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Live from the Apple 'latest creation' event

93 points| ilamont | 16 years ago |engadget.com | reply

161 comments

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[+] sharms|16 years ago|reply
The funniest part about all of this is I have yet to purchase an apple device (I run Ubuntu myself), but I can't not watch these presentations.

It would be great if there were other tech companies with such well presented products and ideas that really made you say 'wow'.

[+] anigbrowl|16 years ago|reply
Jobs is truly wonderful salesman, all right. He knows how to play a crowd like a violin.
[+] rbanffy|16 years ago|reply
Well... I run Ubuntu too, but since the Apple II days, Apple has been leading the way.

Remember current Macs are more or less white NeXT boxes.

[+] sandGorgon|16 years ago|reply
that goes hand in hand with your package.

I run only linux in all my machines - but I think that until KDE can get a decent network manager up and working or UVC webcams start working out-of-the-box, I dont see an Apple like presentation.

[+] mojuba|16 years ago|reply
No Flash, a web site with a missing plugin icon was demonstrated probably on purpose.
[+] joeyh|16 years ago|reply
Curious how google streetview is working w/o flash?
[+] ilamont|16 years ago|reply
First thoughts:

- Looks like a giant iPod touch

- I'm not convinced the email is phenomenal

[+] m0th87|16 years ago|reply
I'm not convinced anything is phenomenal on this. Between my desktop, macbook and iPhone, I can't think of any use cases for it. Is it just a bigger, faster iPhone? I don't get it.
[+] anigbrowl|16 years ago|reply
App compatibility with the smaller models is pretty smart though. I didn't expect anything other than a giant iPhone, but that's enough to make it desirable for a great many people.
[+] AmericanOP|16 years ago|reply
No camera.. no video chat... more time to save up for Ipad 2.0!
[+] waterlesscloud|16 years ago|reply
Pretty much zero wow so far. It's a big ipod touch.
[+] adamt|16 years ago|reply
I don't understand some of the negativity here. My credit card is already tingling in my pocket ready to pre-order at the first opportunity.

The proof will be in the pudding - but a device with a decent screen size, with 10 hours battery life, that I can use for browsing the internet from the bed/living room is great.

I have an iphone, I have an MBP, I have an Acer Aspire One (running Linux) But all of these are not quite perfect. The speed improvement of the 3GS over the 3G makes a big difference, but it's still not quite the perfect browsing device. My Acer never gets used - I agree with Steve Jobs that it's worse at everything. The MBP is pretty good - but it's a bit heavy at 2KG versus < 1KG iPad and most of the time the keyboard is redundant.

I want one :-)

[+] nopinsight|16 years ago|reply
If they include a pull-out or pluggable physical keyboard, arranged to allow the pad to stand like a frame, it could be a great replacement for most netbooks and allow for hands-free reading--therefore a Kindle killer as well.

Wonder if they have ever considered the idea and reject it simply for the aesthetics of having the simplest, smoothest device possible. Aesthetics is good, but if a small compromise can be made for much greater functionality, it would be a good trade-off.

I think some other companies might have come up with a device I described above, anyone here knows of one. I would consider buying it. A link would be appreciated.

[+] aresant|16 years ago|reply
Waiting on that wow moment, still basically just a huge ipod touch . . .
[+] Timothee|16 years ago|reply
Same here. But, considering how fast Steve Jobs went through the updates and basic description of the product (and pretty much covering all the rumors and leaks), I think there is time (and hope) for a "one more thing" that can blow our minds.

So far, I wouldn't call what they showed "magical and revolutionary".

edit: still following the pace of the event, it really feels to me like there will be more. A little slow-down of the presentation, Steve Jobs will sum up a little bit what they showed and then, starts smiling and say "but there's one more thing that makes the iPad revolutionary". So far, it's really too fast. It would be an unusual rhythm for an Apple keynote. if it kept going like this until the end. (wishful thinking?)

2nd edit: I guess not… not that the product is not super cool and impressive. It's just that I feel it's harder to justify when you have an iPhone and a laptop already. The Kindle is threatened though.

[+] thaumaturgy|16 years ago|reply
Hmm. So, we've got a handheld device with a slick UI, that can be used for video, audio, email, games, and reading, has a long battery life, and reasonable performance ... the first iteration of the mythical "tablet" that everyone's been talking about for two years now ... and the general reaction is that it's too much like a fancy Walkman?
[+] timmaah|16 years ago|reply
Nice and locked down with only Apple approved apps. Do not want.
[+] GHFigs|16 years ago|reply
You mean it's still basically like devices that Apple sold about 10+ million of last quarter?
[+] awa|16 years ago|reply
$499 unlocked... cheaper than the unlocked iphone.. I say possibly wow!
[+] raganwald|16 years ago|reply
No phone. Less computing power than a MacBook. Lame.
[+] akirk|16 years ago|reply
I could imagine this being the perfect device for my grandparents.

They can't use a mouse properly, the iPhone screen is too small for surfing the web.

[+] sdfx|16 years ago|reply
I think the biggest wow moment might be the price: "pricing starts at $499" is probably something no one would have expected.
[+] noodle|16 years ago|reply
there it is, i think. the no-contract 3G deal with AT&T, it being priced at $30/mo unlimited data, and then the price of the tablet itself starting at $500.

that is pretty impressive.

[+] ugh|16 years ago|reply
Well, the iPod touch is a damn impressive device.
[+] CamperBob|16 years ago|reply
I agree, mostly.

I didn't want to see apps. I wanted to see packages. The NYT missed a huge opportunity to sell subscriptions just now, for example.

[+] maximilian|16 years ago|reply
Its exactly what we should have expected. A giant iPod Touch, nothing revolutionary, but still cool. I'm sure I won't be able to afford it, but maybe one day...
[+] raganwald|16 years ago|reply
Here's a question: Will AAPL de-emphasize the iPod Touch? It seems like the Touch is now in a bit of a no-man's land: It doesn't have a phone or 3GS go-anywhere connectivity, and won't be as compelling as a game or surfing platform.
[+] GHFigs|16 years ago|reply
It still covers the ground between $200 and $500 for those unwilling or unable to commit to an AT&T contract, including everybody's favorite segment: teenagers.
[+] sunir|16 years ago|reply
I have observed a Law of Steve Jobs. If he hypes it, it will suck. If he says nothing, it will rock. The iPhone he said nothing about. Before today, he was hyping the iPad as the most important thing he's ever done.
[+] thaumaturgy|16 years ago|reply
Let's call this Rob's Corollary:

If it gets hyped before it gets unveiled, consumers will get disappointed.

[+] GHFigs|16 years ago|reply
he was hyping the iPad

Where?

[+] phren0logy|16 years ago|reply
Interesting detail: Runs custom Apple silicon, the "A4" chip at 1Ghz. Seems pretty capable based on the demo. But then, everything seems capable in a controlled demo.
[+] jacquesm|16 years ago|reply
The iPAD has actually been out for a while now:

http://www.currentdirections.com/hardware/fujitsu/ipad100.ht...

I think Apple may have a little problem here in the trademark department.

[+] bithaze|16 years ago|reply
Not to mention HP's iPAQ line which has been around for quite a number of years.
[+] noonespecial|16 years ago|reply
Finally. The 'pad' from Star Trek is here. I'm psyched. Now if only they'd be cheap enough for me to leave half a dozen of them laying around.
[+] awa|16 years ago|reply
AAPL is down about 2% since the event started... apparently the market doesn't like what it sees
[+] GHFigs|16 years ago|reply
"Buy on the rumor, sell on the news."
[+] sker|16 years ago|reply
The engadget live feed is pathetic. They're saying "Wow" to any regular feature that doesn't really have anything impressive. What is their agenda here?
[+] yumraj|16 years ago|reply
I don't know about others, but iPod launch was a truly jaw-dropping event. iPad, for me at least, is nothing more than a yawn.