The Apple iSlate: Wow!!!…
I’m almost certain he did this at some point, but I can’t find it. Ah well, never mind..
So then, let’s get down to stating the bleeding obvious about the Apple iPad…
Where’s the kick-stand? – Tablets are unwieldy, and it’s a pain to hold it through a 2 hour movie. I suppose you could scratch the back up by resting it against something, but good luck with that rounded back.
Wot, No Flash? – According to Apple, some websites aren’t accessible through the iPad, because the browser you’re forced to use doesn’t support it. Well, clearly the iPad belongs in 1996, when that wouldn’t have been such a massive, debilitating and inexcusable deficiency. Honestly, I’m lost for words on this one. I mean, I’d be better-off with my PSP(!)
4:3 aspect ratio? – Because nothing says 21st century technology like an aspect ratio that was conceived in the era of mechanical television. I know you’d be used to huge expanses of black-border, being an iPad user, but give it a 2.35:1 anamorphic movie, and you’ll be watching this thin strip of (admittedly very nice) video across the back of a pizza box. Fantastic, eh?
Connectivity? – There isn’t any! Well, that didn’t take long.
The iPod Touch you can’t put in your pocket – And that’s really all adds it adds up to. Apparently, there will be a version available which works as a phone, so you can think of it as a comedy over-sized iPod Touch, or a comedy over-sized iPhone. Either way, it’s a joke.
No Multi-tasking – This isn’t really a biggie, because I can’t imagine many scenarios when you would practically need to, but I mention it because it does point to a very important fact, perhaps THE important fact when condemning this out-dated device. Put simply, it isn’t a computer, it’s a retarded smartphone. The world’s largest, in fact.
So then, to summarise, do we need the Apple iSlate tablet? Well the iPad is the complete answer to the question that no-one ever asked. It doesn’t offer anything new, it’s amazingly over-priced, very picky (as all Apple products are) as to what it will and won’t play ball with, stores next to nothing for a phenomenal storage premium, and has no practical use to anyone who hadn’t already bought a tablet PC 10 years ago. All 12 of them.
What’s next, the i8Track?
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the multi-tasking thing, come to think of it. It’s not strictly true that it has no multi-tasking.
See, on the iPhone when you receive mail or a notification on facebook, twitter etc. you are notified on the home screen. Therefore that app must be connected in the only way that would matter. You can listen to music whilst playing some games and running other apps. Just because you can’t flit between them with one swish doesnt mean theyre not working.
Plus, you missed out the biggest flaw in the thing. No camera.
It’s easy to point out the bad things about a tablet but it’s much easier to do that when talking about a netbook.
@Rob: There isn’t proper multitasking – there are a few background processes checking for push updates for Facebook apps, but you can’t run two apps at once, such as Safari and another app.
It seemed like a blatantly missed feature on the iPhone, but even more so on a large device where it can be better utilised. Just look at the Palm Pré, it handles multitasking with ease – Apple can still learn a few things about the mobile market..
But is this the mobile market?
It’s a funny thing, because you’ve got to think about where you would use a slate device. It’s not something you can just slip in your pocket without a thought, and it’s far too expensive and fragile to be simply tossed in a bag.
I used an Archos 7 “internet media tablet” as an ancillary device for several months, as a quick “pick-up and play” means of getting online, which actually still does work a treat. The thing is, I think it’s only ever left my house once, so at least for me, tablets are things you have around your home.
What with the advent of the HTPC, it’s increasingly easier to switch from Sky to your PC (or Mac), and have a full-blown experience. For me, this did somewhat kill the iPad before it was announced. The fact that it sucks just makes my job easier, but there are still things about using a portable slate I still miss, so I was actually rather hoping for something special here.
Ah well, maybe next time :-)
@John
But if you have live background notifications for mail, facebook etc. why on earth would you need to be on it as well other than to post a status. You can switch between apps in half a second anyway so it’s not that much of a big deal.
And obviously they can still learn, or they would have 100% market share. Everyone has something to learn but it still comes down to the fact that the iPhone is an incredible phone and has the best app store around by a country mile. If the iPhone weren’t so great and popular, this thing would be a triumph…
@Average Windows Nerd
I’m not surprised your Archos hasn’t left your house, it has no 3G connectivity so it would be pointless apart from a little bit of media. bit chunky for that though, would rather have an iPhone, iPod touch, iPad.
iPhone- yes, that’s my point.
iPod Touch – erm.. no 3G on that either Rob.
iPad, – please see above.
Charlie Brooker put it best here (at 08:04)
http://www.youtube.com/user/xthemusic&rclk=pc#p/a/u/0/8NHUPBuwyrA
It’s here. It’s shit. Move on.
Oh, and “they would have 100% market share”.
OK then Rob.