APPLE iPAD

[MIKA27]

I'm still impressed with mine. Today I bought a blue tooth remote keypad for mine, it's great.

I've seen those Warren, been thinking about the advantages of getting one.

I have found that the onscreen keyboard doesn't have basic stuff like 'arrow keys' which would come in handy.

I have also heard that Apple's real keyboards also give you more special-function keys, and the capability to use a number of standard Mac keyboard shortcuts.

For the time being however, I'm happy with the portability of using the onscreen BUT the bluetooth certainly is great if one has use for it!

[Fuzz]

I've seen those Warren, been thinking about the advantages of getting one.

I have found that the onscreen keyboard doesn't have basic stuff like 'arrow keys' which would come in handy.

I have also heard that Apple's real keyboards also give you more special-function keys, and the capability to use a number of standard Mac keyboard shortcuts.

For the time being however, I'm happy with the portability of using the onscreen BUT the bluetooth certainly is great if one has use for it!

I find this really odd.

After looking around a bit, I noticed people talking about sync-ing bluetooth keyboard and mouse to the iPad. If you needed a keyboard and mouse, why the heck didn't you buy a MacBook?? Kinda defeats the purpose of portability.

And why doesn't the iPad onscreen keyboard have the Mac customised function keys? Seems a little strange to not put this functionality in??

I think I'll stick to my notebook until there are more tablet options out on the market.

[gersonmorelli]

I find this really odd.

After looking around a bit, I noticed people talking about sync-ing bluetooth keyboard and mouse to the iPad. If you needed a keyboard and mouse, why the heck didn't you buy a MacBook?? Kinda defeats the purpose of portability.

And why doesn't the iPad onscreen keyboard have the Mac customised function keys? Seems a little strange to not put this functionality in??

I think I'll stick to my notebook until there are more tablet options out on the market.

Some people might use it not only as a portable device but also as a e-mailing and surfing the web tool at home when they just don't want to turn their desktop and laptops on. Which is actually my case, except I got along well with the virtual keyboard.

[Fuzz]

Some people might use it not only as a portable device but also as a e-mailing and surfing the web tool at home when they just don't want to turn their desktop and laptops on. Which is actually my case, except I got along well with the virtual keyboard.

I must be really dense 'cos I still don't get it.

If you're using a keyboard and mouse with an iPad, don't you also need a table to to rest them on? And if you do that, wouldn't it be better to have a nice big screen than a 9 inch?

I can sit my notebook on my lap and have the screen titled at any position I want. Something not really possible with the iPad when using a keyboard and mouse.

[DrunkenMonkey]

I find this really odd.

After looking around a bit, I noticed people talking about sync-ing bluetooth keyboard and mouse to the iPad. If you needed a keyboard and mouse, why the heck didn't you buy a MacBook?? Kinda defeats the purpose of portability.

Imagine that you could rip the bottom half off your MacBook and leave it at home, but still have all the functionality. Do you see how that would be more portable?

[Fuzz]

I don't have a problem with the portability side, but I can't understand why you would combine a mouse and keyboard when you're out and about. If the idea was to have an all in one package, fingertip control and a compact design, then why would one increase one's encumberance with peripherals.

It just doesn't make sense.

[DrunkenMonkey]

I don't have a problem with the portability side, but I can't understand why you would combine a mouse and keyboard when you're out and about. If the idea was to have an all in one package, fingertip control and a compact design, then why would one increase one's encumberance with peripherals.

It just doesn't make sense.

Same reason you'd use a Bluetooth keyboard with an iPhone. Say you're writing a paper, or something needing a lot of typing. To do that with a full size hardware keyboard is much more convenient than typing on the phone's virtual keyboard. But without the keyboard, the phone still is perfectly functional, but typing is a bit less convenient. On the other hand, you can fit the phone in your pocket and leave the keyboard at home if you want. Also, a full size keyboard permanently attached to a phone would look pretty silly. Does that make sense?

[MIKA27]

Same reason you'd use a Bluetooth keyboard with an iPhone. Say you're writing a paper, or something needing a lot of typing. To do that with a full size hardware keyboard is much more convenient than typing on the phone's virtual keyboard. But without the keyboard, the phone still is perfectly functional, but typing is a bit less convenient. On the other hand, you can fit the phone in your pocket and leave the keyboard at home if you want. Also, a full size keyboard permanently attached to a phone would look pretty silly. Does that make sense?

It makes perfect sense to me DM.

Each to their own, not everything has to make sense for everyone so long as it makes sense to themselves and they find their choices practical.

[Warren]

I don't have a problem with the portability side, but I can't understand why you would combine a mouse and keyboard when you're out and about. If the idea was to have an all in one package, fingertip control and a compact design, then why would one increase one's encumberance with peripherals.

It just doesn't make sense.

Yeah I can see what you're saying but I never bought it with a mind to take it everywhere.

As a matter of fact I never intended to buy one. I wanted the stand for it so I could stand it up on the desk when I was in the office.

The stand is called the Book Arc and is a nice little piece of design. While I was there I saw the bluetooth keyboard and being a bit of a gadget nut I thought yeah what the hell.

The stand and the keyboard stay in the office and the iPad comes with me on the road.

It's a kind of best of both worlds sort of thing.

Lets face it, none of us really need any of this stuff but we buy it anyway.

[reg]

I died

[MIKA27]

Quite funny Reg but as the other guy said...."I don't care"

HTC's EVO already seems to have it's own problems with screens seperating from the casing!?

HTC EVO issues

But that's my own opinion and I wish not to disuade others from purchasing something that they feel is better or worse than the iPhone or iPad. The HTC on paper seems to be a very good contender indeed.

Perhaps I should have called this thread HTC vs iPad/iPhone?

[Fuzz]

Bloody hilarious Reg!!

[OZCUBAN]

This could turn into the Civil War thread

[OZCUBAN]

Apple Announces iPhone 4 Sales of 1.7 Million, Most Successful Product Launch Ever

Apple today announced sales of over 1.7 million iPhone 4s through Saturday, covering just the first three days of sales.

Apple today announced that it has sold over 1.7 million of its iPhone 4 through Saturday, June 26, just three days after its launch on June 24. The new iPhone 4 features FaceTime, which makes video calling as easy as one tap, and Apple's new Retina display, the highest resolution display ever built into a phone, resulting in stunning text, images and video.

"This is the most successful product launch in Apple's history," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "Even so, we apologize to those customers who were turned away because we did not have enough supply."

Saturday marked the end of Apple's third fiscal quarter (and second calendar quarter), and thus sales from Sunday forward will be included in Apple's next fiscal quarter, due to end in late September.

For both the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 3G, Apple announced sales of over one million for their respective launch weekends. It took 74 days for the original iPhone to move one million units.

Apple continues to note that iPhone 4 will move beyond the initial launch countries of the United States, UK, France, Germany, and Japan into an additional 18 countries by the end of July: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

[OZCUBAN]

Android's Uncurated App Marketplace Draws Criticism, Google Activates 'Kill Switch' on Two Apps

Given the amount of criticism that Apple has received for their curated App Store, it should be interesting to see that Google's unmoderated solution for Android is not without its own criticisms. CNet reported on the high potential for abuse in the Android marketplace:

About 20 percent of the 48,000 apps in the Android marketplace allow a third-party application access to sensitive or private information, according to a report released on Tuesday.

While most of these apps are not malicious, spyware is said to be a growing problem. Google denies it being a real issue, however, and points out that users must explicitly allow applications to get access to the data. While true, Jon Johansen disputes the practicality of these checks and also believes that Google's lack of curation is hurting their marketplace:

Google does far too little curation of the Android Market, and it shows. Unlike Apple's App Store, the Android Market has few high quality apps.

...

Below are just a few examples of what's wrong with the Android Market. Those 144 spam ringtone apps (which are clearly infringing copyright) are currently cluttering the top ranks of the Multimedia category. I was not surprised to find that they were being monetized through Google Ads.

Meanwhile, this past week, Google remotely disabled two apps from all Android phones. This so-called "Kill Switch" received a lot of publicity when it was revealed that Apple had the same functionality for the App Store. So far, Apple has not been known to have triggered it. According to Google, the remotely disabled apps were not malicious, but misrepresented themselves in order to encourage downloads:

Recently, we became aware of two free applications built by a security researcher for research purposes. These applications intentionally misrepresented their purpose in order to encourage user downloads, but they were not designed to be used maliciously, and did not have permission to access private data -- or system resources beyond permission.INTERNET. As the applications were practically useless, most users uninstalled the applications shortly after downloading them.

The removed apps were said to be a theoretical demonstration of how to create a "botnet" of hijacked phones.

By cloaking an application capable of "fetching" new exploit code at will in a fake application offering preview pictures of the upcoming "Twilight Eclipse" film, he tricked more than 300 users into downloading the software. The lesson: a less friendly developer could have used that bait and switch to plant malware on users' devices.

OZ

This were Apples closed system and their total control attitude ,pays dividends NO **** apps

Cheers OZ

[OZCUBAN]

iPad: there is no replacement for displacement (screen size)

iPhone 4: there is no replacement for pocket ability.

Here is the definitive Answer

[thechenman]

AAPL stock down over $11 today...down about $20 over the last few days. 4G sales were good, but not whisper number good. Still Apple makes great gadgets. To me the beauty of Apple isn't in the product...its in the marketing...making consumer believe the want or need something that they could easily get along without. Other companies do that as well, but none as well as Apple.

[khomeinist]

Great video. I actually have an iPhone but don't really care about the divisiveness of the technology brand wars. We all spend money on unnecessary consumer goods. It is part of our culture. I don't care to get all tribal for silly corporations.

I generally agree with Chenman's point about marketing. I also think Apple has been very cagey about forced product integration and limited end-user modification ability (without a full-on jailbreak and crack).

I was in San Francisco last week on iPhone 4 launch day. Lots of insecure people either showing off their latest toy or glancing covetously at their neighbor's aquisition. So yes. Marketing is a major component of this. To make a product both 'hip' and ubiquitous at the same time is good business.

[OZCUBAN]

Great video. I actually have an iPhone but don't really care about the divisiveness of the technology brand wars. We all spend money on unnecessary consumer goods. It is part of our culture. I don't care to get all tribal for silly corporations.

I generally agree with Chenman's point about marketing. I also think Apple has been very cagey about how their forced product integration and limited end-user modification ability (without a full-on jailbreak and crack).

I was in San Francisco last week on iPhone 4 launch day. Lots of insecure people either showing off their latest toy or glancing covetously at their neighbor' aquisition. So yes. Marketing is a major component of this. To make a product both 'hip' and ubiquitous at the same time is good business.

I completely agree but some don't .I use them simply because they are easier

[sloth]

I spilled water on my Macbook not once but twice and it still works fine!

Last week my (uninsured) Droid did a triple ganor from my shirt pocket to the concrete... it stuck the landing and works perfectly fine! 10s all around!

I also finally took the time to set up my Droid to share 3G with my Macbook.

We can all agree the HP touchsmart computers suck...

[thechenman]

One plus about the droid I've noticed is that they have a beta version of flash available now. That's pretty cool. Also you can now convert your droid to work as a modem that you can plug into your laptop...so it kinda works like the MiFi I have from Verizon.

[Wiley]

Imagine that you could rip the bottom half off your MacBook and leave it at home, but still have all the functionality. Do you see how that would be more portable?

That sounds awesome! Is that what they're planning for the next iPad?

[Wiley]

I died

OMG that video is funny as hell!

[DrunkenMonkey]

That sounds awesome! Is that what they're planning for the next iPad?

Did you really not understand what I was saying? It was an explanation of why an iPad is more portable than a MacBook, something that the poster I was responding to didn't understand.

[Wiley]

I understand that you claimed the iPad had all the functionality of the Macbook, which I was assumed was some sort of joke, as you couldn't possibly have been serious.