Why Is Every Non-geek In My Family in a Froth About the iPad?

[Scienter]

If the iPad is pushed strongly as an e-book reader, I can see it being successful because the Kindle and the Nook have so far failed to penetrate the market very well.

Cite? I see Kindles everywhere. I thought they were doing really well.

I don't think I'd want to read a book on the iPad screen. The reason I like e-ink displays is because I don't feel like I'm killing my eyes by looking at it. Reading a book on an iPad would feel like reading one on my monitor unless it comes with some kind of special display setting that won't kill my eyes.

[TinCow]

Cite? I see Kindles everywhere. I thought they were doing really well.

I took a look and apparently Amazon refuses to release numbers on their sales. One article estimates 2-3mil sales last year, which would put the Kindle's sales on par with early iPod sales. They seem pretty low to me, but I'll certainly be eating my words if Kindle sales explode like iPod sales did.

[naut]

In the commercial market its another useless gadget. But, I guess people with more money than acumen will go nuts.

I could see it having potential in say the Medical field though, replace old doctors charts with centrally networked iPads.

Haha, iPads, Apple has decided to enter the female sanitary market.

[CountArach]

It's puuuurrrrdy.

[Fragony]

If this book reading thing works as well as they claim I will be getting one just for that. I am certainly interested but I am worried about screen angle, but if the screen is good and the keyboard works for long texts it's going to be my mobile hub.

[CBR]

Not sure how good it will be for ebooks but tempting it is. The small display on a iPhone/PDA is pretty much worthless for any serious surfing, vids or pics and for such stuff there is little need for a keyboard.

So although its an Apple product it is pretty much the gadget I have been waiting for.

I am certainly interested but I am worried about screen angle..

It says it is IPS so viewing angle should be very good.

[miotas]

Let analyse Steve's presentation shall we?

Customisable background - I can customise my phone's background
Web browsing - My phone has the internet too
Rotatable display - My phone's display rotates as well
Email - My phone has the net so obviously I can send email
Viewing photos - My phone can even take them
Calendar - My phone has a calendar
Contacts - Well dur
Google maps - You already mentioned the internet a few times Jobsie
Music - Very few phones now can't play mp3's
Youtube videos - My phone can play videos
TV - Phone screen is too small for this, but then, so is the iPad screen really.

And to top all of this off, my phone fits in my pocket. Fancy that.

They are trying to spin a giant phone that can't make calls, unfortunately it seems they are succeeding.

[Vladimir]

In the commercial market its another useless gadget. But, I guess people with more money than acumen will go nuts.

I could see it having potential in say the Medical field though, replace old doctors charts with centrally networked iPads.

This is basically what I thought as well. I didn't care about the product at first but I can see it having a lot of functionality for the less tech inclined. It needs a stylus.

[drone]

It needs a stylus.

They probably omitted that on purpose. Like I said, Newton ][.

[Vladimir]

Somebody is not happy.

What's with all the limitations? No flash player OR USB? It's going backwards.

[Lemur]

My biggest problem with both the iPhone and now the iPad is how you're locked away from free software. At least, I think you are; I've never owned either device, so I can't say with certainty.

I likes my Firefox, my OpenOffice, my GIMP. Frankly, I'm more confident about the tools I download from SourceForge than I am of many commercial applications.

The i-stuff is interesting, and I have a creeping feeling they're going to have a huge impact, but they're not for me.