Why the iPad makes my future laptop purchases uncertain

When the iPad (or similar device) can play games, then I might consider it. I don't mean flash games, or browser games, or stuff like that, I want Sins, Elemental, Dragon Age, etc. Until they can do that, I'm sticking with my laptop. But if I wasn't a gamer, I could totally understand the appeal. Hell, it's appealing now even though I'm a gamer.

If Onlive manages to be successful, that day may be just around the corner.  Provided you don't find their business model too onerous.

Borderlands on an iPad (Youtube)

The iPad is a great device. I bought mine mostly so I could access the Internet when I'm not at home where it's plentiful. But I also bought the keyboard dock and use it for light typing, blogging, stuff like that.

A PC or laptop replacement? No. A great albeit expensive device that is fantastic for consuming the web and doing light work? Absolutely.

They appear to be switching one graphics load (game) for another (HD Decompression) - hence the CPU requirement.  That said, they did get it working on an ipad, which is a formfactor significantly cheaper than most PCs designed with gaming in mind.

From a processor standard, your processors aren't getting faster, but we can place more of them down.  Therefore we're looking at a future where a device with only one core will become rarer and rarer, to be reserved for low-power designs.  There are still a couple of reasons why Onlive and the business model that they are putting forward may not work, but I don't think the dual-core requirement is one of them.

It depends on the user.  If a person is primarily a digital consumer, rather than any form of producer, then an iPad or similar device with its properties which Brad outlined makes a lot of sense.  So the question then, is how many people actually need devices upon which they produce digital content away from the office?

My point with the Onlive reference, is that as we get better at making digital content lightly consumable, better video compression, streaming games, etc.  Then for the vast majority of users (who only consume, not produce) the iPad and devices like it become a better and better choice.

Yes, but unfortunately, we don't all have amazing internet, nor are we always connected to it. I would suspect OnLive doesn't work too well if you're using the 3G on more expensive iPads (but I haven't actually used it, so maybe I'm wrong). And yeah, I dislike their business plan. I want to actually own my games, not rent them.

How about just double clicking the movie or the DVD drive ? And don't You use Your own tools like OD+ or Fences ?

In the state it is now, the iPad still is an oversized iPhone for me. So I'll stick with my iPhone 3GS and for other tasks I will use my tuned eeePC netbook or my full Asus laptop if I need a bigger device. Will get an iPhone 4 when the rush/run for it has calmed a bit though.

heh.  I left my pager at my third job. 

j/k.  Anyway, you make really good points.  I'm not an iphone guy (though they are fun) or an apple fella.  However - tech that simple does what I want it to do is a big deal without requiring expert tech skill level.  You make good points. 

what about that keyboard though...

You like money and that's just fine.  You should do some development of apps on the apple front just for the money.  If I owned a software/distribution platform, that would seem like a no-brainer to me.  Any reason SD hasn't written ipad/iphone apps?  Or have you and I missed it?  

I think this sums it up -

you cant compare an iPad to a Laptop - they are built for different purposes as you also mentioned.

While I can develop applications/ run a SQL Database/ Connect to the Internet/ Watch a Movie/ Read a Book/ Play an Online Game/ Video Conferencing/ Run Flash Apps/ etc on my Laptop -

I would never think of doing such a thing on an iPad - i would however look at it to

Share photos/ Play music/ Read a Book/ Watch a Movie/ ...

Each has its own purpose and niche -

Personally - the iPad has a cool factor that a laptop doesnt -

Although i have to disagree with the statement 'It just works'

So far - everything on my Laptop - just works - i can connect to any WiFi - easily - and watch a movie - play a song - etc.

To each their own- hope you enjoy your iPad!

Oh yes let Stardock do iPhone apps and the development for the other apps will slow down even more or just vanish. Good idea... But maybe we will see that coming nevertheless with Brads iPad enthusiasm all the way ?

you cant create art on the ipad or type..... so pc and laptop still win hands down. to me, ipad just looks like an oversized ipod....*sigh* i dont like it =(

* iDock?

thing is though, would you really want to be constantly looking at e-mails and other work related stuff all the time? as has been said when a laptop is off, its off with something that is connected permanently such as a smartphone or an i pad there may come a time where there is always something that has to be done and free time goes out the window

I'd flip the topic around to "Why the laptop makes my future iPad purchases uncertain". There's *nothing* an iPad does that a laptop doesn't do better, and it can't do many things that a laptop can.

I think he listed a bunch of reasons in the post.  

Not really. He didn't list anything important as it relates to actual performance, just pretty trivial cosmetic differences, like "it makes less noise" and "it's always on". The point about Harware, for example, completely ignored that the iPad only has 256mb of RAM which puts a severe limitation on what can be created for it. The point about Software completely ignored the fact that you're reliant on either an over-the-internet stream for a movie, or a low-quality on disk copy. It's not like you can pop in a bluray into the iPad and watch a good quality movie (which, incidentally, all the DVD apps auto-play and don't actually require launching the app in question..)

To be honest, the whole OP reads like one of those infomercials for a tomato cutter that shows people practically cutting their own hands off because normal knives are just so ancient and cumbersome and dangerous and this new thing is so much more awesome and easy and better in every way.

Only it's not. Sure, the iPad can get you online quicker 'cause it's always on, but can it actually compare to the utility of a laptop? Not even close.

My biggest issue with the ipad, besides the fact that it is an Apple product is the flash storage! It is limited and I like to have my stuff with me when I need it not remote in to my PC to download a needed file and I am not sure but I believe there is some Cloud Computing scheme to store the movies. I would take one for a gift, but I will not buy one!

I'll stick with my Windows 7 netbook, thanks anyway.

here's my take on an iPad after using one for a few weeks now....

In order to make full use of the iPad one must be willing to change the way we think of "computing".

1.   make as much use of "cloud computing" as possible which means that some of us might need to make a 180 degree turn around from storage-centric thinking to that of "streaming"

2.   understand (as brad pointed out) that the iPad is primarily a "consumption device" which (if harnessed correctly) can effectively replace all/every other digital consumption devices a person currently owns

3.   eventhough the iPad cannot be used effectively as a (at least on par with any other) content-creation device it can however be used to review, present, transmit said created content and in a pinch can even be used to remotely control said "content-creation devices" remotely.

For me the power of the iPad is particularily apparent in a remote/streaming capacity.  I can sit on the dock at the summer house and (via 3G) remotely admin any/all of my servers, watch live or pre-recorded TV shows streamed to the iPad, review/edit documents and access a centralized calendar and email accounts literally with the flick of a finger.  To me, that is TRUE technological innovation.  Sure 3G streaming still has it's issues, but all of the above are huge steps in the right direction.

I say, keep it coming............in the meantime maybe we need to re-think our computational needs and our overall aproach to computing.  Just because we've always done things a certain way doesn't mean "different" can't have something progressive to offer.

If used correctly, using the iPad can feel like you're holding the reins to the IT infrastructure in your life.  A very powerful tool if used in that way.   

By the way, I'm not an apple-fanboi (just in case my post was going to draw some flames in that vein), I have equal parts PC and Apple devices in the IT structure of my life.

the Monk

http://www.ipadhelpforum.net/ipad-help/

Looks like "it's just working" fine to me...

But yeah, most Apple products aren't really my thing. Steve Jobs is one of the most pretentious bastards I've ever seen and Apple's overall attitude just grinds me gears. Not to mention, I don't find any of their software to be overly usable at all. I used iTunes for a bit but really, WMP or Songbird works just as well and doesn't make me look like I'm trying too hard be cool.

That's actually my main problem with the company. Their marketing campaign is centered around being the hip new thing, the cool thing. It is an excellent and succesful marketing campaign, but as you said, really cheeses me off. There is a certain pretentiousness that many of the more rabid Apple fanboys seem to posses. Although really anyone with an unhealthy fixation on one way of doing anything is likely to be annoying...Most of my friends are neutral and don't care either way. But when I see one of Mac's commercials, my reflex is to roll my eyes. Steve Jobs is a succesful businessman, and he has a lot of people suckered on his marketing technique.

Like it or not, that is my two cents.

Same here!  I particularly dislike the smugness of Jobs.... his marketing that tries to convince the buying public that his products are far superior to any others... particularly Microsoft's.  While his marketing strategy may appeal to the fanbois and 'hip' set, I find it irritating and would never purchase an Apple product based purely on the advertising. 

However, if I had a need for something, and Apple provided the best option for the price, I would certainly consider an Apple product and be happy with my purchase, so I'm not anti-Apple, either.  In fact, while I'd never purchase an iPod, iPhone or iPad. I'd like to try out an iMac with OS-X, but the cost is too prohibitive at this time (even for a mini-Mac... $1300 AU$) and other priorities must come first.  Hopefully one day, though.

As for the iPad advertising, well it just doesn't grab me at all.  In fact, I think it is smug and pretentious with its rather misleading "magic" and "crazy powerful" claims.  As has been noted by many, the iPad lacks 'Flash' and multi-tasking abilities, not to mention that it has minimal RAM and lacks real processing power, so it clearly doesn't have the power of even a mid-range laptop... and would certainly be inadequate for my needs. Oh, and the "more movies than you could watch in a lifetime"... on my PC I can do that already... as well as share photos and music, etc, etc, etc.

Nope, the iPad offers nothing I need or don't have already... and those smug ads make me all the more determined NOT to buy it.

I think you have it right. Apple wants to change the way we compute. But it doesn't seem organic...and when it seems like some higher up is trying to tell you how and what to do, in a way that they think is best for you, it tends to be a huge turn off.

Personally, I think this kind of techonlogical advancement is a good thing, but I only hope mobile computing does not stagnate in the Consumption-Only bog it's in now with the iPad. I hope it continues to evolve to the point where you can be a serious content producer on such devices.

That, IMO, was and is the great thing about personal computers above Radio, TV, and other revolutionary devices. The ability for the user to create content (without jumping through crazy hoops), not just consume it. The ability to choose what content to consume, not just the ones approved by a certain regulatory committee or board of executives.

So let's all hope popular demand and competition will glean the positive attributes of iPad, et al, and whittle the negatives.

sViz,

very well said.......

heard a report on the BBC regarding the plant that manufacturers the iphone and ipad in southern China. there have been 14 suicides in the last year due to working conditions/low wages. workers work 10 hours days 7 days a week and regardless of seniority earn 1$/hour.