R&D wise they didn't do a lot. The iPhone apps on the iPad either run at normal resolution (only using a small portion of the screen) or are upscaled using the most simplistic algoritm, they didn't even try to increase the text size in the applications ... they simply take a screenshot of the app and then upscale it.
Seriously, Apple grew up as the product to buy when it came to image processing and now they can't even descently upscale an image ?

I'd also prefer Windows7 over the iPhone OS. Paying $499 for doing only the things that Apple would want you to do is way to much for me. Out of the box, you can do nothing with this thing but surfing the internet, checking your e-mail, watching a movie or listen to an mp3... and that's exactly what about every mobile phone can do today. So basically, it's a phone with a huge screen and you can't make calls with it.

This is true, but you're shooting at the wrong firm. The applications you refer to are written by other people, not Apple. They still have to adapt their software (if they choose to of course) to the larger screen. As I wrote : Apple already rewrote most of their apps (the ones they include anyway) for the larger screen.

... and you can read books on it in a decent way. Same for movies and surfing the internet. Surfing, watching or reading on a smartphone is of course possible, but not exactly something I enjoy because of the much too small screen.

I respectfully disagree... proof: http://www.anandtech.com/show/2890/6


ipad browsing: 584min
asus netbook browsing: 590min

OK, you prove my point exactly : you're comparing a bulky (1654cm3) and heavy (±1,5kg) netbook to a sleek (617cm3) and light (0,68kg) touch device.

Great comparison :rolleyes:

I'm not saying ipad is perfect. Very far from it. I'm saying it's a compromise. It's the best thing to do what it does (which is more limited than a netbook, I agree). But I also agree with Apple when they say that netbooks are good at nothing. Too small to do serious work, too bulky to be a simple content provider. Again I'm not saying netbooks are unable to be a (reasonably good) content provider, I'm saying ipad is better at it.

are you a 6yr old girl?

1.5kg is not heavy.

Oh come'on, you get the point. You want to compare 1.5kg devices, plenty of choice in that section. Keep the comparison fair. For 1.5kg, Apple could've made a 30hour battery ipad, they chose not to.

apple != right.

all netbooks need is 720p resolution, and a faster CPU/dedicated video GPU and they are good to go :)
you can already have that, but it costs $500; that's too much.

$350 is a sweet price for a netbook , and apple's pricing for their useless at anything except surfing ipad is just ridiculous high, you agreeing with their price policy = coo coo. And it has nothing to do with how many hours of sleep I get ;)

if apple wants to push a limited netbook, none-PC thing , at least get the pricing right, $250 for entry model, $500 for top end. they'll make more money that way because they would simply sell more.

reference: Wii.

Couldn't disagree more.

Give netbooks higher resolution on the same screen and they'll just suck some more at getting work done. The screen size is just too small (not to mention the dot pitch will be useless with increased resolution), the keyboard is worthless to type on (because keys are too small). Increase them in size and you have a plain notebook. Netbooks are just a bad excuse to offer cheap notebooks, nothing more.

Again, you're comparing an ipad to a netbook. It is not a netbook and is not intended to be one. It is competition to the netbooks because all what people do on netbooks is surf the internet or watch a movie. They just suck completely at anything else. iPad is better at those limited areas. Don't expect to get any work done on an iPad, even less than on a netbook...

it seems you can though.

KVM.

@thorgal: it appears that many people think the iPad is too heavy because you have to hold it all the time. I won't hear people complain about a 1,5kg netbook because you can put it on a table and still be able to use it.

You can indeed watch movies on the iPad, but only a few codecs are supported by the iPad, something a netbook won't suffer from. You can use AirVideo (or whatever it's called) to stream the video to the Ipad, but then you'll need a fast computer running somewhere at home that can convert the video's in real-time or you convert them before you put them in the iPad, but that's just a waste of time in my humble opinion. Copying the movie to a netbook is still a lot faster.