[Sughly]

Originally Posted by Mikekelly

The advantage to dedicated hardware is that compatability is improved. The main problem to many with PC gamming is - will it run? And with stores no longer taking them back that can be a problem.

Since when did PC's have issues with adventure games? Unless of course we're talking about older titles, but even then there's solutions like patches or dosbox. And for any title that works on an iPhone (unless its an exclusive title) there are updated or equivelant versions available for PC. I don't get this logic whatsoever.

[Jake]

Originally Posted by Sughly

Jake - The idea of having a computer on your desk with a keyboard, from which one can just pick up the screen and walk around the house while continuing to use it uninterrupted, is crazy. (Quoted from Telltale)

Erm... isn't that what you do with a laptop? And besides, how can this be compared to a desktop when you look at each item's capabilities?

No that's not at all what you do with a laptop. A laptop's form and function are unsuitable for quite a lot of things. Using one in a bed or on a couch is absolutely terrible. Passing one around from person to person is also terrible. How do I know this? Because people don't do it. Laptops are used at tables and sometimes on laps (but not comfortably), and when they're used in more casual positions it's either uncomfortable, or with some sort of tray or cushion or other peripheral or inconvenience.

Seriously, what is it about this that's so great really? What's the defining point/s that exists solely for the iPad that isn't already available in formats that are more advanced or offer the same (if not more) features? I struggle to think of any. I would say that others don't have an apple logo, but even that's a false point - apple themselves have notebooks superior to this (point in case, my friend is already seeking to sell his apple laptop that was barely touched to order an iPad).

Comparing feature to feature is, again, useless. Lots of MP3 players pre iPod had an FM radio, had bigger hard drives, were sometimes cheaper than the iPod. On paper those features are way better, but the devices themselves were poor.

Apple makes notebooks which are superior now, but as tech shrinks and speed increases, gaps like that will close. It's already becoming less and less about hard specs and more and more about how you apply them when building a device. What appeals to me is the idea that the concept of "a computer" is being mutated by Apple and other tablet manufacturers.

Ever since the phrase "microcomputer" first came about, they have been defined by almost the exact same set of rules -- that they have the same basic components of an Apple II or an IBM PC XT: A big box containing CPU, graphics, memory, and I/O devices which all sits under your desk or under your monitor (or on a laptop, under your keyboard), a keyboard, a display, and (starting in the 1980s) a mouse.

The notion that all of these parts and the different functions they each imply (keyboard for data entry, mouse for precise UI manipulation, etc) are starting to being thought of as separate, and potentially non-essential, is huge. A laptop has the same basic parts and functions of a Vic20, but far faster and heavily miniaturized.

I think miniaturization for miniaturization's sake is great and has gotten us very far -- the mantra of "[do the same thing as before, but] smaller and faster" has been the driving force in computing for ages, applied across the board, from the size and thickness of laptops and screens, to CPUs themselves. Eventually, though, you miniaturize your way out of it being practical. Zoolander has a cell phone the size of a matchbook -- that's ridiculous, but is that what people want? It seems like it's what some people want, which is baffling to me. Miniaturization for its own purpose has to reach an end at some point. Once you've miniaturized a standard PC notebook to be the size of a paperback novel, to the point that a frequent complaint is that the keys are so small, it's difficult to type on with human hands, that has to mean that, at least for some customers and for some hardware manufacturers, we're at the point when it's time to try something new.

"If it's not broke, don't fix it," is a fine attitude, and probably valid for many computer applications for a long time to come, but I'm glad someone is interested in leveraging the benefits of modern industrial design, computer engineering, and software design, to see what might happen if something was built to operate in a modular fashion, no longer dependent on all the peripherals and setup from the 1970s being present at all times. It's not that complicated, and it's not particularly revolutionary as a thought -- its the way computers have worked in sci-fi for years -- but it's exciting to me to see someone pursuing this sort of thing in the mass market commercial space.

The rock pic, I also believe, wasn't exactly put up in "anger" either but probably more so as a humorous joke.

Humor is in the eye of the beholder, I guess. People generally only mock in that style when they're feeling threatened.

[Lucien21]

Serious Deja Vu

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=500

LMAO

[Linque]

I hate Apple's huge overheads, but there's no denying that they're able to design really user friendly products. I finally did some research and read what info is out there on the iPad, and I have to admit that it does seem quite promising and interesting.

I've been getting rid of my computers, laptops and generally all gadgets that require a lot of mainetance and are unwieldy to use. I've automated my torrent downloads straight to a media box that's hooked to my TV so that essentially I only turn on my TV and select what I want to watch. I have a Squeezebox attached to my stereos & my internet connection so I can access both my MP3 library and internet radio with the Squeezebox remote. I actually avoid turning on my PC at all unless I have something very necessary to do with it, and have found that I feel a lot better most of the time than what I used to, wasting a lot of time on the PC just surfing through the forums and news sites.

I just bought a Macbook Pro to get rid of all the upkeep I have to do with windows, long startup times etc, so that I can quickly turn on the computer, do what I want and be done with it, without worrying about updates and whatever problems come up next. I'm glad I've spent so much time with computers that I'm really good at using, building, maintaining, troubleshooting and doing pretty much anything you want with them. But I've realized that I don't have to spend that much time with them. I've come to the point that the "dumbed down" version that is quicker, easier to use and really just quite a bit more pleasant is actually much better for me than the traditional PC setup.

This brings me to Jake's point, that it's refreshing to see someone try to finally differentiate what an 'all purpose application' at home should look like and how it should function. I already got the Macbook Pro, but just as Jake said, it's still a computer and it's nowhere near as flexible to use around the house and with friends as a tablet would be. Making everything wireless was huge to me - I've been using wireless keyboards and mice since who knows how long now. But getting rid of them altogether, getting rid of the physical monitor would be huge. It would be easier to use on a sofa, pass it on to other people, use it together with someone etc, but the other big thing is that I know at least my apartment would look aesthetically much more pleasant if I didn't have all the devices on my table, on the shelves and on the ground. I want to have as few cords as possible and small and/or good looking devices that take care of the things I want to do with electronics.

So yeah. The iPad is going to cost a gazillion dollars and the insurance premiums are sky high and you can't fix it at all by yourself, but once again I've got a feeling that the product is so much more complete, better thought out and functional than what people who claim it to fail realize. We'll see. I do hope there's going to be a lot of competition on this field though. But altogether I'm glad and excited after the initial "what the hell is this" reaction I got.

[Intense Degree]

Originally Posted by Jake

Humor is in the eye of the beholder, I guess. People generally only mock in that style when they're feeling threatened.

Obviously it's not my picture, but I certainly intended it as a joke when I posted it, and infact not about the iPad per se, but more about the arguments that any new apple product seems to start. Personally I have an Ipod etc. and can happily take or leave apple products as they are/aren't useful to me. In fact earlier on in this thread I have agreed that I think there is a market for the iPad even though it wouldn't include me.

I'm not trying to cause offence but when people are slamming/defending a product without having seen it, or when they could just not buy it even if others will, then people are taking things too seriously. (only my opinion obviously...)

I mean come on, this must bring a smile to your lips whichever side of the argument you're on?



Love to all!

[Jake]

Originally Posted by Intense Degree

I'm not trying to cause offence but when people are slamming/defending a product without having seen it, or when they could just not buy it even if others will, then people are taking things too seriously. (only my opinion obviously...)

I mean come on, this must bring a smile to your lips whichever side of the argument you're on?



Love to all!

That one does crack me up.

And if I'm defending anything, it's the potential I see in the ideas And thinking behind this device, which I think is totally fair game to defend without using it. I'm not talking about how fast it renders a webpage, or how one changes the battery, but what this sort of device and interface could mean for personal computing when unleashed (and fine tuned) in the mass market.

[youfightlikeadairyfarmer]

Originally Posted by Lucien21

Serious Deja Vu

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=500

LMAO

Wow, I don't know why this is so funny but it is.

"I for one am disappointed and think that apple is making a mistake by trying to get into this market."
"those little storage cards cost a fortune, like $200 for 128 megs"
"Won't last. Another Cube."

I am overwhelmed with time-traveler-from-the-future pretentiousness. I WISH I COULD POST!

[Sughly]

Well I'll take a page from Intense Degree's book and say that those interested in it will have their reasons and I'll have my own against it and that's that.

It's fair enough if you guys have genuine aspects that you're excited about. What frustrates me is this notion that some people have that they have to own the next apple 'thing', just because. As I mentioned before, people were pre-ordering this before they even knew what it was. $1000 aus dollars for something with an apple logo on it, it's just crazy. Apple have integrated themselves into this cultural ideal, and now people feel they need to be a part of it or they'll be left behind somehow.

But for those that see a need for it, then good for you. I just don't see it myself. And no I don't find the so called rock pic humorous because I'm threatened by the iPad

[Ugignadl]

I am definitely on the anti-iPad side of this debate. It just seems to me like another piece of Apple schmooze that unwitting people will just lap up because its Apple.

It doesn't really have anything to redeem itself in my eyes. I see that somebody mentioned that nobody uses a laptop in comfortable positions. Well I'm using my eeepc right now on a couch, as I do for several hours every day. I also take it to cafes most of the time and use it there. I see a lot of people doing that with netbooks. What are those people doing at those cafes with those netbooks? Most are working, like me. Writing research papers or presentations or articles. Most also browse the internet and some are playing games. Many are using USB mass storage devices to store and backup their work. I can not see any of the people I know using netbooks (and that is basically everybody) change to an iPad. It just can't do it. They universally agree that it is not a replacement for their netbook and that it can't compete in that market.

In fact we all thought similarly to kadji-kun above, and that is that it must be a competitor with TABLET pcs, not NETBOOKs to have any viability. But then it fails on an epic scale with no features that can take people away from their existing tablets.

It just seems like a bad *product*. I am not talking about idea, concept, or whatever (god knows I think tablet pcs are quite nifty and good things) I am just talking about the *product*. It is garbage with an apple logo stuck to it and the sad thing is that people will eat it up and ask for more.

[Linque]

This is maybe a bit off-topic, but even if a product isn't the most efficient out there, you can't say that it is bad if its purpose is to entertain and increase someone's quality of life and the persons who bought it enjoy using it.

This is not to say anything about the iPad as a product, though. Just that if it eventually sells well and people do enjoy using it, you can't say that the product is garbage, since it fulfills its only purpose for those people very well in that case.

[kadji-kun]

Let me reaffirm my stance. I will never buy an iPad because it lacks the features that make it the endall tablet.

But I will buy it as the very best e-Book on the market, and the best presentation device out there currently.

You guys have to look at the cost of the current Kindle DX. It is $465. Now for less than $50 more with the iPad, you get a color screen, touch interface, complete app store, and continual features that make it the BEST e-book on the market in the near future.

So, I will stubbornly stick to my stance that I won't buy the iPad for its Tablet features, but I will for its innovative ebook device design.

I hope this settles some dispute and will allow us to wait this out until the device is released in 3 months.

[Sughly]

Originally Posted by Linque

This is maybe a bit off-topic, but even if a product isn't the most efficient out there, you can't say that it is bad if its purpose is to entertain and increase someone's quality of life and the persons who bought it enjoy using it.

This is not to say anything about the iPad as a product, though. Just that if it eventually sells well and people do enjoy using it, you can't say that the product is garbage, since it fulfills its only purpose for those people very well in that case.

I agree, and in what kadji-kun is saying that strengthens this point even more. My gripe is that most people won't buy it because they find it useful for whatever reason, but because it is the next apple 'thing', even if they have devices such as an iphone and/or laptop that will give them the same results. I can only go by the people I know around me that are buying one, and I know for for a fact this is the case with ALL of them.

This is beyond arguing technical aspects and this vs. that, this is apple selling culture in the case of my friends in question, and I think that apple is well aware of this notion of selling culture and thrive off providing it. They know that potentially tens of thousands of people will pre-porder an apple 'thing', even before they know exactly what it is. And I personally think that's a very dirty business. But that being said, when people have what they believe are legitimate uses for it then that's fine.

[Jayel]

It's the kind of device that takes us a step closer to the sci-fi future that you see in Star Trek and that's not bad at all.
I wouldn't mind playing RTS or point&click adventure games on this thing, but I would mind less playing them on cheaper/better alternative tablets.

[crabapple]

Like any other gaming device, whether I get an iPad or not will depend on what games are available for it. When it gets enough interesting games, I'll consider getting one. Other than that, I might possibly consider it as an alternative for an eBook reader, especially since it has color while the Kindle doesn't.

[kadji-kun]

Originally Posted by crabapple

Like any other gaming device, whether I get an iPad or not will depend on what games are available for it. When it gets enough interesting games, I'll consider getting one. Other than that, I might possibly consider it as an alternative for an eBook reader, especially since it has color while the Kindle doesn't.

Oh, please don't know that you can use most/all of the iphone apps and stretch it across the screen's resolution? That means all the games from the adventure games on the iphone thread should run on it. Thats a plus....but still. No pen.

[crabapple]

I'd like to see a few more games than what's currently available for iPhone before I spend money on an iPad. Though some of the games in the "iPhone/iPod touch Adventure Game List" thread look interesting, none of them is a "must have."

I'd like a pen too. But I assume I'd be able to find a case for it, and maybe the case would have room to stick a pen in.

[kadji-kun]

I was having a chat with my Emerging Tech professor and we came to a conclusion that a third party can make a pen that utilizes the same output our fingers give. I think such a third party release would force me to buy an iPad.

[potan]

Originally Posted by kadji-kun

I was having a chat with my Emerging Tech professor and we came to a conclusion that a third party can make a pen that utilizes the same output our fingers give. I think such a third party release would force me to buy an iPad.

there is this Iphone Stylus Pen, not sure how good / precise it is though.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...oq=iphone+pens

[Monolith]

Originally Posted by potan

there is this Iphone Stylus Pen, not sure how good / precise it is though.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...oq=iphone+pens

Oh cool. Then its an instant buy for me!

[sopabuena]

Well then, Telltale has done it. Sam & Max The Devil's Playhouse is out for the iPad. After playing a lot of adventures and other games on an iPod touch, I think this is a great platform for the game. You just pick it up the device, quickly launch the game and you are ready to play. Press the home button and you are out, put the devide down and do another thing. Pefect for a casual play. And of course, the touchscreen controls can add a lot of immersion if done right.