I agree with mkpapp's assessment. Yes I am disappointed that I can't program it in Java, but for the vast majority of people they aren't going to program it anyway.
I suspect that the iPad will be a big seller, 5 to 10 million units per annum, and make a substantial dent in the sales of Netbooks and effectively put a price cap on them of US$449. Most people would rather have a well made, good looking, powerful, good battery life, good screen, and easy to use item than something that is very plasticky, looks like a toy, has a very slow processor, OK battery life, poor screen, and is OK to use. There will be plenty of third party apps to satisfy peoples needs. All this negative publicity about the iPad seem to be rehashing what people said about the iPod and iPhone when they were launched. Neither are ideal for a Java programmer, but they are ideal for the vast majority of people. On Mar 28, 4:53 am, mkpapp <[email protected]> wrote: > A few points to address: > > 1. The iPad does need some improvements (as does the iPhone). > Wireless sync is one, the list can go on. If Apple does not address > these issues, others will (through add-on hardware, I imagine). > > 2. I join with the growing chorus (and have long believed) that there > needs to be a computer for consumers and casual users. The iPad is a > good step in that direction. That is also to say, this is not a > computer for engineers or tech geeks. One might opine that the sorry > state of computers (hardware, operating systems, applications) is due > to the fact that computers are designed for engineers, and everyone > else just has to pick up enough technical expertise to use them. This > was a hot topic decades ago, and it should be still. The old adage > goes, "put someone who has never used a computer in front of your > hardware/software and see how far they get without any assistance". > The iPad goes pretty far towards getting past the initial hurdles in > this test. Not all the way, but far more so than anything that has > been available commercially. So get over it, "computers" that are > useless to engineers are (hopefully) going to take over. > > 3. Lastly, allow me to address the initial comment. If all anyone > owned was an iPad, then yes, Apple *could* control our minds. The > reality is that a few media conglomerates (not Apple) decidedly *do* > control what we see and hear. If not for the Internet and some > independent media creators (in film, radio, and TV), we would be > approaching a "1984" existence ruled by corporations, not > governments. Just like throwing people in jail is not the solution to > poverty, 'breaking' Apple's grip on the iPad/iPhone is not the answer > to freedom of speech. Apple is interested in making money, and Steve > Jobs is interested in -changing-, not controlling, minds. If there > were true competition among publishing houses and media outlets, Apple > would be happy to push it all through the iTunes store (and it would > be available through 3rd party apps). If anyone on this list is truly > interested in solving these issues, write/call your elected officials > (and the EU, etc.) to improve competition in the media world. Apple > can't solve this problem (alone), but you can help. > > > > > On 26 March 2010 16:29, OldFatGit <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > "If Apple’s iPad has the effect on our print reading matter in the way > > > iTunes did on our music consumption, Apple could wind up the dominant > > > channel by which we get published “print” information. > > > > That’s why the issue of Apple picking and choosing what we can and > > > can’t read is so disturbing. If they’re forcing magazines to edit > > > their contents in order to get distribution, then whatever Apple’s > > > then-current (and thus far completely arbitrary) rules would determine > > > what you get to read. > > > > It might even determine the political, religious, or ideological slant > > > of what you’re permitted to read." > > > > read on here:http://government.zdnet.com/?p=8356&tag=wrapper;col1 > > > > -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Java Posse" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/javaposse?hl=en.
