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13 Glaring iPad Shortcomings
- Thread starter HardOCP News
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Hold 1.5 pounds at arms length. Go on, do it. Uncomfortable, isn't it, fatty?
Or maybe it actually is slippery. Apple likes to round things, and the base is convex. Having held one, I can tell you that holding it with one hand isn't confidence inspiring. You don't feel like you have a good grip.
Most IPS displays are matte, not glossy. At least, most IPS desktop displays are, anyway.
My first reaction upon seeing an iPad in person was "holy shit that thing is covered in finger prints". The difference is that this is a device large enough for alternative input (pen, keyboard, mouse, etc...). It is too large to be a finger print magnet.
Which is what the article said...?
Making the distinction that 1st party apps are special is irrelevant when the iPhone/iPod/iPad's claim is 150,000 apps.
A huge use I would have for a slate device would be to watch things like Hulu. No flash, no hulu. Fortunately for me, I have a 13" laptop with a CULV C2D that fills the roll nicely (and gets 7-8 hours of battery life watching videos, w00t)
Except most tablets have a keyboard and mouse built in. Even things like the HP Slate, which don't have a keyboard or mouse, can still be used with a keyboard/mouse combo. If you dock it, it is still usable. The iPad can't use a mouse, so docking a keyboard results in the awkward position of typing comfortably and then reaching forward to do anything typically done by a mouse.
You should take you're own advice. Most USB devices that people would use with this would be low powered ones like a keyboard, mouse, thumb drive, etc... All of which consume less than 100mA of power. AT MOST USB can use 500mA of power. The port itself would use 0mA of power. Apple could have stuck 50 USB ports on there and battery life would be completely unaffected.
And if you want proof, simply look at every single netbook and tablet out there. They ALL have USB. And some (like my CULV C2D notebook) even have better battery life than the iPad - 12 hours of web surfing, booya.
The authors point was that they don't tell you that in the iPad's marketing blurbs or feature list. Which is a valid criticism, since Apple pushes the 150,000 apps as a major feature.
And people bitched that the JooJoo costs too much (it originally targeted $200). Other tablets, like the HP Slate, have real CPUs, run real OSes, and simply outclass the iPad as far as both hardware and OS are concerned.
And as 10 years of companies making tablets have shown - there isn't much of a use for them.
christianw
Limp Gawd
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i go to the gym 4 days a week, cook my meals mostly from fresh produce and meats from scratch, i sit at around 18% body fat (exactly what i should sit at for my bmi at age 36 at a height of 5'7". im hardly a fatty.
since ive owned an ipad since launch day i have to ask, why the hell would i use it at arms length? i generally keep it closer to my body, as has anyone else that has used mine. you admit you have used an ipad once. which was likely tethered to a table at the apple store or best buy. i cant think of any reason anyone would use a tablet "at arms length". thats just making up arguments for arguments sake dude and you know it.
i disagree when i hold mine, i feel like i hold it just fine. it doesnt feel like its going to slip out of my hands at all.
most of the ips displays ive seen are glossy so i have to disagree with you there. both the hp ips displays i own are glossy as well. i might meet you half way and say half of them might be matte.
again, all i can speak from is my experience of owning one and using it every day since launch. i dont have a problem with fingerprints whatsoever.
the hp slate wont come with a pen. android tablets wont come with a pen. the joojoo doesnt come with a pen.
but jesus if its that big a deal to you. you can get a great one for 15 bucks. http://tenonedesign.com/sketch.php
i was stating a fact. saying the ipad cant multitask isnt an accurate statement. it can, some of the time. also they claim 150k for iphone, and claim over a thousand for "apps for ipad" (source http://www.apple.com/ipad/apps-for-ipad/ )
but saying it doesnt multitask isnt accurate. because in a lot of instances it does (like listening to shoutcast internet radio in one browser window via it playing the mp3 stream in browser with quicktime and surfing the web in another browser window. as one example.
which culv c2d do you own? anandtech wasnt able to get anywhere near those results with c2d laptops.
source http://www.anandtech.com/show/2932/2 (read the whole article)
its not awkward. i have my ipad paired to a bluetooth keyboard and i can tell you from first hand experience, not speculation, that its not in any way shape or form, awkward.
again see above. if an anand reviewer cant get anywhere near those results with c2d laptops with the same power specs youve provided, i have a hard time beliving you can.
yes, they do tell you. read the page i linked.
apple site said:
saying they dont tell you isnt accurate at all. in fact, its a flat out lie to say otherwise.
the slate already has half the battery life as per hp's own specs. see my previous link. the os being better is a whole different issue that has been debated since the dawn of windows 1.0
i use mine all the time now for all sorts of things, school, grocery shopping, cooking (its great for looking up recipies), watching movies in bed easilly. theres a lot of use I get out of using one every day since I got mine.
EchtoGammut
2[H]4U
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Wow let the [H]ate fly. Having played with the iPad for a while, I concede that some of the MSNBC points are valid. The weight doesn't seem to be an issue, but it is awkward to hold with one hand. The glossy screen is stupid as is the fingerprint issue (BTW, I have been using IPS displays for quite a while and I can only think of 3 that had glossy screens, TN displays usually have glossy screens, but IPS are usually matte, mainly because they get sold to the professional crowd not the general consumer). One thing the article doesn't mention is that it sucks as an e-reader. The interface is fine, but extended reading is really tough on the eyes, something I never noticed with a Kindle. The random crashes in browser, that exist on the iPhone also exist on the iPad. No flash is a big issue, while I like not having flash on some websites, it makes other sites completely useless. As a toy it is fine, but as a legitimate business tool (something Jobs said it would be during his launch demo) it is horrible. I saw better, more innovative, tablets at CES and I really hope some of those come to market. Anyway, I would say, if you are looking for a netbook this is a cool alternative. But, if you want to use it for anything more, look elsewhere.
LeninGHOLA
Vladimir Hayt
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Don't be THAT guy. If people have valid concerns about a product, you call them greasy pigs then do the "I work out, bro" thing.
To each their own, right? Enjoy your iPad, I hope it is a useful product for you.
heatlesssun
Extremely [H]
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Yes, the glossy screen complaint, very common with TPCs that have them. But the thing to consider with a touchscreen device is that you need to be able to slide your fingers on them easily thus you see a lot gloss on these devices. Yes, there are better MORE EXPENSIVE options but for a device that's pure touchscreen the glossy screen is a compromise as its cheap, good for brigthtness and color and easy for fingers sliding all over the place.
It sucks for outdoors and bright light environments and does accentuate fingerprints.
christianw
Limp Gawd
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believe me, i didnt want to be that guy. but he called me a fatty, based on nothing but his own imagination.
None of the new ones are. Dell U2410? Matte. HP ZR22/24w? Matte. HP L2475w? Matte. NEC EA231wmi? Matte. People in the display forum are searching for glossy IPS and can't seem to find them.
I have the Asus UL30A-B1
http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/asus-ul30a-a1-core/4505-3121_7-33772104-2.html?tag=txt;page
CNet got 6.6 hours on their video test. Other sites have clocked ~9 hours doing web surfing tests via wifi.
They say it on the page specifically about iPad apps, yes, but they don't on the little blurbs in stores or on the iPad's main page: http://www.apple.com/ipad/
People debate OS X vs. Linux vs. Windows, sure, but nobody debates iPhone OS vs. Windows 7. Win 7 is miles ahead of the iPhone OS. There really isn't any competition there at all.
Congratulations - but that doesn't make the authors criticisms any less valid. Many people use a netbook to do all of that - which is cheaper, more powerful. has far more features, and easier to use.
I called you a fatty because you were saying people who don't like the weight need to work out and/or stop eating McDonalds. You then made another McDonalds crack about it being slippery.
Don't be dick and you won't get dick responses.
yeah really. if you have ever held an iphone without a decent case imagine that iphone now weighing 1.95 lbs more and 5 times the size. this thing will go down like a lead submarine with a screen door. really.
I have the Acer 1810T that Anandtech reviewed. The 4 1/2 to 5 hours of video playback is about what I get. However, that's for 720p video. If you scale back the resolution of the video you are decoding, you cut down on the CPU usage significantly and can stretch it farther. Not to 8 hours on my 1810T, but I would not be surprised that a 13 inch CULV notebook with a higher capacity battery could reach 8 hours displaying video the ipad is capable of displaying, and it is a considerably more flexible system.
I have an iPod Touch and use it a lot, but I personally have little use for a larger version with most all of the same limitations.
The iPad may be more comfortable than a netbook or CULV notebook when standing and for things like watching videos or reading where little text needs to be entered, it will likely work well. However, the lack or Flash and Java in the browser is crippling. The low storage capacity makes if a poor choice for watching a lot of video. The price is on the high side for what you get, but not unreasonably expensive. The real added costs come from Apple locking you into their Apps store and channeling you to iTunes.
It is just too limited of a device for me. However, I'm sure that there are people out there for which it will be a reasonable match. I also think there will be a lot of people who buy it that will find Apple's business model to be too restrictive.
When I use my Acer 1810T I have a fully functional laptop with a 1.3 GHz Core 2 Duo. That's not enough to play the current generation of games, but it does most things pretty well.
For an even more portable system with far more limitations, I have the iTouch. If I'm going to carry something I can't fit in a pocket, I'll stick with the Acer 1810T, not an oversized toy.
heatlesssun
Extremely [H]
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Actually that CPU IS enough to play modern games when coupled with a decent GPU like the m11x which has that same CPU but a much more powerful GPU than the standard Intel IGP offering. My tm2 with with a 1.6 GHz Core 2 Duo and just an HD 4550 ain't a bad little gaming device for its size, power and thermal characteristics. I can play most modern games albiet at lower settings and resolutions.
accidentalsuccess
Gawd
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from my experience with tablets (had an x41t convertible tablet for 2+ years), the ipad is actually TOO SMALL. It's easier to grip a physically bigger device, cradle it in your arm to write on it or surf the web and anyone can easily prop it up on your lap, rest it on a table, or lay with it next to you (I totally agree with other posters that pen input into one note is really a killer app for slates or convertible tablets). w/o USB and SD slots I truly see no point. BT and wireless are nice but it almost seems like apple is trying to make some point that eludes me by excluding them. touch KB input is much easier in something you can hold and use your thumbs vs something in "no man's land" i.e. ipad-sized.
I'm keeping a VERY VERY close watch on the 101mt and other, similar convertible netbook tablets with multitouch and stylus input. They will kick the crap out of the ipad for my purposes (a U30-ish dual-core convertible tablet under $1000 would be even better) and even something with a bit less "oomph" than my vaio z but multitouch/stylus + ~10 hrs battery life + ~3.5 to 4 lbs and I would grab one in a heartbeat. To each their own, of course.
on top of that I really, really think that apple missed the mark if the resolution in native iphone/ipod touch apps is all messed on top of the other issues. That's just really, really bad launch planning for a company that successfully markets a lot of stuff based on slick UI.
I'm keeping a VERY VERY close watch on the 101mt and other, similar convertible netbook tablets with multitouch and stylus input. They will kick the crap out of the ipad for my purposes (a U30-ish dual-core convertible tablet under $1000 would be even better) and even something with a bit less "oomph" than my vaio z but multitouch/stylus + ~10 hrs battery life + ~3.5 to 4 lbs and I would grab one in a heartbeat. To each their own, of course.
on top of that I really, really think that apple missed the mark if the resolution in native iphone/ipod touch apps is all messed on top of the other issues. That's just really, really bad launch planning for a company that successfully markets a lot of stuff based on slick UI.
accidentalsuccess
Gawd
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p.s. convertible tablets hold themselves up on, e.g., an airplane tray to watch a movie. 
heatlesssun
Extremely [H]
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p.s. convertible tablets hold themselves up on, e.g., an airplane tray to watch a movie.
Yeah a fact that most iPad people seem to forget. Yeah the iPad is light but you've got no way to deal with it other than to hold it or prop it up, I guess you could lay it on something looking down. Gets old after a while.
Fanboys really makes me scratching my not-so-itchy head. It's true that the setbacks exist in other product but as a news site its their job to inform their reader about the pros and cons. Ya know, this is the fiirst time I've read the cons of iPad (lol.. iPad..). Most 'tech' site praises it, even declaring it a close call between netbooks. Its natural that people. news site, tech site write about the cons of a product. But Apple fanboys seems really irritated when about this. Is this the infamous RDF effect that I've been hearing (read about exactly) about?
christianw
Limp Gawd
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Again anand puts out a top notch review.
Thanks for the link
Thanks for the link
slayer9019
[H]ard|Gawd
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wow some serious [H]ate going on in this thread! I do have to say that at first glance I wanted an iPad (this is coming from a mac hater {not iPhone hater...just disliker}). I bought the iPod becuase it connects to everything (kinda felt forced into that situation), bought and iPhone 3G becuase ATT offered it to me for $50 for the 16gb 3G....cheaper than any other smartphone so i took the risk. Borrowed an iMac for a month.....turned it into a headphone holder.
Apple makes products that are shiney, do things any compeditor products can do.....but usually do less than them too....(iPod vs Archos vs Zune) (iPhone vs BBStorm vs Driod).
They make really sleek devices....that are locked down.
Me and a friend (HARDCORE apple fanboy) had an argument/discussion about the iPad and what is the point. His arguments were pointing out things that other devices already do (as mentioned all over this post). I told him simply this......
Why pay 600-1000+ for some big iPhone looking thing if it doesnt break into any new areas of fuctionality???
BTW.....i like my iPhone for the good apps (cydia hell yea) and the sleekness but i hate it everytime my friends break out a Driod....why? Becuase the iPhone gets destroyed everytime....
I will get an iPad IF:
they crack it...get a whole new OS on it...let me somehow add a mouse....lower the price WAYYYYY down.....oh yea and flash cause I want this thing to run Hulu, ect..plus it would make an awesome HTPC contoller (LOL)
Apple makes products that are shiney, do things any compeditor products can do.....but usually do less than them too....(iPod vs Archos vs Zune) (iPhone vs BBStorm vs Driod).
They make really sleek devices....that are locked down.
Me and a friend (HARDCORE apple fanboy) had an argument/discussion about the iPad and what is the point. His arguments were pointing out things that other devices already do (as mentioned all over this post). I told him simply this......
Why pay 600-1000+ for some big iPhone looking thing if it doesnt break into any new areas of fuctionality???
BTW.....i like my iPhone for the good apps (cydia hell yea) and the sleekness but i hate it everytime my friends break out a Driod....why? Becuase the iPhone gets destroyed everytime....
I will get an iPad IF:
they crack it...get a whole new OS on it...let me somehow add a mouse....lower the price WAYYYYY down.....oh yea and flash cause I want this thing to run Hulu, ect..plus it would make an awesome HTPC contoller (LOL)
Wow, way to make yourself look like a stupid fanboi. MS doesn't own a majority share of MSNBC anymore...in fact, they shed control of MSNBC back in 2005.
I stopped reading when they referred to it as "Stop and smell the roses computing"....really? That's an awful nice way of saying that it's an inefficient device.
i can't believe people are stupid enough to buy apple products.
but again, look at the foreclosures in the united states. most of them communicate with their lawyers with an iphone.
idiots.
is it true that if you buy a mini cooper you get a free ipod?
but again, look at the foreclosures in the united states. most of them communicate with their lawyers with an iphone.
idiots.
is it true that if you buy a mini cooper you get a free ipod?
You are on the wrong site, sir. You meant to type this into YouTube I'm sure.
I love how a majority of comments that make blanket insults about others being "stupid" are written by victims of profound retardation.
Try it with 40. That's uncomfortable. 1.5? That's a God damn feather.
But what if that's his name?
Which is exactly why Apple made this.
Sikkyu
I Question Reality
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what to know something else that is shiny, expensive and yet totaly useless? dimonds, unless ther are on the end of a drill bit.
Ipad case = $39.00 (Defeats the ipads 'slickness' factor)
keyboard = $69.00 (PC keyboard is around $10.00 and it's ergonomic, not the chicklet type)
Camera port = $29.00 (Standard feature on PC portables)
VGA = $29.00 (Standard feature on PC portables)
Earphones = $79.00 (I don't even know what to compare this to)
On top of the $499.00 price tag (On that note, is 16gig REALLY enough?) . How much more do you add to the cost so you can actually comfortably use it?
He listed the differences in parentheses just to the right of the apple product. Just need to read a little bit more...
Still not sure what this product is actually for. I mean what can it do better or cheaper then anything else?
It can run iPhone apps on a large screen better than any other device can. As incredulous as you act, people do in fact want this capability.
Because everything but the earphones on that list comes standard on similar devices.
The assumption he made on two of his points was that the iPad is a PC portable. It is not, in fact. The iPad case doesn't defeat anything, for whoever doesn't buy it on a whim. It covers the device from scratches (hello, this is common on Zune, Zune HD, iPhone, iPod, iPod touch, etc) with the added bonus of doubling as a stand. Yes, Apple is profiteering with the keyboard and headphones, who in the industry does not do this?
If it's not for you, it's not for you.
The amount of reading I do in a day probably outweighs what you do in a month, champ.
What similar devices do you speak of? The iPad is not a netbook, don't even waste your time on that one.
kcthebrewer
[H]ard|Gawd
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More fair-and-balanced Apple coverage from HateOCP.
If Apple had introduced it for around $399 with a reasonable protection plan price and more features, it might actually be a product to buy. Currently it is a massive waste of money.
I am sorry that [H] calls it like it is. There are many a website out there that will lie to you and say it is the best thing ever.
Michaelius
Supreme [H]ardness
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Hmm reading into what Anand says:
once someone makes OLED anti-glare screen version with usb ports, hdmi, sd card slot and open non Apple controled OS then tablets could be interesting.
once someone makes OLED anti-glare screen version with usb ports, hdmi, sd card slot and open non Apple controled OS then tablets could be interesting.
christianw
Limp Gawd
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and with the iphone os announcement, the multitasking issue is no longer an issue.