Apple's new I-device -- The IPad

Looks cool, and it's cheaper than expected, but I'd have to see how the pages read on screen before saying yea or nay. If they've got that e-ink thing, then it shouldn't be a problem, otherwise, I'll pass.

Here's Mr. Liver-Transplant with it right here - the screen is color, so I really doubt it's an i-Ink, er um, e-Ink type screen:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TECH/01/27/apple.tablet/index.html

To describe yet again my nanowrimo setup, I got a 10-inch screen 8-hour-battery-life netbook and a Model M "Space Saver" keyboard for less than that, and I never have to put my greasy, grubby fingers on the screen. Does this thing come with Windex and a roll of paper towels?

Ben eating a sub with lots of mustard, and chips, fries and buttered popcorn. My heart palpitates just thinking about it.

I really liked my Mac II but I've become slightly cynical since then.

I will drop by the store to check it out. Hard to say until you try it out...

I'm just boggling over the price, but it was pretty much what I'd been expecting: an oversized iPod Touch. I'll be going to Macworld Expo next month, so there'll be a better take on the overall buzz since the initial excitement should have died down and the ultra-wank should be in full swing by then.

And I'm claiming ownership on the phrase "iPod Touch Maximus". Royalty schedule for use to be determined at a later date.

It's not available until end of March, and the unlocked 3G is going to be a month after that.

It's 9.7 inches, or 1024-by-768-pixel resolution at 132 pixels per inch. About 0.5 thick, weighs 1.5 pounds. There's a dockable external keyboard, but it supports Bluetooth keyboards from Apple, and perhaps, others.

Games developers are already porting Civilization and similar games, as well as a bunch of arcade games.

It can run most of the iPhone/iPod touch apps. Stanza will be supported in the large format of the iPad, which means Kindle books will work just fine.

iWorks for iPad is pretty spiffy on it too.

The iBooks ereader application from Apple and the Apple ebook store are interesting; the book format is epub, which is both good and bad; no word yet on DRM, but I don't see publishers signing on w/o DRM, and an awful lot of them have enthusiastically been porting books and media.

I know that for Random House DRM is a key issue.

I'm actually excited about this. No word yet about when it will hit Canada. You know...we're SO FAR away from the States. It's crazy.


I think we need a thread roundup! There's several now. (-;

The WiFi version is available world wide at the end of March.

Not sure if the AT & T dataplan will be available there though.

I'm extremely excited. I like netbooks, but for another $100-200 you get a ultra portable, ultra thin, ultra light multimedia consumer device with wifi, 3G, Bluetooth, eBook readers (including Stanza and Kindle, which are now available for the iPhone/iPod Touch), apps, apps, apps.

Yes, it's like a giant iPhone. But the form factor is what makes it REALLY usable in many of these tasks such as book reading, web surfing (believe me, as much as I like Safari on iPhone, it is TOO SMALL), games...

Medievalist said:

The WiFi version is available world wide at the end of March.

Not sure if the AT & T dataplan will be available there though.

Click to expand...

The 3G version will be unlocked, so technically speaking it will accept any carrier as long as you can get the mini SIM in there somehow...