Diablo25 wrote:It is getting ripped on most tech forums. No multi tasking, no camera, no flash, etc. seem to be the big negatives.
So did the iPhone, which doesn't hit all the checkboxes of geeks. Not saying this thing will be a hit but people who are using HW specs or "open" software support are not the target market for iPhone or apparently, this iPad thing.
But I'm dubious of the claims that it will do browsing and all the other functions better than iPhone or laptops.
The A4 SOC better play back video and games as well or better than any netbook or smartphones using other SOCs like Tegra 2.
Took a quick look on Amazon and Dell to see what netbook prices and specs look like these days. Some do approach $500 so it will be interesting to compare performance. They all have hard disks though and I didn't see an option to put in SSD storage or flash. I thought there used to be netbook SKUs with solid-state storage but didn't see one.
Regardless, again performance will be interesting and whether the touch UI and form factor makes it more attractive to some people who are looking for netbooks.
I've seen people use Kindles or other eBook readers in places like lines at the post office. Well you can't use a laptop or even maybe a netbook i those situations.
The thin tablet design might be better in other public situations, on the couch, in bed, etc. than a clamshell. Of course, clamshell is better for doing a lot of typing.
I don't know about doing heavy reading on it, but mainly because I would be more inclined to borrow books. Certainly not pay as much for an eBook as you would real books. Jobs didn't talk about book pricing or made much of the deals with publishers so it doesn't sound like a groundbreaking arrangement.
Nor did they show off interactive and multimedia features which might justify buying an eBook over borrowing or buying paperbacks.
It really seems like they didn't have all the deals in place that they hoped to have, like for instance, no 3G deals outside the US. The rumored TV subscription might have been a big deal but it'll be hard to put that together over cable companies, which pay for TV content (and in the case of Comcast, is about to own a lot of the content directly).
Maybe by the time they ship, they will have some other deals to announce which could make it more attractive.
