Gno Schitt

While I agree generally with Doctorow's thoughts on the matter, I have a feeling he's never used an iPhone or the like. Call me a consumer but one of the things I like about Mac is that they make sure that the stuff I'm going to download and put on my machine is going to work well. I don't have the time or interest that I once had to fuck around with new software and new hardware, trying to make them work. And generally speaking, Mac just works...and works well.

Just my experience...how bout yours?

I got to play with an iPad today. My colleague had one that he bought in the US. I wanted one before but now I want one even more!

Too much consumer lock in for my taste. I find it bad enough with my iTouch. I don't need a bigger version with more lockins.

That being said I am considering getting one for grandma only problem is then it needs to have a webcam so she can do video calls with far away grandchildren. I think they missed the boat on millions of sales there.

Tycho over at PA has a fair amount to say about it. Most is tongue in cheek, but in an oh-so-right sort of way.

...It's a large, heavy iPhone that can't make calls. Everything the iPhone excels at, this excels at also, and that includes the acquisition of human grease and filth. Every extended interaction with the device leaves it coated with smears of unknown provenance, like a stripper pole. From a narrative perspective, they've gone the wrong way: they've made a large, less general purpose device after a smaller, perfect one. You come out with the big one first, and then when you make the one that fits in your pocket, there is a gasp from everyone in the room. You may sense this also, upon using it: the sense that time has begun to flow backward.

If I didn't have an iPhone already? For sure!

Heh... stripper pole.

Cory Doctorow makes me happy.

In the article he links MAKE magazine's Owner's Manifesto/Maker's Bill of Rights. Recommended even if you don't have time or interest in Doctorow.

I'll admit that my iPhone is one of the greatest pieces of tech I've ever owned - and that's saying a lot - but I don't need an iPad. I've got a laptop, I've got an iPhone, why get an iPad.

On a related note, a few different articles related to the iPad launch referred to Jobs as "Svengali-like" which I think is pretty damn accurate, and goes a long way to describing some of the cult-like fanaticism of Apple fan-boys.

But here on Gno Schitt we're all level-headed independent thinkers, right?
Right!?

Aw crap...

I keep thinking of ways an iPad will make my life easier as a DM. But I'll feel pretty silly sitting there with: an iPod Touch (initiative tracker), a laptop (monster/NPC spreadsheets and reference material) AND an iPad (for showing players images, locations, objects, etc...).

Godamit, I'll have THREE pieces of hardware to run a game? Terrible....