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What To Expect From Apple's Rumored MacPad
Jeff writes "I decided to review the specifications of recent e-readers and mobile devices as well as the ongoing Apple rumor mill to chart out the most likely features, innovations and configuration we can expect from Apple's long awaited Newton successor/Mac Tablet which I'll call the MacPad. The MacPad will arrive in fall '09 or Jan '10, with a 10" diagonal color display, a $599 price point with a Verizon data plan, a stylus, note taking application and handwriting recognition and an e-bookstore for iTunes. Apple's biggest challenge will be convincing its huge installed base of iPhone owners that they need a MacPad too. Past failed Newtonian predictions by others are available on Slashdot and the likelihood that any of this is right can be gauged by earlier Confucian gems such as Haskin warns that Apple may be setting itself up for a failure with the iPhone."
because Apple anything tends to be proprietary, locked down garbage which Apple does not relinquish control of even after you pay them for it
> Why on earth would you hack it to run linux?
The same reason you would put Linux on a mini.
MacOS is a pig and it's performance kind of sucks.
Driver support is inferior.
Support for random data formats is inferior.
A special app with exclusionary encryption is really more trouble than it's worth.
The "special app" doesn't help manage for the limitations of the target device.
The iPhone is a spiffy little appliance.
MacOS is more annoying than "superior" in it's distinctiveness.
A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
If you don't already know the concept of free software then I suggest you have some googling to do. I don't mind proprietary software, but I'm not interested in running a proprietary platform. Free and open should naturally be the fundamental ground which any software stands on, even if it's proprietary or not. Why? You ask. Well it's difficult to explain to someone who's a fan of Apple, because to you iTunes and iPod together makes perfect sense. To me it's a horrible lock down that serves only the interest of Apple, not the consumer. In all honesty, how well do you think iTunes store would have done without Apple bundling iTunes with almost all its devices? Not only bundling but actively isolating any outside developers looking to create an alternative. If I buy an iPod I've already paid for its expenses. If Apple tries to sell it with "loss" just to collect the rest of the revenue through iTunes store then the iPod is in a way on lease. If I buy an iPod bundled with iTunes and Apple actively support third party developers to create new or improved ways to use my device then I consider it a fair deal. The sad truth is however that Apple does everything to prevent this. This method doesn't lead to "the best it could be", it leads to whatever benefits Apple.
In the end you will end up paying more for songs because Apple sold you your iPod, when there could be other services that provide cheaper alternatives. If iTunes store was infact the best store around, how come you can't just release it into the wild and people will love it? Such as Firefox. The answer is simple, most people use iTunes because they're forced to. Eventually they might get accustomed to it but why compromise in the first place? Now you tell me, why would I support something like that? As a consumer, what do I benefit from such a selling strategy?
I am the lawn!