Inputting anything other than touching it is a horrible experience. As I said before this device is only meant for consumption, and is pretty bad when made to do things that use your input.

The iPad does what it was intended to do as an intermediary device between laptop and smart phone.

Truth is, one doesn't need a laptop for the majority of what most users do with them on a day to day basis

1. Surf the web
2. Watch videos
3. View photos
4. Listen to music
5. Basic word processing/note taking

These are all basic things I do with my phone, with the small screen and small keyboard being the main detractors. But I don't need to nor do I want to carry my laptop, or take it out of my bag and power it up EVEN if I am carrying it with me if I don't need to run a specific application that only runs on a full OS.

The iPad essentially is a netbook, but is one that is specifically designed so that the operating system and hardware work on the same engineering standards. In short, it's better.

Plus the app store for iPad specific applications will make the device worth owning in the long run.

Currently, there is less of a reason to be an early adopter unless you are interested in getting a head start in designing and developing your own iPad applications.

Plus, most of the current cons/omissions of the iPad (no camera, no video conferencing, no Flash, no standard USB port, no SD expansion slot) will likely be added in future revisions.


As for the HP slate; they STILL want a piece of the tablet market before Apple runs away with it. There's nothing wrong with the concept; it's all in the implementation.

But forget the outdated hardware from the OP that was overpriced and no one bought; they have a new one coming out soon that directly competes with the iPad, running Windows 7.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ytech_gadg/20100406/tc_ytech_gadg/ytech_gadg_tc1480

FYI: it costs more than the iPad (entry price) for those who say the iPad is overpriced.

That's one of the key advantages the iPad has over any potential competition. It was engineered specifically for an all touch based user interface.

Sure, that might not be some users' cup of tea, but it is the most logical interface for a general purpose tablet based device.

Personally, I wouldn't have any problems or trouble with using it to type notes. I already do this (albeit slowly with my thumbs) on the iPhone. Obviously, the device wasn't made for producing content, but you don't need a laptop/computer capable of producing content whether it be video or music production, 3D modeling, photo processing, spreadsheets, etc. for the majority of what general users actually use their computers to do on a daily basis.

Case in point: I don't need to be typing this response on my $1,500 workstation. I'd be better off doing this on an iPad.

"Inputting anything other than touching it is a horrible experience."  What the hell does that mean?  how else do you "input",  other than using touch?  Do you shout at it?  perhaps telepathy works?!!

Apple is renound for having easy to use interfaces, so that's hardly going to be one of it's weaknesses.  Try again.

Maybe he wants a fold/slide out micro keyboard on his tablet PC. Or maybe another stab and handwriting recognition as an input solution.

They're both pretty antiquated solutions, but some still seem to think they're the "bees knees."

Beyond that, there's voice recognition, which has plenty of drawbacks all of its own, even when it works as designed.

Without having used an iPad, I can already say that the touch based interface works. It's based on the iPhone OS which I've been using quite happily for the last year without problems.

I am sorry, but the onscreen board is absolutely pathetic. You can't rest you palms on it, consequently you have to lean over your hands to see what you are diong, which ruins your neck. If you stand it up vertically then you are just slightly better off than taking a hammer and crushing your wrists right there. The input interface is the wrost I have seen since the smartphones without a qwerty KBD. Though at least the smartphone way doesn't make you choose between your vertabrae and wrists so I guess that's a plus over the iPad way of input. The interface for consumption is great, the interface for input is absolute utter shit.

Basically outside of touching links on it, the device absolutely sucks at input. Also for anyone with an accent, the voice recognition is a whole other problem.

hold it with one hand, and type with the other.   Is that so hard?

Very much so yes, it gets very tiring whenever I had to type anything other than short nippets of information, like a web address.

That type of input is not going to be for everyone. Some people can't use an iPhone either.

There will on the other hand be millions of consumers who will have no difficulties with it.

I've been typing on this thing for the last 3 houses with no problem. It's a he'll of a lot easier them the iPhone, and more accurate.