The iPad Is Here
in [Mac Systems]
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From: Barry Margolin on 29 Jan 2010 00:59 In article <sehix-48EDEF.21404228012010(a)5ad64b5e.bb.sky.com>, Steve Hix <sehix(a)NOSPAMmac.comINVALID> wrote: > In article <barmar-BB4487.22361628012010(a)news.eternal-september.org>, > Barry Margolin <barmar(a)alum.mit.edu> wrote: > > > > Mice are not mentioned for the iPad. > > Which makes sense, as you actually touch the target of interest, rather > than driving a cursor to it and clicking the mouse or trackpad to > simulate a touch. > > > Hopefully they'll add support for it. It seems like it would be more > > convenient than the touchscreen when you put the iPad into the keyboard > > dock. Wouldn't using the touchscreen knock it over? > > Why? First, all indications so far (not to mention experience with > Apple's other multitouch devices) is that only a very light touch is > needed to trigger actions, and second, if you've used an iPod dock, the > device is moderately well-latched in place. > > I doubt if the development team failed to test use in that mode. It also just seemed to me that if your hands are down on a horizontal keyboard, it would be more convenient to slide a hand over to a mouse than to reach up to the screen. But maybe that's because I'm used to using screens on a proper computer desk, where the keyboard is in a tray and my body is 1-2 feet away from the screen. Even though I use a laptop at work, I only use the built-in keyboard when I take it on the road, not at the office. -- Barry Margolin, barmar(a)alum.mit.edu Arlington, MA *** PLEASE post questions in newsgroups, not directly to me *** *** PLEASE don't copy me on replies, I'll read them in the group ***
From: Steve Hix on 29 Jan 2010 01:12 In article <barmar-2E384F.22435728012010(a)news.eternal-september.org>, Barry Margolin <barmar(a)alum.mit.edu> wrote: > > Apple, in general, seems not to be bothered by requiring customers to > buy adapters. Think of all the video interfaces on the various MacBook > models, it seems like every model requires a different adapter to > connect to DVI or VGA. Seems that way sometimes but ... - TiBook (1GHz), 2002 - PowerBook G4 (12-inch 1.5 GHz), 2005 - MacBook Pro (2.4GHz, LED backlight), 2007 All had the same DVI video output connector/vga adapter. Changed to a Mini DisplayPort in the late 2008 model. IIRC, PowerBooks had a VGA connector from October 1992 (PowerBook 180) through October 2001 (G4 Gigabit ethernet). The MacBooks all had mini-DVI until the late 2008 aluminum body switched to the mini DisplayPort along with the MBP. For a while it looked like there was a lot of churn in the desktop line...
From: JF Mezei on 29 Jan 2010 01:34 Barry Margolin wrote: > Right, the USB is for tasks that are expected to be performed > occasionally, not constantly. Like synching with your Mac, making a > backup, or uploading photos from a camera. Considering the size of the iPad, I think that providing a server USB port would have been very useful, so you could plug in a camera, or aven an ipod. Needing to carry and plug a special adaptor for this is bothersome. Not a show stopper, but bothersome.
From: JF Mezei on 29 Jan 2010 01:46 Barry Margolin wrote: > If Apple could port iWork to the iPad, hopefully they'll also be able to > go the other way with iBook. I would have much prefered the iPaD to be an OS-X platform with more compatibility with the deskop. Right now, the applications for ipad/iphone are incompatible with desktops. Apple already has a iphone emulator for developpers. Perhaps this could become part of standard OS-X like rosetta so that desktop macs could run iphone/ipad applications (with a layer to simulate touch screen with the mouse.) Right now, OS-X is split in two separate paths for applications, the "mobile" path via the App store and the "legacy" applications on desktop OS-X. Having ability to run the mobile apps on the desktop would give OS-X an edge over Windows.
From: Jolly Roger on 29 Jan 2010 01:46
In article <015b7d49$0$20735$c3e8da3(a)news.astraweb.com>, JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot(a)vaxination.ca> wrote: > Barry Margolin wrote: > > > Right, the USB is for tasks that are expected to be performed > > occasionally, not constantly. Like synching with your Mac, making a > > backup, or uploading photos from a camera. > > Considering the size of the iPad, I think that providing a server USB > port would have been very useful, so you could plug in a camera, or aven > an ipod. Needing to carry and plug a special adaptor for this is > bothersome. Not a show stopper, but bothersome. Then again, those of us who actually *own and use* Apple products know it's not at all bothersome for iPhones or iPods, and it won't be bothersome at all for the iPad. Nice try, though. -- Send responses to the relevant news group rather than email to me. E-mail sent to this address may be devoured by my very hungry SPAM filter. Due to Google's refusal to prevent spammers from posting messages through their servers, I often ignore posts from Google Groups. Use a real news client if you want me to see your posts. JR |