The anti-iPad thread

We all know there is only ONE pad and that's a THINKPAD.

I'm sure all the other companies will follow suite. So, if Lenovo where to create a iPad killer what besides a better name would have?

Just for fun...in case Lenovo engineers browse this forum.

drake

 

If Lenovo should follow suit with anyone, I think it should be HP. I'm really looking forward to the Slate myself.

 

Ideapad U1 eats iPAD for dinner...

 

The U1? Hmm, I haven't ever heard of it. *starts searching google*

 

There can be no competition for the iPad. Nobody else is going to invest in the UI development needed for something like that, and no one else is going to get media content deals like the iPad will get.

The U1 is too expensive to be mainstream and it's Linux OS looked pretty slow.

 

It's the one with the detachable screen.

Touching a screen with my fingers has never appealed to me, so the whole touch-computing trend is a bit annoying to me. True, touch has its advantages for small devices such as cell phones (although I still prefer BlackBerries), but I don't see what all the hype is behind touchscreen tablets. I much prefer tablets with a digitizer and pen.

I wonder when HP's slate will come out...

 

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/05/lenovo-ideapad-u1-hybrid-hands-on-and-impressions/

Oh I see. Detachable, and running a smartphone OS. I'm completely unimpressed. I'll stick with the Slate.

 

How about the "thoughtpad". Why ? Because you THINK, and do work/games/what have you with your THINKpad, and with something like the "iPad", it will be something most people will have THOUGHT about (since many will not like it, IMO).
Well, OK maybe not LIKE it, but not find it very useful. It's basically a BIG I-phone/Ipod touch with a *LITTLE* more features and a bigger screen to see more. Other then that, I don't see anyone buying it. And, for the cost of the 64GB 3G model, your just better off buying a laptop.
So, if Lenovo were to design something to compete with this thing, I think they should call it a "ThoughtPad" lol

 

The Slate's Atom processor pretty much kills it's viability from a media stand point

 

True, but not as a basic tablet. You can still browse the web, with some light flash, watch movies, email with an atom based netbook, even some very old games.

 

It runs a smartphone OS when it's detached, but WIN7 when it's attached to it's base.

HUH!? HOWS THAT FOR COOL!?

 

iPAD uses the same software as the iPhone, which for such a large and multimedia orientated device makes it little underwhelming.....

So far iPAD has been the least ingenious and impressive products released by Apple over the recent years, maybe Steve Jobs recent illness have also robbed the Apple design team of some much needed creative flair....

no-flash support, restrictive OS that prevents you running third party apps, and no native PDF support.... iPAD... an interim electronic continence pad...

 

@lead_org; I couldn't agree more.

@ronnie; sure, but it still doesn't appeal to me.

 

and iphone can play music too, so can every other iPod devices that were released........

 

I edited my original post, but obviously you didn't see the link I posted.

 

Ipad is the best Tablet device for limited use. I am thinking of getting a tablet to replace my netbook. There are three thing I want to see it change before buying it.

1. Multitasking
2. Price drop
3. Jailbreaked

One thing Ipad do that surpass other similar product is the battery life. The battery is around 10+ hour. This is with watching movie.

 

It's not just about Music...they have deals with book dealers, netflix, video streaming websites, print media...etc. And what exactly do you mean restrict you form running third party apps, it's not like Apple develops all of it's apps itself does it.

It may run an OS very similar to the iPhone, but that just makes it miles ahead of Windows 7 on a 10" tablet device. Everyone releasing their 3 hour battery life Windows 7 tablet is just a joke. There is no purpose for a device like that. The iPad has a centralized media ecosystem and an OS that will actually work with a tablet form factor.

And the HP Slate w/Atom processor is nothing more than expensive netbook...don't see the reasoning behind it.

The iPad's hardware itself is nice, but there's not much reason behind a $500 device that is so limited. It's purely a luxury entertainment device.

If anything, the only way to beat the iPad is to ignore it. Other companies shouldn't copy it's media consumption model, but go for something like the Courier. Something that's focused on creation will actually be able to make it's own niche.

 

It's upsetting when someone who hasn't used the iPad calls it a failure. I've got an X201s. I used to have an X60 tablet in the past. I love IBM/Lenovo products but I can appreciate a game-changing gadget.

I got my iPad today and I'm blown away. The screen is incredible and after 8 hours of playing with it, there's still 20% of my battery life left. With goodreader/kindle/iBooks, it will definitely replace my Kindle DX. It is the perfect complement to another machine. The iWork suite is better than expected and the keyboard is terrific for anyone who has been using an iPhone for the past few years.

It does have it's quirks though. I can't charge it off of any of my X201s USB ports. Unlike a thinkpad, I definitely feel like I need something to protect the aluminum back. All in all, it has ridiculous potential.

I can't wait for the U1 though. However, the bar has been set very, very high. Anyone who says otherwise... well, they probably haven't played with the iPad yet.

 

Uh. I just realized that I'm writing this on my iPad. It's replacing my Thinkpad for basic web-browsing and I'm not even aware of it. I'm looking forward to going to a flash-heavy site so I can break away from the Apple reality distortion field.

 

It almost sounds like you're trying to convince yourself that it's a worthwhile device more than trying to convince others. Let's face it. It's a giant Ipod touch, running a phone OS. It can't multitask, it uses an inferior ARM processor, it can't run a full operating system. You can't upgrade the RAM or HDD, and according to you, you can't even charge it through your thinkpad's USB port.
I'd much rather get the Slate, or even the S10-3 tablet, both run a full operating system, have a full x64 processor (albeit it's an atom), they can multitask, support up to 2GB RAM. They are full fledged computers, and for the same price as a high end netbook (read: less than an ipad).

 

You're confusing the purpose of an iPad with it's admittedly common form factor. Just because there are small tablets available that run full OS's doesn't mean the iPad is competing with them.

All the pro's you keep mentioning about slates are great, but why do you need them. Why do you want a full operating system on a slate, which isn't a full computer. The iPad is designed to be a media device, and it's got the software to back it up.

What the iPad offers is just a way to browse media and internet from a form factor and operating system that is simple and intuitive to everybody. If it's feature set and simplicity is a turn off (it is to most enthusiast crowds) then it is what it is. You're expecting a full fledged mini computer for the $500 you would be spending, which is fair because that's what netbooks are. But it's not what the iPad is.

The ARM processor is inferior to what exactly? The iPad is just as snappy as a netbook, plays HD video better and averages 2.5watts of power.

Any kind of multi-tasking you would do on a 10" tablet (7" for HP) with an Atom processor is already limiting in the first place. What exactly are you missing out on.

The HP slate has been rumored at the same price as the base iPad so dunno what numbers you're figuring.

 

Everything has potential, but if you don't develop or use it, then it is a wasted potential.

the physical technology behind iPAD is nothing special, it is just a blown up iphone/itouch... underwhelming, it is everything that people have expected like one year ago...

i think this is a better implementation of the iPad....

http://www.shanzai.com/index.php/ba...en-inch-ipad-clone-shamelessly-sports-android

 

@aznguyphan; It is a full computer. It has usb ports, memory card slot, runs an x64 processor, it runs a full operating system (windows 7). It is a full fledged computer, albeit at netbook speeds.
Do you really think an enlarged ipod that runs a phone OS is worth <s>$599</s> $499?

Edit: I came back to eat my words. I just checked Apple's site and they say "starting at $499". They must have gotten so much flack over their original pricing scheme (paying so much for what you get) they decided to lower it. I honestly still believe that even at $499, it's just not worth it.

 

A netbook is a baby laptop. I've got a laptop that's tinier and better than any netbook out there: the X201s. I would never go back to using a netbook.

The iPad is not a netbook. It IS a giant iPod Touch. It has no USB ports, no multitasking, no flash, no webcam, and it tethers me to iTunes. And yet I absolutely love it. I don't think anyone's going to understand what I'm saying until they try it out. It's not going to replace my iPhone or my X201s. However, it's definitely going to replace my kindle and it looks like it has the potential to do much much more.

And for any of you questioning the power of the CPU... it runs netflix and opens PDF files better/quicker than my top of the line X201s. Despite all the complaints, I don't think Lenovos have sub-par screens. The iPad has the best screen I have ever seen on a mobile device.

 

iDontcare.

 

Wow, it opens PDF files quickly? That makes it all worth it right there!

 

How can you consider a 7" slate to be a full fledged computer...are you gonna do your Excel sheets on it, write a paper on it, do anything more than browse the web comfortably? Again you say it's x64, multitasks and has a full operating system. But for what. What are you going to do with it.

And no I don't think it's worth the $499, but it's a luxury device and there are plenty of people who will find it worth it.

 

I'm with you there right up to the Kindle partly because it fits in my purse. I'm seriously considering an iPad but will have to see whether or not I like reading on it as much as I do my Kindle. I do read on my iPhone for short, unexpected periods, but if I know I'm going to be sitting around somewhere for a while like a dr's office, the Kindle comes with me.

 

It's 10 inches last I checked. What I meant to say was, because it's an x64 processor, it can run a full operating system, and not a phone OS. To me, that's a big advantage right there. Netbook, ultraportable, desktop replacement, whatever it is, it is a full fledged computer. See what I'm saying? Because of Apple's quite successfull niche market (the app store), Apple can create a device that droves of people will rush out to buy, that's true. It's true also that the ipad was meant for a very specific, narrow market (the app store, ebooks, music, videos, etc). I don't have a problem with that. It became a problem with me when Steve Jobs at the event compared the Ipad to a netbook, and scoffed at netbooks. Excuse me, a netbook is far superior in every way to a glorified ipod touch, they don't even compare, but Steve chose to make that comparison. The ipod is a computer in that it computes, sure, even my old school calculator computes, but not a computer in that it can't even run a full operating system, multi-task, etc.
Anyway, I'm going to get out of this thread before it gets too heated. I doubt this thread will last long as it is, these kinds of threads rarely ever do. Have a good one everyone.

 

Hmm, dunno why I thought it was 7, my mistake

And again, you're doing a lot of categorizing. This is full fledged, this is x64, this is a computer. What exactly are you so excited to be doing on your Atom slate computer

 

It's definitely a luxury product. I also think Thinkpads are luxury products.

I can afford both and I like both. I don't need to justify either. I don't need to convince myself the iPad is worthwhile. If it's not, then I'll just give it away. So far, I find it pretty damn cool.

Talin, try it out sometime.

 

I saw an iPad today. The lady who had it was interestingly in her 60s it seemed. I didn't ask her age, but I thought it was interesting that she was older. It seemed kind of cool. The screen was nice.

 

In the end all that matters is if you like your purchase. If you like the ipad, by all means enjoy it! I'm sorry, some times I get a little carried away and this topic gets me a little excited some times. It's the comparison that Steve made at his keynote that just rubbed me the wrong way.

 

I can't decide whether I'm amused or offended by that... (Cue, Renee...)

 

I don't think ThinkPads are luxury products at all. They are expensive, no doubt, as compared to other laptops of the same class. But they are principal products, not secondary, that is to say, optional products. The operative assumption being of course that computers are essential products, but e-readers like the Kindle (and maybe the iPad) etc...are non-essential, if you get what I mean.

 

They used to be considered really luxurious when Thinkpads were still made by IBM... the prices were incredibly high, but it was worth it.

 

I think it was just IBM pricing. Last night for fun I was looking through the parts list and pricing some Lenovo parts at IBM. For example, they want more than $1,100 for a blu-ray combo drive for the T410. They want $825 for a standard voltage core i7 (dual core only) for the T410.... :laugh:

Edit: Sorry, it's $851 for the "CPU assembly, Intel Core i7-620M Processor (2.66 GHz)", and $1,133 for the blu-ray combo drive. Combo drive! It can't even write blu-ray discs, only read them.

 

Exactly how is one offended by a statement of fact?

Buying parts from IBM is sort of like buying car parts from the dealer. They have to carry everything, which drives up cost. An internet retailer can pick off the most profitable parts and offer lower prices.

 

I don't know. I think it's more about paying a premium just to get it from the dealer, than stock. If they have to have everything in stock I imagine they buy in bulk, therefore they should get a bulk price. You get premium support with IBM. Last night when I called to place my order for the travel cover, an automated message said that by calling after hours, there would be a surcharge of $399 on top of my order... My point is with IBM you get top notch support, but you pay for it.

 

It was the notion that my brain cells and technical curiosity and/or expertise expired one night at midnight! ;-)

 

iPad and a x series tablet are two different product, aiming for two different market. X series tablet is for work, while the iPad is a prefect netbook. At least what intel want the netbook to do; media consumption device, primary for the internet. However since atom-power netbook run on Window, people have using it as a full-fledge computer. The Ipad primary function is for web bowsering and to run small apps.

At first I have doubt about the iPad. What got me interest is not all the function it could do, but rather how long it last in a single charge. I need long battery life to read comic book, watch movies, and just surfing the web.

 

I imagine my arms would get tired. I would use my left arm to hold up the iPad so I could actually see it, and my right arm to navigate.

With my ThinkPad on my lap, 90% of the time I navigate using one finger and one thumb. That's it. The other 10% of the time, I can type using 2 hands. The screen is held up automatically for me, and I can even tilt it to where I like. My palms can comfortable rest on the... palm rests. When I'm done using it, I close the protective lid. Pretty usable for me.

If I bought an iPad, I would probably get a tilting screen holder so my left arm doesn't get tired, maybe a TrackPoint (with of course only one mouse button) so my right arm doesn't get tired, possibly a detachable keyboard for when I want to use a keyboard with a tactile feel for serious writing, screen cleaners to remove my fingerprints, and a protective case so the screen doesn't get scratched. Whew.

 

I picture the "tPad" and some sort of name based off the ideapad (for multi-media apps).

It will look like a large "slide phone"....with a large screen on top with a slide out full-size Thinkpad keyboard/complete with red trackpoint (like x series).

Fully Thinkpad ruggidized.

drake

 

I own an iPhone and I have to admit I get really paranoid with it. I can't imagine using it without a screen protector and protective case as I fear one drop (I can be clumsy at times) can scratch and dent it, or destroy it completely. So I probably have a heart attack carrying around a bigger iPad!

That said, I carry my Thinkpad with no protection one handed in the house, sometimes just grasping the palmrest with the lid open (I know it's not wise) and I do accidentally bash it against the door frames. But the Thinkpad carries on as if nothing happens and miraculously barely have a hint of any scratches.

 

Ahahahahahah, exactly my friend, exactly. Why buy an iPad when for the same price can get a T60p that has:
1-better overall performance
2-CAN multitask
3-holds it's own screen up
4-bigger screen
5-OS flexibility
6-play DVD's
7-higher WLAN throughput for those big HD YouTube vids
8-and more

Haha, iPad fails on most fronts.

 

i am a person antiantipeople.

 

I just read from Gizmodo that it only take 3 drip to crack the scream.

 

I don't doubt that. This thing has incredible build quality but because of its form factor, I think it would be really easy to drop. At least with the X Series tablets, we have the extended 8 cell battery to hold on to.

Well, it's an Apple product. One of the crazy benefits is the ridiculous number of accessories that will come out to address these concerns. Another part of the game I really enjoy. Vaja case time!

 

You shouldn't need to tweak or buy accessories to address the problems of a product...

 

I'm a very satisfied x200 owner and don't plan to buy the iPad, but come on

1. definitely probable, but still waiting to see what real life usage is like
2. not as a big deal if it takes 1/2 second to close an app and open a different one. Forget benchmarks, think about real world usage.
3. I don't think "includes a stand" should be a selling point
4. gimme max usage of available acreage
5. sure
6. from what I understand younger people don't even buy DVDs anymore. I haven't bought one in over a year and I am OLD