Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, what kind of punishment Gilbert Arenas will get today, why the hell Erik Morales is still boxing, or the sheer awesomeness of Scrabble, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
The Apple iPad is set to launch in a little over a week. The device is supposedly the most important thing Steve Jobs has launched in his illustrious career, as well as better than a notebook for some things and better than a smartphone for other things. Some industry pundits and tech enthusiasts feel that it will be one of the most world-changing consumer-electronics devices ever released. Others feel that it will be another cool and overpriced gadget. What do you think?
As far as bridging the gap between laptops and smartphones, I can totally see the appeal. The iPad’s form factor is perfect for browsing the web on your couch or checking email (without straining your eyes) at a coffeehouse. I do a ton of web browsing on my iPhone and often wish I had something a little bit bigger — but still handheld — to surf the web on. While the iPad would be extremely convenient for people like me, I don’t know that the majority of consumers want the same things I want.
The iPad is also being heralded as the savior of magazines and newspapers. From what I’ve seen so far, the potential is tremendous. When Apple showed the demo of The New York Times at its iPad unveiling, I thought it was nice, but I wasn’t sure that it was something I’d pay for. When I saw Wired’s iPad mock-up, I was blown away! It looked like a ridiculously cool and fun way to absorb information. That said, it also looked expensive to produce and I’m not sure how many magazine publishers are willing to invest in a highly interactive and video-heavy version of a magazine. I also question whether advertisers will pay a premium for iPad magazine ads.
Today I want you to look at the iPad as a whole. Look at the apps. Look at the functionality that bridges laptops and smartphones. Look at potentially cool forms of media that will be available for it in the next year. When you add it up, do you see a device that will change the world similar to how the iPod and iPhone did? Or is it a cool and overpriced product that will only serve a niche audience?
I think you have to read in between the lines here..kind of like a politician. (think change).
Jobs sees this as a cash cow that Newspapers, Magazines and ezines will clamor over in order to boost falling revenues. The WSJ has already stated that its iPad sub will be $17 per month. He doesn't necessarily think it's the consumer device of consumer devices, but companies not named Apple will spend a fortune dev'ing for the device and cutting Apple into the shared revenues of App sales.
Personally I won't consider this device until the 2nd generation. I don't know what I would use it for necessarily. I already have a 13 inch MacBook that can do anything I want it to do without having a large footprint. I carry an Iphone simultaneously most days…yet again another reason not to carry around an iPad. Maybe this device isn't for me? Perhaps Apple is trying to find or create a secondary market like Nintendo created or catered to with the Wii.
Yeah it is a cross between a smartphone and a laptop, and I'm sure it does great things. But I don't think that the first generation is anything to really write home about. Maybe the second or third generation will change my mind on this, but as I see it now it really doesn't seem revolutionary. A giant iphone is nothing different so far other than it's bigger. Yes I know that the ipad will have other options and applications that iphone's and ipod touch's will not be able to have, and that does seem a little cool, but first generation still seems like a bust in actual quality to me. If the second generation comes out and it is more like the mac OS instead of what we see on an iphone, just bigger, then maybe it will get some more respect from me. As it stands I think the second gen will be an improvement, but first gen= bust.
Simply put… no. It will be a fad for some and that's about it.
@ Smartguy
You know how I feel about critics.
@ all the wrestling fans
http://www.justin.tv/xchrisv3x#r=7EZ1iwI~
This is the channel that has been keeping me up at night.
@N8R – I think Apple has created a lot of fads that failed to die out. They've made a living off of creating new fads.
I don't know what the iPad holds but I don't think we've seen the full potential of the device yet. I'll wait for a second or third generation but I think this will eventually make it in to my home.
@ Shockwave
I want to compare it more to the Newton and less either the iPod or the Pippen.
Quite a few people were all about the Newton, but it wasn't a household thing like the iPod nor was it a complete bomb like the Pippen. I think it will go the way of the Newton.
By far it will not cripple Apple and they probably will make some profit. It just won't change the world.
This device will push HTML5 adoption though. CBS is coding in html5.
@N8R – I definitely don't think it will change the world like the iPhone or iPod has
@Smartguy – finally, more HTML5, flash is obnoxious, 9 times out of 10 if my web browser crashes on my Mac it's because of flash
@ Shockwave
The thing I can say about Chrome on the Mac that I like alot is the way it runs Flash smoothly. If I'm gonna watch videos, I'll switch over to Chrome for it.
@N8R – I'll keep that in mind, I have chrome but I rarely use it
Just to add some fuel to the fire I suppose, I thought this article was good.
http://laptoplogic.com/resources/9-exceptionally-…
@n8r
what's the name of the channel, so I can watch on the justintv app.
@ tokz
I think it's LWHDTV.COM
If that doesn't work, try xchrisv3x
@tokz_21 Yes, Morales is fighting this weekend. There are a bunch of interesting fights for hardcore fans. Sadly, Morales' bout isn't one of them. I can't believe the dude is fighting at welterweight. His future is scary.
@N8R Based on the pre-orders, it looks like it's already more popular than the Newton. I loved my Newton, btw.
@ old school wrestling channel
Right now, St Valentines Day Massacre 1999 just started.
The cage match between Austin and McMahon.
@rpad
I agree. I'm hoping he doesn't get badly hurt. I hate when boxers don't know when to hang it up.
@ iPad;
I predict it will go the way of the Apple III. If I'm right, you may call me Nostradam-ice.
-M
@iceman
in the wise words of the late Ed McMahon. "Hi-ooo!"
I still can’t make a call on this without trying it out. I don’t see this as a device for me; since I have an iPhone and the pinch and zoom Ella out with making things better to read on sites.
@Erik morales
I was there when he lost to David Diaz. It was a sad day for me because it was like his fifth loss in a row and I knew then that he was going to call it a career. @rpad is his fight this weekend? I woul be torn between watching this fight or the abraham v dirrell one.
Good article here on Kevin Smith and his views on critics. I agree 100% with him. I also think film critics, students, etc are snobs. The game industry critics are becoming similar.
http://ent.mobile.msn.com/en-us/articles.aspx?aid=490072&acid=3&afid=1&pg1=2501
@everyone with an iPhone/iPod touch
there’s an app called line 2 that uses wifi for you to make phone calls. The app is .99 cents and the sub is $15 a month. There’s a 30 day free trial.
@ Ray
Sorry, I fell asleep.
The market is also bigger than it was in the day of the Newton. In order for the comparison to be fair,you have to consider all of that as well. The “cult of Mac” has grown tremendously since then as well.
@Smatguy
Any of your friend can play it for free, so I guess they thought that was worth the extra price.
Unrelated, but those arcade games in the MS GameRoom are kind of expensive. I was going to buy Red Baron but MS wants 240 MS points. (I always try to convert to real funds, so I came up with about 3.25 for a 20 year old arcade game).
@Sandrock
Yeah but for a game that is 20 years old and still as the same quality of gameplay that it did 20 years ago, it can feel a little salty. I feel like it would be a ripoff for me to pay 240 MS points to play most of those games, especially to buy the ones like “combat” that are two player only games. Not worth it with the games available currently.
@bsukenyan
I think if they were the same price as the indie titles, 80 pts, I’d be more willing.
@Smartguy
that would be a great price point for those games. The quality of them is not that great, and I might break down and buy a couple games later if they look decent enough to me, but I am not going to really want to spend 240 MS points on them. I also don’t like how they charge 400 pts. to play on windows live and XBL.
@bsukenyan
I agree…the 240 pt price should be for cross platform play. Who in the hell dreams up these prices??
@N8R Are you still sticking with your Newton comparison?
The iPad has sold about a million units in 28 days. How do you rate its success?
@Ray
On par with anything else Apple makes.
@smartguy & bsukenyan
They had a top down shooter, I'm a sucker for those, that I bought. Surprisingly those games have aged well and the two modes of play do added to the feel of the game. Classic is an achievement hores dream/nightmare and having rewind in the other mode is nice. The price point can stay at 240, but they need to cut the other fees. Also, I was thinking that they should add all of their arcade games to game room. Having it as a hub for all your downloadable games would be much cooler and useful since arcade games no longer have a hub in the current dashboard.
@Ray
You gotta love Steve Jobs
"Demand continues to exceed supply and we're working hard to get this MAGICAL product into the hands of even more customers."
He is marketing-gold.