iPad and Golf around the World

[Steve_Roths]

I was just reading an article today about the iPad and it dawned on me another great advantage of this computer will be:  International Golf Magazines being uploaded on these iPads instantly.

Usually you can get these at Borders a few weeks after the fact.  Same with all the architecture writing coming out of Australia.

If you have an iPad you could concievably download these immediately and not have to wait for them to arrive.

[John Foley]

I watched the iPad launch as my brother & a work colleague both have Kindles and like them tremendously.

As a voracious reader of newspapers & periodicals I was very intrigued, but the device is soo much more than a reader that I am not sure of it's use for that function alone.

I like the concept of an electronic reader IF all the content is available. The iTunes store is now the one stop shop foir music and would love to have that for periodicals and news papers. If anyone could make it happen it would be Steve Jobs & Apple.

The other big concern I have is the power consumption. The Kindle's E-Ink technology is great - it will last a long tiome.  The iPad will deliver gorgeous color but an LED backlit LCD "claims" 10 hrs between charges is not that long for an overseas flight and my current stack of magazines & newspapers wont go dead while I'm on a long plane flight or in the departure terminal (or heaven forbid stranded there due to more snow!!)

One last thing, it ain't cheap!!!

[Steve_Roths]

True on the cost front.  But, this at least pushes the bar forward.  There has to be a first to try and leap us forward.

As for planes, most if not all have some sort of adaptor that you would be able to juice that sucker up on the long hauls. 

[Dan_Callahan]

I am a huge Apple fan, but the iPad falls way short. The name alone sucks. Too bad it doesn't have the full Mac operating system. When a version comes out with a forward facing camera and can handle Flash, I might consider it. I'm sure the lack of both had to do with some combination of battery power, size, AT&T issues, etc., but they are big limitations.

[C. Squier]

Dan, Flash is dead.  HTML5 is already making huge leaps....iPad will finally put Flash out of it's misery.  All it does is slow down/crash browsers in the first place.  Remember, Apple shipped iMacs without 3.5 floppies and the world laughed at how dumb Jobs must be to not include FLOPPY! 

It doesn't need full OSX.  You don't need to see file structures, terminals, et al on a small portable device.  Maybe for your Mac Pro that you're doing heavy duty things on, but certainly not on an iPad.  Why see the parts when they just work?  Much like the iLife suite allows you to share multimedia files seamlessly across different apps (without having to dig through folders), this OS will do the same.  Click on an app, everything you need with it will be automatically built into the app. 

As for battery, 10 hours is the VIDEO battery life.  I'm sure simply using it as a reader, the battery will last much longer.  3rd party vendors will undoubtedly develop cases/battery packs that fit perfectly on it, just like the Juice Pack for iPhone. 

John - Price?  $500 is too much?  A Kindle DX is $490 and it's a black and white paper weight in comparison.  It doesn't do 1/100 of what an iPad does. 

[Ulrich Mayring]

I agree that Flash is dead, but unfortunately it is not gone. There are sites that use it, especially a number of golf clubs have Flash content. So when I'm on the road I still need Flash at this moment in time. Also, I need a USB port for connecting my digital camera.

So I'll wait for the 2nd or 3rd generation iPad, which may also have a power saving OLED screen.

I'm undecided on multi-tasking. On one hand, how many apps are you going to run on a 10" screen? On the other hand, how to reap the full benefits from an integrated suite like iWork without multitasking?

Ulrich

[Joe Bausch]

I can hardly wait until Flash is dead.  POC. 

[C. Squier]

I agree that Flash is dead, but unfortunately it is not gone. There are sites that use it, especially a number of golf clubs have Flash content. So when I'm on the road I still need Flash at this moment in time. Also, I need a USB port for connecting my digital camera.

So I'll wait for the 2nd or 3rd generation iPad, which may also have a power saving OLED screen.

I'm undecided on multi-tasking. On one hand, how many apps are you going to run on a 10" screen? On the other hand, how to reap the full benefits from an integrated suite like iWork without multitasking?

Ulrich

Flash content will fade away....count on it.  iPad already has a connection kit that allows a camera to connect and upload pics.  That's been my big thing.....when on a trip, I want to upload pics right away, but don't want to lug around a laptop.  iPad will let you get your pics off an SD card right away.

As for multitasking, all the reviews have celebrated how fast iPad is.  You'll be able to use it on the road, but I don't think it'll be a desktop replacement for a power user.  I don't think Apple thinks that either.

[Dan_Callahan]

Clint, for now, Flash isn't dead, unfortunately. Drives me crazy all the videos that can't load on my iPhone. It's especially frustrating that Adobe says they are ready to make Flash compatible with the iPhone but Apple/AT&T is holding it up. While I agree I am not the target audience of the iPad, I am simply saying that I wish I was. If it had the full OS on it, I would replace my MacBook Pro. I know everyone laughed when the iMacs shipped without the floppy drive ... my dad was working for Apple back then ... but sometimes they get ahead of themselves. The Air never caught on without a CD/DVD drive.

[JC Jones]

Dan,

The purpose of the iPad, as I understand it, is not to replace the Macbook (pro).  I've heard that complaint a lot but I don't understand it, the iPad has not (that I've heard) been marketed or promoted as such.