When you say convertible, are you also including laptops than can have the keyboard removed? In which case, how is that different to a tablet with a keyboard accessory?
If you're into permanently saving photos, music, or movies, or if you're serious about backing up your hard drive and programs, you probably need to burn the occasional disk.
Haven’t burnt a CD or DVD in over 5 years. HDDs work better for me. But the point is moot because I sync my iPad with my laptop and over MobileMe.
Flimsy, add-on keyboards don't cut it.
The keyboard for the iPad feels just like typing on my MacBook Pro, or one Apple’s stand-alone keyboards, and I’m very fond of those.
and I still like the old-school Trackpoint eraserhead cursor control.
I prefer the touchscreen.
The iPad Doesn't Have Multitasking: So I can't listen to sports talk radio online, check to see if little Charlie has bitten anyone else's finger, and type my blog, all at the same time? This versatility is why we love mobile computers. This fact alone will always keep me using a laptop.
I does do multitasking. At least a much multitasking as I want to do on a tablet computer. People often get confused between multitasking and seamless task switching.
The IPad Is Confined by the Limits of iTunes: Jared Newman, a PCWorld blogger, summed it up: "Even if you never sync a single piece of media from a computer to an iPad, you still need iTunes on a PC or Mac to keep the tablet's software up to date. This needs to change...
And you can bet Apple is working to remove that iTunes-on-Mac-OS-X dependancy.
Not sure which is worse: Taco's lack of proofreading or the hundreds of jokes and jabs about the typo that are still visible even after the typo has been corrected.
Doubt it. People who make cheap netbooks will still continue to go with the cheaper display option. Perhaps the mid-range will improve, but not the low-end.
I'm around a lot of tech people and I don't know of anyone who crow about how much tablets are going to completely displace PCs or laptops or desktops.
Completely? No. Mostly? Probably. Many techies just can't see it because they have no clue as to how most people want to interact with computers.
You've just listed a whole lot of stats while ignoring the real world performance and user experience.
Take the screen, for example. I don't think the screen is an IFS panel. That matters if you find tilting the screen to be a comfortable position to hold while reading, or when you're showing photos to people. The screens are actually the same size in terms of area. The resolution is good enough for now. I can make do with 1024x786 until the 2048x1572 version comes out.
As for the USB port, there is a USB connector at the end of the cord that comes with the iPad. And unlike the Xoom, you can charge it over USB, rather than requiring a proprietary power adapter.
Oh, and the SD slot is actually a MIcroSD slot. So an adapter is required if you were hoping to simply slide the SD card from your camera right into the Xoom.
The cameras may be higher resolution, but do you have any proof that the quality is actually better?
You're trying to compare two completely different cars? The only difference between the 16GB and the 32GB iPad is the storage. They're essential the same in every other way.
Comparing the 16GB iPad to the 32GB Xoom makes sense, because the 32GB Xoom is the cheapest comparable model they have.
No need to compare them to the Nook, since that has an e-ink display and is not as capable software wise as either the iPad or Xoom. But you already knew that.
I'm sure there will eventually be more comparable tablets that are cheaper, but they will probably be of poorer quality, too. Just compare the screen quality of the Xoom to the iPad.
Slashdot Mirror
Why?
The Treos were bulky and complicated compared to the iPhone. The iPhone made smartphones simple.
Why would you want windows on a tablet?
How are GarageBand and iMovie about consumption?
The iPad 2 has a flat back.
When you say convertible, are you also including laptops than can have the keyboard removed? In which case, how is that different to a tablet with a keyboard accessory?
If you're into permanently saving photos, music, or movies, or if you're serious about backing up your hard drive and programs, you probably need to burn the occasional disk.
Haven’t burnt a CD or DVD in over 5 years. HDDs work better for me. But the point is moot because I sync my iPad with my laptop and over MobileMe.
Flimsy, add-on keyboards don't cut it.
The keyboard for the iPad feels just like typing on my MacBook Pro, or one Apple’s stand-alone keyboards, and I’m very fond of those.
and I still like the old-school Trackpoint eraserhead cursor control.
I prefer the touchscreen.
The iPad Doesn't Have Multitasking: So I can't listen to sports talk radio online, check to see if little Charlie has bitten anyone else's finger, and type my blog, all at the same time? This versatility is why we love mobile computers. This fact alone will always keep me using a laptop.
I does do multitasking. At least a much multitasking as I want to do on a tablet computer. People often get confused between multitasking and seamless task switching.
The IPad Is Confined by the Limits of iTunes: Jared Newman, a PCWorld blogger, summed it up: "Even if you never sync a single piece of media from a computer to an iPad, you still need iTunes on a PC or Mac to keep the tablet's software up to date. This needs to change...
And you can bet Apple is working to remove that iTunes-on-Mac-OS-X dependancy.
Congrats! That is the correct answer!
Well, aside from shipping with a keyboard included in the box rather than as a separate accessory.
Sorry. I thought you were being a techie pointing out how his preferences must the correct ones.
A different platform is not the same as no platform.
No. I'm inside, showing my photos to a group of people.
Show me a laptop/tablet that is as thin and light as the iPad and you may have a point.
How would a Kindle be any better at displaying photos than a cheap netbook?
Actually, my iPad often beats my MacBook Pro for speed. If by speed, you mean how responsive the computer feels when doing common tasks.
Not sure which is worse: Taco's lack of proofreading or the hundreds of jokes and jabs about the typo that are still visible even after the typo has been corrected.
No, wait... Definitely the later.
Doubt it. People who make cheap netbooks will still continue to go with the cheaper display option. Perhaps the mid-range will improve, but not the low-end.
Care to point me to a $200 laptop that has a display that's as good as the iPad's? Some of us consider a quality display to be a feature.
I'm around a lot of tech people and I don't know of anyone who crow about how much tablets are going to completely displace PCs or laptops or desktops.
Completely? No. Mostly? Probably. Many techies just can't see it because they have no clue as to how most people want to interact with computers.
What's the difference between a convertible laptop and a tablet with a keyboard accessory?
Yeah, I don't recall as much brouhaha as this when the Palm V came out.
You've just listed a whole lot of stats while ignoring the real world performance and user experience.
Take the screen, for example. I don't think the screen is an IFS panel. That matters if you find tilting the screen to be a comfortable position to hold while reading, or when you're showing photos to people. The screens are actually the same size in terms of area. The resolution is good enough for now. I can make do with 1024x786 until the 2048x1572 version comes out.
As for the USB port, there is a USB connector at the end of the cord that comes with the iPad. And unlike the Xoom, you can charge it over USB, rather than requiring a proprietary power adapter.
Oh, and the SD slot is actually a MIcroSD slot. So an adapter is required if you were hoping to simply slide the SD card from your camera right into the Xoom.
The cameras may be higher resolution, but do you have any proof that the quality is actually better?
You're trying to compare two completely different cars? The only difference between the 16GB and the 32GB iPad is the storage. They're essential the same in every other way.
Comparing the 16GB iPad to the 32GB Xoom makes sense, because the 32GB Xoom is the cheapest comparable model they have.
No need to compare them to the Nook, since that has an e-ink display and is not as capable software wise as either the iPad or Xoom. But you already knew that.
I'm sure there will eventually be more comparable tablets that are cheaper, but they will probably be of poorer quality, too. Just compare the screen quality of the Xoom to the iPad.
No, it certainly is comparable if you're talking about the cheapest model available.
Why do you want a MicroSD slot rather than a standard SD slot?
iPads are essentially just large iPhones with an almost identical OS and very few tablet specific features.
Given the success of the iPhone, that's all the iPad needs to be.
What are these tablet specific features you're referring to?