Cellphones and Other Wireless

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Anne Elk

The Siren of the 3G iPad is calling to me. I am trying very hard to stick to my rule of never buying first generation gadgets. That's a good rule, right?

It's an excellent rule. Especially with Apple.

[Gattigap]

Originally Posted by taxwonk

It's an excellent rule. Especially with Apple.

And yet, this iPad thingie is pretty damn cool. It's not a replacement for everything in your life, but as an overpriced media consumption device, it's a very good media consumption device.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally Posted by Anne Elk

The Siren of the 3G iPad is calling to me. I am trying very hard to stick to my rule of never buying first generation gadgets. That's a good rule, right?

It seems like there are not major hardware issues, and software can always be updated.

But, Apple does seem to use a strategy of holding back some features in the 1st gen. model so that it can "add value" to the next release. So the main question is whether you're willing to trade off 6-9 months of use for the strong possibility that come early next year you'll be want to buy the next generation model because of some new feature.

Remarkably Apple's products do seem to retain a fair degree of resale value, so you might be able to get some of the cost back.

[Gattigap]

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)

It seems like there are not major hardware issues, and software can always be updated.

But, Apple does seem to use a strategy of holding back some features in the 1st gen. model so that it can "add value" to the next release. So the main question is whether you're willing to trade off 6-9 months of use for the strong possibility that come early next year you'll be want to buy the next generation model because of some new feature.

Remarkably Apple's products do seem to retain a fair degree of resale value, so you might be able to get some of the cost back.

If it's not an iPhone, why would I want it?

[Anne Elk]

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)

It seems like there are not major hardware issues, and software can always be updated.

But, Apple does seem to use a strategy of holding back some features in the 1st gen. model so that it can "add value" to the next release. So the main question is whether you're willing to trade off 6-9 months of use for the strong possibility that come early next year you'll be want to buy the next generation model because of some new feature.

Remarkably Apple's products do seem to retain a fair degree of resale value, so you might be able to get some of the cost back.

I want one so I can get away from Big Brother and use Flickr, Twitter, FB (and of course lawtalkers) without IT looming over my shoulder. I'd also use it for storing PDFs (knitting patterns). Oh, and watch baseball. Only reason I haven't ponied up for the full version of AtBat is the tiny screen and the fact that I don't want to drain my phone battery.

Don't really care about the lack of a camera since I always have at least one with me.

ETA: I have also pondered a Netbook.

(I'm really good at justifying this potential purchase.)

[Fugee]

Originally Posted by Gattigap

If it's not an iPhone, why would I want it?

Hilarious.

I think someone with mad skilz or extra time should use that xtranormal site to make a video from some of the interactions between the ret. unicorn and TM.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally Posted by Anne Elk

I want one so I can get away from Big Brother and use Flickr, Twitter, FB (and of course lawtalkers) without IT looming over my shoulder. I'd also use it for storing PDFs (knitting patterns). Oh, and watch baseball. Only reason I haven't ponied up for the full version of AtBat is the tiny screen and the fact that I don't want to drain my phone battery.

Don't really care about the lack of a camera since I always have at least one with me.

ETA: I have also pondered a Netbook.

(I'm really good at justifying this potential purchase.)

I'm never going to strongly take the side of "don't buy a new gadget".

One thing I'm not sure about though--can you access wifi at work, outside the work servers? Otherwise you're going to be using data, and that'll cost you. Flickr's a data hog, and so are the tits that get posted here.

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)

But, Apple does seem to use a strategy of holding back some features in the 1st gen. model so that it can "add value" to the next release. So the main question is whether you're willing to trade off 6-9 months of use for the strong possibility that come early next year you'll be want to buy the next generation model because of some new feature.

It seems pretty obvious from the iPhone 4 that the 2nd gen iPad feature is a forward-facing camera so you can have iPhone-iPhone or iPad-iPhone conversations in FaceTime and the iPad will be a Magic Mirror picture frame. Be guided by this as something to wait for only after considering that people will probably use FaceTime about as often as they use video in iChat, which is to say rarely. Maybe road warriors' MMV, but I dread the day my wife calls and says "Hey, turn on FaceTime" and I'm all "No" not because there's anything untoward going on, but because I told her I was walking to my car and would be home in 15 minutes when the reality is I'm still in my office.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally Posted by Atticus Grinch

Maybe road warriors' MMV, but I dread the day my wife calls and says "Hey, turn on FaceTime" and I'm all "No" not because there's anything untoward going on, but because I told her I was walking to my car and would be home in 15 minutes when the reality is I'm still in my office.

Easy: "Not near a wi-fi network, honey."

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally Posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)

Easy: "Not near a wi-fi network, honey."

Great tip, but what if she thinks I'm at the office but I'm really at In-n-Out for the third time that week? TIA.

[Cletus Miller]

Originally Posted by Atticus Grinch

Great tip, but what if she thinks I'm at the office but I'm really at In-n-Out for the third time that week? TIA.

"office network is down. the government doesn't save it's best services for itself"

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally Posted by Cletus Miller

"office network is down. the government doesn't save it's best services for itself"

Whatever I'm paying you and Burger, it isn't enough. My gratitude will have to suffice.

[taxwonk]

Originally Posted by Cletus Miller

"office network is down. the government doesn't save it's best services for itself"

Isn't the next generation supposed to have built-in broadband wireless?

[Atticus Grinch]

Originally Posted by taxwonk

Isn't the next generation supposed to have built-in broadband wireless?

At present, FaceTime only works when an iPhone 4 is connected via wi-fi. This is probably contractual with AT&T for bandwidth reasons. No reason to think the hypothetical FaceTime for iPad 2 would be different. Three million people running two-way streaming video would fark their network.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally Posted by Atticus Grinch

Whatever I'm paying you and Burger, it isn't enough. My gratitude will have to suffice.

Option 3: Mumble something about firewalls.