iPad 2 - what's the latest buzz - heard anything?

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The iPad 2 looks nice, but I'm not getting rid of my iPad 1. Sorry, Apple.

 

[Mr. B]

I don't know why I'm surprised, but I continue to be amazed that they keep getting away with tiered pricing for internal memory and failing to offer expandable memory slots? $200 to jump from 16 to 64 GB? ...not when I can buy a 32GB SD card for fifty bucks.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I don't know why I'm surprised, but I continue to be amazed that they keep getting away with tiered pricing for internal memory and failing to offer expandable memory slots? $200 to jump from 16 to 64 GB? ...not when I can buy a 32GB SD card for fifty bucks.

Yeah, that's obviously where all the margin is on these things. Flash memory has gotten dramatically cheaper but you don't see Apple passing the savings on to the consumer.

 

[Lindley]

I wonder if I could sync a BlueTooth hard drive with an iPad....

 

[Flavius]

Wouldn't that be really slow? See here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3647
I don't know if IOS 4.3 is going to change anything, but I doubt it.

 

[clint g]

Bleh. Well, I guess people like them, I'd just rather have a laptop for that kind of money. Then again, I do not have a job that requires the kind of mobile data entry iPads are useful for.

This is where I fall in. I have zero need for something like an iPad or a Xoom. That's not to say that it isn't cool technology but I'm just not its audience.

 

[What's his face]

Bleh. Well, I guess people like them, I'd just rather have a laptop for that kind of money. Then again, I do not have a job that requires the kind of mobile data entry iPads are useful for.

This is where I fall in. I have zero need for something like an iPad or a Xoom. That's not to say that it isn't cool technology but I'm just not its audience.

I'm the same way. I have a netbook. It does everything the iPad does and is 1/3 the price.

The iPad is a neat toy (and I've played with a friends for a couple of hours before ) but I don't see why I need one.

 

[Charlie Kelly]

Netbooks, and other "laptops", are still mostly used on a desk or table. Some people do put them on their laps, but this requires sitting up. It's a bit awkward to use a laptop while lying on a bed or walking around.

Smartphones are simpler to use in those ultra-casual situations, but the small screen suits them mostly for quick lookups and data retrieval. Most people don't surf the web on their phones for an extended period.

A tablet provides a good in-between. You can use it while doing anything around the house like an iPhone, but you aren't struggling to look at a tiny screen if you want to use it for an extended time. It fits in your arm much like a clipboard, so carrying it isn't an unfamiliar sensation. And while the virtual keyboard is a better option for casual use, if you happen to need to type a lot and have a suitable surface, a BlueTooth keyboard can be synced up easily.

It's interesting you say this because I'm using my netbook to respond to this post while lying in bed. I think it's better to compare the iPad (and tablets in general) to netbooks rather than laptops in general. They're both ultra-portable with decent battery life, neither needs to be used at a desk (I only use my netbook on a desk at the library). It really comes down to what you want to do but I'd see them both as that good in-between.

The iPad has a touch screen interface, is fast and responsive, easy to use etc but it's also very limited. No physical keyboard, no flash, limited multi-tasking, no great at creating things on it etc. The netbook is the opposite really, as a full blown OS you can do pretty much everything to can do on a normal laptop/desktop as long as you appreciate the limitations on speed. It's great for using things like microsoft office, going crazy on tabs in a web browser, playing a huge library of older games, much larger storage space (my netbook has 250gb), much larger software library, much more choice etc.

My friend has an iPad and she loves it and I love my netbook for very different reasons but we both use them to fill that same 'gap'.

Charlie

 

[Irishman]

Specs are fairly meaningless since I would imagine that they would perform well. I think it comes down to which software you like the best. I am getting a tablet this year, so I am interested in what is coming out as well.

Don't forget RIM's playbook is being released soon as well.

Agreed however when I went to the Apple Store and checked out the IPad last weekend I was honestly surprised that it didn't have a USB port. The explanation I was given from the Apple staff was that the unit was designed for basically wireless connectivity only. The Zoom apparently has both options.

Darthtom, I introduce you to Dropbox!

 

[Irishman]

^

This.

This is the main reason why I am a die-hard PC guy now, when it comes to computing needs... I realized that for a very long time, Apple has had the habit of always "leaving something out" of a product that I really wanted and would liked to have had as an option. Because of that, I realized that if I bought an Apple, I'd be paying more for less, so I switched to PC, and now won't ever go back. The only Apple products I have any use for and own now are iPods, because I use them for music and nothing else.

Yes, Apple folks are very fanatical about their computers and other hardware and they often seem confused as to why someone would need MS applications. I tried to explain to the sales woman in the Apple store that while I could convert presentations to an apple format, most people in business exchange power point presentations in the 'non Apple,' world.

I am disappointed as I said up-thread that Motorola is releasing the Xoom product with the Verizon only connectivity - at least a first.

The longer term question is how Android will fair over time in terms of apps that will work in terms of functionality for people.

Make sure that before you buy a Xoom, you don't expect to run Netflix on it. Its Tegra 2 chip won't play it back.

 

[Irishman]

If an Android tablet came out with decent specs at a reasonable price ($200 or less, needs to be at least on par or below netbook prices as far as I'm concerned) I'd probably get one. Guess I'll be waiting a few years.

Why does a "decently speced" Android tablet need to cost what a notbook does? You realize that its performance won't better a notbook.

 

[Irishman]

I have a feeling that iPhones, iPads and iPods of the future will sync with Thunderbolt instead of the 32pin connector it uses now.

I have a feeling that Apple will keep using their proprietary connectors as long as they can.

There's no reason why Apple's devices need to sync wired though... Android devices don't actually sync to PC's at all, they only time I ever connect mine is to copy over new music files. Contacts, apps and even data backups are done transparently over the cloud, editing a contact on my phone has it instantly show up in Gmail on my PC and vice versa. Presumably the rumors about the revamp of MobileMe will address this for Apple devices.

THIS, I agree, is a compelling innovation coming out of Android devices. Wireless updates over WiFi.

Knowing Apple like I do, they either won't do it if it hits battery life, OR they're waiting for version 3 or 4.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

If an Android tablet came out with decent specs at a reasonable price ($200 or less, needs to be at least on par or below netbook prices as far as I'm concerned) I'd probably get one. Guess I'll be waiting a few years.

Why does a "decently speced" Android tablet need to cost what a notbook does? You realize that its performance won't better a notbook.

"Notbook"? Is that supposed to be clever?

 

[Irishman]

Netbooks, and other "laptops", are still mostly used on a desk or table. Some people do put them on their laps, but this requires sitting up. It's a bit awkward to use a laptop while lying on a bed or walking around.

Smartphones are simpler to use in those ultra-casual situations, but the small screen suits them mostly for quick lookups and data retrieval. Most people don't surf the web on their phones for an extended period.

A tablet provides a good in-between. You can use it while doing anything around the house like an iPhone, but you aren't struggling to look at a tiny screen if you want to use it for an extended time. It fits in your arm much like a clipboard, so carrying it isn't an unfamiliar sensation. And while the virtual keyboard is a better option for casual use, if you happen to need to type a lot and have a suitable surface, a BlueTooth keyboard can be synced up easily.

It's interesting you say this because I'm using my netbook to respond to this post while lying in bed. I think it's better to compare the iPad (and tablets in general) to netbooks rather than laptops in general. They're both ultra-portable with decent battery life, neither needs to be used at a desk (I only use my netbook on a desk at the library). It really comes down to what you want to do but I'd see them both as that good in-between.

The iPad has a touch screen interface, is fast and responsive, easy to use etc but it's also very limited. No physical keyboard, no flash, limited multi-tasking, no great at creating things on it etc. The netbook is the opposite really, as a full blown OS you can do pretty much everything to can do on a normal laptop/desktop as long as you appreciate the limitations on speed. It's great for using things like microsoft office, going crazy on tabs in a web browser, playing a huge library of older games, much larger storage space (my netbook has 250gb), much larger software library, much more choice etc.

My friend has an iPad and she loves it and I love my netbook for very different reasons but we both use them to fill that same 'gap'.

Charlie

See, here is where the difference comes in between specs and experience. On paper, your netbook might seem to be comparable to the iPad, but you won't find an IPS display on a netbook, nor video playback be as smooth as on the iPad. Also, does your netbook offer 1080p output via HDMI?

Can you run Unreal Engine 3 or RAGE engine games (even rezzed-down) on your netbook as smoothly as they play on an iPad?

 

[Irishman]

If an Android tablet came out with decent specs at a reasonable price ($200 or less, needs to be at least on par or below netbook prices as far as I'm concerned) I'd probably get one. Guess I'll be waiting a few years.

Why does a "decently speced" Android tablet need to cost what a notbook does? You realize that its performance won't better a notbook.

"Notbook"? Is that supposed to be clever?

Beyond that, you didn't answer my question.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Why does a "decently speced" Android tablet need to cost what a notbook does? You realize that its performance won't better a notbook.

"Notbook"? Is that supposed to be clever?

Beyond that, you didn't answer my question.

Your question is both loaded and doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

 

[Irishman]

"Notbook"? Is that supposed to be clever?

Beyond that, you didn't answer my question.

Your question is both loaded and doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Let me translate it into a comment, instead.

An Android tablet that is priced the same as a netbook (from $200 to $400) is going to perform the same as a netbook in that price range.

 

[Charlie Kelly]

See, here is where the difference comes in between specs and experience. On paper, your netbook might seem to be comparable to the iPad, but you won't find an IPS display on a netbook, nor video playback be as smooth as on the iPad. Also, does your netbook offer 1080p output via HDMI?

Can you run Unreal Engine 3 or RAGE engine games (even rezzed-down) on your netbook as smoothly as they play on an iPad?

I think you might be missing my point. I prefer my netbook because it's just a scaled down laptop/desktop, it runs all the same software. Sure it's too slow to run heavy stuff but it's good enough to run most desktop applications and older computer games. It's also excellent for browsing as I can easily have and switch between multiple tabs. There's also the fact that flash works as it's meant to (with a mouse rather than touch) and I can run spotify for free. At the end of the day it all depends on what you're looking for. The original iPad is still just a scaled up iPod Touch/iPhone and the new one doesn't look like it's going to change that. I don't want a tablet running a phone OS, I don't even want a tablet dammit!

Also despite my netbook being an early one (so no special nVidia graphics chip) my netbook runs video as smooth as it can be so yes it is as smooth as the iPad. Again my netbook is an early one but more modern netbooks do have HDMI output.

Charlie

 

[Irishman]

If an Android tablet came out with decent specs at a reasonable price ($200 or less, needs to be at least on par or below netbook prices as far as I'm concerned) I'd probably get one. Guess I'll be waiting a few years.

Why does a "decently speced" Android tablet need to cost what a notbook does? You realize that its performance won't better a notbook.

"Notbook"? Is that supposed to be clever?

Oh, and I can't take credit for coining "notbook". That was Chris Zeigler from Engadget.

 

[The Doctor]

Specs are fairly meaningless since I would imagine that they would perform well. I think it comes down to which software you like the best. I am getting a tablet this year, so I am interested in what is coming out as well.

Don't forget RIM's playbook is being released soon as well.

Agreed however when I went to the Apple Store and checked out the IPad last weekend I was honestly surprised that it didn't have a USB port. The explanation I was given from the Apple staff was that the unit was designed for basically wireless connectivity only. The Zoom apparently has both options.

Darthtom, I introduce you to Dropbox!

Dropbox is the shit, particularly LAN sync.

RIM's tablet is vapor, the Xoom fails to deliver on all the checkboxes that are supposed to differentiate it from the iPad (SD card slot doesn't even work, 4G 'upgrade' requires sending the tablet in to Motorolla, no Flash support out of the box) and the HP TouchPad is also vapor. The iPad is the best tablet available right now and the iPad 2 is better still.

If I didn't already have an iPad, the second iteration would be a no-brainer. However, the new version isn't quite sexy enough for me to make a quick upgrade. I hung onto my original iPhone until the iPhone 4 came out, I'm sure that the iPad will last at least two years before I'm jonesing for new features.