The iPad Is Here
in [Mac Systems]
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From: Tom Harrington on 29 Jan 2010 16:56 In article <sehix-F697E0.11461029012010(a)5ad64b5e.bb.sky.com>, Steve Hix <sehix(a)NOSPAMmac.comINVALID> wrote: > In article <tph-0946B8.10001329012010(a)localhost>, > Tom Harrington <tph(a)pcisys.no.spam.dammit.net> wrote: > > > 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. > > > > I agree, and it's hard to imagine mouse support. At the same time the > > idea of using a keyboard while needing to reach up to the screen for > > everything aside from actual typing seems very inconvenient. > > Tradeoffs; *most* users, by *far* most of the time, won't be using an > external keyboard. Probably, but I can't see Apple planning a crappy user experience for a situation they're obviously promoting. > If it actually turns I can't figure out what that means. Are you talking about the display rotating? Just check out the pictures at Apple's web site. -- Tom "Tom" Harrington Independent Mac OS X developer since 2002 http://www.atomicbird.com/
From: nospam on 29 Jan 2010 18:07 In article <michelle-17C00A.15535629012010(a)nothing.attdns.com>, Michelle Steiner <michelle(a)michelle.org> wrote: > There's the cost for the servers, the people to write the software for the > store (I have a friend on that team), test the software, etc., the rent on > the facilities where the servers are, the air conditioning, electricity, > etc., the IP staff, the janitors, and so on and so forth. but all that is amortized over 140,000 apps and the music & video too.
From: JF Mezei on 29 Jan 2010 21:15 Michelle Steiner wrote: > well, how about the fact that in its quarterly earnings report > teleconference, Apple said that it barely makes a profit on the App store? The App store is an enabler. Like a compiler. Companies don't make profits with compilers. They are necessary evils to allow people to write applications that get people to buy your computers. And it is also a marketing asset because it allows Apple to exert quality control over applications to ensure there are no evil apps that could generate bad publicity (but with its popularity, some have undoubtedly filtered through).
From: Barry Margolin on 29 Jan 2010 21:35 In article <290120101023372752%star(a)sky.net>, Davoud <star(a)sky.net> wrote: > JF Mezei: > > 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. > > I use both an iPhone and an iPod Touch and a whole bunch of Macs. I > have been sharing Excel spreadsheets, Word documents, PDFs, e-books, > iCal, Address Book, controlling Mac-based astronomy software from my > iPhone/iPod, and doing much interacting between my Macs and my Apple > mobile devices. So I don't know what to make of your assertion that > applications for iPad/iPhone are "incompatible with desktops." He obviously means that iPhone apps don't run on desktops. In many cases they may be able to share data with related desktop apps, e.g. you can sync calendar events. But many of the thousands of apps that have been uploaded to the Apps Store don't have any desktop equivalent. For instance, I searched VersionTracker.com, and couldn't find any OS X apps that fart. http://digital.venturebeat.com/2008/12/18/apple-approved-14-new-iphone-fa rt-apps-yesterday-alone/ -- 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: Barry Margolin on 29 Jan 2010 21:40
In article <290120101046546575%star(a)sky.net>, Davoud <star(a)sky.net> wrote: > Fred Moore (I think): > > > Mice are not mentioned for the iPad. > > Barry Margolin: > > 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? > > What is it with people who want things to be what they are not? Apple > makes a nice selection of laptop computers. The iPad will not be one of > them. Apple is promoting this as a great device for email. Unless Twitter has reduced your attention span so that you have to say everything in 140 characters, that requires a decent amount of typing. They also hyped iWork's word processor. Would you really want to do any significant amount of word processing with the touchscreen keyboard? And once you've put the iPad in the keyboard dock, it seems like a mouse or trackpad would be more convenient as a pointing device. -- 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 *** |