Apple

iPad or Archos 9

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Because I can’t help being contrary (and I’ll have plenty of time before I can afford to do anything about it anyway) I’ve started pondering whether I want an iPad or would rather have something like an Archos 9 Tablet. Many of my friends have Archos media players and I don’t think I’ve heard anything negative about them. Amazon user reviews on the 9 are biased toward the negative, though I’m inclined to think some of that is because it needs a bit more thought to set up (but is consequently more adaptable) than an iPad.

The Archos 9 is better value storage wise than the iPad. It has a smaller screen, though it claims 1080p display capability compared to the iPad’s 720p (though how it does this with a 1024 x 600 screen is beyond me). I don’t think it has the iPad’s orientation detection- it’s landscape all the way. And, most obviously, the Archos isn’t going to have the mass of apps that the iPad will. I’m not sure this is a deal breaker, I’d only really need a text editor, ebook reader (it’s Windows, I can run a version of Kindle on it as well as pdfs, rtf etc.) and a lightweight drawing package such as ArtRage. Anything more, as my nice new desktop proves, and I get distracted from doing any real work far too easily.

I’m definitely conflicted. But it’s going to be at least six months before I could afford either tablet, so I have plenty of time to think about it. Of course, the obvious way to work out which one is best for me would be if Archos and Apple would both be so kind as to send me a review copy for a month or so……….

Do I want an iPad?

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The greatest thing ever in the history of everything was announced on Wednesday. I was in the pub, so I’m only just starting to follow the hype.

Just a few of the pieces I’ve seen-

7 Ways the Apple iPad will affect Filmmakers and Creatives

Did You Hear? The Apple Tablet Is Gonna Save Comics, Too.

I haven’t been following the hype, and even I’ve read speculation that The New Flatness will save, in no particular order: Book publishing, newspapers, magazines, music, textbooks, games and the music industry. Also: The Whales, the Children, the Tiger, The Cheerleader/World, Energy, Ferris, and The Last Dance for Me.

So yeah, once it’s got all that sorted, it’s gonna save the comics industry. No, really; for months the comics press has teemed with forward-looking headlines both bold (“Apple Tablet Will Restore Comic Books to Former Glory”) and coy (“Could Apple’s iSlate Tablet Be a Digital Game-Changer?”)

The Morning After The Night Before – Comic Industry Wakes Up To The Apple iPad

Apple Event to Focus on Reinventing Content, Not Tablets

I may have to start saving for an iPad. It won’t be as good as all the hype, but it will be phenomenally popular. And it looks like there’ll be an iTunes extension for books. I’ll skip over the ebook readers I’ve been pondering for a while for the product that’s going to be in the most backpacks in a couple of years. I want to produce content for it, so I should get one to see what works best and maybe even to use whilst producing some of that content.

It seems I’ve finally- after years of resisting Macs (of my own, I did borrow time on Damian’s to do some video editing), iPods and iPhones- fallen for the Apple shiny. I’m ready to be assimilated into the iBorg now.