Tag Archives: Tablet

The iPad is not a Computer

by thomasfitzgerald on 04. Feb, 2010 in Apple, Technology, iPad

iPad.jpgI had wanted to wait a little while since the iPad was launched to let the implications sink in a bit before trying to write about it. I have had so many thoughts flying around my head about Apple’s new device over the last week that I haven’t really known where to start. The more I read about it the more enthusiastic I get about the iPad. I also get equally annoyed about some of the stupid things that are being written. One thought keeps resonating with me though: the iPad isn’t really a computer. At least not in the traditional sense. (I know that technically it is a computer) Instead you should think of it more as a device that happens to do computing tasks. Let me explain.

For years Apple has tried to make computing easier for the average person. The selling point for the original Mac was that it was “the computer for the rest of us.” While it certainly made computing tasks easier, even using a Mac still requires a degree of computing knowledge. As the internet became mainstream the world was promised the ideal of the internet being as easy to use and ubiquitous as news papers and magazines. While we got the ubiquity, we’re still using the same tools to access that information. At the end of the day, you still needed a computer, and you still have to deal with all that entails. Even things like having to boot a computer up before using it stand in the way of easy and fast consumption of information. While these issues have certainly been mitigated over the years they are still there. For some people though, this is the essence of computing and they don’t like the idea of that changing.

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Apple Confirms Media Event

Apple Confirms Media Event

by thomasfitzgerald on 18. Jan, 2010 in Apple, Rumors

The much rumoured January 27th Apple media event has been confirmed by Apple. The company sent out official invites which showed an Apple logo with a splash of colours and the tag line “Come See our Latest Creation”. Note it says “Creation” singular. Anyway, it will in all likelihood be the unveiling of the over-rumoured tablet. Soon, the suspense will all be over and the complaining about what it doesn’t have can start !

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This is Getting Silly, Part 2

by thomasfitzgerald on 15. Jan, 2010 in Apple

Once again, the extreme stupidity of certain tech blogs on the internet raises its ugly head. Following up from yesterday’s post about the insane “bounty” that Vallywag offered for anyone willing to reveal information about the Apple Tablet, Apple has unsurprisingly responded with its Lawyers.

“While Apple values and appreciates vibrant public commentary about its products, we believe you and your company have crossed the line by offering a bounty for the theft of Apple’s trade secrets. Such an offer is illegal and Apple insists that you immediately discontinue the Scavenger Hunt.”

That’s pretty much the crux of it and why it was so insane in the first place. Vallywag were essentially offering a reward for someone to break the Law. But here’s the best part: Does Gizmodo, reporting on this story call gawker media out for it’s stupidity? No, instead their headline for the latest installment of this fiasco is: “Apple Indirectly Confirms Tablet Existence with Cease and Desist Letter”

Gizmodo finishes by telling people to use an anonymous email when sending anything to Gawker, essentially encouraging the whole illegal stunt although they cover themselves with a trite “Just don’t do anything illegal to get any of the evidence”.

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The Tablet: Now It’s Just Getting Silly

by thomasfitzgerald on 14. Jan, 2010 in Apple

Before Apple wowed everyone with the iPhone when it was first unveiled the usually active rumor mill went into overdrive. That, however paled into insignificance compared to the way the online technology community has lost their fricken’ minds over the upcoming tablet. For every rumor and idea that gets floated another one comes along to shoot it down. I think we’ve had every possible combination of feature and service that this thing is going to offer, along with another bunch of rumors claiming the first bunch of rumors is bogus. On top of that we’ve had people complain about the non existent device, argue how apple’s non existing policies regarding a non existent NDA for developers on a non existent product is going to stifle the development community.

It’s amazing that for a company renowned at keeping secrets, everyone seems to know someone who knows something about the tablet. If you read between the lines of all this chatter you quickly come to realize though that no one really knows anything. Duh. Still, people are so desperate to find out anything that they’re going to extremes. How extreme? Vallywag is now offering a reward of up to $100,000 for evidence of the device that may or may not even exist (Fair enough it probably does). This is just insanity now. Considering it’s less than two weeks to the (possible) launch of the Tablet are they really that desperate for the scoop? Like I said, it’s just getting silly now.

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The Most Ridiculous Tablet Rumour Yet

by thomasfitzgerald on 06. Jan, 2010 in Apple, Rumors

I’ve been doing my best to avoid the whole tablet rumour scene, because for the most part the predictions are too vague and random for any of them to really hold weight, with the possible exception of the WSJ’s recent assertion of a media event on January 27th. I couldn’t help myself though when I came across this gem from Cult of Mac this evening:

According to reader Tom: “I just heard [to] be ready for a steep learning curve regarding the “new” Apple product about to be released [and its] interface. This person is an employee of Apple and had just had a meeting regarding some of the new things coming. He/She would not go into details, but did say that he/she hoped we liked learning.”

Okay, here’s your first clue: Since when has Apple ever made anything (other than its Pro Apps) that required even a shallow learning curve? And secondly, random unnamed friend of of a random reader? Really? Is that what we’re resorting to now? I heard from a friend who talked to a guy who supposedly worked on the tablet too (seriously) and I know that everything he told me could be true but it’s probably not. Still, I’m not going to go around creating attention grabbing headlines, especially when the premise is completely out of sync with everything Apple has ever done. Still, whatever floats your boat. Shame on the numerous websites who re-blogged this obvious nonsense.

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Some Quick and Crazy Thoughts on “iGuide”

Some Quick and Crazy Thoughts on “iGuide”

by thomasfitzgerald on 01. Jan, 2010 in Apple, Technology

I had some thoughts regarding the recent rumours surrounding Apple’s trademark of “iGuide”. Some have suggested that it could be a replacement for iTunes, which I guess sort of makes sense. But I was thinking, what if it’s even more than that. What if it’s the name of the Tablet’s OS. Ok, before you tell me I’m mad, let me explain my train of thought. From what we suspect (as we know very little – and by little I mean nothing) the tablet will more than likely be heavily focus on media, be it movies, music, books, magazines etc.

What if these are all integrated directly into the main UI for the device rather than going to a separate app for each type of media, making the whole interface like a iTunes. If books, magazines etc are given the same level of importance as Apps, and the whole interface is a “guide” to your stuff. Think of it this way. If google Chrome OS is an OS based on a browser, imagine the iSlate’s os based on iTunes and Web Kit? The OS acts as a guide to your stuff. Rather than files and folders it’s based on what your items are, just like iTunes. The mythical metadata based OS. Apple’s been pushing things in this direction for a while now. If they did do something like this it would be a radical fundamental shift in the way we use computers. I know I’m not articulating this very well, and I’m probably 100% completely wrong, but it’s an Idea and I’m just putting it out there.

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10 Certainties About the Impending Apple Tablet

by thomasfitzgerald on 26. Oct, 2009 in Apple, Technology

With all the talk lately about the upcoming Apple Tablet there’s been a lot of speculation about what it might feature, and what it might mean for the rest of the computing world. Here are 10 things that you can be certain about once the mythical tablet launches:

1. No matter what price it is released at it will be claimed that it is “too expensive” and that it will be “a miserable failure.”

2. Someone will compare it to the Cube warning of an imminent repeat of history.

3. Someone will compare its prospects to the original Mac and how it lost market share to Windows also warning of an imminent repeat of history.

4. Everyone will wonder why no one thought of it before.

5. Within six months competitors will be trying to copy it by attempting to shoehorn its one key feature into existing product lines.

6. The usual pundits will decry its lack of features and point out how some competing but never really successful product is actually much better.

7. A large percentage of die hard mac fans will claim that it is the best thing ever invented in the history of the world and will change the face of computing forever.

8. Apple will claim that it is the best thing ever invented in the history of the world and will change the face of computing forever.

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