On 11 April 2010 16:40, Richard Gaskin <ambassa...@fourthworld.com> wrote:
> > But note that Apple didn't cancel their MacBook line when they introduced > the iPad. They would be a bit silly to do that at this stage. Note though they are putting nearly all their investment into iPhone OS4 development and not OSX development? > Each has a very different task focus. > Yes - the question is which will become the mainstream computing device used by most people? My guess is you feel that the laptop / desktop will be the most common and devices like the iPad will fill a niche? Or do you think that most computing devices will be like the iPad and PC's and laptops a niche - used say only be developers? But if you do a lot of typing, a device with a curved back doesn't lend > itself well to laying flat, and holding it means typing with one hand, or > leaning it against your crossed leg as Jobs did during the demo puts your > wrists at a painfully vertical angle. And beyond the question of whether > the lack of physical feedback from a virtual keyboard will be important, the > virtual keyboard on the iPad is missing a LOT of keys we're used to. I just > don't see writers or programmers falling in love with the iPad, at least not > for work. > Personally - I'd say writing was over-rated - and that we are all going to be quite surprised by how much we can do without it. Even so - the iPad has a keypad, and with OS4 we can expect a lot more BlueTooth keypads accompanying portable devices for those of us that need to write text more efficiently - it just wont be physically attached to the device - you'll have the option to bring it of do without. > > And then there's the difference between the quarter- to half-inch diameter > of the human fingertip vs. the single-pixel pointer and what that means for > precision layout tasks like making web pages or laying out controls in Rev. > And why not use a stylus? I'm actually not sure how accurate the screen of the iPad is for stylus type use - but if the first generation deveice is not - then expect this area to get better and better dramatically - this is not a limitation of the touch screen interface - just a simple one of resolution - no? > But for media AUTHORING, we still have computers. > Possibly - yes. But that does not answer the really important question - will 90% of machines we use to do every day "computing tasks" be what we now call "computers" - or will they be something much more like an iPad? And if say in 5 years time 7 out of 10 current PC users are using iPad type devices - and only say a handful of "developers" are still using what we now consider to be PC's - what does that mean for the industry we are in? As a gamblin man - if anyone wants to place a long term bet against the notion that laptops and PCs' are not going to take a heavy nose-dive in sales, when compared to mobile phones and iPad style devices - I know where I'd put my money - any takers out there :) _______________________________________________ use-revolution mailing list use-revolution@lists.runrev.com Please visit this url to subscribe, unsubscribe and manage your subscription preferences: http://lists.runrev.com/mailman/listinfo/use-revolution
