No Hulu, no cbs.com, no fox.com, or abc.com, or nbc.com, or Comcast's Fancast/xFinity or any site streaming video with Adobe Flash.
I don't have a problem with Apple questing for total world domination. It's just that in an effort to do it on multiple fronts, I fear it is missing the forest for the trees. As with the iPhone, Apple is not supporting Flash-based video streaming for the iPad, so iPad owners will have to buy the content from iTunes instead of watching it for free on Hulu!
When the Apple iPhone launched in late June 2007 without lack of support for Flash, the video streaming protocol used for most Internet video, I didn't consider it a very big deal. I figured it would come soon enough. Oops. Months later Apple went on the record saying they wouldn't add it because "it's too slow." Though I didn't buy that, at least not really, I still didn't think it was a huge deal with regard to the iPhone in 2007.
Most people weren't going to want to watch TV on a 3.5" screen. And in 2007, you weren't likely to find WiFi on a plane, so if you wanted a movie, you were going to need it stored on your iPhone's hard drive anyway.
Now it's 2010 and there's still no Flash support for the iPhone. I'm still personally annoyed over it, but again, I figure most people won't want to watch TV on a 3.5" screen.
But what about a 10" high definition screen like the newly announced iPad from Apple? I think plenty of people will want to watch video on that. How awesome would it be to fire up Hulu and...
But nope. The iPad isn't going to support Flash either. The nonsense over Flash being too slow can no longer be swallowed. It's 2010, and the new hardware can handle Flash just fine -- not that the old hardware couldn't.
Apple doesn't want you watching free videos on CBS.com or Hulu. If you want to watch those shows, Apple wants you to buy them from iTunes. You can also watch YouTube videos via the YouTube application, which is fine if you want to watch episodes of old TV shows like "21 Jump Street," but lousy if you want to watch "NCIS," where there are currently only clips and previews rather than full episodes. There are full episodes at CBS.com, but you won't be able to stream them on you iPad.
At a price of $499 on the low end without 3G and with the smallest 16GB hard drive, I would get one as soon as it was available, if it supported Flash. I'd have used it as a netbook/laptop replacement AND a bedroom TV. Without Flash support, I'm not interested.
While I might have been the odd duck when it came to really enjoying video even on the small iPhone screen, a 10" screen is plenty big enough, especially when its only a few inches from your face.
I wonder if Apple is missing a big opportunity in this case, and cutting off its nose to spite its face. I think more people would buy them if Apple marketed as "the best handheld device for watching Hulu ever!"
The eBook aspects are nice, but let's face it -- book readers like the Kindle are the "Mad Men" of the gadget world. Critics, gadget geeks and Oprah slobber all over it, but hardly anyone, you know, actually buys one. There's certainly a market for it, it just isn't that big.
I don't know if the market is much bigger for a 10" media device that will easily allow you to watch any of the online offerings from the networks, including Hulu, but the market for people watching video online is much, much bigger than the market for people who want to read books on a tablet computer.
The Netbook market is the most rapidly growing sector as far as the home computer hardware market goes. You can easily find a Netbook for a couple hundred dollars cheaper than the cheapest iPad. Nope, it won't look cool as hell, and it won't have multi-touch, but it will at least work well with Hulu and any Flash-driven video site.
I'll be waiting for the touchscreen tablet competition in the same price range to debut. It won't take as long as it did for the iPhone to have touchscreen competition in the smartphone market. In the meanwhile, the iPhone will satisfy my touchscreen and application jones. And my 2.5 year old Macbook will run Hulu just fine.
Sadly, I won't be holding my breath for Apple to give up the ghost and add Flash support for the iPad. It's too bad. Too bad for me at least, because I would have really loved a high definition hand-held touch screen tablet that supported Flash. And too bad for Apple, perhaps, because I just don't need a(nother) $500 device that doesn't support Flash.
P.S. Yes, I know people could rip DVDs and put the content on their iPad's hard drive, or download torrents in MP4 or M4V format and move them to the iPad's hard drive, and that some people will do that.
P.P.S. Some have suggested that the limitations on Flash are so that AT&T will have to consume less bandwidth over its 3G network and be able to charge more reasonable rates. As far as 3G goes, that makes sense, though they could still open it up to WiFi.
Bonus: for everyone ragging on the product's name, here's a Mad TV sketch from 2007 that predicted well in advance some of the issues people would have with the naming convention...
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It would also kill the app store. Many people could just go play flash-based video games online for free.
Sadly, I still want one eventually. But this little hangup won’t phase those who blindly buy every Apple product that comes on the market as if it was handed down as manna from heaven.
I’d want a front facing camera with the addition of skype and ichat. That would seal the deal for me.
Apple’s Ipad looks like a device in search of a purpose. It makes a net book at $299 or a tablet at $500 an even more compelling purchase. I simply don’t understand the lack of flash support. I just purchased my new HP netbook and love the size and ability to view anything I want on it. Try again Apple!
Strange positioning of this product.
Many have tried the tablet for years and failed. I believe that Gartner is predicting sales in the 4-5 million units for these. Personally I think that this is optimistic.
I got my wife one of the first iPod touches the minute I saw the wifi capabilities. This is just a big old iTouch. I use hers a lot when I am watching TV to look stuff up. I could use a larger screen. I had reading books from a screen and prefer paper (besides when I fall asleep with my book and roll over on it I only crumple paper , not an expensive device)
The problem with this is that it does not replace your music player (too big 4 your pocket) or you laptop (not enough power, won’t run multi apps). Now if this ran OSX it would be a different story.
I agree with Sam, That it is a device looking 4 a purpose. The thing that it has going for it the really great user interface unlike the revolutionary first generation Apple Newton I bought that had a truly non-functional interface!
This article is EXACTLY how I feel about the iPad! I use Hulu and Grooveshark and a Flash-based webinar service! How can this be the “best web browsing experience” if I can’t access sites I use daily? My two requirement were webcam (for conferencing) and Flash support. Oh well, guess I’ll look harder at the JooJoo tablet (which has both). And why no USB or SD card options…to make you buy larger memory models? Online content, whether it’s music, movies, TV shows and other IP are moving to FREE. Steve Jobs is going to repeat his mistake of the 70′s and 80′s with his proprietary greed. Keep an eye out for competitors to jump all over this need for greed, his Achilles Heel!
I’m skeptical of the whole deal. Its essentially a glorified iPod Touch, but bulkier and less convenient. It will not be able to replace a computer for business travel or taking to class for notes. McGraw claims this is huge for text book replacements; however, I personally think that is naive. The power consumption will be much more than a kindle. Furthermore, the inability of the iTab to multitask just makes it a joke. Now I wouldn’t mind if someone gave me one for free–I’d like to see how well Linux would perform.
Spend $499.00 so that I can spend more more money at iTunes? I think not. :roll”
I have no problem with this product at all. For all the critics of Apple, they have been the innovators in the Industry not their competitors. They come out with a product and everyone else copies. There will be a competing product available in 6 months which will address this I’m sure and Apple will either need to Step up to stay competitive or they won’t feel they need to to be competitive and won’t. I don’t blame them a bit for trying to gain market share and attempting to use this product for that. Steve Jobs is brilliant. But competition will come.
One last thing. Perhaps it doesn’t bother me because I normally don’t go out and purchase a new product immediately when it’s available. So I know in 6 months to a year the price will be lower, a new version of their product will be in the market, and there will be plenty of competitive products out there.
It’s a POS device that Apple tries to squeeze even more money out of the consumer. No flash support, usb and sd card options? are you kidding me?
Yep…This is just a giant Iphone to me. No Flash….haha. That’s really some great internet communicating device. No forward facing cam. Thats dumb. This is going nowhere fast folks. You’d better make some changes if you want to sell his thing. lol
@diana: actually, this time apple is the one that copies the others. tablet-pcs have been around for quite some time and now that apple sees the potential they’re selling their more than questionable version for 500 dollars… i always wanted to have an iphone i can’t make a call with for 500 dollars, didn’t you?
The mobile verison of ABC NBC and CBS website actually does support apple video.
This really is yet another case of Apple sticking a finger in the eye of a long-time business partner (Adobe).
Just another reason for me to stick with PC. I know Apple’s are supposed to be better, but they are also giant wallet suckers. Everything apple I have ever looked into has always had several giant drawbacks that, for me, outweighed all their positives put together. My mp3 has always been Samsung or Sony, and my phones have never been I-anything. Computers are always PCs, even thought PCs drive me bonkers.
Apple: We Make Microsoft Look Cuddly!
diana you completely have it backwards. In nearly every single device that Apple has created within the last 15 years has been pre-existing technology. The iPod (existing music device), the iPhone (existing touch screen), the iPad (existing tablet)… so what really is so innovative here?
Samsung and HTC had a touch screen phone out YEARS before the iPhone came out… and numerous mp3 players and video players were out before the iPod was even thought of. Again… what is so innovative here?
diana you have it completely backwards….
Apple is releasing this iPad and has locked it down, like they do with all their devices. They don’t want you to use any free services, this entire thing revolves around iTunes. So you will have to “buy” music, “buy” videos, “buy” games etc… etc… etc…
It’s a big iPod Touch. If you were going to buy an iPod Touch, but want a little more screen real estate, but don’t mind it not fitting in your pocket, then I can see someone being in the market. Otherwise, it’s not clear to me where it fits in.
But if Flash viewing is your problem, then the same problem exists with a Touch.
I am sold, Flash is not an isue for me at all (at least it hasn’t been). I don’t like streaming media in general (as to this day the quality isn’t as high as purchased content, be it online or home media you convert yourself) and do honestly prefer to own my content.
My main wish on this product, was being a media device that I can take around the house and use in positions that my laptop is inconvientant. Things like reading, watching tv & movies, and listening to music lying down (which is how I read nearly 90% of the time). I have enver been able to do that with my laptop (at least in any position that is comfortable.
I mean seriously the Kindle is 250, and only offers B&W reading (ie now real use for Magazines, comics, newspapaers) and has no other media abilities. Easily worth another 200 hunderd for, easily.
P.S… services like hulu.com and other streaming content will soon be “paid” content anyways. Although not putting Flash on this iPad just shows that Apple has hate for Adobe and refuses to partner with that company. Also forces users, again, to use iTunes… and dish out more money.
Apple is like most large companies, they only care about their stock prices.
Well I for one don’t get the appeal of the iPhone yet everywhere I turn around someone has one. I have a Blackberry and with that, I had the option of going with any service provider and the price point for the service was MUCH MUCH better than the iphone. Plus you can tether with a blackberry and not an iPhone.
And yes I know there are tablet PC’s out there but nothing like this. It’s not perfect, has a long way to go, but I see a ton of potential. And no I am not an Apple lover.