The Apple Tablet Event?

[Steve E]

So, since Apple announced last year that they wouldn't be attending MacWorld Expo 2010 (next week) will they be giving up this opportunity to further hype the iPad?

 

Will Steve and Storyist be there? Will there be pictures?

 

Curious.

- Thoth.

[thealtruismsociety]

Another reason to fork over the additional $130 might be to get true GPS. On the iPhone, only the 3G models have it. Non-3G iPhones and the iPod touch use triangulation of WiFi signals and a database to get location information. This second method is slower and less accurate--and relies on you being in an area with WiFi hotspots.

 

-Steve

 

You do get true GPS, it's AGPS actually.

[orrenm]

You do get true GPS, it's AGPS actually.

 

I think what Steve was saying (which I also believe is true) is that the base $499 model doesn't include 3G, and the tech specs of the iPad say that GPS is included only on the WiFi + 3G model. Therefore, the extra $130 buys you 3G + GPS, which might be a reason to spend the extra money.

 

I guess if one already has a phone with GPS, the question becomes, how many devices with a GPS do you need?

 

Orren

[thealtruismsociety]

I think what Steve was saying (which I also believe is true) is that the base $499 model doesn't include 3G, and the tech specs of the iPad say that GPS is included only on the WiFi + 3G model. Therefore, the extra $130 buys you 3G + GPS, which might be a reason to spend the extra money.

 

I guess if one already has a phone with GPS, the question becomes, how many devices with a GPS do you need?

 

Orren

 

Did you see the sheer sex of the map app though?

 

The extra $130 nets a compass as well.

[thealtruismsociety]

I'm rolling with the 3G cause you don't HAVE to pick a 3G data plan if you don't want but it allows ofr it later should some killer 3G app be made.

[orrenm]

Did you see the sheer sex of the map app though?

 

I'm married you see, I try not to look. Am I going to have to convince my wife that the map app and I are just friends?

 

The extra $130 nets a compass as well.

 

I'm sure the compass is important to some people, but to me, it sounds like "and along with your Snuggie, we'll throw in this bookmark!"

 

None of this is to poo poo the concept of the 3G iPad, BTW. I'm not planning to buy one (I may wait for the webcam version) but if I were, I'd probably be tempted to get the 3G version too, just so if I was on the road and didn't have Wi-Fi I could still get online. But I can't say that the compass is a big selling point to me. If I need to use my iPad as a compass, I'm probably so turned around that it wouldn't be much use to me!

 

Orren

[Steve E]

It seems that WIRED Magazine has noticed that some of the iPod's magic is black magic. Uh-oh. Click here.

- Thoth

[orrenm]

It seems that WIRED Magazine has noticed that some of the iPod's magic is black magic. Uh-oh. Click here.

- Thoth

 

Wired has some writers who hate all things Apple out of hand, and some who are rabid Apple fanboys out of hand. It's easy to pick which articles come from whom.

 

Orren

[Steve E]

Wired has some writers who hate all things Apple out of hand, and some who are rabid Apple fanboys out of hand. It's easy to pick which articles come from whom.

As long as they speak the truth, I can sort out biases for myself.

Do you disagree with any of their points?

- Thoth

[orrenm]

As long as they speak the truth, I can sort out biases for myself.

Do you disagree with any of their points?

 

"DRM'd eBooks"—so far, word is that they've offered publishers a choice of FairPlay DRM or no DRM. I'm sure some will chose no DRM (likely O'Reilly and my employer, for example). So it's not "Apple's black magic" that would lock eBooks to the iPad, but the will of the publisher.

 

"Weirdly small SIM card"—sure, they use a micro SIM card, but it's not weird, it's a new standard half a dozen cellular companies have already adopted. The author complains that this means you can't use your iPhone plan but I'd not be the least surprised if the 4th gen iPhone revealed in July uses the micro-SIM as well.

 

"No USB"—but there are adapter cables, so who cares? That's like saying that Macbook Pros don't have FireWire 400, because the only port is a FW800 port. Add a basic FW800<->FW400 cable, and you're good to go.

 

But they're right that there's no flash (don't mind) or no video camera (I mind).

 

Orren

[Steve E]

"DRM'd eBooks"—so far, word is that they've offered publishers a choice of FairPlay DRM or no DRM. I'm sure some will chose no DRM (likely O'Reilly and my employer, for example). So it's not "Apple's black magic" that would lock eBooks to the iPad, but the will of the publisher.

Good point.

 

"Weirdly small SIM card"—sure, they use a micro SIM card, but it's not weird, it's a new standard half a dozen cellular companies have already adopted. The author complains that this means you can't use your iPhone plan but I'd not be the least surprised if the 4th gen iPhone revealed in July uses the micro-SIM as well.

I think the word "weirdly" was chosen to be consistent with the black magic theme. I wouldn't read anything into it. As for the 4G iPhone using the new SIM card...I wouldn't be surprised either.

 

"No USB"—but there are adapter cables, so who cares? That's like saying that Macbook Pros don't have FireWire 400, because the only port is a FW800 port. Add a basic FW800<->FW400 cable, and you're good to go.

Yeah, yeah, but it adds to the price (marginally) if you need to hook up to a USB device.

 

But they're right that there's no flash (don't mind) or no video camera (I mind).

I wouldn't be surprised if a video camera turned up in iPod 2.0. (That Camera Connection Kit is going to annoy people.) The problem with flash is that Steve Jobs declared that "flash is dead" so he has some skin/ego in the game. If enough people ask for it, it could show up in 2.0, but I'd be surprised given Steve's reputed ego.

 

Thanks for your input.

- Thoth

[orrenm]

The problem with flash is that Steve Jobs declared that "flash is dead" so he has some skin/ego in the game.

 

...And some would say that the problem with Flash running in a Mac OS X environment is that it's buggy, and that in general Flash another technology susceptible to viruses which is out of the control of the "mothership" (meaning, Apple can patch it's own OSs when it finds a security risk, but it can't patch Flash). The fact that Jobs has skin in the game doesn't change the reality of the Flash/Mac OS X code interaction, even though it certainly has a political impact.

 

If enough people ask for it, it could show up in 2.0, but I'd be surprised given Steve's reputed ego.

 

I look at adding Flash to the iPhone OS the way I'd look at adding a smoking section to a restaurant. Sure, there are legitimate reasons to add one, there will be people who will be pleased, and there will be people who will take advantage of it. But ultimately, the health risks even for those who don't avail themselves of the section outweigh the dissatisfaction of those who would take advantage of it. In keeping with this analogy, Steve may be considered a crusader against smoking, (consider that California is a non-smoking state; even saying the word "cigarette" in a public place gets you beaten with umbrellas), but his being more fervent in his hate of smoking (and possibly exaggerating the risks) doesn't mean that there aren't legitimate risks to smoking, and thereby in second hand smoke that would waft into the air breathed by non-smokers.

 

Obviously, my view isn't the only view. Some people love Flash. In fact, one of my closer high school friends has made a small fortune as a corporate and freelance Flash programmer. And while I can tell you Flash crashes Safari on my Mac all the time, I readily admit it rarely crashes Firefox on my Windowz laptop, so I'm sure that there is some truth to Adobe's claim that their Mac version lags in part due to Apple's lack of interest in helping them out. But I do believe we're moving to a Flash-reduced world, not just because of iPhone OS, but the ascendance of both HTML5 and Silverlight (I give MS credit, Silverlight works great on my Macs).

 

So I don't think we'll ever see Flash on iPhone OS, and not just because of Jobs's skin/ego. I also don't think that ultimately, it's a bad thing, although it does mean that for a while, flash-heavy websites will continue to not look right on iPhone/iPad/iTouch.

 

My 3¢ (two cents, adjusted for inflation),

Orren

[Steve E]

So I don't think we'll ever see Flash on iPhone OS, and not just because of Jobs's skin/ego. I also don't think that ultimately, [Flash is] a bad thing, although it does mean that for a while, flash-heavy websites will continue to not look right on iPhone/iPad/iTouch.

 

My 3¢ (two cents, adjusted for inflation),

I liked your smoking analogy but I think it overreaches. (NYC, if not the state, is becoming very much like California with respect to cigarettes. And we're more likely to be carrying pointy umbrellas than folks in sunny Cal.) People aren't going to bash you if they see you using Flash (unless it's displaying people smoking). The salient point (IMHO) is the occasional crashing and the occasional "not look right" problems. And, true, not everything can be fixed in the OS but you can say that about every bit of software out there (even the OS itself—some problems are in the hardware). But to (almost) ignore its existence seems unrealistic on Steve Job's part. Your implication concerning the world evolving past Flash eventually is well taken but, again, you can say that about anything: wait long enough and the problem will eventually go away. Or (like the national debt) get worse. For all we know Flash will become King. But I suppose you have to make some assumptions when you're trying to bend the future to your will.

 

My 16¢ (two cents, adjusted for inflation from 1954)

- Thoth

 

BTW: For those who are curious, an inflation calculator can be found here.

[orrenm]

But to (almost) ignore its existence seems unrealistic on Steve Job's part.

 

This is the guy who shipped one button mice with Macs for decades, remember.

 

Your implication concerning the world evolving past Flash eventually is well taken but, again, you can say that about anything: wait long enough and the problem will eventually go away. Or (like the national debt) get worse. For all we know Flash will become King. But I suppose you have to make some assumptions when you're trying to bend the future to your will.

 

I agree. But keep in mind, the "anti-Flash" contingent isn't just Jobs. You have a significant minority (or more?) of Web developers out there who don't like Flash. Jobs may be the most visible technorati with this attitude, but he wasn't the first, or only. Unlike the one-button mouse, where basically everyone but he used multi-button mice, Jobs is not alone on this one. So I think that unlike the multi-button mice, Jobs isn't tilting at windmills here, and that Flash is less likely to become king because the resistance is more widespread.

 

Take care,

Orren

[Steve]

I look at adding Flash to the iPhone OS the way I'd look at adding a smoking section to a restaurant.

 

 

-Steve

[Steve E]

This is the guy who shipped one button mice with Macs for decades, remember.

I remember. And it only supports my point. But still, the man is far from hopeless. Consider his latest mouse: the multi-touch Apple Magic Mouse.

 

Cautiously optimistic with reason,

- Thoth.

[thealtruismsociety]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microso...ictures-and-de/

 

Uh oh, is MS a awakening giant.

[Steve E]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/microso...ictures-and-de/

 

Uh oh, is MS a awakening giant.

Uh oh, indeed.

Great find. The Microsoft's Courier 'digital journal' seems to lack the movie/MP3 player but it has a built-in camera. It seems more "serious" in the sense that it isn't touted as an entertainment device. But clearly MS had some sort of e-book in mind when they designed it. I mean, the thing actually looks like a book.

 

Here's an amusing little article from the same source from September '09. Click here.

 

So, as cool as it looks, is this really an iPad competitor? Or is MS holding back until after the iPad's release date to take the wind out of Apple's sails/sales.

 

Curiouser and curiouser.

- Thoth

[thealtruismsociety]

Uh oh, indeed.

Great find. The Microsoft's Courier 'digital journal' seems to lack the movie/MP3 player but it has a built-in camera. It seems more "serious" in the sense that it isn't touted as an entertainment device. But clearly MS had some sort of e-book in mind when they designed it. I mean, the thing actually looks like a book.

 

Here's an amusing little article from the same source from September '09. Click here.

 

So, as cool as it looks, is this really an iPod competitor? Or is MS holding back until after the iPad's release date to take the wind out of Apple's sails/sales.

 

Curiouser and curiouser.

- Thoth

 

This looks to be more a creator of content with the iPod as a consumer of content.

[thealtruismsociety]

Also Thoth that link is to the older version, if you notice the newer one is quite a bit smaller and lacks the leather outer covering. The UI is a bit different as well but still amazing.

[Steve E]

Also Thoth that link is to the older version...

Yes. I mentioned that it was from September '09.

 

...if you notice the newer one is quite a bit smaller and lacks the leather outer covering. The UI is a bit different as well but still amazing.

Yep. I noticed. Makes me wonder what it will look like in another six months.

- Thoth

[marguerite]

Uh oh, indeed.

Great find. The Microsoft's Courier 'digital journal' seems to lack the movie/MP3 player but it has a built-in camera. It seems more "serious" in the sense that it isn't touted as an entertainment device. But clearly MS had some sort of e-book in mind when they designed it. I mean, the thing actually looks like a book.

 

Here's an amusing little article from the same source from September '09. Click here.

 

So, as cool as it looks, is this really an iPod competitor? Or is MS holding back until after the iPad's release date to take the wind out of Apple's sails/sales.

 

Curiouser and curiouser.

- Thoth

Clever idea, I agree. Looks very interesting. But in addition to the information coming from "a highly trusted source" (remember all those iPad rumors?), I would note that the Courier journal/tablet is reportedly running the same stripped-down version of Windows that hasn't worked so well for the Zune. There's also no mention of pricing, which there couldn't be until the official announcement.

 

Don't know 'bout you guys, but I've had my fill of Windows, in any shape or form. (Won't run Storyist, either. )

Marguerite

[Steve E]

Don't know 'bout you guys, but I've had my fill of Windows, in any shape or form. (Won't run Storyist, either. )

Oh, I heartily agree, M. But Windows et al serve an important purpose in the Apple world: competition. Yes, yes, I know; Zune was no real competition for the iPod but it did (IMHO) inspire Apple to make the iPod the better, clearer choice. If we're lucky, the Courier, when/if it is ever officially announced (if only to take the blush off of Apple's rose*), will inspire Apple to make the iPad even better.

 

"a highly trusted source"

- Thoth.

 

* "take the blush off of Apple's rose" Yikes. My typing fingers have no shame.

[orrenm]

Uh oh, is MS a awakening giant.

 

No.

 

This will go nowhere commercially, if it's ever released.

 

Orren

[marguerite]

Oh, I heartily agree, M. But Windows et al serve an important purpose in the Apple world: competition. Yes, yes, I know; Zune was no real competition for the iPod but it did (IMHO) inspire Apple to make the iPod the better, clearer choice. If we're lucky, the Courier, when/if it is ever officially announced (if only to take the blush off of Apple's rose*), will inspire Apple to make the iPad even better.

 

"a highly trusted source"

- Thoth.

Amen to that!

 

* "take the blush off of Apple's rose" Yikes. My typing fingers have no shame.