Apple didn't give us a great amount of time with its newly unveiled
iPad today, and as you've likely seen, we spent the bulk of our allotment
touching the unit itself. Lost in the proverbial shuffle were a number of the unit's
launch accessories, including the admittedly intriguing keyboard dock ($69), case ($39), iPad Dock Connector to VGA adapter ($29) and camera connection kit ($29). Each of these doodads seem to look and feel exactly as you'd expect 'em to, though we're still baffled by Apple's decision to make you pay extra for access to the world's most widely accepted connector. We're also somewhat appalled (but not surprised) by the $39 price tag purportedly attached to the stripped-down case, and while the $69 MSRP on the keyboard dock is apt to cause some grumbling, at least there are a few iPad-specific keys on there to make it (marginally) worth your while. Dig in below for more on each.
Read - iPad keyboard dock hands-on
Read - iPad case hands-on
Read - iPad Dock Connector to VGA adapter hands-on
Read - iPad camera connection kit hands-on
posted January 28th 2010 12:22AM
@SteveJobsCEO What on earth were you thinking? My $250 Dell netbook runs full OSX, 160GB HDD, WiFi, Bluetooth, Keyboard BUILT IN, Removable Battery, VGA port BUILT IN, USB BUILT IN, AND IT DOES FLASH SO I CAN WATCH HULU!
But your $1200 fully loaded iPad can't do any of that....haha. What a joke!
@SteveJobsCEO
That is an amazing revolutionary Maxi-pad.
Thanks for giving us such a thin pad to stop the flow ... But it has fail !!!
@SteveJobsCEO
I think it would have been better if it ran Win7. More versatile, open.
And where are the cameras? And the SD-slot! Imagine this as a companion for your digital camera.
@SteveJobsCEO it's excellent. i didn't realise that there are so many short sighted people out there. but then again looking at Window OS for so long will do permanent damage to ones eyes. Well done!
@SteveJobsCEO
Congrats on the newest invention. I have been waiting for someone to come up with an updated color version of an e-reader. Leave it to Apple to do just that and more (of course). Forget all of the naysayers. They are just jealous and probably predominately PC users anyway. GO APPLE!
D :-)
@SteveJobsCEO #OEMFAIL.You're keyboard attachment looks KIRFy. Like something one could buy from usbgeeksDOTcom.
@SteveJobsCEO
Just one more thing. This thing would really scream if it had a camera, enabling Skype video. And where is Flash?
Just a thought.....
D :-)
@SteveJobsCEO
You screwed the pooch Steve.
Can you please use the iPad Maxi to stop the heavy flow of Apple news on here today!
@LJKelley And this shocks you after weeks of hype?
@LJKelley
iSwear if they post another frickin iPad article iThink I'm gonna be sick....
@LJKelley: Best comment I have heard ALL day!! And I have heard tons!! :D
@bullshitexpresscom Weeks?! Forget about weeks, it's months if not years.
@LJKelley The only thing that can make iPad better is a native google wave app ...
@LJKelley
easy, tiger!
@LJKelley
engadget = every no-good apple device gets excessive threads
@LJKelley
Look, it's their blog so they can do whatever they want. It just would be nice to have ALL the MaxiPad related news on a sidebar or something; you know, for people who care about it.
@LJKelley Yes we've heard about this blasphemies over and over again.. hopefully they'll stop now... The funniest thing is the one blurted out the the CEO of mahalo.. saying, the iPad will be insane like "wii" gee.. what a predicament! Details: http://bit.ly/apple-tablet-details-and-history
@LJKelley
It should be called iFat
Nothing like a Foleo rehash to stir people up again.
@Eternity "iSwear if they post another frickin iPad article iThink I'm gonna be sick...."
luckily the ipad is super absorbent but anything over 2 drops voids your apple care warranty sorry :(
@LJKelley Seriously. Every article I read makes me like the device less. Too many, Engadget. The only decent one I read was the Editorial about it, where you guys seriously talked about what you liked and did not like about it.
I really can't believe they want this to compete with either netbooks or e-readers, but it doesn't have:
a true OS, multitasking, keyboard, USB ports, camera, etc. of a netbook
or:
e-ink (read: long battery life and easy on the eyes) of an e-reader
@LJKelley
The iPad is clearly the most exciting product to be announced since the original iPhone 3 years ago. And it's getting the same reaction from the Apple haters, which probably means Apple has another game-changing hit on their hands.
alright i think i had enuf ipad.
@TjK Then you won't mind watching this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQnT0zp8Ya4
and this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuA_OUL91og
=]
@Eternity
OMG that is truely awesome!! You have made my day.
@Peytral
Just a little something to help us get this shit out of our system and move on with a good laugh.
:P
a bit off topic but all this iPad talk makes me wonder if it can be jailbroken or maybe even hackintoshed onto pc tablets. Probably not but whatever.
@i8yourballs
Why would you want to? If anything you'd want to hack any other OS but this one onto the tablet...preferably OSX, or heck even the standard iPhone OS so you can use phone functions.
@yulebellow
OSX I can see, but iPhone OS on there just to make phone calls? There's an app for that (or a thousand). You can always just go find the version of one of the voip apps that will work over 3G (if you got that dastardly overpriced model), but don't put an operating system that will use 1/2 the CPU and 1/4 the screen real estate on it! DX
@i8yourballs The iPad uses an ARM CPU. OSX runs on Intel. So no, you can't run either OS on the other. You CAN probably virtualize the ARM core on an appropriate Intel CPU, and maybe VMWare or somebody will offer something like that. But its not a five minute job for somebody like you.
I know nearly everyone is hating on the iPad. Even I am, yet at times like this with Apple, I tend to look at this: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=500 to remind myself that things may turn out well...
@sammymoho
So, like the ipod, it will take 4-5 years to grow? I can see that. But honestly, Apple should've learned. The technology is available, I have no idea why they didn't implement it.
@Special Agent Steve
I agree. But this is Apple we're talking about. Continually they release successful products that lack basic functionality.
@sammymoho Thanks for posting that. The negative opinions are hilarious with our hindsight. After reading all of the Engadget editors' opinions, now I'm beginning to think Nilay might be onto something.
@sammymoho That is like going back in the past.
I have no use for an Mp3 player.
My house has a CD player.
My car has a CD player.
My Mac has a CD player
I don't use headphones.
The iPod requires me to change my lifestyle to meet it's needs...
I need round holes, not square holes.
For $99 I might buy the toy, for $399? Why?
Doesn't a Mac with a CDR undermine the need for most of this? All that's left is the number of songs you can play and the ability to listen to all of them with headphones anywhere. Do I really need ALL my songs ALL the time?
uhm, no.
Won't last. Another Cube.
@sammymoho But they are totally right. The iPod was a success PURELY due to its marketing, and nothing else. It wasn't the best, it didn't even have Shuffle originally. You had to use a special cable to connect to it, and the devices tended to die in the ass. But they had a cool commercial, and they played people into thinking it was cool, and they bought into it. Apple is not a software company, they are not a hardware company. They are an advertising company.
@Jordaan
Not necessarily. The reason is because the advantages of getting an iPod was like going from VHS to DVD. It offered convenience and functionality way beyond the it's predecessor. Also, the iPod was the easiest to use for the average person and looked cool. Other hard disk mp3 players at the time were ugly bricks with a tiny screen and weighed a lot. They also didn't work well and the user experience was bad.
The iPad is like the transition from DVD to Bluray. The companies are pushing it, the successor is a lot of money, and most people don't see a reason to have one, especially for the price.
@cherryboom
"And I also feel the net is full of haters for this device by way of strategic discourse by Apple's competitors."
Lol. That's all.
@cherryboom
anyone gonna challenge @Jordaan on the fact that the original ipod used a standard 6 - 6 fw400 cable? not what he claims to be true?
@sammymoho
Apple always cut corners and give less that's how they got the 15 billions $ profits. Man, they charge over a benjamin just to have wifi and 3g added, that's like a $15 hardware. Anyone who bought this ipad is either don't have a laptop nor a brain.
@sammymoho
Quote:
hey [...] Apple [...], are you really aiming to become a glorified consumer gimmicks firm?
And that's exactly what they've become, haha
@cherryboom ...what? That had nothing to do with the post you were replying to.
@cherryboom what is it with you and Toyota? And by the way, name one thing the the original iPod had that every other MP3 player didn't at that time, apart from a useless click wheel.
@cherryboom Unfortunately, you're a very good example of how the majority of the public bought iPod's mainly because of the fact that they wanted to look 'cool.' Advertising brought the iPod it's first costumers; human nature got the rest.
Wow, the fail keeps adding up. What are we up to, over a grand now? What a POS.
@sweet greggo if only they could figure out a way to attach the keyboard and, I dunno, add multitasking, the capacity to run thousands of business class applications and the ability to take at least webcam pix ... sort of pie in the sky ... that being so advanced a concept ... what was I thinking when I wrote and sent this in on a Toshiba Mini NB205-N330BL ... $350. I know, I know ... increased capabilities, decreased costs ... a real downer given the lack of the apple logo and a touch screen. Good thing there's nothing like the mini 5102 or the PC T91 ... but that's another story. Mostly an uncovered story. Wrong logo.
@crescentdavid I know what you mean, if only Apple could invent some type of....device with a screen like this, an attached keyboard and a webcam, but what would they call it! Apple, please save us, we have no idea what to do without you!
Oh wait, what is this device next to me? It's some type of plastic book, no wait, it opens! There is a keyboard attached to the screen, and a disc drive and a webcam! What devilry is this? Nary an Apple Logo in site, oh I know, this must be an incognito Apple product, clearly disguised and stamped "Gateway" to throw off all those sneaky tech bloggers. I see Apple, good game ;) Next month you'll release this "iPad with attached keyboard" and the whole world will fall to their knees and thank you. But what shall you call it? It fits in my lap, aha, the iLap! brilliant!
@sweet greggo
I was considering it... then i realized it doesn't have a usb port. What kind of brainless idiot would purchase any sort of netbook (or netbook alternative for that matter) w/o a usb port? What were these guys thinking? I'm going to purchase a macbook air before they get rid of the last usb port.
They should call one of the accessories "Max" so when you put the two together, you get "MaxiPad" lol