Apple iPad

[sybaritical]

More I see and read the more I feel that this is just Apple concreting their future business concept somehow rather than pushing technological boundaries.

Good straightforward article on io9 ( of all places ) that eloquently surmises that idea.

[aqhong]

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to ummm…using my keyboard to play these flash games.

Seriously. Almost all existing Flash games are designed for mouse and keyboard input, and you want to play them on a device that has neither mouse nor keyboard? The iPad uses a completely different input paradigm, where things like mouse "hover" don't even exist.

Jobs himself on why Apple doesn't support Flash: http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/01/googles-dont-be-evil-mantra-is-bullshit-adobe-is-lazy-apples-steve-jobs/

John Gruber on the iPad's lack of Flash: http://daringfireball.net/2010/01/blue_boxes

[NatseOklim]

Excuses, excuses... Why is it so hard to understand why you'd want flash on a machine for the web?

[aqhong]

It isn't. I've never once denied that people want Flash on the iPad. But it's not going to happen.

And that's a good thing, imo, for everyone but Adobe.

[NatseOklim]

And those who buy it whilst flash is still used for 75% of the video on the net...

[aqhong]

Those who need Flash immediately can just wait a year or two for it to die out.

It's a chicken-or-egg problem (sites all use Flash because everyone supports it, everyone supports Flash because sites all use it), and Apple is breaking the cycle. Without its near-100% ubiquity, Flash has no value over technologies like HTML5.

[NatseOklim]

Yeah, a year or 2, lol. Because the iPad and iPhone don't support flash? What kind of a market share do you think would be needed to kill off flash in 1 year? I will say right now that the majority of people will still be using flash regularly in 2 years time.

[aqhong]

They'll be using it, but it won't be an essential feature anymore, because sites will have developed alternative channels of content delivery, whether that be through HTML5 or native apps or what have you. It'll be effectively obsolete, but linger on due to its legacy install base, like Internet Explorer is doing now. (When is the last time you saw an "IE-only" site? "Flash-only" is next.)

[Analog]

I would say > 2 years... I'd bet closer to 5.

[aqhong]

I'm not sure what measure you guys are going by... what I meant was that in a year or two, very few sites will be delivering their content only through Flash.

I'm not arguing against the fact that Flash will remain on websites and on computers for a long time to come... after all, people aren't going to suddenly uninstall Flash Player from their computers for no apparent reason. The point is, though, that they won't be missing anything without it. Just as people today aren't missing out on anything by not using IE.

[Analog]

I'm just talking about (Microsoft) browsers providing full, comprehensive support for HTML 5.

Porn sites already provide content in multiple formats, so the Flash-dependency argument is a weak one (tongue-in-cheek).

I've never been a big fan of Flash video, but Flash can be nice for building stateful web applications.

As for Apple not supporting Flash – it's not really the end of the world, is it? I can think of bigger flaws than that...

[aqhong]

I'm just talking about (Microsoft) browsers providing full, comprehensive support for HTML 5.

Okay, yeah, you may have to wait a while for this one

[aqhong]

I've never been a big fan of Flash video, but Flash can be nice for building stateful web applications.

Nothing AJAX couldn't do better, imo.

You do have to give Flash its due, though; without it, web video would still consist of those "select Quicktime / Real / Windows Media" buttons. (Remember those?) Flash served its purpose, but its day is over.

[Analog]

Anyway, back on topic – Fuck the iPad!!

(...slap a joystick on it, and I'll take two...)

[aqhong]

The best "big picture" analysis I've read so far, if anyone here cares about that sort of thing: http://stevenf.tumblr.com/post/359224392/i-need-to-talk-to-you-about-computers-ive-been

[sidneylo]

I will pay people money to stop using flash. If I have to navigate another flash-based portfolio I'm going to gouge my fucking eyes out.

[heflys]

Excuses, excuses... Why is it so hard to understand why you'd want flash on a machine for the web?

Like I said, I don't understand why people are getting excited over this "contraption." Particularly after going over the feature list:

http://www.apple.com/ipad/features/

Seriously, we already know the people who, presumably, are buying this thing are either Apple fans, or people who must acquire the latest tech. E-readers aren't going to get this shit. Particularly, for $500 ($629 for 3G). Yes, $500 to keep notes, look at maps, watch movies and maintain a calendar. Hell, the thing doesn't even come with a case, you have to pay extra for it. Fuck out of here. And even if Flash dies out in 2 years (which may be a stretch) there will probably be something better than the Ipad out by then.

[ROYALEFATALE]

just wanted to point out how this thread died along with any hype the ipad had prior to it's announcement

[cyberPUNK]

well, to be fair, there's only so much to talk about 'til we actually use one ourselves.

[andrewexd]

fuck ATT. more like an iphone for the nba.

[Soulrain]

why so much hate on IPAD? you guys haven't buy it yet -___- at least wait until you really own it.

[Ghettobob]

You can already go get a netbook with Windows 7 on it, multitouch screen, webcam, larger storage, faster processor, an actual keyboard, real web browser (with flash, which this doesn't support) for MUCH cheaper than this. I don't see the point. This does nothing an iphone can't do, it just does it a bit bigger.

Oh and while we're at it, not making it EITHER 4:3 or 16:9 is stupid, so no matter what video you're watching, it'll have black borders?

What device is this? Thanks in advance.

[kaws&effect]

or you can just wait for the competition and watch the prices drop...

<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sz8hWvP5Sc&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sz8hWvP5Sc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>

[freecat]

the iPad would be awesome with OSX on it and an usb port, at the same price. but here it's a very expensive gadget that is cool for browsing the web and check email on your sofa while watching tv. i mean, i can already do that with my phone (less comfortably that's for sure). you can't really produce or do anything work related on it, and would be better off with a second hand IBM x61t or something.

has any of you ever handled a sony ux-50 or ux-90 ? because i already tried those toys that were released 4 years ago and were too much of a niche product to reach the mainstream, but it was some very capable machines, maybe too much actually, and too expensive at the time. but at $500 they kill against an iPad (!). you can install osx on it btw.

http://www.umpc-france.com/?2006/05/18/2-sony-vaio-ux-micro-pc

but the thing is that the portable media market is going a bit crazy, with all those MID, tablets and all, which are getting more capable and cheaper everyday (see the smartq7, this thing's got ubuntu linux, a 800x600 screen and costs $250), but without any form of coherence.

maybe the iPad is the one that will unit all and make all hardware manufacturer go in the same direction and we'll have in a few years those translucid led display hspda enabled tablets that everyone dreams about and they'll cost nothing. (translucid led display already exists but is very expensive at the moment).

[blm14]

I would rather just buy an OQO:

1.33GHz or 1.86GHz atom processor

60GB/120GB storage, up to 60GB solid-state storage

2GB/1GB ram

Native resolution: 800x480 but can drive up to 1920x1200 on an external display

[freecat]

the oqo was like $1500+ when it got released though. but now people can't even get rid of it for free haha.

[lestat]

UmIgNfp-MdI

[funkdoobi]

i wont bother reading this thread.

http://osx86sv.wordpress.com/2009/12/31/osx-10-6-2-snow-leopard-on-dell-mini10v/

[NatseOklim]

That looks pretty awesome.

pFQWc79TYcU

[NatseOklim]

You can already go get a netbook with Windows 7 on it, multitouch screen, webcam, larger storage, faster processor, an actual keyboard, real web browser (with flash, which this doesn't support) for MUCH cheaper than this. I don't see the point. This does nothing an iphone can't do, it just does it a bit bigger.

Oh and while we're at it, not making it EITHER 4:3 or 16:9 is stupid, so no matter what video you're watching, it'll have black borders?

Exactly the type of thing I was talking about. Although no price on this one yet.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/14/asus-gets-official-with-swivel-screen-multitouch-eee-pc-t101mt/