Reading a book on it would be a nightmare over time. The eye strain created by the iPad's screen would effect a lot of people. The Kindle has a matte screen with an almost a paper like look that was designed to protect the user's eyes against this issue.
The iPad is not an appropriate device for reading books.

 

Apple may face ‘iPad’ battle with Fujitsu
By Robin Harding in Tokyo
Published: January 28 2010 06:39 | Last updated: January 28 2010 06:39

From the Financial Times

Apple may face a legal battle with Fujitsu of Japan before it can use the iPad name for its new tablet computer.

Since 2002, Fujitsu has made a handheld computer called the iPad for use by shop assistants, and has an outstanding trademark application for the name.

“[The company] is aware of Apple’s iPad announcement and the possible infringement on our trademark ... We are currently discussing our options with our trademark counsel and have no further comment at this time,” Fujitsu said.

While trademark disputes rarely prevent the release of products or force a change of name, if Apple cannot overturn Fujitsu’s application or demonstrate that the two products will not be confused, it may have to buy the rights from Fujitsu.

In 2007, Apple reached a settlement in a similar dispute with Cisco Systems, which owned a prior iPhone trademark.

The Fujitsu iPad has a 3.5-inch screen, an Intel processor, a Microsoft operating system and supports both Wi-fi and Bluetooth wireless connections. It is designed to link shop assistants and managers to data on stock and sales.

 

Ok, then it fails. Epicly.

 

Which is why I'm so disappointed. Taking OSX and modifying so it works with a kickass tablet and form factor would have been incredible. And yeah, it would have been hard... but thats what I was expecting.

The iPhone Os is already getting damn old if you ask me. All I have is pages and pages of icons. WTF kind of OS is that? Why do I need to navigate through 15 pages to turn off my bluetooth? And now, they are taking that simple and restricted OS and throwing it onto a kick ass form factor with a much faster chip? And that supposed to be some incredible feat?

Yes, I'm sure the hardware is kickass, and you feel like your on the bridge of the uss enterprise as you walk around your kitchen. But seriously, it feels rushed and quite honestly like a bad April fools joke.

But I know one thing, people who can't afford the damn thing will be pulling a second mortgage on their upside down house to get one. So Apple will sell tons of em.

 

^^Good post

 

Adolf isn't happy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQnT0zp8Ya4

 

If that is true I will buy three of them.




Seriously.

 

Unfortunately, thats kinda what they are banking on. They are hoping the wow factor the hardware brings, will be enough to give geeks a hard-on. It probably will do its job... but to me they essentially took features away from a iphone/ipod touch and scaled it up, and released it.

 

The idea that OS X in its entirety can be modified and potted over to a touchscreen device is ludicrious.

There are serious, fundamental issues with the UI that would jeopardize the overall experience.

The iPhone OS is, by far, the best platform to work up from.

This isn't a full-fledged laptop replacement; never has been, never will be. Rather, it's a tool to leverage the Internet and similar apps in the most simplified way.

I'll expand later when I get home.

 

Curious to hear your thoughts on this as other OS's have been ported to tablets. OSX is a GUI Apple created overtop of someone else's platform. I don't see why they could not create an OSX based touch interface. They have certainly had enough time to create it. This product has been hinted at for nearly a decade.

Sure, the iPad is a tool that can leverage the internet, but only a piece of it since it is not equipped with a full featured browser.

Where Jobs made the biggest mistake (this week), was introducing the iPad by stating netbooks were useless, which they clearly are not. A $300 netbook runs circles around the iPad's feature set.

The fact is, the iPad (a product that Apple doesn't even own the rights to its name) was a cop out. It is not the product that the consumer expected nor wanted.
The iPad's sales are really going to be a test. Apple keeps pushing the envelope on giving the consumer less and less, but putting a prettier bow on it. This all really reminds me of the current administration and their smoke and mirror policies. Of course, given that the brunt of Apple consumers are liberals, it certainly has an almost humorous level of irony to it all.