[NTLK] OT: Mossberg gives thumbs up to iPad

[Larry Yaeger]

At 2:02 PM +1200 4/3/10, Tony Kan wrote:
>At the moment, it seems touchscreen computing has polarized into two seemingly
>opposing camps: pen or finger(s).  I can't see why we can't have both at the
>same time.

Here here!

As for the camera, well, video chat, primarily when the unit is in a charging or keyboard dock, would be a really strong application, IMO, so I think Apple did err on this one.

Doesn't dull my enthusiasm for the iPad, though.  I think it'll finally fulfill my dream of doing without paper for pretty much everything, including magazines, journal articles, memos, PhD theses, you name it.  And so what if Microsoft is coming out with a slate?  It'll still have a UI designed by Microsoft.  'Nuff said.

The iPad will never replace the laptop for technophiles and software developers (well, not without on-device development tools and a means of getting to unix, underneath--maybe jail-broken versions will even work in this domain), but for casual users I think this is going to really change things.  Guess we'll see.  No mouse.  No pen (okay, boo).  It's not a Mac *or* Windows *or* Linux.  Nobody has to "switch".  Millions of people already know how to use it, and it's so simple to use that my mother-in-law will feel comfortable with it, and so tightly designed and organized that my father-in-law won't be able to change something that breaks it (big yay!).  It really is something different.

Can't wait for mine.  But I have to, since I want the one with the built-in 3G and GPS.  End of the month.  Hurry, hurry!

- larryy