Jump to content
Spartans Home

The iPad is out.. and now?


Batwing~SPARTA~
 Share

Recommended Posts

Well, this is quite interesting.

 

There have been a lot of talking about this Apple release, the iPad. Either you are an Apple-maniac or not, it may be worthy to take a look at.

 

But before jumping up and down as may Apple fans do, there are thisng you need to know before you buy a larger iPod Which is what the iPad sostantially is).

 

Check this video here:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/27/apple-i...first-hands-on/

 

and also read thsi few points from CNET:

 

In the world of Apple, being a Netbook is a bad, bad thing. During Apple's keynote for the newly announced iPad, the Netbook was called out by Steve Jobs, who said "they're not better at laptops than anything, they're just cheaper." The affordable, tiny, and yes, often bare-bones Atom processor-running device we've come to know and love, or hate, as the Netbook is often clunky and frequently disappointing, true enough.

 

On the other hand, the Apple iPad was promised to be a better solution for those in the market for a Netbook--for some functions, at least.

 

While the iPad might win out on some particular functions--video playback quality, in particular--the truth is there are a great many things Netbooks can do that an iPad just can't. Right now, at least. And while that may not make a Netbook better than a laptop, in some instances a Netbook certainly seems better than an iPad. Check out the rundown (and, yes, multitasking would certainly be an excellent No. 11).

 

10 things Netbooks do better than iPads (photos)

 

 

Video chat. Most Netbooks, even low-end ones, now have Webcams enabling basic video chat over Skype or any other program. The iPad, however, does not. We wish the iPad had a camera and iChat, especially since it would make the tablet a unique communications device to rival the iPhone. Perhaps cost was a factor, even though most Netbooks manage the feat in a package under $500.

 

Run Flash. While Steve Jobs called the iPad "the best Web experience you've ever had," there is a big missing piece right now, and that's the whole Web. Browser-based apps and Flash-driven content are huge elements of cloud computing and of many Web sites, and right now it's not even clear whether the iPad can even run Hulu or Netflix. Atom Netbooks can be slow and stuttery when playing Web video, but at least they can.

 

Programming. Most people aren't programmers, or anything close to it, but most Netbooks do run on a full Windows 7 OS that can be used for programming or modification. For the friendly hackers out there, that's a deal-breaker on the iPad.

 

Upload photos from a camera. No USB ports on the iPad mean no connecting cameras or other peripherals, which can be a drag if the iPad is meant as a portable computing replacement for bloggers. Netbooks have at least 2 USB ports standard. The iPad does have a dongle to allow photo and video uploads, but when we're on the go we prefer a direct connection.

 

Store more than 64GB of data. We expected a little more memory on the iPad. Even the most basic Netbook has a 160GB hard drive. Cloud storage can assist with data, but it's still no replacement for onboard capacity.

 

Play Facebook games. Without the aforementioned Flash, browser games aren't really possible on the iPad. Those looking to play Farmville will have to wait for the App or just flock to a Netbook.

 

Swapping batteries. Sure, the iPad is slim, attractive and very showy. But its battery is fixed, while a Netbook can not only swap its battery, but upgrade from a three- to a six-cell or more.

 

Install CD media (or any media other than from an App Store) With the addition of a simple USB DVD/CD-ROM drive, disc-based software can be installed on a Netbook even without an optical drive built in. Netbooks can also install files off USB drives, or via any other input method. The iPad wasn't designed with this flexibility in mind, but it's still nice to be able to do.

 

Type on your lap. Yes, the iPad has a virtual keyboard, and even a cool keyboard dock that turns the tablet into a quasi-desktop device. But the dock can't be used for lap typing, and the Apple demos didn't make iPad typing seem as comfortable as pounding away on an old-fashioned hinged Netbook. For long-term writing on the go, a physical Netbook keyboard with an attached angled screen still wins.

 

Upgrade. Netbooks can upgrade their RAM--albeit slightly--and with a little effort, that hard drive can be swapped, too. The iPad is a fixed entity, so there's no going back once you've picked 16, 32, or 64GB.

 

On the other hand, the iPad does do a lot of things nicely, including being more portable. We just felt like Netbooks needed to be stood up for a little. Your thoughts? Any features we left out?

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...