Huracan

I'm in love

HP and Palm

HP has recently decided to acquire Palm for $1.2 billion(!). I look forward to this acquisition with great anticipation of the combination of corporate synergies. Palm has quite the portfolio in terms of patents and could be a large threat to the dominant players in the handheld space with webOS. Now, with HP's backing, they are set to have the proper funding for webOS. HP also has the hardware to compliment the software Palm's bringing to the table. I'm most excited about the Slate, which was rumored and then subsequently killed off in it's current Windows 7 incarnation. Hopefully that is because they are retooling it to run on webOS. A tablet running a lighter OS than Win7, with or without a 3g modem, would be great...and yes I bashed the iPad but it wasn't for the tablet form factor but rather the lack of features that SHOULD be included. The Slate could be a big win for HP if they implement webOS correctly. I would love to see a couple USB ports, a camera(or two), memory card slots.

iPad.... yes or no.... or maybe so?

The iPad is Apple's "revolutionary" new device and even though it has been out since April 3rd(wi-fi model), it has already created polarizing opinions.

Greg

I like the concept of a tablet for light internet browsing and other random small tasks that would otherwise require breaking out the lappy. I also love Apple's design and love the size of the screen and looks. However, I do not think I fit into the iPad's target demographic of consumption.

Syncing

The iPad currently requires to be synced via computer in the same manner the iPhone does, which is through the standard Apple 30 pin dock. It seems counterproductive to have something meant to be almost a laptop replacement that still requires me to backup everything I've bought on it with my laptop. I use an iPhone and I don't sync it with my computer very often because most of the things I want synced I do through the cloud (contacts, calendar, email). If I am going to sync my phone, it's because I am adding music to it. I rarely purchase music on my iPhone because I prefer using iTunes on an actual computer. I have before, and the experience was a good one, and it's extremely convenient for on-the-go purchases. However, going back to the iPad for purchases (non 3g model), even though the iTunes experience is much better, if I am going to have to hook it up to a computer to save my purchase I think I would rather just buy it on my computer first.

3G

As stated before I use an iPhone. I love it! I love being able to open Safari (until Opera Mini fixes their multi-touch) to browse the web nearly anywhere. Where I draw the line is an extra data plan for a larger screen. AT&T has already dropped the ball on tethering on the iPhone for nearly a year and when they finally fix their network to allow tethering, they will no doubt add a large convenience fee to use the same 3G connection I browse the internet with on the phone. This is more of an issue with AT&T than the iPad but it's still asking for an additional data plan and I'm not in that much of a need for the beauteous screen the iPad offers. I would have loved the idea of being able to switch my iPhone SIM card in and out and at my choosing but they have changed to a micro-SIM which makes that choice unavailable.

Lack of...

My main issue with the iPad is the lack of...pretty much everything on it other than the screen. There is no camera! Come on Apple!!! you gave us an iPod Nano that can record video and yet your newest and much more advanced product cannot match that?!? That just reeks of a cash grab for the attachment. Or a way to get people hooked to your beautiful screen so that when you come out with the newer generation iPad(which WILL come with a camera) they will switch on principal alone. There is also a complete lack of ports on the iPad. I understand why there are no ports on the iPhone, but when you want me to use this for videos why not give an option to output the display? No multi-tasking either? It has enough power and it's running a mobile OS, and even though OS4 is coming soon, this seems like a HUGE miss yet again.

The tablet space is one that is just now being explored and Apple is being a pioneer in this area, so I will give them some credit for the learning curve. However, there are some things that just seem illogical in their choices. I think there is room for another device between a computer and smartphone but as of this moment, the iPad is not the one for me. And this post is mostly on the things I feel would need changed because nearly everything else the iPad brings to the table as the middle device seems like the right moves.

Caleb

As will undoubtedly be the case most of the time, Greg and i will have differing opinions about the topic/product in question. Thus, what you will probably see here on GX3 is a good cop, bad cop style of posting... and since G has chosen to be bad, I get to be good. Here goes!

First off, let me start by pointing out one key factor that my counterpart seemingly missed. The iPad is not a necessity, it's a want. No one really needs an iPad, however millions of people really want one. Let's face it, when it comes to consumer electronics, 99% of the time the statement "I need this" is just an excuse we tell ourselves to justify spending a lot of money rather than a fact. I think this is the main problem the iPad will/does have in winning people over - it is not a product that could realistically fall into that oh-so-illusive, but oh-so-sweet "I truly need this" category... at least not at this point.

Greg described the iPad as "something meant to be almost a laptop replacement." This statement is both grammatically offensive and just plain false. Don't think of the iPad as a replacement for your laptop, but rather as an extension of it. To me the iPad is simply a natural evolution of the iPhone. Let me explain...

I would be willing to bet that most of the millions of people who own an iPhone are like me and use it to browse the web, consume media, and connect socially a heckuva lot more than a laptop. Why? Because it's always with us and it's just easier. As relatively small as a laptop/netbook may be, they are still a pain to lug around which is why mine stays planted on my desk 364 days out of the year. The iPad simply improves the computing aspect of the iPhone... and looks sexy while doing it. For me that's the bottom line. I want (not need) an iPad for a casual media consumption and creation experience that is bigger and better than an iPhone, yet much more manageable than a laptop.

I do agree with Greg that there are some key features missing on the first-gen iPad. The lack of camera(s), USB ports, and HDMI-out is inexplicably ridiculous and I'd complain about the inability to multitask too, but OS4 will remedy that problem shortly so I'll let it slide. One thing I actually don't have a problem with is the optional 3G offering from AT&T. It's $30 per month, without a contract (something AT&T has never done), and you can activate/deactivate the service straight from the device. Realistically, that's about as sweet of a deal as you could hope for.

Obviously the iPad isn't perfect. However, it is a great jumping off point for a fledgling market segment. I want one, and I think you do too ;)

Bienvenidos

Games, Gadgets, and Gears is a blog about several of our passions...video gaming, anything new and awesome in the field of consumer electronics, and vehicles that are suh-weeeeeet.