Comments on: The New Makers and the iPad Haters http://benjaminellis.org/2010/07/11/the-new-makers-and-the-ipad-haters/ Benjamin Not Ben - Jamin on the Net Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:45:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ian Betteridge http://benjaminellis.org/2010/07/11/the-new-makers-and-the-ipad-haters/comment-page-1/#comment-9025 Ian Betteridge Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:38:09 +0000 http://benjaminellis.org/?p=527#comment-9025 I can understand that - I spent a couple of years with a Tablet PC as my only computer (an Acer C110 - yes, I spent most of my time typing on that tiny keyboard...) I can understand that – I spent a couple of years with a Tablet PC as my only computer (an Acer C110 – yes, I spent most of my time typing on that tiny keyboard…)

]]> By: IanVisits http://benjaminellis.org/2010/07/11/the-new-makers-and-the-ipad-haters/comment-page-1/#comment-9024 IanVisits Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:35:26 +0000 http://benjaminellis.org/?p=527#comment-9024 If I am going to spend $500 on a device, I would want something that offers more than a glorified etch-a-sketch in terms of functionality. If I am going to spend $500 on a device, I would want something that offers more than a glorified etch-a-sketch in terms of functionality.

]]> By: Benjamin Ellis http://benjaminellis.org/2010/07/11/the-new-makers-and-the-ipad-haters/comment-page-1/#comment-9023 Benjamin Ellis Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:26:27 +0000 http://benjaminellis.org/?p=527#comment-9023 Hi Ian - I agree on the point about coding not being the only creativity - hence my last sentence. However, on my windows tablet I can draw, write (in hand writing and have it recognised). I appreciate your valiant efforts with the iPad, but I just couldn't do that without adding a keyboard to it. It has some great apps for sure, but things like the Eee Pad and Eee tablet fascinate me more - especially the idea of a high-resolution input sensor- things we can write on :) Hi Ian – I agree on the point about coding not being the only creativity – hence my last sentence. However, on my windows tablet I can draw, write (in hand writing and have it recognised). I appreciate your valiant efforts with the iPad, but I just couldn’t do that without adding a keyboard to it.

It has some great apps for sure, but things like the Eee Pad and Eee tablet fascinate me more – especially the idea of a high-resolution input sensor- things we can write on :)

]]> By: Ian Betteridge http://benjaminellis.org/2010/07/11/the-new-makers-and-the-ipad-haters/comment-page-1/#comment-9022 Ian Betteridge Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:39:26 +0000 http://benjaminellis.org/?p=527#comment-9022 Painting the iPad as a "consumers" machine is, I think only true if the only creativity you care about is coding. In the past month or two, the majority of my blog posts have been written on the iPad. I've written all my journal entries on it. I've created databases with Bento, and wireframes using Omnigraffle. And over the past few days, I've been using the incredible Photo fx Ultra to manipulate images in a way that I never could with Photoshop. I've done more creative "stuff" with the iPad than I had for a while. Yes, of course, I also read books on it (some of them - and this might shock Cory - actually DRM-free ePub and PDF documents that I *didn't* buy from the Apple store). I watch video on it, too. But it's a long way from Cory's caricature. One thing that I find particularly ironic: Cory makes a living from writing books, the ultimate in passive "consumer" media. And yet, oddly, books somehow *aren't* a problem. About the WePad: it seems that it doesn't actually exist. Although they announced pricing in April, the WePad site now appears to have vanished from the face of the Internet. The thing is that ultimately it's not an either/or scenario. You don't have to give up a laptop simply because the iPad exists. If people buy them, it's because they fit a need in their lives - for something simple, easy to use, that lets them do stuff they want to do. It's just fun. Painting the iPad as a “consumers” machine is, I think only true if the only creativity you care about is coding.

In the past month or two, the majority of my blog posts have been written on the iPad. I’ve written all my journal entries on it. I’ve created databases with Bento, and wireframes using Omnigraffle. And over the past few days, I’ve been using the incredible Photo fx Ultra to manipulate images in a way that I never could with Photoshop. I’ve done more creative “stuff” with the iPad than I had for a while.

Yes, of course, I also read books on it (some of them – and this might shock Cory – actually DRM-free ePub and PDF documents that I *didn’t* buy from the Apple store). I watch video on it, too. But it’s a long way from Cory’s caricature.

One thing that I find particularly ironic: Cory makes a living from writing books, the ultimate in passive “consumer” media. And yet, oddly, books somehow *aren’t* a problem.

About the WePad: it seems that it doesn’t actually exist. Although they announced pricing in April, the WePad site now appears to have vanished from the face of the Internet.

The thing is that ultimately it’s not an either/or scenario. You don’t have to give up a laptop simply because the iPad exists. If people buy them, it’s because they fit a need in their lives – for something simple, easy to use, that lets them do stuff they want to do. It’s just fun.

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