Laptop Killer? Pretty Close

The Wall Street Journal ^ | April 1, 2010 | Walter S. Mossberg

[myknowledge]

For the past week or so, I have been testing a sleek, light, silver-and-black tablet computer called an iPad. After spending hours and hours with it, I believe this beautiful new touch-screen device from Apple has the potential to change portable computing profoundly, and to challenge the primacy of the laptop. It could even help, eventually, to propel the finger-driven, multitouch user interface ahead of the mouse-driven interface that has prevailed for decades.

But first, it will have to prove that it really can replace the laptop or netbook for enough common tasks, enough of the time, to make it a viable alternative. And that may not be easy, because previous tablet computers have failed to catch on in the mass market, and the iPad lacks some of the features—such as a physical keyboard, a Webcam, USB ports and multitasking—that most laptop or netbook users have come to expect.

If people see the iPad mainly as an extra device to carry around, it will likely have limited appeal. If, however, they see it as a way to replace heavier, bulkier computers much of the time—for Web surfing, email, social-networking, video- and photo-viewing, gaming, music and even some light content creation—it could be a game changer the way Apple's iPhone has been.

[myknowledge]

I don't think the Apple iPad is a complete laptop replacement. It's just an enlarged iPhone.

[tx_eggman]

Put down the crack pipe Walter

[Psycho_Bunny]

Kind of sounds like Walt’s never actually used a computer.

[giotto]

Eh. I'm not interested. For what I do, it would be a big pain. I do a lot of graphic stuff, so I need my stylus. Drawing with my fingers is finger painting. Forget about it.

Also, I need a large display--the bigger the better.

Also, it's not really purse size.

Also, my Droid uses Verizon, which, unlike AT&T, doesn't suck.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

If newspapers were smart, they’d utilize this technology. New York Times should offer a free one-year subscription with ever purchase of an iPad. Not that I would buy it or recommend it, but it would make good businessense from their perspective.

[Mr. Blonde]

Seems like most of the reviews have been fairly positive.

[JerseyHighlander]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzRziK-kZtQ
star trek 4: the voyage home episode

[Scotty] - Computer. Computer!
[Doc] - Just use the keyboard.
[Scotty] - Keyboard. How quaint!

[gitmo]

How is this different from a tablet pc?

[omega4179]

myfastpc.com is a trojan/malware

[Mr. Jeeves]

How is this different from a tablet pc?

The tablet PC uses mouse-style point-and-click (with a stylus) navigation. The iPad uses the iPhone's finger navigation, where windows are easily opened, closed, and resized and content is browsed with intuitive finger motions.

The iPad is a whole new ballgame. Competitors' trash-talk is going to hit Keith Olbermann-like hysteria levels over the next week, but it looks Apple has lapped the field with this device.

[SamAdams76]

The iPad is the most revolutionary consumer product in the history of civilization. It is going to change everything - including the world. As the release date nears, I have had difficulty getting to sleep and when I do sleep, I dream about the iPad, not only in vivid color but also in HTML 5.

[gitmo]

Have you tried the Lower The Seas feature? Is it fast enough that you can watch the waters recede, or is it a background process that you can’t really watch?

[FreedomPoster]

OK, where did that come from?

[RegulatorCountry]

Oh, now. It’s really not all that bad. Somebody’ll do a half-hearted knockoff soon enough, maybe with a tiny little physical keyboard or USB ports or Flash compatibility, and you can tout that.

[lmr]

I have had difficulty getting to sleep and when I do sleep, I dream about the iPad

I've taken some long walks lately, been breathing some fresh air and had a picnic today at the park with my wife and kids. Just the 5 of us. Yeah, it's corny as hell and the interface is old school. I've been spending less time on the Internet too. It's nice to not receive IM's. I turn my cell phone off most of the time or I just don't answer it... Life feels like 20 years ago to me. Archaic and Simple. How did we ever do without things like the Internet, Cell Phones and the Ipad? For some strange reason, I've never been happier.

[Hammerhead]

Stupidest gimmick device ever to come out of Apple.

Nothing more than a big iPod.

[Travis McGee]

I think what really matters is what the under 20s think abou it. Kids who have grown up on Iphones. If THEY take to it, it will be a winner.

[omega4179]

I just saw it on tv and checked it out and want to get the word out to people. Malwarebytes will remove it fortunately.

[Mister Muggles]

get back to me when they make it a REAL computer...

[SkyDancer]

Wasn’t there a comparison with the IPAD and an HP device that was similar and the HP was better?