IPad opinions?

[samh004]

Besides, the macbook pros were recently updated and i hopefully pick up mine this week.

I wasn’t impressed with the updates, especially so for the 13” model, but realise that’s more of an issue to do with Intel and Nvidia fighting than what Apple could’ve done with it.

I look forward to an update with Light Connect or whatever it is anyway.

 

[simongr]

Umm - sorry to repeat this over and over but IT IS NOT A LAPTOP!

it's not lighter than other laptops.

Which laptops exactly weigh less than 500g?

 

[anat0l]

Umm - sorry to repeat this over and over but IT IS NOT A LAPTOP!

Does that mean you don't need to present it in a separate tray like other laptops at the x-ray machine?

Which laptops exactly weigh less than 500g?

There are some - but you need to take out the battery, and it also depends on whether you would like to call them a laptop or not.

 

[djfuzz]

Does that mean you don't need to present it in a separate tray like other laptops at the x-ray machine?

Correct! Aside from the TSA's guidance, I can corroborate this with experience in Australia and at least HKG, SIN, BKK and TPE.

FWIW, many stores at MBK had a plentiful supply of real iPads, for a relatively reasonable markup. Would have probably got one there if I didn't have one already.

Primarily used the iPad during my last trip for some work, videos, games and browsing (including AFF of course, which looks spectacular on it) and it was fantastic - especially the workhorse of a battery, which lasted a solid day's use on various flights, and several days when not in constant use. Typing this, as well as my upcoming mini TR, on the iPad.

 

[simongr]

There are some - but you need to take out the battery, and it also depends on whether you would like to call them a laptop or not.

I think it would be rough to say that this was heavier than a laptop if you took the majority of the weight out of the laptop...

 

[samh004]

Does that mean you don't need to present it in a separate tray like other laptops at the x-ray machine?

It was noted somewhere, I thought in a thread, but I can’t find any reference to it on the site anymore. Anyway, basically the TSA said it likely wouldn’t need to be removed, but they may ask you to remove it if there are lots of other things in the bag obscuring it.

 

[medhead]

Umm - sorry to repeat this over and over but IT IS NOT A LAPTOP!



Which laptops exactly weigh less than 500g?

I know it is not a laptop. The question is WHAT CAN IT DO THAT A LAPTOP CANNOT DO? My opinion was asked, i gave my opinion what can it do that a laptop can't do. The fact that the ipad is not a laptop IS IRRELEVANT.

Which ipad, exactly, weights less than 500 grams? According to apple, only the one in your fanboi imagination.

Apple - iPad - View the technical specifications for iPad.

As for a laptop that i would rather have in terms of specs and weight, Sony Z series or X series.

I think it would be rough to say that this was heavier than a laptop if you took the majority of the weight out of the laptop...

I think it is rough to say that the ipad is less than 500 grams. And you can't take anything out of the ipad to get it below that weight either.


btw, don't yell at me because you're blinded by fanboi-ism

 

[medhead]

I wasn’t impressed with the updates, especially so for the 13” model, but realise that’s more of an issue to do with Intel and Nvidia fighting than what Apple could’ve done with it.

I look forward to an update with Light Connect or whatever it is anyway.

Sure the 13 inch doesn't have a iX processor, but core 2 is just fine for my needs. It has a decent graphics chip for the new price compared to what else is available. it is a bit heavy, due to Apple style over substances. I've been looking for 4 months for a new laptop. I was looking at Sony Z, Dell inspirion 13z, maybe Sony Y (or X) specs didn't find my needs but price was better. I did want an optical drive, but was prepared to potentially ignore that for lower weight. Or of course the toshiba R600, but price is bad and it needs an update.

new 13 macbook pro is my compromise. price and specs good, weight bad

 

[samh004]

btw, don't yell at me because you're blinded by fanboi-ism

Says the guy that’s essentially trolling a thread full of Apple fanboi’s

Seems like you got the response you were looking for

Sure the 13 inch doesn't have a iX processor, but core 2 is just fine for my needs. It has a decent graphics chip for the new price compared to what else is available. it is a bit heavy, due to Apple style over substances. I've been looking for 4 months for a new laptop. I was looking at Sony Z, Dell inspirion 13z, maybe Sony Y (or X) specs didn't find my needs but price was better. I did want an optical drive, but was prepared to potentially ignore that for lower weight. Or of course the toshiba R600, but price is bad and it needs an update.

new 13 macbook pro is my compromise. price and specs good, weight bad

The thing is, I already have a Core 2, I’ve had one for 3 years and would love to move onto something a bit better. it’s like the G4 updates that always seemed to be another couple hundred MHz, pretty worthless in the grand scheme of things. Whereas, the iX processor as you say, has a few more features under the hood that the Core 2’s don’t.

As for the other options you’ve mentioned, I don’t look at them not because I like Apple products and was probably a fanboi when I was a little younger, but I do so because I like the OS I’m using, and know there’s only one place I’m going to get it, without having a load of hassles trying to get it to run on hardware it wasn’t made for (ala Hackintosh). I’m used to it and don’t particularly like using windows that much, I can, but feel I’m much more productive on my mac these days.

So when looking for a newer model, I’d prefer the update to be a little bigger than 240MHz at a minimum

 

[simongr]

I know it is not a laptop. The question is WHAT CAN IT DO THAT A LAPTOP CANNOT DO? My opinion was asked, i gave my opinion what can it do that a laptop can't do. The fact that the ipad is not a laptop IS IRRELEVANT.

I guess this is again a circular argument. People compare it to a laptop and say it doesnt do the same as a laptop but it is not meant to be compared to a laptop. It would be like saying it is no use as a phone as it can't easily be used as a phone.

I would also suggest that it can be used as an ebook reader which a laptop cant easily be used as.

Which ipad, exactly, weights less than 500 grams? According to apple, only the one in your fanboi imagination.

I think it is rough to say that the ipad is less than 500 grams. And you can't take anything out of the ipad to get it below that weight either.

Totally my mistake - I thought I had read 1.2lbs - roughly 500g. So going back which laptops weigh less than 730g without removing the battery? I assume only netbooks.

btw, don't yell at me because you're blinded by fanboi-ism

I think we are both blinded by our own opinions - I see this as a new device doing something different that will be very useful to me. I see it as a laptop replacement in some circumstances but not a replacement for my primary computing.

 

[medhead]

Says the guy that’s essentially trolling a thread full of Apple fanboi’s

Seems like you got the response you were looking for



The thing is, I already have a Core 2, I’ve had one for 3 years and would love to move onto something a bit better. it’s like the G4 updates that always seemed to be another couple hundred MHz, pretty worthless in the grand scheme of things. Whereas, the iX processor as you say, has a few more features under the hood that the Core 2’s don’t.

As for the other options you’ve mentioned, I don’t look at them not because I like Apple products and was probably a fanboi when I was a little younger, but I do so because I like the OS I’m using, and know there’s only one place I’m going to get it, without having a load of hassles trying to get it to run on hardware it wasn’t made for (ala Hackintosh). I’m used to it and don’t particularly like using windows that much, I can, but feel I’m much more productive on my mac these days.

So when looking for a newer model, I’d prefer the update to be a little bigger than 240MHz at a minimum

First off, I'm not trolling apple fanboi threads. I'm offerring my opinion about 1 apple product. Clearly, I'm not so stuck to apple that I can't find fault. That doesn't mean I don't respect others opinions about that product, but then I also don't expect to be told the cough*ing blindly obvious about the product that I have a neutral opinion about.

Yes I agree on the upgrades and I would love a iX processor. But I don't want to spend $4000 on a sony to get the 1.4 kg weight and I don't want to lug around a 15 inch MBP which weights what? 3 kg? Also my current laptops have an atom, pentium and maybe a 486 (I think I that still works). Core 2 is great.

I guess this is again a circular argument. People compare it to a laptop and say it doesnt do the same as a laptop but it is not meant to be compared to a laptop. It would be like saying it is no use as a phone as it can't easily be used as a phone.

I would also suggest that it can be used as an ebook reader which a laptop cant easily be used as.

Totally my mistake - I thought I had read 1.2lbs - roughly 500g. So going back which laptops weigh less than 730g without removing the battery? I assume only netbooks.

I think we are both blinded by our own opinions - I see this as a new device doing something different that will be very useful to me. I see it as a laptop replacement in some circumstances but not a replacement for my primary computing.

Ok one slight misunderstanding, I'm not comparing it to a laptop. What i meant was that it doesn't do anything that I would make me get it instead of a laptop and an iphone. I expressed my previous very poorly, sorry. (I was trying to be brief due to coming in late)
As for ebook, meh! tried it on iphone, tried it on ipaq, I can do it on a laptop, but i prefer the printed word. just me....

Weight wise - Sony X series is about 800 or 900 grams (edit: 740 grams according to harris tech catalog), pretty much comparable to an ipad, but without the magic button. Sony Z is 1.4 kg, but is so much more. For me ipad can't do anything extra, than a Z and iphone.

Finally, to go back to my comment to Samh about not be a fanboi. I don't feel blinded by my opinion, I select the best solution for my needs. I have 5 desktop and laptop computers of various ages, that started as windows machines. I have a Mini and an iphone and soon a MBP. My main computer is windows, the kids netbook is windows (but would be linux if I didn't pay for windows with it), the mini is tiger, the iphone well obvious and my NAS is linux. Horses for courses and the ipad ain't the horse for me.

I'll also soon have a snow leopard. And doesn't SWMBO love that. /aside she saw the snow leopard pack on display in the shop and got rather excited - "look snow leopard, the kids will love that". Imagine my surprise " what the kids will love the operating system". "Ohh i thought it was pictures of snow leopards"
Don't tell her I told you that, please.

 

[samh004]

Don't tell her I told you that, please.

If we meet up at OzFest, my lips are sealed. Had to have a chuckle though. And it is true, there are some Snow Leopard backgrounds, but certainly not worth the asking price fir them.

 

[samh004]

Just for some random speculation I have tried to guestimate what the iPad will cost in Oz - wifi only model that is.

I took the prices charged for various apple computers and an iPod touch. based on this "extensive" research it seems that in Oz we are paying about a 25% premium over current exchange rates for Apple products :| :evil:

So my estimates are:

Ipad	US	93c	Guess	Premium
16G	499	 537 	 671 	 134 
32G	599	 644 	 805 	 161 
64G	699	 752 	 940 	 188

Definitely worth buying in the US at those premiums...

Well well well… the prices have been released, so lets see how they stack up…

iPad  US   93c   Guess   Premium   AU
16G   499  537   671     134       629
32G   599  644   805     161       759
64G   699  752   940     188       879

iPad Available in Nine More Countries on 28 May

 

[Mal]

Telstra have now announced their pre-paid sim prices for the iPad

iTWire - Telstra's iPad data deals detailed (Page 2)

Oooh. Great value...

 

[samh004]

Telstra have now announced their pre-paid sim prices for the iPad

iTWire - Telstra's iPad data deals detailed (Page 2)

Oooh. Great value...

To be fair, that’s Telstra for you. I’m sure Optus and Vodafone will be happy to offer much better data services.

 

[djfuzz]

Pre-orders now live:

iPad - Apple Store (Australia)

As for the Telstra plans, I actually do think they're good value. Especially considering they start at the same price as the Optus plans, and you'll actually be able to get coverage with them. 1GB/month is more than enough.

samh004, your pricing premiums don't account for sales tax, so the AU prices are actually pretty close to a straight conversion plus GST - again, a pretty good result.

 

[simongr]

Is there any way to recover the NY Sales tax (8.25%?) in the same way that we recover GST? I know that if I go to Bloomingdales or Macys I can get a visitors card to recover the tax - I just wondered if there was a way to do this in the US.

Comparing the NY price of an iPad based on 8.25% sales tax I get these comparisons to the GST inclusive price in OZ:

	US	tax	Gross	US->A$	A$	Diff	GST exclusive
Wifi							
16	499	41	540	599	629	30	572
32	599	49	648	719	759	40	690
64	699	58	757	839	879	40	799
3G							
16	629	52	681	755	799	44	726
32	729	60	789	875	938	63	853
64	829	68	897	995	1,049	54	954

The best option would I think to be to buy one in Oz before heading overseas and recover the GST through the TRS.

The UK site is down so I can't do the same comparison through buying one in London and claiming back the VAT on departure.

 

[markis10]

Telstra have now announced their pre-paid sim prices for the iPad

iTWire - Telstra's iPad data deals detailed (Page 2)

Oooh. Great value...

Its fantastic value compared to the normal Telstra prepaid rates, what gives? 3Gb is normally $60 a month.

 

[simongr]

Now factoring in the UK prices and VAT refund:

	US	tax	UStax	US->A$	A$	      ex-GST	UK	UK->A$	VAT Free
Wifi										
16	499	41	540	599	629	30	572	429	708	602
32	599	49	648	719	759	40	690	499	823	701
64	699	58	757	839	879	40	799	599	988	841
3G										
16	629	52	681	755	799	44	726	529	873	743
32	729	60	789	875	938	63	853	599	988	841
64	829	68	897	995	1,049	54	954	699	1,153	982

SO the best option it seems is a UK based iPad 32G 3G and claiming back the 17.5% of VAT when going from the UK to the US...

In terms of 3G pricing the Optus pricing is double the data but still month to month...

 

[djfuzz]

simongr, you lost me with some of those tables - I get what you're saying, but can't see the figures that substantiate it. How significant is the difference between UK-VAT and AU-GST?

As for data, I assume you have an iPhone - how much data do you usually use on it? Three years iPhone experience have shown me that despite heavy use (but no downloading videos or music when not in a WiFi area), I never use (much) more than 150MB over 3G a month.

I imagine there's an incentive for more use with the iPad, especially where streaming video from content providers (though even these are compressed and downsampled over 3G). However, I just can't comprehend going over the 1GB. Further, as much as I hate to say it, I think the Telstra coverage argument is valid - I haven't looked back since switching from Optus, going from patchy 3G / 2G coverage all over town to almost completely unencumbered 3G service.

The great thing though is the prepaid, month-to-month plans allow switching or cutting off service with the relevant telco at your discretion, which is absolutely fantastic - and the only hassle is switching out Micro SIMs, as opposed to changing your phone number.