Stephen Fry: why the Apple iPad is here to stay

flywheel

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2010/jan/29/stephen-fry-apple-ipad

There are many issues you could have with the iPad. No multitasking, still no Adobe Flash. No camera, no GPS. They all fall away the minute you use it. I cannot emphasise enough this point: "Hold your judgment until you've spent five minutes with it."

enjoy the read... from someone who knows a thing or two about mobile technology... and a how to articulate

Fat_Fingers

I used to have a lot of time for Fry but nowadays he's just another blabbering fool who thinks he knows everything about everything and only HIS opinion matters.

Dades

Wait till he tries to watch re-runs of his own shows on BBC iPlayer, or send one his eagerly awaited tweets with another app already open.

OctavarIan

Fat_Fingers wrote:

I used to have a lot of time for Fry but nowadays he's just another blabbering fool who thinks he knows everything about everything and only HIS opinion matters.

So ignore the article, not even bother to try debate it, and instead go straight to insulting the man. And he's the blabbering fool? He makes some good points and he backs them up, that makes his opinion better than yours at least.

Dades wrote: »

or send one his eagerly awaited tweets with another app already open.

iPhone didn't seem to cause him any problems in that regard.

Fat_Fingers

OctavarIan wrote: »

So ignore the article, not even bother to try debate it, and instead go straight to insulting the man. And he's the blabbering fool? He makes some good points and he backs them up, that makes his opinion better than yours at least.

Don’t need to, I've seen Fry's tweets. Man is too posh for celebrity big brother so he created one for himself with his tweets. That is just my opinion of him. I respect that you have your own.

Anyway, I went to see that article. And how does it start? “The self-confessed Apple fanatic on why the launch of the company's new tablet will change everything” Hardly balanced and independent opinion.

RobbieTheRobber

Fat_Fingers wrote: »

Don’t need to, I've seen Fry's tweets. Man is too posh for celebrity big brother so he created one for himself with his tweets. That is just my opinion of him. I respect that you have your own.

Anyway, I went to see that article. And how does it start? “The self-confessed Apple fanatic on why the launch of the company's new tablet will change everything” Hardly balanced and independent opinion.

When you get an opinion piece it is rarely balanced, its is exactly that an opinion.

If you dont like the person the opinion emantes from then i suggest not reading as you have done in this case.

Dades

OctavarIan wrote: »

iPhone didn't seem to cause him any problems in that regard.

Given the size of the device and the fact that it is primarily a telephone, you can accept that.

It's another thing to come home to your iPad and find yourself still using a mobile OS.

Brian

I am disappointed by Mr. Fry's reaction.

thetonynator

is it just me or is this whole ipad a bit over hyped??? its just a larger version of the i touch, despite anything stephan fry says

jimmycrackcorm

thetonynator wrote: »

is it just me or is this whole ipad a bit over hyped??? its just a larger version of the i touch, despite anything stephan fry says

I agree - I really like the iPhone and iTouch but this is simply a larger size version. That's not a bad thing in any shape or form but, meh, that's about it. Not deserving of the hype.

Tar.Aldarion

I think it is actually terrible, so bad, and don't understand why anybody would buy one! I'll try a friends and come back with a final judgement then (:

CivilServant

Good read. Never knew he was a big apple fan and tech literate.

bazzachazza

Yes on first look having not even seen the video's available but seen the tech specs I too am very surpised and disappointed that there is no USB port, no ethernet connection and no memory card slots.

I must profess to absolutely loving my iTouch and this is very much a large version of one.

Whats the point of buying one if you still have to own a fecking PC or MAC to load anything on to it.

I hate the fact if you buy the largest one ie 64gb next year there will be a 128 or 250gb one and you will be kicking yourself for not waiting.

Still having said that I'm going to wait till I get hands on with one before I decide if its for me.

booyah1024

Seriously you're disappointed that there's no Ethernet port on it? It's a device that's meant to do away with them all together.

Sure I'm disappointed by the tablet too, it's just a huge iPhone which I already have.

Apple had a chance to do something really special with the iPad but they didn't.

But hey I can see why though, the majority of iPhone and iPod touch (it's not an itouch ffs) bought them because it's fashionable they don't use the phone to it's full potential (this is evidant by some threads on this forum). The ipad will suit these users to the ground and they will more than likely buy one.

I for one will not be buying one. Regardless of what Stephen Fry says and doesn't say.

JimsAlterEgo

he seems to be just an apple fanboy TBH

Brian

I don't think an ethernet port is a suitable connection for a glorified digital photo frame.

kmick

The iphone was breakthrough because it allowed you to email, surf and have apps on a phone sized device - but its real unique selling point is the interface which is balls out brilliant.

The iPad has all these things but it with not fit in your pocket. So for me if I am going to have to carry something its going to be a laptop or netbook as I get all the functionality of a netbook with all the propietary headache of an Apple. Might be ok if you are in France or Greece where a man bag is acceptable. Even then Id prefer to carry a netbook.

Fat_Fingers

You know if this IPad makes other competitors make their own tablet i think we as customers would benefit big time. Like it or not now ever other tablet will be judged against Ipad. Still, I’m yet to see touch screen as good as Iphone/Ipop/Ipad. What is Wrong with Nokia, LG and the others?!?!?
I would love to see tablet that is touch responsive as Apple tablet but without restrictiveness and severe limitations of Apple product. Oh, if only touch screen on my Onda is as good as Ipod. As this is Apple product rule of the thumb is never buy until you see version 3. I love my Ipod but this lPad is irrelevant to me since I already own Ipod touch. Still, you never know what updates might have in a few years…

seraphimvc

iphone/ipod are GREAT but about this iPad....which is all of us were so looking forward what apple can show us this time - i wonder does Jobs feel embarassed when he showed us the most uninspiring piece of technology of the year??

cut it in short - it is the handicapped bigger screen size version iphone with no phones functions and no multitasking and with iphone OS(it is a phone OS!)and the with a 'wtf' price tag....

so Apple is looking for a piece of cake in the 'ebook' market? it is a total rich people's toy for no real purpose.

lenovo showed up something more interesting that shines my eyes earlier this year,which highly resembles the iPad's concept but i can actually see some potential in it:
http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/05/lenovo-ideapad-u1-hybrid-hands-on-and-impressions/

the thing is lets hope tablet became incredibly popular after this sh!t and we all can have some cheap tablet to hold in hand!:D

fergalr

StephenFry wrote:

They've designed the silicon, the A4 chip that runs it all,

Specific info on the A4 is thin on the ground at the moment. It sounds like its a SoC with licensed ARM CPU inside it. So its not at all clear that its much to get excited about. Its not very good analysis on Mr. Fry's part to just repeat what Steve Jobs said, as the Apple CEO tends to talk things up just a bit.


A lot of Fry's argument seems to run that while this product may not be great, the second version will be.

Imagine a BMW rep tells you:
"We are selling the new 2010 BMW model. Its a bit crap, but 2011 will be awesome."

It really doesn't wash.
I'm really glad I bought an iPhone 3G, but I'm about equally glad I didn't buy an iPhone 2G.


I think tablet PCs have a big and useful place in the future. I think that its great to see Apple enter the market, because they do know how to do design and technology really well, in a way few companies can rival. But I dont yet know whether the iPad is the killer device some are making it out to be. We really cant be asked to judge it on its future revisions.

And while V1 might indeed be great to actually use, from what we've seen so far - working off feature lists, specs, etc - it sounds like its a lot less than it could have been.

Also:
It's an eReader? Surely the whole point of eReaders is that they have a non-backlit screen thats pleasant to read on for extended periods of time. Can anyone explain why the whole tech journalistic body forgot that all of a sudden? Surely I won't read on this instead of my kindle, for the same reason I don't read on my computer monitor?

aidan_walsh

I quite liked this article on it.

http://northtemple.com/2010/02/01/on-ipads-grandmas-and-gam

Matt Bauer

The 3G version of Apple's iPad does have a full GPS chip inside, just like the iPhone 3GS. It's just the WiFi-only version which does not.

One major caveat I noticed: in their infinite wisdom, Apple chose to use the next generation Micro SIM standard. I wrote an article about that on our company blog yesterday:

http://www.createvision.ie/blog/files/apple_ipad_mini_sim_vs_micro_sim.php