type devices that iPhone competitors. The Nexus One, Evo, Incredible, etc really does compete with, and in many cases exceeds, the iPhone. I’m hoping the iPhone 4 is better than it seems for the sake of competition. My development partner was at the WWDC and said it was an amazing device. I’m not yet sold based purely on the specs since it really adds nothing to the game except to repeat what’s already been done. Now the infamous Apple marketing department takes over and sells a billion devices in one week to people who really probably only need the 3GS and shouldn’t be wasting money they don’t have on a device they don’t need.
While you may use your iPad, you yourself said it is slowly replacing your laptop. So at this point, it’s just a preference. It’s a laptop without a keyboard and a less powerful OS. For a lot of people, that makes sense. Consume the content. But to have both a laptop and a tablet doesn’t seem to make sense. If the tablet doesn’t entirely replace the laptop then it’s just another layer that gets in the way.
On the subject of OS updates, I’m still not sure when free OS updates became mandatory. My laptop doesn’t get them. Why should my phone? It’s nice to get them but realistically, it shouldn’t be expected. The same goes for apps in the App Store and the Android Market. People get upset at me when I don’t update my app every other week as if $1 should get them lifetime updates on the daily basis. Just a thought. Does that make sense?
Yes, you have a couple of good arguments, but I would fairly say don’t bring the rules in the PC/Windows world into the phone world. Apple has changed it in some way…
The HTC Magic update to 2.0/2.1 doesn’t come here to my phone, because it’s a mobile carrier issue. Vodafone here is responsible for the update (Not HTC, not Google) and they have no need to update it. Apple break this rules (which we accept since 10 years) in two ways : The key feature is a consistence API for all devices (which end’s up in a solid update politics) and the mobile carriers do not need to care for any firmware update.
I think Android 1.6 should be normally named as 0.9, With version 2.1 AND the power of Nexus One/Droid, EVO, etc I feel we can start to compare it against iPhone OS. So as you correctly say I should test now Android again with this unit’s, but as you know if you have a bad experience with something it takes some time until you give it a second chance…
About the Tablets/iPad : If you didn’t be a developer, why do you need a laptop ? My wife don’t need anymore the laptop : Home banking, internet, TV program, mini games, email, music… there is nothing what you cannot do with a tablet. The analogy from Jobs on D8 with cars and trucks hit the nail on the head.
“I think Android 1.6 should be normally named as 0.9, With version 2.1 AND the power of Nexus One/Droid, EVO, etc I feel we can start to compare it against iPhone OS.”
This is definitely true. I always tell people that the G1 (and maybe the myTouch) was a proof of concept device. The OS first starting coming into its own in v1.6 and 2.1 on the modern devices is over the top awesome, especially if you are a hacker/developer/modder but even if you are just a regular user.
“If you didn’t be a developer, why do you need a laptop?”
You are also right about this. I can understand why people who consume content but don’t necessarily create it would use a tablet. But personally, I think a smaller device with full keyboard makes more sense, especially if I carry a high-end device like a Nexus or and iPhone. Interestingly enough, I think tablets make much more sense as stationary devices rather than portable ones. I’d love every room in my house to have a tablet wired into the wall.
I think your last two points put us in somewhat of agreement. I will still never like the Apple bully tactics which will simply not last forever. The US government and the EU will never allow it to continue forever. Also, competition will eventually force change (and Steve Jobs doesn’t look too healthy either). I’m not suggesting open-source or anything like that. But I will never, ever, ever, ever buy a device on which I cannot install whatever I please. Would you purchase a PC if MS told you that you cannot install certain applications? I highly doubt it. It doesn’t even make any sense especially since modern devices are computers.