Apple Jan. 27 launch event... what will it be?

[TripletDaddy]

I don't think Apple is ever going to allow Flash, as that basically cedes the whole app market to Adobe, as well as giving up content control.

You may be right. However, would you agree that apple historically tends to make significant price/functionality mods between launch and second gen models?

As you say, the iPad is a fun toy and would be cool to own. But they launched now to prime the pump for a Q4 iPad 2 launch, probably with a slightly different price point and with more functionality.

[Coach McGuirk]

you are making a big mistake buying a first gen apple product. mark my words.

the next gen will be Flash friendly and will likely allow multi-tasking.

I would probably do what I did with the iPhone. I have owned almost every generation.

[TripletDaddy]

I would probably do what I did with the iPhone. I have owned almost every generation.

$how off!

[Coach McGuirk]

$how off!

They all get sold!

[Surfah]

$how off!

[tooblue]

no ipad? tooblue, how are you going to access the internet, read books and newspapers? how are you going to check your email? how are you going to do all these things one at a time because the ipad doesn't allow for multitasking?

Multitasking is overrated -- though, it would be nice to listen to some music while reading a magazine etc. Remember this is a media browsing luxury as Wired calls it and not a replacement for laptops or desktop computers. That's why most of the techies criticism is so off-base, as was the case with the iphone.

Honestly, I couldn't get an ipad if I wanted to because they have not yet been released in Canada. The product, without a doubt, will change the face of computing and the way in which we access entertainment but there are too many issues with it right now that I can't justfy getting one when they are released in Canada. I'm as big a proponent of an open source Web without proprietary media players (ie. the Flash player) as any one but, Apple can't just say jump and expect everyone to jump and change their entire internet business models to suit one product. Like me, most will take a wait and see approach. The learning curve to catch up isn't very steep.

On another note I don't think flash will ever play on these devices in a browser but you will have three times as many apps available in very near future because developers will be able to create them using flash. Flash is the great equalizer when it comes to programming. What's more I don't think there will ever be multitasking due to the current limits of the technology, especially if you want long battery life which apparently is one of the biggest strengths of the ipad -- an estimated 12 hours.

[tooblue]

You may be right. However, would you agree that apple historically tends to make significant price/functionality mods between launch and second gen models?

As you say, the iPad is a fun toy and would be cool to own. But they launched now to prime the pump for a Q4 iPad 2 launch, probably with a slightly different price point and with more functionality.

I agree completely.

[UtahDan]

Upgrade from iPhone for free:

[Donuthole]

I played around with an iPad at the house of one of my HT families this weekend. Pretty cool, really. I can see the appeal for someone who has cash to burn. Totally annoying that it doesn't have a USB port and can't do flash, though. I imagine by the time the 2nd gen rolls around and the price has come down, it's something to think about as far as a toy goes.

[TripletDaddy]

I played around with an iPad at the house of one of my HT families this weekend. Pretty cool, really. I can see the appeal for someone who has cash to burn. Totally annoying that it doesn't have a USB port and can't do flash, though. I imagine by the time the 2nd gen rolls around and the price has come down, it's something to think about as far as a toy goes.

we had one early adopter rock his iPad at Church this Sunday. Hopefully this is not a new trend.

[Jacob]

we had one early adopter rock his iPad at Church this Sunday. Hopefully this is not a new trend.

So did we. I was jealous. Much better than lugging around a fat bible and a priesthood manual.
Plus, it would have possibly made it more discrete than when I was checking the Laker score on my phone.

[Surfah]

I played around with an iPad at the house of one of my HT families this weekend. Pretty cool, really. I can see the appeal for someone who has cash to burn. Totally annoying that it doesn't have a USB port and can't do flash, though. I imagine by the time the 2nd gen rolls around and the price has come down, it's something to think about as far as a toy goes.

[Surfah]

I am sure by now you guys have heard this story. Apple employee loses new 4G iPhone while at a bar. Pretty entertaining. And pretty cool phone.

http://gizmodo.com/tag/apple/

[Tim]

I am sure by now you guys have heard this story. Apple employee loses new 4G iPhone while at a bar. Pretty entertaining. And pretty cool phone.

http://gizmodo.com/tag/apple/

Here's a great editorial discussing some of the potential legal ramifications:

http://daringfireball.net/2010/04/gi...ototype_iphone

[Surfah]

It wouldn't surprise me to see Apple sue Gawker Media over this. This whole episode has been really interesting to watch. I read that Gizmodo was denied an iPad to review. I also read that there was an instance at Foxconn, the company that produces the iPhones, had an employee lose their phone (it never surfaced) within the confines of their Chinese campus and he committed suicide over the interogations after the incident. I don't know if that is true or not. Apple fanboys are fiercely loyal and they're all crying foul over this whole thing. Personally, I think it's awesome that someone has pulled the carpet out from under Jobs and stolen his thunder of what would have been another over-hyped, over-sensationalized market launch. He must be seething right now.