As no doubt everyone has heard, Apple has presented the iTab, their new tablet pc which is more or less a hybrid of a netbook, laptop and iPhone.

http://www.apple.com/ipad/

No matter how much I hate Apple, i'm actually mildly interested in this. I think it's more by the size/idea than the fact that it's Apple stuff (actually I know that isn't the reason ), though. There is definitely a market between laptops and smartphones, and this could be it.

And chicks dig it, which helps you look like less of a nerd and more of a sophisticated professional. Boy are they in for a surprise.

Hey bud, it's an iPad, not iTab.

Personally, I think it's crap. It runs the same operating system as the iphone and ipod, meaning you can't multitask and you have to depend on the app store for applications. The base model has only 802.11n connectivity (and bluetooth, but that doesn't count). You can opt for 3g (cellular), but if I'm not mistaken, that's US only. Plus you're tethered to AT&T with it, and you have to pay a monthly fee. Oh, and the device won't support Flash (or silverlight I'm certain), which means no Hulu and no Youtube.

I like tablet PCs, but this is total crap in my opinion. All these idiotic restrictions. I think Apple is killing itself now like it killed itself in the early 80s, by being too closed off and proprietary. Plus there's just no nitch for this iPad... it's like a tablet pc... only less powerful.. and it runs a phone O/S. Maybe the larger version that's coming out (the maxiPad) will do better.

Just kidding on the maxiPad.

*shudders* As long as it doens't come in dark burgundy on white I'm ok with it.

And I hadn't really considered all those things. I mean, I knew it was running on an adapted iPhone OS but I've never even held an iPhone so I had no idea it was that crappy.

So basically it's like a really big iPhone then. Huh. Lame. But if this thing is 'only' 600$, that means that real tablet pc's from not-as-expensive companies (Apple is pricey) should be available at reasonable prices soon-ish?

MSI just announced a $500 tablet.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/28/msis ... tly-ignor/

Then there's the JooJoo, but I think it's vaporware. Also $500.
http://www.engadget.com/2009/12/08/jooj ... -on-video/

Asus also had a tablet on the way. Not sure of the price.
http://www.techradar.com/news/computing ... let-666413

honestly, I'm not impressed by any of them. But maybe, just maybe, someone will come out with something decent soon. I just want one running Windows 7 and with the ability to stream HD video. 802.11n support necessary, and USB ports for external storage and to be able to plug in a 4g modem or something. Is that so much to ask? Oh, it has to be multi-touch.

I should have known it'd involve something like that when the vid started with 2 women. Must be the growing up in a testosterone-dominated family thing (3 brothers).

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/top-10-li ... 32664.html

Hah, perfect timing.

ftw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw2nkoGLhrE

-enjoy.

I agree that Flash sucks. So does Silverlight (Microsoft's version), but really only because of issues with support on other operating system's. If they simultaneously released full-featured ports to all major operating systems (including Linux and MacOS) I would be much more in support of Silverlight. The fact you can write Silverlight code in a text editor gives it a major bonus.