FARK.com: (6765261) "The iPad is still the tablet to beat." Is THAT what it is, Ric Romero?

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		"The iPad is still the tablet to beat." Is THAT what it is, Ric Romero? (abclocal.go.com)		263
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thomps		2011-11-26 01:47:07 PM

"Up until now, lower-priced tablet computers have been pretty unimpressive in our tests. These are the first models to give the iPad some serious competition," said Reynolds.

But the iPad is still the best option for those looking for the full tablet experience. It's pricey, starting at $499, but the big screen is great for movies and games. Plus it has a camera.

yes ric, a $500 tablet will typically have more features and better specs than a $250 tablet. good work.

thismomentinblackhistory		2011-11-26 01:50:43 PM

The iPad is insanely cheap, depending on why you are buying one.

b0rscht		2011-11-26 02:01:01 PM

Both Ric, and this meme, are getting old.
cdn.abclocal.go.com

Britney Spear's Speculum		2011-11-26 02:24:13 PM

Our school gave us iPads after telling us that we needed laptops to go to school. They are pretty worthless at that point.

thomps		2011-11-26 02:28:44 PM

Britney Spear's Speculum: Our school gave us iPads after telling us that we needed laptops to go to school. They are pretty worthless at that point.

it depends on what you need a laptop for. my boss replaced his laptop with an ipad with a bluetooth keyboard without much of a problem. i can't do it because i actually need to manipulate excel sheets and presentations. if all you are doing is consuming media or light word processing, an ipad is a great replacement.

Saborlas		2011-11-26 02:39:26 PM

I"d beat it... with a hammer.

coco ebert		2011-11-26 03:59:07 PM

thomps: Britney Spear's Speculum: Our school gave us iPads after telling us that we needed laptops to go to school. They are pretty worthless at that point.

it depends on what you need a laptop for. my boss replaced his laptop with an ipad with a bluetooth keyboard without much of a problem. i can't do it because i actually need to manipulate excel sheets and presentations. if all you are doing is consuming media or light word processing, an ipad is a great replacement.

Besides it being lighter, I'm not sure what an iPad with a bluetooth keyboard provides that a netbook or small laptop can't provide. In fact, you can't multitask with an iPad. Is it the apps that make it so special?

HawgWild		2011-11-26 04:01:42 PM

So Ric took a story Consumer Reports produced and sort of re-wrote it and attached his name to it.

That's some fine reporting there, Ric.

coco ebert		2011-11-26 04:02:58 PM

HawgWild: So Ric took a story Consumer Reports produced and sort of re-wrote it and attached his name to it.

That's some fine reporting there, Ric.

Ric has by and large been okay with all the ribbing Fark does at his expense so he's cool in my book. It's nothing that different from what most TV reporters do, anyway.

thomps		2011-11-26 04:08:39 PM

coco ebert: thomps: Britney Spear's Speculum: Our school gave us iPads after telling us that we needed laptops to go to school. They are pretty worthless at that point.

it depends on what you need a laptop for. my boss replaced his laptop with an ipad with a bluetooth keyboard without much of a problem. i can't do it because i actually need to manipulate excel sheets and presentations. if all you are doing is consuming media or light word processing, an ipad is a great replacement.

Besides it being lighter, I'm not sure what an iPad with a bluetooth keyboard provides that a netbook or small laptop can't provide. In fact, you can't multitask with an iPad. Is it the apps that make it so special?

i think he really likes the apps and the portability (which is kind of funny since he switched from a macbook air). every program we use in our business has a streamlined ipad app, most of which are better designed than their desktop counterparts. also, a growing part of our business is building custom mobile apps for enterprises, so it's probably also a bit of marketing.

i can't really speak for it myself, i mostly use mine as a directv remote and for causal gaming.

Warchild		2011-11-26 04:24:48 PM

coco ebert: Ric has by and large been okay with all the ribbing Fark does at his expense so he's cool in my book. It's nothing that different from what most TV reporters do, anyway.

This

BarbadoSlim		2011-11-26 04:25:07 PM

iPad is for hipsters and low-end media consumers, that's about it.

Englebert Slaptyback		2011-11-26 04:31:23 PM

thomps

if all you are doing is consuming media or light word processing, an ipad is a great replacement.

This seems to be the primary use case. Doesn't work for me but a lot of people seem to like it.

Mentalpatient87		2011-11-26 04:34:40 PM

b0rscht: Both Ric, and this meme, are getting old.

Not nearly as old as posts from people biatching about memes. Does it really bother you that damn much?

Shadowknight		2011-11-26 04:38:44 PM

I'm posting this on my Toshiba Thrive while editing photos from my SLR camera memory stick inserted in the convenient SD card slot and typing on a standard USB keyboard, so I'm really getting a kick out of these replies...

Seriously, the iPad can suck it. I got everything I need right here, twice the features for a cheaper price.

MayoSlather		2011-11-26 04:38:50 PM

BarbadoSlim: iPad is for hipsters and low-end media consumers, that's about it.

As opposed to the other tablets that are for high end media, and the non-hipster crowd?

Arklop		2011-11-26 04:40:48 PM

I have no experience with other tablet makers, but if they compare anything like PC laptops, I'll buy Apple and nothing else.

I have owned several PC laptops in my lifetime...Compaq, HP, Dell, etc...and not one of them lasted longer than 2, maybe 2 1/2 years before some major hardware breakdown occurred (usually the power supply.)

In contrast, I have owned one MacBook Pro, purchased in August of 2006. I've dropped it, spilled water on it, broken small pieces off of the frame, even caused the power adapter cable to literally burn itself into a brown, charred, melted mess...and the computer is still running great (using it right now to type this.) It's the best computer I've ever owned, no contest.

Abe Vigoda's Ghost		2011-11-26 04:41:57 PM

I'm writing this on my Nook Tablet, so I'm getting a kick... you know the drill

HawgWild		2011-11-26 04:44:03 PM

Abe Vigoda's Ghost: I'm writing this on my Nook Tablet, so I'm getting a kick... you know the drill

Oh, YEAH?! Well I'm writing this on my Nook Color with a special sd card that turns it into an Android tablet!

Mantour		2011-11-26 04:45:16 PM

w00ty		2011-11-26 04:45:26 PM

+11 Kindle Fire

Reverend Monkeypants		2011-11-26 04:47:28 PM

bubbaprog		2011-11-26 04:49:03 PM

coco ebert: In fact, you can't multitask with an iPad

You have been able to multitask with an iPad for more than a year now.

StanTheMan		2011-11-26 04:51:15 PM

thomps: yes ric, a $500 tablet will typically have more features and better specs than a $250 tablet. good work.

Laugh Romero all you want, but a large amount of the mainstream commentariat called the Kindle Fire an "iPad killer." Nevermind it's like comparing a VW to a BMW.

CruJones		2011-11-26 04:51:56 PM

coco ebert: thomps: Britney Spear's Speculum: Our school gave us iPads after telling us that we needed laptops to go to school. They are pretty worthless at that point.

it depends on what you need a laptop for. my boss replaced his laptop with an ipad with a bluetooth keyboard without much of a problem. i can't do it because i actually need to manipulate excel sheets and presentations. if all you are doing is consuming media or light word processing, an ipad is a great replacement.

Besides it being lighter, I'm not sure what an iPad with a bluetooth keyboard provides that a netbook or small laptop can't provide. In fact, you can't multitask with an iPad. Is it the apps that make it so special?

Smaller, lighter, much longer battery. Better for reading books or watching movies. No booting up. I have both, and leave my laptop on my desk at home, and surf the web with my iPad. I have a Bluetooth keyboard that is rubber and rolls up, yet still has keys. Pretty cool. Also, as someone who flies a lot, the iPad is a lot easier on a plane. I can read a book, watch a movie, then tuck it in the seat pocket in front of me. Then turn on an app that plays thunderstorm noises to drown out the crying children while I sleep.

I use the laptop only when I have to do actual work.

StanTheMan		2011-11-26 04:52:45 PM

BarbadoSlim: iPad is for hipsters and low-end media consumers, that's about it.

So who's buying the other 7 million iPads every quarter?

Digital Communist		2011-11-26 04:53:09 PM

It is only a matter of time before Android platforms put Apple out of business. Android has better technology and it has an open architecture philosophy.

Apple products are technology for people who don't know anything about technology. In other words, unless you are trying to look cool at the local cafe, buy an android.

RobertBruce		2011-11-26 04:55:17 PM

iThings are still toys.

valkore		2011-11-26 04:56:32 PM

thomps: i think he really likes the apps and the portability (which is kind of funny since he switched from a macbook air). every program we use in our business has a streamlined ipad app, most of which are better designed than their desktop counterparts.

What industry are you in that uses custom designed iPad apps?

As a business tool to replace laptops, I am having a hard time finding the value in the iPad at this point. And it's not just that it has almost zero Enterprise management and control capabilities. If you have trouble with Excel on the iPad, even with a keyboard, isn't that a big indicator of its lack of functionality? The executives at my company are all clamoring for iPads and iPhones and I have yet to hear one reason why they need them. I'm pretty sure it's because their peers at other companies have them and they're embarassed by their old school Blackberries and laptops, but damnit, they actually do something.

coco ebert		2011-11-26 04:57:30 PM

bubbaprog: coco ebert: In fact, you can't multitask with an iPad

You have been able to multitask with an iPad for more than a year now.

My bad. I didn't know that.

CruJones		2011-11-26 04:57:53 PM

CtrlAltDestroy		2011-11-26 04:58:19 PM

Arklop: I have no experience with other tablet makers, but if they compare anything like PC laptops, I'll buy Apple and nothing else.

I have owned several PC laptops in my lifetime...Compaq, HP, Dell, etc...and not one of them lasted longer than 2, maybe 2 1/2 years before some major hardware breakdown occurred (usually the power supply.)

In contrast, I have owned one MacBook Pro, purchased in August of 2006. I've dropped it, spilled water on it, broken small pieces off of the frame, even caused the power adapter cable to literally burn itself into a brown, charred, melted mess...and the computer is still running great (using it right now to type this.) It's the best computer I've ever owned, no contest.

Were the other laptops you're comparing it to equally as expensive or were they low end models? Nowadays a $1,000 non apple (or alienware for that matter) laptop is far better value than a $1,000 apple laptop. Especially since apple pretty much uses the same parts as everyone else now.

Many people seem to like to compare their high priced apple gear to low end non apple gear and proclaim that apple is victorious. I don't know if you're guilty of that, but it's damn common across this series of tubes.

RentalMetard		2011-11-26 05:01:19 PM

Arklop: I have no experience with other tablet makers, but if they compare anything like PC laptops, I'll buy Apple and nothing else.

I have owned several PC laptops in my lifetime...Compaq, HP, Dell, etc...and not one of them lasted longer than 2, maybe 2 1/2 years before some major hardware breakdown occurred (usually the power supply.)

In contrast, I have owned one MacBook Pro, purchased in August of 2006. I've dropped it, spilled water on it, broken small pieces off of the frame, even caused the power adapter cable to literally burn itself into a brown, charred, melted mess...and the computer is still running great (using it right now to type this.) It's the best computer I've ever owned, no contest.

I guess it's a better buy if you regularly beat the sh*t out of your laptop. I have a Dell and an HP that are both over five years old at this point, pretty heavily used, and they both work fine. And both of them combined ran up a price tag of a little over half of what a Macbook Pro costs.

valkore		2011-11-26 05:01:57 PM

Digital Communist: It is only a matter of time before Android platforms put Apple out of business. Android has better technology and it has an open architecture philosophy.

Apple products are technology for people who don't know anything about technology. In other words, unless you are trying to look cool at the local cafe, buy an android.

So in other words, Apple isn't going anywhere. Apple's premise that "it just works" is what appeals to people who feel like traditional PCs are over their head. Despite personal computer sales exploding since the mid-90's and nearly everyone having at least one in their home, the vast majority of computer users still don't know anything about technology. That's why places like Geek Squad are raking in the cash and why devices like tablets exist in the first place. A technologically savvy person would easily see that an ultraportable laptop does much more than a tablet.

Shadowknight		2011-11-26 05:03:04 PM

Digital Communist: It is only a matter of time before Android platforms put Apple out of business. Android has better technology and it has an open architecture philosophy.

Apple products are technology for people who don't know anything about technology. In other words, unless you are trying to look cool at the local cafe, buy an android.

Look, I'm not a huge Apple fan or anything (though my iPod Touch has become my go everywhere smartphone substitute), and think that Android is the better system with more freedom and versitility. But to say that they are going to put Apple out of business is just silly.

Be it by sleek design or sleek advertising, they know how to self a product. They have a pretty hardcore cult that will buy three of everything and more people know any "tablet" as an "iPad." Kind of like how our parents used to call any video game system they saw a "Nintendo" no matter if it was a Sega or PlayStation. You reach that level of market recognition only held by people like Band-aid, Kleenex, or Q-Tips, then you're almost guarenteed to keep going for a while.

cptrios		2011-11-26 05:03:20 PM

Digital Communist:Apple products are technology for people who don't know anything about technology..

Translation: Apple products are technology for most of the people on the planet.

/It's true for many things.
//My MBP, though, is perfectly fine for people who know plenty about technology.

Oznog		2011-11-26 05:03:28 PM

CtrlAltDestroy: Arklop: I have no experience with other tablet makers, but if they compare anything like PC laptops, I'll buy Apple and nothing else.

I have owned several PC laptops in my lifetime...Compaq, HP, Dell, etc...and not one of them lasted longer than 2, maybe 2 1/2 years before some major hardware breakdown occurred (usually the power supply.)

In contrast, I have owned one MacBook Pro, purchased in August of 2006. I've dropped it, spilled water on it, broken small pieces off of the frame, even caused the power adapter cable to literally burn itself into a brown, charred, melted mess...and the computer is still running great (using it right now to type this.) It's the best computer I've ever owned, no contest.

Were the other laptops you're comparing it to equally as expensive or were they low end models? Nowadays a $1,000 non apple (or alienware for that matter) laptop is far better value than a $1,000 apple laptop. Especially since apple pretty much uses the same parts as everyone else now.

Many people seem to like to compare their high priced apple gear to low end non apple gear and proclaim that apple is victorious. I don't know if you're guilty of that, but it's damn common across this series of tubes.

They talk about service and warranties, but I don't give a damn. Dealing with warranty repair is entirely too painful for me. I don't WANT a warranty anymore. If it breaks, I'll either buy a new one or buy a replacement part on eBay and install it myself instead of sending it off for weeks while arguing with their support line, having been told they never got it, being told the damage was my fault anyways so it's not covered, and when it comes back you find that something ELSE is broken which WASN'T EVEN BROKEN IN THE FIRST PLACE.

CtrlAltDestroy		2011-11-26 05:04:34 PM

Digital Communist: Apple products are technology for people who don't know anything about technology. In other words, unless you are trying to look cool at the local cafe, buy an android.

i44.tinypic.com

Buttbone McGillicutty		2011-11-26 05:05:17 PM

RobertBruce: iThings are still toys.

HP Slate. Win 7. Runs business apps.

To be fair, I turned off a bunch of unnecessary services and features to get better speed.

CtrlAltDestroy		2011-11-26 05:06:02 PM

HawgWild: Abe Vigoda's Ghost: I'm writing this on my Nook Tablet, so I'm getting a kick... you know the drill

Oh, YEAH?! Well I'm writing this on my Nook Color with a special sd card that turns it into an Android tablet!

I'm getting that for someone I have a thing for this christmas, so kick, etc.

LouDobbsAwaaaay		2011-11-26 05:06:49 PM

RentalMetard: I guess it's a better buy if you regularly beat the sh*t out of your laptop. I have a Dell and an HP that are both over five years old at this point, pretty heavily used, and they both work fine. And both of them combined ran up a price tag of a little over half of what a Macbook Pro costs.

I prefer to go the other way and buy a netbook. About $400, does what I need it to do for a travel-computer, and doesn't have the drawbacks of a tablet. Plus, if it breaks, it's only a $400 computer.

CruJones		2011-11-26 05:07:12 PM

valkore: Digital Communist: It is only a matter of time before Android platforms put Apple out of business. Android has better technology and it has an open architecture philosophy.

Apple products are technology for people who don't know anything about technology. In other words, unless you are trying to look cool at the local cafe, buy an android.

So in other words, Apple isn't going anywhere. Apple's premise that "it just works" is what appeals to people who feel like traditional PCs are over their head. Despite personal computer sales exploding since the mid-90's and nearly everyone having at least one in their home, the vast majority of computer users still don't know anything about technology. That's why places like Geek Squad are raking in the cash and why devices like tablets exist in the first place. A technologically savvy person would easily see that an ultraportable laptop does much more than a tablet.

I work at a large IT company, and most who don't run Linux love Apple stuff. When we give away iPads in contests everyone wants one.

Digital Communist		2011-11-26 05:08:27 PM

Shadowknight: Digital Communist: It is only a matter of time before Android platforms put Apple out of business. Android has better technology and it has an open architecture philosophy.

Apple products are technology for people who don't know anything about technology. In other words, unless you are trying to look cool at the local cafe, buy an android.

Look, I'm not a huge Apple fan or anything (though my iPod Touch has become my go everywhere smartphone substitute), and think that Android is the better system with more freedom and versitility. But to say that they are going to put Apple out of business is just silly.

Be it by sleek design or sleek advertising, they know how to self a product. They have a pretty hardcore cult that will buy three of everything and more people know any "tablet" as an "iPad." Kind of like how our parents used to call any video game system they saw a "Nintendo" no matter if it was a Sega or PlayStation. You reach that level of market recognition only held by people like Band-aid, Kleenex, or Q-Tips, then you're almost guarenteed to keep going for a while.

You are right... it was only after I posted that I realized that marketing is more powerful than actual value.

CtrlAltDestroy		2011-11-26 05:09:00 PM

Oznog: They talk about service and warranties, but I don't give a damn. Dealing with warranty repair is entirely too painful for me. I don't WANT a warranty anymore. If it breaks, I'll either buy a new one or buy a replacement part on eBay and install it myself instead of sending it off for weeks while arguing with their support line, having been told they never got it, being told the damage was my fault anyways so it's not covered, and when it comes back you find that something ELSE is broken which WASN'T EVEN BROKEN IN THE FIRST PLACE.

I used to do Counter Ops for Geek Squad. Ok, laugh all you like but my guys were actually good. Anyway, the repair centers used to pull that shiat on us. Luckily my manager didn't like having his customers screwed over and biatched the repair centers out on a regular basis.

T.rex		2011-11-26 05:09:53 PM

thismomentinblackhistory: The iPad is insanely cheap, depending on why you are buying one.

$500 to act smug? I can do that for free.

LouDobbsAwaaaay		2011-11-26 05:11:04 PM

CruJones: When we give away iPads in contests everyone wants one.

If someone were giving away an 8GB flash drive in a contest I'd want one. Or a pomegranate. The popularity of something being given away for free isn't a great measure.

valkore		2011-11-26 05:11:15 PM

CruJones: I work at a large IT company, and most who don't run Linux love Apple stuff. When we give away iPads in contests everyone wants one.

Sure, they're great personal toys, but I'm still not sure what they do for a business at this point, more specifically as a laptop replacement. As a task specific tool where you are walking around and interacting with customers (as an example), I can see its appeal... but not for general business use.

thomps		2011-11-26 05:11:21 PM

valkore: What industry are you in that uses custom designed iPad apps?

we develop around all of their existing back-end systems, mostly to support on-site or traveling employees. you can build some fairly powerful sales/marketing tools to put in front of b2b clients, doing everything from showing marketing materials, real-time supply-chain views, to placing orders, getting signatures and emailing off the completed PO, all on a really portable device.

i do a lot of work with excel so it's not a solution for me, but our sales guys love it. they plug it in to a client's projector, run through a quick keynote presentation then pull up a whiteboarding app to discuss potential solutions. then when they're done they can save and email the whiteboard to everyone in the room.

i don't want to come across as a huge ipad evangelist; like i said, it doesn't add a ton of value to my life. but there are some really interesting enterprise use-cases with demonstrable ROI.

CtrlAltDestroy		2011-11-26 05:11:51 PM

CruJones: I work at a large IT company, and most who don't run Linux love Apple stuff. When we give away iPads in contests everyone wants one.

Hell, I would too. If I won I'd sell that thing on eBay and buy something useful.

LouDobbsAwaaaay		2011-11-26 05:14:35 PM

thomps: my boss replaced his laptop with an ipad with a bluetooth keyboard without much of a problem.

I know I can't get a response from you since this was posted several hours ago, but maybe someone else knows. How do you use an external keyboard with an iPad? Do you lean the iPad up against something so you can see the screen, or do you have to lay it flat on a table and stare down at it while you're typing?

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