Comments on: The Wing and the Wheel

By: Ricky Buchanan

Ricky Buchanan — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:28:56 +0000

Thanks for the link to my ATMac.org post. I just wrote a whole bunch, enlarging on the iPad’s simplicity and why it’s important for the target users and accidentally wrote a blog post so I’ve deleted it from here - keep your eye on atmac.org again!

As for the name, I still giggle when I have to talk/write about the “Wii” system or remote control, so I reserve the right to giggle and joke a bit about “iPad” too (we call menstrual pads just “pads” down here in Australia mostly). I reserve the right to giggle doubly in an assistive technology context as incontinence pads and similar are also generally just referred to as “pads”.

Actually, I don’t think the name is awful - I call my stack of bound lined paper sheets a “pad” or “notebook” too and the latter is obviously already taken in the computer context. And “tablet” may be a type of device of computer geeks understand but I’m pretty sure the basic/novice computing types only think of painkillers or their blood pressure meds when they hear “tablet” so it isn’t appropriate for the target market.

I’ve recently been helping a first-time computer user begin to understand her brand new laptop with Windows 7. She’s smart and bright and very motivated and in her early 50s, for reference, she’s just never used a computer before except under close help where her daughter opened a document in MS Word and she typed her document and then her daughter saved and printed it without explaining to her what she was doing or how. So I have a much better understanding now of the differences between a basically competent computer user who’s not a geek but can manage email/documents/Skype chat and somebody who’s a complete and utter novice. The difference is surprising even to me and I thought I understood novices pretty well!

Cheers, Ricky .-= Ricky Buchanan´s last blog ..Accessing the iPad: Mouthsticks and Styluses =-.

By: Osman

Osman — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:37:55 +0000

Erm, FYI the iPhone plays youtube videos perfectly and comes with a youtube app. If the Kindle can do well, this will be successful as a e-reader alone.

By: Safiyyah

Safiyyah — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:10:34 +0000

Salaams:

I would like to see one and put my hands on it. As a person with fine motor skill problems, touch screens are a blessing. My Blackberry KILLS my hands :( .-= Safiyyah´s last blog ..No Good Deed Goes Unpunished? Or Child Trafficking? =-.

By: kingstonpeople

kingstonpeople — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:12:18 +0000

I for one won’t be buying one. Reason one is I like reading from actual books made out of paper as nothing beats getting a “new” book to read. By “new” I mean borrowed, brought new or brought second hand. I read a mixture of novels and textbooks on various subjects, and I find it uncomfortable reading large amounts of text from a screen. Reason two is if I want a device that size I would get a netbook as it’s more versatile.

By: mash

mash — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:05:51 +0000

I just think it’s a scam. They’re basically releasing an underspecified product that all fanboys and wannabes will snap up then in 18months they’ll release the same thing again with a few extras meaning people will have to double-dip.

The lack of USB port and Webcam are beyond a joke in this day and age. If it’s supposed to be a portable device why do you need a dock to transfer a file to it? .-= mash´s last blog ..PPP Project =-.

By: Caf

Caf — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:47:54 +0000

I’m so glad that I’m not the only one who thinks it is just a giant, less convenient ipod touch…

I’ll stick with my iphone for now, that is one product that, as a person with CRPS in their hands, as helped immensely! .-= Caf´s last blog ..Thoughts On Thinking & Effective Pain Endurance =-.

By: Cosmic Cook

Cosmic Cook — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:31:10 +0000

The lack of Flash support is probably the greatest downside for iPad, in fact for any Apple product. But I suppose its all about their secrecy and their unwillingness to cooperate with Adobe, or with any other company for that matter. But I suppose they've never had a history of making alliances, and that was a successful strategy they took unlike their IBM neighbours in Silicon Valley. .-= Cosmic Cook´s last blog ..Expression Blend & Silverlight =-.

By: iMuslim

iMuslim — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:28:25 +0000

Having a period should be considered no different than blowing your nose, urinating, or any other body function…

Umm, last I heard, body functions were a source of great amusement. Especially men (though women do find them funny too - we just like to act like we’re above such juvenile behaviour… shhh).

Anyway, as an Apple fan, I’m not sure what to think. The iPhone/iPod Touch was such a good idea, I guess it’s hard to top, hence the ‘meh’ response, even from myself.

As I said on Twitter, I can’t wait to play with one… but I’ll probably wait another 6 months - 1 year, for the inevitable upgrades. :) .-= iMuslim´s last blog ..Do Not Push =-.