I pad

[Jamo]

It's interesting that until the ipod and iphone apple had dropped well behind in the tech wars, this is probably the basis of their hacking phobia and the need to lock it down.

[Error404]

Ok how about name 1 function it has that another household device can't perform?
Its a fashion accessory, nothing more nothing less. I put it in the same bracket as an earing. Some people like them, some people don't. Some poeple spend loads of money on them. But noone needs them as they are ultimately pointless.

[madpugger]

The uber geeks who feel the need to tinker with the inner workings of every device they own don't like the 'locked' aspect of the iphones but a whole community of cracks and hackapps exist for them - so I dunno what all the whinging is about that aspect. I've had a 3GS for ~9 months and can honestly say it is the best phone I have ever had. My windows loving colleagues prefer the HTC but that's their choice... It has better / simpler email integration for Exchange primarily but that's a work thing that is a 2ndary purpose for my phone.

The iPad is a thing of beauty alright - I cannot justify one because its damned expensive but I think it is a much superior form factor for general browsing / shopping, music, photos & movies and stuff for use around the house. A laptop is just too big, clunky and not kiddie friendly at all. The iPad isn't supposed to replace the phone or the laptop. Ultimately the phone is more portable and the laptop has more performance - the iPad sits between them on price & functionality. Anyone that says the iPad solves a problem that doesn't exist needs to remember that millions of them have been sold in a very short timeframe so clearly there must be a market for it.

I have used Apple stuff since about 1991 and never looked back... I went through my fair share of upgrading and tweaking the old machines but the one thing that always kept me with them was just plain and simple usability and robustness of the user interface - that doesn't mean I am not a techie or am incapable of operating a command line - I just can't be bothered unless I really need to...

Apple also gets bashed now much like MS from days of old by those people who hate to see companies get 'too big' or 'too powerful' - they cannot just accept they are very successful at what they do and have come back from the brink a few times in the 90s when things were not so rosey for them.

Cue apple wars thread - LOL

As Paul says - agree totally!

Ok how about name 1 function it has that another household device can't perform?
Its a fashion accessory, nothing more nothing less. I put it in the same bracket as an earing. Some people like them, some people don't. Some poeple spend loads of money on them. But noone needs them as they are ultimately pointless.

Its not about performing a function that something else cant, its about HOW it performs the function. I use mine for surfing when laying on the sofa, or for sharing media with friends when a laptop is just too bulky to cart about with me. You could sit on the sofa with a desktop on your lap if you wanted, but would you? No, because it would be a PITA. I guess you have to have one to understand its usefulness.

Each to their own and all that, but why is it that people without apple stuff have a hatred for them? I don't have/like Beemers, but I don't go about telling every BM owner they are shyte!

[Bram]

The iPad I have is perfect for some couch web surfing and some catch-up TV stuff. I am lucky to be able to buy this stuff for my work, because I think the iPad is not worth buying For most Apple apps I normally use my iPhone 4. Being an Apple user for the last 5 years I think the iPad and AppleTV are Apple's least interesting products so far. Luckily Apple TV can be improved with the ATV hack.

Another thing I like to see in the past months are the increasing amounts of non-phone Android devices. Also our own Philips GoGear Connect Android portable player device is going to be part of that group.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/16/p...ly-on-sale-ov/

[Error404]

I'm not anti mac I have a macbook due to software availability i.e. Logic Audio -
incidentally it fits perfectly on my lap on the sofa

[terrybullwon]

[madpugger]

I'm not anti mac I have a macbook due to software availability i.e. Logic Audio -
incidentally it fits perfectly on my lap on the sofa

Sorry, I wasnt suggesting you were anti mac, its a generalism!

My MacBook Pro fits perfectly too, but the iPad fits better!

[T2Andy]

The reason i bought mine was cause it was half price comp prize.
i was going to sell it on but gave it my son which really made his day but it is a funky gadget although can be an expensive one .

[Sweeper]

Andy : How sweeet. I still wait for my doughter to grow up a bit to take the fathers toys , I have a lot of hi-tech pc equipment and toys due to the my work type . But she's only 8 month old.

But our kids these days , if don't own an iphone in school you are a looser. If you own an ipad , you are the hero of the class .