I really think the iPad is a cool looking device. There are a few drawbacks with the iPad though, at least for me. First, it doesn't have a USB connection. I am a PC user not a Mac user and I have a large music collection I want to transfer to my music playing device. With the iPad I'm not sure how I would be able to do that - if at all. I'm certainly not buying from iTunes all the music I already own on CD form. I guess that I could but the "dock" to go with the iPad but I shouldn't need to purchase an accessory like that to connect the device to my PC.Secondly, storage on the iPad is an issue (or would be if I could put all my music on it.) I have almost 40gb of MP3s and the cost of a 64gb iPad is prohibitive. (Currently $699 for the 64gb non-3G version). Third, I don't like the "locked" nature of the Apple hardware. I'm a developer, a tinkerer, etc. I want to be able to play around with my device - add apps I build to it, etc. without "jail breaking" and thus void the warranty. Its my device - I want to do what I want with it! And along those lines, I want to see the entire web - the lack of Flash really bothers me as, again, I feel like Apple is telling me whats "good" or "bad". Let me decide! Finally, I wish the 3G version could be used as a cell phone -- that way the device would be a true "all in one" for me - cell phone, MP3 player, eBook reader, light web surfing. Perfect.. except its not so. And so my search continues for "my" perfect all-in-one device.
I was excited for a time about the Touch Book from Always Innovating but there stated "two month" order fulfillment time appears to be more like five months based on comments on their online message boards. The proposed HP Slate interested me a bit, but it was vaporware and now has been scraped. Even so, I wasn't excited about a device running any version of Windows. I really would like a device running Android or some version of Linux with touch screen capabilities. Another product I've just learned about is the WePad by a German company but that is not yet available and is even more expensive than the iPad.
One of these days I hope to find my perfect "All In One" device but if anyone out there has a device they like let me know about it!
Like a waterfall in slow motion, Part One
1 year ago
You wish the iPad could be used as a phone!? Man, you really are looking for an all-in-one device! :) I'm happy using my MacBook pro as a computer, TV and stereo and my iPod as a MP3 player. If a developer ever does create something with the capacity to be a cell phone, book reader, web browser, TV, MP3 player, etc. it is going to cost a boat-load of money! Anyway, don't you think the iPad is a little big to be a cell phone?
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